Letter from Lorine Davis to Jim Jones

EE-4-AAG

[This document retains its original spellings]

1029 Geary Blvd.
San Francisco, Calif. 94109
May 8 – 78

To Jim Jones:

Dear Father:

I am still here & looking forward to joining you one day in the promised land of the Free. Jim I am fine & able to work for this cause. I would still like to stay here a while & work on this job, that my son helped me to get through the Civil Service department. I know it was made possible only through you. I want you to know I’ve become very disgusted & I can see how people leave this cause. Not because of you but because the people you have as your leaders back here.

First, I wrote “Council” because I didn’t like the idea of a white person having the Kee [key] to get our mail. There are (3) blacks here & I feel we are capable of doing for ourselves as this is the old rule – a white has to be in charge. This has been 3 months or more before I ever started working. I have been ignored. My mail has been missing, my 1st check when I began working. Judy Mairman [Merriman] gets the mail. A letter was put under my door. I did not get it. I had know [no] other alternative, so I had my mail sent to my son’s. I knew you knew this, so you proved it to me, by sending me a letter there. Thank you Father. I still know you are the greatest & the light of the world. I shall stand like a tree even [though] I am very dissatisfied.

My brother has begun to come back to Church now. The first night he came, Service was nearly over before they would let him in. Leona [Collier] called me very rudely over the mike & said Lorine Davis I want to see you & right now. She questioned me, also Alice & husband, about how my brother got to service on a Tuesday night. I told him he called me & I told him. My brother gave his home & everything he had, they have been sleeping on the floor all winter. My brother wanted to talk to Leona & she would not talk to him. I think this was rude to call me out in the manner she did. I ask Council that she apologized to me at the Wed. night meeting or if I had done anything to let the family know about it. I was ignored again. I feel this is to much & that Leona feels she is to important to be wrong.

I went upstairs to Sandy & asked her if Council got the letter, since I gave it to her, she said yes. I told her I never herd from it. Sandy said everyone she showed it to thought it was ok, due to Leona working so hard in the cause. I asked her if this ment anyone working hard in the cause, were allowed to treat people in just [unjustly] & get by, she said she did not say that. This is what she implied. Then Sandy told me that she had nothing further to talk to me about. I told her if it happens again I would take care of it in service.

It seems now, you just take whatever happens. I see there is no need to write Council. I don’t feel like being faced with the assholes here that don’t think about what you are about. I have not turned my work pay in to them for I don’t feel they are worthy.

Vernell Henderson is responsible for Judy having the mailbox kee. I feel Vernell is of the Uncle Tom or Aunt Jane type. I have missed Church a few times recently as I don’t feel those acting as your disciples are of justice.

I shall always remember you as my “Leader” even if I am not in Church. I will always remember that you are chickens, justice & Love. Hope to see you in the body later. Love to Mother.

Peace & Love

Lorine Davis

P.S.  Father, Leona refuses to speak. To me she feels guilty.