Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-02-14
For The HERALD.
The N0TABLES or THE BAL Tlm0RE
CONFERENCE.

= nc AotioWtaS paper ~ Nov .. "
Hedges, was read at the Centennial
Meeting of the Cumberland District, Rev.
G.. w. Hobbs, Presiding Elder -
Mr. President. The work of one gen.
Grafton is analized by succeeding gener-
atoms. Potent motives embryonic in
the brains of few men, develop into
the well known deeds of humanity but
during the immediate act, the result of
that act connot be justly fathomed, the
strength of it cannot be fully tested. No
man can weigh the effect of a cause be-
fore that cause has produced effects. In
attempting to bring before you the Nota-
bles of our Baltimore Conference, in JUS
tice to my theme cannot go from city
to city and linger among the velvet cush-
toned pews, listening to the splendid
display of rhetoric, of carefully empha-
sized sentences, the rise and fall of the
skillfully trained voice. lulled into SYM
phonies by dulcet organ notes, not here
may in this Centennial year find our
notables. In looking for them they can
not be found in the pulpits of our thriv-
ing town churches ; nor among the
modest, unassuming houses dedicated to
God in our country villages. The record
of 1884 will analize the work of this gen.
Grafton, but to-day the notables of our
church are found in tracing the wonder
full effects of this Centennial year back
to the grand and glorious cause. Our
watchword has ever been Jesus, Wesley
and Methodism. Among the men who
! first guarded, who first sounded these
talismanic names we may find our Nota-
4 bles. To such do we wish to-day to rev.
erently render homage, and with heart
flooded with praise, and thankfulness,
yield to them the crown of laurel.
The names of Embury, Strawbridge,
called the first standard bearers), Rich
ard Owen (the first native preacher),
William Walters, 1.-THE first native timer
anti. Isaac Rollins. Hezekiah Baltham,
Aquila Stanford, Nathaniel Perigoy,
Daniel Buff, Freeborn Garretson, Caleb
pre- eminent. They formed glorious
galaxy their tolls and sufferings, their
zeal amid untold dangers and Affections
their struggles and untarnished faithful
ness envelope them in radiance most
wondrous and pure, and yet they were
only band of local preachers, the pio-
neers of Methodism on this continent
We are now celebrating our one hum
dredth session as Baltimore Conference,
beginning with the one held in 1885.
During the General Conference of 1884,
the Methodist Episcopal Church in Amer
lea was first organized and to be found
among the members of that first Annual
Session are such names as Francis As
bury, Richard Whatcoat. Joseph Wyatt,
Freedom Garretson, Mathew Greentree,
Thomas Foster, Philip Cox, John Dick
ems, first book AGENT, Thomas Chew,
VIM. Gill, jeremiah Lambert, Richard
Wright, Leroy Cole, William Partridge,
Michael Ellis, and John Cooper. This
Conference is renowned for it's spiritual
piety; as body they did not represent
men wise in the Classics, nor profound
in learning in their heavy travels often
the Bible was their only book compan-
ion, and even that would be read and
studied on horseback, but their earnest
and faithful force in expounding the
Word of God, their spiritual labors.
were the result of their chief study
Christ S promises to fallen man. They
accomplished their mission, the shouts of
the saved filled their hearts with Joy,
and the numbers of conversions cheered
them on even to greater zeal in the name
Of the Lord Jesus.
DR.. Coke and Francis Asbury were our
first bishops, men of consecrated lives
working in the itinerancy, living in the
one hope of saving precious souls. Close
ly following in the rank of Notables
came, Enoch George, William McKen-
dree, George Roberts, Beverly Waugh,
Jno. Emory, Jesse Lee, Francis Paythress,
Philip Bruce, Eli Fleming, Jacob Gruber,
Joseph Carson, Valentine Cook. Nathan
lei Mills, James Watts, James Hanson,
Lewis Fectige, Tobias and James Berley,
Alfred Griffith, John Davis, Jno. A. Col
Inns, Robert Emory, Norval Wilson,
Thomas Sewall, Henry Slicer, BENZ. N.
Brown, William Krebbs, Samual Brison
and Gerard Morgan. Such names serve
as help to recall many more equally as
Jealous in advancing the cherished
cause of Christ in mans salvation, but
our limited time forbids a much more
lengthy enumeration of the glorious No
tables of the old Baltimore Conference.
A few names, however. present them
selves almost touching this present gen
Grafton, names so filled with God like
deeds as to force themselves upon me,
William Hamilton, N. j. B. Morgan, Jno.
Bear, Robert Vinton. John Miller, Jona-
than Monroe, S. G. Roszell, Jno. A.Gere,
Hiram Bowen, A. A. Reese, Philip B.
Reese, Chs. b. Tippet, William and Jehu
Hank, E. R. Veitch, VIM. Prettiman,
Asbury Rozsell, George Goodman, George
IIildt, and Jno. II. G. Dosh and if per-
mitted as of the Baltimore Conference. l
would name the late Thomas Guard: as
pulpit orator, christian and gentleman.
few were his equal, perhaps none his
superior. If allowed to mention the liv-
ing in this connection, could not omit
the name of James Cambria, through
whose faithful preaching of Christ and
Him Crucified, in Rockbridge Co., Va,
led that wonderful man, William Tay-
lor, now Bishop of Africa, to embrace
our holy christianity.
| Methodism to-day is what our Notables
have made it. To them we owe the
spiritual purity of our Church to their
simple faith our prosperity is due
through their conservation we have
reached our present numerical strength
all glory be to our early ministers.
This celebration extendeth from ocean
to ocean in the place of the dense for
est of hundred years ago, cities and
towns have sprung into being, and from
these thckly populated districts the songs
of praise swell to the gates of pearl.
| To-day no change can be found in our
doctrines. The same atoning grace is
preached now as then. The testimony of
Christs power to save is as earnestly de-
clared as one hundred year ago.-the
foundation of our Methodist Episcopal
Church, the fundamental principles are
the same now as in Wesley's age-they
are unassailable-their strength is irresis-
tible.
The past record is a most glorious one
the future with its increased responsible
tues devolve upon us. God grant pos
terity may find as pure and noble re-
cord of us as we have received to-day
A farn,or ,yos a