Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-11-25
Virginia NIethodists.

The third days session OF the Nlr-
ginia Annual Conference was held in
Danville yesterday. Rev. II. P. Mitch
ell was made chairman of the Commit
tee on Conference Relations. Rev.
Richard A. Bennett, of Richmond, was,
on application, readmitted to the con-
ference. The sum of 81 $50, the amount
due the superannuated fund from the
publishing house. was paid by check
Yesterday morning. An appeal from
Mrs. Nathan Scarrett, general secretary
of the Woman's Parsonage and Home
Society of the General Conference, was
read and referred.
The paper tells of the work the socie.
ty is doing, and makes special appeal
for aid in raising $4,000 to release Las
Vegas Seminary, in New Mexico, of
debt. A very interesting paper was
also read from the Woman's Missionary
Society of the Virginia Conference,
which caused discussion, and was re-
ferred to special committee for imme-
date consideration. The report of the
colportage board shows that $3.50
worth of Bibles and other church litera-
ture was sold and given away this year;
that 5000 pages of church tracts were
circulated; that 597 Sunday School libra
RES were aided that the board has $40
patrons, and is out of debt. The appli-
cation of John T. Hunter, of Norfolk,
for admission on trial as a preacher Of
the first year, which application was
withdrawn Thursday, was renewed,
previous to which the conference, by q
decided vote, tabled a resolution that
such applications be hereafter consider
ed in secret session.
The discussion on Hunters case was
long and very animated, developing
the fact that the rule of the church is
to receive young men for the ministry
with great care and caution. 1t was
first alleged that the applicant had
been little lax in meeting q certain
financial obligation, but that being
cleared away, the discussion turned
upon his mental capacity, discretion
and Judgment. 1t was finally decided
to authorize the presiding elders to
give him employment as local preach
er or exhorter.
Memorials to the General Conference
on various subjects were read and re-
ferred. One asked for the coalition of
the office of recording steward and i'm
posing his duties on quarterly confer
ence secretaries.
DR.. w. E. Junkins read the report OF
the board of education. The board, in
consideration of the fact that the State
schools do not pretend to offer more
than secular education, urges bishops,
pastors and elders to increased activity
in the work of inducing church people
to send their children to school under
the watchful care of the church.
The report says that because secular
schools are a little cheaper, children
are sent there, where their spiritual
culture is subordinated or wholly un-
provided for, and the mission of the
church is to reverse this order and do
all it can to educate their children for
eternity, as we'll as for time. The
board recommends the following APP
pointments by the Bishop: To the
Vanderbilt University, DR.. w. F. Til
letty to Bowling Green Female Semi
nary, Rev. E. II. Rowe; to Chester Fe-
male Seminary, Rev. F. NJ. Edwards.
The statistics furnished by the board
show colleges and academies in confer
ence eight, q gain in ten years of three;
teachers 72. gain in the decade of %
students S44, gain in the same period
of 800; gross gain in assets $537 900; in
endowment funds, $4,000. The dis
cussion on this report lasted until the
hour of adjournment. Able addresses
were delivered by Prof. w. w. Smith,
president of the Raudolph-Macon Col
lege; Prof. A, n. Hughlett, of Lynch
burg, and Richard Irby of Ashland.
The Woman's Missionary meeting at
Mount Vernon Church, at three o'clock,
was very interesting, and was addressed
by Rev. w. G. Starr, d. D., of Norfolk.
There was preaching last night in all
the Methodist churches in Dsnville and
North Danville by ministers of the con-
ferenca