Henry Cleage outside of Cleage Printers, on Lovett near Mcgraw in Detroit, MI. 1962.
Henry Cleage – 1962
Dear Member, I am writing to enroll you in our Lenten-Easter Program!
Negro History Week – Springfield, Mass. 1946
There is no letter this time. I am posting several newspaper articles mailed home about various Negro History Week activities in Springfield, Massachusetts in February, 1946. Included are some articles I found at GenealogyBank.I thought I would post them as African American History Month draws to a close. Something not covered by newspaper article is that there were only six more months until I arrived on the scene!
Heroic Infantryman
Fifty uniformed members of the new Crispus Attucks post, VFW, attended a memorial service for Pfc Carl L. Talbot yesterday morning at the St. John’s Congregational church. The service for Talbot, who died as the result of wounds received in Italy with the 355th infantry regiment, 92nd division, was also attended by his mother, Mrs. Z. Carl Talbot of New York city, and his widow, Mrs Georgia Mae Talbot, also of New York.
Before a congregation, which filled the pews and extra chairs, Richard H. Snyder, Jr., post commander, presented the mother of the soldier a Gold Star certificate and bouquet, and the widow a Bible bearing the post’s name and a reading by its chaplain, John Cranshaw.
A memorial sermon was preached by the pastor, Rev Albert Cleage, and Comdr Snyder made a memorial address.
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Chapel of Air Lists Events
Special programs will be presented observance of Negro history week, which starts today, and Brotherhood month over the chapel of the Air program sponsored by the Greater Springfield Council of Churches.
Tomorrow and Tuesday members of the international seminar, meeting here at Hope Congregational church, will speak. They are Rev Sabapathy Julandran, Chaplain Gernanda Laxamana and Miss Manawora Powar of India.
Rev Albert B. Cleage, pastor of St. John’s church will be speaker for the balance of the week. His topics will be “The Christian Dilemma” on Wednesday; “Pigmies and Supermen” on Thursday; and “Hope vs Reason” on Friday. The program is scheduled at 1:30 over WSPR. (Schedule transcribed from The Springfield Sunday Union and Republican. February 10 1946)
Civil War Called Economic Contest
George W. Goodman Asserts It was Fought Because Slave and Free Economies Were Opposed
The Civil War was not fought for the emancipation of the Negro but was a contest between two economic theories – slave economy and free economy – with the Negro as the scapegoat, was the declaration made by George W. Goodman, director of the North End Interracial Community Center in Hartford, in his talk last night at the observance of Negro history week conducted by the Springfield branch National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at St. John’s Congregational church.
Fluently expressing his thoughts on his topic of “Democracy at the Crossroads,” Mr. Goodman further declared that the present-day racial troubles in this country are not accidental but the result of an accumulation of negative attitudes and differences throughout the 300 years of this country’s existence.
Emphasizing that America must face squarely the matter of justice and equality for all men as being a basic moral issue, the speaker added “We’ve been talking democracy for about 200 years but we haven’t come close to actually applying it.”
Citing his experiences while a Red Cross worker for two years in England, Mr. Goodman said that the English people showed unreserved friendship to American Negro soldiers due to the friendly attitude and sense of humor the colored soldier displayed.
A part of the meeting featured the awarding of merit certificates issued by the national office of the NAACP in New York to eight members of the local unit who had been instrumental in increasing the membership during the campaign last year. The presentations were made by Rev. Albert Cleage, pastor of St. John’s church. Miss Marguerite Carson, president of the Springfield branch, was chairman of the meeting.(Transcribed from The Springfield Daily Republican, Springfield, Mass, Thursday, February 14, 1946)
“In a combination of choral speaking, music and plain speech, a program of Negro folklore called “The Negro Speaks” was presented at the YWCA last night. In three movements which took almost two hours, the speech choir, soloists, quartet, speakers presented a rhythmic, sibilant tone and word picture of the progress of the Negro from slavery to the present.”
“Choral speaking is the oral interpretation of verse possessing many of the qualities of the Negro spiritual. The speech choir was led by Langston Hughes. Soloist was Carol Somerville and the quartet was composed of Constance Taylor, Joanne Wilson, James Herbert and William Barnett. Speakers were William Woods, Isiah Hill, John Carter and Marguerite Carson. Other singers were Clarence Calloway, James W. Johnson and J.R. Johnson, Frances Jones accompanied.”
