Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-20


Ga.loways book. The Circuit OF the
Globe and among the newspapers the
Richmond Christian Advocate.
THEIR CHARACTER PASSED.
The lives and characters OF Rev. Or.
j. J. Lafcrty and Revs. James Cannon.
Jr. and r. H. Bennett were then favor
ably passed upon by the conference. All
three Of these gentlemen arose and ex-
pressed themselves as satisfied with the
report Of the committee. and said that no
further reference would be made TO II
other than as conference business.
Rev II. II. Bennett. however. took oc-
casiOn TO say that while the report OF
the committee satisfied him. yet he re-
served the right TO answer. at all times.
any slurs or insnuations that might be
made against him or any one dear TO
him. He did not propose TO give up his
self-respcct. he said with emphasis
In the case Of Rev. ". W. Southall. the
Conference Relation Committee. to which
1t had been referred. made its report. re-
commenting that he be not placed on the
SUI erannuated list Rev. Or. w. w.
Royal said he hoped the report would
not be adopted. and that the brother
would be 50 placed.
DR. Brown spoke In the highest terms OF
DR.. Southall. saying that the only trouble
in his case was his deafness. and that
his preaching and pastoral work were
entirely satisfactory. Only his inhrmity
OF deafness made aanst him. The re-
port was adopted.
COMMITTEE on BIBLE CAUSE.
Rev. Dr. W. V Tudor submitted the
report Of the Committee on the Bible
Cause. 1t SGT forth that the Bible So
cicty Of Virginia represented the Amcri-
can Bible Society. with repositories in
Richmond, Smithville Lynchburg. Char
l0ttcsvillo Lexington. Salem, Norfolk
Williamsburg. and Alexandria. The So
ciety had four cOlporters. one ia Fred
ercksburg and Alexandria. one in Pu-
iaski and Washington counties. one in
Petersburg and vicinity. ana one in Man
chester. I'm the latter place an invalid
Methodist woman gave circulation to over
100 Bibles last year
The following facts from the report Will
be Rad with interest: The society circu-
lated the last year 1903 VOLUMES value
Y.N-2. As is well known. the american
Bible Society supplies with Bibles al
foreign mission-holds Of the Protestant
churches in America. and has circulated
in foreign lands 1921 volumes during the
pas: year II has appropriated for the
foreign work Of the coming year sl16.G65.
The report was promptly adopted
THE COLPORTERS WORK
The report Of the Colportcrs' Board was
read. il said that while there had been
severe financial depression the work OF
colportage had steadily grown. and much
good had been done. Appended 10 the
report was series OF resolutions COM
mending the work Of Rcv. Dr. \. G..
Brown. the general colporter The last
Of these resolutions was as follows:
Resolved That xEe lacpCQx him fhe
General ColporteD the support and coo
operation Of all the preachers ana people.
and urge that they make all their pur-
chascs through him
This report created a great deal Of
discussion In which Rev Herbert II.
Hope Of Petersburg. took issue with the
board in some Of its statements.
Mr. Hope said he arose with some hest
tatiOn to oppose 50 decided a report, but
ne thought the work Of colportage, as
now carried on. was defective and decep-
tive. Tho old district system. which was
spoken Of I'm the general colporter's re-
port In almost COntemptuous terms as too
mcagre and contracted. yielded better re-
suits for colportage than the execution
of the present plan. That plan in it,
first year had twice as many cOlporters
as this plan has after years Of labor.
Under that plan there was steady On
la ilfIt NI INC NOI "a UlNIl Ail'IF WIZ
sixteen colportcrs in the field Now only
three are referred TO. There is local dis
satisfaction shown by the fact that the
reports of the colpOrter are largely tie
fenslVe. and, although the board has
been begging for money for years and
various plans have been adopted. COM
paratyely nothing had been given. which
would not be tho case were the judg-
meut Of this liberal Church convinced.
a.. }. id. e.
faction shown in the statements that
came from those i'm authority. that II the
system OF c)lportaEe were general al
of the conferences using IL. the business
Of the publishing house would be
crippled. AZ the publishing house sym
pathy and cooperation was given 10 this
work I'm the beginning. To give 10 a fair
test. but there they were convinced that
it was accomplishing little in the way
of its original design in genuine coll
portage work. and. while they could not
under the law enter the field as com
pctitor. it would be better for the orders /
% 20 direct TO them. Reference had been /
made 10 the fact that the Eyangclization /
Committee OF the Baptist Church had by /
a large majority determined to report I
the union with another board. or aboli- .
ton altogether. Of the Sunday-School /
and Colpoitage Board. II had been re-
commended, but on Monday by nearly a
two-thirds vote the association deter
mined 10 hold this most useful adjunct /
Of its work. Its work was too valuable /
20 be modified or given up. Mr. Hope I
said he was in thorough sympathy with /
genuine coipOrtage work. but we had /
possibly built up a bigger book business 4
than the conference had had before. but I
less colportage work was done: and he 1
gave the statistical proof OF his asser- /
ton. He had a good deal TO say about 4
The loss OF profits to the house by deal /
ing through the general coIportcrs. and I
was interrupted several times by the /
gentleman who is at the head of the /
work lie was CritiCisinc His speech was /
listened 10 with marked attention.
DIR. BROWN REPLIES.
Rev Dr. Brown, the general colporter.
made a lengthy and forcible statement,
which was borne out by several Of the
presiding elders. to the effect that col
porters We're doing good and efrectual
work in the various districts. and while
there were not as many regular cOlpOrt-
PTS now as there were under the old /
district system OF colpOTtage, the results
were more satisfactory, and more work
was done. DR. Brown said he had also
enabled many OF the preachers to sell
books and allowed them to return TO him
'uCn pupllCdluhS as tltN cpuiu not us
pose Of which the publishing
would not allow them 20 DO. He denied
what MT Hope said about the large per
,enteg $. and assured the conference that
his percentage for the most part was
lny % per cent. ranging up TO 90 -
per cent. where he forwarded he money
accompanying the orders for certain
.lasses OF publications.
Dr. Browns position and statements
we're corroborated by some of the other
members Of the conference. The general
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