The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1895-05-30
ANNUAL DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Held by the Morayians Last Week at
| Oak Grove.


Held by the MoraYians Last Week at
Oak Grove.
Reported for The Sentinel)
The Annual District Conference Of
the Southern Province of the Ameri-
can Moravian church convened in
Oak Grove church, on the N. s. W. r.
r, last Tuesday and Wednesday,
May 21st and 22nd.
At these annual conferences there
is no legislation, but the affairs Of the
Sunday Schools, Christian Endeavor
Societies and kindred activities are
reviewed, rather than the concerns
of the congregations as such, reports
from the latter being called for more
particularly at synods. There were
about ninety-ff delegates in attend
ance on one or both of the two days
sessions, and the church, though large
| and cOmmodiOuS, was always COM
pletely filled with the delegates and
| other visitors.
| Bishop Rondthaler gathered large
| circle of Christian EndeaVOrers in the
shade of the large beautiful oaks to
| the rear OF the church, and there
such sylvan prayer-meetlng was
| held as could augur nothing less than
| a spirit-blessed conference.
Conference was organized by elect
| ing Bishop Rondthaler chairman and
! Mr.. G. e. Crist, of Salem, secretary.
| The latter being unavoidably absent
on the second day, his place was filed
| by the appointment of Rev. A. ID.
| Th4!er. A letter of greeting from
the Unity Department of the Unity's
| Elders Conference, in Germany, was
| read, and then the visiting Bishops,
benjamin Romig and Charles Buch-
ner, and Rev. Edmund A Oeruer, of
| the Northern Provincial Elders Con-
| ference, were introduced and after
| being welcomed, made short addresses
of geeting.
At 1:30 p. m. the rain having driven
| in the gathering from the grove ad
| joining the church, the afternoon ses-
sion was opened with hymns and
prayers. After the preliminaries. the
relation to church extension" was
taken up for discussion. This was
opened by Rev. J. H. Clewell in a
clear, logical and convincing address.
Bishop Rondthaler next introduced
the subject present State and Work
Of the District" The Rev. Crist,
Romig and Buchner also added we'll
| chosen words, the first named repre-
senting the laity of the church and
pledgiDg their support in every for
ward movement.
A 10 minute recess was here taken,
| and upon assembling again Rev E. S.
| CroSland introduced 1.-THE Christian
Endeayor in our Southern Church"
in a strong and forcible address.
| There are now some $50 Endeavurers
| in this district, gathered together in
H. n1 A L
| ThHler followed with a plea for more
| hearty cooperation and sympathy on
| the part of the older members of the
| congregations.
| At 9:l5 next morning "wednesday
the prayer-meeting was led by MIR.
| Flavius Lash, of Bethania, and was
a very happy occasion in the many
testimonies and expressions given.
At 1890 a. m. the Bishop called
the conference to order. Several new
brethren reported as delegates, having
been unable to attend the first day.
| The subject of the morning session
was estate of our Sunday School
| Work. and this was treated first by
Mr.. James L. Lineback. He again
emphasized the Importance of the lay
| workers.
| A committee of three was appointed
! to draw up message OF greeting to
| UuC lulIu DlSUTlCU OyuOu, IlOW III ScS-
sion at West Salem, Ills.
| A twenty-minute prayer-meeting,
! conducted by Rev. j. F. McCuistion,
opened the afternoon session. The
| report of the committee Of three
above mentioned being given, it was
moved and carried that the same
greeting be extended also to the Synod
! of the Fourth District and to the
Northern brethren in general. A
| ,N1a TO frlf tor Fasll
message was made by Rev. Edmund
A. Oerter, of the Northern p. e. c..
/ 1t was next decided to hold the next
Conference in May, 1896, at the Prov
| idence church, the invitation of that
congregation through Mr.. Il. n. Mar
shall! being gratefully accepted.
Resolutions OF thanks were then
offered to the congregation at Oak
Grove for their hospitality, and to the
N. & W. R-R. and the Winston Salem
Electric Railway for the courtesies
| extended.
Rev. ]. E. Hall, of Friedberg, now
introduced the topic, "How can our
congregations be more thoroughly
instructed in Moravian doctrine and
usages''in pointed and very suggestive
address. After additional remarks and
exhortations by Bishop Romig, the
Sunday school topic was once more
taken up, in order that reports from al
the schools might be heard. About 81
schools under the care of the District
were heard from. Attention was
also drawn to the work being carried
on among the county cOnvicts by {
Moravian brother.
After an intermlsSion OF five min
utes Conference reassemblcd for the
closing session. Bishop Rondthalel
presided and made beautiful the ugl
short address on "The Holy Spirit il
; the Church" Bishops Romig ant
Buchner followed. An impressive re
sponse was made by Bishop Rondthal
er. A circle of prayer was then form
ed, prayer of thanksgiving and praye
of pleading for further blessing. Z
doxology was sung, during which tn
right hand of fellowship was extendet
and after the benediction Conferenc
, was adjourned sine die. May grea
and lasting good result from its in
!. spring and happy sessions.
J. Will Live in W instOn.