Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-07
AFRICAN NJ. e. CONFERENCE.
QuadrennfaI Sermon by Bishop Way
man, of Baltimore, Md.
EsBe We Therefore as Wise as Serpeuts
and Humble as a Dove"
The other Proceedings.

The Fifteenth General Conference of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church of the
United States commenced in st. PauFs
Chapel, on Cherry street, yesterday morn
ing at O'Clock. The pulpit was tastefully
adorned with flowers, The attendance of
delegates is larger than at any Conference
heretofore. Twenty-one districts arc rep
resented, from each of which there are two
lay delegates in addition to the clergy.
The conference was called to order by
the senior Bishop, VIM. Paul Quinn, whose
residence is in Richmond, Indiana. He is
about eighty years of age, but so feeble in
health that be could not preside. The
Scripture Lesson was read by Bishop Payne,
of Xenia, Ohio. Prayer was offered by
Bishop Campbell, of Ohio. The Bishops
and other clergymen, lay delegates and con-
gregation generally then Joined in an ap-
propriate anthem, which was followed by
prayer, Bishops Shorter, Brown
and Ward succeeding one an
other in the discharge of this prOtracted
duty. The Secretary Of the last Conference,
Rev. Benz. 7. Tanner, of Philadelphia,
called the roll. The following were elected
Secretaries: James 81. Johnson, of the Bal
timore Conference; Benz, w. Arnett, Of the
Ohio Conference; T. +. a. Sisson, OF the
Georgia Conference and Philip Tolliver,
Jr., of Ohio. The rules of the last General
Conference were read. The following
committee was appointed to revise them
II. NJ. Turner, of Georgia; W. ii. Winter,
of Pittsburg, Pa; B. w. Morris, Of North
Carolina; r. A. johnson, of Ohio; /. ID.
Kane, of South Carolina; j. M. Williams
and J. G. Hamilton, of Philadelphia. The
following were appointed Marshals OF the
Conference: b. Williamson, w. K. Raven,
W. r. Carson and S. 7. Straws. On mo-
ton of Joshua Wheatland, of Philadelphia,
a committed, of one from each district, was
appointed on delegates. The Conference
then took a recess for thirty minutes, at
the expiration of which time it was found
that the committee on delegates was not
vet ready to report, and so the Conference
took another recess until 3 P. NJ.
AFTERNOONS PROCEEDINGS.
On re-agsembling the congregation sang
the hymn commencing:
"BIow ye the trumpet, blOw"
followed by prayer, by Bishop Brown. a
second hymn was sung commencing:
"Jesus the name high over all"
Bishop Campbell read the Scripture les.
son, followed by the
MAN,
of Baltimore. He said, in part, after Sc
Iecting his texts from the 26th chapter o.
Acts, 22d verse and the 10th Psalm, 9Th
verse:
aOn beautiful spring morning 40 year.
AGO the sun rose without a cloud and as il
did, higher and higher, its rays penetrated
further and further. On that day thi:
church was organized. 1t has been perse
cuted but it still lives; although
at that time there was no
leaders IL it cultured enough to cope kiI
oratory with its prosecutors from that di
rection; and they who had not this gif
prayed God foE help, and that he answered
them YOU can see in the existence of thii
chdIS y even as it is only to-day. Some O
the Fmost cultured lawyers were amons
chose employed to prosecute us, to close VI
orr doors, And the incenoiaTy'
torch was sometimes applied to on
humble places of worship which
while burning, the congregations watches
and wept over. This church, however
continues not only in name, but 1t is ais
exerting a great influence all over the lane
and throughout the world. Hence GU
thanks to God for preserving it, for it wa
hlv with his help it could have been done
zShas been as a lighthouse to warn our rae
Fk.ere not to venture, both for their tempo
"a and spiritual welfare. 1t has its schools
aud ssmin&ries where the youthful mind i
trained, l. has its WilberfOTce Universit!
whence emerge young mtn educated a
they ought TO be. We are here to. day, ate
an existence of more than half cen
tury. maintaining the same dOctriD
preached by all the apostles. We haY
set I'M no new standard, or doctrine, con
Erary to that promulgated by Philip, on hi
way South, when he met the Ethiopia
eunuch seated in bis chariot reading VIVA
that apostle had said respecting Jesus. N
matter how our intellect expands our be
lief in God remains the same. we hay
been admitted into the church militant an
we are now on our way to the church tr
ufnphant There are thousands OF other
on their way from ignorance and superst
ton, without the highest attainable Gu
ture which can be possessed, nevertheless
the labor has been carried on 10 elevat
our race to the highest principl
of Christian civilization. The ministe
frequently goes forth TO his work weepinl
not respondent, but because the magnitude
of il is so great that it cannot be encOn
psssed at once. Allen went forth Sc year
AGO from blacksmith shop in Philadelphia
He wept because he had a great battle
fight and but few soldiers to assist hin
TO &c back was death. In going forwal
he could but die. He went on, and fro
that small beginning in the old blac
smith shop, there are 100000 sou
to-day marching on their way heaye
ward TO see the Creator in all
majesty and refulgence. Some of your le
have been cast in the East, and others
Won have roamed the wilds OF the We
while Others have gone among the freedm
Cf the South and have entered their hun
BILE cottages and presented them with
Word, and thousands are rejoicing low