The colored American., 1900-05-26


His visit was a triumph. Our community
knows more of the man and his work, and
his influence has expanded and taken firmer
root.
Tuesday evening the famous wizard of
Tuskegee," the most illustriOus apostle OF
industrial education, addressed the people
Of Washington on the status of the negro,
treating the theme entirely new lines.
analyzing our condition from moral, relg
ious political, economic and educatiOna
standpOnts. Despite the strong counter at
fractions, Illuminated parade down town
and fire only a block away, spacious
Metropolitan A. NJ. E. Church has rarely
been filled by larger more thoroughly
representative audience than that which
greeted Mr.. Washington this occasion
Mr.. Washington came by invitation OF
Bethel Literary and Historical AsSOciatl tlOn
Of which Prof w. II. Richards is the ca
pable and energetic presiding officer.
Professional men and women, 1ndustr1a
factors and commercial agents, Of all de-
grees, typical of the best progress and de
Velopment of the race, sat side by side anc
listened, spell-hound, for an hour and
half to the elOquence and wisdom OF the
most renowned negro on American soil.
Fully 1000 persons were there, and the DeSl
evidence that the address struck popular
chord was the rapturOuS applause which
followed every significant utterance anC
punctuated every paragraph.
Mr.. WashingtOn's appearance upon the
rostrum was the signal for storm of hand
clapping and the fiutterng of ladies' daint.
handkerchiefs. He was introduced in
happily phrased and highly complimentary
speech by Prof. w. H. Richards.
THE wizard used but a moment for pre-
liminary remarks, proceeding directly to the
discussion of his subject. He was never in
better voice, and, though speaking for the
most part from manuscript. SO thoroughly
was his topic imbedded in his mind, and
comprehensive was his grasp of the though
hot aofh hic brill al nd ma ono
tOrical powers were sacrificed thereby. The
opinion was generally expressed that th
address Tuesday evening was the finest ef
fort yet put forth by the distinguished in
dustrialist, and that it more clearly thar
any previous utterance enunciated the prin-
ciples upon sShich he has built his life's rep
utatiOn.
Mr.. Washington said in part:
MIR. WashfngtOn's Address.
When a great ship at sea is being tossed
during anxious days and nights by wind
and wave, and its very life seems threat
ened by the elements of nature, then is the
time for all on board, and especially those
charged with the duty of managing the yes
sell to keep a cool head, a clear conscience
and a steady hand. In the midst of such
danger and excitement 1T becomes dOubly
important that every insignificant and self
ish consideration be lost sight Of, that
every fiber of energy of each individual on
board the endangered vessel be bent ia one
directiOn-that of bringing the imperile6
craft into a harbor of safety.
If ever a race needed supreme faith.
Calmness, unity and inYincible determiAa'
tiOn those qualities needed by the
black race in America at the present time
when it is passing through a season Of tria
and testing such as has seldom fallen tC
the lot of any in the history Of the
world But beyond and above all we mus.
not lose hope or courage. In the midst OF
the storm let us be guided by the compass
The ocean track through which our YES
sci Is to pass was carefully and Sareiy
Charted in Holy Writ more than eighteen
hundred years ago. Let US examine It,
The chart:
In much patience, in affliction, in necSs-
SIty, in diStTesSeS, in stripes, in lmprison-
ments, in tumults, in labOrS, in Watchings
in Hastings; by purenesS, by knowledge. by
long suffering, by Kindness by the Holy
Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word or
truth, by the power of God, by the armOf
of righteousness on the right hand and on
the left, by honor and dishOnOr, by evH
report and good report; as decefvers and
yet true. unknown and yet we'll known.
as dying and behold we live, as chastened
and not killed, SOrrowful, yet always
rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich;
as having nothing and yet possessing all
things"
The Storm the Test.
1t is in the storm that the vessel is
tested and not in the calm.
In our case the world should be con-
stantly reminded that the problems that
nave grown out of our presence as race
In this country are not of seeking OF
making. White Americans should always
bear in mind that their duty toward the
American negro Is a unique one. Yea,
more than that, it is a sacred obligation.
mar nf Nv hrnIlohf