Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-06-21

Methodist ChaFcB, aI Atlanta.
Let me here state n circumstance
which has ust now occurred. When
IN the ve-try there WI were consulting
your committee, among whom Ia your
illuslriou9 Christian Governor, the
Hon. A.. l. Colquitt, applsusel feeling
an unsusl thirst and expecting In q few
moments 10 appear before you, thought.
lesily | asked him IL there Wss water
10 drink. He, looking about the room,
answered, "There IL none; | will get
you some" l insisted not; but pres.
emily it was brought by a brother min.
lister, and handed me by the Governor.
| said, "Governor, you must allow me
TO deny myself this distinguished
favor, as It recalls so wildly the cpl.
sode Of the Warrior King CT Israel
when, with parched lips, he cried from
the rocky cave Of Adullsm, oh. that
one would give me a drink OF the
water Of the well OF Bethlehem, that Is
at the gate Aud when three OF his
valiant captains broke through the
hosts Of the enemy aud returned 10
him with the water, for which his soul
was longing, regarding 1t, ; the wa'er
Of life, he would not drink Of il, but
poured it out 10 the Lord" Zap.
plause. $50 may this transcendent
emblem Of purity aud love, from the
hand OF your most honored co.lAborer
and friend of the human race, ever re-
main as q memorial unto the Lord of
the friendship existing between the
Methodist Episcopal Church South,
aud the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, upon this first exchange Of
formal fraternal greeting" Applause
1t was not without great reluctance
that | was hurried away from the quiet
of my pastoral WorE to q position OF
the highest eminence, ia appearing be-
fore you as a fraternal messenger OF
the African NJ. E. Church, as you are
doubtless aware, that certain others
had been expected to do this distin.
guished service aud siGce We are here,
II strikes me that silence TO the
next quadreunial would be for US
the most becoming introduction 10
your graces. But since the world is
waiting for some indication OF the real
snimus of the two races brought, Tor
ouce, face to face in authorize i've as
sembly, let me speak, aud God grant
me words befiltiug the occasion.
Aud, Mr.. Chairman, your General
Conference, being made up as il is OF
Ihu Int ipIall.nta unN ntfFnuI InaFfa nt
the land, aud seeing we come As the
trlternal mss 'eng-rs OF a peculiar peo-
pie, who sustain also peculiar relations
wi h yourselves, coming under
peculiar circumstances, and at a peCu-
lar time, | can very readily conceive
that you are making ail allowance for
iniormalities aud saying, just state
your observations a. hes, you may.
First OF all, then, in the name OF our
six Bishops, 5000 itinerant aud local
preachers, our members aud congregA.
lions a~ggregating nearly u half million
souls aGd above oil in the name OF
Jesus Christ our Lord, we greet you.
We rel Dice at your triumph aud are
anxious 10 assure you OF our hearty
good will. [Applause.l
| trust shall here be pardoned for
obtruding what might in some way
contribute TO more solid judgments
upon whatever may be advanced By
your humble speaker to-day. Born
upon your strong border State OF Mary
land, my father q slave, aud his own
father a planter Of the royal type, my
mother q free woman descended from
the African Kings, educated in Penn
~sylvania through the patronage Of thai
great and good man, so Justly esteemed
IN this State, the Hon. VIM. E. Dodge
applause and from the further fac
that | was raised In our Sabbath
schools, graduated as q steward, class
leader, exhorter, local preacher, dea'
con and elder, being for the last lei
years a preacher in Florida ant
Georgia, and a member Of our las
General Conference 10 view of'all thi
| shall no doubt obtain, II not the ap
probation of many, at least the credi
Of knowing whereof l affirm. APP
plause.
There was once a question as 10 thI
maternal relation OF a certain child
and when the question could not b.
settled by the parties more immediate
~ interested, II was decided at stroke
by the wisest Of ell judges, when b.
said, "Divide the living child. Tn
precariOus condition OF the living chile
bears a strong analogy TO the histor,
we might repeat In The hearing Of on
mother to-day. At least you were gu
mother when VIC left the grand oil
mansion OF American Metbodism msn
years ago.
We have never forgotten those ten
der years, nor the deep concern oil ou
mother. But we return to-day witt
our sheaves Of rejoicing TO tell only t
%confding cars our deep regard for you
an I to state come little part of u eX
~psrience.
Bishops and brethren, the Africa
people Of the United States, long ,ilel
themselves, being coniounded, Ike 10
aud his friends, by the deep sLleriG
and unlowardness OF u situation
presenting as we have done aud do tC
day, the great human problem of ID
Nineteenth Century, often mis Judge
by our foes and misrepresented b
those unauthorized to speak or uua'
quainted with our heart or true cond