The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-08-17
XII AN INITIATION
address delivered by citizen of Panview
the night of his Painview Khan No.
Realm of Texas, Knights of the ku klux Khan.

Having been duly conducted into
the secret mysteries of your order, !
presume that I have the right to ad-
dress you as brothers and fellow
klansmen. Gathered here tonight
under the arched canopy of an open
blue sky which "showeth forth the
handiwork of God;" bound together
as brothers in a common cause by
that sacred, solemn and patriotic OBJ
legation to which we have voluntarily
and gladly subscribed; arrayed in
robes of white, like the redeemed host
of heaven, emblematic of a pure life
and spotless character; in the light
of this fiery cross, the symbol Of
heavens richest gift and earth's
greatest tragedy; under the fiuttering
folds of the stars and stripes, the
symbol of Free ON and Justice sworn
to defend the right, uphold the law
and oppose the wrong; we are part
of a Great Invisible Empire, like unto
the Church of the Living God, during
the dark ages of Roman rule.
"reminiscences
AS 1 speak to you of these things,
there comes trooping to my memory
a long chain of incidents, conditions
and circumstances that have inspired
me to seek admission into the Invisi-
Bile Empire chat is everywhere spok-
en- against" I was born in the state
of Georgia, not far from the famous
Stone Mountain, that stands like a
lonely sentinel guarding some secret
sacred treasure; lifting its majestic
head heavenward, like the Sphynx and
Pyramids of Egypt, venerable with
age and immovable it gazes out upon
the swiftly passing centuries and
ever changing conditions.
A few years ago I climbed its
steep and rugged side, stood upon its
sublime and lofty heights, and gazed
out over valleys more than mile
below; while I contemplated its mag
nitude and grandeur. But little did I
dream then, as stood upon its high
est peak; that few months later
there would emanate from that very
spot, a mighty movement of native
born, white American citizens, that
would shake the very foundations of
the religious and political world, and
cause the enemies of this flag and its
sword, of this Divine Book and its
cross, to quake and tremble with fear.
Investigated Khan
have always been Of an investi-
eating mind and open to conviction.
have tried to be fair, honest and just
toward my sfellowman. I have ever
sought to accord to others the same
rights and privileges that I claimed
for myself. have tried to withhold
judgment nor form no conclusions or
opinions until all the evidence on both
sides has bee considered. In this
frame of mind I have not maliciously
condemned the Khan; but have sought
to hear both sides, in the interest of
fair play; believing that every cause
must stand or fall upon its own
merits. Accordingly went to hear
the address of DR.. Minor at the court
house, recently, because I had heard
the other side, both from the platform
and the press. AS every fair-minded
man who heard him knows, his ad-
dress was mastery, reasonable and
free from abuse. His manner was
genteel, courteous and fair. The ad-
dress was not characterized by that
vindictive sarcasm, wholesale denun.
citation and ridicule that forms a
large part of the anti-Klan prop
uganda. His statement of the prin-
ciples of the Klan were the things fol
which I have always stood, and to
which no true American citizen car
be opposed; and I am frank to con-
fess that I have found them to be
exactly as he represented them.
Had Firm Convictions
l stood firm, as immovable as
Gibralter itself, for the fundamental
principles of American government al
expressed in the Declaration Of hide
pendence and Incorporated into tht
Constitution and laws Of the United
States; that "all men are created free
and equal, and are entitled to the in
alienable right to life, liberty and thu
pursuit of happiness" I believe IL
the freedom Of speech, the freedom Of
the press, the liberty Of conscience
separation of church and state, thu
right of peaceable public assembly
and self-defense. I believe that every
man and every cause is entitled Il
a fair and impartial hearing, both il
the constituted courts of justice ant
before the bar Of public opinion. AND
in the tenets Of this faith I am more
determined and confirmed than evel
before, since taking the solemn obi
CATION of the Ku Klux Khan.
Time will not permit me now, t,
mention all Of the things that hav,
contributed to bring me to this deci
sion and hour, and into the midst O
this white-robed, native-born, full