The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-14

Society had another lively tilt yesterday
morning over tho temperance question.
After devotional exercises Rev. A. P.
Chandler, OF Antioch Church, intro
duced the following resolution as
substitute to the ono offered by Rev. w.
j. Cooke the previous day:
Resolved, That we, the delegates to
the Virginia CHI istian Missionary So
ciety, hail with delight the proposed
Richmond on or about December /, and
bid it God-speed in all laudable and
Christian efforts in educating the people
to habits of temperance"
Rev. L. +. Bullard, of Lynch burg,
favored the resolution. He opposed the
liquor traffic and thought it was the
duty OF every Christian man and woman
to take stand against it. He would
favor any resolution that had fer it's
obj ct the breaking up of traffic that
carried with 1t curse.
Rev w. j. Cocke was willing to &C.
cept the substitute. and favored its
adoption.
Col j. r.. Miller, of Pulaski, took up
copy of THE TINES and, reading the
report of the session on the previous
evening, said it was shown there and
would go abroad to the world that tho
convention was afraid to take hold of
tho liquor traffic question. 1.-THE re-
port says the convention houndered
around in technicalities. Let us dis
tinctly understand our position, and let
the reports go to the world that we arc
not afraid to express our opinion on
such a great and growing evil us this"
Judge G. E. Garnett, of Matthews
Court House, thought, Col. Miller was
criticising the report. Said he:
Every word of it is correct. The
reporter made no mistake. Ho could
ton did founder on the technicalitios,
and when it found itself it was just
whore it left off. 1t had accomplished
noting"
This called for an explanation on the
part Of Col. Miller, who said the report
was correct. The convention had
tloundered, but let it be shown to the
world that it would not founder on such
q question as this.
Rev. Il. +. Bullard offered another
resolution at this point. He did not
favor the taking out Of the hands of the
committee on resolutions this work.
He was not in favor of passing resolu-
ton that could not be understood. He
thought all such resolutions should
come through the hands of the commit
tee. Judge Garnett considered that
the resolutio wore in the hands Of the
convention.
Rev. w. Ii. Book took the ground
that none of the resolutions that had
been offered could be understood. He
wanted the convention to como square
out.
Rev. L. j. Spencer offered resolution
to the effect that the convention cx.
press its disapproval of tho liquor
traffic. He supplemented his resolu-
tion with the statement that they, as
delegates for the body OF the church,
could take no other action. They
could only vote as individuals, but
could not compel their people to follow
them in a political issue. 1t would be
transcending his duty if he committed
himself to political or temperance
measure.
Rev. Jabez Hall maintained that the
delegates should vote and act as indi-
viduals; that tho body could not enter
tain a resolNtlon expressing an indi-
vidual opinion. There we're individuals
in the church who sold and drank
whiskey, and their noses bore the mark
of it. He was in favor of voting q
measure that would be for the general
good, and if his church called him to
account for it he would resign.
Judge Garnett made ringing speech
on the effect Of local option In his
county. Several years ago the vote
was taken, but the liquor men beat
them. There were fifty saloons in the
county and crime was running wild.
But the local optionists came again and
out of 700 votes they got all but fifty Or
seventy-fve.
| 1t was great work, and tho key in
the county Jail had not been turned on
q prisoner for three years.
Colonel Miller advocated tho adopt
ton of Mr.. Spencer's resolution as a
preamble to Mr.. Chandler's. He thought
the whole thing would simmer down to
point then. lie made rousing prohi-
bition spe ach, and said that the last
Presidential election was carried by the
liquor traffic.
Yes, and tho one before it," said o
good brother in the second pew who
seemed to have an idea that the Repub-
licans were getting black eye.
But Colonel Miller would not hear
him. He again said that the last Presi.
Dental election was won by the liquor
| men.
And the Governorship of Ohio"
added W. Ii. Book, with a degree Of
satisfaction.
Colonel Cary m we'd the previous ques-
ton, which was carried, and Rev. Mr..
Chambers resolution was taken up and
adopted.
This settled the temperance question
for tho time being, but then there were
many expressions that the resolution
was decidedly weak.
\
Col. Cary, chairman of tho committee
on seminary, advocated the immediate
raising OF $50, 900 for the establishment