The rest of Black Bottom was a rabbit warren of homes in every condition of neglect, disrepair and careful upkeep. Dives, carefully repaired huts, and nicely painted and ornamented cottages were jumbled together cheek by jowl with little distinction. The best could not escape from the worst and the worst nestled cosily beside the better. The yards, front and back, were narrow; some were trash dumps, some had flower gardens. Behind were privies, for there was no sewage system.

After looking about a bit, Wilson discovered beyond Black Bottom, across the river and far removed from the white city, a considerable tract of land, and it occurred to him that the church and the better Negro homes might gradually be moved to this plot. He talked about it to the Presiding Elder. The Presiding Elder looked him over rather carefully. He was not sure what kind of a man he had in hand. But there was one thing that he had to stress, and that was that the contribution to the general church expenses, the dollar money, had been seriously falling behind in this church, and that must be looked after immediately. In fact, he intimated clearly that that was the reason that Wilson had been sent here -- to make a larger contribution of dollar money.

Wilson stressed the fact that clear as this was, they must have a better church, a more business-like conduct of the church organization, and an effort to get this religious center out of its rut of wild worship into a modern church organization. He emphasized to the Presiding Elder the plan of giving up the old church and moving across the river. The Presiding Elder was sure that that would be impossible. But he told Wilson to ``go ahead and try.'' And Wilson tried.