YE SHAI4* K^OW THE TRUTH, AND
I
■
F^ttsciiiCf jbJjiji© 'aa;SSiJ^' sifTl
bra SHALL MAKE YOU
FREE.”—John viii, SS
Wm'm#5J4 -.0
I....v T ~ L____
BKJRSDAY, JtFNE 25, 192
ft**™**- •« ... ■ N0%
Master of ceremonies, feflow
Alumni and other visitiXKflr
friends:
Permit me first to express to
tlie Johnson C. Smith Universi
ty Club my vex^r deep appreci
ation for the privilege or being
present with you today, to1 deliv
er, in my feeble way, the eulo
itijo
JGh
gy in memory of the first Ne
gro President of Biddle Univer
sity, Dr. Daniel J. Sanders.
On March 6th, in the year of
our Lord opn thousand nine
hundred and seven, amidbt the
classic surroundings of the Uni
versity over which he had pre
sided for the previous £6 years,
Daniel Jackson Sanders, One .of
the finest and most remarkable
characters this omr&M race
j has ever produced, passed into
that mysterious beyond from
which no traveller has ever been
known to return, and. though
eighteen long, weary yean have
passed since his demise, yet it
is indeed fitting that the J<
son C. Smith University ;£ftub,
il ;;
consisting of the Alumni
"city and State of New
•Iwold set apart this $*y
morlalize and commem
life and character of
Negro President of our beloved
Atom Mater, formerly known as
Biddle University. V-?*
Since time was, death h*» hash
our constant compshkm^yet wi
are never fully prepared to meet
its terrible consequences. It is
in the eternal plan of nature
that all living creatures must
die that others might live. The
flowers of the fields blossom and
send forth their fragrance to
sweeten the air we breathe, and
then wither and die and the
dead refuse serves to fertilize
and enrich the earth in order
that others might grow up in
their places into a grand frui
tion. The lower animals come
into being and we sacrifice them
in order/that human beings may
ieea upon raem ana nve. ueatn
is everywhere! If We go to the
far off isles of the sea, or on
the storm-tossed billows of the
mighty deep, in the depths of
the ocean, or on the snow-capped
peaks of the rugged mountains,
on the plains or in the valleys,
this terrible monster is contin
ually exacting its awful toll.
Dr. Sanders had not reached
his three score years and ten,
but died in the vigor and
strength of his manhood.
D.iniel Jackson Sanders was
H bora a slave near Winnsboro,
S. €., on February 15, 1847, of
poor and humble parents, but
who were endowed by nature
with those splendid and sterling
attributes which were destined
to enable and cause this son .to
rise above the obstacles and dis
advantages which hedged him
about, and finally to reach that
station in life which not only
made him a national character
ig his day, but, after his death,
i Mtftfed him to a place in the
halt offame, fh early childhood
he manifested a strong chanife
tar and fine mentality, and fit
w&s “■KJp.
two young white men living
near Chester, S. C., took a tfiwg
rliiv.
jy ^interest in him, and btcaipe
first tutors. It was through
fiH
their aid, together with
$. Loomis, that he
only his primary
lion, but was also given a
knowledge «f math
Latin. Aft*
. in September,
the Western T1
at Allegheny,
.._Jr he gradtiattad fia
Ills scholarly attainments in his
studies there. After leaving the
Seminary he visited England and
Scotland, and raised thousands
of dollars as an Endowment fund
for Biddle University.
In 1874 he was called to the
oastprate of Chestnut Street
Presbyterian church of Wilming
ton, N. C., where his labors con
tinued untffl he was called to
the Presidency of Biddle Uni
versity. * # ' I
He was ohe of the recognized
leaders of thought in the’ Pres
bytovian Church throughout the
Whole country* A scholar of
unusual attainments, gentle in
his manner, and yet unexcelled
in his wonderful- constructive
and executive ability, he Was a
man who, in his early life, ded
icated himself and aU that was
within him to the service of his
race. i
Wassympathetic and kind,
and his heart was always quick
ie touched by those who'need
ed am and comfort. HoW well
dot remember when, a few years
kfler the Wilmington, N. C.,
riot, I was invited by him to de
liver the annual address during
commencement week, before the
’graduating class of the Prepar
atory Department, and, when I
ref erred to that unfortunate ex
perience and the circumstances
Undo# which I leftfcy home, his
rugged being shook with resent
ment and indignation, and yet
he wept with the simplicity of
a child.
His magnetic personality was
the daily inspiration of the stu
aent ooay, ana we nave cun un
tied to be influenced by the same
up intil this very hour.