Members of the speech choir were Alfreda Desmond, Myrtle Desmond, Edith fuller, William B. Hill, Malcolm Lasseter, Nile Pettijohn, Joan Carole Porter, Charles Wiley, Willa Mae Porter, Lindbergh Pulley, Barbara Seymour, James Spruill, Alberta Walker, Dorothy Walker, Rodman Ware, Alfred B. Wimbish and W. Orrin Woods.
The program was a part of Negro history week which ends today. Opening remarks were made by Mrs William A. Lawrence.
According to The History of St. John’s congregational Church, published in 1966 “He (Albert B. Cleage) also wrote dramas; one of them coauthored with four other recalled ‘eighty years of progress’ since Emancipation and “the significant role the Negro played in our country’s history.'”
1978 – Mississippi Shoes and Film 5036
These are my feet in my work boots. I wore them to milk the goats and work in the garden when it was muddy. It must have been muddy because I have my jeans tucked into my socks. I don’t remember any stripped socks but there I am wearing some. The rocking chair used to rock on Nanny and Poppy’s back porch.
In 1978 we lived in rural Simpson County, Mississippi with our 4 children, some chickens and some goats. While looking for a photograph of my feet in my work shoes I came across this batch of negatives which included a photo of my shoes.
In row one, we have my friend Teresa’s son, Palo, holding his baby sister. The baby’s father is holding her in the next. I cannot remember their names right now. Picture three is my family plus Palo. Last are baby and father again.
In row two, I’m outside with my three oldest daughters, Jilo, Ife and Ayanna. Next two photos are of our friend Robert with his and Ruth’s two children. Robert got us started with milk goats and rabbits. He had a very good herd of milk goats himself. Last is the photo of my shoes.
In row three, we start with Robert and children again. The ghost photo has their two and our three oldest. Next, my midwife, Ruth, is reading to my daughter, Ayanna, who she helped to deliver. Last, I’m reading while holding baby Tulani.
The three older girls are in the side strip with the baby crib my mother and her siblings used and all of my children used. Except for Ife who slept in a dresser drawer. You can see baby Tulani best in the bottom row dribbling milk. The house was built on stilts and was about 10 feet up in the air. I do not know why they built it like that because it was in tornado country with no water to flood anywhere nearby.
For more photographs click below. Some will be shoe related and some will not.
500 Brave Rain to Attend Service
500 Brave Rain to Attend Holiday Auditorium Service
Franklin Loehr Delivers Invocation, Rabbi Klein Welcomes Servicemen, Rev. R.W. Barstow Preaches
Five hundred persons weathered a heavy downpour yesterday morning to attend the community-wide Thanksgiving service sponsored by the Greater Springfield council of Churches at the Municipal Auditorium. The clouds broke, however, as the service ended and the crowd started homeward for the first peacetime Thanksgiving in four years. Twenty-one flags of the United Nations were arranged in a semi-circle on the stage and a bank of yellow chrysanthemums stood at the altar. Numbers of servicemen, most of them accompanied by parents and children, were in the audience. Few persons went alone, for thanksgiving is a family day and the ushers were kept busy seating whole rows of family groups together.
Following the procession of the clergy, representing the hundred churches and synagogs of the valley area, which are members of the council. Rev Franklin Lochr. Executive secretary, gave the invocation. A Thanksgiving proclamation for the city was given by Mayor J. Albin Anderson, Jr., and for the nation by Daniel B. Brunton Mayor-elect.
Rabbi Greets Servicemen
“For us who have been on the far-flung battlefields of the world, Thanksgiving comes as a spontaneous expression of gratitude for the goodness and mercy of God that has ever been with us.” Rev. Isaac Klein. rabbi of Kadimoh Synagog said in his welcome to returned servicemen. “Last year at this time we also took part in a union service. Then it was more of a prayer than a service. Even though our arms were on the upgrade all over the front, our future was still uncertain.” he continued. “I faced an audience of begrimed men in battledress. Today, with the tumult and shouting over, we are most of us back at home and our hearts are filled with thanksgiving.
