The Montgomery Enterprise, 1900-01-26

Dr. Mason last Sunday morning at 11 o'clock ascended the rostrum at the Ripley Street M. E. Church and took for his text "Luke 4:18, 19, His subject was "Christ's Church" He believes that God has always had a constituency, by which he communed with the people. As God is made known to the world to today - day today through the medium of the church, so He was made known I prior to the existence of the visible church bv a constituency that was none the less God's.* He was deep, liberal and broad in his remarks, as only men of liberal culture are. He was not prejudiced against the pantheists: but honored them for what they had done to help the world and to save man; he sympa sympathized - thized sympathized with them in their weakness. He respected Brahma, Buddha, Confucius, Mencius - some of the great heathen teachers of morals and religion - but with accented pity, he said: Brahma, Buddha, Confucius, Mencius, etc.: you did something! You made, each of you, one step in releaving the woes of mankind; but you didn't go far enough. And so after rehearsing the many attempts of men to bring salvation l o a suffering world, and the child childish - ish childish wail of the immortal Plato for "some God man to teach (them) how to live," he stepped back to the prophecy of one cf God's chosen men who with an inspired heart and soul looked away down the vista of time and saw a man being born in into - to into the world who would be so akin to God in potent qualities and s 0 akin to earth in the essentials of hu humanity - manity humanity that he (this man to be born) would with his strong arms reach one hand to the skies and place the other under a sinking and wretched humanity and with one stroke of his mighty pow«r bring heaven and earth together I His sermon was sweet, tender and beautiful. It touched every phase of human woe and tended to show with great em emphasis - phasis emphasis that what the world wants is a God wrapped up in flesh and blood! That is, the world wants to see God in men! He said in con conclusion, - clusion, conclusion, that if you will give us this - if you will give us God wrapped up in the lives and character of men and and women, the woes and sorrows and heart-aches will banish, and the great problems of the world, in a large measure, will be solved.

Dr. Mason was introduced to the State Normal School this morning by Prof. Paterson, President, who said in introducing Dr. Mason, that Dr. Moson was one of the leading edu educators - cators educators of this country, without re gard to color. That Dr. Mason had under his auspices about forty-seven institutions of learning in this coun try; these institutions being for both races some schools being mixed - mixedothers others mixedothers being entirely for white stu students, - dents, students, and still others for colored students. He further said that Dr. Mason was Secretary of the Freed man s Aid and Southern Educational Society, a position paying Dr. Ma Mason - son Mason twice as much as the Governor of Alabama gets; and that he (Dr. Mason) was worth every cent of it. And to this position he was elected as much by the whites as by the blacks. Dr. Mason s speech was short but pointed. He spoke onlv ten min minutes, - utes, minutes, taking for his subject: "The Education That Educates." The whole trend of his argument was to the end that the education that we need is that education that gives complete self-mastery. And this education is the higher education. He spoke of the greatest university that the world has ever Lown. That university was founded in the wild wilderness, - erness, wilderness, with God the teacher and the things taught. "Buildings do not make a school," said he, "it is the teacher and efficient work that is done! - these make a school." And at this point he quoted James A. Garfield, who said "Give me a few select books and Mark Harpkins out in the forest on an old log and that is university enough for me."

Jan. 22, according to announce announcement, - ment, announcement, Dr. Mason delivered his great speech on the subject of '-Her edity." Dr. bcott acted as master of cere ceremony. - mony. ceremony. The audience was an appre appreciative - ciative appreciative one. It was composed of I the best talent of the city; and was just the crowd that could appreciate an intellectual feast. j Dr. Mason discussed his subject under the following heads: Physical, Intellectual, and Moral. First, he viewed his subject in the light of theory, his argument being in keeping with theoretical ethics as sanctioned by Reid and Hamilton. Secondly, he viewed it in the light of experience. Here he made an ex exhioition - hioition exhioition of some of the masterpieces of literature. And by illustrations as well as by sound reasoning, he proved that God linked to a human soul will over-ride heredity. He said that Fred Douglass was conceived in sin and born in iniquity - yet like a lion, would shake the dust from his mane: Fred Douglass rose from bis deplorable condition to greatness and to goodness! This is a strong point indicative that man iS the master of heredity. He said that Moses, though born of slave parents, became the unsuli - unsulied ed unsulied medium through which God led taught and saved his people. Abe Lincoln, to Dr. Mason, was a green spot in a desert! "He was not the product of heredity, but the product of individual effort, strengthened by the Lord. The test of character oomes at the parting of the waves." This speech was an intellectual feast!

