550                  A. M. E. REVIEW.

cordial sympathy of the distinguished gentlemen assembled
here to-day-of Mr. Carnegie, Mr. Marburg and many others
too numerous to mention, and I pray that these men may
receive the title promised by the Prince of Peace to all who
walk in his footsteps: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
shall be called the children of God."
  What has been our contribution?  I speak of African Meth-
odism in particular. In the age which saw the Corsican and
subaltern, the parvenu, rise to first place; the logician of war,
Napoleon over the French armies on one side, against Wel-
lington and the European allies on the other, the age that pro-
duced champion defenders of liberty, who rallied and bled
for home and country, statesmen who stood for the right,
against ill conceived might, and whose examples have been
beacon lights along the world's highway. In such a time was
African Methodism born.
   What place I repeat, do you occupy in this mighty move-
ment? Shades of the illustrious Allen our founder; Payne
the righteous educator, Arnett the magnetic orator, Campbell,
 Wayman, Ward and Grant the evangelists, the Shorters, sire
and son--disciplinarian and mathematician--and the line of
their compeers, with John and Samuel Mitchell, the theologian
 and schoolman, with Johnson the journalist, all of precious
 memory-look down from the supernal heights, those heights
sublime; inspire our hearts at this moment. Tell us hoary-
headed father and thinker, Bishop Lee, came this institu-
tion by chance or opportunity? Many tongued Scarborough,
 Miss Brown, queen of elocutionary art, Dr. Steward, prophet,
historian and master of belles lettres, theologians, linguists,
rhetors, scientists, musicians one and all; where is African
Methodism in the world's great movement, this new nation-
alism of which Colonel Roosevelt so eloquently speaks? A
review of our history teaches this, that our leaders hold no
seondary place; we have taken our places. Our banner is
unfurled.  The Master has called; we stand ready to go forth
to victory.
  And this is the record, "And the ransom of the Lord shall re-
turn and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon




			

OHS/National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center Serial Collection

African Methodist Episcopal Church Review, Vol. 28, Num. 2

Volume:  28
Issue Number:  02
Date:  10/1911