“We pray for our buddies who made the supreme sacrifice, and that the United States, great and mighty in war shall be great and mighty in peace. We pray that we will join with all good men all over the world in establishing a world of equity. May it become a good world that shall be the greatest blessing of war.” Rev Robbins Wolcott Barstow, director of the Commission for World Council service, gave the Thanksgiving sermon. “The world is in the valley of decision.” he said. “We are standing at the parting of the ways. Will we climb toward heaven, or fall into the aura of still darker days? Peace alone cannot restore the wasted bodies and starved souls.” he declared. “Peace alone cannot replace the blasted dignity of human life, nor make certain a commonwealth of nations, resting on aggressive good will.
“We give thanks for this fresh chance given out of this tragedy. To find and fulfill God’s eternal purpose as we know it in our hearts. As we compare our lot with that of most of the rest of the world, we wonder because of what merit we deserve such safety and bounty as has been ours.” He said. “The children of Europe are fatherless and motherless. What does the future hold for them? As we hold this service this morning, 166 people die in the city of Berlin. But there are still some who call themselves Americans who would deny food to those people to give them a chance to live. Our Thanksgiving is nothing but a mockery if it is just self-congratulatory that we have been singled out for such blessings.”
There must be a reconversion that is far more than just a retooling of machine shops, Dr. Barstow continued. “It must reach right down into the realm of practical business affairs. How does it come that factories large and small are closed by picket lines? How does it come that workers are idling and expect to be paid for their idleness? It would seem that we have so shackled our souls that we are blocking our entrance to a world of good will.”
Thrift Has Been Forgotten
Thrift is a word that seems to have been forgotten, Dr. Barstow said, pointing to the record sums spent last year on liquor and horse racing. Responsibility also resign with management, the speaker said, “If they expect an honest day’s work, they must offer an honest day’s pay.” He said.
“American labor and industry both need to be aware of covetousness.” He said. “If they would become a team to work together in the waiting world, we could thank God for the power of mutual understanding and altruistic cooperation. The world is hungry for a sign of sincerity.”
Presentation and retrieving of the color was made by the color guard of Boy Scouts from troop 34 of Hope church, with Morton Bates, scoutmaster and the troop 42 of Kadimoh synagog. Ben Livow, scoutmaster. Prescott Barrows gave the organ prelude and postlude and accompanying the Thanksgiving hymns. The flowers were a gift of Mrs. W.S. Schermerhorn in honor of her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Wells.
Rev. Bryan f. Archibald pastor of First Baptist church gave the Scripture reading and Rev. John Hoon pastor of Wesley Methodist church gave the prayer. Rev. Raymond II Hendrick, canon of Christ Church cathedral spoke the offertory sentences. Benediction was made by Re. Albert B. Cleage of St. John’s Congregational church.
Anthems were given by the West Springfield First Church quartet, with Dorothy Ryland, soprano: Eunice Anderson, alto, Clayton smith, tenor and Charles Leonard, bass.
(____________I found the article at the Genealogy Bank.____________)
My Father’s Album – Camp Atwater – Nov. 1945
“Camp Atwater is a cultural, educational, and recreational camp designed for the children of African American professionals. The camp, founded in 1921 by Dr. William De Berry, was located in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. Initially named St. John’s Camp, in 1926 the name was officially changed to Camp Atwater when Ms. Mary Atwater donated $25,000 with the stipulation that the camp’s name honor her late father, Dr. David Fisher, a well-known and distinguished physician in the town. The camp is the oldest American Camp Association (ACA) accredited African American owned and operated camp in the nation.”
The Thief of Baghdad and a Negative Inverted
When I saw the theme for this weeks Sepia Saturday was film, I wanted to post a photo from a movie I remember wandering into one evening when I was about 4. We lived in St. John’s Congregational Church parsonage/community house in Springfield, Massachusetts where my father was pastor. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the movie. I remember waking up from my nap and going down the hall to a big room where the movie was being shown. There I saw a larger then life, green genie coming horrifyingly out of a bottle. Perhaps it was “The Thief of Bagdad“, released in 1940. By 1950 it could have been available for showing in darkened rooms full of folding chairs to community groups. I did not stick around after the Genie started coming out of the bottle.
However, this movie is not sepia and it’s not from my family photo stash, so I kept looking. Finally I remembered finding an envelope of negatives (film) of me, my bear, Beatrice, and my grandfather, Dr. Albert B. Cleage Sr. They were taken in the Summer of 1948 in our backyard.