Friday evening was indeed a ples plesant - ant plesant and beneficial one, at Swayne jr School Notwithstanding bad weath weather, - er, weather, there were quite a number of j parents and friends out to witness the opening of the Swayne School's Penny lecture course. A great num i ber of tickets had been sold. On ac act - t act count of recent rains many were t prevented. Promptly at 2 o'clock, the time ap } pointed, parents and frienda rushed in together with the speaker of the occasion, Dr. W. H. Mixon, Pastor of the A. M. E. Church. The services were begun at once by the singing of some sweet soul stirring Jubilee songs. After a few words of introduction by Mr. J. H. .Phillips, the speaker Dr. Mixon came forward and delivered an excellent lecture on "The fragments of Time." He began by saying; "Let us gather up the Laments, let nothing be lost.' The Lord has wonderfully provided for our education by giving us teach teachers - ers teachers especially fitted for their work and givtng us minds capable of de velopment. He beautifully compared the school-house to a lumber yard where all kinds of lumber are pre prepared - pared prepared for different buildings the poorest and grandest. He said in the school-room the child's brain was taken in its crudest form. The ! rough edges planed off and made ' smooth, the educational polish put on, hence preparing the child for a ' life of truth, honesty and usefulness, 8 or coase, unpolished life filled with S - j - 8 sin and vice.

"Wrigbt'H Original Nashville Stu Students," - dents," Students," combined with Gideon's Big Minstrel Carnival, one of the biggest of minstrel consolidations, will be the attraction at McDonald's The Theatre, - atre, Theatre, Friday, January 26. This mon monster - ster monster organization carries 45 people, travels in its own train of special cars, and presents a program of min minstrel - strel minstrel features matchless in merit and attractive in variety. The good old days of minstrelsy are reca'led in hearing the Occidental Quartette's rendering of old Southern melodies, days "Fob de Wah" and in the many charming character scenes of old plantation life which supplement up-to-date ideas of this style of amusement and makes up a program that cannot fail to amuse old and young alike. It is said to be a ver veritable - itable veritable feast of merriment, fun fast and furious runs through the whole programme and vaudeville surprise tumblers, jugglers, acrobats, slack wire performers furnish a score of surprises, while 15 colored comedi comedians, - ans, comedians, and men, singers, dangers and a dozen other features tickle an audi. ence for three solid hours. This big show is worth waiting for.

POLITICAL. There are seveal ward heelers who are going around marked "For Sale." Drum them out of the party. If you are aspirent for any posi position - tion position let the people know it through the columns of Ihe Montgomery Enterprise. It is said that Mr. A. W. Hannon will stand for reelection as chairman, 1 here was a warm debate between two prominent gentlemen at the post office last Monday morning. Dont be wasting ammunition gentlemen. Mr. A. S. Loveless who was stricken with partial deafness some sometime - time sometime ago, does not improve to any appreciable extent. Senator Mark Chapman is trying to shake the persimmon tree these days. The cardidacy of William Doctor Minor is the town talk. If you dont mind the Reverend gentleman will fool you. Mr. Tames Armstrong would make a very good secretary for beat four. A few narrow minded persons are criticising Chairman A.W. Hannon because that gentleman refuses to de* cl are for either of the prospective candidates. We think that the position of the chairman is exactly right. He was elected by a united party; and therefore has no right to side with either faction. Ihe chairma i's position is neutral.

To The Editors of the Enterprise. Dear Sirs, - . While popular thought is turned towards the negro, now is a fit time for the negro to get a move on himself. After all, the prime ques question - tion question is not what will others do for us, not who is interested in us and our future, but how much are we doing for our own success, and the future of those who depend on us. It is with a feeling of appreciation that I have noticed a call for a con conference - ference conference of southern men to discuss the situation; the condition of affairs here in the south, with a view to towards - wards towards suggesting remedies for the existing evils, AU of this is good. With broad, magnanimous men to lead a movement is a guarantee of success, be it prompt or delayed. But, Sirs., I plead for a still more tangible help; I mean self-help. I plead for the help, the success that comes to a person who saves a por portion - tion portion of bis wages, be they great or small- I plead for a burning desire in the breast of each black man to be a substantial citizen, a man. Lot colored men deny themselves

January 13, entertained the students of the State Normal School one hour. He said that he had come to present the students a few "bees." He endeavored to emphasize the fol folfowing! - fowing! folfowing! Be Thorough. Be Pure. Be Honest. Be Manly, Be Womanly. Be Broad. His words were timely, We be believe - lieve believe Dr. Mason himself is one of the very strong evidences of what a man can do who determines to succeed. It will he remembered that Dr. Ma Mason - son Mason was born on the sugir farms of La., and never saw a school bouse until 11 years of age. But what is he to-day? Where »nd how does he stand ? Is he the product of heredity, or is he the pro product - duct product of environment? Men seem to be blind to the fact )f evolution. They can't see the irigin of greatness. They mistake iccasions for causes; and sometimes - hey run all over the world hunting in excuse for a rnau's being great nstead of accepting the truth as il ilumed - umed ilumed by the immortal Emerson, hat it is left with every man to be ither an angel or a demon!