Rev. Chandler Declares He's No Ape His Ancestor; Also Condemns Foreigners in Cities, May 22, 1922

Won’t Admit He’s a Descendant of Apes

Asheville, May 18—Rev. Dr. O.J. Chandler of Asheville created a stir in preaching the closing sermon at the session of the Asheville Methodist district conference today, when he stated that teachers in educational institutions of America claiming to be descendants of the ape, should be removed and replaced by men claiming to be of higher birth.

Rev. Dr. Chandler condemned the “red-handed foreigner in our cities, who are endeavoring to make the Christian Sabbath a thing of the past.” He said he was ready to welcome any foreigner who came to this country and subscribed to American ideals, but was ready to show them the way back home when they failed to do this.

He was loudly applauded.

From the front page of the Lincoln County News, Lincolnton, N.C., May 22, 1922