The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-08-05
COLORED MASONS
HOLDING KENTUCKY GRAND
LODGE MEETING.
Welcomed by Councilman Davis and
Response Made by Grand Master
Edwards, of Georgetown.

Hopkinsville. KY, Aug. 5.-The
address of Councilman Lucian II.
Davis welcoming the delegates to the
city and of Grand Master Edward b..
Davis, of Georgetown, responding to
this address. were the principal fea-
lures Of the public meeting held at
the Virginia Street Baptist church by
the grand lodge of Free and Accepted
lMasons, colored.
An audience of nearly l 900 rep
Preventative cOlored people had assem-
Ibled to witness the exercises, which
consisted in the main of welcome adj
dresses and responses. The grand
lodge convened at IL noon yesterday
and considerable preliminary BUSH
ness was transacted. Grand Master
Edward b. Davis made his annual re-
port, and the report of the relief work
during the past year was presented
by the grand secretary, w. Pratt
Annis, of Louisville.
In submitting hts annual report,
the grand master pleaded for a
higher standard of admission, insist
ling upon moral worth and some de-
gree of education before candidates
recommended that the resolution
passed at the last grand lodge pro-
viding for a so per cent per capita
tax and for the payment of expenses
of grand lodge delegates by each
subordinate lodge be enacted into
law.
w. Pratt Annis, the grand secre-
tary, reported a balance OF $1,000 in
the relief treasury, after having paid
all death claims amounting to more
than $500.
At last nights session addresses Of
welcome were delivered by l.. H.
Davis, councilman from the Third
ward; c. w. Merriweather and Lottie
Dade. to which responses were de-
livered by Grand Master Edward b.
Davis, w. H. Humphreys. of Mays
Vile, and Maggie l.. Freeman, of
Paris.
The address of Councilman Davis
was of an encouraging tone and
breathed much Of the friendly spirit
that exists in Hopkinsvihe between
the races. 1--WE know no creed; we
draw no lines" Mr.. Davis declared,
but believe in education and the adj
Ivancement of all people regardless Of
color" Continuing. Mr.. Davis said:
after all, we are what we are, as
individuals. 1t does not matter what
lyour father was or what your brother
Is It is your own individual worth
that counts / am proud of the fact
that the time has come when we all
realize what is demanded of us; what
we owe not TO ourselves, but to our
fellow man. ! believe In the father
hood of God and the brotherhood of
man. and when It comes to right and
Justice, We are all as one"
In response to this address Grand
Master Edward B. Davis thanked the
speaker for his cordial words of well
come and paid a high tribute to well
known white and colored citizens Of
Hopkinsville. He pleaded for the OPP
lpOrtunity for the negro race TO adj
vance unhampered by prejudice and
petty restrictions and asked that
Everywhere negroes be given such
announcement.
I'VE concern ourselves with the
leternal negro question" he said.
l''We vearn not fer social equality,
Int al. 90 -, MT saxrr n
salvation unhampered by prejudice
and other restrictions. We recognize
that the white race is dominant in
Kentucky and while initiating we ask
that the examples you set before us
be one of purity. uprghtness and
truth One man can only keep an
other down by staying down with
him. Unless envy and prejudice be
destroyed. the whole body polite will
become inoculated and the govern
ment crumble and fall. Mighty ma
tions have tottered and fallen be-
cause they were torn by Internal
strife.
mo government founded on igno-
rance and might rather than justice
land right shall stand. We must
model our lives after the Golden Rule
!. AS we would that men would do
unto you, do We likewise unto them.
We hope our presence here win help
, cement those pleasant relations
spoken Of We teach and train our
boys to cultivate these friendly rela-
tons everywhere, and to live honest,
upright, faithful and industrious