The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-29
NO ACTION TAKEN.
Lively Discussion of the coIored
PuIpit-Press Controversy.


night to hold an Indignation meeting,
as forecast in THE TIMES of few days
since. Rev. w. w. Brown, tho pastor,
was made chairman, and A. f. Brooks.
secretary.
The chairman read call which was
promulgated from the pulpits of the
colored churches last Sunday, and said
the call was made on account of the
appearance of several criticisms of
the colored ministers and church mem
berS which had been published in the
Roanoke Weekly Press, over the sigma
ture of "EYc Opener" whose communi
cations purported to como from Bally-
hack. Following is the most objection
able of Eye Openers" structures
''* After the minister had
ended his discourse and had pronounced
the benediction, some Brother Brown
began what he called "a shout but could
better bear the name of an African
Palava. He started with lot of
rhymes. Just as one of the sisters was
going out Of tho door he struck this
portion of the Shout: The lizard
walked and the scorpion creeped, and
the snake went up the mountains
steep The sister turned around and
let me trot that thing little more
forgot to say, before reaching what has
just Teen stated, that one of the brethren
prayed 4 prayer in this same church,
asking God to wheel tho sinners like
rim and turn them like u top for Jesus
sake"
The Press of the 23d instant referred
to minister who preached in High
Street Church in an objectionable man
ner." lie was Rev Silas Smith, of
Bedford City. The following reference
is made b. Eye Opener" tc his dis
cussion of the text, The Lord is Il man
of wa; the Lord is His name:"
''s that many were convinced that
the Lord was man OF war by the
windmill efforts of the right reverned
gentleman to spin out the truths of his
text, but alas, his anatomy was upset,
his heels dangled in the air, and he re-
tired until the 'Sinews of war were COL
lected, crowned with 4 wreath composed
of the finest beads of respiration.
Then came the distinguished represent
tativeS of all the churches except two,
to chant dirgc at tho digging or Eye
Openers" grave. | believe all those
gentlemen had long pants on, if not
Rev. r. II. Jones, of the First baptist
Church. made a lengthy speech and was
followed by Lawyer A. j. Oliver, who
offered resolution providing for the
appointment of committee Of five
disinterested persons, two to represent
the ministers, two the paper and one
the colored people at large, to arbitratc
the matter in dispute with view to
reconciliation.
The resolution was received and on
motion of Rev. Carter, of South Boston,
tabled. Then followed lengthy dis
cussion of the motion to adopt, Rcvs.
Jones, JeifreyS, Brown, Patterson, poin-
dexter and Layman Zachariah Hunt
and Charles Goldstein.
Finally Lawyer Oliver made motion
TO take the resolution from the table
and followed it with Il pointed speech.
The motion prevailed, but the adoption
of the resolution was strenuously OPP
posed by Rev. Jones and the other
ministers.
Rev. Carter. who had an amusing tilt
with Oliver about parliamentary usagcs,
got the floor after repeated efforts and
made n dignified and very eloquent
speech in favor of dropping the con.
troversy. lie cXtolled the power of the
press and said it could not be destroyed
1t might be urgent and its correspond
entS untruthful sometimes, but it would
live. If Eye Openers motions were
good God would be with him; if bad,
conscience would reprove and God pun
ish him. lie moved to ad iourn sine die
and after DR.. Boiling, local editor of
the Press, had been cxonerated from
responsibility for the articles of Eye
Opener, the motion prevailed.
Rev. Jones stated that he had not
waited upon the editor of the Press
RI I'D ~.
Opener, and Lawyer Oliver said he was
nor to prosecute the editors or managers
Of that paper.
The discussions at times were spirited.
but in the main dignitied Frequent
efforts were made to get Editor Henry.
OF the Press, to say something, but be-
yond the statement that he had not
been summoned to the meeting, and did
not recognize its right to require him to
violate journalistic confidence, he was
silent.
Just before tho meeting closed Rev.
Jones said he proposed to say just what
he pleased about the Press from his
pulpit, and to hold himself personally
responsible for his utterances. He
thought tho paper was doomed to q
speedy demise.
Rev. Brown indorscd this opinion,
and. like Rev. Jones, would use his in
fiuence against the paper. They had
subscribed and paid for il because it was
negro enterprise. Rev. Jones said that
he bought TIE TIMES regularly for the
news. and read it with caro- and pleas
ure. 1t was a newspaper. He paid 81. so
for tho Press, and it had gotten more
from him than he would ever get from it.
Il. Lacy lioge, Esq, of Wright &
Hoge, was present with u stenographer
in the interest of the owners and editors
of the Press.