The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-11-27
From our Special Reporter.
VIRGINIA MErHODIsT KPIsCOPAL
CONFERENCE SOUTH.
FOURT TIL DAY.
No.rorx s.rr.n.Y. November q

Bishop Pierce In tho chair, and was opened
with the usual religious exercises, conducted
by the Rev Nelson Head There were present
this morning 100 members, several having ar.
rived since the roll was last called.
The proceedings Of yesterday were read and
Rev. william H. Christian asked a location
for Rev. J. J. Lumpkin, which was granted,
aid his name was put on the list.
The question OF the place OF holding the
next annual Conference came up, and Peters.
burg unanimously received the honor.
Rev. H. b. Cowles asked that Rev. j. M.
Arnold he placed on the supernumerary list.
Granted. The same action was taken In the
cases Of Revs; N: Thomas and r. w. Archer.
The unfinished business Of yesterday the
question Of q change Of nance then came mp,
Bishop Early In the chair. DR.. Lee having
the floor, moved that IL be laid on the table
for the present. 81
Rev. +. 9. Cranberry, from the COMMITTEES
on the division of the Conference, reported
the following resolution:
Resoired, That committee of five be APP
pointed to visit the Baltimore Conference at
SO much of their territory in Virginia as lies
east Of the Blue Ridge, and OF part OF the
territory of the Virginia Conference, accord.
ing to the following resolution Of the General
"Resoiped, That the Virginia and Baltimore
Conferences have permission to form two or
more annual Conferences ont Of their territory
between this and the next General Conference,
should they deem II necessary"
Which, on motion, was received.
On the motion for Its adoption, Rev. J. Z.
CRANBERRY remarked that II was deemed ad-
visable, If the consent Of the Baltimore Con-
| ference could be obtained, TO divide this Con-
| ference. The two Conferences were, In some
portions of our boundary, occupying the same
| territory, and 1t was considered advisable to
| consolidate the two, including the churches Ut
thereby increasing the boundary and making
| the membership sufficiently numerous to make
two Conferences.
These views were ooncurred in by Rev. w.
| w. Bennett and others, and opposed by DIR.
Rosser who did not suppose that the proposed
and he feared that instead of bringing peace
| it would make discord. He wished this Wiz.
ginia Conference to remain In Its present nu-
merical force, and be increased II possible.
This change would give US only that portion
| of the State lying east Of the Blue Ridge,
while the whole of the valley of the Shenan-
| doah goes 10 the Baltimore Conference.
| Rev. G.. w. Langhorne said that this Con-
ference was the exponent of her own princi-
Piles, and he who would attempt to pluck one
| single honor from her brow would signally
| fail. Could this division be consummated, every
element of discord would die out, and those
persons in the disputed territory now at vari-
| ance would be conciliated, and all would move
| on harmoniously.
| DIR. Smith differed very widely from DR..
| Rosser, that there would be dissatisfaction at
| the lTdHSleT. NlTRlHlt 10 DOuHu III HOOu lultii
to take the initiatory step, and 1t therefore de-.
| volved upon this Conference to appoint the
| committee named in the resolution. 1t could
not work damage to the Virginia Conference.
| Rev. J. T.. Cranberry said that the Balti-
more Conference did not ask that this territory
| should be given to them but as we had gore
within their bounds, they only asked that we
| should restore to them their old boundary
lines and in the formation Of this new Confer
| ence we both give up ground.
| Rev. William b. Rowzie said that all the
members of the Church in that part of the
country wanted this new Conference, and he
thought that it was the only means by which
| the differences in that section could be paci-
fed
Rev. II. f. johnson said that II this Con-
/ ference were not formed, his whole people
would have to 60 to the Baltimore Confer
| ence.
Rev r. o. Burton did not agree with those
who thought that this action would produce
| dissatisfaction.
Bishop Early said that no one knew more OF
| the dispositions and feelings Of the Baltimore
Conference than he did The plan proposed
was TO his mind the only proper one to pre-
| vent conflict between the parties.
| The report was adopted, with only one dis
| senting voice, and the following gentlemen
appointed the committee Messrs. j. T.. Ed
wards, Langhorne, Cranberry, Rowzie, and
| Bennett.
Rev. w. w. Bennett, from the Committee
of the Publishing House, recommended the
| 0npOlulllltHt VI IL COluultttt W SoilcSb thc
| amounts due from members of the Conference,
and handed in a list of accounts. 1t is very ne
cessary, he said, for the in terests of the house
| that these accounts should be collected and
| sent on to the house at Nashville.
| Reys. Z. NJ. Peterson and w. G.. Lumpkin
| were appointed on the committee.
DIR. Duncan gave IN interesting report or the
financial condition of the Christian Advocate
during his connection with it.. 1t has not only
paid all Of its own expenses, but has actually
paid a dividend into the treasury OF the Con-
ference, and concluded by saying that he felt
it to be his duty to sever his connection with
the paper, and it was with great regret that
he did so.
| DR.. William A. Smith then called up the
| order Of the day, the question of q change OF
name, and commenced his remarks by saying
that this subject had, through many days,
both in the organizing committee and in the
General Conference, been thoroughly discus.
sed. He was opposed then to the name, and
he was opposed to 1t now. Among other rea.
sons, il did not accord with the usage OF our
language in placing the qualifying term after
the word which il qualified. The church was
not sectional, although the word South implied
1T. 1t was never intended as a pro-slavery
Specification. The magnolia ideas of DR.. Ros'
ser had carried him away, and during his ex,
element the medicinal odors Of the flower had
been forgotten.
DR.. Rosser rose to remark that he had dis.
tnctly mentioned on yesterday that the term
was not employed as political term in any
| sense.
DIR. Smith resumed THE idea Of It's political
Specification was altogether wrong, and was
calculated to do great injury. The Doctors
magnolia conceptions had led him astray
Slavery was not the cause Of the separation
but the occasion, and while the occasion had
| passed away, the cause still remains. NO idea
| of that kind had entered into the head Of any
| member of the General Conference, nor was
any allusion even made to it, The church had
| been baptized with the name of Methodist Eps.
| coDal Church South, and it was therefore dear
| to all its members. Late events had sanctifed
ii to many; but now, in the course OF events.
/ as the common interests of humanity required
| us to rid ourselves Of sectionalism, he prefer
red the proposed name to any other. He pre-.
| sumed that all Of the members had made up
| their minds on the subject, and that no speech
(which he or any one else could make would
| change the destiny Of the name.
| Rev. G.. w. Langhorne said that II he had
been In the General Conference he would GER
tainly have opposed the change OF name there
as he will do here. He had several strong
objections to 1t, and the first was the associa.
| tons which clustered around the origin and
| adoption of the old name. II this be mag
| nolia idea, they must be very sweet, and made
| the associations connected with them very
dear to many. The necessity for division OF
the old General Conference was in principle
| to which we would not bow, and the associa-
| lions of the occasion under which we drew OH
| from the North gave us a name which has be-
| come historical, and one which will be dear 10
us Us long as true Christianity lives, and will
awaken the fondest recollections Of our chill
dren to the latest generations. In its glorious
numbers our loved ones have, many OF them,
| died and gone to Heaven, and we love 1t Tor
| their sakes no less than for the sakes OF those
| Of our children who, In Its faith, have fallen
on the field Of battle The membership Of the
Church have but little sympathy In this mat
| ter. It has been said that the laity demand IL,
| but where have we the evidences OF II