The Washington bee., 1910-01-29
The Great Educator
THE LECTURE ON EGYPT ---
Brilliant Lecture Last Night at
Bethel Baptist Church

stitutional Church, one of the most
refined and appreciative audiences that
has congregated to hear a noted lee
turer in the spaciGVs auditorium OF
this church. made the coming to this
city of DR.. James E. Shepard and his
party a notable event of the season.
Seated upon the rostrum with Dr.
Shepard were DR.. A. M. Moore, Hon.
Tohn Merrick, Prof. C. c. Spaulding,
the gentlemen from Durhams-aN. C.,
now touring this state and Cuba; Rev.
I. E. Ford, pastor of the church, and
others.
Rev. Ford, in his usual flow OF elo-
quence, in introducing Dr. Shepard
made a resume of the events that
have occurred during the remarkable
career OF this illustrious young, mod
ern patrician, that made him an inter
national character. DR.. Ford fitting
" told of his unceasing devotion to
Sunday School work, and being
member of the Worlds Sunday
School executive committee, in touch
with the greatest organization OF
young people of the world. As
traveller and lecturer, he said that ma
ture had so endowed Dr.. Shepard that
this son of the Ethiopian race has Wis
tied the principal nations Of the world
and thousands have heard himsIdur-
ing his trips abroad.
As president of the New School OF
Methods and Chautauqua, the first
institution Of its kind for the Negro.
DR.. Ford spoke of the confidence OF
President Taft, ex-President Roose-
Welt and the leading men in all phases
of our national activities had in DR..
Shepard. As an evidence of this fact
he referred to the members of the
various boards of his institution being
composed of some of the leading,
white men from maay sections Of the'
! United States, and especially the
eminent men of the South
He said that this noble exponent OF
developing the best that is in YOU, IS
pharmacist and physician These
professions he abnegates for higher
usefulness and is a responsible and
substantial business man of North
Carolina.
Upon rising from his seat DR..
Shepard was given an ovation In the
opening of his lecture on Egypt,aHer
Past. Present and Future, he told of
the advantages of a Study of history.
These advantages are, he said: "To
learn the mistakes of men and ma
tons Of the past; to commune with
those gone before and hear a recital
of their deeds, their temptations,
trials. defeats and triumphs. He
especially emphasized that the Negro
must study history for a full appreci-
alton of his mission upon earth and
what his people have done for this
civilization.
Showing the good that man de-
rives from knowledge of past events,
he further said;
History inciteS inspiration, and
makes man attempt achievements. In
proving why all great people always
keep before them their history" he
said, that history inspires TO nobler
and better things, and is the most
valuable legacy handed down from
one generation to another"
Dealing, first with Africa, the
speaker became eloquent and. force
ful when he, in a descriptive manner,
opened the greatness of the continent
of which Egypt is part, gave these
wonderful facts. In this country
there is I2,5oo,ooo square miles of
territory. In gold, Africa is the richest
country in the world This astound-
ing truth was revealed; There is
as much gold in sight in this terri
tory untouched as there is money in
circulation in the world. Nine-tenthS
of all of the diamonds in the world
come from Africa. Comparing the
number of black people against the
white population, he disclosed the fact
that there were 100 black persons ito
every white, and yet the country IS
under alien rule After giving many
interesting facts so appreciated by his
audience that applauded him for his
knowledge of the mother country, the
speaker took up Egypt, and gave a