The Mount of the House of the Lord
The Honorable Harry S. McDevitt, Supreme Court Judge who was instrumental in inviting FATHER DIVINE to Philadelphia; Magistrate Edward Henry; Magistrate Joseph H. Rainey; Mr. Ray Fabiani; Mr. L.H. Joly, Editor of "Afro-American;" Mr. Ralph Jones, Editor of Philadelphia Independent; Mr. John A. McGinnis; Mr. A.L. Austin, Director-in-Chief of Sesqui-Centennial; and Mr. Robert N.C. Nix, Esq., former Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania, all were present at the Park at this time.
FATHER DIVINE is speaking as follows:
"For this cause I come to you as one representing the democracy of this country more stressfully than I AM that of which is commonly known as religion: for we are converted into the true spirit of Americanism under the Constitution and its Amendments, if we are sincere and conscientious and have a foundation to start from, we will be obliged to bring the CHRIST within our lives to fruition of which will produce a real law of righteousness, of truth and of justice.
"I stress for MY friends as hearers, those of you who do not know MY Work and Mission, I AM endeavoring to bring about a closer relationship between the divers nationalities, to cause men to understand and love each other better according to the Gospel and according to the Constitution and its Amendments. When this is established, by coming in close contact with our fellowmen we will eventually bring an abolition, a complete destruction to all hate, malice and prejudice, and GOD HIMSELF in our lives will be established once and forever.
"To cause men to live soberly, righteously and godly, I think it MY privilege and honor to be in this community to stress honesty, competence and truth, although it may be classed as religion when I speak it; but I believe it is Americanism as much as it could dare be that which is termed religion for true Americanism is religion in itself, because men, when they came to this country seeking religious liberty were inspired by the spirit of this democracy before it was established. And those who are now representatives of this democracy in and under this government, we feel it their duty to live exactly according to the Constitution and its Amendments and grant every American Citizen the privilege to serve GOD to the dictates of his or her own conscience. By so doing, we will bring an abolition to vice and crime, to sin and debauchery, dishonesty and incompetence of every kind."