Arkansas weekly mansion., 1883-07-07
A GRAND RECEPTION.

According to previous notice, last Mon
day night a large crowd of intelligent
anxious hearers met at early candlelight at
Bethel church, for the purpose Of partici-
pating in the festivities OF the occasion,
viz: The grand reception given by the
pastor and friends to DR.. j. T. Jenifer, Of
Boston, Mass.
Precisely at 10 O'Clock the Miss Porter's
choir discoursed music, Miss Laura F..
Porter, presiding at the organ. After
singing prayer by Father Nathan Warren;
then an anthem by the choir.
THE YIRsT SPEAKER.
Hon. NJ. w. Gibbs arose and said In eff
feet as follows: We have met here, not to
welcome a stranger in our midst, but we
have assembled to welcome q friend in
whom we ali can confide, q gentleman
whose brains arc ever active to the wants
of his fellow beings. We know him In
every relation of life to be friend and a
christian. What he has done here is not
only credit to himself but to those in the
midst OF the race. As to j. T. Jenifor, two
years ago L paraphrased that, go IL you
must but come when you can; we are here
tonight to verify that promise. Doubt
less there are q few of us here that visited
or resided In Boston, where DIR. Jenifer
has within the last two years collected and
paid $4,000, and within the last twelve
months collected and paid on his church
debt $4,000. Here we see Arkansas
coming to the front on every hand; we
have new colored calet from Arkansas.
1 will not detain you longer, but take great
pleasure in Offering you back again our
highly esteemed friend, DIR. J. T. Jenifer.
On Mr. Gibbs taking his seat
DIR. JENIFKR RESPONDED
in n few we'll directed remarks, in which
he said tongue could not express his graft
tude; he said it particularly afforded him
great pleasure to be here to receive these
tokens Of respect. I have felt more at
home the few days have been here than
all the time have spent in Boston, during
the last two years; this is one of the proud
est moments in the history OF my humble
life. The greatest thing of all is for the
people to stick together and sustain your
pastor; IL he is the man 1 think he is, you
should sustain him. 1 think according to
your advantages you are the greatest peo-
pleI have met anywhere; there are none
doing so well you according to your
chance in the south and southwest. Again
l say persevere, and the spelling book
Bible and the ballot will do for us what 1t
has done for others; that one thing made
him feel proud was that he was among the
first to throw his little influence towards
opening the avenues of the schools to col
Ored teachers. At one time there was
nearly all Of the teachers in our common
schools white, but now I see eleven rooms
taught by colored teachers; that is n thing
that makes me feel gratiied that throw
my small amount of influence in that direc-
tion. The church in Little Rock, or any
where else. greatly depends on what 1t has
within itself. Now 1 hope the good friends
will all rally round your pastor. 1 refer
especially to DR.. Porter, If he is such an
able man as 1 think he is. The south Is
the place where we were Inundated and
the south Is the place where we must work
to rise to the hight OF our manhood.
DIR. J. II. SMITH WAS CALLED.
He first made an apology and said he had
made several efforts to write an essay, but
he was troubled with the Arkansas chills |
and therefore had made little or no pro- |
gross in that direction, therefore had moth |
ing to say, but said Judge Gibbs had made |
q good speech, doubtless the best he ever |
heard him make on such an occasion. He |
came to Arkansas twelve years ago, at
that time DR.. Jenifer WAS being deserted |
and called a northern negro. Bat he pro- |
ceeded to make up his plans for This church !
edidce, and turned bad men into philan-
he had hard-hearted men to deal |
with; now we have a good people and
variety Of colors, from the silky, glossy |
black, to those that it would take Gabriel |
with his telescope to tell the difference be- |
tween them and the white race.
The Mansion takes pleasure in saying |
that the ladies made q magnificent appear
ance in their costumes.
Mrs. Rosa Rudd was attired In crimson |
strawberry silk, and looked grand.
Miss Mollie Harris, the model OF grace
and early piety, was attired in crimson |
colored satin.
Miss C. NJ. Sandridge was dressed in
white and pink ever-suit.
Miss Laura f. Porter, dressed in white,
trimmed with lace and blue ribbon.
Miss Lizzie Porter, dressed In white |
over-suit and blue skirt.
Miss Victoria Turner, dressed In white,
trimmed with blue ribbon and zephyr |
flowers.
Mrs. Mary Keats, attired in plum colored |
silk.
Miss Lima Martin, white, trimmed with !
blue ribbon, and Mrs. Ida Jordan the same |
Mrs. Nollie Alexander, white trimmed |
with lace and pink basque.
Mrs. Elizabeth Windstead, white dress
trimmed with lace and a red bow.
Miss Mary Sparks, dressed in navy blue
silk. trimmed with bugle flowers ahd white |
basque
Miss Julia Brown, dressed In pink satin.
And large number of ether ladies neatly
and tsstefully dressed, but left before our
reporter could get their descriptions noted.
The gentlemen were correspondingly |
dressed and all had q nice time together.
We thought the occasion . very ENJOY
able one. The nett proceeds of the affair
was $4,000, which goes toward Hquidating
The church indebtedness.
We notice in the Fair Play of Lexing-
,on, KY, that W. r. Anderson, of Nash
7ille, Tenn, is engaged In contro-