The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-06-29
NEGROES ADVISED
 BY JUDGE FEAGIN He Breaches the Gospel of
 Honest Foil VIRTUE OF CLEANLINESS Alabama Methodist Episcopal Confer ence Is In Session In This City.
 Was Welcomed By the
 Police Judge.
VIRTUE OF CLEANLINESS

Judge N. B. Feagin of the police court of Birmingham addressed the Alabama African Methodist Episcopal conference yesterday afternoon at the A. M. E. church at Fourteenth street and Third avenue
 This conference will be in session for several days and is being attended by large number of leading negroes of the state.
 judge Feagin was listened to with great attention and all seemed to appreciate the kindly and wholesome advice given them The judge spoke in part os follows:
 Tt is quite pleasure to me to welcome in behalf of this city this body of dele gates. Birmingham is rapidly becoming a convention city. Here many organiza- tions engaged in promoting variety of interests delight to meet. Birmingham is ever ready to extend a hearty welcome to each and to all, and epsecially to those that meet to discuss and devise the best methods of promoting the vel fare of society.
 Every convention that assemblies in Birmingham brings with it the best types of it's class or order-its leading factors, so to speak. Such personnel always leaves helpful influence amongst those with whom it comes in touch.
 There is here. as in all growing cosmo- politan cities, great want of a higher moral tone in our social life among the whites as well as among the negroes. Your presence, your observations, your discussions and your plans and methods of dealing with existing conditions should result in great good to this community. Your interchange of views should strengthen you for the noble work of striving to better your race wherever you go.
 This is an era of better methods in ev- cry phase of life-in education in religion, in social order. The spirit of betterment is abroad in the land. What you leaders among your race should teach your peo- pie is habits of industry and obedience to law. The divine truth that by the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread should be written upon the hearts of your people. The observation of these divine teachings will speed their progress with accelerated momentum
 "It is not social equality you need or should strive for but moral equality. It is industrious habits and high moral char acter that make individuals standards of mind and a people prosperous and hap by. These are the gifts of no man or race of men. They can be acquired by ev- cry man and every race of men. They are within your reach. You leaders in the church should set your people splendid personal examples of moral rectitude, ever hold up high ideals and ever urge your people to their attainment.
 "The training of the hand involves the stimulus to brain growth. The whole art of crime lies in the erdeavor to avoid the i, necessity of labor. This lack of vigor-un- willingness to work in the criminal, is brought on by continued idleness which begets incapaeity for physical toll.
 "The man who can produce something outside the realm of art and letters Is the backbone of our civilization. The art of agriculture is the oldest, the most stable and healthful physically, intellec- tually and morally known to humanity. It puts man into immediate contact with
 
 in our great cities, as a rule. were born and bred upon the farm-got the impetus for fine physical manhood from the fields Cincinnatus was called from the plowhandles to rule Rome, George Step- henson, who gave to the world the loco- motive, returned in his declining years to devote his time and lis energies to agri- cultural and horticultural pursuits and America's great editor, Horace Greedy, was never happier in his old age than when out upon his farm devoting his talents to growing and developing the 1 products of the farm.
 "The man who makes two blades of grass grow where but one grew before, the man who enriches and develops the products of the earth by his cunning hands and the sweat of his fact, Is one of the uncrowned kings of his country,
 "'rhe negro who lives in sloth and idle ness, who hangs around the dram shops, the billiard or pool tables the domino table or dice box soon becomes fit only to shuttle cards and roll the bones, and his only thought in figures is not the amount of his bank account but T come Ils Let your war cry be down with the drones'
 "The gospel of work, health and cleanli- ness is more potent than preaching. The mansions in the skies can be more easily reached through clean mansions on earth. Improve the conditions of your poor by removing them from the baneful inlu- enee of the slums of our towns and cities.
 Many of your race are rapidly drift ing into pauperism. Avoiding any useful effort, he becomes skilled in those ques- tionable, often criminal activities which enable him the more perfectly to retain his state of dependence"
 KILLED BY DYNAMITE.
 Mia. Ma, Maaf naatn la pIant of E r,o-