Known, Yet Unknown

Known And Yet Unknown
Autobiography of Dr. Grandville W. Reed
Chapter Sixteen - 1963
THE REED COLLEGE OF RELIGION


That morning late in July of 1938 I woke with a voice saying to me “Go and review your studies as a teacher, for you are to teach. I knew the voice was from above. I did as I was bidden and reviewed my work in Christian Education.

The next week after the voice had spoken to me, Mrs. S.A. Reed, on the advice of her pastor, Dr. Thomas L. Griffith of Second Baptist church, Los Angeles, asked me to teach an adult class during the Vacation School of the church. She had been assigned the position of dean of the Vacation School, which was to begin the following week. I accepted.

At the end of Vacation Bible School, the adult class which I taught asked me to continue the class. After consultation with Pastor Griffith and Mrs. S.P. Johnson, Superintendent of the Sunday School, I was granted privilege of continuing the class. It culminated in a very enthusiastic commencement exercise in the month of December, at which time credits were given for courses completed.

This was the beginning of what is now Reed College of Religion. Its history, growth and influence have startled the most sanguine. And because it was truly independent, because it was not controlled by any hierarchy, its path has not been a rosy one at all times.

Obstacles of every kind and nature have been thrown in its way; but none stopped its onward march. Its enemies have been many. Threats of violence have been made against its Founder-President should he persist in continuing the work of the school. For a person not familiar with the day-to-day life and progress of the school, it is almost unbelievable how many small acts of malice and enmity have been resorted to by organizations and individuals to hinder the development of the Reed College of Religion. The entire Baptist Church leadership, white and black, set itself against the founder of the school, and against the school itself. Even the Better Business Bureau was brought into action to try to close the school.

Blackmail, slander, libel and distorted accusations from supposedly reliable sources and persons were hurled against the President of the school unceasingly, but without avail. The school continued to grow and thrive.

The President did not dignify libels by answering them. So far as possible, he paid no attention to whatever was said and done in this spirit. Instead, he met his known enemies with a smile as if he did not know of these hypocritical efforts to destroy both the school and its founder.

The reader may ask, but why could such an attitude develop toward the school and its founder?

To answer that question fully would take another book the size of this one (Known And Yet Unknown, 1963 – 283 pages). And I do not believe any Christian, charitable purpose would be helped by fully detailing all these efforts to destroy both the school and myself, -- But it is necessary to touch upon them.

The initial cause dates back to the year 1911, shortly after I became pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Stockton. It was then that I ran afoul of the Executive Secretary of the Northern California Baptist Convention, as I told in an earlier chapter of this book. Because I stood up to him, my act was considered “impudent.”

It was not forgotten. It went down on the record so that it could be used against me in the future should the occasion ever arise. As time went on, I found that all of my activities were scrutinized and analyzed to see whether they moved in the direction of modifying the existing relationship of the two raced as to equality and culture. I am sorry to say that this for a time extended to monitoring my movements and even to the tapping of my telephone.

I was amazed when I learned this, and wondered why such a thing could happen. Why was I that important to someone? What conceivable power or influence could any ascribe to me?

When I looked back over my activities I saw it once why the interest was so great in my every step during that period. It was because I moved continuously and doggedly to free our Negro churches in California from domination by outsiders. It was because I was doing everything in my power to help make it possible for our Negro Baptist churches to be truly independent.

On such an unchristian foundation many of the distorted statements about me were based. What are we to think of people who seek to destroy a God-called servant of The Word and the work he is sent of Him to do? Accused privately, or in abstentia, or by innuendo, I have never been personally called in question except the one time mentioned in the early pages of this book. No man or woman has openly accused me of any wrong-doing that would disqualify me as a minister of the gospel or as a good citizen.

Yet I have heard many rumors, much gossip, affecting my life. Being hearsay, I have not turned aside to answer or question them. Indeed, I have heard some things said about me which would have been awful if true, with no punishment too severe. But being rumor with a nameless source, I have heard these and gone on my way serving God and letting my light shine that others may see my works and glorify the Father which is in heaven.

If hearsay is to be believed, I am said to be a “know-it-all.” And further, that ‘no one can tell me anything.” I do not allow such mean and petty characterizations to disturb my mind or to hinder the work of God.

