Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-29
DIR. Starr Condemns BiI-Board Pic.


fures.
Rev. DR.. W. G.. Starr, pastor Of Broad.
Street Methodist Episcopal church.
preached on Sunday night the first of q
series Of sermons Ito the people," and
during the course Of his remarks severely
arraigned the people who spread on bill
boards throughout the city pictures which
no said, are calculated TO iniure the
moralseof the young men and young wo-
men or Richmond. He was particularly
severe in his denunciation of these pic
lures, and also criticised with great Sc
verify the stage and beer gardens and
gambling houses.
The church was crowded and the ser
mon was listened to atten.ively. The
subject Of the discourse was: IF Christ
Should Walk Through the Streets of
Richmond" and the text was taken from
Luke xix, 4-"And when He came near
lie beheld the city. and wept over it,"
Or. Starr explained that Jesus wept be-
cause Of the conditions that existed in
the city Of Jerusalem. The preacher then
spoke OF the powerful influence Of a large
city, especially upon the country adjacent
10 H. and, citing the fact that Paris die
tateS fashion for the world. told how
some Of the largest municipalities had
made laws for the government of the
world.
Dr. starr declared with great emphasis
mat city is just what its people make
II, and then discussed the evils which exist
IN our midst. He spoke Of the people
who have money and who use It for the
promotion of beer gardens and gambling
places, and bemoaning the depraved ideas
which led them 10 thus invest their
means, spoke Of the great good that might
be accomplished by these same people If
their money was invested in other ways.
The dance halls and the scantily-at-
ured danseuses came in for criticism. DR..
starr placed them on the same plane with
the prize ring and its pugilists, and con-
uemhed the whole as impure and calcu-
lated to ruin the morals Of the country.
The pictures which daily appear on the
blil boards Of the city exposed to the
gaze Of every child or young maiden who
walked the streets, the minister declared
were among the greatest evils of the
hour. He cited the State law bearing Oh
the subject and declared that IT was be-
ing openly violated here every day.
The Methodist Elect Officers.
The Methodist Ministers Conference at
Centenary church yesterday morning was
more than usually interesting, because
OF the fact that the pastors discussed
among themselves the work done by the
general conference, at Portsmouth. and
TO some extent mapped out the work to
be done this year. The first order of
business was the election Of conference
officers. Rev. w. G. Starr, d. D.. was
reelected president. and Rev. J. Sydney
Peters was chosen secretary. Provision
was made for preaching one Sunday in
each month at the Home for the Incura-
bles, and it was also suggested that the
should unite in having q "hos-
pital Sunday" once each month. Action
will be taken on the matter two weeks
hence.
The meeting yesterday was largely at
tended, and among the visitors were Rev
w. A. S. Conrad and Rev. f.. II. Rowe,
Of Bowling Green Female Seminary.
Rev. Mr.. Gayle to Juniors.
Rev. r.. Finley Gayle, Of Laurel-Street
Methodist church, preached Sunday
morning a special sermon TO Aurora
Council, Junior order Of United American
Mechanics. The council attended in a
body, and the general congregation was
also large. Mr.. Gayle preached a very
thoughtful and earnest sermon, suggested
by 2Oth verse OF the cxlvii. Psalm.
Rev. W. A. S. Conrad, formerly a mem
Der of this church. preached at the eve
ming hour.
He alluded during the discourse to
some OF the older people in the church
Who had taught him when youth among
hem, with great tenderness and many ex-
1ressions OF appreciation and love.
Universal Temperance Sunday.
A mass-meeting OF the temperance peo-
pic OF the city was held at Leigh-Street
BAPTIST church Sunday afternoon, with
'erv interesting exercises The music was