Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-10-08

and the African, the Master and the
Slave, stand side by side under the
blue canopy of heaven and vie with
each other to see who shall do the
most in honor Of this noble occasion.
The slave, rejoicing with his Halelu-
tjahs at his deliverance from bondage
to freedom, the master taking up the
echo and passing it over the magnetic
wires from the noble Atlantic to the
majestic Pacific, from the frozen fields
Of the North to The sunny elopes of
the South, that there is found in the
grand. old fabric of-l776, which was
cemented together by hearts 81 iron
and hands Of steel, land wherein the
Caucasian and the African, the China
man and Indian could, under the
azure blue and scarlet stripes with its
| galaxy Of bright stars, found deliver
ance from oppression where none dare
modest or make them afraid. The flag
Of our country How grand it floats
over our heads and protects within its
folds American citizens in every climel
The corner stone that was laid in l776
laid the foundation Of the temple Of
freedom. This assemblage proves its
good works to-day, for the corner stone
which is here laid by the knights Of
Jerome lays the foundation for ad-
vanoement, elevation and protection
to our posterity. Then let US all re-
joice that the era Of good feeling and
brotherly love may always exist among
us. There are no rents in the grand
old fabric now. They have all been
mended. The wounds on many bat
tie fields tell how many rents were
made and what heavy stitches it took
TO prevent the old corner stone from
being rent asunder. Mounds now be-
decked with the green sod comming-
ling with the daisy and theyiolet. the
pink and the pansy, the willow, cy-
press and the rose, cover beneath their
tendrils the remains Of some loved
one. The white and the black, the
blue and the grey, with arms folded
across their breasts in mother earth
are mementoes Of the struggle. Weep
not for dear ones gone before. They
have done their duty to God;aAl their
country. They have cemsnted the
rents in the old stone and maintained
the good old flag. Well can we say
our flag is still there. Now, one word
to our fallen foe. You heroes Of the
Lost Cause, we extend to you asblack
Americans the right hand Of fellow
ship and hope that the fraternal feel
ing which now exists among uy may
exist forever. The black man ID blue
shakes hands with the white man in
grey. The destinies of our country
depend upon our united efforts to
maintain it, and / believe that the
many old veterans l see Of the Lost
Cause doing homage to the negroes
elevation, mean TO prove to him their
promotion and the perpetuation Of
interest in our union. We know that
your homes like our own have be- n
desolated by the ravages of war, and
we feel for you. Although we were
foes in the strife, let US be forever
friendsin peace.
Yes, peace, while we live In this Life,
No more TO battle and 10 fight;
The strife is DER, the battle won,
ALI is bright beneath our sun.
Soldiers Of those trying days,
Our flag still floats, our country saved,
And beneath It's folds in fond embrace
Rest the blue and the grey face 10 face.
Now let the youth emulate the
Knights of st. Jerome. Let them
swell it's numbers to such an extent |
that there will be necessity for sew
eral corner stones to be laid in old st. |
Mary's. Let them lay the corner stone |
Of knowledge within their brain Ed
ucation; the corner stone Of wealth.
Prosperity; the corner stone Of respect
Truth; the corner stone Of Christi
anity-a faithful performance to God
and your church.
BY laying these corner stones upon
firm foundations, you will be able to
accomplish much. You will be able
not only to build temples to yourselves
but to God, your race and your coun-
try. Five years ago, the fox, the
hare and the squirrel gamboled and
sported in these wilds and by their
antics, they frightened the sire and
the matron, the lover and his lassie,
the youth and the maiden, the child
and the babe, BY. the rustling Of the
leaves. Little did they think that
the spot that frightened them would
scare them no more. Time moved on
until 1885. The old trees thai stood
in these woods began to bow their
heads. The oak whispered to the