Peoples Temple Journal - 22 January – 1977 Saturday by Edith Roller Lyrics
22 January – 1977 Saturday
Lor and I got up about 8.00.
We had some grapefruit and toast and talked a little. We talked about needing other people. Lor thinks I am happy since I have been in the temple.
The Japanese girl came down and asked a question about the trip to Monterey.
I read more in Radicalism in America.
Lor prepared breakfast for the four of us: orange juice, pancakes with jam or honey and applesauce. I left on the bus at about 11.00, arrived home by 12.00. I saw no one from the Temple but the slip I had put on the door yesterday giving Lor’s phone number had been taken down.
I took the bus to the Co-op. Deposited my ballot for the Coop election. I voted for the progressive slate. I purchased a number of items for breakfasts and lunches: oats, cracked wheat, orange juice, tofu, frozen bread dough, canned tuna, oranges, and 2 jars of decaffeinated coffee for which I had coupons. I bought an ice cream cone.
When I got to off the bus, I went to the store and bought a Sunday paper and some grapefruit at the fruit stand. I swept the kitchen floor and vacuumed the rugs.
I lay down and dozed for an hour. Dressed and left for the Temple at 5.40.
The weather had been foggy at Park Merced but the sun came out for a while in my district. This evening was mild.
Ate dinner. Few people from 1029 Geary were there.
I talked to Lucille Payney. She said members had gone at Mother’s request to meeting of blacks held at Aden Hall to discuss district election of supervisors. The buses at 10.30 took the 1029 people to the Temple where they waited until about 12.00. The meeting at Aden Hall started at 1.00 and lasted until about 5.00. Lucille said there were harsh arguments among those present. She was very tired and got a headache. Mom Taylor was near people who smoked which distressed her. Willie Brown. Lucille had no lunch. She thought many of our people were too tired to come tonight.
Harry Williams opened the meeting at 7.30.
Mildred Mercer has been giving much trouble lately. She has a nasty temper and has at times struck another person during service. Father has said she was jealous of Henry, they she could have been healed herself if she had a better disposition. Brother Mercer went on a trip and managing her has been a problem. She gets up on in the middle of the night, not knowing what time it is and wanders outside if not watched. The nurses had to decide on someone to stay with her as Hyacinth is on the trip.
Tonight she wouldn’t be seated and several workers were following her, unable to control her. A nurse and several other people failed to. She is ready to fight if stopped. Finally Johnny Brown had to be called to control her.
Jean Brown led the congregation in singing. Ava Brown took an offering,
Guy Young took a second offering.
Jack Beam on the power of Jim Jones who can sweep you up in kindness or trample you and destroy. When we are truly amazed by the power it shows in every action we make. There is a strength of commitment behind that body. The enemy sizes us up. You don’t mess with some people or you gotta mess with then all preparatory to taking another offering.
While it was being taken, Marquitay entered about 9.00. She spoke of today’s events. The situation looked bad at first but Father prevailed and we were admitted. She valued it as a teaching experience because by such events she understands what it means to be excluded. The second thing we learned is to be grateful for the tight ship. The arguments and hassle.
Marcy said she was thinking of darkening her hair to make it more acceptable. The congregation in general likes her the way she is. She wasn’t thinking if doing it for us, but because she might be better able to help us with others. It world be no sacrifice to do anything that would benefit the cause.
Marcy had the children sing.
Starting to take another offering Mother spoke of the injustice of Wendy Yoshimura’s conviction while the right wingers in Southern California who gathered tons of explosives were released on their own recognizance. The jury in the Yoshimura case was a hung jury but the judge kept sending them back and the one black juror who had held out was harassed, called stupid, told she shouldn’t be on the jury.
Mother added that in the ordeal this afternoon the black leaders of the church stood by her and didn’t forget she was their mother.
Skit- “Ghetto U.S.A.” – showing some of the perils encountered in the ghetto directed by Frances Johnson.
Johnny Brown took another offering.
Tape of Jim’s sermon.
Marcy set tomorrow’s service at 10.00 so that we can get through earlier and LA people can be on their way and avoid some of the fog.
We were dismissed at 11.00. Father’s picture was held up at each door for us to touch.
The bus took home Divisadero as well as 1029 Geary communal people.
