The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-29
REFER NATTER TO
MINISTER'S UNION
Pastors Decide Not to Act at
Once Upon Local OPP
ton Question
DISCUSS RESOLUTIONS
AT LENGTH In MEETING
Committee Recommends Cam
paign of Education and Agita-
ton as Plan of Procedure
Against Whiskey Traffic.

Against Whlskey Traffic.
After much parliamentary wrangle
and discussion, ministers OF Rich
mond and vicinity numbering about
a score, in special meeting Tuesday.
finally decided to refer a set of reso-
lutions regarding the proposed local
-ePtieH fight In this city to the MINIS
teriai Union embracing representatives
of all Protestant churches.
The resolutions, which were sub
mitted by special committee named
last Tuesday when the local option
question was brought up at well
attended meeting Of the ministers,
recommends a united and concerted
campaign of education against the
liquor traffic and In addition urge that
every citizen In favor of saloon sup
preston see that he In properly regis
tered 30 as to be able to cast his vote
when the question In put to an issue
at the polls
Division OF Sentiment.
Inasmuch as only a comparatively
few ministers were present at the
meeting. the consensus LOT opinion
seemed to be that the question should
be postponed for consideration for
the time being. until fuller gath
ering could Do mad. This question.
however. rrecipitated the discussion
that continued for nearly two hours
before the matter was referred to the
Ministeriaj Union. Rev. w. Asbury
Christian. chairman of the committee
which drew up the rssolutionA being
insistent In urging that the matter
be referred to Individual ministerial
meetings, before being taken up BY
the collective body of ministers. Revs.
r. r. 4pscomb. Il. La Grace and
Ryland knight took the lead In OPP
posing the COMMITTEES chairman. The
sentiment Of the meeting seemed to
be- nearly evenly Divided NJ to which
action should Ae taken = - :
The meeting wAx called 10 order In
the chapel Of the Presbyterian Pub
location Comm1ttes's building on sixth
street near Broad. Rev. w, A.
Laughon opening with . prayer ap-
propriate to the occasion after ReW
r. NJ Chandler had been e1scted pre-
siding officer.
NOD Many Pfcsent>
Rev. Mr.. GIsce led Off with the
motion that the nesting adjourn
owing to <sae small number OF mfnts-
tiers present. The motion failed TO
receive q Sepcnd. however. and Rev.
MI. Lipscomb declared that It was
manifestly unfair to take up the Ques-
ton with such = small attendance,
10 4zh s.y&a
nor helpful to the causa," he insls4ed.
He suggested that merit Tuesday or
some other date be selected for con-
alteration OF the question. in the hope
that q larger number OF ministers
might be present,
Rev, Mr. 0sAce thought It would be
better TO have the Ministerial Union
conAder the REGULATIONS At It's next
meeting. April IL. and 1t was this
The Baptist divine said he had a
deep concern for the welfNre OF the
temperance movement and was con-
tident victory would be- achieved
sooner or later, In all parts of the
State, However, he urged . sane
and conservative movement believing
that best results are accomplished by
such methods
Eanc and Conservative
Rev, Nj, Christian. rising to a point
Of order, declared that neither he
nor any other minister desired to pro
coed in q manner that was not sane
and conservative,
Rev. Mr.. Grace, rising to a point
OF personal privilege. disclaimed any
intention rejecting upon anyone hut
he wanted to avoid. II possible, the
spectacle Of letting 1t go abroad that
p mere handful Of ministers were
tr~Vrf rAe ~ t..
ner that foreboded little success.
Rev, Mr Christian replied that Ii
was tho fault of the preachers them
selves that they were not all present
and he lamented the fact that they
seemingly took 30 little tnterest in
the movement.
Rev. Mr.. Lipscomh, iuferring from
Mr., Christians remarks that absence
Of pastors indicated a lack of sym
pathy with the movement, arose and
offered objection. To this Mr.. Chris
tian replied that he did not intend
to reflect upon the views of tho pas
tors in his remarks as to their alb
sence,
Mr.. Christian moved that the mat
ter be referred TO the individual min
tstsrial meeting for consideration and
action. Mr.. Iipscomb wanted the
ministerial union, as whole, to con-
slider the proposition, and ha insist
ed that this method of procedure be
adopted.
Mr., Lipscomb apoiogized for get
ting UP so often, but explained that
he was forced to do 80 because Mr.,
Christian had 30 much to say that
called for objections.
Rev, Tiiden 6cherer lamented tina
fact that the question had prectpi-
tated such wran9ie and debate. and
he feared II II went out to the world
that the preachers could not agree
among themselves on the subject II
would furnish much material for the
iiquor interests and put the fight for
temperance back ten years.
Mr. Christian, again rising, insist
ed that the ministers Of the different
denominations ba made to stand re-
speHsihle fer the individual aettnn On
the resolutions. He wanted every
denomination to stand on its own
bottom.
Rev. Mr.. Cridlin Speaks.
Z Talk continued along this limo un-
til finally Rev. r. w. Crtdlin, a vet
eran Baptist minister. with flowing
white whiskers and a voice weaken
ed by age and infirmttfes. arose. In
ona hand he held hts cane and his
(Con4innSd On sixIh Rassa