Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-08
WITH THE PREACHERS.
Movement to Secure a Better
Observance of the Sabbath.
The Hawking OF News Papers and tho Sale
ofArticles Other than Medicines on tho
Sabbath Condemned Strong Rcsolu-
lions Adopted and Committees Ap-
pointed.

various Protestant denominations at
Epworth Methodist Church at IL
o'clock m, yesterday, was largely at
tended by ministers from this ci,v
Portsmouth and Berkeley.
On motion of Rev. DR.. II. e. johnson.
OF Cumberland Street NJ. L. Church
Kew. b. d. Tucker D. D., of St. Paurs
+. E. Church was made permanent
chairman and Rev. Daniel T. Merritt
of the Huntersville NJ L. Church was
elected permanent secretary.
The chairman stated that the Confer
ence mad been called TO consider the
question OF better observance of the
SabDath and asked DR.. Johnson TO
bring the subject in some specific form
before the meeting for it's action. The
Doctor said the crying of newspapers
on the streets of Norfolk, in front of
.he doors OF the churches on Sunday
naa greatly increased. continuing
throughout the entire day and even in
to the night. and that it was an evil
that led up to other evils and ought to
De stopped. 1t had already been sup
pressed in Richmond and Baltimore
and he thought that Norfolk ought to
place herself on record in a movement
to suppress the practice here DR..
O.
solution, which was unanimously
adopted:
resolved. That committee composed
oil one representative from each denom-
ination be appointed to wait on the
Mayor and the City Councils, and re-
quest them to stop the practice of cry
ing newspapers for sale on the streets
or Norfolk on the Lords Day."
The following committee was an
pointed: Episcopal Church-Rev. DR..
b. D. Tucker. Methodist-Rev. DR.. II
=. johnson. Presbyteriau-Rev. c. w.
maxwell Christian-Rev. DR.. ]. p.
barrett. Lutheran-Rev. ]. e. Shenk.
Dlsciples-Rev. Ben C. Herr.
The subject Of Sabbath desecra tion
was generally discussed. the majority
OF the speakers taking the ground that
the CRYING OF newspapers on the streets
on sunday by boys was but a small
FACTOR in Sunday violations.
Or. Grammer, OF Christ p. E. Church
while condemning the hawking of news
papers on the streets on the Sabbath.
sald the growing example of the drug
stores keeping open on the Lords Day
ana selling many other articles than
medicine should be looked into. He
SAID that clerks are kept in there stores
all DAY Sunday. and deprived of the
privilege OF attending divine services
lie knew of one young man who barely
on the sabbath, and he thought that
the work of this committee should NOT
cease with the simple stopping of the
hawking of newspapers, but other VIOLA
tions OF the day should be looked after
ana as far as possible stopped. Pending
thls discussion a motion TO appoint a
committee of prominent laymen from
me several churches to Cooperate with
the ministers was adopted and the fol-
lowing gentlemen were named.
episcopal Church-Capt. w w. Old
Methodist-W w. Vicar. Baptist-Jas.
u: winston. Presbyterian-R. S. Cohn
Ghrlstian-A. NJ. Elery. Lutheran-D.
+. Paul. Disciples-Dr. r. H. Walker.
Rev. Geo. W. Lawson spoke in
strong terms against the growth of
Sunday violations In Norfolk and its
suburban settlements, in the matter OF
the selling of liquor. and the open gro
Gerry stores carrying on a regular
business the same as on any week day
he referred to a brass band being ut tho
CITY Park on Sunday last year. and tho
turning OF it into a regular beer gar
oen. lie said 1t was a crying shame
and he was willing to go before anv
court and testify TO these constant in.
fractions of the sacred rights of the
Sabbath.
suggestion that the ministers pre-
sent from Portsmouth be organized into
committee for similar work in that
city, was on motion left with them to
call meeting for that purpose.
Rev. DR.. Mack OF the First Presbv-
terrain church said that the work ought
not to stop with the suppression of the
selling of newspapers on the streets on
Sunday, but the committee ought 10
be empowered to bring in n report of
the actual number of violations OF the
statute laws in regard to Sunday OBJ
servance. He said, that as the work had
been begun. it should not stop until an
end had been put to all these viola
lions.
DR.. Grammer endorsed the views of
DR.. Mack.
DR.. Mack offered the following. which
was adopted:
Resolved, That the committee already
appointed from the various denomna-
tons is hereby instructed to prepare
list as far as may be possible of the
forms of Sabbath dissertation, which
are in open violation OF our State laws
and report to this body at a meeting
TO be held two weeks from to-day.
After the adjournment OF the general
meeting. the special committee met and
elected DR.. Tucker as its chairman and
proceeded to map out a plan OF its
work.
METHODIST MINISTER'S CONFER.
ENCE.
Rev. r. NJ. Chandler president. call
ed the Methodist preachers meeting to
order yesterday and prayer was made
by Rev. John A. Jefferson. a local Me-
tnodist preacher of Petersburg.
The call of the churches was taken
up and the following responded:
Rev. S. c. Hatcher had fine congre--
cation at Queen Street Church Sunday
morning and a fair audience at night.
He received one on profession of faith.
At McKendree Rev. w. r. Proctor
had fine congregations and a large