The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-14
AT THE COURT HOUSE.
Eloquent Speech to The Colored by
Rev. John G.. Kilgo.

E<jOl DDSSNh w VIZ
Rev. John c. Kilgo.
John w. Merrick, the intelligent
president. opened the exercises IN
few we'll chosen and timely remarks,
AT the close introducing Rev. Moses
Hester the oldest colored minister IN
Durham county. who led in an earnest
and feryent prayer. President Merrlck
then introduced Judge r. w. Winston,
who would deliver the address of wei
come. Judge Winston spoke OF the
appron1.iateness of q welcome, allud-
INC to the earnest and successful Ell
forts of the colored people. lie spoke
words of cheer to the colored people,
and especially words of COM
mendation with reference to the Wis
dom displayed in the selection of speak
ers for the occasion.
Then was introduced Miss Mamie U.
O'Daniel, who read a most appropriate
selection. filled with words of cheer
and interest for those who till and toll.
A fine, we'll chosen and splendldly rem
dered recitation.
President Merrick introduced Prof
w. G. Pearson, who in a most eloquent
speech introduced the speaker of the
day, DR. John c. Kilgo. He said that if
his race loved anything it was the soil
of North Carolina. In words of elo-
quence he alluded ito the school inter
ests of Durham. Concluding, he said
it gave him "great pleasure to intro
duce that broad-minded and big heart
ed Christian Southerner, DR.. John C..
Kilgo."
DR.. Kilgo was greeted with a round
of applause. In opening his speech
high compliment was paid the exhibit
he had been permitted to view during
the morning hour. He adverted to the
time when the colored people were first
landed upon this soil, and that until
thirty lone years ago all that time had
been spent in slavery. In words Of
burning eloquence he alluded to the
progress made by the colored people.
ssDo not" he said, ''be ashamed of the
fact that you were once slaves. Your
white brethren's ancestry were once
slaves" He told them their destiny
was i'm their own hands. Dt was not
where or how you began life, but how
you ended it, That life may have been
begun in slavery, burt if it ends in glory
all is we'll. He was glad their race was
free. He did not say that it was sin
in itself but the authority vested in
it was used with great iniqufty. While
the emancipation proclamation
brought freedom to the slaves, it set
the white people free as we'll. Now,
said the eloquent speaker, ''when you
celebrate the emancipation of the
slaves again, while you congratulate
yourselves. don't forget to congratu-
late your white friends too" The col
ored people were told that while their
emancipation dated thirty-one years
ago, they could only free themselves
by individual efforts. Rise up in your
manhood and womanhood and free
yourselves from ignorance and super
stition BUT, said he, you are to be
congratulated upon the educational
progress made by your race. The only
really well endowed college in the
South is a colored one, located in the
State of Georgia. He said the colored
people outstripped the whites in their
zeal for education That he had sat by
the roadside and watched the colored
children as they wendell their way
to school with their little tin buckets.
He had opened their little
buckets and found that the little
fellows were going to school on a pone
of corn bread. Very few white people
would be willing TO go to Heaven on a
pone of bread. His allusion to home
life was grandly sublime. Take care OF
your homes and stand by your religious
affairs His advice and words of COM
mendation and encouragement along
industrial lines was full of wisdom.
The speech was magnificent one
and was much enjoyed by the large
audience, made up of both white and
colored.