Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-03-28
CONFERENCE.
onnosed to Eyangelists.

Opposed to Evangelists.
At Saturdays session OF the Bait more
Conference OF the n E. Church. South, In
session at Hsrrisonburg. Leroy F. snapp, OF
the Virginia Conference, was elected dea.
con.
The committee on evangelism through Its
chairman. Rsv. Dr.. Samuel Rodgers, re-
ported as folioWe:
Your committee, to which the subject OF
Evangelism was referred, has carefully consid-
cred the subject and respectfully report:
"We are fully convinced that the employment
OF irresponsible or self styled evsr galists, travel
ing throughout the country and operating In
cur church, s, is an evil of great magnitude.
TO specify-Tho respect OF the people for tho
duly authorized ministry Is diminished, dscord
is mir duced Into tho churches, means that
should be used in the reau'az work among our
people are diverted; lanentable irreverence
follows the teachings Of these men, irreverence
mark ng their own speech and conduct; the con-
versions that are counted, in many cases do not
show the CIV dsncs Of real change or even Of genu-
inc conviction of sin that serious errors in doc
rine are often promulgated by them that OUT
methods Of calling sinners to repentance are dis
credited-and, not to multiply the ttatement OF
the facts, we add only th!s-that after reyiysls
conducted by these men, COR gregat;ons are dimin-
ished, the mears of grace are neglected and the
people less ea;ily impressed by the gospel OF tho
Lord Jesus
Tho psper referrid to US directs that some
measures be devised for the proper protection snd
direction OF the work Of the church by the mem
bers of this conference.
I'VE therefore recommend:
81. That our pastors, whenever able to do so,
conduct al the services themselves.
40. That il aid should bs needed. they call to
,hoir assistance their brethren in their own or
djscent conference.
'3. That such travelling evangelsts bs not adj
mitted to our churches.
~. That our people are urgently advised and
requested to give no cocntensnce or support to
such men, either by attendance upon their SER
vices, or the contribution of msaps
at evidences our conviction Of the Importance
of all that We report, when we ST rm that in cur
Judgment no more effective system or method of
vsngelzatiol (the !tineracJ) hiss been used in
modern times thaa that hitherto in usc in our
church and which we sincerely trust WILL never
be abandoned"
The resolution was adopted with only
few subdued "noes."
A supplementary resolution offered by
DR.. Cox went farther In declaring 1t q valid
OF action to the passage OF prsaoher's
character to Invite into his pulpit any Of
shsss irresponsible eVangelIs,s who are traV-
SLING around the country.
Rsv. Collins Denny and others opposed
this as being too radical, and 1t was eubse'
qoenily Wtldrown.
Il this connection Rev. V. W. Wheeler,
of Clifton Forge. sharply denounced the
conduct of Evangelist W. W. Smith, who
visited that town rsosntly. He said that
WORK of that character undermined the in-
fusnce of local pastors and esirayed their
people on the whole, leaving the spiritual
| condition of the people far worse than 1t
was before. Mr.. Wheeler stated that 1t
vas the Rvowed Inter tlon of Mr. Smith to
create division between pastor and people
and did not think that any lasting good
| would result from his meetings there.
Speaking OF Mr.. Smith ard similar evange.
lists he said: "They are nothing more than
dieorgauIzare. The hardest work 1 ever
had was cleaning up the dirty work Of that
| man."
The msjor t7 of the preachers seemed TO
90 In sympathy With the seVere criticism CT
the evargelsfa. One of the preachers az ked
how they are to determine whether man
is responsible evangelist or net, to which
Bishop Keener replied II will say II lie ell.
ways easy to tell responsible men be hes
his pagers" The Bshop said IL was high
tims that scms action was taken by tbs
church to connsersot the dsorganizlng and
d;sinieerstlng effect OF this sort of work.
The following preachers who had passed
their probationary periods were then called
to he chsncel and admitted into full con-
neolicn, B.shop Ksener delivering most
impressive address Wm. L Smith, Sam.
mel III. Bowman. Vim. T. Cover, VIM. b. Fl.
Joyce, John 8. Eagle. Isaac G. Michael, John
II. White. Charles A. Soanlsnd. Alfred b
Sites and John W. Basll.
Rsy. DR.. Morrison, CT Louisville. pre-
sented tne claims OF the Board Of Foreign
Missions. and asked for two missionaries In
Japan. More than the amount aeked fer
was pledged In few minutes. The SUBJ
scriplIops aggregated 81 40
Yesterday morning Bishop Keener preach
ed an able and m IMPRESSIVE sermon. At the
conclusion OF the seEVice two glasses CT dea.
Gems, travelling and LEGAL, were ordained,
Secretary Armstrong snd Rav. Rumssy
Spithsou Gssittipa in the ordination ser-
Woes. at night Rev. DR.. a. O. Morrison,
secretary of the missionary board, preached,
the service ending with the ordination of eld-
ers.
Memorials of deceased minister's vas a
special orGer for to-day.
The conference Will probably atjourn
CuesGsY light.