The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-05
IN MEMORY OF DOUGLASS.
INTERESTING MEMORIAL SERVICE
BY THE COLORED PEOPLE IN
ZION CHURCH.
HELD UP AS A MODEL FOR PEOPLE
TO PATTERN AFTER-SYMPATHY
EXPRESSED.

The colored population of this city, Oak
land, Alameda and Berkeley assembled
last night in the Zion A. M. e. Church on
Stockton street, where memorial service,
under the auspices of the Assembly Club,
was held in respect to the memory of the
late Frederick Douglass.
The edifice was crowded to its full capac-
ity by an audience that listened with deep
interest to the services, which were
opened by George w. Dennis Jr., who
briefly stated the purpose of the assem-
blage, which he declared was to show in a
solemn manner the respect of the colored
people for the memory of one of the great
est men, if not the greatest, in whose veins
negro blood flowed.
After prayer by the Rev. George E.
Jackson, pastor of the church, the choir,
composed of Mrs. A. Clayton, alto; w. R.
Davis, barytone; Professor J. H. William
son, tenor nnand organist; George w. Har-
mer, Mrs. Mcpherson, Mrs Susan Johnson
and Mrs. E. A. Thomas, rendered II Have
Set Watchers Upon Thy Wall"
Henry c. Dibble, who had expected to
be present, sent letter expressing his re-
greet for his inability to appear, on account
of the serious illness of member of his
had the honor of Mr.. Douglass acouaint-
ance. He was not only great man intellectu-
ally and morally, but he was also a broad
minded patriot. Am sorry l cannot listen to
Miss Ida B. Wells. Tell her for me that she has
the spirit of a crusader and the courage OF a
martyr. God will help her and her noble
work.
W. e. Henderson, announced as the first
speaker, said that he felt it an honor to
speak of the greatest man of his race the
i i
Douglass as standing with one hand on the
North and the other on the South begging
for justice and equal rights for those of his
race.
When the colored race lost J. c. Price,
who did SO much to blot out the Mason
and Dixon line, the mantle removed from
him by the hand of death fell upon Fred
erick Douglass, who worked so faithfully
i'll foreign lands and in this country for
those of his race until that noble man,
Abraham Lincoln, with one stroke of his
pen, freed 1900, 600 of enslaved people,
Then, even, Douglass work was not done,
for, when the Ku-Klux were rampant in
the South, he was found working to see
that justice was done to the negroes Not
only the colored people have suffered a
great loss, but the American people have
suffered a great loss in Frederick Douglass.
What he did for the race, he said would
never be fully appreciated until the history
OF the negro race IN the United States was
written. In conclusion the speaker said:
Frederick Douglass has left footprints on
the sands of time which no storm will ever
efface."
Miss Lilly Wells gave as piano solo
"Nearer, My God, to Thee" with delicacy
of touch that would have done credit to
many professional
The Rev. Mr.. Brown of Oakland dwelt
upon the good works of Douglass, and
urged the young people to study his life
and pattern after him, saying in conclusion
that he would feel prouder of being the
son of Frederick Douglass than to be the
owner of $4,000.
Calvary" a vocal solo, was rendered by
Robert Thomas, and he was followed by
Rev. E. T. Coltman of the Bethel NJ. E.
Church, who spoke in a eulogistic strain of
the great work accomplished by Douglass
in his fight for the rights of the people of
his race.
The ''Intermezzo'' from the "Cavalleria
Rusticana" was given by the Estrella Man.
dolin Club, after which Miss Ida B. Wells
spoke at some length of Douglass as she
knew him, of his Works for the benefit of
the race, and closed by urging the young
people to profit by his works and what they
taught.
Cornelius A. Hughes after few remarks
introduced resolutions prepared by the
Assembly Club expressing sympathy for
the loss of great man. These were adopt
ed by rising vote.
The exercises were brought to close by
the singing of the doxology and benedic-
ton by the pastor.