Evening star., 1907-11-17

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| Charlotte. fortunately. did not tear down
| the houses of the colonial period during
! the modern renaissance shortly after the
! war and replace them with unsigftly dis
plays Of extravaganza and bad taste as
was done in so many towns. They clung
| to the homes, well as the traditions
Of their fathers, and the newer structures
partake of the same taste.
A City of Churches.
Charlotte is very religious town and
| has been center of Presbyterianism ever
is very strong here still although the
Baptists and Methodists are growing
even more rapidly and are very active
The First PRESBYTERIAN Church. the orig
Inal center of denominational Influence
and the mother Of all the PRESBYTERIAN
churches In this section of the country
occupies an entire square in the center of
the city, which is perpetually dedicated
TO the purpose of worship and cannot be
diverted to any other Some of the pro-
greSslve people urged it as an obstacle in
the way of the growth of the business
section and ought to be divided I'D and
sold as building lots. but that would be
a public shame as well as a violation of
the beouest.
If the hope of glory is as strong as the
means of grace are numerous in Char
lotte the people of this community can
sleep with easy conscience. for | never
saw 50 many churches anywhere. You
can count seven stee pies from the corner
of Tyron and Trade streets; all of them
are said to be PROSPEROUS and well filled
with white congregations on Sunday. The
coiored people have an even larger num-
Der, every denomination being represent
ed except the Roman Catholics. Bishop
Clinton. colored. Of the Methodist Church
resides here and is a man of high charac-
ter and influence. The colored Episcopal
Church has a membership of more than
100, a good house of worship and the
rector. Rev P. P. Aston is a man of
education and eloauence. highly respected
by all classes. There is industrial
school in connection with the church.
literally supported by its members, many |
of whom are men of good estate. There |
are several colored Episcopal churches in |
North Carolina. and 1 am told that all |
of them are of the same class They |
are under the ecclesiastical supervision |
of the Rt. Rev. Joseph Blount Che shire.
the bishop of this diocese. who lives at |
Raleigh and are perfectly contented in |
that relation. But some of the white people |
want separation and cOlored bishop. |
The question came up for discussion in
the late convention of the Episcopal
Church at Richmond. and a divorceme 1T
of the white and colored Episcopalians in
the south was proposed The northern
delegates were against it: the southern
delegates were divided. but the sentiment
favor OF a separation on the Color line
is said to be growing
Division Among Presbyterians.
There is an anomaly in the Presbyterian
denomination. The white Presbyterian
churches belong to the Presbyterian
Church South while the colored belong
to the PRESBYTERIAN Church North, which
seems absurd-and the colored schools.
colleges and seminares are under the care
of the PRESBYTERIAN Church North. There
is no difference in creed or church govern
me mt or in any other particular. and If
St. Peter should ask one of these Pres
byterian elders why there continued to be
Presbyterian Church South and a Pres
byterian Church North the difficulties of
explanation might delay his passage
through the paarly gates. The union of
| the two PRESBYTERIAN churches is ap-
preaching nearer and nearer as the years
go by. but 1t will not occur until there
are few first class funerals"-as a good
brother down here remarked solemnly
| the other day You can coax some of
our venerable divines as far as the south
banks of the Potomac and the Ohio
rivers" he added. but they refuse to
| cross the water"
| Charlotte is a very orderly town. There
are saloons. and you can't buy cigar
or a glass or soda water kSunday, or
| anything of that kind Newspapers may
| be had at the hotels and from boys on the
| streets, and restaurants are allowed to
serve meals, but the laws require people
to remember the Sabbath day and keep it
| holy, and a policeman will take you up if
| you disobey any of the commandments.
| Whisky is sold on the sly. but Mayor
| Franklin is determined to stop it. and
| several important men have been arrest
! ed who did not expect to be interfered
| with
| The city is proud of its schools. black
and white, and its roads are exceptionally
| good. 1 do not know of any other town in
! the south where the art of road aking
has been carried to such an extent or so
| successfully. 1 am told that there are 40
miles of macadamized pavement running
out of Charlotte into the country.
The Mecklenburg Declaration.