Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-09-15

THE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION MEETS
GOV. WILLIAMS WELCOMES THE
1000 DELEGATES TO THE
/: BIG BAPTIST MEETING.


Loyalty of country and patriotism
were evinced In the hearts Of four
thousand Negroes this morning In
convention as they sang my Country
IT'S Of Thee" led by the Rev. DR.. w.
T., Graham, of Philadelphia. This Is
what greeted Governor Robert L. Will
liams, who welcomed to the state the
thousands Of Baptists from almost
every state in the union and a few
foreigners who make up the 18th ses-
sion Of the National Baptist Conven-
ton.
DR.. e. c. Morris, Of Helena, the
sage Of the Negro race, who has held
the position of president OF the con-
vention for the past quarter of CEN
fury. presided at the opening. In cal.
ling the convention to order he said:
While this Is by far the largest at
tended session Of the National Bap-
fist convention, yet we hope and pre-
dict 1t will be the most peaceable, and
VIII do the most constructive work
Tor the whole race and denomination
Of any hitherto held.
GOVERNOR rs PRESENTED.
II realize that we are meeting in
one OF the most progressive cities In
the southwest, and especially Is this
true as applied to the people of our
race, and / am sure that you will re-
ceiye every encouragement to go for
ward" Il III @ - ..e.-'.
5s Concluding his remarks DR.. Norris
+ prssen. {. y u Or. E. J.flingteN @ Wilson,
chairman Of the local committee who
served as master Of ceremonies, and
introduced Lawyer II. S. Brown, who
In turn introduced Governor Robert
l.. Williams
GOVERNOR OF ALL
SAYS WILLIAMS.
II come here today as Governor Of
this great new state" said Governor
Williams. ITO welcome this conyen-
ton. I come here because 1t Is my du-
ty to come. come because 1t Is right
for me to come. I am Governor of all
the people OF Oklahoma. am a south
ern born white man. I was born with
In one hundred miles of the Gulf Of
Mexico in the state of Alabama I
come in the performance of every
right and duty as Governor, and I am
Governor Of the Negro race rs we'll as
or the white race and every other race
within the borders Of this state. This
Is our country. We have one country,
one flag, one nation, one president, one
God.
II hope the deliberations of this
convention will result In good. I feel
that your earnest endeavors will be
for the glory Of our country, and to
sustain this great country In this great
crisis In this great war. I am sure
that your people are loyal and will
do your duty. Again 1t Is great pleas
ure to me to welcome you to this
state as the Governor of Oklahoma"
MAYOR A SPEAKER.
Mayor J. e. Wyand was introduced
as the friend to humanity, the mayor
Of Muskogee. He welcomed the con-
vention to the city. He said that the
governor had set the standard for
brevity and he would follow, because
he was sure that such a large con-
vention had much to do, and but lit
tie time to be spent in Milking speech
es. He said that In proportion as the
Negroes prepared themselves they
opportunity. He held up the late
Booker T. Washington as the standard
for the American Negroes, and If his
life was 'emulated, there would be no
race problem. He said that 1t had been
his delight to encourage every man
In the city, white or black, who was
worthy Of encouragement. "The Ne
gro who lives his life as a good NOR
al, Intelligent upright man, will find
no race probl NJ for HIM"
rWIIITE, CHURCHES WELCOME.
Rev. J. K Thompson, Of the Pres-
byterian Church extended welcome for
all the other white churches Of the
city, and his address was short and
practical, full Of wit and humor. He
assured the Negro that he felt that
his loyalty to country and flag was
tho same as his own or any other
white man. He said that while riding
with the Governor, the chief execu-
tive OF the state had said that there
had not been q single Negro who had
claimed exemption, but all we're ready
and willing to do what the country
would have them do.
u. S. Monroe, superintendent Of
the public schools of Muskogee, In
his address OF welcome made an ap:
peal for the Negro youth, and urged
that every boy and girl Of school age
would be placed in the school and
kept there. He spoke of 1900 boys and
girls now in the schools, being taught