The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-08-02
DIsPENSARY AND CHURCH.
Senator Latimer Protests Against the
Two Being Mixed.

Two Being Mixed.
The Andersen Mail says the dispen
sary issue caused Quilted a lively epi,
sode in the Greenville District Con-
ference of the Methodist Church at
Belton on Thursday afternoon.
While the preachers we're making
their report a 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.
He1ry's church. Mr.. Henry was asked
to what extent the division OF senti.
ment prevailed, and be cut the thing
Of short as he could and sat down.
Next csme Rev. MI. B!ackman OF
Piedmont. he knocked the dispensary
vigorously. he said that but two mem
bers Of his church were in faVHr OF
the dispensary, but that they were
going to move away. He was asked Ii
he was not glad OF it and old not say
no.
Senator Latimer, who was present,
although not a member OF the confer
elce, rose and asked the privilege OF
the floor. He said be could not sit still
and see himself and others ruled out
Of the Methodist church simply be-
cause Of political issue. he said be
mad preached and practiced temper.
ance all bis life, but he thought the
discussion then going on was entirely
out OF place in church conference
he said be would wipe the whole whis
key business out Of the State if he hae
| the power, and be was not taking the
stump for the dispensary, but ht
thought it the place Of ministers ot
the gospel to preach the gospel anc
not drag political matters into ths
church. he said be had never voted
for the sale Of liquor, brt he did moi
propose to see, without protesting
people ruled out of the church because
they were exercising their own judg
ment in p5liaical matter, and that
the whole dispensary question was oE'
OF place in the district conference.
Rev. Mr.. Harmon Of Greer then go'
turn at it and lambaSted the dispen
sary some and attacked Senator Lati
mers position. MI. Latiner rose tx
defend himself. and Mr.. Harmon sait
he must have been hit or he would
not protest so quickly. Mr.. Harmon
vent on to say that be would prefer
blind tiger to two-eyed tiger In tn
shape OF the diSpensary.
Mr.. Latimer retorted that II MIR
Harmon preferred lawlessneSs to obed
ience to law be could not argue th'
question with him. This closed the in
cident OF the day, but it was the chic
topic OF conversation outside after th'
conference adjourned.
Friday morning, Rev. Mr.. Creech
in his report, anticipated the questio,
that he thought would be asked ant
s sted that the member Of bis church
!, es were divided on the subject. Som
; one else remarked on the sutj ,c5, anc
then some cne else remarked on tn
) question; whereupon Bishop Duncan
asked: Who dragged this dispersar.
!, question into the conference, anyhow?
The preachers took the hint and th'
dispensary was not mentioned again
during the conference sessions.
Senator Latiner said afterward tina
he wanted bis positions understood II
the matter. The question, be said, i!
before the people for them to vote up
on as they conscientiously believe best
, There IS more or less politics in th'
present movement, and many good 80
Der men are suspicious Of it, and ;
church conference was not the place
for it to bs discussed, be said. Hs
!; stated that he was taking no part II
the matter, except so far as his duty
J; as a private citizen went and be wa!
taking no active part either for o,
against the dispensary in the present
discussion before the people. He wa
merely protesting against it's being
brought into the church conference.