The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-02
NEGRO ASSOCIATION
PUTS BAN ON DANCE
Convention of Colored Baptists Draws
to Close With Many Fcrvid
Speeches.

A ban was placed on the modern
dance and card playing yesterday by
the General Baptist association, the
Woman's Baptist missionary and edu-
cational association; the Virginia Bap-
tist Sunday school convention and the
b. Y. p. u. convention. and the young
people were urged to refrain from the
habits which resulted in leading the
downward road.
Rev. DR.. z. D.. Lewis. declared that
there was nothing which had sent
more young women to dens Of shame
and disgrace than the ball room OF
today, and the social card game had
opened the prison doors to many
young men.
You never find a dancing young
woman in our churches active in the
Sunday school, because 1t is not pos
sible to dance all night and then point
boys and girls tho way to heaven and
Jesus Christ. They don't so together.
n have been told that girls dance In
order to be graceful. but believe me
when / tell you the dance hall is not
the place to find grace, unless 1t be
disgrace. With the saloon must go
gambling. and we are praying those
in authority to see that It is done"
This is an age OF work" declared
president F. w. Williams. and while
/ thank the members OF the General
association for eiectins mo president,
L want to ASSURE them that l want to
take UP just where DR.. Lewis has led
us. and push N to the front. With
your assistance this will be done. l
am here TO preach the doctrine of
peace. and condemn all firebrands
whether white or black. do not in
the least condone crime, but condemn
il. I have always been in touch with
the best white men in my community
land intend to stay in touch with
them"
j. S. Jones, OF Portsmouth. cashier
of the Tidewatet Bank and Trust
company, the onl, trust organization
among negroes in the United States,
addressed the association.
Il am sure you are, proud of the
record we have made" ne said. for
in fifty years We have here doctors,
lawyers, merchants. professors. col
,loge, presidents, insurance companies.
editors, stenographers. reporters,
bankers-anh by the way the Mutual
iSaving bank In Portsmouth is a gov
eminent repository. All of this
started three hundred years ago. when
God permitted III to be brought over
here as slaves. The white brother
has been to us a big brother. and has
always shown his willingness to help
Us when we prove ourselves worthy.
He has put his money within our
reach and all we mad to do is to use it,
giving him only our note. He has
done great things for us and in re-
turn we have given him our very hest
service.
Il am urging my people to improve
THEIR home life BY buying good sub
%stantial food, wearing good clothes.
paying their honest debts. support
churches and ministers, and then lay
aside a little something for a rainy
day. Take out insurance"
Some OF the hest white people in
the world live in Virginia. declared
tho Rev. Richard Spiller. D, D., of
Durham, N C., and I know whereof
speak for l have spent many years
in this state, and l am proud to be
here to take par: in this celebration.
Virginia can boast of having the most
prosperous white people in the south
and the same IL true about the
negroes. Look at our business enter
priSes. our homes. and this Ia the
birthplace of slavery.
W. express thanks to the press OF
this city, n state for the considera-
ton given TO us, for there was a time
that only the Jim Grow lawless crimi-
ma negro got a hearing in the daily
press. The man who stole chicken,
murder or some other
,henious crime. got the nrst page and
his picture in the paper. We hope
the time will Come when the daily
press Will not play up the negro cr,mi-
nal. Let us discourage crime, and we
are asking the press to let 1t be known
for 1t is through that medium that we
must reach the best white people"
The negroes were thrown in their
element by the All Star Female quar-
tett Of Richmond. composed OF Lena
caldwell. saprano. Ella Carter, alto;
Meme Fisher. tenor; Carrie c. Haw-
kins, contractor: Louis r. Dean
pianist. Under the soul stirring me,o-