Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-05-29
NO. 81.
METHODIST PLUCK.
OVER ONE HUNDRED PREACHERS Or
CAME FOR BATTLE.
One half of the Ministers Of the Wyoming
Conference Meet and Organize Preach
ers' Prohibition Party Lcague-A Meeting
Full of Fire.
SPECIAL Correspondence.l

lCpCNldl WI ilteA'CANFlAStsl
SCRANTON, Pa.-The Wyoming con-
ference of the NJ. Z. church has been in
session in this city for the past week,
and over 200 preachers have been pres
ent. During the week the ladies Of the
w. c. T. L. conceived the bright idea
of giving a reception to the Prohibition
party preachers at the rooms of the
Young Woman's Christian Temperance
union. A neat invitation was placed in
the hands of each minister, and when
the night arrived, in the face of strong
attraction at conference session, there
were nearly 100 ministers present, and
more enthusiasm 1 have never seen.
Many were unable to find room in the
hall.
Rev. J. w. Bashford, D. D., presi-
dent of the Ohio Wesleyan university,
was the first speaker, and he said the
time had come when the Prohibition
preachers of the NJ E. church must
speak out in no uncertain sound on this
question. The Methodist church had
declared for prohibition, and no man in
the Methodist church, be he minister or
layman, was consistent with the decla-
ration of the church if he voted the Re
publican or the Democratic ticket. The
time had come for the clergy to declare
themselves whether they are voting for
the saloons or against them.
Dr. c. H. Payne, secretary of the
board of education, New York, was the
next speaker, and his speech kept every
body ON fire, which would break out in
frequent cheers. The fact is that Dr.
PANE was on fire himself and those
THAI heard his address will never forget
it. He declared that the preachers must
lead in this fight, and that there was no
excuse for the minister that would not
preach ont in his pulpit on prohibition
and for the Prohibition party, for there
was no other party that opposed the liq-
nor traffic.
Dr. G. NJ. Colville, one of the bright
est and bravest of the Methodist min
listers of this conference, who has Il
church of over l 900 members at Bing-
hamton, n. Y, delivered a short but
effective speech DIR. Buckley i'll his
Temperance" address at the conference,
from which no one could tell how he
voted, had said that every voter in a Ii
cense state was partner either will
lingly or unwillingly in the liquor bust
ness. Dr. Colville declared this state
ment lie, that every man who voted
the Prohibition ticket washed his hands
of all responsibility when he declared
at the ballot box that he was opposed to
the whole traffic. But it was true so far
as the men who voted other tickets were
concerned, and he hoped that DR.. Buck
ley would soon get out of the partner
ship. F"
Other stirring addresses We're made,
and on motion it was unanimously vot-
ed to organize then and there the Preach
ers' Prohibition league of the Wyoming
conference. This was done and the fol-
lowing officers elected: President, Rev.
c. A. Benjamin; vice president, Rev.
J. c. LeacOck; secretary, Rev. j. 9.
Hogan; advisory board, Rev. G. M.
Colville, Rev. J. B. Sweet, Rev. B. p
Ripley, Rev. p r. Tower, Rev. J. F.
Warner, Rev L. B. Weeks.
Nearly 100 preachers enrolled that
evening, and when the names appeared
III the morning papers inc O4u party
members of the conference were astound-
ed, and the temperance" resolutions in
troduced passed through without the
usual annual fight, though the resolu-
tions declared most emphatically for the
Prohibition party. The temperance
committee was changed to read item
perance and prohibition committee"
TwO-thirdS of the ministers of this
conference vote the Prohibition ticket,
and this change has been brought about
in the past two or three years.