No one can more fully appre
ciate the sterling qualities of this
fallen leader than your humble
servant. It was he who per
suaded and influenced me to go
to Biddle University. From the
time I can first remember of be
ing conscious of my existence,
until he was called to the pres
idency of that institution, he
was pastor of the little Chestnut
Street Presbyterian church,
which stood upon a hallowed
spot amidst stately oaks and
weeping willows, in my native
city, where hundreds of men and
women, not only received their
spiritual nourishment from this
God-fearing man, but drank
deep from the words of wisdom
which always fell from his elo
quent lips.
It was my good fortune to
have been a pupil in the parochi
al school which he established
hi connection with his church.
How patient, and thorough was
he in his endeavor to lay the
best possible foundation for
those youthful lives in order
that they might be best pre
pared fear the future.
To him l ow jt for choosing
the profession! * law. In my
early childhood it was he who
assisted me id discovering my
‘bent’* and fn a that time up
until the hom/of his death, he
Was my faithful and constant
Mend. ;
And now, ladies and gentle
| stand here today to pub
proclaim that whatever
is in life I have achieved,
_ in my professional career
of otherwise, is due largely to
the aid, friendship and encour
tfm&mt given me by this splen
did man, who has passed from
fehesoenedf action, but has left
his impress indelibly' upon the
hearts and minds of all men and
wbmeh who have the proper re
gard for Christian character,
H iii smorf yiuiiA Thifi
spl
ability
® III the national
Presbyterian Churc
thought of as a N
one of its prominent
his advice aha Joel
often sought and folic
the General Assembly
in
acteristic manner,
personality and ma|
tellect soon caused
of t^iat great and'
nomination to not only
and honor him, But to
new light the rase whifeh
presented and with •'
was identified.
Through him
brought to the realization
after all, the Negro was o
God’s creatures Made ip Hi
image, thinking the <
thoughts, worshipping the*
God, and that “of one blood
created all races to dwel
the face of the earth.”
In one of the eulogies
ered at the time of his 'f
he was cnaracterized as a
servative man.” He was
sen-alive in this thoughts,
ment and actions. He was
ful and cautious, and never'
ed hastily in any important
ter which required his sobe
mature consideration. BUi|L,.
modern notion of a conservative
man of our group is one who
“knons his place,” whiblfe is
fixed by others, who never sets
himself against the injustices
heaped upon our loyal arid op
pressed race, and is satisfied
with whatever conditions With
which he finds himsplf
rounded. . i
Dr., Daniel J. Sanders
itir
4"
truckled nor cringed and Ipaver
iby
,Me
■ ,nd
1 lat
lost an opportunity, eith
tongue or pen, to speak
fensi of his oppressed; ra
to strike a blow agajns
hydra-headed monster,
prejudice.
These are the attributes Which
made him the ideal first Negro
President of Biddle University,
becf .use, in turn, he was enabled
to instill and infuse the same
into the young lives of the stu
dents wnose good fortune it was
to c ime under his influence* and
who have gone out into the
wor'd and are playing their part
in l he struggle to make Amer
ica a safe and fit place to live in
for all men, be they black or
white, and that we may yet en
joy every privilege guaranteed
us under the constitution of this
government for which we have
fought, bled and died, and to
which we are .more entitled than
any other race, because we have
never produced an assassin of a
President, nor given birth to a
traitor who has ever taken up
arms against his country’s flag,
and h it were possible for his
spirit to hover over us today,
methinks I could hear him
whispering to us in the words
of that militant poet:
“Stick to your aim, the mon
grel’s hold will slip,
But only crowbars break the
bulldog’s grip.
Small as he is, that jaw that
never yields
Bril ls down the bellowing mon
arch of the fields.”
The sudden transition, in a
Southern community, 'of the
turning over of Biddle Univer
sity from a white to entire
Negro faculty was at that time
a hazardous experiment. No
one knew what reactions would
come from the whites of that
section, and, on the other hand,
it was yet to be demonstrated
that the Negro was; capable of
self-govermrient in educational
matters and able to successfully
fill the chairs of a great institu
tion, which was established sole
ly for the higher education of
our people. 77; 7,?.:;
But this master mind, though
travelling over an unbeaten
path, laid deep and Well the
foundation upon which . the
superstructure, the new Biddle,
now known as the Johnson C.
Smith University, has been
era ted, which stands on yonder
hill as a lasting monument to
'£ mw loiaod igiih.iMrf’ lot hi
f^mei&ory of
“ loved and who gave so
hope, cheer and mspira
to the youth of his time. 7
Not only did he with strength
and fortitude successfully carry
ike burdens of that great insti
tution, put during . that f time,
tpyB,,greatest sorrow of his life
came upon him, in the death of
his , favorite,, child. She- was
charming, b&utiful and bril
liant, and loved her father with
a fervor approaching almost that
of worship. But in ‘ order to
help and cheer and comfort his
faithful and devoted companion,
he stood up under this terrible
affliction and with suppressed
emotion bowed submissive^ <to
the will of him that doeth all
things well. .
