The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-09-10
Practical Lay Sermon to
CoIored Audience
Congressman Cbeatfaarn
Speaks at riae Dedication OF An
at Henderson and
Gives His People Some
Wholesome Advice.

henderson, y g. Sept. Sins
Henderson Normal Institute for color
ed people was dedicated last Tuesday
H. p. Cheatham. colored. former
member Of Congress. was the orator
OF the occasion. He spoke al length
reviewing the progress OF the age. H.s
concluding remarks were tull OF sound
advice T. MS race. He said
Eighty years i this identical spot
was one Of the waste places OF the
community. a barren ihicket. used ~
the slave TO hide from his master y
while away d few minutes. in that
leisure ana sport which they could not
do otherwise get with their fellows.
enjoying a game OF hustle cap an
dice. But look at this sacred spot to-
day. 1t is clothed in another garment
II has deserted its old haunts OF idle
ness. il has with n effort leaped
high upon the of ACTIVITY
and great usefulness. Holding high
beyond the trees a light TO guide the
feet OF TIE erring ones, i seems 70
have been quickened by some riendiS
and mysterious power. to the end that
it is giving its time and capac!ty-no
longer as a thicket or woods 10 shield
the idler in his games and pastinles--
but to higher and nobler purposes.
Inc HENDERSON Norman llA>IilQlF
stands upon this lovely hill with un-
folded arlns to welcome worthy young
men and women to enter and pre-
pare themselves for life's varied VoCa-
tons. and for the uplifting and saw
ing a needy and appreciative people
May 1t continue to grow In strength
and in beauty. in usefulness and i'll
the favor Of all the good people. both
rich and poor, both high and low. both
white and colored, until its grea.
good shall be felt by all and its fruit
be seen t. multiply and re-multifly in
all quarters of the land. Surely he
great architect of the Universe vii.
some day bless the men and women
who have saved their earnings and
used them to build and beautify tn"
waste places of His earth to the glory
of their fellow man.
Be in Earnest.
Now. our people. let me appeal to
you; arouse and be earnest. AS |
have told you, this is a peculiar n
rapidly advancing age; you are largely
the labociLg class; upon common labor
the success or failure, the rise or fall
of the masses of THIS race, in the fut-
ure entirely depends; and the time Will
come. yea, 1t is almost at hand. when
1t will be a serious question If this
opportunity to labor is given TO your
hands at all. Tho Bureau Of Labor
and Printing in North Carolina reports
that negro labor in 90 counties In our
state is unreliable and worthless. Now,
we cannot afford to have this said Of
our people. The hordes Of laborers Of
Europe, who were once sold in the
market places of England ike sheep
In the shamblas, are wild to come to
this country to take your places, on
the farms, in the shops, in the mines,
in trusty position in private families,
and on the public works; in other
words, IN all the ~vocations Of life. Let
us grid up u loins, therefore, and do
better work and more work then any
other class, with an honest desire to
benefit our employers as well as our
selves. Then we shall make friends
and hold our own in the ranks Of the
millions who are progressing and ad-
vancing with the sweeping current OF
a glorious prosperity.
"In order to succeed and hold our
own in the ranks of men, we must
not be Sow in speaking out and e "
ing credit to those who have the
courage and friendship to speak out
for us. The race cannot do too much
honor nor give too much credit to
Governor Glenn and Ex-Governor Ay-
cock Both of these Christian men
nave gone on record in this State in
the defence of our education and our
rights before the courts of the land.
Their administrations have LEI fairly
and Squarcly by US, and from their
public u~tterances we have received en-
enlargement and hope, to the extent
that we bel eve a better day Will soon
dawn upon US ALL