Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-16

WINCHESTER DISTRICT CONFERENCE
This body, composed ofthe ministers and lay
delegates of the Winchester District, NJ. E..
Church, South, convened in Shepherdstown, on
Thursday, the 4th instant. The session ofthe
body, which lasted some four days, was most
harmonious and agreeable; and left good
Impression upon the community. In the alb
sence of any other information as to its ac-
ton, we copy the following from the Register
of the 18th:
can assemblage peculiar to. the NJ. B..
Church, South, met in this place on Thursday
of last week. 1t was called District Meeting.
Such meeting we understand is composed OF
all the ministers, travelling and local, within
given Presiding Elders charge, together with
two lay representatives from each Circuit and
Station in the same bounds The body thus
met has. no Legislative functions, nor is its
supervision OF the Church even among its own
constituents, authoritative it is purely advise
ry and the force of its advice is alone in the
reasonabeness and propriety of its deliverance
its members and those they represent hav-
ing perfect right without any suspicion of
disaffection towards the Church, to receive or
reject the recommendations of the meeting.
THE particular meeting in question was
composed of about 25 travelling and 10 local
preachers and some 80 laymen-of these in
the aggregate some As or so were present
1t was a matter of regret that the Bishop,
whose presence had been expected, did not
reach here-his place was filled by the Pre-
siding Elder, Rev. VIM S. Baird, who gave
general satisfaction is his presidency Of the
meeting. Rev w. G. Zoe was elected Sec
rotary, and L. S Howard of Berkeley, Asis-
tat Secretary The services began on Thurs
day the 4th instant at P. NJ, in the new
church, when a sermon was preached by Rev.
NorvaI Wilson of Winchester-the oldest
member of the body, as he is also oldest
minister in the entire Baltimore Conference
having Joined this latter in March 1921.
Enfeebled as he is by the labors OF nearly halt
a century in the peculiar duties of a Methodist
Itinerant, his mind remains vigorous and his
zeal undated. He was constant and active
in attention to and participation in the busi-
ness proceedings of the meeting. There were
7 business sessions held, consisting of 2 on
Friday, 8 on Saturday and 2 on Monday-on
which last named day at o'clock, p. NJ. the
meeting adjourned to hold its next annual ses-
sion in Martnsburg. 1t is surprising what
vast amount of business was attended to in the
compass of this short time. Some twelve
committees were appointed, each on some i'm
nortant church interest, and the reports of
these committees were all ready in due time.
Some of these were quite voluminous pa
pers-but all were read, and necessity re-
quired, examned-a portion of them indeed
elected considerable debate, in which minis
try and laiety participated with equal right
and freedom. The meeting found time not
only to pass upon all these reports, but to hear
a specific statement from each member as to
the condition of the work in the, charge rep
resented by him. Various resolutions 1crc
also passed, and among these one in the in
terest of the Sharon Female Seminary at
Brucetown, and one heartily approving the
great paper organ of the Baltimore Confer
ance, the Episcopal Methodist, edited by Rev.
DR.. John Poisal Lay Delegates to the ap-
preaching Annual Conference to meet in
Baltimore city in March next, were elected as
follows +. W. Massey Of Winchester Circuit,
David II. Knee of Wardensvil!e, Joel II.
Hieronimous of Bcrryville, and Geo. w. An
derson of Winchester Station. The Alter
mates for these are Joseph Beeler of llagers-
town Circuit, VIM. S. Davis of Front Royal, |
VIM s. holland of Berryvil!e and Samuel
Whisner of Morgan"