St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-08
AT THE TWIN CITY HALL.
THE AFFAIR WAS UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE AFRICAN
MASONS.
BRILLIANT RESPONSE TO TOAsTs
Words of Tenderness, Wisdom
and Patriotism Flow ElO-
quently.

enced during the lifetime of that
greatest of American statesmen
could have half equaled that in
would have felt at listening to the
words of tenderness, wisdom and
patriotism that so eloquently flowed
there from the lips of descendants of
the 100000 of slaves made freemen
by the emancipation proclamation.
1t was an occasion well calculated to
force him to the conclusion, be his
prejudices what they may, that it is
all a question of education after all.
The occasion was the grand ban
quet given under the auspices of
Minnesota Lodge No. 2, colored Ma
lodges of colored Masons in st. Paul
and the J. K. Hillyard lodge of Min
neapo1is. There were about 100 per-
sons present, nearly half of whom
were ladies. A splendid repast was
spread, and over a dozen speeches
were made in response to various
toasts. AS the supper was a little
late, and the speaking did not begin
until near midnight, extracts from
only the first few speeches can be
given.
After a general reception in the
lodge room for a couple of hours,
during which the guests enjoyed
themselves in social conversation and
listening to music by a mandolin or
chestra, supper was announced, the
tables being spread in the main
hall. AS the guests marched in to
take their places at the banquet, a
beautiful sight met their eyes, the
tables being elegantly decorated with
flowers, including some very hand
some pieces. T. III. Ly1es, most wor-
shipful grand master of the state
grand lodge, who acted as toast
master, called on Rev. S. B. Jones,
pastor of ST. James M. E. church,
to offer prayer, after which equal
handed justice was done to the good
things that were brought on, course
after course, in rapid succession.
When the tables were cleared, Toast
master Lyles raped for order, and
said:
eve feel highly gratified at your
presence this evening at this, the first
banquet given by Nour order in the
Northwest. Your cheerful response to
our invitation is, as we trust, in evil
dence of the high esteem in which our
order is held by you. We promise you
here tonight that we shall do all that
is within our power to keep our order
in that lofty position in which 1t was
placed by our ancient brethren. Our
banquet here tonight will remind US
in one respect Of that celebrated mar
riage feast which took place at Cana
Galilee. They reserved the best of their
wine until the last. We are like them
in this respective reserve the pest OF
our banquet till the last. The various
toasts that will be responded to by the
ladies and gentlemen whose names ap.
pear upon our programme, Will, l
know, be both instructive and enter
tanning" ~
Mr.. Lyles then called on }G. j.
Charleston, worshipful master OF Min
nesota Lodge No. 2, who spoke few
words of welcome.
Deputy Grand Master John l.. Neal,
of Minneapolis, responding to the
toast the Good of Missionary" said
Free Masonary was indeed science,
and the true Mason was always toll
ing upward. Masonary meant charity
and love, protection to the orphan,
comfort to the suffering and burial for
the dead. 1t embraced every class and
every creed. It was the nearest to the
Christian religion in its moral eff
fects and teachings. All over the ma
ton could be seen the handiwork Of
Masonary God made man one grand
brotherhood, Himself the master and
the world the lodge. (Applause)
What Has Education Done for the
AfroAmerican?" was the toast re-
sponded to by w. R. Morris, of Mime
apolis Mr.. Morris said that as soon
as it became apparent that the Afro
American could be educated, the
doctrine that he had no soul vanished.
Education compelled the world to re-
cognize his innate manhood. Educa-
ton has placed the Afro-American In
all the leading professions and given
him a standing in the sciences, 1t
has placed him on the same plain as
the rest of humanity.
George W. Woodson, responding to
the toast, Should the Life of Freder-
icl1 Douglas Be Held Up as Model to
Our Youth?" made the greatest adj
dress of the occasion, although the
Youngest of all the speakers. He said
in part:
81 happened to be at the capital OF
this nation when the telegraph and
press of the country announced that
the grea test negro on earth and one of
the greatest men had gone to sleep for
ever. Strong and bold as a lion in his
gentle as a lamb. He was man after
the manner Of his time. AT times he
was severe, but all who knew him on
the verge of the grave knew him as
man whose heart was full of kindness
and sympathy. There have been many
of the worlds greatest men who have
not been it's best men, but Douglas was
a. great and good man. Born without
a body or a soul, in law, he sprang
from nothing to the front rank among
his fellow men. Such a life and such
a nature may well stand an eternal
inspirati ton to any country or any peo-
pie, be they white, black, brown or
green" prolonged applause).
Mrs. T. III. Lyles, president OF the
John Brown monument association of
Minnesota, responded to the toast,
Should John Brown be Honored by
the Afro-Americans?" Mrs. Lyle said
she did not think it necessary to say
anything to convince any of those
present on that question. She then
went on in a very pretty address an!
gave a brief sketch of the life of the
great patriot, ending with the hope
that the Afro-Amerieans will yet do
justice to his memory by erecting an
elegant monument over his grave.
The other toasts and speakers were
as follows
What Do We Need?" j. Q. Adams,
st. Paul.
What Is the Church Doing for the
Racer" Rev. ]. Douglass Underwood,
st. Paul.
lis the Afro-American Press of To-
day a Benefit. to the Race?' w. A.
Hazel, st. Paul.
woman in Secret Organizations"
Mrs. Florence Williams, st. Paul.
Unity in Christianity" Rev. Scott
B. Jones, st. Paul.
"Jhe Afro-Am erican and His Fut-
ure.' Frederick l.. McGhee, st. Paul.
1.-THE New Woman" Mrs. w. T.
Francis, st. Paul.
what of the Hour?" Robert e. An
rIarcaa Ct PaYll