The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-05-20
M E. GENERAL CONFERENCE
Celebrates Its Tooth Anniversary in Mother" Bethel
the First Church Established by Richard Allen
in Philadelphia Pa.
Thousands of Delegates and Visitors in Attendance from
Missouri and Kansas

Hill was Salem; on Boston Commons
Attucks died. That grand day when
CORVALLIS surrendered to Washing
ton, Negro slaves stood at parade dest,
believing that in some far-off day that
the freedom that had come to the
white man belonged even so to them
and their children. The spirit swept
the air, and hitherto enslaved meu be-
came knight Grants in freedoms
cause. Should the Negro then who
gave his earthly all to efforts for this
asylum, have grander freedom after
hopes fruition brought day of re-
joicing, feel less the upward stress,
the broader outlook, the still more
pleasant dream of an endangered gov
ernment protection and care, quail at
a duty to conscience and to undying
souls, when above mans mean and
sordid rules that fellowship and Chris
tian love, there hurled forth the death
less benediction that Holy fire uttered
by that inspired apostle who said, of
a truth, | perceive that God is no re-
spector of PERSONS
"They went out at their own hearts
prompting, with the one thought to
have a temple of the Lord where His
spirit might dwell unhampered by the
acts of those who are the Christ's.
God said Go ye into all the world
and preach my gospel unto every crea-
ture, 10, am with you always, even
unto the ends of the world 1t was
challenge. The principles for which
our Savior died became vital, perma-
nent and all-enduring. What meant
the lesson taught repulsive, weak, yet
strong Apostle; he a medley of contra
diction, yet one of whom was said,
Upon this rock I'll build my Church,
and the very gates of hell shall not
prevail against it! Applause)
at was Allen who called men to see
the purposes of risen Lord in these
words: God, our Father; Christ, our
Redeemer; man, our brother For all
of this our Lord had taught.
You speak to me of Wycliffe, Huss,
Savonarola, Luther; but l want to
show you Allen, who, without pride of
race, ancestry. stands out as hero,
sage, Christian, saint, race builder;
all; Gods man, the founder of the
African Methodist Episcopal church.
The Lord has brought us by His love.
I'VE come as the Winds come when
the navies are stranded; come with a
conquered tread in the home of Allen,
under the banner of the Prince of
Peace.
1.-The coming into being of this
church was to give the open door of
unrestricted opportunity to the mil
lions of a race who had been restrict
ed and scattered. These men of con-
secration were to go wherever God
wanted them to go.
"The twentieth century finds us 100
years on to the march towards the
elimination of achievements. Today
is a great day. This age is wealthy
centuries of thought and achieve.
ment, but since mans first word is
not what has been accomplished, but
what has to be accomplished; not
what what problems have been solved
but what problems are to be solved
not what is possible, but what has
been possible; that this impossibility
may be speedily denied by his
achievement in the future.
"The twentieth century humanity
deals not with antiquity, but with fu
turity; not with ancient history, but
with prophecy; not even with today
not as it affects the tomorrow. There
then comes the clarion call through
the years of strangely mingled frui
tion and achievements, 'Watchman
what of the night?' (Applause.)
I'VE answer to the spirit voices OF
the fathers, we, your children, in
spired by your efforts, suetained by
mystic forces from out of the land
veiled from our sight. seeing the great
work before us, will not cannot dc
less than all our duty at this hour
There are large opportunities fol
service. There is an opportunity fol-
greater conservation, for larger mis-
sionary endeavor, for more construc
1--WE melnOuS III euuCdllOH, IOI pTOlSc
tion of our aged, our worn-out minis
ters and care for our widows and the
reviving of our political rights. CAP
: plause) There is opportunitq to, b.
: compromise and reciprocal conduct
to bring peace out of any confusion
, and demonstrate to the world that WI
/ have sufficient self-control, brotherl!
love, intellectual AMI spiritual enlight
: enment to lengthen our borders. Saw
the Church and begin the next cen
tury with principles which shall lif
; race and bring to our Father il
: Heaven the millions of darker race
, of the earth In governing might.
l matters, we can be arbiters, and sal
!, yators for our people. App Qause.)
what of lynchings, discrimins
:. tions, injustice, lack of Representative
in government affairs7 While we ar
: quibbling at the base of the mountai
r and sometimes reviling each othel
a Church of Allen, hear the cry. w
need men to stay in the, to fix U
r the fence. Then they shall come fror
+ the east, the west, the north and tn
/ south. and sit down in the KingdoI
+ Of our God" (Extended applause.)