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S eptember 6, 1995 • T he P ortland O bserver
Commission Investigating NBCUSIA
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C.C. C a m p b e l l -R ock _____
A recently released Louisiana
Department o f Insurance examina
tion report has recommended that the
Baton Rouge-based national Baptist
Benefit Society, and affiliate o f the
National Baptist Convention, USA,
Inc., be liquidated
The National Baptist Conven
tion, USA, Inc., is one o f the largest
black Baptist organizations in the
country, representing 33,000 church
es and eight m illion members nation
wide.
The report is yet another twist in
the year-long battle between new
president Rev. Henry J. Lyons and
former president Rev. T.J. Jemison,
for control o f the organization. The
report’s findings have refueled ques
tions concerning the whereabouts o f
nearly $1 m illion o f Society money
entrusted to Rev. T.J. Jemison’s ad
ministration.
The Society, a fraternal benefit
organization which began operating
on Sept. I, 1986 promised partici
pants an annual annuity o f $500, a
five-year, $3,500 level term convert-
ible insurance policy; and charter
membership in the organization. But
a recent examination shows there is
no money available to pay such ben
efits, although $1.2 m illio n was
placed in an escrow account to cover
claims.
The organization is still reeling
from a judgment against former pres
ident Rev. T.J. Jemison and others in
the organization for fraud against the
court and injury to the organization,
in what was described by Superior
Court Judge Zinora M itchell-Rankin
as a “ dastardly scheme” by Jemison,
to maintain control o f the organiza
tion.
However, Rev., Jemison’s trou
bles don’ t stop there. The current
insurance department report shows
inconsistencies in financial reports
and, i f records cited are correct, in
addition to the more than $1.4 m il
lion reserve fund deficit, over more
than $500 in cash is unaccounted for.
“ It’s the same thing that Jim
Bakker did. He took the people’s
money and spent it. The money has to
be accounted for and replaced.” said
Dr. Henry J. Lyons.
The examination also found that
the Society is in violation o f its own
by-laws. The report indicates that
although there were 10 officers o f
record, there has been no cohesive
functioning o f officers since 1988-
89. “ As o f September 30, 1994, the
only officers w orking with the Soci
ety were Rev. T.J. Jemison and Eddie
G. Craw ford.”
In addition, the report sheds I ight
on the rise and fall o f two retirement
plans launched under Dr. Jemison’s
administration.
In 1983, Rev. T.J. Jemison
claims to have been divinely inspired
in a dream to prepare and institute a
“ Retirement Plan” for ministers. He
expanded the plan to include all mem
bers ofthe National Baptist Conven
tion, USA.”
sent Decree which demanded the
immediate return o f money to all
participants and for the NBCUSA,
Inc., to cease all collection and solic
itation activities.
In July 1986,theNBCUSA,Inc.,
mailed a recission offer to the o rigi
nal plan’s 3,294 participants. They
could either get a refund on a one
time $300 enrollment fee plus inter
est or jo in a new plan-T he National
Baptist Benefit Society.
According to an affidavit, the
NBCUSA, Inc., placed approximate
ly $1,199,000 into an escrow ac
count for the refunds as per the con
sent Decree.
By Sept. 30, 1986, the total
amountofmoney accumulated in the
escrow account was $1,241,000. A
total o f $ 4 13,349.46 was refunded,
leaving $827,650.54 in cash in the
But shortly after 1983, the re
tirement pian was investigated by the
Securities Exchange Commission
(SEC).
The SEC ultim ately ruled the
retirement plan was in violation o f
the Securities Act and issued a Con
escrow account to pay future bene
fits to Society participants.
Records indicate that no further
payments were made after Sept. 30,
1986. Yet, by the Dec. 31, 1986
financial report the escrow account
had dwindled to $324,484, leaving a
total o f $503,166.54, unaccounted
for. And by early 1987, the Society
had no funds with which to pay its
contractual benefits.
By the time the Society filed its
1988 annual statement with the Lou
isiana Department o f Insurance, its
only asset was the $2,000,000 re
ceivable note (guarantee note) alleg
edly issued by the NBCUSA, Inc., to
the Society in 1986.
