The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-02-19
Street Corner Notes.

Street Corner Notes.
The time for the assembling OF the an
nual conferences draws on apace, and both
ministers and congregations are anxious tc
know what changes will be made. Under
the itinerant system of the Methodist
Church, ministers are not allowed to re-
main in one place longer than four years.
They are nearly always changed oftener,
but the four year term is the limit. The
Baltimore Conference of the M. E. Church,
South. will convene on the 18th OF March,
in Salem. Va, with Bishop Parker presd-
ing. The conference embraces the greater
part of the State of Maryland, the Valley
of:Virginia, along the Potomac, and por-
| tion of West Virginia. 1t numbers 2oo
ministers and four laymen from each OF
the eight presiding elder districts. Dur
ing the past year only one minister has
died. the late Rev. w. II. Wilson, of Wash
A ington. so well known in this county. At
J the Conference last the statistics showed :
Local preachers, 10: white members,
80. 504 colored, 30 churches. 1872; proba-
bic value, 1901 ,066: parsonages 81 prob
able value. $l45. 1865; sunday schools, 4Sl :
officers and teachers. 4,657 scholars Of all
ages $780,
The Baltimore Conference of the Nj. T..
| Church. Northern Methodists, as they are
l r.
Eutaw Street Church, Baltimore. on
Thursday, March 9Th. Bishop r. S. Eos
| ter will preside. and the session will last
about week. The Conference numbers
nearly two hundred ministers, active, SUI
perannuated and supernumerary, and III
territory embraces the western shore OF
Maryland. the District of Columbia, part
al Virginia and West Virginia. Rev
MILFORD Downs is the only member of the
Conference who has died during the past
year. The statistics of the last Confer
ence show that the number of practitioners
! was 1885: full members, S2.9TG: loca
preachers. 1856; churches. ::H7 probable
value. Ss7l. 306; sunday schools. 376; Of
ficers and teachers. 5.S2S scholars. 1882
One of the measures of general interest
and commanding necessity that it feared
will not he come u law.is the National Bank
ruptcy Bill, Its friends are making de-
termined fight for it. backed by the iDilu
ence of the centres of trade. 1t requires
two thirds vote to pass it under a sus
pension of the rules. This motion can be
made at any time during the last six days
of the session. There is u large majority
in the House favorable to the measure.
but unfortunat bly, under system of roles
the majority ale powerless to reach any
measure out of 1.-The regular order of the
arrangement of the calendar. At some
time during the last six days of the SEES
sion it is proposed to move for the passage
of the BILL and m;lwy of its advocates an
nounce q purpose to use every method
known to the rules to prevent any other
business being done until an opportunity
is given for vote OH it. The larger OBJ
lection comes from tile West and South
the North and Ea.H being practically a
unit for it. Why it should encounter OBJ
lection from any por ltlon OF the Union is
an anomaly, for ey cry intelligent man
must know that the interests OF all class es
both debtor and creditor would he sub
served by its enactment. "A uniform bank
rupt law, we'll guarded and wisely framed.
would be relief to the unfortunate and
at the same time mete out exact justice to
every one implicated in a failmre. 1t would
dispense with the si;ionableNpracticeo OF
preferred creditors. be cause oil supposed
favors, and place every honest cledltor on
an equal footing. No honest debTor has a
right to priority of claim in a bankrupt
estate. If the debt is honest, it lis enti-
tied to equal dignity with any othel debt,
and to- share pro rata in the distribution of
the assets. Personal friendships areN out
of place in an insolvent's assets. TN csc
belong in morals, and should be protected
in law, to the creditors and each shouNd
share alike. Whether it is practicable to geAt
the bankrupt bill through it is impossible
to foretell. But if members of Congress
would carefully and dispassonately con-
slider the interests of commercial commu-
mites they would not hesitate IN its speedy
passage.
The Post Office Appropriation bill
has passed the Honse in more liberal
form than when it came from the Com
mittee, and is now with the Senate. There
are FIVE other of the regular appropriation
bills to be acted upon by both houses, which
gives rise to fears of an extra session. 1t
is singular how Indifferent members of
Congress are to the practical bearing of
appropriations to the people. There is no
service of the government which comes