The forum. [volume] (Springfield, Ill.) 1904-192?, 1909-02-20
j. w. Slaughter
Furnished or Unfur-
nlShod rooms at
MRS. CHAS. JENKIN ), I'll, N. Is, st.
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.

The celebration acre of the centen-
NAL of Abraham Lincoln was SPLEEN
cid affair. The celebration occurred
at the st. Paul a. NJ. e. church, and
tie house was thronged with people;
the aisles were full, and standing room
WAS at premium.
It was an affair long t be remem
bored The program rendered was a
rich one, superb and distinguished
IL the participants acquitted them
selves creditably, and their eloquence
and sublimity rang through the edi-
flee as never before. Hoary heads of
three score years and ten, who had
come through the most trying ordeals
of the races history, were there, and
sat and listened with bowed heads
souls mixed with grief and ecstasy-it
was a scene pathetic.
DIR. J. II. Magee was master of cere
MONIES and introduced the speakers
with that peculiar effectiveness and
Aita that marked ability inmitably
his.
Dr. Magee's Introductory remarks be-
gan as follows, mastery written
paper:
Looking backward one hundred
years. we behold the advent into the
world Of a mighty character whose
mission should accomplish a mighty
work which shall endure until the
arahangel of God shall record the last
syllable = Time Abraham Lincoln was
rs surely used as an instrument of
Col in setting at liberty 100000
bondmen. women and children, as
Moses in leading the children of
Israel from Egyptian bondage. We are
here tonight to do homage to the men,
CRY of this great man; great in good
ness and good in greatness; whose
life and character means IN re to the
colored people of America than to any
race or nationality in the world. For
this race. whose letters were broken
by the edicts of the emancipation
proclamation like the man of Naz-
areta, his life was sacrificed that the
bonded black man and woman might
he free. Jesus Christ. the Son of God,
1909 years ago. gave up His life that
the world might be free. We pay
homage to the greatest man that ever
lived. except the Goldman. Jesus
Christ. who died to redeem all man
kind from the bondage of sin and the
curse of the broken law. Looking for
ward. we behold this race of ours,
osaneea fl IN chattels to free men and
free women, with all the concomitant
blessings Of freedom, which are life
liberty ard tie pursuit of happiness
which means happy homes happy
children, joyful hope springing eternal
i the human breast; to acquire and
enjoy the good things of this world
the Eden home of mankind Again
looking forward me hundred years
from this natal day, we behold another
Lincoln celebration by the great grand
children Of those who celebrate this
centenary. America shall have grown
10 be the center of civilization, mental
2nd moral culture. Prejudice shall
ave been vanished as a myth. and
relocated Ia the dark days of Salem
Witchcraft.' TIE gospel of malice IT,
ward none and charity toward all
Ill l,ave reoenerated and changed
the mental att'tsfde o. oil towards the
poor and despised on account of race.
color or previous condition of servi-
tude The colored people will have
risen above their present level by
means of education wealth and power
as factor in our government The
religion of the Lord Jesus will have