The examiner also found prob
lems with the organization’ s account
ing practices. “ The Society provided
no bank statements and very few
canceled checks for the period 1986
through 1994 and did not maintain
an accounting system that conformed
to genera I ly accepted insurance prin
ciples.”
Rev. Henry Lyons said his ad
ministration has been trying to get
complete financial information from
his predecessors to no avail.
'We were given no records. What
they gave us was flimsy and shabby.
Two little sheets o f paper. We still do
not know what was taken up at the
New Orleans Convention, Richardson
refuses to turn it over,” he said o f Rev.
W. Franklyn Richardson, Jemison’ s
hand-picked successor, whom Lyons
defeated for president.
Lyons spent the first few months
o f his administration criss-crossing
the country looking for N BC U SA
bank holdings, but for the most part
was unsuccessful. In addition to the
three bank accounts he already knew
of, Lyons’ sole find was an addition
al bank account in Baton Rouge.
The Louisana Insurance Com
mission is continuing its investiga
tion o fth e National Baptist Benefit
Society. Insurance Commissioner
Jim Brown said, “ Based on the ex
amination report, we are continuing
our investigation o f the operation o f
the company and w ill take appropri
ate regulatory action.”
When asked i f crim inal charges
w ill be pursued concerning the unac
counted money, Dr. Lyons said, “ it’ s
not clear what course we w ill actual
ly take, but it is clear that we w ill not
stop until we find every penny, in
cluding the Benefit Society’s $ I m il
lion.”
The Vision: f t City O f Virtues fa th e r Hhan Violence
The third annual Spirit Summit,
a free one-day conference hosted by
the Regional Drug Initiative Spirit
Committee, w ill be held on Friday,
Sept. 15 from noon to 9 p.m. at the
Lutheran Inner-City Ministries Cen
ter, 4219N.E. M artin Luther King Jr.
Blvd.
Focusing on the faith communi
ty ’ s role in addressing the societal
problems o f drug use, abuse and re
lated violence, the keynote speaker
w ill be the Rev. Fred Smith from The
Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga.
Rev. Smith is assistant director
for violence and substance abuse in
itiatives for the Interfaith Health Pro
gram at The Carter Center and also
chairman o f the board o f the National
Interfaith Alliance Against Substance
Abuse. The alliance is a national
network o f religious practitioners in
the field o f alcohol, tobacco and oth
er drug prevention and treatment from
various recovery' traditions.
“ The mission o f the InterFaith
Health Program Substance Abuse
Initiatives is to enlist the faith com
munity in fu lfillin g its unique role as
a catalyst bringing positive change
and awareness in response to issues
arising from the use, misuse, and
abuse o f alcohol, tobacco and other
drugs,” states Rev. Smith. “ I am very
excited to be part o f this important
event in Portland, which is a prime
example o f our mission,” he added.
Afternoon workshops led by lo
cal professionals and community
leaders w ill address such topics as
violence and the family; violence
and virtues; violence and the media;
violence and youth; violence and the
faith community; and violence and
character renewal.
The afternoon session w ill end
with a panel o f key community lead
ers responding to the question, “ W’hat
would Portland look like without v i
olence?” Panel members w ill include
Cox Funeral Home Inc.
(503)281-4891
Judge Roosevelt Robinson, U.S. A t
torney K ris Olson, Bishop A .A .
Wells, Rev. Rozell Gilmore; Judge
Henry Kantor; Rev. Rodney Page;
State Rep. Eileen Qutub; Iman M ikal
Shabazz, Mr. Vincent Wannassay,
Ms. Chiquita Rollins and Mr. V ictor
Leo. Moderator o f the discussion
w ill be Rev. Bernard Ings, chair o f
the R.DI Spirit committee.
The Portland Adventist Health
Van w ill be on the site from 10 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. offer free health infor
mation and blood pressure checks
and cholesterol screenings for $2.
Refreshments and musical en
tertainment w ill be available between
5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The evening ses
sion beginning at 7 p.m. w ill feature
music, testimonies and fellowship,
along with a special message by Rev.
Smith.
This annual community event is
provided as a free community ser
vice by the Regional Drug Initiative.