I read the Sunday newspaper.
Went to bed at 12.30.
Lor and I got up about 8.00.
We had some grapefruit and toast and talked a little. We talked about needing other people. Lor thinks I am happy since I have been in the temple.
The Japanese girl came down and asked a question about the trip to Monterey.
I read more in Radicalism in America.
Lor prepared breakfast for the four of us: orange juice, pancakes with jam or honey and applesauce. I left on the bus at about 11.00, arrived home by 12.00. I saw no one from the Temple but the slip I had put on the door yesterday giving Lor’s phone number had been taken down.
I took the bus to the Co-op. Deposited my ballot for the Coop election. I voted for the progressive slate. I purchased a number of items for breakfasts and lunches: oats, cracked wheat, orange juice, tofu, frozen bread dough, canned tuna, oranges, and 2 jars of decaffeinated coffee for which I had coupons. I bought an ice cream cone.
When I got to off the bus, I went to the store and bought a Sunday paper and some grapefruit at the fruit stand. I swept the kitchen floor and vacuumed the rugs.
I lay down and dozed for an hour. Dressed and left for the Temple at 5.40.
The weather had been foggy at Park Merced but the sun came out for a while in my district. This evening was mild.
Ate dinner. Few people from 1029 Geary were there.
I talked to Lucille Payney. She said members had gone at Mother’s request to meeting of blacks held at Aden Hall to discuss district election of supervisors. The buses at 10.30 took the 1029 people to the Temple where they waited until about 12.00. The meeting at Aden Hall started at 1.00 and lasted until about 5.00. Lucille said there were harsh arguments among those present. She was very tired and got a headache. Mom Taylor was near people who smoked which distressed her. Willie Brown. Lucille had no lunch. She thought many of our people were too tired to come tonight.
Harry Williams opened the meeting at 7.30.
Mildred Mercer has been giving much trouble lately. She has a nasty temper and has at times struck another person during service. Father has said she was jealous of Henry, they she could have been healed herself if she had a better disposition. Brother Mercer went on a trip and managing her has been a problem. She gets up on in the middle of the night, not knowing what time it is and wanders outside if not watched. The nurses had to decide on someone to stay with her as Hyacinth is on the trip.
Tonight she wouldn’t be seated and several workers were following her, unable to control her. A nurse and several other people failed to. She is ready to fight if stopped. Finally Johnny Brown had to be called to control her.
Jean Brown led the congregation in singing. Ava Brown took an offering,
Guy Young took a second offering.
Jack Beam on the power of Jim Jones who can sweep you up in kindness or trample you and destroy. When we are truly amazed by the power it shows in every action we make. There is a strength of commitment behind that body. The enemy sizes us up. You don’t mess with some people or you gotta mess with then all preparatory to taking another offering.
While it was being taken, Marquitay entered about 9.00. She spoke of today’s events. The situation looked bad at first but Father prevailed and we were admitted. She valued it as a teaching experience because by such events she understands what it means to be excluded. The second thing we learned is to be grateful for the tight ship. The arguments and hassle.
Marcy said she was thinking of darkening her hair to make it more acceptable. The congregation in general likes her the way she is. She wasn’t thinking if doing it for us, but because she might be better able to help us with others. It world be no sacrifice to do anything that would benefit the cause.
Marcy had the children sing.
Starting to take another offering Mother spoke of the injustice of Wendy Yoshimura’s conviction while the right wingers in Southern California who gathered tons of explosives were released on their own recognizance. The jury in the Yoshimura case was a hung jury but the judge kept sending them back and the one black juror who had held out was harassed, called stupid, told she shouldn’t be on the jury.
Mother added that in the ordeal this afternoon the black leaders of the church stood by her and didn’t forget she was their mother.
Skit- “Ghetto U.S.A.” – showing some of the perils encountered in the ghetto directed by Frances Johnson.
Johnny Brown took another offering.
Tape of Jim’s sermon.
Marcy set tomorrow’s service at 10.00 so that we can get through earlier and LA people can be on their way and avoid some of the fog.
We were dismissed at 11.00. Father’s picture was held up at each door for us to touch.
The bus took home Divisadero as well as 1029 Geary communal people.
I read the Sunday newspaper.
Went to bed at 12.30.