The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-25
IT WAS A GREAT OCCASION
AND 10000 PEOPLE PAIrT1CIPA-
TED IN THE EXERCISES.
MAsoNS IRON ALL S C lions PRESENT
Grea Speeches Made Fly Gen. W. R. Cox
Or. J. D. Huff ,am, Prof. F. ?. Hob
good and Gen. Beverly Roy
ser, AGls d day For
the Orphans,

OXFORD. ~. u. ,Iuiic thFptSiui''
This is St Johns Day at the Oxford Or
phan Asylum. and as usual the Masons
of North Carolina are celebrating 1T on
the beautiful grounds of the Orphanage
On the occasion also memorial services
to j. H. Mills, founder of this the
noblest and grandest work of the Ma
sons of our beloved State. were held.
Every train brought large crowds from
all parts of the State. The crowd was
estimated to be III least eight or ten
thousand, the largest crowd ever present
on a like occasion.
AT 10 o'clock a. an. the Grand Lodge
met at the Masonic Hall in the Asylum
grounds. which was very largely attend
ed by prominent Masons from all parts
OF the State A very pleasant meeting
was held in the interest of the work be-
gun by Mills amd continued with such
halpy results by this noble order until,
as Dr. Huffman declared, that the Ok
ford Orphan Asylum was the chief glory
of Masonry of North Carolina. While
this meeting was in session the work of
children consisting of sewing. shoe-mak-
ing. cooking. drawing. painting. writing,
ETC., was reviewed by hundreds of visi-
tors This work is remarkable for its
{ sSlin az dts tlfi itlitNAS NiN'it
upon the mana cement of the Asylum as
we'll as the children.
At 1910 the Grand Lodge adjourned.
The exercises of the day began at the
stand erected under the spreading oak
on the beautiful grounds.
On an oak partly supporting the stand
on which the Masons and family connec-
tions OF the deceased sat. hung Il life size
portrait draped in black and white of ].
II. Mills. This splendid portrait was
painted by Miss Lou Hall. of Oxford.
who has just completed a three yearS'
course ut Cooper's Institute, of New
York.
DR.. Simms. of Raleigh. Grand Chap
lain. offered a ferveut prayer and then
the children sang My Country IT'S OF
Thee. aud such singing it was. II made
us all love North Carolina more and
thank God for TIE Orphanagc.
Now comes the address Of welcome hy
that splendid educator and president of
Oxford Seminary, +. =. Hobgood. who
captivated his hearers. He said in part:
We welcome you to the institution
dear to the hearts not only of the great
Masonic fraternity Of North Carolina.
Int to every lover Of his kind within
her borders; we welcome you to this
institution. dear to the heart Of our
God, for did He not say Inasmuch as
We have done it INTO one OF the least
Of these Ey brethren. We have done it
unto me-: welcome to this institution
around which angels are encamping. for
methinks if the prophet Of Israel were
here to pray God to open our eyes, We
should see an innumerable company Of
the heavenly ones. AND among them the
most eager and attentive. the mighty
and benevolent spirit Of the great fOun-
der of this institution. j. II. Mills. who
shall he known through the ages ami
through eternity as the children's friend.
Il congratulate YOU, gentlemen Of the
board Of directors. on the many evil
denceS of the prosperity of the insttu
ton. on the completion of these comm0-
dinuS buildings nesting among the gigan
tie oaks. made possible by the splendid
liberaity of one of your number. on the
successful work OF the present manage
mcnt that courts and will bear the
closest scrutiny.
May it never lack strong friends to
labor for it. to give to it and to pray to
God for it,
This happy welcome was responded To
hy Francis d. Winston. of BERTHE II is
useless for me to say that the response
was beautiful. for most North CAROLYN
ians know how Frank Winston speaks.
Then the children sang praise Yc the
Lord and of course they sang with a
Will.
1t fell to the happy lot of Gen. Il. :.
Royster to present the portrait of j. II.
Mills. ! am sorry | connot give this gem
Of Il speech. Thousands heard and APP
piauded and from this day Bro. Register
is Il big speaker in the estimation Of those
present. Mr.. \. b. Bronghton accepted
the portrait for the board. and if | knew
many of the dear children would read
this account. | would want to give every
word he said. for they all love him al
most as a father
One expression of Mr.. Broughton's aid
dress was he thanked God for the ability
of some to give hut the nobest gift ever
| given to North Carolina was the life IT
| this self-stcrifcing man of God.
At | 80 dinner was announced. and
such II dinner all did enjoy Al 2:3a
the crowd returned to the stand and me-
mortal exercises were held. Holy.
Holy" was sung by the children. aud
Grand Master, DR.. H. j. Noble, of Ser