There was once a man who sold fish and vegetables in Tidewater, Va. He had a little son who helped him sometimes, but the youngster was quite an ambitious chap and dreamed, as he pushed his fish cart, of piles and piles of easy money.

The war came and with it big wages in the navy yard, and the pedlar's son quit selling fish to work for Uncle Sam, building ships.

Then one day this young man was "called" to preach and so he punched the time clock, went to the office for his pay check, and began preaching. He found to his surprise that he made a little more money than he made in the navy yard, and much more than h e had ever made selling fish, so he began "selling salvation" on a large scale and being a Negro he had a long line of prospects waiting to buy.

All of this happened years ago. Today he has a big contract with radio and does his "act" sometimes twice a day for the uplifting and amusement of air fans throughout the nation. He composes his "hymns" and pays compliments to presidents and senator in doggerel poetry, and is, in his way, a big success.

Then, there is the ex-butler, with the foreign accent, who organized a nationwide band of followers, promising them "joy and everlasting life." The self-styled "Saviour" and a score of others living on the sweat of illiterate Negroes "heaven-bound".

Negro religion is in need of reformation. Castles, cars and private harems have no place in the task of saving men's souls.

Planned "acts" for radio audiences, comical in nature, and so intended for the public amusement cannot be of any value in showing men and women the way of righteous living. Salvation is for sale! And shady "Bishops", "Elders" and "Fathers" find ready sa les among misinformed members of their race.

Negro religion is in need of purging. These conditions that now exist present a challenge to the clergy, that must be met by an enlightened School of Thought, trained and qualified and bent primarily upon administering spiritual guidance to the souls of men.