The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-04-07
lis address was as follows:

'u'iy be a reverent recognition Of
workers for Fisk University in the
past. 1t is only honorably fitting,
That We pause to pay the tribute OF
our honor to those men and women
who have buried small or large part
OF thtir working lives into the foun-
dations of this institution. Near a
half century Of devoted work has
been done here. The old hospital
barracks in which the institution
was norm was almost humble enough
to give 1t the honor Of being born
IN manager. The motive of its be-
ginning was worthy. II this world
knows any such think as high and
generous and worthy motive FISK
University was born Of such motive.
The need Of help, SO desperate as to
be. almost tragic, was one of its pa.
RENTS the other was high and holy
purpose to give ones self in humble
service for the lowliest. and that,
too, under conditions of difficulty
such as the history OF mankind has
not often paralleled.
Time glides and sanctifies: but
alas for our American people, if,
while still in our youth. We fail TO
cultivate tho cherishinG Of noble
memories. We may not here note
all, but it is proDer that in this place
mention made Of the great work
or the first president Of Fisk Univer-
sity. Rev. Dr.. Erastus n. Cravath.
Whoever may be his SUCCESSORS in OF.
flee, his wiz ALWAYS he the honor OF
being first and greatest president.
so. The memory of his work for
His successors are glad TO have II
this institution would be dishonoreG
by attempt to adorn it with multi
plicity Of words.
National Unity.
1.-The poet has said, The east is
cast and the west is west, and never
the twain shall meet Some have
attempted to apply that to the prob-
lem OF national unity in America
Fhe north is north and the south is
south, and never The twain shall
meet. But ii our times demands on.
voice more :nan another on this topic
it IS one which shall rir~ rror, nnnt
end of this country denying that and
proclaiming ultimate unity OF nortA
and south. There is no more than
one such voice. We are either going
TO have nation here or not. 1T has
long been settled by declaration
| that we shall be one people; ours
| the solemn, duty of working it out.
| And 1t is working out. Iue norL..
|
Northern capital and industry are.
| pouring into the south with the
rapldity hardly conceivable. Mutua'
| appreciation is growing, slowly, like
| all great growths. A national unity
Ike the American, born of poverty
and hard struggle with wilderness
conditions all up and down the A,
iantic coast; baI.sized in blood; ,puri
n fled by, fires of fierGh debate: ia tur
ed in the patient spiritual struggle
OF slowly yielding prejudices-~-has
falrcr promise Of ultimate natiOna
greatness and perpetuity.
'The freeing of the slaves threw
upon this American people a socio
logical problem Of 4 quality and siz,
which this world. has never knowt
before. The Judgment of other ma
tons, looking upon the American ma.
ton from the outside, is clear and
virtually unanimous that there is one
II problem in America overshadOwinl
all others, namely. the race problem
Whether that be right or wrong, that
is what other nations think of us. II
Is problem SO large and so many
sided that any man Of sanity mus
recognize that no mind has vet AID
peared able to point out, with any
certainty, even to himself, the ulti
mate solution to that problem. The
refrain of one Of our jubilee songs
/ Is, I will go, l shall 20, to sec what
the end will be- Such a problem is
q challenge to the imagination. I
Is a call to devotion, for 1t must lie
solved. We cannot escape 1t, it is
upon this people, Wheeler we will
Or not
Obligation Of the Present.
Now, that We do not know tn
end does not absolve us from obi
cation. The fact that the ultimat,
solution lies far beyond the presen
generation does not free this genera
tlCn from doing its work in It's day
10 neglect that work Is not only Il
Gomrllcate the problem, but is to i'm
peril all the people and every inter
est concerned.
SO that our task is perfectly
clear, namely, to find out, If posi-
bic, what contribution this genera.
ton can make towards the ultimate
toolution and then, with tremendous
courage, in whole-heartad devotion