A number of those willing to be channels for rumor were officials of the Western Baptist Convention. One was the subject of a very unsavory letter coming from Topeka, Kansas. The other had come to California from a Northwestern state; a metropolitan Negro newspaper accused him publicly of bootlegging and other unbecoming acts while a pastor.

Accusations against the latter were brought before the Baptist Ministers Union of Los Angeles. I myself was appointed Chairman of the committee to investigate the charges. After painstaking investigation, I reported to the Union my findings, which were affirmative. The accused had employed a lawyer, intending to sue the newspaper; but after the lawyer learned of the nature of my report; he advised his client to drop the proposed libel suit, for if the matter came to trial, the injured pastor would have been placed in a very difficult position: his standing in the community would have been compromised because other derogatory matters would have been brought to light. His situation would have worsened as the result of suit.

Such were the sort of individuals who chose to be willing channels of rumor against me.

Several individuals I had helped when their reputations were at stake, or when they needed temporal help. Among Negro religious leaders who aided and abetted my enemies by giving countenance to slander against me, there was not one single person whose name was given to me, but what I had favored or aided him or her at one time or another. They went to the extreme, I am sorry to say, of resorting to calling out “certain lewd fellows of a baser sort” (Acts 17:5), in their efforts to assault my works, not conscious at all (so perverted was their thinking) that it was God’s work and not mine that they were trying to destroy.

But the battering-rams of the blind, ignorant or malicious have failed to make the slightest dent in the school’s determination to continue, to extend, and to expand it service. As Founder, I have always kept in mind the injunction of the Master Teacher, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28:19-20).

In 1938 I was a roving preacher, going here and there, taking whatever invitations that might come to me; but thank God, they were often. During that particular year three churches were considering me as pastor. In the meantime I organized a church; but the Spirit advised me that it was not sanctioned by God. While I kept going, I had little or no success. Eventually I gave up with the conviction that I could only succeed with the approval of God. Others might succeed without His approval; I could not.

It has always been my habit, during my entire adult life, to consult God concerning anything I would attempt to do in His Name. My great fault was not waiting for His answer. I would take matters up with God, and then go ahead on my own initiative. To my regret, all such efforts failed. Yet, I have been guilty of such mistakes quite a few times, to my regret, sorrow and dismay. But none of these disappointments and failures discouraged me, for I would seek the cause; and always and invariably I found that I was the cause and not God.

In what way was I the cause? It was because I would do thing not in keeping with the will of God; or it would be some personal act which brought upon me His condemnation. It would take many pages in this book for me to tell of these mistakes, what they were and the conditions under which they developed. The final result in each case gave evidence of the immutability of God. When God orders a thing done in His way, no changes will be allowed by Him. To persist in doing things in some other way will bring His withdrawal from your effort. Yet without His support no success can be obtained.

What I have said above applies only to a God-called-and-sent Minister of the gospel. I really believe that God directs those whom He chooses. When something intervenes which apparently would block that God-called-and-sent Minister, he should not give up, but should take it to the Lord in prayer- in the meantime asking, Am I in harmony with God? Am I acting according to His will, or contrary to His will?

This attitude of service to God, of seeking to act always in harmony with His will, has guided all of my efforts to help others become efficient and effective laborers for God in the field of Christian endeavor. Making better Christians, and consequently making a better community in which to live and in which to bring up children, has been our constant effort. The Reed College of Religion, in fact, is dedicated to help fulfill God’s will in this direction.

Up to the present writing, I have at no time exacted a salary from the College, nor has any teacher of the school. But through the providence of God I have been able to live and provide my family with the necessities of life and stile contribute to charities and missions. We have been able to present each teacher with a generous honorarium each month. The faculty has consisted and still consists of some of the best Bible scholars and theological instructors to be found in any school of this type. They are worthy Christian gentlemen and women. Among their Alma Maters, there can be counted some of the best schools in our country.

As to the students, some have proven to be useful servants of God in the preaching and teaching ministries; some are pasturing large and useful congregations; some are leaders in Missionary activities; some are in Sunday School Departments; some are teachers in church Leadership Training Schools. A number are heading their denominational Christian Education Departments.

Among denominational organizations which have used persons trained in the Reed College of Religion are Western Baptist State conventions and the California Baptist State Convention. Some Methodist churches are apparently using graduates of our College with success.