“It’s Thanksgiving eve…”
St. John’s Congregational Church
Springfield, Mass.
210 King Street
November 21, 1945
Hi Folks:
It’s Thanksgiving eve…Doris is out to the Ballet with Mrs. DeBerry. We were planning to go but some of my folks are trying to organize a “Community Council of Negroes” and they called a meeting for tonight and I thought I’d better be there to see that nothing was pulled off… and when I arrived on time (for once) there was nobody present but me and another po’ cold Negro… and eventually two or three more showed up…but not the man with the key to the building so we adjourned without a meeting. It was just as well that a way since I am interested in organizing a “similar” Council under the N.A.A.C.P. sponsorship…and that can’t be accomplished until the new president takes office December 1st.
Everything goes along…Our kitchen is now furnished except for the Frigidaire…The Ladies Progressive League finally got the “Breakfast set” in…and another lady contributed an electric wall clock..and other little nick nacks for the kitchen. The guest-room is furnished with a bed and dresser…and the rest of the equipment is “on the way”. Before Louis gets here and reports…I’d better mention that the house is still as empty as a barn….The living room has nothing in it….and the rest of the house has the uncoordinated look which a house has without curtains … drapes … pictures … n’ that … but its livable … and our credit is exhausted … The treasurer hands me my check and I hand it to the white-folks. I guess I mentioned the couch we bought for the dining room … It’s “light oak” … modern’ n’ that … and sort of goes with our dinning-room outfit … we went down-town to get a studio couch that could be used as a bed for company … but saw this marked down from $129.00 to $89.00 … and it being what we wanted (and couldn’t afford) we couldn’t resist a bargain … and put a nickle down on it.
The church is going along nicely. Sunday morning attendance is holding up … and quite a few visitors are dropping in. We have seven new members waiting to be fellowshipped in. I’m trying to get fifteen before having an “in-gathering”. The members are trying to make us fat with their Turkey dinner invitations … We ate out twice last week … great BIG ELEGANT dinners from soup to nuts n’ that. We are also eating two Thanksgiving dinners out this week. One tomorrow, Thanksgiving … and another Saturday with a family who have all their celebrations on Saturday when the father can be home from work. We are still “ORGANIZING CRAZY” … We are organizing the entire church into “activity-groups ” of eighteen members each…About 25 or more groups. These groups will meet monthly…The group leaders will “encourage the participation” of their members…check up on financial obligations (collect back dues) etc. and will raise their group-financial quota of $100.00. They will, at least make it possible for more people to actively participate in the church program. We are also organizing a Men’s Brotherhood consisting of all the men in the church. They, too, will meet once a month with a Forum or banquet. or something “interesting”. I’m trying to gradually get everybody DOING SOMETHING…and they seem to like the activity. We had a recital at the church last Friday. It was sponsored by the Choir. The girl is studying at Julliard in New York and use to sing in the Choir. Her father is on the Standing-Committee n’ that. The admission was $1.20 which made me fearful… but a goodly crowd was out…and the girl got her $100.00 and the church cleared about $100.00 so everybody was happy. (See enclosed Program)
We went down to hear Hazel Scott Monday night at the Civic auditorium. It was jammed and packed … and she rocked them. All of my members were out in a body … I didn’t recognize the scoundrels in them furs and diamonds..all sitting in the five dollar seats. AND IT WAS RAINING CATS AND DOGS. Doris is taking a class in “Make-up” at the Springfield Playhouse … and I had to go by for her … and we had to run about ten blocks in the rain to the auditorium. A sailor and his girl sat next to us … During the first half of the program he sat with his head down on his knees … I thought the music was just too much for him … Just as she got to the Modern music … he heaved once or twice … and turned out the balcony … (I was sitting next to him) … The woman sitting in front of him liked to died … and she came just that close to being drowned … it was a sorry mess … His girl friend was LOYAL … and I do mean LOYAL … she stuck right with him … as we good neighbors fled in wild panic … wiped his face and helped his stinking hulk from the room … We enjoyed the program, however … The critic here was a little critical … she played too fast … had too heavy a hand … etc. with which I agreed … but anyhow … she sho’ rocked Springfield one time! The Negro “Ministerial council” asked me to preach their Thanksgiving Sermon … But I had already agreed to say the Benediction for the White Folks at a city-wide Unity service at the civic auditorium. Negroes do love to have their own little affairs. They were all invited to participate in the downtown service … but they preferred to have their own “segregated service”.