Co-sponsors include the Portland
United Methodist Association for
Metropolitan M inistries, the West
ern Regional Center for Drug-Free
Schools and Communities, N orth
west Parish Nurse M inistries, Ecu
menical M inistries o f Oregon, the
Albina M inisterial Alliance and the
M ultnom ah C ounty A lco ho l and
Drug Program Office.
For more information, call the
Regional Drug Initiative office at
294-7074.
GREATER ST. STEPHENS
Piano/Organist
Needed for area church
Please call
287-3608/281-6575
Carrie or Helen
A.A. COX, SR.
A N N IV E R S A R Y
ÜÏI}c<UJortlanh (Obscruer
UREA TER F A IT H CHRISTIAN CENTER
C H U R C H O F O O D I N C H R IS T
Invites You to Worship with Us!
Sunday Morning 11:30am
106 N. Killingsworth St.
Come and enjoy Christ centered Praise and Worship
And
The anointed Preaching/Teaching ministry of our Pastor,
Rev. H. Bernard Ings, Jr.
Order of Services
Sunday School - 10:00am
Morning Worship - 11:30am
Sunday Evening - 6:30pm
Mortician & Funeral Director
C H AR LE N E COX TAN N ER
Manager
JEROME G. TAN N ER
A. Funeral Director
Jerome G. Tanner
A Funeral Director
The Loss o f a loved one
is always a traumatic
experience. But it can he
made easier i f you contact
a facility that has you r
interest at heart.
The Board and Staff o f the
North Portland Bible College
is pleased to announce
a ribbon cutting ceremony,
Sunday, Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m.
in honor o fthe opening
o f their New Facilities
at 4905 N. Vancouver Ave.
(at Humboldt.)
WELCOME TO THE NEWLY REMODELED!
ALBINA CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER
MUSIC • SPECIAL GUESTS • REFRESHMENTS
LOCATED AT
Come and praise God with us
fo r what He has provided.
5 5 2 2 N. ALBINA AVENUE
PORTLAND, OREGON 9 7 2 1 7
PH. 2 8 3 -1 6 3 5
BISHOP SAMUEL M. IRVING, PASTOR
Call 288-2919.
Tuesday Evening - 7:30pm
Prayer/Bible Study
1st & 3rd Friday - 7:30pm
Evangelistic Service
ONE SERVICE COULD CHANGE
YOUR ENTIRE LIFE
ZBafihLit dhvidi
103 NE M orris St., Portland, OR 97212
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•
•
•
•
Sunday School - 9:30am
Sunday Morning Worship Service -1 1 :00am
Sunday School Teacher’s Meeting Tues - 6:30pm
Bible Study Wednesday 6:00pm
Prayer Meeting Wednesday - 7:00pm
Church Phone Number
287-7457
We Invite You To Come And Worship With Us.
The Church Where Everybody is Somebody And Christ Is All.
Dr. Joe S. Hardie, Pastor
S E R V IC E S
SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR ALL AGES
9 :4 5 A.M.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP CELEBRATION!
1 1 :0 0 A.M.
SUNDAY EVENING HOUR OF POWER!
6 :0 0 P.M.
WEDNESDAY EVENING:
WORSHIP & PRAISE!
FAMILY TRAINING HOUR
7 :0 0 P.M.
Mt Olivet
Baptist Church
8501 N. Chautauqua Blvd.,
at Willis Blvd.
W o rs h ip Services 8:00am & 11:00am,
C hu rch School 9 :3 0 to 10:30am,
B ib le Study, Wednesdays, 10:30am & 7:00pm
R adio M in is try each Sunday, 8:00am on K B M S
Everybody is saying:
“ I T 'S L IV E !”
A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
(50 3 ) 2 4 0 -P R A Y
FAITH TEMPLE CHURCH
4224 S.E. 62nd Avenue
(between Powell & Foster)
P o rtla n d , O regon 97206
SUNDAY
Sunday School 9:30am
Morning Worship 10:45am
Evangelistic Service 7:30pm
Tuesday Pastoral Teaching 7:00pm
FRIDAY
Evangelistic Service 7 00pm
DAILY
Prayer 12:00pm & 6:00pm
(503) 774-5470
PASTORS: Bishop Robert Simpson, Jr. • Dr Ida M. Simpson
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