Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-03-06

He said in his district seven churches were
built last year, and that there was a strong
er, better spirit among the members OF
the Methodist church, South. They had
come to regard less the political prop which
came to their support, and with that
change came more reliance upon them
selves under God with faith in Him. The
Bishop passed all the ministers of Balti-
more district.
DONATION.
A donation of $3.50 from the Indepen-
dent Methodist church of Baltimore, was
! received.
Adjourned till 9 O'Clock this morning.
SECOND DAY.
Yesterday morning Conference re-assem-
bled at 9o'clock, the galleries of the Church
and a portion ofthe floor being filled with
ladies. The opening services Of the session
were conducted by Rev. DR.. Gardner.
CONFERENCE CoURTEsIEs.
Bishop Glossbrenner, of the United
Brethren, Rev. G. w. Knolly, of the Vir-
! ginia Conference, Rev. J. L. Miller and Rev.
Mr.. Minnich, of the Lutheran, and Rev.
Chas. Manly. of the Baptist church, were
introduced by the presiding Bishop to the
Conference, the members rising in &C
acknowledgement. Bishop Glossbrenner in
voked the presence of the spirit Of God at
the deliberations of the Conference.
THE PUBLISHING HOUSE.
A communication was read, giving the
operations of the Southern Methodist Pub
fishing Houseat Nashville. It showed the
asetts of the house to be $3.50, 100 and the
liabilities $242,9S2, leaving a margin of
$276, ia, being an increase over 1873 in the
value Of the assets Of $46,38O. A new
building has been erected at Nashville
worth, with the ground it occupies $214,-
597.
A letter was read from DR.. BEDFORD,
urging each minister to try and sell 500
worth of books which if done, would, with
the other money received by the house for
work relieve it Of debt.
DR.. Haygood, the Missionary Secretary,
made a short and very entertaining address,
urging the ministers to administer good
books as an antidote to the poisonous lit
erature in circulation. He said a large
proportion of the secular press was un-
friendly to Christianity, and the active
circulation of religious literature by the
friends of religion, was imperatively nee
essary. He urged the plan of each minis
ter selling 800 worth of books. It was no
idle proposition, hundreds of ministers had
done it, and he believed without their eff
forts in that matter, the Publishing House
could not have survived through Novem-
Der. 1t was hard to keep evil literature
out of the hands of the young, and a press
subsidized by the Adversary is always seek
ing admission to the houses of all. There
was nothing undignifed in a Christian
minister selling. the antidote to this in the
shape of good books. ne knew a Bishop
who, after he became Bishop sold books,
and yet he knew of young men not yet
graduated, who were ashamed to do it.
The bishop who did it regarded it as work
for God. He could not say how the young
men regarded it. In the matter Of Sunday
School works, he said the last edition of
the "Amarynth' sold 10000 copies the
prize Sunday school book written by a lady
of Virginia, was ready for the proof to be
read, and would soon be out. DR.. Sum-
mer's commentary would soon be put in
press.
Rev. Dr.. McFerrin, of Nashville, gave
the Conference a most genial, amusing
talk, Astounding with anecdotes, which OK
cited much amusement, and getting con-
troll of the attention of Conference he urged
D them the necessity Of ministers selling
books, showing how it might be lone and
how much good might arise from it.
METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.
A fraternal letter from the Methodist
Protestant Conference was received. Rev.
Nh Wilson and Rev. Mr.. Rogers gave an
account of their reception at the Metho-
dist Protestant Conference when they bore
a letter to it from the Baltimore Confer
ence, and gave a glowing description OF
the fraternal cordiality with which they
were received.
The letter was referred to a committee
Tor The VI lUO ICCCptlOlls
TOUCHING SCENE.
The passing of the characters OF the
minister was proceeded with and when
Winchester district was called a very
touching scene took place. Presiding Ell
der VIM. H. Wheelwright, rose with some
difficulty from his seat,and leaning for sup
port on his cane, said in a voice broken and
husky with emotion, tina the was perplexed
about his action. He had been through
great affection during the year. His mind
and heart were right, but his limbs crippled
and crooked by rheumatism, and he had
determined up to the time of arriving here
to ask Conference to change his relations.
"Bishop, [ would rather leave the work
! ia those more able to do it. Iwould rather
die than be in the way Of the work being
done. Yes, 1 had rather die, and l thank
| God, through Jesus Christ that l am able
to die" The crippled condition OF the i'll
valid, his earnest declaration, In a tear
broken voice, that he preferred death to
being in the way Of the work OF God, ana
his evident perpleXed anxiety still to do
the work, deeply affected those who wit
messed the scene, and as he hobbled out
prior to the investigation of his character
there was hardly a dry eye in the house.
| Hardly had the door closed on his retreat
ing form before three OF four ministers OF
his district, Messrs. Carson. Tebbs and
others, were on the floor testlfylng to his
labors. Though laboring under the excru-
ciating pangs Of rheumatism ne had vlsi-
ted every quarterly meeting, but one, IN
the district, and had fully lone the duty