The women’s missionary division of the State Congregational Conference is going to meet at St. John’s Church next week … to learn of our great work … and to consider possible expansions. We are getting ready to receive them with open arms … and dreams of a parish house for them to chew on …
Church Choirs from here, there and everywhere are holding forth at our church next Sunday afternoon … at a Thanksgiving Vespers … Should be quite an affair.
Tell Louis and Hugh the girls having been notified of their coming are champing at the bit…with impatience. One little girl said she’d hold up announcing her engagement until she had a chance to look them over … ’cause after all. We are EXPECTING THEM on the morning of December 1st. the last dinner party we went to (last Sunday afternoon) … had places for them all set-up … The good lady understood they were coming that week-end.
Well…so-long…WRITE!
Friday afternoon…
This is part 2 of the letter from November 10, 1945. Part 1 talked about the Fellowship Dinner. This part is about other things they were involved in – Missionary Society meetings, NAACP meetings and invites to the family to come on over.
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Friday afternoon the Missionary Society had a meeting…They had a round-Table discussion on International Problems… and had me… DeBerry, and the Methodist preacher to talk. They had the white ladies from the Congregational Association here, also. We had quite a meeting. I undertook to explain the RUSSIAN SITUATION and why we good Christians should be sympathetic toward Russia… and stop WORLD WAR III before it starts. We argued and argued. DR. DEBERRY AGREED WITH ME! (Even in front of the white folks) Doris head like to bust… (She don’t like white-folks) I “spoke freely”… there are times when “Uncle Tom” just got to go. My good Missionary Ladies were so happy that their pastor wasn’t afraid to argue with the White Ladies their head’s like to busted. It was a very good meeting… the best the Missionary Society has had for a long, long, time. Even the young girls were out serving and that. They asked me to speak at the college. The International College is located in Springfield and several of “our young people” attend. So everything is going very well… I don’t know how much good we’re doing… but we’re having a lot of fun… and its interesting. It’s a little TIRESOME, however, in as much as we’re rushing about on some “important business” all day and far into the night. Doris claims to be exhausted… but she’s getting fat on confusion!
We went to the N.A.A.C.P. annual meeting (we joined this chapter)… Our buddy was elected President. It was a mess. We like to died at the folks… fussing and fighting. Dr. ****, Mrs. ****’s friend is a weird psycho-neurotic personality who has devoted his life to fighting DeBerry. He tried again (been trying for fifteen years) to take over the N.A.A.C.P. …. and failed again. My church members make up a good working majority of the N.AA.C.P. Both president and secretary are my members.
Well, so-long. I hope Louis can run down for a week-end!! Seems like Henry or Hugh could make that run with him! and GIRLS, we’re planning quite a round of events for Christmas-week. You must be here. I can’t promise that you’ll get married the first visit…but a New England Christmas should be interesting! Most of the people are nice and mean well. (Even those who are a little stuffy) And why doesn’t Daddy retire… instead of falling up and down the stairs. Mama, tell him to retire and get it over with. You know when we get something on our mind like that we ain’t no good ’till we do it. Retire and get a new car and he’ll be O.K.
