The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-08-11
Meeting OF the West Virginia (M. E.l
Conference Centenary Committee ut

Conference Centenary Committee ut
PRrkerSburR.
At Convention composed in part of
the Conference CentennryC ommittee,th tho
Connectional Committee, tho Presiding
Elders, and other friends of the cause,
held in the NJ. f. Church, Parkersburg,
August Sth, 1866, the following resolu-
tionS were adopted:
Resolved, That we heartily endorse the ao-
ton of the Annual Conference in regard to
Resolved That Brothers Alex. Martin, G. ID.
Hubbard, and A. j. LYDIA. be n committee to
tIon Mt O'Clock this +. NJ.
Thc-addrcss so reported was adopted
and disposed of as follows:
Resolved, That the report of the Centenary
Committee adopted at the last session OF our
Annual Conference. and the above address
be. printed as far rs possible in tall the pa
perS in the bounds of our conference, ana
also in fly sheets in sufficient numbers 10
supply our work.
On motion it was ordered that not less
than 5000 copies be printed, and that
Brothers G.. ID. Hubbard and J. l.. Clark
be committee TO prepare and publish
them.
REPORT OF THE CENTENARY COMMITTEE
AS ADOPTED ny THE LAST ANNUAL
CONFERENCE. ....
The Committee on the Centenary Adj
dress present the following report:
American Methodism, which will
complete the first century of its history
the present year, though humble in its
origin, has nevertheless been great and
glorious in its results. Like leaven hid
i'll the meal, it has ever been diffusive
i'll its character, disseminating itself
throughout the length and breadth of
our great and growing Republic, until
1t has become an acknowledged power
in the land for good. Thus, i'll view of
tho ct,
workings of our beloved Methodism,
the immortal Lincoln, in his letter to
the last General Conference, said, at
is no fanlt of others that the Methodist
Church sends more soldiers to the field,
more nurses to the hospitals, and more
prayers to the Heaven than any other;"
then adding with emphasis, "God bless
the Methodist Church bless all the
Churches; and blessed be God, who, in
this our great trial, giveth us the
Churches"
In view of what American Method
ism has accomplished tunder the bless
ing ofGod, the many thousands saved
through its instrumentalities, the happy
influences it is eNerting for good in the
land, and the evangelization of the
world, it has been thought proper and
right that the closing period of this first
centenary should be observed with spe-
cial solemnities and piouS offerings, as
an humble acknowledgements of our de-
Vout gratitude to our Divine Master.
Accordingly the last General Confer
ence resolved as follows:
1.-The Centenary of Methodism in
America shall be celebrated by all our
Churches and people with devout
thanksgiving, by special religious SER
vices and liberal thank offerings"
We therefore present for your consid-
GRAFTON and adoption the following res
olutions:
ReSsIred, LIST, That next to the blessing of
Ged in the Spiritua! enlargement OF the
Church, the establishment Of a Conference
Educational Fund is the most immediate and
pressing want of our Church in West Nir-
ginia.
I'd, That in our opinion the Church within
our bounds during the present year, may
and ought to raise at least 100000 as a finan-
cial basis for the advanced education of the
youth of our families and friends.
Sd, That subscription books be procured
from New York in sufficient numbers for the
preachers to supply all the circuits stations
and societies; and that they be carefully pre-
served, and at the next session OF our Confer
ence, all the accounts, whether more or less
subscribed and paid, with the names and res
idence OF the several demons, be transferred
into permanent record, to embrace also
whatever donations and requests may be
subsequently made for the same object.
18th, That we earnestly eXhort our people,
and especially our brethren in the ministry,
that whatever other enterprises they may
have on hand, to continue to give the neceS-
Sary attention to this matter from this to the
close OF the centenary year, so as TO secure at
least something from all our members and
friends, hoping that while the rich will give
according to their ability, the less favored in
pOint.Of worldly goods will feel that their con-
tributions, though not so large, are none the
less acceptable and necessary, and that the
aggregate may constitute fitting monument
of our gratitude to God for his great goodness
to us, and a tower OF strength for his cause IN
5tl, That the Presiding Elders be and they
are hereby instructed to appoint, by a vote of
a majority of the first Quarterly Conference
OF each charge, committee of not less than
five, to be called the Centenary Committed
of whom the Preacher in charge shall he
Chairman, whose duly it shall be to procure
and circulate centenary intelligence, 10 pro-
cure speakers and hOldior cause to be held,
centenary meetings, to procure subscriptions
and donations and secure as far as possible
Inc SFS ny enus Oh Ihe centenary celebration.
9th, That the amount raised by each Prea-
cher from his charge be reported at the An
nual Conference, at the same time he reports
his missionary contributions, and the whole
be published in the annual minutes.
ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE.
To the Members and Friends ofthe Meth
Odist Episcopal Church 4VitHi7 the
bounds Of the Vest Vi1;gi1liG A7lnuaL
Conference:
at a meeting of the members of the
Centenary Committees, Presiding
Elders and friends of our cause, held in
Parkersburg, August Sth, 1866, the fol-
lowing address was prepared, and or
dered to be submitted to your earnest
and prayerful considerations:
The piety and wisdom of. our last
General Conference, in response to q de-
sire widely felt, thought it BETTING that
the year which completed the Centena-
ry OF Methodism in America, should,
in all our borders, be celebrated by
special religious services, and liberal
thankoherings, both as an expression
of our gratitude for the past, and as a
means of increased spirituality and
usefulness in the future. Our church
and people, in all our Conferences,
from Maine to California, are already
working earnestly and Systematically
for this end. God has blessed them,
and in return they are, to good purpose,
enquiring, "What shall render unto
the Lord for all his benefits" In our
own bounds, we regret the almost en-
dicated by the General Conference.
We know, dear brethren, what may be
said to justify this inaction. Much of
our territory has been laid waste by
war; many of our people and friends
have been despoiled of churches, dwell
llngs, ana other property; some are
engaged in special, and much needed
efforts to build and improve churches
and parsonageS, in connection with
their own societies. But nothing Of
this general work comes within the
pale of the Special Centenary effort, as
ference, and the Local Committee,
appointed, and whose action has been
sanctioned by your Annual Conference
Some of our people are doing but lit
tie of this, and should therefore more
largely aid inthe Centenary movements;
nor will those who are doing most say
that because the doctor must be paid,
or new coat procured, we are there
fore excused from doing what we can
for the Centenary enterprise, and vet
this plea would be about as good as to
thnt ,L snl..cl -