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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (June 19, 1919)
THE BUILDING OF A CHARACTER Address Delivered by Mrs. Silas John son, Most Ancient Matron of Naomi Court No. 12 at Dedication of Me morial Window. Sons and daughters of the most an cient and worthy fraternity of Mas ter Masons, today, June 9, 1919, has been set apart by you for the dedica tion to the memory of Masonic Court No. 18 and Keystone Lodge No. 12 of a window, placed by you in God’s house. What this particular Lord’s day and service means to us can only be real ized from the impressions we receive on this occasion, this sacred occasion; for I must remind you that our Ma sonic fraternity is based upon a re ligious principle, authenticated by our bible. We have listened from time to time upon subjects relating to fratemalism, it’s origin, foundation, meaning prin ciples, strength, power, height, depth and ever so many other factors which enter into its spirit, but it seems to me that the basic factor of fraternal ism, aye of fratemalism itself, lies in character. Without character, fratemalism cannot exist; character is an ensemble of qualities which endows its pos sessor with illimitable power over his instincts and his passions. Until primitive man overcame his bruite in heritances and his unbridled passions, fellowship and fraternity had no part in his existence. It was by slow degrees that he learned self-mastery, and the mastery of self at its highest expression makes for what is known as character. It is the public that makes reputation; it is the man or woman alone who can make character. Nor is the build ing of a character an easy thing; it requires strength and wonderful strength. When one considers the multiplicity of temptations which constantly' assail us, temptations to do wrong, to go wrong, to aid wrong, to hide wrong, he or she becomes aware of the fact that even as eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, so is eternal thought fulness the chief builder of character. The more one studies the various manifestations of consciousness, the more one is confirmed in the belief the instinct of right was implanted in the human mind and heart at the very beginning of existence. Some have called this instinct personality, con science, the sub-conscious mind, and what not, but whatever it may be called it is in the aggregate the chief aid in the building of character. No man or woman who ever stopped to think deeply and asked of himself or herself whether or not a certain course were right or wrong, but chose the right or wrong upon his or her own volition. The mind never betrays; hence one comes to realize that the chief architect in the building of a character is the human mind and be hind the human “mind” the human “will” to make effective the mental dictates. So again, I say, it is each of us who must build our own charac ter. Let us venture a little further into this psychological realm. I have said that each must build his or her own character, but to do this one must be able to comprehend the meaning of character, the worth of character and the principles that go to make up character. And herein lies all the folly and sorrow of the world. Some minds are so dulled by ignorance, so cursed by incompetency and so sharp ened by evil, that they cannot compre hend the value of character; these still possess the inner light that guides, but circumstances, environ ment, and sinister influences are such that it has no power to awaken the senses of responsibilty for right do ing. There are minds that move in the direction of the least resistence and to do the wrong thing seems to be in finitely easier than to do the right thing. And here again I have brought you around to the very point from which we started; mind is the architect of character and mind must build char acter; it must ever be on the alert for shortcomings; it must emancipate itself froih envy, hatred, prejudices, selfishness, jealousy and the hundred other things that tend to warp judg ment and debase the nobleness that forever struggles for expression. Self mastery is the watchword that should ever be our beacon to lead us on. We need no definitions of character, no fine spun rules as to our duty towards one another and no legal disserations upon the dividing line of right and wrong. When it comes to character build ing, each is sufficient to himself and to her self. And what is the ideal character? It is to know the meaning of faith, to feel the fire of hope and to experience the warmth of charity, it is to have a vision, an