The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-02-19
PREACHERS COMBINE.
AND THOROUGH ORGAN
IZATION,


anized themselves into union
urpose OF getting the negroes
Carolina compactly organized
)ming fight on the constitu-
lvention matter. The organ
to be one which will doubt
nearer getting all the ne
ing in the same direction
other organization into
~ have been collected. The
now to be utilized for the in
of the voters in what they
told will be fight for their
p. The State convention
may be termed gathering
cal preachers" insofar as pol
into the fight against the
The idea in forming an
was to have "heads"
,ovemeuts in the gener-
uld at once notify each
n turn would instruct
ach backwoods church
to for aud how to act.
lade it o prominent
teatur, of the convention that they
were ater no offices or anything OF
made By several old line negro Repub-
licans II whose minds the memory Of
the effect of the purchasing power of
"boodle' in controlling the "Organi-
cation" tuck, the contention being
against Ia organization OF any kind.
But thest were promptly voted down.
There wa a unmerciful waste OF gas
and the sessions lasted all day and in
to the night in consequences.
The contention was held in the Cav
airy Baptist church and notwithstand-
ing the deep snow and the bitter cold
weather something over 80 delegates
In of most
of the counties of the State. Many let
ters were read from negro ministers in
all sections of the State, expressing
regret at their inability to attend, at
the same time stating that each was in
hearty sympathy and accord with the
objects of the convention as set forth
in the call.
The convention was called to order
by the Rev. e. H. Wilson and the pro.
ceedings were opened with the singing
of tho hymn, "A Charge. to Keep !!
Have" It was lined out In "bloekss.of
two lines and thelRev. j. c. Daniels led
Rev. j. b. Middleton, of Camden,
led in prayer. He, said they were as
sembled now as citizens of the State
He prayed for God'sEb blessing on their
work. During the. Sfervent prayer
there were some vigorous "Amens"
and ooh Code" They needed
ssht the LSea Sele tnts naw vsrS TBev m9%ss WsSsi
to do what would please the Lord.
They loved their State. II was their
native place. Oh, God oh, Christ,
oh, Holy Ghost !; Great God Of Heaven
hear us today and help us. He con-
! cluded with the Lords prayer. The
Rev. Middleton wore gold eyeglasses
and silk skull cap and looked, save
for his dark skin, not unlike LIZ Hung
Chang.
The convention then listened to the
reading of lesson from the Bible-1
the 9lst Psalm, by the Rev. j. G.
Rome, OF Charleston. "a
Rev. H. M. Raifford was ele,1aua
temporary chairman. Raifford " %e 1e
black negro as one could find ,nilan n
wore clean, white standing
and white four-in-hand tie. ;t ava
Raifford went up into the 4bp,v 4bpn ,anat amt
addressed the convention &v;tv yto ilo thst
dignified manner, with fGttie fGtley n,rsO rn"O
was remarkable and not Siesie Sisr oratorv .slh us
ing. He spoke OF the PEI" Of s nthers
and homemade eloquee " ssaw 0 nn
it. He hoped that thtGi f. were :. moni none
such present today. (ties, & amen mon
mo an ESSAY urging eIybody else not
s1t TO 40 on ~8" 3 @iva ,aS was ssbf advice-polit-
ic@. They t2nere ero oonau nau oy no no an man
AMI thehust now rise above all
" He therent on to give advice. n
e. minister'hty was to give waring Of
~ anv wronr danger or anything that |
sR might ,beA Areatened calculated to in
= iure the bple. Just laws should bo |
enacted the people. You minis
ters ha{he people; you have their
conf le,6you can control them. You |
are the ter of advertisement among
=. them. liberate much, plan well and |
T nd cooperate with that |
w :. for the bsst interests of every |
oYS =. He defended the ministers '
ate the charge that they were
mf4A $gion and politics. 1t is
time that good men, willing to work !
for the 9eople, should come to tho
front for III the people. If the Offices
coulG be, secured as things were he
would rehse them.
Rev. George w. Rowe, of Charleston,
was mada temporary secretary.
Rev: v. ID. Chappelle asked that
committees on address and resolution,
on constitution and one on education
be appointed. He suggested that one
pose the cbmmittee on address.
The Rev. Elder: "Mr. Cheer, AK
dat committee on grievances Is ap-
pointed too" Uaughter.)
The convention then proceeded to
make up the roll OF delegates.
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the convention reassembled
the committe on organization mado
It's report as follows:
We, your committee above named,
beg leave TO submit our report.
"Offlcers-C Chairman, T.. G.. Brown;
secretary, w. p. Jones.
1--WE recommend that there be an
executive committee consisting three
: ministers from each congressional dis
trict and that nine of said committee
constitute quorum"
There was then much discussion as
to the political feature of such an or
ganization and the idea seemed to be
general that the establishing of such
an organization was carrying politics
Into religious circles. The discussion
was fast and furious and 1t Was easily
seen that there was much opposition
by few to such an organization. A
motion was then carried that the re-
port be laid on the table temporarily.
For d half hour there was the worst
kind OF a tangle which was brought
clear by Prof. Wilson making the
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