Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1929-10-26
BISHOP DENNY AND HIS
SHEPHERDS

Bishop Collins Denny, presiding
bishop over the Virginia Methodist,
Conference, is bitterly opposed to
the ministers and church engaging
in politics. His ringing denunciation
of the practice must still have been
reverberating in the ears of the
preachers, when on Saturday morn
ing, the brilliant Fred r. Chenault,
D. D., pastor of the Broad Street
Methodist Church, South, and chair
man of the committee on temperance
and social service, made report.
The Times-Dispatch reporter says as
follows:
at is not question of the big
stick. 1t is a question of mental
and moral evolution. Ii man
doesn't keep the laws Of this country,
whatever his opinion Of these laws,
he is an anarchist" The only OBJ
lection to the report was from DR..
Robert Emory Blackwell, president
of Randolph-M Macon College, who de-
ciared: "All arguments that have
been heard are on grounds that we
must obey the law. | would like to
see it put in little more Of a Chris
tan way. To obey the law of the
land is not all of Christian duty. We
are up against a very difficult prop
osition. / hope the church will get
a more effective appeal than | have
heard on the subject. 1t must be
done by persuasion-the gaining of
respect and obedience for the pro-
hibition law"
He said that many of our wealth.
lest and most influential citizens feel
that this law takes away an inalien-
able right. eve won't get anywhere
by venting ourself in anger against
these people. 1t isn't slum ques-
ton. 1t is always going to be dis
obeyed by some class of people.
What l want to do is to try to gain
the support of the influential people
by persuasion and example. | am
not speaking against the report, but
would like to see it presented in
some other way"
E; Endorsement of President Hoover
was similar to resolution passed
over the objection of Bishop Denny
at the Richmond District Conference
of the church last June. At this time
the Richmond bishop delivered his
first address against the church in
politics. Since in Maryland and Viz
ginia he has amplified his contention
that participation in politics is ruin
ing the spiritual influence of the
clergy.
The original resolution was passed
after Bishop James Cannon, Jr., now
en- route to preside over Brazilian
conferences of the church, had made
a speech urging Endorsement of
Hoover and organizations which di-
rect the propaganda favoring prohi-
bition and the Washington lobby
seeking stricter enforcement.
. The Chenault report of less than
two thousand words declared that a
spirit of lawlessness is one Of the ma
tons most gigantic evils. THE con-
spicuous instance Of lawlessness now
before US is the widespread defiance
of the eighteenth amendment" The
nations capital, the report continues,
sis striking illustration of this fact.
1t is reported men in prominent
places drink openly at banQuets and
men highly respected make sport of
! the law; that women in select social
circles serve liquor at their dinner;
and that prominent men make a joke
at the success of their booUleggers.
Some christian laymen are to be
found in this guzzling company and
/ some preachers who now and then
venture to take their place upon that
side. . :"
! In view of the ''well-organized and
highly financed movement on the
part of the wet forces and their APP
parent success in some States, it is
expedient that the Christian people
should bestir themselves as never
before, the report states, land it is
no time to bubble, compromise or
turn back. Having put her hand to
the plow, she will continue to go
forward to do the Masters will and
to establish His Kingdom among
men,"