The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-22
PASTORS APPEAL
To COL0RED RACE
Negroes Urged by Their Min
listers to Respect Law and
Order.

At meeting Of colored pastors, he
yesterday. the following address to Il
negro race, entitled The Voice OF I'll
Colored Baptist Ministers Conference
Richmond and Manchester. Va" wa
prepared and issued, being signed by
committee composed of Revs. a. Bing;
Jr., u. d. Lewis, w. F. Graham, N.
Brown and Evans Payne:
"As ministers, we are supposed to
take deep interest in all moral re-
forms. True to our calling, we beg
to be heard upon the live subject of
to-day, THE Negroes Bad Morals
While 1t may be truthfully said
that colored men are not the only
ones guilty of immoral conduct. 1t is
also true that this fact furnishes no
excuse for the knocking crime OF as
sault that is being charged UP to
Some of the colored men of this coun-
try.
And as our ministry is chiefly to
the colored people. we feel called upon
in tho interest of law and order, and
in the interest of truth respecting the
negro's attitude towards the criminals
of the race to send this address to
our people Mt large. hoping thereby to
probably reach tho shy and Isolated
class who will not come In reach of
the voice OF the pulpit. nor in the
circle of a pure and elevating social
life Ii is in this foul nest that those
vile vampires are Matched. which are
sucking the life blood from the negro
race, bringing to the race contempt,
exclusion, shame and constant fore-
boding OF an awful elimination OF
1,-t,tSh hmm
to avert. AS we have abiding faith in
tho ability of training to fortlfy hui
man nature oy sharpening the moral
sense. and as the training is effective
In proportion to the early period at
which it Is begun. We urge upon tho
parents of the children the necessity
of putting forth n more heroic ef-
fort. to curb tho evil tendencies that
unrestrained human nature is sure to
produce-lest Ellis sorrow be repeated
in your own sau lives.
''Respect for law and order must
have its birth In home training. ~
son that is insubordinate to domestic
laws will rarely uphold tho majesty
of tho civil. And respect for woman
hood must also have Its origin in the
home. A boy that grows up without
due respect for his own mother and
sisters gives no promise OF protection
for the mother and sisters OF others.
While many of you as families deserve
the highest need Of praise for the
worthy young men whom you are
sending from your homes, Yet the
number OF vicious products OF tho Ill
regulated home, Is far too large to
give IL satisfactory forecast OF the
future, or an assurance that the moral
atmosphere OF our homes Is being
purified by disciplinary and Christian
influences. or that the proper system
Of religion Is being taught-one OF
practical duties rather than emo
tional experiences. The Ten COM
mandments and tho Sermon on tho
Mount should have due place In the
trimming OF your boys. Thus a SUI
premc regard for God and Il due re-
gard for His creatures become fixed
principles,
"Gadding about at night also
should be stopped. Street-corner
conferences, erap-shooting, bar
discarded, and home getting and
money saving should be encour-
aged. We are confident that with
the enforcement OF parental author
will rekindle in the bosoms of the
negro youth Of to- day that flame OF
sterling. worth and strength, OF
their fathers in the trying ordeals
of the sixties. 1t should be our
purpose to cultivate a most friend
ly relation between ourselves and
our white neighbours with whose
interest our own Is so closely allied.
Our presence should not he a men
ace to the happiness of our neigh
bors. but rather necessity.
"Eyery report of the nameleSS