The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-29
Address by Rev. DR.. Solomon.
~. Dr. solomon said

| REV. Ut. solomon SdlQs
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen
| and Boys: 1t is the usual thing for
a speaker on an occasion such as this
| to begin by an acknowledgment of the
! honor implied in his selection as orator.
| While at the outset | cannot refrain
| from expressing my deep appreciation
! of the fact that / have been chosen
/ to make the anniversary address to-
! day, / wish to emphasize that in this
| case the statement is prompted, not
| by the thought that this is the GUS
| tomary thing to do, but by the feeling
! it is really a privilege of which l may
and do feel proud The occasion is
| doubly significant AS the 154th re-
! union of the Union Society the day
should be sacred to every one of us
! fortunate enough to be here. AS we
recall the poets plant:
80 many Gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind,
While just the art of being kind
Is all this sad world needs"
And we reflect how men are sep
arated and even thrown into hostile
camps against one another because of
| differences of political, social and re-
| ligious systems, we may well thank
the universal Father for everything
that makes for union and fellowship
| among us. Well may we praise God
lol tlc tAtSttliCe OIL inns Union So
| ciety.
Tribute to Union Society.
With fun hearts should we offer Him
our gratitude for the privilege of mem
| bershiD in its ranks for while in com
mon with many of you here l belong to
several fraternal organizations, and
am fully conscious of the noble work
they are doing, | believe you will all
agree with me that this society de-
serves even greater praise, because,
while in theory the different fraternal
orders are designed mainly for the
good they can do, still there are hon
ors and benefits at times to be derived
from them, but in this body member
ship brings only the opportunity Of
doing good, with no further reward
other than the consciousness of duty
done.
In the second place my friends. our
| gathering emphasizes the purpose of
the society. 1t reminds us that this
| Bethesda-this house of mercy--is the
| object of our care. Charity, in it's true
| meaning, is perhaps the noblest of all
virtues. l say in its true meaning,
| FOR unfortunately men do not all I'M
derstand IL as they should. AS / read
the history of this institution, follow
ing the story of the heroic struggles
made by its honored founder Whitfield.
and the many ups and downs through
which it passed after his death, this
| fact was made very plain.
The moral law as proclaimed in the
| Mosaic code is the basis of all our
civilization. From it the New Testa-
ment built up its beautiful system of
moral truths: on it is founded all our
higher ideals. If we examine the FIVE
books Of Moses, and the entire Old
| Testament. we find that throughout,
ba fnr gha ri ie he ,,
word for justice. This is the spirit OF
the divine command to us to exercise
charity. 1t was undoubtedly because
the rich men of his day did not OBJ
serve this, but gave only as it suited
them. without the proper sentiment.
that Jesus was so hard on the rich, in
sisting that the letter killeth, but the
spirit reviveth' the law.
Charity Above All Virtues.
1t was probably with the same idea
in mind that Paul placed charity above
all virtues. 1t was certainly with this
feeling that Whitfield set about estah-
fishing this home. His was a fit ex-
ample for all men to follow. Because
he felt this divine command, when he
saw many parentless children thrown
| uneared for on the world, he devoted
ali the energies of a rarely gifted soul
to this work. Throughout the old and
the new world he journeyed, preaching
to men to come to it's support. He
was not content with giving what he
could spare, or only his leisure mo-
ments, bat he gave all he had and de-
voted all his time to this work 1t was
the charity, not of convenience, but
the charity Of Justice that he
preached.
Thus our celebration teaches a dou-
BILE lesson. II lays stress on the value
| and raARAGGitW nf mt tinp aside all
| differences and trying to come closer
| together into a real brotherhood
working for a common and noble aim
| 1t further impresses upon us that
| charity is not something that we can
! do or leave according as the mood or
| inclination prompts us, but rather a
| duty which we owe.
This leads us to a further thought
my friends OF all charities, this of
| our orphan home is both the greatest
and the most important. AS we gaze
upon the substantial buildings and the
! broad fields before us, and look at the
| healthy bodies and happy faces of the
| children who enjoy their shelter we
| feel highly gratified. This is indeed
| much; the knowledge that after leav-
! ing these protecting Influences, the
| children are fairly sure of finding suit
able places in life is still more, but
most of all, my friends. must be the
| fact that this place is intended for a
| Home.
Fashioning of Character.
Here must be supplied those ele-
ments which are most necessary in
| the fashioning of character-those
| things which count most in the devel-
! oping of strong manhood and pure,
| sweet womanhood-home influences.
Here must be supplied the mothers
love and the fathers watchful affec-
| ton. These children stand in greater
need of this than do your own who
have it so abundantly manifested to-
ward them every day. Therefore
must we always remember that in Civ
ing. money is not the only thing re-
| quired of us.
God in His infinite, and to US at times
| inscrutable, wisdom, has seen fit to
create men and women with a great