The Washington times., 1895-06-05
OPPOSED BY | MINISTER
Prohibition R0undIy Denounced
in Congregational Conference.
INTERFEREs WITH LIBERTY
Rev. Mr.. Ballentine Thinks the Saloon
the Curse of To-day, but Believes
in Individual Freedom-Oth Bust
ness Transacted Concerning WASH
ington Churches.

An unusual and sensational feature of
the meeting of tbe Washington conference
of Congregational Churches at Falls
Church yesterday was the denouncing of
prohibition by the Rev. Mr.. Ballentine,
of the First Congregational Church, Bal
timore.
The meeting was held at Falls Church
Congregational Church ard was attended
by delegates from the different churches
of that denomiDation in Maryland, the
District of Columbia and Virginia. There
was large number of visitors from this
city in attendance, and they manifested
great interest in the many eloquent adj
dresses delivered by prominent Congre-
gational pastors.
THE MORNING SESSION.
The morning session was opened with
devotional services The moderator, Mr..
j b. Sleman, OF the Mount Pleasant Church,
then called the conference to order, and
the clerk, Rev Adam Reoch, read the min
utes OF the last meeting. Rev Mr. Baden
koff, of Baltimore, followed and read
resolution adopted by recent conference
of the NJ. +. churches of that city, invit-
ing the Congregational and other confer
ferences to appoint committee OF seven to
liquor problem.
Rev F. T. Root, of the Second Church.
Baltimore, then delivered an address, in
dorsing the Gottenbufg system as the best
way to fight the drink habit
You arc familiar" he said, with what
has been done in South Carolina by the
State dispensa-y system. This law is in
principle prohibitory law and all saloons
have been abolished and no town or dis
trict can have dispensary unless four
fifths of The voters desire il"
The speaker then explained in detail
the working of this system.
An earnest plea for the cause of prohibit
ton was made by Mr.. ID. III. Henderson.
He dwelt particularly on the money phase
of the Gottenburg system, denying that
the companies selling liquor under this
system were influenced by philanthropic
motives, but merely from d mercenary
standpoint
Rev. Mr.. Ballentine. OF Baltimore, offered
a different argument from either OF the pre-
ceding gentlemen. The trouble with the
Gottenburg system,' he said, lis that it is
too artificial and over-burdened with petty
details. The machine that does the best
work is the simplist in construction. All i'm
provements and inventions seek TO reduce the
number and weight OF the parts that go to
make up the machine. Again this system
does not appeal TO the common American
sentiment. that men have right to be men,
Prohibition interferes with our American
individual liberty"
THE SALOON DENOUNCED
BaIlentine denounced the saloon as the
root of evil and thought that Intelligence
and moral suasion Were the forces TO be
employed in suppressing the drink habit
MI Dea w. G. Tyler followed with q short
address on the Central Union Mission
After communion, in which Rev Mr. Ross
Fishburn and Rev b. n. SEYMOUR rofficiated.
the conference al iournad TO the residence of
Mr.. A. p. Eastman, where the members en-
loyed q carefully prepared luncheon, spread
beneath the shady trees. The afternoon
session was opened with devotional services
by Rev, E. A. Johnson Rev s. NJ New
man followed with an eloquent explanation
of Congregatienalisni, Rev J. K Mason
spoke of its adoption in the South Rev.
Adam Reoch told OF its meeting the need in
this locality and Mr. D. NJ Henderson eX-
planned how il could be most effective
The delegates present from the differ
eBt Congregational churches were; Rev.
NJ Ross Fishburn. Mr. Lyman S. Emery,
Mrs F. L. Campbell, and Mrs W. ID.
Quinter, Peoples Church, washington
Rev. S. NJ. Newman, Rev. j H Bradford,
Mr.. S. B. Clifelo. and Miss Sarah Bolden,
First Church, Washington; Rev. Sterling
II. Brown, Mrs. E. Tucker, and Mrs Kate
Jackson, Plymouth Church, Washington;
Rev. j. K. Mason, Mr. W D. Sweetser,
Mr.. Isaiah Brady, and Miss Marian Brady,
Herndon Church, Herndon, Va; Rev. Mr..
Ballentine. Mr. D.. M. Henderson, and
Mr.. c. B. Bates, First Church, Baltimore;
Rev. f. T. Root and Miss Olive NJ. Bogge,
Second Church, Baltimore, and Rev j.
H. Jenkins, Rev. Robert Nourse Mr.. a G.
Rorebeck, and Mr.. H. Brunkerhoff, Falls
Church, Va.