The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-06
THE BAPTIST CONGRESS.
Proceedings of the sec
ond Days Session OF
the Conference.
DIVORCE LAWS AND IMMIGRATION
MAINLY IsCJssfp.
To Adiourn Sine Die ro-hs''

-.
,",asv morning several hundred pei
80" Il me civ a,icsied their interest IN
the services by their presence Al '"'
church. - .oiloa
,nc meeting - order at II O'clock "len'
se,er prayer snd hymn, the d''ouSS'"'
Of The designated topic
.,rioNNr DIVORCE LAW,
=. Hon. Alexander 5. Bacon of Brook
In n Y. was proceeded with.
IL 6r.t commented on the different
,sss adopted and enforced lor not en-
,,,ceal hy different Sisics. and said that
nersnn might be legally married IN one
State and ten minutes ride would take
him or her into smother, where the mar
,isre would be Illegal In some states a
nerson msy, by merely asserting ihai ne
intends 10 become citizen OF that Oom-
monweslih. institute a suit Tor divorce
and generally obtain It.
ybe causes for which divorces may be
had are ~ divers as The hues OF the ram
bow. In The State of South carolina u"
divorce can be obtained IN New oih
divorce arr granted only on ihe PROOF OF
adultery or Of Imprisonment for NE ana
so with one or TWO Other STATES lh '"s
Union lie advocated "a uniform, law ana
insisted that If there must be divorce
law il should be the same IN every Slale
and must be enacted BY National power
What is moral. civil. and allowable ID
one Stale is tOially immoral. uuclHil, anu
moi allowable In another Let congress
nroyide such = Law and let the first slep
he 10 enforce IL in the Capital city, and
The District OF Columbia Then the
other States will fellow. our savior
allows that msn may have one wife and
no more. .ThesTaudesi nation on earth
Is that nation whose laws conform most
nearly 10 the laws OF God, and ! have
great confidence IN the hope that this
Government will at al early date attain
that lofty end
Mr.. A. j FON
was the next speaker he said that the
evils OF divorce law were confessed, but
now the question was whether it would
be best 10 submit TO the present domoral-
ling laws in the majority of the States
with the better law in the few, or to run
the risk OF having law enforced upon
the whole nation that would possibly be
worse than that which now exists. II II
were certain that constitutional divorce
law could be made 10 conform 10 The
laws Of the two or three States, then j
would be well TO pass such law. Bu
on the other hand if the national Law
should be tn. worst Of the laws TO which
Colonel Bacon has referred. then certain
ly our representatives from New IOri
would not desire such law. Most
the States have divorce law that is yer.
demoralizing indeed
Let the social community and III
churches be thoroughly aroused, and SCI
to 1t that the present laws are enforced
| should fear, sBld be, National enact
meni, and think that moral iniiuenc
ought 10 be brought 10 bear, and II on
churches and our ministers OF the gOspo
would devote more time and attention
to this matter they could do more than
would be possible TO accomplish by legis
latiye enactment
LIMITS or IMMIGRATION
was the second topic for discussion. Tn
Hon. John G.. Sawyer OF Albion, y. \
read an essay on this subject
lie said that when the vast territory
our country was not settled and IN
great resources Of its production not dc
yeloped, we gladly welcomed immigrs
ton from every cline to this beautiiu
land But now AS almost all the Govern
ment land has been taken up by imm
grants We wish 10 shut them out.
Again formerly most Of those wh
came 10 this country were persons VIII
were seeking homes for themselves sn
families, but now while many are o
this class, vet the majority Is compose
paupers and persons who are unable Il
sustain themselves In their own country
Again, others come 10 this country L
make what money they can, never en-
tertaining an idea OF making this thei
home.
| would not willingly, said he, throw
any obstacle in the way of the immigra
lion of any good person coming TO thu
country with view TO making 1t bis
home and to make good citizen, but
object 10 that class commonly known a.
psupers supported by contributions or by
public charities.
He recommended that our consuls be
vested with the authority 10 call Wit.
nesses and examine all persons desiring
10 come to our country, and no one BE-
allowed 10 come without certificate
from such consul, and that all persons
should be furnished with q certificate
from his own country setting out whether
they come as visitors OF 10 remain As
citizens.
REV MR.. LAYsfAS
Was the next speaker lie said Il
sm opposed 10 this idea of restriction,
because . believe 1t 10 be fundamentally
unconstitutional We have people on
these shores. - God citizens, whose wivez,
children and mothers are Ia other cOun
tries. and they are writing 10 them 10
day. they are saving their money TO bring
them over 10 this country. | 10 not
know any place in this land where the
cry comes up, We cannot lake care oil
these immigrants
Il know some are pauPers ana some
are criminals. but We have Invited them
TO this country. and shall We say al this
stage, We have enough, we cannot edn-
cate these people, We cannot give Them
work
Instead Of giving countenance to this
idea let us turn our attention To the de-
yelopment of the church. Close the
doors of the LIQUOR saloons and you may
leave the gates 10 Castle Garden open ioI
wears. Let the Church do lis part and
these people shall deyelope into good
Christian citizens, and we will have cause
10 thank God for the opportunity
afforded us for their conversion. kev.
DIR. jackson made short speech In
which lac advocated immigration"
REV. DIR. WILKINSON.
sa;d / have been wondering whether
We have been speaking here to-day
"A Christians or as cltizens'
He did not favor the restric-
ton OF immigration. | looked In my
new for a Bible, be said, but could mol .
and one, neither could l see one In
reach of me; ! therefore decided that
this people knew the Bible by heart and
did not need book. How ala we ge'
possessIon Of this beautiful laney Did our
forefarhers ask admission Of the race who
occupied its soil ,i