ideal, an as piration. No man or woman whose mind is lifted up can stoop to evil. Often have we read that honesty, courtesy, truthfulness, energy, moral cleanliness and many other things go to make up character, but these are merely attributes. Real character not 0 only comprises these, but it means the “will” that makes them effective by overcoming human frailty and weak ness. A man or woman may' have any or all of these and then not be possessed of real character. Today we dedicate this window’ with our love and our respect. It is glass and through this glass comes light. Whenever we gaze upon it there shall come to us the memory of this day when it is placed here, and, too, there shall come to us the rays of light from the world without Let us symbolize this window' into a part of our own being and life; let us use the light within us to the end that our characters may approach perfection and that they may' so shine in the world as to hold the faith of mankind in the belief that God is good and that all men are brothers. ONE MILLION FOR EDUCATION Dr. J. L. Harding. President of the Baptist State Convention An nounces Big Program. (Special to The Monitor.) Nashville, Tenn., June 18.—One mil lion dollars will be raised by the members of the National Baptist con vention (unincorporated) for educa tion and educational purposes. This announcement was made by' Dr. J. L. Harding, the secretary of the trustee board of the theological training sem inary and school, which is located on the present site of the old Boseobel college. The magnificent brick build ings already' on the w'ooded campus over-looking Nashville's classic Cum berland. are to be renovated, put in shape, new fixtures and furniture put in and everything is to be made ready. This one million dollars, stated Dr. Harding, is to be raised under the aus pices of his convention, and every state in the union will participate in the drive. Tennessee, according to his state ment, and he is the president of the convention proper of the stah° of Ten nessee, is to lead off. Already' more than one thousand dollars have been raised and paid on the purchase price together yvith the premiums for the insurance, and yvork already done on the grounds. To this, Tennessee plans to add her quota of the one million, reporting the major part of it at the National Baptist convention which meets in Norfolk, Va.. next Septem ber. But the arrangements for tooth combing the various states for the funds proper will be made at the exe cutive board meeting which will be held in connection with the Sunday school congress which will be held in Bessemer, Alabama, July 11-16. This program, according to the informed Baptist people of the city and state, was discussed at length by the exe cutive board of the Tennessee Baptists held this week at the Bass Street Bap tist church where leaders from every section of the state were in attend ance and where Baptist pastors with large followings and congregations pledged their unqualified support. It was at this conference that the Rev. Dr. Harding presented his little cate chism giving a concise view of the situation from a point of view as his convention saw it. DELEGATES FROM 20 STATES TO CLEVELAND CONFERENCE New York, June 18.—Delegates from twenty states have said they will attend the 10th anniversary confer ence of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, representing 100,000 members, which will be held in Cleveland from June 21 to 28. The southern representa tives include Louisiana, Texas. Geor gia, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Ten nessee, North Carolina and South Car olina. “Discrimination against Negroes ’ as been a powerful stimulus to or ganization in all parts of the coun try,” says a statement of the Na tional Association for the Advance ment of Colored People. “In every city where an official has made dis paraging remarks about the race, wherever segregation laws have been passed, there a branch of the associa tion has sprung up or existing mem bership has been increased. “The greatest stimulus to organiza tion is furnished by lynchings and the determination is growing that these ’-errors must cease.” SUNDERLAND BROS. DENY IMPORTING STRIKE BREAKERS Mr. J. A. Sunderland of Sunderland Bros, desires to make it known that the rumor being circulated that they are bringing in Negroes as strike breakers is false. “All the men on our wagons and trucks are old employees, who are giv ing entire satisfaction. Some of them are men w'ho have returned from war, where they saw service in France and they have been given their old jobs back. We