The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-29

father and mother could be to you. AS
every man should carry the thought Of
his parents in his heart, and always
try to honor their memory, so should
you always carry the thought OF Be
thesda with you, and try to grow to be
men who do honor to this holy inst1tu-
ton.
If, then, you will remember this
home, and when you are gone and
when, with Gods grace you grow up
to be rich or successful, you can see
this home when it is gone from you,
then will you be doubly blessed with
it's spirit. The records show that from
Bethesda some very successful men
have come. Some of them grew rich
and afterwards were able to give large
sums of money to it, and one man was
so successful that later he was MEM
Ter of the United States Senate Re-
member these things and try to grow
up to become just as much as they did.
AS some time ago / sat in the Audi
torium at New Orleans where I was to
deliver a speech, il was with some i'm
patience that l listened to the pro-
gramme, while l awaited my turn. Just
before l was TO speak, violin solo
was rendered. AS the artist proceeded,
my impatence subsidized. Gradually
the music stole over me, till lost in adj
miration, / forgot all about my intend
ed speech, my whole being thrilling in
response to the divine melody evoked
beneath the masters skillful touch.
The music ceased, and as with return
ing cons seriousness I realized that my
turn had come, 1 felt like one who had
been aroused from his sleep and indig-
nant that he had been disturbed, 1 as
cended the platform, feeling that after
the glorious strains called forth from
the perfect instrument through the re-
markable talent of the gifted artist,
might well apologize for the tangled
notes / could produce with but indif-
ferent skill from my ruder instru-
ment.
Eager to Play Part.
1 believe the feelings I then expert
enced are but an illustration of what
is felt by all of US. We are all eager
to play our part, we can scarcely brook
with compoSure anything that inter-
veneS. We must endure though, lest
finally when our time does come, with
maturer years and enlarged under
standing, we shrink from the attempt
to mingle our feeble voices in the
sonorous olatorio of the universe, awed
into silence by the oVerpoWering volume
of the sound. For what to the jim
trained ear appears merely a medley
of grating noises, to the musicians
finer perception is soulful harmony, and
what to our imperfect understanding
seems only confusion, if not strife, to
the ripper intellect is the regular, uni
form and consistent process of an in
variable law
To you one all, then, you children
who fear that life is hard because you
are thus dependent on charity, and to
you, ladies and gentlemen, whose boun-
ty maintains this institution, and who,
at times, fear for it's welfare, l would
say, take heart and continue in the
noble work, assured that Gods bless
ing is with you in your efforts.
1 can do no better than conclude with
the words of a time-honored, though 1
understand, unaccountably neglected
tradition, voicing on this anniversary,
the sentiment:
ITO the memory of Mordecai Sheftal,
Josiah Powell, John Martin and John
Stirk, who preserved the existence of
this society, with all its rights and
privileges, by holding regular meet
ings and keeping the anniversarie Of
the society for three years while de-
tanned prisoners of war in Sunbury."
At the conclusion of the address
Judge S. b. Adams offered a resou-
ton on behalf of the board, thanking
Mr.. Solomon for his address, and ask
ing that copy of it be furnished the
society to be printed in it's minutes.
The resolution was unanimously car
ried. and then Col. Estill declared the
anniversary concluded.
Presidents Annual Report.
Col. Estills report as president was
as follows:
Bethesda, April 2S 1904.
To the Members of the Union Society:
It is again my pleasant duty to sub
NIT my annual report, showing the
work of the society for the past year
and its condition at this time. There
is no material change in it's affairs
since we last met, except that we
have increased out bills payable. The
cause of this growing indebtedness is
set forth in the report of the Commit
tee on Finance and Property, which,
briefly summarized, shows that in our
efforts to carry out the objects of the
society and support and educate or
phan and INDECENT boys and fit them
to maintain themselves honorably," we
have let our expenses exceed our in
come. 1t is not necessary to state
that every dollar that has been re-
eeived has been spent in maintaining
our ancient charity, and that there are
no useless expenditures now sinecures
by which large sums disappear in
luxuries or salaries.
In spite of the constant efforts of
the Committee on Finance and Prop
erty we have been unable to rent some
of our best property, upon the income
of which we largely depend for the
maintenance of the orphan house.
However, while this condition of affairs
is calculated to worry those to whom
you have intrusted the management
Of the affairs of the Union Society, it
is not alarming to them, but should
stimulate every member of the soci-
ETY. to exert himself to increase our
membership. A great deal could be
done to relieve this constant strain
upon our finances If we could double
cur membership. There is no reason
why in a city as patriotic and philan-
thropic as Savannah, this cannot be
done. 1 beg leave to urge upon every
member the duty of securing an addi-
tional member.
In the present emergency it might
be we'll to reduce the number of boys
in the orphan house to eighty or 100,
as our means may permit by suspend
ing the admission of beneficiaries. BY
doing this we shall make a material
reduction in the expenditures for
clothing and provisions, and also cut
down the pay rolls a little. l dislike
to make such a recommendation, as ii
has been my constant effort to keep
the doors of Bethesda wide omen and