The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-24
METHODIsTs DEBATE UPON APPLI-
GIANTS.

CANTS.
Yeoterday's Session Devoted to the Dis
QUESTION of Important Business.
DANvILLE, Nov. 23.-The Methodist
conference reconvened at s:15 this morn
ing, Bishop Cranberry in the chair.
The devotional exercises we're con-
Quoted by Rev. j. W. Southall. A
lengthy Communication from the com
missioners of education for the colored
people was referred to it's proper com
mittee. The amount contribute to
this cause by Southern churches last
year, including legacy, was ST., 976,
Virginia's proportion being 5000.
Rev. M. A. Davidson, who has been
transferred from the West Virginia con-
ference to join this, was received and
introduced to the conference. Minute
question No. 90, Are the lives of the
ministers blameless?" was resu med, and
all from the Petersburg and Charlottes-
Vile districts passed examination of
character.
The elder of the Petersburg district
reported that charges growing out of
the rumors had been preferred every
part of the year against Rev. E. e.
Harreu. Impartial committee of in
vestigation had reported tho charges
groundless.
AS each minister's name was called
he gave short report of the work in hi
charge and the reports on the aggregat-
show increase in mem bership, Sundays
schools, etc but decrease in contribute
ton to the mission fund. also other
financial arrearages, all of which are
accounted for by the general financial
stringency The bishop introduced to
the conference Rev. H. c. Morrison, D..
ID OF Nashville, secretary OF tho South
ern churches general mission board.
The doctor made q brief statement of
the condition of the board. The assess
ments for the current year aggregate
$3.50, 900.
The conference mission board, through
it's chairman, DR.. Sledd, made a par.
tial report in which doctors and pastors
are urged to give the subject of missions
more prominence in their sermons and
ministrations A large mum Der of memo.
rails to the general conference were re-
ferred to the memorial committee.
These memorials revived many
changes in the discipline, among them
one requiring that the conditions for
admission to membership be more
stringent. Another is that the dole
gates to the general conference shall
be on basis of fifty members to one
delegate instead of thirty-six as now
Another is that the right to administer
sacrament and perform the marriage
ceremony be conferred to local preachers
and preachers Oh trial who are found
worthy without regard to ordination.
The following applicants were ad-
mitted to the conference on trial as
preachers of the first year: Samuel c.
Hatcher, j. Sidney Peters, Earnest T.
Hall, George II. Raw Jr., F. w. Proc
tor, George E Booker. Arthur B. Sharp,
Robert s. Baughap, Robert L. Water
field, VIM. Il. Blanchaumpe and A. A.
WIFI moro.
The application OF Peters elicited e
lengthy discussion because of the fol.
lowing facts: Tho applicant is very
bright, brainy young man and a poll
tician of some note, he having been one
of the bright members Of the legis-
lature. he has been rather wild and
dissipated, but was converted about six
months ago. He is cultivated, and be-
fore the examining board he stood at
tho head of the class.
The collections yesterday by the Joint
board of finance amounted to S2S 900,
the largest for any one day in the his
tory of the board. Rev. DR.. j. r. Brook,
of the Western North Carolina confer
ence, preached tonight to packed
house.