The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-04
II Q
Senator Latimor Protests Against the
Two Being Mixed.

AAO
Tho Ander1Un Mail says the dispen-
sary issue caused Quilted q lively cpl.
scde la the GrosayMo District Con
ference of the Methodist Church at
Bolton on Thursday afternoon.
While the preachers were making
their report q member OF the com.
mittee on temperance would ask each
preacher how his church stood on the
~dispsnsary question. The dispensary
was raped good and hard, until Rev.
Mr.. Henry Of Pendleton stated that
his members were divided on the ques.
tion. One Of the members of the coun.
ty board OF control Is a member of Mr..
Henry's church, Mr.. Henry was asked
to what extent the division of senti.
ment prevailed, and he cut the thing
OIL short as he could and sat down.
Next came Rev. Mr.. Blackman of
Piedmont. He knocked the dispensary
vigorously. He said that but two mem
bers or his church were In favor of
the ~dispensary, but that they were
going to move away. He was asked II
he was not glad of 1t and did not say
no
Senator Latimer, who was present,
although not q member of the confer.
ence, rose and asked the privilege Of
the floor. He said he could not sit still
end sec himself and others ruled out
of the Methodist church simply be.
cause Of q political issue. He said he
had preached and practiced temper
ance oil his life, but he thought the
discussion then going on was entirely
out OF place In a church conference.
lie said he would wipe the whole whis.
key business out OF the State IL he had
5he power, and he was not taking the
stump for tho %diSpensary, but he
Thought 1t the place Of ministers of
tho gospel to preach the gospel and
not drag political matters into the
church. He said he had never voted
for the sale Of liquor, but he did not
propose to see, without protesting,
people ruled out Of the church because
they were exercising their W judg-
ment In a political matter, and that
the whole dispensary question was oct
OF place IN the district conference.
Rev. MIR. Harmon Of Greer then got
a turn at 1t and lambasted the dispen-
sary some and attacked Senator Lati.
mer's position. Mr.. Latiner rose to
defend himself, and Mr.. Harmon seid
ne must have been hit or he would
not protest SO quickly. Mr.. Harmon
went on to say that he would prefer a
blind tiger to a two.eyed tiger in the
shape Of the dispensary.
Mr.. Latimer retorted that If Mr..
Harmon preferred lawlessneSs to obed-
icnce to law he could not argue the
question with him. This closed the in.
cldent Of the day, but 1T was the Chief
topic of conversation outside after the
conference adjourned.
Friday morning, Rev. Mr.. Creoch,
In his report, anticipated the question
that he thought would be asked and
stated that the member of his church.
cs were divided on the subject. Some
one else remarked on the subject, and
then some che else remarked on the
question; %whereupon Bishop Duncan
asked: WHO dragged this d%lspensary
question into the conference, anyhow
The preachers took che hint and the
~dispensary was not ment'os Il again
during the conferen.. TX.
Senator Latimer said atyarWard that
ne wanted his positions understood in
the matter. The question, he said, is
before the people for them to vote up
on al they ccnScientiously believe best.
There Is more or less politics in the
present movement, and many good So
Der men are suspicious Of it, and a
church conference WAS not the place
for 1T to be discussed, he said. He
stated that he was taking no part in
the matter, except so far as his duty
as a private citiz> N went and he was
taking no active part either for or
against the dispensary in the present
discussion before the people. He was
merely protesting against It's being
brought into the church conference.