The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-30
CAMPAIGN FIRST
AGAINST SALOON
Ministers Want Public Educated
to Evil Before Calling Local
Option Election.
RESOLUTIONS REFERRED
Proposition Sent to Ministers
Union for Action Oh
April II.
RESOLUTIONS REFERRE1

ton by the local clergy of tho advisa-
bility OF a local option campaign was
the only result achieved at their meet
ing yesterday morning. Only seven.
teen ministers were present, and the
sole action to which they agreed was
the reference to the Minister'S Union
of resolutions calling for a campaign
of education on the liquor question
and demanding an organized effort to
suppress the liquor trade in Richmond
as soon a practicable. The Minister'S
Union will meet on Monday. April II,
but there is some doubt as to whether
it will consent to discuss the resolu-
tons, since the general understand
ing has been that the union would not
90 into such widely mootcd questions.
but would confne itself TO subjects
OF peculiar interest to clergymen
Resolutions drawn by a committee
/ OF five ministers, appointed at the first
| meeting, were taken up as soon as
the meeting came TO order. Rev F.. T..
Grace thought that there were too
few present, and moved to adjourn.
but his motion was lost. Rev. b. f..
Lipscomb, D. D., for the same reason
| was of the opinion that no action
| should be taken on the resolutions by
! those present.
Think Time rs Coming.
u am a friend of temperance" de-
clared Mr.. Grace. "and / believe that
trade here will be suppressed. Still,
when 1T is done 1T will be done in a
sane manner. 1t has been said that as
soon as the Anti-saloon League gains
| power 1t would lose its sanity"
| ~ cd n C,rpce'g
! reference TO the Anti-Saloon League.
| In reply to the opinion of the latter
| that the matter should be postponed
until more ministers were on hand. he
said that every clergyman had heen
| put on notice Immediate action ought
| to be had There was no reason to ex-
| pect n larger attendance at the next
session.
| DR. Llpscomb insisted that u was
| absolutely necessary TO have a full
attendance to pass on the question.
| That the report should be sent to
! al! the congregations of the city for
their action was the further conren-
ton made by Mr.. Christian He Thought
the inaction of the ministers would be
| interpreted 10 mean that they are
against tire question.
| Rev. Tilden Scherer thought so. TO.
! lie did not want the idea TO go abroad
| that there was a lack of harmony
among the preachers on this PROPOSE
| ton
BY vote of to 5. the meeting re-
fused to refer the resolutions 10 he
| various denominations. BY tic vote.
Mr.. Christians motion to lay on tho
! table failed.
'Ttere was some discussion as to
| VINO had the right TO vote at the meet
ing, D. Grace said that any preacher
who did not have church in Hich-
| rnond or legal residence here should
not be allowed to vote Just because he
! did business here"
| lIr. Cridiin's Protest.
| Then came a voice of protest as to
| the spirit of the meeting. Brethren"
! said Rev. r. W. Cridlin, D. D.. OF Man
| chester. a venerable wearer Of the
| cloth, II am sorry / came to this
meeting. ] came hoping that would
| be helped By the experience OF ming
I ling with men filled with the grace of
! Cod L came hoping TO find love and
! Christian forbearance and found
bedlam. l am ashamed of you. and l
do not think shall attend another
| meeting"
DR.. Lipscomb and Mr. Christian
| thought that DR.. Cridlin was mis-
taken. They thought proper courtesy
and feeling had been maintained.
I Il hope the newspapers will print
nothing about the proceedings of this
meeting but the fact that these reso-
| buttons were submitted and sent 10
the Minister'S Union" said Mr.. Chris
I tian, "fcr-thc refusal of those present
| to do anything definite and decisive on
this question will injure the cause of
temperance
Taking the stand that theye ought
to be nothing but a full report. Mr..
Chandler and DR.. Lipscomb opposed
the idea advanced by Mr.. Christian.
/ During tho meeting DIR. pondeXter
| stated that as the matter now stood he
did not think Jesus Christ could be-
I! long to either the Wonan's Christian
| Temperance Union or to the Anti Sa-
! loon League, If the leaders of those
| movements stood by their utterances
/ After a session Of one hour and a
half, the meeting adjourned.
4 The resolutions referred to tbs
i Ministers Union We're as follows:
Whereas. we. ministers of the city
/ of Richmond, believing that the sa-
loon is a menace to the home, tae
| church of God and our whole socia
/ order, are unalterably opposed to the
! open saloon; and, whereas, we believe
that the time Is not far distant whcr
the sale of intoxicating liquor will ht
made illegal in tho city of Richmond
4 therefore.
/ BE it resolved "a, That the cam
paign of education against the saloor
be inaugurated at once, and that eacl
church be requested to take part il
that campaign as far as 1t may deem
eXpedient.
(2) That as soon as practicable
there should be all organized effor
to suppress the liquor traffic in Rich
mond
(3) That we urge all citizens t
prepare to discharge THEW duty TO tn
State by qualifying themselves. Il
vote.
w. AsBuRY CHRISTIAN,
Chairman;
RYT4AND KNIGHT.
GERALD CULBERSON,
TlI4DEN SCHERER,