The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-19
THE PAGE WAS
MADE CLEAN.
The Cannon-L -Lafferty Con-
troverSy Effaced.
MIR. PETERS SPEECH.
DR.. Tudor, Chairman Of0riginaI Com
mlttee, Supports Action.
TEXT OF FORMER RESOLUTION.
The Proposition Earnestly Opposed by
Ecy. Dr. Lipscomb - Rev. n. q.
Brown Appointed COipertcr OF
the Conierence-Thirty-
en- Thousand TO the iWen-
tietb Century Fund.

PETERSBURG. VA. Nov. 1S.-Special.-
The most interesting incident OF the Meth
odist Conference since IL convened, occur
red to-day when Rev. j. Sidney Peters
offered resolution To the effect
that the record of the conference
in the controversy between Il. II. Ben
net. and James Cannon, Jr., on the one
part and j. j. Laaerty on the other
be exDunged from the conference records.
Mr.. Peters in presenting che resolutions
made a lengthy speech in advocacy oi
4heir adoption. He was followed Dy DR..
fudor. of Richmond. Va. the original
Chairman OF the committee. who also
advocated the adoption OF the resolu-
tions
After much discussion the vote was
taken-Ii8 votes Tor eXDungng the RECORDS
and 81 against
THE CONTROVERSY.
The following is the resolution presented
by Mr. Peters:
Whereas. on the 18th day of November
I'm the year 1898. the following report was
submitted TO the conference,
Your committee appointed 20 investigate
the question between r. RI. Bennett and
James Cannon. Jr. on the one part. ana
J. J. Lanerty on the other. beg leave 10
rough Investigation. we find that DR.. Lat-
ferty in the late unhappy controversy.
had made statements the truth Of which
has not been sustained before US, but We
| desire 70 say:
Flrst-In our opinion Or. Lafferty has
not had the intent to iniure the good name
of the late Rev Dr. w. w. Bennett.
second-In our judgment the unverihed
statements Of Or. Lanerty are due not
10 deliberate and wilful design to misrep-
resents facts. but 10 the prominence. Of
self I'm his mental habits and TO the fact
that the glory Of self Is the medium
through which. without meaning TO injure
others and without conscious dishonesty.
he views the history of his connection
with the Richmond Chri stian Advocate
and the questions that have arisen out OF
IT..
IRRITATING UTTERANCES.
Third-Ne condemn the irritating utter
ances which have marked his conduct OF
the controversy. and for this reason and
bv reason of the utter unprohtableness OF
such personal controversy as we nave mad
conducted in public and its liability 10 en-
gender bitterness and provoke harsh eX-
pressions. the Virginia Conference should
require and does hereby require Of him,
that all such matters Of personal contro-
versv shall hereafter be excluded from
the columns Of its organ IN issues OF H.
regular or extra.
INTEMPERATE.
We desire 10 add that in our judgment,
r. II. Bennett and James Cannon, Jr-
under provocation. have made Incorporate
personal utterances in print which are
omen 10 reproof and we would hereby also
81. e.. sr.H HrsH.f "a moo HHn
sonal matters hereafter into the columns
Of the Methodist Recorder. the organ OF
the Farmville and LynchbIrg district
Finally. we recommend that in the mat
ter Of the inquiry committed TO US. no
further proceedings are necessary
W. Y. Tudor. w. J Young. W. f. TlLlitt'
l.. b. Betty T. Mon. Simpson, R1h'ud
Ferguson. w w. Lear. J. Carson Wat
son and J. VI. Burton
I'm which form the said report. on the
same day and year last mentioned was
adOptcd by the Conference and became
the act and Judgment Of that body. and as
such now remains upon the record there
or
Now. therefore. resolved. that the said
report and the record OF the adoption
thereof be eXpunged from The record and
that the secretary be and he IS hereby
directed 10 execute this resolve.
J. SIDNEY PETERS,
T. y. POTTS.
MIR. PETERS SPEECH
The speech Of Mr. Peters upon the
adopt'on OF the foregoing resolutions was
perhaps one Of the most pleasing sur
prses of the Conference during its ses-
sion Full Of logic and ,1mmon sense,
and breathing in every sentence the spin
Il Of brothery love, he captured and held
the vast assembly I'm attendance TO the
last syllable. His brethren have been
shOwering congratulations on him at ev-
cry turn.
Mr.. Peters was followed by Or. Tudor.
os Richmond. who said he was on the
floor OF the Conference 10 recommend that
the records In the Cannon Bennett-Laf-
feYtv case. I'm 1895 be expunged from the
Conference records lie then went on 10
tell of Rev Mr. Peters calling at his
rTud0r's) Office and saving that he de-
sired 10 converse with him (Tudor) about
, matter of deep concern 20 himself, and
he supposed Of deep concern to him Cthe
speaker). Mr. Peters asked how would
fl do to propose on the floor ot the Con-
terence 10 expunge the action OF the Con-
ference i'm the Cannon-Bennett-Laff
ease
A COINCIDENCE.
He fTudor) said to Mr.. Peters. II Is
remarkable cOlncident that the same
thought had come to him, as OF by in
snlra,ion. or as if he may hoped It so to
have been. Or. Tudor said Mr.. Peters
asked him II he would support such
motion. and DR.. Tudor tod him that he
would let him know later. DR.. Tudor
said tears came 10 his eyes and 10 the
ewes. OF Mr.. Peters. Or. Tudor said he
referred the whole subject 70 Providence.
and that he had scarcely seen Brother
Peters since. DIR. Tudor declared that
when Mr.. Peters approached him on last
Friday and gave him the substance Of the
resolution offered tto-day. he told him
that he would support IT.
A REMARKABLE PROPOSITION
DIR. Tudor was followed by Rev. Or.
Iipscomb, who said that DIR. Tudor had
made a most feeling speech. which did
credit TO his heart. II not TO his judgment.
These resolutions. said DR.. Lipscomb. was
the most remarkable proposition he had
ever heard on the floor OF the Conference
In seventy three years. The Brother. no