Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-02
TIE MINISTER'S CONFERENCE
a LARGE ATTENDANCE.

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ssmoessss fssis,suss.r and "ssndsv
osvuvasssr Deceased.
The general conference Of ministers
q Richmond, Manchester, and vicinity
vse Asld Ct the Young Mems Christian
Association rooms ct IL o'clock yes
tsrdsy--Dr. Hogs, the president, in the
chair.
TIE meeting Was largely attended.
Altar devotional exercises and atten-
sisn to several matters Of routine Pro-
ssmor w. w. Smith, Of Randolph
Macon College, wss invited TO make .
statement In reference to the status
and prospects Of "local-option" ieg's-
lation.
Professor Smith responded in very
clear statement Of the status Oh the
local-option bill now pending
IN he House Of Delegates. He
sa;d that as the former sec
retsry of the Virginia Local-op-
s;on Alliance he felt the deepest in
tsrsst in this legislation, and had been
closely watching and seeking to pro-
mote L. He had become so thoroughly
convinced that the bill could not pass
the Senate unless cities Of over 5000
inhabitants were exempted from its
operation that he had used his infiu-
ence to secure that amendment. As
some Of the friends Of the measure
we're very much opposed TO this
amendment, and it had been
charged that be was acting with
cut proper authority, he desired an
expression on the part of this confer
ence, which represented larger body
Of temperance men than any organize
ton which had acted on the question.
After free talk, in which the action
of Professor Smith was cordially en-
dorsed and commended, the conference
unanimously adopted the resolutions
published in full in another column.
The opinion was very strongly ex-
pressed in the conference that while the
law is as much or more needed in the
cities than in the counties, yet it is wise
70 accept now the compromise granting
cities exemption, and then 60 to work
to carry local option first in the towns
and counties, and that afterwards the
law could DO made to apply to the cities.
TWAS also said in the discussion that
in assuming to take charge of this whole
question and frame legislation without
consulting other friends Of temperance
the committee Of Good Templars had
gone beyond their province, and had
assumed what does not belong to them
that Professor w. W. Smith, the indie
fatigable secretary Of the Virginia Lo-
cal-Option Alliance, represented very
much the strongest wing Of the friends
Of local option in the State.
Rev. DR.. John Pollard then, by ap.
pointment Q month ago, addressed the
conference on "How Can We Best
Promote Proper Temperance Legisla-
tom"
DR.. Pollard made a clear, earnest,
and very able address, in which he con-
sidered laws against drunkenness
slow license" high license" &" State
prohibition" and "local option
and very ably argued the advantages of
/" local option" over all Of these.
The address seemed to give great
satisfaction to the twenty-five or thirty
ministers who heard it, and the whole
subject was laid over for further dis
cussion at the next meeting Of the con-
ference.
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.
Rev. r. r. Howison, from the COM
mittee appointed to draft resolutions
for the practical action of the confer
ence in reference to better observ-
ance Of the Sabbath, reported series
of very strong resolutions against the
running between IL o'clock Saturday
night and IL o'clock Sunday night of
freight trains and Sunday excursion
trains or steamboats,, the selling OF
liquor on Sunday, and the issuing of
Sunday newspapers, and in favor OF
such amendments to existing laws as
will most effectually suppress these
evils.
After free talk in reference to the
resolutions the conference unanimously
adopted all of the other resolutions, and
postponed the resolution concerning
Sunday newspapers until the next meet
ing, in order that . committee might
have q conference with the proprietors
of these papers and get information on
which to base action. AL Of the men,
bers of the conference expressed them
selves as decidedly opposed to the
issuing of Sunday newspapers, but
several expressed themselves as favor
ing "Sunday" papers, on which the
work is done Saturday and Saturday
night, rather than Monday" papers,
where the work was done Sunday and
Sunday night.
II was earnestly urged, however, that
effort should be made to induce news
paper proprietors to print their papers
Saturday night before IL o'clock, and
after IL O'Clock Sunday night, and to
issue them Monday morning.
Rev. r. X. Howison, Rev. DR.. W.
+. Edwards, and Rev. L. A. Cutler
were appointed on the committee to see
the newspaper proprietors ; and the
committee to push the proper legisla-
ton on Sabbath observance consists Of
Reys. R. r. Howison, DR.. A. O. Blsd-
soc, DR.. W. w. Landrum, and DR.. NJ.
ID. Hoge.
At 2:30 P. NJ, the conference adj
;ourned.