Over two hundred fifty ministerial students have attended our school. Some have received the degree of Bachelor of Theology and others have received Ministerial Diplomas. More than two thousand Certificates of Credit (course Cards) have been issued to students who have enrolled in our Christian Education Department. These students have been very useful in their local churches.

At no time has the school ever been threatened with having to close its doors for lack of students. On the contrary, it has averaged not less than forty students each year (1960) of service to the religious community.

A number of outstanding personalities have received honorary degrees of Doctor of Divinity from the school, including such men as Rev. A.A. Hicks, Rev. R.M. Marshall, and Rev. L.L. White, all of the Methodist Church, and Rev. A.M. Cathcart of the Baptist Church.

Up until March 1953 the school was mobile. It moved from church to church. From the Second Baptist Church of Los Angeles, where its roots were planted, it went to Pilgrim Baptist Church. From there we went to Metropolitan Baptist, then to Israel Baptist, and again back to Metropolitan. From September to November, 1946 we were back again at Second Baptist; and from there to Avalon Christian Church, then to Greater Cornerstone Baptist, then to Ebenezer Baptist Church, growing stronger and stronger with each passing year. The last church home of our school was Mt. Bethel Baptist Church. Fro there, in 1953, we moved into our own God-given home at 9309-11 South san Pedro Street, Los Angeles.

Our new home cost thirteen thousand five hundred dollars ($13,500). We took it over without having any organization backing us financially. Nor were there any intangibles such as good-will form any organized source. We went into debt in the name of God, for it was He who had said to me, “Go review your work as a teacher, and I will be with you.”

It had been in submission to His voice that I had started the college. And it was in confidence in His support and guidance that we undertook to pay this large financial obligation.

From the time we took over the property up until the time we paid off the first mortgage, in 1956, we did not miss a single monthly payment, nor did the tax become delinquent at any time. We now owe only a few thousand dollars balance on the old second mortgage, which will soon be paid off. Up to the time this manuscript goes to the printer, that is up to January, 1963, we have raised and paid out for improvements, repairs and general upkeep and payments on the property, over thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000).

The United Missionary Baptist Church has figured largely in raising this amount. God has blessed all the efforts put forth in His Name. As President, I have suffered no need but which He richly supplied.

The road, as I said, has not always been smooth. There have been rough places; and there have been grave dangers. There were even times when I thought I was in the Valley of Death, with its shadows coming over me. There were times when enemies seemed to be striking at the school and at me from very side. But when the presence of such unchristian commandos and paratroopers was revealed, and their purposes made manifest, a Voice from Heaven always said, “Take it to the Lord in prayer.” And this was done. At other times my guiding Voice said, “Be not dismayed, I promised to be with you.” And this was the case.

The reader will remember that the Apostle Paul was met on his way to Rome by a band of Christians who received him cordially and assured him of their love and support. Luke said that Paul, after listening to them, “thanked God and took courage.” When the Voice of God spoke to me, I, like Paul, “thanked God and took courage.” I knew that He would take care of both me and the work He had assigned me to do.

Not once, since the Voice spoke to me, bidding me to teach, have I doubted God’s promise to take care of me. I have tried to live a life commensurate with His will and purpose. I have known, and I have acted on that knowledge, that I must forget self and live, love and act for others, with the aim of helping them to be a help to those who labor for the saving of souls and the edifying of more and more in the wisdom and knowledge of God. (Col. 1:9-10).

When I took the problems of our school to the Lord in prayer, I left them there and He through His Spirit would in due time direct me. Sometimes the course He would have me pursue I could not comprehend why; but I would say to myself, “He has said, and I must obey.” The result: in the conduct of the school, we never failed, no never failed. We obeyed, and the work went forward to fullest success.

One of the outstanding features of the school is its work with students who have majored in evangelism. Such graduates as Rev. Charles Cancilla (white), now are serving in Greece and Italy, Rev. Elias Samaan Hannoush (Arabian), now serving in Syria, and Mrs. La Volie Williams, now serving in Africa, would be credits to the finest religious schools in the country.

Now that I am approaching my middle eighties I am fully aware that I have reached the top of the hill and am on the plateau before the descent. I now pray to God to supply my successor. For I would have the school to live on to the glory of God. I am confident that this problem, too will be solved, and that my descent from the plateau will not be until after God has given our school a Joshua.