want to be as helpful to these men and all our employees as we know' how. We are doing nothing to stir up strife. We want reliable, steady, industrious men in our em ploy and will use no discrimnation.” NEGRO PROBLEM IN AMERICA By Samuel Barrett. Before the abolition of slavery and for many years thereafter there was no Negro problem. But as soon as j the Negro began to make notable gains in education and wealth, and j in consequence thereof demanded the rights of an American citizen then he became a problem. He not only became the eternal problem, but like wise one of the most serious and per plexing issues that has ever come be fore the American people. What to do with the Negro has been discussed and the Negro incidentally cussed from the platform, the pulpit and the press for fully a quarter of a cen-, tury. And the problem is still with us, becoming more dangerous as the years go by until a real crisis is reached. And what that will be no one has the temerity to foretell But it is certain if we judge the future by the past, nothing of good can come to us unless the white man recognizes his moral duty to the Ne-; go, and the Negro his moral duty to the white man, and his moral, econom-; ic and political duty to his race and both come together on some tangible, feasible and practical basis of adjust ment. In order to do this the white people of thought, opinion and stand ing in America must cease to look at our condition merely as a sectional one to be solved in the locality in which we live, but rather a national one. True the' problems may vary with the section, nevertheless what ever affects the fundamental rights of the race in the south affects us here in the north as well. In the north it is true we are not given the worst of it in the courts of justice, and while we have been lynched and mobbed as was the case a few years ago in East St. Louis, 111., the lynchers have not gone unpunished, nor did the press' and best white people of the north 1 condone it by their lack of criticism. And yet this phase of our problem is fast moving to the north, for even in Chicago race men and women who move into exclusive and refined locali ties do so at the risk of their prop erty being destroyed and their lives endangered. On the other hand while the south lynches, disfranchises and assaults our women, a triology sufficient to j offset any of its other good deeds;) it does not discriminate against the race when it comes to the question of work. The Negro can work at his trade in the south even though he gets less pay for it than a white man or a northerner. He can own land and he can farm even though he is 1 sometimes forcdd to leave it to savr ' his life or is cheated out of his earn ings by the landlord. Retween these two extreme legal justice, economic inequality, civil and political barriers, lynchings, disfranchisement, equal op portunity in the labor world there can be but one answer and that is this he must be permitted to develop his own racial life and be given the rights of the citizen. And these rights should be given to the Negro whether he lives in Missis sippi or Massachusetts. We fought Germany to help make the world free for democracy and the American Ne gro contributed his part in men and money to the astonishment of the world. And yet I am afraid that the American white man, liorth or south is still unwilling to grant to the Ne gro that full share of democracy foi which he fought and died. (To Be Continued.) PLAN PROGRAM FOR BUSINESS LEAGUE MEETING Tuskegee, Ala., June 18.—With the approach of the time for the annual meeting of the National Negro Busi ness League, which is to be held in St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 13, 14 and 15, plans are shaping up very rapidly for the program which will follow the general idea of reconstruction. HAS PARALYTIC STROKE Mrs. Abram W. Parker, one of Oma ha’s oldest and most highly respected citizens, suffered a paralytic stroke Tuesday at her home on North Twen ty-seventh. street. She is the mothei of George Wells Parker, formerly of The Monitor staff. Mrs. Parker is resting easy as we go to press. WWWW^WWWWWWWWWWWWWW»W»» »WWWWWWWWWWW999»0 • • • • • HEAR THE ;!; on. William H. Harrison ? The only race judge of a superior court in the country; X member of the bar of the supreme court of the United X j ;j; States; national lecturer of the Race Congress; national $ j •|* speaker of the third Liberty Loan; ablest orator of the race ; X on public platform stage. X ff Judge Harrison Will Speak at the £ I Calvary Baptist Church ! 