Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-01
ROUSED AGAINST THE RACES
Pastors Rally a Big Crowd at the
Opera House.
BOOK GAMFS.N ROASTED
Strong Commit : on Legislation Was APP
S,ointed.
GEN. RHODE 81 The MOURNER's BENCH
The Legisl Sc Will Be Urged to Pass Law
Prohibiting All Forms of Gambling
in Alabama-Narrow Escape for
Legislative Candidates..
BOOK GAMFs.NG ROASTED
GEN. RHODE 9l The MouRNERs BENCH

That assembly last evening of Bir-
mingham men and women at O'Bren's
opera house to take public action against
horse racing with the pool selling attach
ment would do honor to any cause.
Twelve hundred people at least, the
sexes being nearly equal in number, raj
lied at the call of the Pastors association
of the city and for nearly three hours re-
manned to hear speeches and to deliber-
ate over what was the best thing to be
done to promote the purpose of the meet
Ing. There was an entire absence of
fanaticism or frenzy of any kind such
as at times mar movements to promul-
gate moral reformation. Everything
was done in good order and good tenn
per, yet with a most unmistakable ear
nestness and enthusiasm that must have
been deeply gratifying to every one pres
ent and interested.
The opera house was filed early and
the spacious stage, with its group of
preachers, their sombre clerical garb and
devout countenances, presented a very
impressive spectacle, to which peculiar
interest was lent by the presence of
Mayor Vanf1oose, Gen. Rufus N Rhodes
and other lay members and candidates
for the mourners bench.
On the stage sat the following gentle-
men:
Judge James B. Head associate justice
of the spreme court of Alabama; Mayor
James A. VanHoose, Gen. Rufus N.
Rhodes, editor of the News; DR.. J. II.
Phillips, superintendent of the Birming-
ham public schools; Rev. DIR. G.. @. Kel-
ley, pastor of the First Methodist church;
Rev Father p. A. O'Reilly of st. Paul's
Catholic church; Rev. DR.. Thomas Arm
strong, Rev. d. b. Gray. Rev. DIR.
Thomas j. Beard of the Church of the
Advent, Rev. o. p. Fitzsimons of st.
Mary's, Rev. Dr. P. T. Hale of the South
side Baptist church, Rev. L. 8. Handley
of the Central Presbyterian church. Rev.
@. w. Reid, Rev. DR.. A. B. Curry, Rev.
DR.: John Barbour, Rev. w. o. Wagner,
Rev. G. s. Simmons, Rev. e. M. Glennl
Dr.. e. H. Sholl. Messrs. A. c. Moore, b.
Steiner, James Bowron, r. p. Wetmore,
ID. K. Campbell, M. L. Porter and B. b.
Conner.
The meeting was called to order by
Rev. DR.. John Barbour Of the South
Highland Presbyterian church, president
of the Pastors association. He sugRest-
ed that the audience would better first
sing hymn and be led in prayer. He
accordingly lined out or recited the words
or Il can hear my Savior calling" The
reverend gentleman raised the tune with
good voice, and while. as they would
say last week out at the fair grounds.
there was little delay at the post, when
they did start 1t was very spirited per-
formance and came into the stretch with
great animation, the mellow-voiced gen.
tleman from the Southside still leading.
The vocal music and the beaming faces
put everybody In state of pleased ex-
pectancy and soon spirit of deep ear
nestness was invoked by very eloquent
prayer, which, at the request of Dr. Bar
bour, was offered by Rev. Dr. Kelley.
DIR. Kelley's prayer recited that those
present had come covered with shame
and confusion for evil that had not been
ahhOrrpd. he nraVnd that C.n6fc hplu
spirit might not be taken away, but that
their iniquities be removed confessed
they had given themselves to what had
undermined the foundations of righteous
ness: that our city has been shared and
taken captive, and we now acknowledged
our transgressions with spirit of re-
pentance. He prayed earnestly for the
city and county authorities to hold honor
above everything, and that our communi-
ty might be like city set upon hill
not only for It's mineral wealth, but for
the uprightness of its manhood.
Rev. DR.. Barbour at the conclusion OF
the prayer announced that 1t was not
the purpose of those who called the
meeting to make war upon any men or
set of men, but to speak the words Of
truth and Righteousness In regard to q
great evil which was to be confronted,
an evil of which there had been a most
vivid expression during the races just
closed. I'VE are not here" said the
speaker, Ito forbid any amusement, but
as men looking into the faces of men to
appeal to give US a better state of things.
Applause.) Who doesn't love a horse?
Why the grandest description of horse
to be found is in the Bible. We don't OBJ
teot to fast horses; but we. want no fast
men. and least of all no fast women.
Applause.) We have no desire to go
into politics. except insofar as it can't be
kept out daughter and applause.) We
do want candidates for office TO take due
cognizapce of the situation. We simply
want 10 get back where we were few
weeks ago. Sam Jones used TO speak
against running meeting backwards.
Don't let's run our town backwards. In
our opinion Birmingham does not need
races and gambling TO make a success
cloud applause) When we proceed
hope there will be a kind word for the
mourner and backslder daughter and
applause, in which General Rhodes
joined.)
DIR. Barbour then announced that the
Pastors association had chosen as their
chairman for the meeting Judge Head,
one of the most distinguished citizens OF
the state and one OF the worthiest of the
city. That gentleman came to the front
and said:
Ladies and Gentlemen. You are all
aware that you have been requested to
assemble here to take concerted notice
OF particular evil which has come into
the social fabric Of this community. and
that 1t has prevailed to that extent that
all good men are attracted to II, so that
the public cannot rest content with
out doing something to amellorate the
threatening condition AS has been in
dicated. there is no purpose here to de-
nounce any one This meeting Is not ac-
tuated by a spirit to control the individ-
ual conduct of men. We are here to ex-
ercise the right of remonstrance, TO ap-
peal TO the sentiment of the people. to
nee fhe right nf petitfOn to redress what
we believe is an injury to the commu.
vity."
Judge Head and his remarks were
greeted with applause. Then Mr Rich