Dr. Sanders believed in the
dignity of labor, and in his edrly
life learned and mastered the
shoe maker’s trade. In 1879 he
established in Wilmington, N.
CL, his newspaper, known as
“The Africo-American Presbyte
rian.” and was its editor until
his death. During the first ten
years of the paper’s existence,
there were no colored printers
in the South and it was very
difficult to get the Work on his
paper properly done by white
men. So he built a printing of
fice or. his own premises, learned
to set, type himself, and then
taught several young colored
men the trade, one of whom was
William E. Hill, who has re
mained with the paper all these
years, and is now its associate
editor.
‘ During all the years of his
public, career, he was faithfully
assisted and encouraged by his
devoted wife, whose superior
training and devotion made her
the ideal help-mate; ever watch
ful in administering to his every
need and counseling with him
in helping to solve the many
difficult problems with whieh he
was daily confronted.
In the issue of Mch. 14, 1907, of
“The Africo7American Presby
terian, Rev. A. A. Wilson, of De
catur, Ga., class of 1903, sug
gested that the Alumni start a
fund for the purpose Of erecting
a suitable monument over the
last resting place of this man
who gave his life in the service
of his race, and pledged five dol
lars for himself and twenty-five
dollars for his class. Why has
not this been followed up Yi
Have we not been derelict in our
duty, and is not this the psy
chological moment to start this
movement anew for a memorial
fund in order to erect a shaft
which will appropriately and
suitably express to the world
our lasting admiration for Dan
iel Jackson banders, whose life
and character will ever serve as
an inspiration to the aspirations
of the youth of the race who
would make the most of them
selves according to the talents
wmeh (iod has given them /
He believed in himself and
was ever conscious of the fact
that brain power does not be
pend upon the color of a man's
skin, for it was Shakespeare
who said:—
Ti3 mind mat maxes me uouy
rich,
And as the sun breaks through
the darkest cloud, so honor peer
est through the meanest habit.”
You have indeed considered
the eternal fitness of things by
having these exercises at this
time, just at the close of Na
tional Memorial Week and on
the day following the one’
Whu h has been legalized as the
day‘ upon which to commemo
rate ana memorialize those who
gav* their; lives in order to pre
serve this union and to bring
liberty to an oppressed and en
slaved race.
The man in whose memory
these exercises are held today
did not give up his life Upon the
field of battle; but he died be
cause he overtaxed himself in
hiS relentless struggles in his
efforts and desire to ameliorate
the condition of his benighted
'i. 1.*! V U, i-sii ">i 1 "irvi '<
tuning all' the periods of the
nsgeiiis
Jii H&vr
: ? To
•ff
form of memorial service in hon
or of their dead. It Mi a noble
flesh
of our
tiful to contempia^^JN^^K
we have shaken off this morau
coil andalithat is left of us is
deposited in the cold day from
which we come, that we are not
forgotten; but that our memo
ries -live in the heart# of those
left behind and whd: only too
soon will follow. .7f ’;;
He preferred to Wear out
rather than rust out, and the
world certainly has been made
better by his having lived in it.
He felt at all times that he was
his brother’s keeper.and was
npt too proud to reach for the
man lowest down and lift him
up and impress upon him that
he, too, had a chance ha the race
of life if he had the pluck, push
and perseverance to make a man
of himself. -M
Johnson C. Smith University
is today the most ri«Jy endowed
school of any coloreii institution
in this country fO&|the higher
edui^ion of Negrolk, and this
money has not only jcome from
Northern philanthropists, but
J. B. Duke, a Southern white
man. born in the State of North
Carolina, has just recently giv
en one million six hundred thous
and doxiars to this institution
and has especially Requested
that a medical school be estab
lished in connection with the
same. 7: : '7
This wonderful achievement
did not come in a day, but is
due largely to the sure and safe
foundation laid by this wise and
pru loit man, together with his
pure and upright life, all of
which haye exerted afoatigng in
spirit
tom,
fluenee upon tne ^ooa ximuang
people of this country, both
North and South; giving it a
standing '“which has caused
these people to pour out their
bounty in this generous way. If
we should continue this eulogy
indefinitely, we could not, in the
slightest degree, give to this
man the praise and credit which
he so richly and justly deserves.
