Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-02-24
VIRGINIA Conference NJ. f. Church.

Virpinia conference -.
SECOND DAY.
Conference met pursuant to adjournment at
q o'clock, Bishop Simpson presiding, Revs
n H Haynes, f. ". Pierce and f. d. Pros
scr Secretaries. This latter gentleman was in
,dyertently omitted in yesterdays report.
The session was opened by reading the 2%d
ps,lm bv Rev. L. NJ. Nickerson: Presiding
Elder of this District, after which singing:
Hymn. Walk in the light NC: and prayer
by Rev J.. NJ Nlekerson: :, ,r.
THE roll being called the following inaddlito!n
70 those reported yesterday, answered TO tnelr
names: +. p. Phelps, J. P. Haywood. Jno
", Forsythe Owen Hicks, and one OF TWO
others. names not obtained.
The minutes of the last meeting were read by
Rpv IT, H. Haynes, and approved.
Rev F. p Phelps presented petition from
| .ha uJow of a deceased minister, which was
appropriately referred.
| l'The examination Of the character OF those
continued on trial was then commenceI. anu
nossrd rs follows f. Fl. Prosser,J. l.. Weaver:
10. S. Wickline, A. G. Wells. ID. Richard
''i Rv reo1est Rev j.. NJ. Nickerson WAS cx-
cusnd from serving on the Committee OH Church
Prnnerty. and Rev Mr.. Hemmenway appoint
ed in his stead.
Rev. Mr.. King from the Committee on
Missionary Cause made an interesting report OF
the operations in that department during the
wear, which was accepted.
The following is the footing up Of said report
Poot, ;Inaham D;strict SlO9 OIL
Abb;nGdnn 40 90
| p;nbmord 5l2 0S
500 90
$50 of the above amount is yet to be paid
by the Alexandria Sunday School
The following visiting brethren from abroad
were then introduced by the Bishop TO the
Conference Rev. Drs Rowlcy, and McCauley,
of Philadelphia, Walden of Cincinnati, and
Neal. of England, and Rev. Nlessrs. Brown;
Ieman, Wilson, Wheeler: Van Meter and
Hobbs, of Baltimore, GLENN, Of Washington
and McAtec, Of Alexandria.
By permission Rev. Dr.. Chickering, OF Bos-
tom addressed the Conference in Il lew remarks
in relation to temperance and other Interests.
The following candidates for full member,
ship from the class Oh trla were then called
and addressed in the most eloquent and touching
style by the Bishop, and admitted, to wit =
J. W. Forsythe, j. NJ Adams, H. Clements,
B. S. Turner, 4. W. Boon, Jno. Walsh, f..
Morrison and W. H. Forsythe.
The subject of the use Of tobacco IN the nn-
isterial body having arisen in the examination
Of PARTIES above named this matter was extern
siyely debated by Rev. Messrs Nickcrson,
Walsh. King and some Others and the use
given Il position in the ranks OF the enemy.
The application of Henry G.. Shippers for full
membership elected Il warm debate pro and con,
resulting in the discoutinuancc Of MIR. ). with
out ccllaure
Rev. Mr.. Mitchell from the Committee ON
the Bible CAUSE made all interesting report de-
failing the operations during the past year
which is now nding-accompanlng SAID re-
port with remarks that were well received
The hour Of adjournment having arrived the
Conference was dismissed with the DcXoosy
and BenedictlOn.
The missionary sermon will be preached to-
night by Rev. ChaS. King, and IN address de-
livered by Rev DR.. Waldon.
THE "EAUuUIER MAD stone. THE New
York Times, of recent date, has a long arti-
Gle on the subject of the Fauquier Mad-St
The Times says:
''The truth is that belief in things absurd,
and, as matters Of physical science, lnposSl-
bic, was never in the world y history more pre-
yalent than now. We may pass over the efforts
of DR.. Cumming and Mr.. George Augustus
Sala to twist prophecy into tcontemporaneous
verifcation Such efforts, like straws show
the direction Of current, but We may waive
discussion of them in favor Of more palpable
and less delicate illustrations. The overwhelnl-
ing desire that exists in our day for the mar
velous is wildly shown in the tales OF the
Spirituasts than which, nothing Ill the anti
que romances of the Rosicrucians Or Of the
Epicureans, even AZ imagined by Tom Moore,
can be. called more wonderful. Such an in
stance of wide spread credulity as that which
is now attracting attention in Virginia, and has
been caused by what is called the ''Fauquier
Mad stone, " furnishes another striking illustra-
ton. A newspaper of repute, the Alexan-
dria Gazette, describes and appears deliberately
to indorse the extraordinary qualities OF the
stone; and this circumstance, together With
the connected allegations, fairly enitle the mat
ter to notice as one Of the oldest phenomena of
the age.
THE mistake is about the endorsement. y
We simply published the statements made by
respectable and honest people concerning the
stone-expressing on more than one occasion our
opinion that its virtues were not such in reality
as is believed in by many. We gave the facts
as communicated to US
The Times then gives the substance of the
published account and adds as follows:
MIR. Triplett has been offered, We are assured
thousands of dollars for the "Mad-stone, but,
although not rich, he declines to part with it.
Neither--and this seems not the least remarka-
bic of all the statements of the print men,
tioned-does he take money for the relief
bis panacca affords Its virtues are at the
command of rich and poor alike. and numbers
are continually saved from a horrible death by
this singular remedy. Such is the account,
which is corroborated by scores of reputable
persons, and deliberately given to the public as
truth We are aware, of couse, that the tale IS
not quite unprecedented, other similar mineral
curiosities having been heard of before. No
instance, however, occurs to us, supported by
such weight of testimony The story OF the
"Fauquier Maidstone certainly opens the