The age-herald., 1900-11-30

upoH HIS ntdTeIS.
 Mir. sinnige introduced as the next speak CT Mayor Drennen.
 Mayor Drennen.
 The Mayor said:
 Reverend Bishop, MT. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: When the first meeting was called, more than two years ago. at the courthouse to consider the most favor- able plan for raising money for the erec- tion of this hospital, president was elect ed at this meeting, vice presidents a board of directors and a number of committees were appointed. The president, in appoint Ing these committees put my name on a committee to solicit subscriptions from the merchants. In fact, was made chairman of this committee. I remember quite well the unusually warm weather we had just at the time this committee was out solicit ing and collecting subscriptions.
 At the time I was a member of the Board of Aldermen, and objections were raised by some of our citizens because the Mayor and Board of Aldermen had voted to make an appropriation of $500 for this charitable institution.
 I have never regretted for one moment that voted for this donation, but on the other hand want to say that during my time as a city official, which embraces a period of more than five years, I have never cast a vote than I am more proud of.
 This day has been set aside by the Pres;-
 dent of these United States as a day for this entire nation to give thanks for the many blessings which We have received.
 l have looked back at the great progress that has been made within the past twelve months in and around Birmingham. Our mills have run on full time; mines and furnaces have been taxed to their full capacity to fill their orders; labor has re- ceived its reward; our merchants have prospered. and today, with the exception that our lives have been spared and that we have been blessed with good health, l know of nothing that the people of Bir- mingham should feel more thankful for than the completion of the St. Vincent Hospital.
 Over the door of little church in the city of London this motto is written: Think and Thank" When we think back over the many great disadvantages under which the people of Birmingham have la bored in caring for the sick and the poor, and today we stand here in this magnifi cent hospital, we must not forget to be thankful that our lives have been spared and today we are permitted to be present and participate in these grand ceremonies which, dedicate to the people of this com munity one of the greatest and grandest institutions that has ever been erected in Alabama for the care of suffering hu- manity.
 Mr. James Bowron.
 Alter the Mayor came MT. James BOW ron who spoke with his wonted forcec ard huency.
 Most of those present, MT. Bowron said, had attended Thanksgiving service during the morning in their respective places of worship, and in attending these exercises at the hospital they would continue their thanksgiving. Directly or subjectiVely all must be in touch with works of charity and must recognize their individual obli- gatons to the poor. Today and for a hun dred or a hundred and fifty years past those who professed to be followers of Christ have banded together to labor in the cause of suffering men and women, m the cause of humanity. This hospital work is enlisting the activities of philanthropists wherever the Cross has been carried, and he thought it was a blessed thing that men and women of all creeds-Jews as well as Christians-gladly assembled here under dome surmounted by the emblem of the Master to give encouragement to the good work. MT. Bowron spoke in terms of un- stinted praise of those who had brought forward this enterprise. He himself had all along taken lively interest in the hos pital, and he felt that the Sisters would always be heartily sustained in their ef- forts.
 The Rev. Rabbi Morris Newfield, being the next speaker said:
 Tt is indeed a source of qualification to me to participate in these services and to express my sincere COnSTdluldllOnS at the completion of this monumental structure, conceived in charity reared in self-sacrifce and consecrated to philanthropy Without the fear of contradiction 1 assert that in this busy city and district of ours there is no institution that stands as a grander monument to mans nobility than does this hospital I know no grander charity than to provide for the sick.
 Tt is reflection upon when we must have homes for the orphans the widows, and the aged. It means that somewhere a near love is not doing it's full, tender duty. No child nor any old person among us can be without some kindred whose duty 1t is to provide for him. But even the richest, when emergency comes, take ad- vantage of the hospital, no matter how comfortable home may be, or however much it be dominated by loves devotion and solicitude For the poor especially Is the hospital an indispensibility, and a hos pital which receives them with sympathys every delicacy and consideration is thus the most gracious and the most necessary of all charitable institutions.
 But there is a grander work than even charity, and that is philanthropy. If in the every day side of human sentiment there be anything sublimer, anything diviner than philanthropy-lov of man-no theol- ogy no philosophy, Ro poetry has yet dis covered it. And in this St. Vincent's Hos pital, in it's unqualified invitation to all suf- fering, in its unsectarian welcome to af- ficted humanity, without condition of creed or color, rises the towering evidence that philanthropy, the noblest flower on the tree of human endeavor, Is dinusing It's blessed fragrance in our community.
 "All honor to those who conceived and carried out the planting of this philanthro- pic monument in our midst. More than majestic Westminster or other cathedrals ever could does St. Vincent's bear wSless to the humane nobility and devotion of Father O'Reilly and the church he repre- sents And what shall say to the noble Sis ters of Charity, whose whole life is wrapt up in painful self-denial and self-sacrifce, who love and labor, nurse and minister, not for fame praise or reward? I know of no ministration that compares with yours~in nobility and grandeur. l know no garb that inspires more respect than yours. The most vulgar of men revere the symbol or your calling, and without blush the modest man uncovers his nakedness to the touch of your hand guided by a pure mind and chaste