The Fellowship Dinner
November 10, 1945
Hi Folks:
Well, you-all know all the news (I told you everything over the phone)…but you-all should have been at the Fellowship Dinner!!! We (the Committee) started setting up the “dining-room” Tuesday evening. They ab-so-lute-ly refused to believe that there would be more than 150 people present… “Ain’t never had more’n 150 people.” they said…and that was that. So I had to start “setting-up” for the other 150 myself. A few of them… not wanting to hurt the preacher’s feelings… humored me and helped …We set up every old piece of table there was in the church …The supper-tables only seated about two hundred including those we had to fix with improvised legs and that…we then used the Sunday-School tables ( a little-low in as much as they were for the primary department!!) and the Sunday School Sand-box with a cover over it…and everything we could find. All of the time we were a-fixing my officers would “console” me by saying that “It just can’t be done even if 300 people did come…which they wouldn’t… We’ll just have to eat in shifts…and go up stairs for the ‘meeting’.”I tried to explain this was a FELLOWSHIP supper and there wasn’t going to be no “Church-meetin’ wringin’ and twistin’!!! But somehow they couldn’t hear me. They been a itchin’ for a “meeting” ever since I got here so they can argue about what happened eight and ten years ago and all get mad all over again. Things are going along too peaceful for them…Everybody is too happy and contented. Well, finally we got set up for about 285. I dragged some more tables out into the corridor at the foot of the steps and told them to set them up too…They drew the line there, that was just foolishness. There wouldn’t be over 150 people…and we had already set up for 285…and now the preacher was trying to set up little tables out in the hall! Well, I put chairs around them anyhow… I had insisted that we borrow seventy-five extra chairs from the undertaker. The women then set up the tables…and Doris and one of her buddies went wild with crepe-paper around posts and that. Then I took out all of the little “money-saving sixty watt bulbs” and bought a whole new set of 100 and 150 watt bulbs…and then some of the ladies brought flowers… and Doris brought her candle-sticks and candles n’ that…it began to look like a banquet! AND EACH STEP WAS TAKEN OVER GOOD PESSIMISTIC MEMBERS DEAD BODIES…BODIES WERE STREWN EVERYWHERE BEFORE WE GOT THROUGH. The man who was to cook the dinner was my buddy, however. He took my word for the number of people. I told him 300 people and he prepared for at least 300 and just went on carting in truck-loads of provisions while the rest spread gloom. We (me and Doris) got through “preparing” as though 300 were coming about 6 o’clock and rushed home to take a bath and rush back.
We got back at 7 sharp. A member stopped and picked us up as we waited for a bus or we would have been late…AND THERE WERE CARS FOR BLOCKS AROUND THE CHURCH…We could hardly get in! The dining room was already full!!! And people were lined up on the stairs trying to get down…and sitting around in the social room waiting for their turn. The Committee had just “gone all to pieces”!!! The lady who was in charge hasn’t recovered yet. Dr. and Mrs. DeBerry were sitting off in a corner looking big-eyed. The speakers table up front on the stage was empty. (Dr. DeBerry was to speak of “St. John’s History”. I collected the DeBerry’s …The Senior Deacon and his wife and the Treasurer who were to sit at the speaker’s table and set them down and then acted as head-waiter. I crowded people in where it didn’t look like another sardine would fit. The CHAIRMAN of the committee had about five girls (UNTRAINED) to serve!!! Other girls and men “VOLUNTEERED” and gradually the food began to issue forth in a growing trickle from the kitchen. The people were very nice about everything..Actually I think it was a better FELLOWSHIP dinner because more of the GUESTS had to pitch in and help…Well, finally we actually seated about 325 people. Some would eat and then get up and help serve the others. The place was JAMMED and PACKED. We had some group singing. Oh YES. The treasurer sat next to me on the platform whenever I could get to the platform…and even as we were eating dinner he “ADVISED” me that it couldn’t be done, we’d have to adjourn to the church auditorium for the “MEETING”. I told him we’d do it over my dead body…Finally we were all eating and we had group singing…Our Choir Director is a large uninhibited woman just made to lead group-singing…then we had a couple of numbers by two girls…and then Dr. DeBerry talked…He made an excellent talk…Told them little anecdotes about the church…and what a wonderful person I am…and how they had to get behind me and do what I said…and how the Lord had guided him to Springfield …and had guided him in his work…and when he had to put down the burden had guided me here to carry on, etc. etc. He struck just the proper light tone…and the proper PEP MEETING approach…Then I ANNOUNCED and THANKED…Those who had distributed tickets…those who had agreed to be Group-Leaders…and told ’em we’re going to build a parish house…buy a Moving-Picture Projector etc. etc. The Sunday School Superintendent showed them the Slide projector we just bought…(They were impressed). I introduced the CHEF and he made a little testimonial speech about the church being the best church in New England…and The Chairman of the Committee thanked those who had helped..and we sang Old-Ang-Syne (I ain’t even gonna try to fix this one!) and then Fellowshiped for a while. Everyone had a good time…Dr. DeBerry said there were people out who hadn’t put foot in the church since he left…etc. etc. Almost our entire membership was present. The men stayed and took down the tables etc. Some wanted to take up an offering but I refused.