Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-26
POLITICAL PARSONS.
THE RECENT ROUSlNG LETTER OF
NEGRO MAHONeITE PREACHERS.
rn,orviews with a Number of Them on
Parfisanry In Religion-Demo-
cratic Negroes Not Known.


colled at the residence Of the Rev. Richard
Wells. pastor Of the Ebenezcr Baptist
church. 10 see him in reference to the col
ored pastors political letter. u would
like said the interviewer, " to ask you a
fow questions" The Rev. Richard hest
tatcd for moment and opened tbe door
and invited the reporter into his study and
inouired What are the Questionsf"
The first one that want TO ask You is
T. vour name attached TO the pastoral let
tory
Yes. said he
Did you sign iti
d,d. Ii was sent to me through the
mail bv the Rev. Mr.. Armistead. who - the
pastor OF the Zion Baptist church OF Ports
Was the letter approved by the deacons
OF your church; ii
Rev. Richard. They knew nothing about
If. Enclosed in the letter TO me from Ar
instead was a slip of paper. and he re-
ouested that | should sign my name upon
is il your custom to introduce politics
in vOur religious meetings! queried tne ie-
porter.
politics talked in my church meetings. i
DO not have anything 10 do with politics.
( never received anv communication from
Malone IN nv life. / would not know MN
II ! were 10 meet birn.
Are there any Democratic members OF
yonr church,
do not know Of any, answered the par
son.
Is il consistent with your WOW that a co CO,
lorod man should bc Democrat inlldly
ippsrfraI fba rgpgTtCr
II IS not, promptly answered the PaseoI'
and thercupon the Two eXcIanSeu i"' -
wells and the newspaper-mah ieit'
TIE Old FIRST 5 PASTOR.
Tho ronor+er thon called AT the homo Of
fine Rev. !. n. Holmes. who is the pastor
of the First Baptist church and is one of
tho signers. He was told ct the door by
Rev. Holiness wife and daughter that the
par-on was not at home. but out attending
"a meeting that was being held az the
Samaritan Hall. lnev did not know
whether If was a political meeting cf
not.
/ The hall was visited, but no lights were
| 10 he seen.
! Evidently The meeting was helu ~ some
other place. as the reporter was IpIu W.
! there were a number Poing on IN the ware
at the rendezvous OF tho dlheTeht coi"reu
/ societies.
n Els AR%-cHLTR.
/ The next place visited was the home oi
the Rev. ". W. Brown, pastor Ot Lcgh-
street Methodist church. He was found AZ
home i'm his study seated in large arm
chair with copy of the Dipd'ch be-
fore him. Calling the reporter py name
he said "Well. sir, l suppose you
would Ike TO interview mcE lhe r.
porter laughingly remarked, onlN
wish to ask Won few questions aoout lho
letter that appeared i'll the Dipo'ch OF to-
day Did you read IL!
Yes. said the pastor. but you must ex-
ouse me. am not feeling very we'll and
see tie questions YOU wish me to answer
are of a political character, and would
rather not be interviewed.
Uowavcr. after little persuasion on the
part of the reporter. tine parsou consented
10 answer the following:
/ Did YOU sign the pastoral letter?
did not: ! never was asked. The hrst
! saw Of II was in the DtpDioh. ,
/ Is it%onr practice 70 1iscuss po'i'''S '''
your reHSlous liioclll1S ,f or,. of tbo
u Is p9l lIo custom VI ",,f ,,fl;t;ce ~,
c'lofed cnurcies 20 IIlentlGI 9I ,.,,'
ther reilgious lneeIines' S"'u nv
'a!hlE 90 llot ''J ~ vo,r church
/ H. "n. itt INV of arv. There may be
come. hut thev are not known.
Here the preacher laughinglv said
=. Some of flcui are getting sharp like white
nconle -
f., IL Inconsistent with vour view Of the
o+'.,.,,oj tit,,a. or thin0s that q colorcd man
oi,,,,iI Lt., Da,nocrof> manfred tine able
;i',r,.al;,t
'"t, M ',''' MIN tbo Democrats change their
,latfor,n onevrrcd he