The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-04
TO The Financial Board as interest on certain
Virginia bonds in which the trustees have

ReF. a. u. Br@wn, IN view OF detci cnCies
IN collecting assessments made for the past
year, offered resolutions requesting Bishop
kccner TO preach some time during the Con.
ference a sermon upon this branch Of Chris
tian duty. The resolutions also request
| pastors and presiding elders to give this sub.
| iect prceminence In the pulpit and pastoral
intercourse. which its great importance dc.
mands. That they preach ut least once
during the year in all of their congregations
| upon the subject, and urge the claims of the
| benevolent enterprises Of the Church by all
the powerful motives OF the gospel. Preach
| crS and lay officials arc requested to begin
| their collections early after the adjourn
| ment Of Conference, and to repeat them ut
| suitable intervals during the year until the
| amounts required shall be realized; that
| thew take up the educational and missionary
funds in the months Of April, May, and
| June. and the Conference and Bishop collec-
,ions in the months of July, August, and
sept emhcr, reServing the remainder of the
Conference year for any special collections it
nav be necessary TO make on account of
current expenses, &c. Passed.
| Dr.. Granhcry presented request from the
Third African church OF Richmond ask
ing that the church property be transferred
from the hands of the Conference to them
selves. Referred to special committee.
Rev. George &. Ray, chairman Of the Sum
day School Committee, presented his report.
which, after some discussion, was adopted,
subject TO certain corrections in the statistics.
Rev. 2. A. Peterson, chairman of the COM
mittrc appointed by the Norfolk District
Conference in July, 1878, upon the subject
| Of a suitable memorial Of the distinguished
services rendered by Robert Williams in in
i trn1 10 1 oil
| Virginia in the year 1I72, reported reS0u-
tons to this Conference recommending its
action in the matter. The principal resolu-
| tion is as follows:
| "ReSolrcd, That it is eminently proper
| and right that memorial of some kind, and
Of Il style suitable 10 the name, character,
and iabors of the Rev. Robert Williams,
| who. under God, introduced Mcthodism in
| Virginia. should be erected at as early a day
| rs possible; but whereas the committee are
| of opinion that it is not a matter of interest
| 10 this (Nortoik) district alone, but to all our
people in Nirginia and whereas Annual Con.
ference action would give it more dignity
and Importance amongst our people gene.
tally, and enlist their sympathies and contri.
buttons in lis behalf"
The above resolution was passed at the
District Conference. and embodied in the re-
port of this Conference, which referred the
matter to 4 committee Of five, consisting OF
Dr.. Bennett (chairmap). Colonel J. w. Hin.
ton, Rev. Joseph Proctor, George NJ. Balm,
Dr.. J. ID. Blackwell
Rev. A. &. Brown, chairman Of the FL
nance Committee, presented report OF his
committee in part; which was approved.
The hour of II having here arrived, and
al immense congregation filling the church,
| aft
memorial service to Bishop Early. Bishop
Dosyett preached sublime sermon, taking
as appropriate to his subject the 56th verse
of the 18th chapter of Acts.
He defined at some length the relation OF
the man Of God to the age in which he lives
a> rcpIe,c on one side with impressive gran
| dCur. and on the other with commanding
responsibility. Using his thoughtful and
eloquent remarks upon this point as back.
ground, he then brought the immediate sub
.iect of his discourse, the venerable Bishop
Early. into the foreground, and saying, now
that he has gone from the scene Of action,
now that he has retired behind the curtain
of the grave, who will not eliminate from
his record the errors OF rirt,ouS life and
accord him the well-earncd tribute due to a
life of distinguished usefulness?
Many of the incidents Of Bishop Ea:!y' S
career were introduced with touching effect
from his birth, near the foot Of the Peaks Of
Outer, in Bedford county, Va, to his death,
in the city of Lynchburg, November 8, 1873.
lie was born of Baptist parents. Having
Joined the Methodist Church upon his conver'
sion at the age of eighteen, his first labors
were among the slaves of Thomas Jefferson.
When he asccnded the pulpit to preach his
first sermon the tears shed at the parting
r,T cfnl IS.rr
upon the lapel of his coat.
We cannot attempt Il Synopsis OF the
| Bishops sermon, because to do so would
only be to mutilate an exalted eulogy, the
beauty of which extends from the first word
to the last, and which would be lost in the
effort to report from memory.
! Frequently during the discourse many OF
the congregation were in tears, and when
the Bishop closed there were few dry eyes
| in the house.
After the sermon Rev. w. +. Judkins read
the report of the memorial committee upon
the death Of Bishop Early; when the Con.
ference adjourned until L. M.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
| Bishop Keener in the chair; opening eX.
| ercises by the Rev. K. Michaels.
| The minutes Of the morning session were
Ieau auu aIploftu'
| The session in the afternoon being prlncl'
| pally for the purpose OF electing delegates 10
! the next General Conference, at Louis
vile, Ky, in May next, that business was
| Immediately taken up.
| A. c. BIed>oc, Thomas Boegs, W. w.
| Webb, and J. j. Yates were appointed tel
lers.
On the first ballot the following were de-
elared elected Q30 ballots-necessary to
| choice, 66):
Clerical Delegates.-Dr. James A. Dun.
can, 50; DR.. L. VI. Lee, So; W. W. Bennett,
| IL; L. 4. Peterson. 70.
| Lay Deleqates.-D'Arcy Paul, Francis II.
Smith, LII. D., George NJ. Balm, Jr., j. 4.
| Broadwater, Richard Pollard.
There are yet to be elected three clerlcal
and two lay delegates.
The Rev. X. NJ. Saunders was, on motion
of Rev. 7. A. Peterson, readmltted into tne
travelling connection of the Conference.
The name OF Charles W. Petit was, on
motion of Rev. 2. A. Peterson, entered upon
| the rolls of the Conference in accordance
| with thearrangemen between the Methodist
Episcopal Church South and the Methodist
Protestant Church.
! a resolution was passed requesting the
| delegates to the General Conference to use
their influence to prevent the reopening OF
the question which has been agitated in the
religious press in reference to the extension
| of the pasorate.
Conference adjourned until this morning
at 8 O'Clock. Landmark, Sd.
| Especial telegram to the Dispatcb.]
| Non,o,, ". necemher 3-The addi.