Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-15
METHODISTS MEET.
THE VIRGINIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
AT CHARLOTTESVILLE.
Elders Passed ps-Preachcrs In
BE Provided for--Against the
Use of Tobacco.

The conference was called TO order at
915 O'Clock by Bishop At,lcus G.. Hay
good. He read the second chapter Of
| philippians as a ScrIpture-lesson, and
led the conference In singing How Firm
"A Foundation. Ye Saints OF the Lord"
| His prayer was tender and fervent. and
evoked hearty response
The preliminary religious service was 50
hearty and genuine that 1t gave the ses-
sion a good "send-off.'
Mr.. Paul Whitehead was, for the thirty
fifth time. e.ected secretary Of the con-
| ference. and upon his nomination s. S.
Lambeth and Ernest Stevens were elected
assistants.
DAILY SESSIONS.
daily session was ordered from 93O
until 80 O'Clock. Four ministers have died
during the year. and six wives Of preach
ers. \ memorial service will be held in
honor Of the dead preachers
j. J. Lanerty was appointed TO write
the memoir Of j. Il. Laurens. Uncle
Larry \. c. Brown. 10 read the memoir
OF +. j. Boggs: -. j. Traynham, that of
]. II. Pike. and w. w. Royal will pre-
pare the memorial of Thomas NJ. Beck
ham
In organizing the body for the work OF
the session. the usual boards and COM
mittees were appointed.
ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES.
4 committee to nominate committee
on conference relations was ordered, and
W. II. Chr stian. J. s Hunter, and j. [.
Watson were appointed.
f. NJ Edwards. Richard lrby. and j.
~. Moore were constituted committee
on temperance.
W. " Tudor. r. Irby. and w. F. Davis
were appointed committee on the BiDIe
cause.
\ committee to nominate committees
on the course Of study was organized.
These committees are so important
that the bishop reserved the announce
ment of them.
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS.
Communications were read from the
managers Of the general and connectional
ent rprises Of the church.
\ letter from Barbee & Smith, OF TIE
publishing house at Nashville. Tenn,
represented the business Of the house in
excellent condition.
The book agents acknowledged their
obligation to the presiding elders ana
pastors. TO whom they were chiefly In
debted for the prosperous condition Of the
panyng were referred TO the Committee on
Publishing Interests.
\ communication from Dr. w. w.
Smith. secretary Of the General Confer
ence Board of Education. was read. The
paper gave information as to the number
ana value of educational institutions IN
the care Of the Church. The assessment
levied upon this conference for the Work
Of this board for the ensuing year Is
I.r wi no
sent personally the work Of the board.
The subject was referred 20 the Educa-
tiOnal Board Of this conference.
\ communication was presented from
Dr. Morton. secretary OF the General
Church Extension Board. The document
represented that the general and local
boards had helped III churches within
the bounds of the Virginia Conference.
and appropriated for their benefit S20.5i2.
The matter was referred. as was also
a communication from Morrison. secre-
tary of missions.
Or. J. J. Tigert, book editor OF the |
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and |
Dr. George H. Petrie. Of the Pr osbyterian
church. OF this city. were introduced.
PASSED EXAMINATIONS.
Minute Question 2O.-"Are all the preach |
ors hlameless in life and official admin |
istration" was called. and the presiding
elders Of all the districts passed In cxami-
nation Of character and made reports OF |
their work.
"NVho are admitted on trial?" This |
question was called and there were thir- !
teen applicants for admission received |
into the conference Their names are Dex-
ter ". Reed {. r. Gibbs. l.. r. Williams, |
John ". Parrish. r. +. Johnson. Major |
s. COlOnna Fred. Graham Davis, Eugene
j. Potts. r. l.. Wingheld, w c. Pace,
Gustavus W. Dyer. W. 4. a. Haynes, and |
George Wesley Jones.
The applications of John Willis Minner !
and II. +. i. Martin Were withdrawn.
THE CONFERENCE CROWDED.
The preachers who are In the territory
to be transferred to the North Carolina |
Conference have decided to remain with |
the Virginia Conference. which VIII ada |
eight men TO be distributed To the work !
as it will be- with these changes taken |
of. Then there are thirteen new men
received to-day. which makes twenty-one |
men 10 be provided for. Besides, there are |
several transfers to be reported from the |
HolstOn and other conferences. The ranks |
will be unquostionaby crowded. but the |
Bishop announced today that h" would |
relieve any congestion by transferring |
any excess of men TO the western fields, !
of which he has charge.
AN ANTl-TOBACCO CRANK.
Many Methodist preachers In Virginia |
use the weed. which Is a scandal In the |
ewes Of the cranks. one Of these pests |
had printed an extract from the Era. the |
EpwOrth League paper. edited 10y Dr. s |
\. Steele, once pastor in Richmond. which |
was a violent dcnunciation of tobacco. |
The article in one place says: The use Of |
tobacco is a sin. and the man who uses |
IL Is a sinner So we believe and so We |
preach and teach" The printed article |.
was freely distributed, and was most |
offensive TO the lovers Of the quid and !
the cigar. DR.. JIdkins' pastor Of the |
church. for fear that he would be held |
responsible for the distribution OF Tn, |
paper. said on the floor. before the ses-
sion began. that he had nothing 10 DO |
with II. IL was aulaciOus and unauthor- |
tied and he would Ike to know who had |
done II that he might administer a de- |
served rebuke.
RICHMOND CHURCHES.
The presiding elders Of the Richmond |
and West Richmond districts in repre- |
senting their work to-day. said that the |
year had been one Of great prosperity im |
all the churches Gracious reVivals had |
been held yielding large additions to the |
membership u the Church, and although |
the year had been 4 hard one In city and |
country, the nnanclal reports would De |
as good, If not better. in the aggregate
than in past years.
ARRANGING FOR APPOINTMENTS.
The Bishop called his advisers-the pre-
siding elders-together last night To- over
look the work. No work was done on |
the appointments. but the field was looked
over and arranged for the work Of the
council tonight.
IL has leaked out that there were
changes made in some of the districts at
this meeting. The Suffolk District DIS
appears It's appointments were added
10 the Norfolk District, and then TINS
was divided into two. and henceforth.
until other changes are necessitated'
these will be the Norfolk and the Ports