The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-14
From Our Special Reporter.
VIRGINIA VI. Z. CONFER ENCE.
FIRST DAY.
PETERSBURG, November Is, 1SG,

PETERSBURG, November Is, 1867.
The seyenty-tirSt session OF the Virginia
Annual Conference of the Methodist EplSco-
pal Church South convened i'll the Washing
ton-Street church Of this city this morning.
Bishop ID. ). Dog@ett, OF Richmond, prcsldes
with grace and dignity over the deliberations
of the body. The venerable Bishop Early, Of
Iynchburs, is also present
The Conference numbers lJl ministerial
members in full connection, besides several
unordaiued preachers, who are probationers IN
the body, its law requiring preacher 10 ira
vel two years before he can receive full mem
bershp in the body. There are also thirty
six laymen who are mem bers in regular stand
ing OF the Conference. About eighty of the
clergy are absent to-day, but the majority OF
these will probably arrive tonight and to-
morrow.
The Conference was called TO order by Bishop
Doggett who read the LIST chapter of the I'd
Epistle TO the Corint hians, and announced the
well-known hymn beginning
And are we yet alive
To sss each others face
after singing which he offered n fervent and
most appropriate prayer. The prayer ended,
the Bishop made an eloquent and touching
address TO the Conference He said III sub
stance cannot assume The chair, for the
first time in this Conference, without making
4 few preliminary remarks. This body is sur
passed by no similar body i'll Southern Method
ism, either for its renown or the sterling
w
trial in The Virginia Conference in February,
1929, in the city OF Lynchburg. My first APP
pointment was 10 4 circuit in Orange county,
and with but meagre outfit l commenced
nv itinerant life. l was an orphan. The
Virginia Conference became my family and my
home l grew up to manhood Ia its precincts.
WAS IosIered and cherished by IFS members,
l imbibed its spirit and adopted It's manners
and its customs. l am thoroughly identified
with it-so much so that even now, when pre-
siding over other conferences, L speak Of 1t lis
mn conference, as though still retained my
connection with it. For thirty seven years l
was n member of this Conference, without
any iutermission. / cannot recur TO those
years without emotion. What changes have
taken place in the PERSONAL OF the body
A whole generation of preachers has
passed away. A very few remnants only
remain. aud they are but remnants OF them
selves. / can recall but four who are now
On my left / see the brother who
preached in my fathers house when was
born REV Joseph CARSON, and handled me
on his knee when l was an infant. My first
lessons were learned from him. He was my
tutor and his name is embalmed in my me-
mory little farther OFT is the venerable
Bishop (EarIy), who was then Il leading spirit
of the Conference, and has since left his mark
ON Methodsm Besides these, see before me
only Dr. Lee and Brother Motley. There
were giants in those days, and their setting
sun has left mellow light hanging on the
horizon During my whole life the bond OF
Conference union has never once been severed.
am here to day as a bishop, but l still feel
at home with you. ! do not feel inundated,
as II were stranger among you' Ieel '