Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

us as well, that God may open up to us a door for theword, so that we may speak forth the mystery ofChrist " Remember we would like to hear from you, so"you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and shareyour joy with (us)." It is joy for us to be able to prayconcerning your needs, too.In Christ's love,Oreta EverettSince leaving the New York congregation andcoming to the Home I have gained perspective in anjweringsome questions I have often raised: Why, or how,has the New York congregation become so easily and socompletely integrated?There are no doubt several reasons or answers but Iwill mention two. First, several years ago when many ofthe congregation began to move thither and yon to thesuburbs, the congregation voted to stay where we werebecause no other location would be more central.Second, was the presence, in our midst since 1947,of Miss Georgia Smith, a graduate from our KnoxAcademy in 1933, who with her sister came to New YorkCity in 1941. During their six years in New York beforethey found the church, they worked as nurses in MontefioreHospital, having graduated in nursing fromTuskegee Institute before they came north.Miss Ethel Smith entered the army as a nurse in1945 and Miss Georgia enrolled in college at New YorkUniversity for elementary education. A teacher thereadvised her to drop planning to be a teacher and studysociology to be a social worker. Georgia did not give upbut entered Mills College on 5th Avenue in New York andgot her B. S. degree. She did her practice teaching in aCatholic school in Manhattan. She applied for substituteteacher at P.S. 51 after they moved to 1415 Stebbins Streetin East Bronx, New York City.By this time her mother and brother were living withthem in New York. It was there I first visited in theirhome. Georgia was preparing for her State Boardexaminations to become a regular teacher then. She hadmany obstacles to overcome but she persisted quietly.While she waited she returned to New York Universityand received her Master's degree in Education. She taughtin the Kindergarten Department of P. S. 51 for twelveyears or more. Only two were on a permanent basis.All this time she regularly appeared at our church.We were in need of a primary class teacher when ourregular teacher moved away. Georgia agreed to fill-in anddid such a good job of holding the interest of the childrenshe became the regular teacher of the class. Soon we hadto divide the class and she took the kindergarten group.She was always there on time and the children, white andblack, were eager to be with her. She was a very quiet girlbut very efficient as a teacher of children. Her voice wascalm but had a certain timbre and sweet quality that attractedchildren especially. She never raised her voiceabove its usual tone. You had to get quiet to hear what shehad to say, and it was always interesting.6An ObservationBy Lola Weir *She was secretary of the congregation for severalyears. She could always be depended upon to do her shareif given any responsibility. No one ever thought about hercolor, she blended in so quietly and efficiently. She wasinvited into our homes in the congregation but was veryloath to accept the invitations for fear she was intruding.She was a lovely, sweet Christian character.Years later she and her sister bought a nice house inMount Vernon just above the Bronx where the church islocated. Georgia and her mother were both members ofthe church until their deaths. Both are buried in our littlechurch cemetery in Bronxville.Gradually throughout these twenty-five years, moreand more Negro people have come to live near thechurch. We have had a few families whose children cameto our Sabbath School all these years. One family had fivechildren who came through the years. Three of thosechildren are now members of the congregation. One boyreceived his bar and pin for perfect Sabbath School attendance.Now in 1971 there are still more Negro familiesliving in that section of the Bronx near the church. Manychildren and adults come to our Sabbath School andchurch services; some come occasionally, some comeregularly; some ask to join, some do not. Several adultsand youths have joined the church.We prayed and worked more than two years beforewe got a pastor to come to us after Dr. J. R. Patterson'sdeath. Now we have God's choice, doing God's work, inGod's place, in the person of Rev. George Price andfamily. The congregation is healthily integrated provingall God's children can help each other with profit.After the Smiths moved to Mt. Vernon, Georgia onher own initiative used to get up early Sabbath morning,take the bus and subway to her school neighborhood,gather up all the children she could — many of whomwere Puerto Rican — and bring them to Sabbath Schoolwith her by bus. Once she had ten. Then she would takethem home by the same route. Sometimes there would bea car at the church that would help her get the childrenhome, but sometimes not. She never tired of doing God'swork. Is it any wonder that after ten years of such anexample the congregation became color blind? «••* Miss Lola Weir, a native of Winchester, Kansas, wasfor many years a missionary teacher in Cyprus. Morerecently she was a city missionary in New York City. Nowshe is a resident of the Reformed Presbyterian Home, 2344Perrysville Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15214.COVENANTER WITNESS