New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-17

| members. 1nsso June -
| " desiring to make known to your
body their condition and necessities
elected representatives under the
form land directions for electing dele
gates. They will be present, and will
ask admission as members Of your
body. This question rests wholly
with you, and yet we deem it proper to
say that if in your wisdom any mode
for their legal admission can be found,
such action would greatly advance the
interests of the churches in the local
tiles represented.
Near the close of the last General
Conference authority was given to the
Bishops ''to organize among our col
ored ministers for the benefit of our
colored members and population one
or more Mission Conferences and to
define their boundaries, Subsequently
on the same day the General Confer
ence defined the Delaware and Wash
ington Conferences by names and
boundaries. The rule of disci-
pline requiring probation Of
ten years was so far suspend
ed as to allow the Bishops to
organize into annual Conferences such
colored local elders as had travelled
two or more years under Presiding
Elders, and were properly recon-
mended. Under this authority, the
Delaware Conference was organized
July %, 1864, and the Washington
Conference, October %, 1861. They
now contain l0l ministers, and 26,4S7
members and probationers. This action
of these Conferences was hailed, By
our colored ministers and member
ship, with great joy, and has, We be-
lieve, been productive of much good.
The ministers are becoming familiar
with the mode Of conducting business,
and many of then are rapidly i'm
proving. At their recent sessions,
they elected representatives to this
body, according to the forms Of the
Discipline for electing delegates.
Whether these representatives should
be admitted, you alone have authority
to decide. In our Judgment, the sue
cess of this work demands all the en-
enlargement which the General Con-
ference can properly give.
Not only has the Church been great
ly extended by the organization Of
Annual Conferences, but with deYout
thankfulness we record that the Divine
blessing has been given in large
measure to our pastoral work. The
number of members and probationers
has increased from 923 1874 in 1868 to
l,l46,0S1 in 1867, being an addition of
300, 6s7, Or the largest increase which
has occurred, with a single exception,
in any quadrennium in the history of
the Church. Part of this has arisen.
as before stated, from the progress of
the work Southwark, where a large
number of those who had not been able
to secure our services previously
gladly welcomed our arrival among
them; yet by far the largest part Of
the increase has been by conversions.
The material interests show an ad-
lition equally remarkable. The num-
Der of church ediices has increased
from 9430 to II, l2l--being an addi-
ton of 1891, or an increase of about
eighteen per cent in four years. The
value of churches in 1868. was 800
$50, 554, and in 1867 it had swelled to
$35, 885, 439-showing an increase Of
| $15,054, 1885, or more than seventy per
cent in four years.
In the same period the increase in
the number of parsonages was III,
and the increase in value was 3d.
57l, Il 45-naking total increase in
the estimated value of Church prop
erty in four yeGrs of Sl7,626,000.
By turning to the minutes of 1857 il
will be seen that the total value Of
Church property was then S17,908,-
164-thus showing that in the last
four years the addition to our Church
property was nearly equal to its value
for the first ninety years of our his
tory.
Part of this increase may have been
caused by the general rise in estimatI
| ed prices, and part by the erection Of
new churches; but the greatest pro-
portion probably by substituting for
primitive edifices those of more COM
modious size and of costlier structure.
| The last General Conference were
pleased to direct the bishops to ap-
! point a committee of preachers and
| iaymen who should designate ste
what objects and in what proportion
the money raised as Centenary Con-
nectional Funds should be approp1ia-
ted" This committee met at CleVe-
land, Ohio, February %, 1865, and til
action has already been placed before
the General Conference, It wa:
| found practically, however, that eul
| people generally preferred local OBJ,
| iects to correctional ones. Hence,
while some noble donations were made
to the Mission House, to the genera
educational fund, and to the Irish an6
German funds, the larger part Of thg
contributions were given to colleges
and seminaries, and for the erection
and improvement Of church edifeel
and parsonages. The religious servi
ces were attended with mere than or
binary interest, and in many places
| there were signal manifestations 0.
Divine mercy. The aggregate amour
Of the contributions for general AMI
local objects is reported by the Cen
trail Centenary Committee at S8,397,
662. That portion which is for tn,
general educational fund and for thu
children's fund is under the direction
Of the General Conference, and vii
require appropriate action.
We are happy TO say that the edu
/ .,,Fs o,lo3 ;,,ta,aefo 80 IL q fft.,,,.at L..
been greatly prospered during tn