The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-23

The Conference met yesterday at $3.50 A
NJ, as usual-Bishop Kavanaugh in the
chair. The devotional exercises were led
| BY Rev. James NJ. Anderson. The services
were opened with the hymn beginning
| 20, for a Thousand tongues to sing
| Ny Great Redecmer's praise" sc.
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Anderson.
"Am a soldier of the cross" &C..
was then sung. Prayer by Rev. L. S. Reed
THE PRESS.
Rev. IT. G. Cheatham read the report o.
the Committee on Publishing Interests, as
follows:
Your committee do not deem it necessary
ut this day to enter upon any extended dis
cussion of the press either for good or evil
Its potency for evil is already seen and fell
by all observing and thinking men in the
enervating, infide|, meretricious, and wick
| ed literature which pourS forth over all the
land like flood Of dark waters in the form
OF newspapers, magazines, and review:
from the press under the control Of corrupt
and unSodly men destitute OF the truth
We believe that those having charge OF the
religious education OF our young people
and those who furnish mental food fol
them. have not been altogether bameless in
this matter, in that they have placed and
allowed to be placed in our Sunday-Schoo
! libraries and in the hands OF our children
| books giving false views Of life, promoting
Sickly sentimentality, violating the moral
taste. enervating the intellect, and some.
! times teaching doctrines contrary to the
| truth as the truth Is in Jesus. AS Chris
tians Eand Christian teachers we cannot
sound the alarm too often, too loudly, nol
too earnestly in this matter.
| iy,f fla .h1 nr
God have long known and appreciated the
power Of the press for good when properly
controlled, and have employed it with grand
and most precious results. The value and
Importance OF the press are constantly grow
| ing in the estimation OF the church; its
blessed results are daily augmenting; and
the circle OF its influence is continually
widening. The religious press has done
and is still doing much for the promotion OF
truth and Christianity, and is destined to do
far more. We pray for and expect the time
when sanctified press shall send forth q
pure religious literature, like the water OF
| the river OF life. to bless and refrcShen the
nations.
Among the agencies already engaged IN
this great and good work we have our own
Richmond Christian Aduocate, under the
editorial management Of Revs. w. W. Ben
nett, D. D., and J. j. Latierty. This paper
has long been weekly visitor to the homes
OF our people, carrying light and comfort
to many hearts, defending our doctrines
and tenets, and aiding our ministers in
their work. 1t has become an indispensa-
sable part and parcel OF Methodism in Vir-
ginia. 1t is well and ably conducted.
The Southern Reuie,c, edited and publish.
| ed by Rev. A. II. Bledsoe and Mrs. S. Bled-
soc Herrick, is work OF great ability and
merit.
Your committee had under consideration
communication from Dr.. A. II. Redfield,
agent, in regard to the condition and affairs
Of the Southern Methodist Publishing
House in Nashville. According to DR.. Red
fields estimate and report the assets OF the
Publshing-House are S576, ,S42.26, and the
liabilities are S260,910.47. During the past
year the house has reduced its Indebtedness
S5,695.20, and increased its capital S9,150.22.
The agent regrets that he cannot make SO
favorable report as he desired. The COM
mittee very much regret that the facts com.
municated to us in regard to the Publish.
ing-House are so meagre. We have so few
details and particulars that we have no ac.
count of the amount and character Of the
business done during the past year. We
especially invite the attention OF the Book
| Committee to this TACT.
We present the following resolutions
/. Resolued, That the exhibit made OF
the condition OF our pubiishng-house is moi
sufficient in its details to enable us to offer
any satisfactory suggestions other than.
first, to earnestly endorse the recon-
mendation it contains-to-wit: That we
seek an increased distribution OF oul
literature among our Sabbath schools
and people; secondly, that we express 1t as
our Judgment that, in view OF the very
heavy liabilities Of the house, constant ad.
herence to the instructions Of the Book
Committee to conduct the business hereaf.
| ter on strictly cash basis is prime neces'
sity to the integrity of the house; and,
thirdly, that we earnestly urge our breth-
ren who are indebted to the publishing
house to settle their accounts at once.
9. ReSolUed, That it is our deliberate
Judgment that our agent ought to send to
the annual Conferences 4 full and itemized
statement Of all receipts and disbursements
OF the house, that we as Conference may
obtain clearer knowledge or better under
standing of the general statement sent us.
8. ReSolued, That we cordially commend
to the patronage OF our membership the
| Christian Aduocate. published at Nashville,
and edited by Rev. r. 0. Simmons, ID. ID.
| i. 1LeSUtUeu, lt1ttt VIC Sait Oh0 "peS'sAoh VI
the Methodist people to book OF sermons
by Bishop Marvin, published by our Pub.
| lishing-House, at Nashville, and also DR.. A
G.. Haygood's book entitled "Our Chill.
dren," and urge them to procure and reao
these sound and able works.
5. Resolved, That we reattirm with great
pleasure our high appreciation OF the South
ern Reu1eu, edited by DR.. A. II. Bledsoe, as
most valuable agent in the defence OF tho
truth, and do most cordially commend it tc
the patronage Of our people and public at
large.
6. Resolved, That the Richmond Chris
tian AdUocate has the first claim upon the
patronage OF our membership, that it Is
worthy of large and liberal support, and
that we urge our brethren Of tue Conference
to increase its circulation until it shall be
found in the family OF every member OF ouI
| Church.
The report was discussed till the hour OF
IL O'Clock arrived, when it was laid on the
table, and the special order of the day (the
consideration OF the Bible cause) was taken
| up.
BIBLE CAUSE.
/ Rev. r. E. Armistead presented the re.
1 port on the Bible cause, detailing the efforts
| Of the Virginia Bible Society. In the past
| five years it has distributed $4,000 volumes
1 Of Scripture, valued at $4,000. The So.
! ciety, through its missionaries, has visited
| 77,700 families, and carried the Blessed
| Book to more than $4,000 OF our destitute
population. ''The American Bible Society,
] in view Of its present financial condition,
| casnGt. as in the past. continue its liberal