The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-13

should be elected by the people, together
with five county and city superintendent
to be elected by the Legslature-one
from each of the five grand divisions Of
The State.
The resolution to abolish the commit
tee. If the whole was. on motion Of MIR.
NTithers. allowed to be passed by. Mr.
Vithers said SO many members were ab-
sent he preferred to have it considered
at another time, and he would leave II
to the opponents OF the resolution to name
the time On motion Of Mr.. Brown, the
resolution was made the special order ,or
"Wednesday at Il o'clock.
The convention then went into commit
tee of the whole.
Mr.. r. Walton Moore announced that it
had been agreed that the vote on the
reconsideration of the quadrennial session
section should be taken next Thursday
at IL O'Clock.
MIR. STEBBINS SPEAKS.
The consideration of section y, relat-
ing to the Incorporation of churches,
coming up. Nir. Stebbins spoke in OPP
position TO the amendment proposed bE
Judge Robertson, that the Legislature
ters, the amount of property TO De helu
limited TO a. certain sum.
Mr.. Ste',bins said he had hoped when
the amendment was defeated in the COM
nittee he had hoped that it would be
allowed to sleep the sleep of the just and
not he resurrected in the convention to
provoke d long and tedious debate.
He said there was not a single Official
communication from any church. not a
single memorial from any organized re-
lig.ous body asking that the section OF
the Constitution prohibiting the incor-
poration of churches be striken out.
he named the official organizations OF
ali the denominations and said II they
had desired this change they would have
passed resolutions to that effect at th-lr
general annual sessions. There WIS an
entire absence of any such demand IRON
any of these great religious organlza-
tions.
They all knew this convention would be
in session and in none Of their annual
meetings was this question even mention
ed. Since this matter has been up in the
convention there have been district meet
ings or conferences Of all these churches
in some form or other, and not q single
official utterance on the subject has been
heard
MIR. GLASS GETS IN IT.
Mr.. Glass: You are certainly ignorant
of what passes. 7 know that the Meth
odist church, of which I am member
has. in several district conferences, asked
that relief be given
MIR Stebbinus: "Well, I. will WITHDRAW
my reference to district conferences
He then said that the committee had
only heard from individuals, asking for
the relief sought by the amendment.
The committee had this matter up and
voted ii down every time.
Judge Robertson: ''You are mistaken.
The committee voted in favor of the
amendment by large majority twice ana
it was rejected the last time by q close
vote
Nh. stebbins: 'I did not so understand
it,
Chairman Moore: .sAIr. Stebbins was
hot a member of the committee and has
possibly been misinforned.''
Judge Quarles: Judge Robertson is
correct in his statement.
Mr.. Stcbbins: Then I stand correct
ed
Continuing. the speaker said he rcjoiced
in the fact that religious denominations
had been drawn together in closer bonds
of Christian brotherhood and attributed
this to the present condition of the law
If the amendment is adopted there will
be aroused great rivalries and frictions
between them.
The Christian Advocate. the organ of
the Methodist Church. and the Central
Presbyterian, the organ of the Presbyte-
rian Church, are outspoken against the
amendment
he referred to the peculiar. organiza-
ton of some Of the denominations as be-
ing pure Gemocraces and as such they
could not avail themselves of incorpora-
ton laws. while other denominations could
take advantage of these laws.
Mr.. Thorn: ITO what church do you
bclongo''
Mir. stebbins: ITO the Presbyterian
Church..
Mr.. Thorn here stated that Rev. DR..
Kerr. an eminent minister of the Presby-
terrain Church in Richmond, was strongly
urging tn" adoption of the amendment.
OTHER CONVENTIONS
Mr. Sieobins then gave history Of
the Episcopal Church III colonial DAYS
and recounted the various acts of discs
Enlistment, abolishing the holding Of
GLIDE lands. etc. He also took up the
record of the conventions OF 1929 and OF
1881 and quoted extensively from the
speech Of d.. Plummer in the Legislature
of 1876. This portion of his address was
along the lines fully reported in DR.. Dun
away's address yesterday. In the midst
of this recital there was a triangular col
.oQuy between Messrs. Glass, Meredith
and Dunaway. In this. colloauy MIR
Glass stated that he did not believe the
adoption of the amendment would send
anybody to the devil nor that its defeat
WOulU Keep AIN tOuS gong there
he were headed that way.
Mr.. Stebbins, proceeding. said under 4
corporation the administration of the az
fairs would devolve upon secular. pres
ident and board OF directors. The heroes
CT tho cross Were supported by voluntary
contributions. more pure in doctrine and
Jealous in all good works. After certain
time bestowed wealth upon them the
Whole body of the church became demor-
allied and secularized, until after the
dark ages the reformation restored in 4
measure the primitive party. But it took
revolutions to do it, headed by such men
as Luther, Malanthan. kroX and other
great ecclesiastical heroes.
Has the mighty agency poured out ut
Pentcost which transferred plain fisher
men IN men Of mighty logic, spent Its
ttave the words OF Christ, 'Lo. am
with you, even to the end OF the world, :.
lost their influence in this eGe?
He then said the commercialism Of the
age was permeating the religious as we'll
as the political organizations. II the
was adopted the effect would
be in,perceptible for some time, but in the
course Of time q rivalry as to who could
secure the greatest amount .of wealth
would spring out among the churches and
destroy their spiritual y as well as their
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