25th and Hamilton Streets $ Under the auspices of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, £ Thursday Evening, July 1, at 8 P. M. i1 Admission 50 Cents Tickets on sale at prominent business ;j; places. •}• •XK^~XK~XK~XKK*<~X"X'*X'*X~X"X~XMX’,X~X“X“X~X“X~X~X~X"X“X'1 $ ANNOUNCEMENT Lieutenant H. J. Pinkett, recently returned from service overseas, has resumed the practice of law at room 19 Patterson block, Seventeenth and Famam streets. Lieutenant Pinkett had a very cred itable record in the army. He served two terms as judge advocate of gen eral court-martial, one month as as sistant senior instructor of an offi cers’ training school, one term as a member of a general court-martial and one term as a member of a special court-martial. He was appointed bat talion adjutant of the 366th infantry and served in that capacity and as battalion chief of staff and operations from June 15, 1918, through the active operations in Europe until the return of the organization to the United States, March 1, 1919. Mr. Pinkett is a member of the bar of the supreme Court of the District of Columbia, the supreme court of the state of Nebraska, the United States Court of Appeals of the District of I Columbia, the United States district court of Nebraska and the supreme I court of the United States. Office phone. Douglas 9344. Residence phone, Webster 3180.— Adv. * Daily Thought. What's gone and what's past he! Jioulri ho past grief.— Sh" kespeare. i | Just Received | I 150 New f ! Summer j Silk j | Dresses 1 y y A In Taffetas, Crepe de Chines, ;j; Y Crepe Meteors and v Satin Dresses. y Y •j’ Dresses that were made to j X sell regularly at $17.50 to g $22.50. Special Friday at— _11 The assortment com prises bea i J •{• tiful color combinations in Ugh X X and dark shades—Fancy Dresse •{• X Sport Models and Tailored £ •[• Dresses. !;! | Sizd&iyi | Across From Hayden’s. X •X~X,*X~X"X~X~X"X~X"X"X,,X~X* i-X-X-X-X-I-X-v-X-X-X-i-i-vX-v LET ME SELL YOU ] GROCERIES | N. SLOBOD1SKY 20th and Paul Streets % <mXmX’‘XmXmXmX*XmXXv,XmXX*X Z ONE THOUSAND f Z MEMBERS Z WAN! ED FOR THE :|: N. a. a. c. f. :|: i y Now is the time for us to GET TOGETHER % y Y X Let your DOLLAR do its duty X •j. towards getting for you and X X your children the things that y j !j! God intended you to have. Jj* - X This is the only organization X •j- working persistently and con X sistcntly to Abolish Lynching, y A Discrimination and Jim Crow- X y ism in Political and Civil Life, y Z A CAMPAIGN IS ON i j join now. .[. Isn’t $1.00 a year little enough A X to see Justice Done? X ‘k NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ? for the y y ADVANCEMENT OF COL- i ■ ORED PEOPLE. | X Omaha, Neb., Branch. X .xX“X-X“X-X“X“X-<"X"X"X“X”:-4 -- T JUNE— the month of roses and brides; and the sweet girl graduate must not be forgotten. “Distinctive” Service Thomas Kilpatrick & Co. I _—_____-—_-' llltlllllllimillllllllllllllllllllllllllMIIIMIIIIIIIIItlllllllllllllllllllllllllltllllllMIfllMIIIIIJ Omaha’s Leading Barber Shop 1 Alamo Barber Shop and Billiard Parlor. ~ We Lead 01 hers Follow. = KIL LINGSWORTH & PRICE, Props. = Phone Web. 5784. 2416 North 24th Street. = miiimiiiiilimuiiiiiiuiiiiiimmmiiiiimPi'iiMniiiii'iMUiHmmitmmiMmiimTi Dunham & Dunham j TAILORS £ % LOW PRICED SUITS | BEST MATERIA!. BEST WORKMANSHIP £ CALL AND SEE OUR PATTERNS % I 1118 South 15th Street. Creighton Block. .-. .GOOD GROCERIES’ ALWAYS C. P. WESIN GROCERY CO. Also Fresh Fruit* and Vegetables. 2008 CaaUng St. Telephone Douglas 10** WHAT YOU SURELY NEED la a healthy, active, industrious liver. Small doses of these pills taken regularly insure that. You may also need a purgative sometimes. Then take one larger dose. Keep that in mind; It will pay you rich dividends in Health and Happiness. Genuine - . Small Pill 1 i bear* Small Doae 0 signature Small Price ROSY CHEEKS °f HEALTHY COLOR indicates Iron In the Blood. Pale or facoe usually show I ta absence. Aeon- P A RTFR*S IRON PII I S dition which will be much helped by ^•“ * LIV AaVV-rl a I ILiLsU POSSESSING REMARKABLE BEAUTIFYING PROPER- U TIES YET ABSOLUTELY HARMLESS ALL SHADES. f DEFIES DETECTION WHY NOT RETAIN YOUR YOUTHFUL f* APPEARANCE? ASK YOUR FAVORITE DEALER FOR L “DARLING” HOLD TIGHT RQUGE, 35c A box f) on waiTE ADOLPH KLAR 221 FOURTH AVENUE «*u« *»o mw»u*t NEW YORK pi ARROW COLLARS /T.. ■ LAUNDERED OR SOFT ft ^\\ THE BEST THAT YOU lln/W/ CAN BUY AT THE 1 &lc J ll|j||pr PRICE YOU PAY MONROE Cluett, Peabody dt Co., Inc., Troy, N. Y. SOFT THE CRUSADER The Greater Negro Magazine. Winning a welcome everywhere. You must have it. A Monthly. One Dollar a Year. THE CRUSADER 2299 Seventh Avenue, .... New York City