The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-07-06

pie Like damned up and hindered
water, seeking in an irresistible way,
an outlel, SO the thoughts ami
schemes and plans and inventions OF
the sons OF slaves sought to free
themselves from the entanglements
and awful depressed and unbearable
conditions in which they found them
selves. Now and then a great mind
would dash over the barriers of hui
man prejudice, leap over the forts of
the stearnest opposition, brave the
guns of the most intrepid warrior, and
carry over the ramparts of the most
astute thinkers the unthought-of
schemes and plans that were des-
tined to work wonders and miracles
in the development of his own peo-
pie Such were the conditions and
surroundings and environments out
of which the Mosaic Templars Of
America sprang. This Order born in
a dark day, and which has grown
from an insignificant organization to
a national power was the outgrowth
of the conditions and environments
in which the late John E. Bush and
Chester w. Keats found themselves
and their people when young mon
The Order therefore is the result OF
their attempt to deliver their people
and themselves from the moral a1l
social aud financial bondage in which
as young men they found them.
/ Ii is almost impossible to speak in
: connection with the Mosaic Templars
| of America concerning one OF these
/ distinguished men without speaking
/ of the other; it is almost impossible
10 separate them in thought for thell
deeds and acts and the influence O
the institution that they founded are
so entwined one with the other unit
one could not speak in justice O
one without speaking OF the other
They were pioneers of thought, ant
constructive business and organic
genius among Negroes; as a careful
survey OF the order they founded vii
testify, for unlike most orders, an
indeed the majority of orders 0
secret fraternities among Negroes
the Mosaic Templars of America
entirely original and stands out as tn
product of Negro brain and organi
power; in this respect it is entirel
unlike the great fraternities of Ma
sons and Odd Fellows and man
others that might be mentioned. Bot
founders were born slaves, both wer
self-made. While C. w. Keats wa
the happy friend-maker and the ext
Cutor of the ingenius plans an
schemes that have made the orde
so successful, ]. E. Bush was the bu
mess genius and inaugurator and II
yentor Of the schemes.
Arkansas neevr gave to the Negr
race two stronger and prouder son
than when it ushered into the ligl
of day those two heroic spirits, nc
lid death claim two greater prince
than when it invited into the portal
, of glory the two heroes of Mosai
! Templar fame.
) There is nothing that speaks MOI
| loudly of the character of men tha
} the lives they actually live, and nod
! ing testifies more accurately of tt
life that a man has lived than I'll
+ condition of the records that he leave
for public instruction at his death.
t One of the happiest thoughts in II
l mind Of the editor of the People
1 Defender is the manner and way th'
/ the books of the National Grand Sc
i retary of the Mosaic Templars
o America were found at his deaf
Il When they wesa examined by Il
l. auditor of the order, and also bv ol
g of the most expert actuaries in Il
), country, thev were found to be in pc
l. feet condition. Every penny al
l. every dime of the Order was in ia
@ and in its place. The huge sum
J. $140,O00 scattered among the banks