The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-15
THE COLORED BApTISTS.
The Question of Temperance Comes
Up for Discussion.

Salem, Va, May 14.-(Spe ,ial. 1.-The
| Virginia Baptist State convention held
an interesting session this morning, and
was attended by II large number of visit
| oIs us we'll as the regular delegates who
| were present.
Promptly at D O'Clock DR.. H. H. Mitch.
| ell called the convention to order by APP
pointing the Revs. ii. Powell ami w. II.
| Hall to conduct the devotional exercises.
Immediately after the opening DR.. NJ.
McVicar of New York city, was intro
duced and delivered an address on cduca-
ton among the colored people. For many
years DR.. McVicar has had charge of the
educational work of the American Bap.
fist Home Mission Society and is posted
on the work among the colored people.
He has just returned from II visit South,
where he has inspected the work among
the lace.
After his address some wanted to dis
cuss the proposed union university and
the Virginia Seminary, but the president
stated that it was not the time to con-
slider the question. he Rev. Mr.. Kirby,
financial agent of the new university, had
something that he desired to say about
the work, and to change the opinion of
some of the brethren. But the matter
was ruled out Then Mr. Kirby wanted
the temperance question discussed. 1t
was discussed, too.
The committee made strong report
against intemperance in all its phases.
They noted IL marked improvement among
the coiored race, and drunkenness among
the ministry is fast becoming a thing of
the past. They felt that the members of
the church should refrain from the use of
liquor, wine, beer aud the like. and also
thought that the use OF tobacco was IL bad
habit.
DR.. j. Il. Jones endorsed the report of
the committee. DR.. Jones is one of the
instructors of the Richmond Theological
Seminary. and has been twenty une years
in that institution preparing the young
men OF his race to preach.
The report caused some discussion but
the president. who is as cold as the north
pole, admonished the brethren to keep
cool. He wanted the report discussed.
but he wanted them to he calm about it.
"Keep cool, brethren, keep COOL" was
his advice to II dozen or more men who
were claiming the attention of the moder-
ator.
Rev. DR.. G. \. Grandson of Charlottes-
vile, Va, made the speech of the day.
He wanted harmony among the ministers
of Virginia He spoke in high terms of
the white brethren who assisted the negro
IN his struggle for light. Dr. Grandson
related the story of Il school boy drawing
Il picture on his slate, and then had to
write under it, This is horse He
said that it was not so with him, rs ut
slight glance any one could tell that he
was negro, without him having to in.
form them He is of pure jet black, at
least six feet and II half tall, bearing the
true negro type. He ranks with the
scholars of to-day and is an orator of rare
attainments.
Rev. l.. &. Jordan, ID. D., of Louisville.
KY, foreign corresponding secretary of
the Foreign Mission Convention of Amer
lea, was present and during the morning
session was introduced to the convention
and made n short address, in which he ap.
pealed for the support of the work in
Africa.
DR.. McVicar and Miss Alice Moore left
the city this afternoon for their homes
In the afternoon the b. Y. p. L. met
and was presided over by DR.. G. ,Jaycox,
of Norfolk. Miss E. II. Brown, OF Lynch
burg, was elected secretary. Immediately
after the opening exercises committee
Was appointed to consider the application
OF new unions up for admission. This
matter caused some discussion. W. ID.
Wood, a student of the Virginia Semi
nary, wanted to have the union of that
school admitted, but was informed that
the constitution was against him, from
the fact that the union was not in connec-
tion with Baptist Church This brought