The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-11-30
NoRYoLK, November 2s, 1855.

meirA
NORFOLK, November 70, 1866.
The Conference met, and was called TO
order at 3 o'clock--Bishop Early 10 the
chair. Usual religious exercises by Rev.
II. B. Cowles. The proceedings Of yester-
day were read and approved.
Before entering upon the minutes Of the
day, will give you the following statisti-
cal report Of the Conference for the pre-
sent year:
Number Of members (white). ............s4 ,s4s
Number OF members (coiored).. .......... l,2l2
Number OF local preachers fwhite)...... 1877
Number OK local preachers (colored)..... 4
Number of baptisms (adultl ............ 2,4l2
Number Of baptisms lnfant) ........... 724
Number Of Sabbath schools. 3S6
Number Of officers and teachers. $500
Number Of volumes In libraries. 81, 567
The number Of colored members pre-
vious to the war was 1867, the city of
Norfolk alone reporting 1000. Since that
time they have dissolved their connection
with the whites. and united themselves
with northern churches, and though still
Methodists, arc not now under the control
of the Virginia Conference. Nearly all,
we understand, have joined the organiza-
ton known Us the African Methodist Epis-
copal Church. An explanation of the ORR
gin and policy Of this church by Bishop
Early will be found in this report.
COMMITTEES.
DR.. William A. Smith, from the commit
tee to nominate standing committees, re-
ported the following:
On Admission.-R. N. Sledd, J. B. Dey,
J. S. Lindsay, and J. +. Potts.
On the First Year.-James A. Duncan,
W. E. Judkins, J.. S. X. Clarke, and o.
Littleton. ..u.
On the Second Year,. C. Cranberry,
II. p. Mitchell, w. W. Duncan, and J. p.
Garland. ..
On the Third Year.-P. A. Peterson,
Robert W. Watts, T. A. Ware, and George
f. Booker.
On the Fourth Year.-N. Head, D. P.
Wills, w. II. Christian, and E. NJ. Peter
son.
Which report, on motion, was received
and adopted. ..
CHANGE OF NAME.
No other committees being ready to re-
port, the Bishop proposed that the ques-
ton of the change of name should now be
taken up.
DR.. Rosser, who at previous session had
claimed the right to be heard as a question
of privilege, then took the floor and pro-
ceeded to "set himself right" before the
Conference. He regarded the ques-
ton of slavery as not the cause, but the
occasion of the separation. Slavery, in its
forms, may be ,crorg, but as an institution
it was morally right. If, in Gods provi-
dence, it should ever be Reconstructed, he
did not want the Methodist Church to be
placed in state of antagonism to it. If
we drop the word SOUTH we lose all that re-
commends the Church to our people.
The remarks of the venerable minister
were mostly rciteration of what he said
few days since, which were fully reported
at the time.
Mr.. Jemison rose to correct DR.. Rosser
as to the cause of separation. A small
minority of the General Conference, at
which the act of separation took place,
thought that slavery was wrong, but the
great majority of them said nothing on the
subject.
The question being called, DR.. L. M.
Lee moved that it be taken by ayes and
noes. Carried.
The vote being taken, resulted ayes
sixty -four; noes, forty-three.
Bishop Pierce, in reply to the question
of whether it was competent for church
to receive a member of the Confer0ce
after expulsion, also whether it was com
petent for an annual Conference to inquire
into the legality of the action of that church
in doing so, decided that it was competent
for the church to do so, and that the pastor
is the legally constituted judge of the case
also, that church can receive member
after his expulsion from Conference If ne
persist in his innocence, without full con-
icssion of the crime for which he was eX-
PEELED.
The character of Rev. D. 7. r. Fritle
was passed, and he was admitted mem
Der of Conference.
Bishop Pierce asked leave of absence, to
enable him to fill an appointment. He
stated that his official duties had all been
concluded with the exception of reading
the appointments, which he had handed to
Bishop Doggett. In leaving this body, he
desired to say that his intercourse with the
Conference "had been very pleasant, and
he hoped that they would all part in endu-
ring esteem; and may God bless all the
appointments, and 60 with you to your
fields of labor" A hearty amen gave token
of the sympathy Of the Conference to the
prayer.
A location for Rev. James A. Crowder
was asked for and granted. A location is
term used in this connection by no other
denomination, and signifies q withdrawal
from the corps of travelling ministers, and
settlement as local preacher.
Rev. Alexander G. Brown, from the
Joint Board of Finance, then distributed
the amounts due to the widows and Or
phans of deceased ministers.
They also reported an address to the
stewards and members of the Church, &C
companied by an appeal to them IN be.
half of the subject of ministerial support
This report is very long one, and Will be
published in pamphlet form.
The report of the Conference was, on
motion, adopted.
Rev. G. w. Langhorne offered resolu.
ton instructing the Conference Committee
of Finance to distribute the funds accord
ing to the necessities Of claimants. In open
remarks, speaking to the subject, the reye-
rend gentleman, in animadverting upon
the action of the General Conference, re-
marked that in State government, as in
church government, he was in favor Of that
great sentiment of the Declaration Of In
dependence-that all just governments de-
rive their powers from the consent OF the
governed, and that when they become OPP
pressive it is their duty to return to their
original condition. =
The resolution was declared to be out OF