"Looking backward one-hundred years we behold the advent into the world of a mighty character, whose mission should accomplish a mighty work which shall endure until the archangel of God shall record the last syllable of time. Abraham Lincoln was as surely used as an instrument of Almighty God in setting at libery four million bond men, women, and children, as was Moses in leading the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. We are here tonight to do homage to the memory of this great man, great in goodness and good in greatness, whose life and character means more to the colored people of America than to any race or nationality in the world. For this race, whose fetters were broken by the edicts of the Emancipation Proclamation, like the man of Nazareth, his life was sacrificed that the bonded black man and woman might be free. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, one-thousand nine-hundred and nine years ago, gave up his life that the world be free. We pay homage to the greatest man who ever lived except the God-man, Jesus Christ, who died to redeem mankind from the bondage of sin and the curse of the broken law.

"Looking forward we behold this race of ours, changed from chattels to free men and free women, with all the concomitant blessings of freedom, which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which means happy homes, happy children, joyful hope springing eternal in the human breast, to acquire and enjoy the good things of this world - the Eden home of mankind.

"Again, looking forward one-hundred years from this natal day, we behold another Lincoln celebration by the great-grandchildren of those who celebrate this centenary. America shall have grown to be the center of civilization, mental and moral culture. Prejudice shall have been banished as a myth and relegated to the dark days of 'Salem witchcraft.' The gospel of 'malice toward none and charity for all' shall have regenerated and changed the mental attitude of all towards the poor and despised on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude. The colored people shall have risen above their present level by means of education, wealth and power as a factor in our government. The religion of the Lord Jesus will have taught the inhabitants of this country and the world, the lessons that Peter was taught, and God shall make these people whose mouths are shut, open their mouths and confess as Peter did when he said, 'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh rightousness is accepted of Him.'

"The black man has been loyal to this country from the revolution with Crispus Attucks, the first black martyr to fall in defense of this country. One hundred and eighty-seven thousand black troops went into the civil war to fight for freedom and the Union. From Fort Pillow to Petersburg, Va,, they fought valliantly until victory perched upon the banners of the Union army. At San Juan Hill the matchless black battalion saved the day of victory and enabled the dauntless Theodore Roosevelt to become president of the United States. And now, after all this, the colored people are not good enough to mingle their presence with the 'I am better than thou' at the celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of the great emancipator, whose life work as president made it possible for even American white people to have a United States of America.

"We colored people love and revere the memory of Lincoln for what he has done for us. He wrote the emancipation proclamation that made us forever free. And he enforced it by the United States arny. Yes, we love the name of Abraham Lincoln, for his name is a synonym for the freedom of wife, husband and children, and a chance to live in a free country, fearless of the slave-catcher and his bloodhounds. We would that every colored man, woman and child in these United States could be brought together in one great procession in yonder cemetery where lies the sacred dust of the great emancipator. I would rather be one of that great number of black devotees than toastmaster at a so-called 'Lincoln banquet' at twenty-five dollars per. O consistency, thou art a jewel, how can you play Hamlet without the melancholy Dane? Lincoln was a plain man, a true friend to the poor and humble in the walks of life. His greatness came to him because of two important factors or acts in his life - he conquered rebellion and freed four millionslaves. Hence the true union loving white people of this country are the only fit and worthy subjects to do honor to the memory of the greatest American, Abraham Lincoln."

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