The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-10
union OF MINISTERS
is SHAKEN UP

Is SHAKEN UP
Continued from First Page.)
divided upon the question which caused
80 much discussion yesterday
HOW 1T LOOKS.
It will be seen from these opinions and
others that might be given that the life
Of the union hangs by thread. as 1t
were. The members may wheel around
and pull together again. but at this time
they are badly divided. It appears more
than likely that as DR.. Derieux says.
several Of the prominent Presbyterians
will withdraw. and that one or two OF
the remaining Episcopal ministers will
do the same OF course nothing can be
positively stated. 1t can only be shown
how the situation looks at he prese.,
time. The next meeting will indicate
what will follow as a result Of tho hap
penings Of yesterday.
The Session of the Union.
The discussion in the Ministerial Union
yesterday consumed tho entire session
Of the body. For nearly three hours
the debate kept up fun force and the
regular business was dispensed with.
The reading OF the paper by DR.. C.
S. Gardner. OF the Grace-Street Baptist
Church, which had been set FOR this
meeting. was. at the request OF DR..
Gardner himself, postponed
The first signs Of the oncoming strife
developed in connection with the read
ing OF the minutes Of the preceding
session. The secretary had njudl-
oil oylra al
meeting Bishop CRANBERRY read an in
teresting paper. One Of the members
objected to the word interesung-not
because 1t did not state a fact, but be-
cause tho rules of the union provided
that there be no comment whatsoever
upon the papers read. The Rev. W. A.
Cooper said no wished to make these
rules appear in their true. ridiculous
light and that. therefore. he seconded
the motion to expunge the Objectionable
remark The secretary drew heavy
black line through the word and there
with ended the Incident.
NOTION TO RECONSIDER.
After some scattering business OF min
or Importance, the expected motion to
reconsider the Kerr resolution came. as
anticipated. from the Methodist ranks.
It was made by the Rev. r.. M. Max
ey, pastor OF Asbury and was seconded
dolph- Street Baptist Church.
Immediately the Rev. Dr.sJ. B. Haw-
thorne, OF Grove-Avenue, arose to speak
In opening his address, DR.. Hawthorne
said the press Of the city had seen At
to make certain painful and gloomy
prophesles concerning the possibility
that the union would disband These
prophesies, he hoped. would not be full
filled. He had great confidence in his
hy>afhran ha he1{ %ha1y
estly disagree and yet love ench other
and stick together. The idea of dis
banding was absurd. It would have a
depressing effect upon the community
should the conference make such a spec-
tacle Of itself.
1T anybody is going to secede" he
said. finally, II wish to say right here
that I shall not be that one
Then DR.. Hawthorne went on to sup
The position taken by the Union under
the Kerr resolution. he said. placed the
body In an unenviable attitude toward
the community, There should he some
thing beyond the mere devotional fca-
ture.
the Lords work." he asked. III the
wicked peonle and the organiged knavery
OF Richmond should be given reason to
believe that this Is all. there would
be such n shout In their camps AS would
| make the we]kin ring. This ministerial
| Conference has been the greatest menace
| In Richmond to evil-doers, What has
been done here In matters OF reform
has been traced to a large degree ia
| the conference, Our discussions have
moved the community and have gener.
| ated sentiment for reform do not
undervalue devotion and prayer. esteem
them highly. We can't live without
them. But beyond this there is much
| for us to do
Proceeding. Or. Hawthorne went on tc
| discuss the question on Its merits
whether or not ministers Of the gospe
should take cognizence Of moral issue.
involved In political movements. ant
so on. Or. G. s. Gardner raised point
OF order, and said the speaker was
not debating The question under consid
| Grafton. Or. hawthorne appealed to Or
II. s. Dunaway, an old and experienced
| parllamentarian, and he WAS sustained
Under the motion for reconsderatio,
| he could discuss tho question on III
| merits, A motion seconded by DR., Ker
was also made and carried that the tim
| he extended SO that the matter recog
nized by all as an important one, whicl
had to be settled then and there. coul,
be disposed Of,
Meanwhile DR., John Harmon. who neye
fails Mt q crucial moment, arose to stat
i that no had to leave. and that he wante
to vote. at that instant, against recons'd
4 Grafton He expressed great adm'rstio