We therefore conclude these
observations by commending his
well spent and useful life to all
of those who desire to have a
perft f t standard to follow. His
life will forever serve as a foun
tain of inspiration, not only to
every man and woman of his
religious faith, but to every
men. her of his race throughout
the length and breadth of this
COU ry.
He impressed the lesson that
the minister has not only to
loOiv aftei: the spiritual life of
the fock, but to do his part in
bettering their civic conditions.
If, in our imagination, we could
today stand by the bedside of
Dr Zanders, as his life was
slowly ebbing away, we might
hear him whisper as his final
benediction, the : valedictory
which Paul Lawrence Dunbar
left to his struggling raoe:—
“Go r n and up, our souls and
eyes
Shall follow thy illustrious
rise;
Our ears shall list the story
From bards, who from their
rojts shall spring,
And giadly tune their lyres to
siog
Of Ethiopia’s glory.”
TRUSTEES NAMED FOR NE
GRO INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL:
Raleigh, June 18.—The fol
lowing appointments as mem
bers of the board of directors of
Morrison Industrial School for
Negro boys were announced at
the governor’s office today:
‘ Mrs. J. LeGrande Everett,
Rockingham, to succeed M. B.
Hart, Tarboro; W. L. Parsons,
Rockingham, to succeed L. B.
Varser, resigned; W. N. Ever
ett, Rockingham, to succeed him
self; J. H« Hayswood, Lumber
ton, to succeed Thad Tate, Char
' ‘rrlu-::. . ■: . ,
================
lotto; C. C. Spaulding, Durham,
to succeed S. G. Atkins, Win
ston- Salem.—Charlotte Observ
er.
(From the office of the Dean.)
It wnl take |328 to. meet the
1925 budget of the Catawba
Syn'nlical Convention and
School of Methods, so when you
send your registration* fee of
$1.00 to Rev. F. C. Shirley, 414
Severs Ave., Charlotte, N. C.,
we will need only $327.
The patrons of our convention
will be pleased to know that of
the members of our 1925 facul
ty, four will be from the head
ters’ staff of the Board of
National Missions, They are
Mr. J. M. Somerndike, Director
of the Department of Sunday
School Missions; Miss Maud
Kinniburgh, of the Department
of Promotion and Publicity;
Mr. L. E. Black, Regional Super
intendent of the Highlands of
the South; and Mrs. Agnes B.
Sn’iveiy, field representative of
the Division of Misisons for
Colored People.
The first three instructors
named need no introduction to
School of Methods “fans,” but it
is especially stimulating to
know that Mr. Somerndike will
be with us again this year since
he could not be „with us last
year.
The new Headquarters’ Staff
representative is Mrs. Agnes B.
Snively. Those who attended
the Workers’ Conference at Al
bion Academy in 1924 will re
member wtih pleasure Mrs.
Snively’s interest in that Con
ference. Not only will Mrs.
Snively be welcomed as a mem
ber of our faculty, but also she
C.&C.AS. N. NOTES
VftiUte. gree*ea_*ajpne oi wie
noon day platform speakers as
well.
In next week’s notes we will
give a close-up view of the other
members of the faculty.
The athletic interest is al
ready developing. EeV. W. G.
Anderson, captain of the Blues
last year, has the silver loving
cup with a yard or so of royal
blue ribbon streaming from it,
and states that it looks good in
his study, indicating that he
would like to take it back again
this year. Rev. Anderson has
attended every year and has
been on the winning side in ath
letics each year. ' He plans to be
on hand for the fifth meeting
and expects to keep up tradi
tion.
Mr. L. W. Ellis, the progres
sive Superintendent of Church
St., Salisbury, writes (that die
will be on hand. He is usually
among the first to register.
It is up to you: 1. To stand
ardize your Sunday School. 2.
To plan for a Workers’ Confer
ence. 3. To instruct the Teach
er Training Class. Then you
will .do well to attend the 1925
meeting of the Catawba Synod
ical Convention and School of
Methods at Johnson C. Smith
University, Charlotte, N. C.,
August 24-30.
THIRD STREET PRESBYTE
RIAN CHURCH NOTES,
GASTONIA.
Re vival services were held
here last week. Dr. L H. Rus
sell, the Synodical Evangelist,
conducted the services. During
the meeting there were six ad
ditions to the church.
Mrs. S. L. Rollins attended
the Southern Church Confer
ence for Colored Women at John
son C. Smith UniversityJ
Children’s Day exercise was.
held on the third Sunday in this,
month.
Mrs. Orr of Blacksburg, S. C.,
has been visiting her niece, Mrs.
Gertrude Enloe. ^
Mrs. Gertrude Enloe and Mrs.
Sarah MiHer have been indis
posed for several weeks.
(MTSS) CECELIA ROLLINS.
vt>
•i'j