The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-04-25
General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South.

The General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. South, meets in Atlanta,
Ga, the third week in May, and collec tons
are being taken up in the churches Of the
Baltimore Conference to defray the ex-
penses of the delegates. Eight clerical and
eight lay delegates will represent the Bal.
timere Conference, their names being as
follows:
Clerical-Rev. S. REGISTER, D. D., presid-
ing elder OF the Washington district Rev.
R. Fl. Wilson, Winchester district John S.
Martin, D. D., Staunton; Rev. S. Rodgers,
D. D., presiding elder OF the Baltimore dis
trict; Rev. r. S. Hough. D. D., presiding
elder of the Roanoke district; Rev. S. S.
Roszell, supernumerary, St. Panl's, Balti-
more; Rev. P. 81. Whisner, Central Church,
Baltimore; alternates, Rev. j. S. Gardner,
Rev. Ezra F. Busey and Rev. Wilson
Head.
Lay-Moses Walton, J. A. Flaggatt, Geo.
Law, Il. j. Magruder, Patrick Hammill, E.
B. Prettyman, j. W. Newton, and ]. A.
Carter; alternates, Leroy NJ. Wilson, ]. B.
Wilson, and j. W. Watson.
The session of the Conference will con-
t!nue three weeks. and one of the principal
matters which will come before the body
is the proposal to abolish all limitations on
the term of the pastorate. The memorial
on the subject, which is numerously signed,
urges that variety of evils, result from the
old practice of changing pastors every one,
two, or three years. Among these are the
decentralization of the finance, the lack OF
permanent home for the minister and his
family, the separation Of pastors and young
converts, and especially the great and I'M
necessary number of backsliders. In 1866
this matter was brought before the confer
ence, and received the support of a respect
able number of the most able men. Old
usage, however, has caused the itlnerant
system to take deep hold on the affections
of the people, and there is little probability
| that any definite action can be secured un-
til after several years Of agitation.
| STAUNTON-The editor Of the Highland
Recorder, who recently visited this city in
an editorial on his trip: 1.-The fertile and
| productive county of Augusta, with its
thrifty population, has just cause of pride
in its enterprising and beautiful county seat
"a city containing between 5000 and 1000
population who are at once intelligent,
prosperous ard business like, city noted
throughout the United States for its superb
advantages and excellence in the way Of
Female Colleges, allowed to be unsurpassed
when the aggregate attendance amounts to
about 500 pupils annually from abroad,-a
city that has attracted hitherto, on account
of the salubrious climate and sanitary ad-
vantages possessed therein, the establish
ment of the D. B. & B. Institution and the
Lunatic Asylum, both supported by State
patronage,-a city with two railroads, doing
a good business, city of two National
Banks, whose declared dividend expresses
the sure footing and business prosperity
they enioy,-a city of three newspapers
"a city full of stores, first-class Dry Goods,
Grocers, Confectioners, Furniture estab-
lishments, Hardware houses, Boot aud Shoe
stores,-a city of first-class hotels, restau-
rants, and bars,-a city possessing Iron
Foundries, Machine shops, Wagon Factories
&c,.-a city, in short, whose entire compo-
sition reflects credit upon its own inhabi-
tants and exhibits thrift in every depart
ment of business