The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-14

agreeable crept out except upon ono 90
cnslon. when one member made q rather
! fierce. attack Upon the iiewspa pers OF
Richmond. F & 8ls Il az i{ tNt
I'm T1In PAPER.
The cause for tho discussion was IN
directly the paper read BY Or. G. 8. Card
ner OF Grace Street Baptist Church, or,
'"Tho Ancient Prophet and the Modern
Preacher" In the course Of his paper
Dr. Gardner took occasion to express
himself upon the much vexed question OF
the relation Of the preacher to po 'n III.
|i"Our business, . he snid, is to build the
spiritual Kingdom, not to limit the In
nuence OF our puIplts nor to obstruct our
access to hearts and consciousness OF
men by complicnting ourselves IN pollu-
| cal wrnngles or assuming tho role OF cen :
sor of public officials. There Is q paper
famous for that kind OF activity IN tho
hastings md the secular press; T Th p go
| ple resent tho political activity OF the
Drenorer ana the public officials despise
his censorship. 80
an his role rs minister Of the gospel
II il best for the preacher to stand aloof
from political agitations and proclaim Tue
message Of the kingdom In all Its ful-
ness. In doing so he will never turn Ills
pulpit into political stump; but his m
terest in current affairs and burning Is
sues will be intense, and his services VIII
hnyo pungency, vitality and applicable
ity to the men and movements OF ms own
stay. His pulpit will have upon 1t tho
lights and shadows OF the present time.
His preaching will not be dull drawing
OF inapplicable truths: nor will 1t be In
fuenced with the fiery passions Of the
hastings; 1t will be temperate, sane,
breathing sympathy with the men who
came out Of the practical work Of polls
tics and business to hear tho word of
God, and furnishing just tho clear views
and fundamental truths needed by their
and bewildered consciences
and the proper spiritual tonic for their
.dovitallzed SOULS" u
LIVELY DISCUSSION.
This and much more DR.. Gardner said
straight to the point about certain needs
OF tho church to-day. As soon as he took
his seat DR.. Cecil arose and expressed
high appreciation Of the excellent paper.
With the general tone Of 1t he agreed
most heartily, but. Of course, there were
points here and there with which he was
not in accord. At this point, however,
DR.. Cecil was stopped by DR.. Derieux.
who raised the point that he was out Of
order.
which may DO thus summarized.
Upon the one hand 1t WIS held
that tho union wished to exclude and
have referred to the Business Committee
only matters of business, and that the
discussion Of paper affording opportu-
nifty for nm Interchange of Ideas which
would be Of lasting value to the minis
tiers, would be perfectly legitimate There
would. of course, BIO no vote Of approval
of the paper.
Upon tho other hand 1t was contended
! t,~t IL H., 4 TI~f<>
caused by tho discussion by DR.. Hawthorne
of a paper read by DR.. Kerr, and that the
union in its recent resolution had spe-
clno reference to this case and wished
to exclude any such discussions In the
future. Several ministers who really
wanted the discussion agreed that this
was correct, Upon the parliamentary
question they voted against the discus
sion, although as n matter OF opinion
they wanted to have It. It was fur
Their held that by means OF n paper any
minister could dodge the Business Com
mittee. and bring in. under the guise OF
the paper, the very thing It was desired
to exclude.
CHAIR NOT SUSTAINED.
Tho decision OF the Chair was to the
effect that tho discussion was out OF
order. Rev. NJ. Ashby Jones appealed
from tho ruling. BY vote Of IL to ~ the
,A<tlulT WIS IOt euStdlHcu, EIn0 nOur was
late and no discussion followed, but the
thing was done.
a vote Of thanks was then extended
to Or. Gnrdner with one dissenting vote
The Rev. P. Price. who incidentally
jumped on tho newspapers, thought a
vote Of thanks carried with 1t an express
sion OF approval, and that It should not
therefore be formally tendcrcd
OTHER BUSINESS.
Quite number Of others matters were
before tho union, but the one above re-
ferrcd to was that Of chiefest interest.
There developed long technical discus
sion over the Business Committee, which
bid fair to extend through the day. untIl
ono member called for tho order OF tho
day, declaring In an undertone that he
didn't want to be talked to death. The
committee. by tho way reported. mega
lively the proposition to request news
papers to print church notices free OF
charge, E#ra