Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-15
COLORED BROTHERS.
ANNUAL coHrEREEcEof OF TIE xErHo.
DIST CHURCH.
Organization and Appointment Of Stand
ing Observation-Disclosures
of Candidates, &c, &c.


The twentieth Annual Conference
Of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church Of Virginia began at $3.50
O'Clock yesterday IN the Third-Stree,
Methodist church.
There were in attendance Bishop II.
NJ. Turner. ID. D., LII. D., Of Atlanta,
Ga, presiding officer Bishop A. ".
wayman. of Baltimore, assistant; Rev.
Edward Scarboro, recording and sta
tistical treasurer Rev. +. II. Bolen,
secretary Rev. Drs. B. F. Lee, b. I.
Tanner. A. A. Burleigh, W. j. Alex
ander, Joseph A. Handy, j. Z. W.
Moore. George Nicholson, and about
thirty ministers.
THE OPENING.
The Conference was opened with re-
ligious exercises by Rev. Il. I. Tan
ner, who also read the fourth chapter
of ii. Corinthians, with comments
thereon.
Bishop Turner then rose and made
brief opening speech, in which he con-
graduated the members present on the
success that had attended their efforts
in the spiritual field during the past
year.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
The standing committees for the en-
suibg year were then appointed. but
no work Of especial interest was trans
acted.
SPICY DISCUSSION.
Several new names were proposed
for membership in the Conference,
which elected some warm and spicy
discussion. One member objected to
candidate because be didn't vote to suit
him. Each candidate had TO &c
through a catechism, Of which the fol-
lowing is specimen
Presiding Officer How old are you
Answer: Thirty.
Presiding Officer: Do you drink?
Answer Only when I'm sick. ]
don't drink to excess. ] never drank
q gallon in my life.
Presiding Officer: Do you chew:
Answer No. sir.
Presiding Officer How long have
you been g member Of the Church?
Answer Several years.
Presiding Officer; Have you got a
wife
Answer No. sir.
Presiding Officer: Did you ever have
one?
Answer Yes, sir.
Presiding officer Where is she
Answer don't know where she l..
Presiding Officer Did she leave you
or you her.
Answer left her.
Presiding Officer Got divorce:
Answer Yes, sir.
To this applicant Bishop Wayman
addressed few words Of advice. He
said he didn't doubt that the man was
lawfully separated from his wife, but
he ought TO have thought about the
matter well before be married her, and
if that had been done he would love
ber now. After man gets little
sense in his head and rises little in
the world he ought not to think the
wife who before was pretty is now
ugly. Bishop Wayman spoke in a
fatherly way, rs he looks. lie is the
presiding elder Of the Ninth district.
INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS.
DR.. b. +. Lee, editor of the Chris-
tiaR Recorder, made good address on
the educatory influence in the world of
the press. DR.. Lee in his remarks
showed large degree Of acquaintance
with current thought. He was lis
tened TO attentively.
DIR. TANNER.
Or. B. +. Tanner, editor Of the
Church Reriep, an entertaining msgs-
zine published in Philadelphia, made
an excellent speech on The Condition
of the Negro in America. He holds
his auditors captive while speaking.
PERSONAL.
Rev. DR.. A. A. Burleigh is a promi-
nent divine Of Norfolk Rev. DR.. L. II.
Bolen is the presiding elder Of the South
vest Virginia district ; Rev. Mr. Moore
presiding elder of the First Virginia
Conference Bishop Turner is an earnest
advocate Of temperance, and canvasses
in that cause rs he goes his rounds in
Georgia.
Hereafter the Conference will meet at
Q A. NJ. and adjourn at 7. NJ. The
rest Of the day will then be devoted to
the work Of committees. The session
at night will consist Of religious exer-
cises only.
The Conference will be in session
several days.