The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-03-30
NEARLY THREE THOUSAND RACE
PEOPLE IN MONSTER MEET
ING IN MEMPHIS.
Greatest in the History of Shelby
County.

enthusiastic mass meeting, the object
of which was to demonstrate the APP
probation of the Colored citizens of
this section, for the leadership and
public u%tterances of Bishop Thos. f.
Gailor, who has won the everlasting
affection of the Race, in this section
of the country, by reason of the fear
universal uplift of mankind.
The meeting was organized by the
Rev. w. T. Vernon, pastor of Avery
Chapel, and ~Ex-Registrar of the
United States Treasury, who has
been universally acclaimed as cham
pion Of the rights of his people, at
this time when every effort is being
made to unite more closely the white
and Colored races in the South. Pre-
liminary to the monster meeting, DR..
Vernon called together over one hun
bred of the leading business and pro-
fessional men of Memphis and Shelby
county, to secure their approval of
the plan which he had in mind. The
men organized a committee of one
hundred to foster this movement.
Then came the wonderful meeting
of March 17th which will go down in
the annals of the Race, as a red letter
day in this section Of the country.
The meeting was scheduled for four
o'clock, and at four precisely Bishop
Gailor arrived at the Church. Through
a long line of prominent Race men,
distinguished by badges designed for
the occasion, the Bishop was escorted
across the sidewalk, up the aisle of
the church, to the platform. When
Bishop Gailor appeared the entire au-
dience spontaneously rose to its feet
and extended an ovation such as n
might expect would be accorded to
the President of the United States.
The applause continued until the ven
cradle prelate was seated, and the
sweet sound of music fell upon the
almost deafened ears of the specta-
tors.
Dr.. Vernon called upon Rev. NJ. l.
Warfield for the invocation, after
which he stated the purpose of the
movement, saying that the Negro had
learned to d~ifferentiate between real
friends and those who profess friend
ship; and that the honored guest,
Bishop Gailor, stood as a concrete ex-
ample of one who eXemplified the
highest and best in religious and civic
life; that he had declared for equal
and exact justice for all men, regard
less of race, and that his high posi-
ton, assured standing and eminent
public services, all were being uti
lized to make a better day for all pee
pie of the Southland. The COMMITTEES
of One Hundred of the best men o
the Race, with their friends, had me
here today to demonstrate, in a pro
nounced way, their appreciation ant
approval, and dto do all possible to ce
ment the races in an endeavor for bet
ter conditions in the South. He ther
presented Rev. F. A. Garrett, NJ. A.
rector of Emmanuel Episcopal church
who in turn introduced the Bishop, a!
follows: Ladies and gentlemen, i
becomes my privilege and very grea
pleasure to have the honor of intro
ducing to you on this memorable or
%casion, in the history of Memphis ant
Shelby county, n who, in fact, need
no introduction at this meeting; on
who represents all that is noblest an'
{ best, in the leadership, thought an,
=, good citizenship of our native land
the Ri. Rev. Thomas F. GailoT, D. D
friend of humanity"
The Bishop then rose and d~elivere
a speech which from beginning I
end was optimistic in the superlativt
!, He began by enumerating the ell,
ments composing the uplift of a
races, and went on to say: IN til
n Declaration of independence every h
n man being is entitled to three rights
? Life-that is existence. He has tn
n right to exist. Liberty-he has ii
right to be independent. The pursu
of happiness-and that means pr
= gress and development, and insofs
{" as these three rights are concerned
y all men are created equal" tt
= Bishops talk hinged on the fact thi
INC SlONl III VI 6ONCl hAlNAI IL Nv
a question of evolution, and later wei
. on to say that when the gospel
Jesus Christ became the law of Il
= whole land, then everyone would g
= all of his rights and privileges, and
new age would begin for bankin
" when the great doctrine of the Fathe
hood of God and the universal brot
erhood of nan would be paramount.
Then followed a few remarks fro
Mr.. Bolton Smith, who stressed Il
/: point that the Negroes best opportu
ut ity awaits him now, when his count
e. has thought enough of him to gi
him the uniform.
Then DR.. Vernon, who had Just
turned from Washington, where
ut went as a member of a commissi,
u, sent by the Bishops Council of h
4 Chnrph IN oCpfar with Drouidapt VI