428                  A. M. E. REVIEW.

so emphatically its teacher, its master in letters that his
presence still walks with us; his words of encouragement or
rebuke are heard still. The influences of the master are not
for the moment and for the subject under discussion only,
but are endless in extent. The spirit of the teacher pos-
sesses the mind of the taught and through him extends to
others indefinitely.
  One of Bishop Payne's colleagues said once; "Many of our
preachers are so eager to appear literary to Bishop Payne,
that they run and get a book and stick it under their arm
when they see him coming."   And the same might have
been said concerning their desire to appear of good social
and moral habits; few preachers could support a cigar in
his presence, none could utter obscenity; none could offer a
bribe.
  I have seen this little LARGE man at a banquet given in
honor of one of his Annual Conferences, walk along a great
table, strip it of every bottle of wine, take the bottles to the
door and cast them out as far in the darkness as his limited
muscle would allow. I have seen him summarily dismiss
from the secretary's chair in one of his conferences a man
whom the conference had elected year by year, since the in-
cipient session several years before.   And  the dismissal
dismissed thoroughly. There is little doubt that both these
cases were characterized by rashness, judged by common
practices, but they were effective and educative. In several
cases large uncultured preachers charged upon this man of
less than 100 pounds and no practice, with threats of immed-
iate punishment. In one case saying, "Ope your mouth and
I will smash it," in another; "I'll knock you down." The
reply in both cases was, "I can't help that."    In neither
case was the threat put into execution nor the Bishop's of-
fensive (?) position changed.
  His firmness of character was his fortress and his good
conscience his defense. In nearly forty years association
I never saw him express fear, and rarely discomfiture. I




			

OHS/National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center Serial Collection

African Methodist Episcopal Church Review, Vol. 28, Num. 1

Volume:  28
Issue Number:  01
Date:  07/1911