The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-11-05
4 J. j: TO MEET
The Virginia conferenceM E. Church, South,
to Assemble In Richmond Next Week.
e e THE MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS
some of tho Probable Changes
Sketches of bishop Galloway and
The Presiding EIdcrn-The Officers
ofshe Conference Important Bust.
ness 10 Come Before the Body.


ness 10 Come Before the Body.
The Virginia Conference OF the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, South. as
stated In Sundays Virginian, Will meet
ut Centenary Church. Richmond, one
week from Tomorrow. This body Is
one OF the oldest. largest, and most in
nuential of the annual conferences in
the entire South
us territorial boundaries were first
liked In 1Ig6, but conference sessions
were held In Virginia for at least ten
ye2rs previous 10 the christian Con-
re, Of 1854, which organized the
Methodist Episcophl Church in Amer
lea. In the division of that church
In 1874, Virginia went with her sister
conferences OF the South in to the new
organization formed ut Louisville, Ky.
1915, and the first General Conference"
OF the new Church South" was held
on her territory at Petersburg, Va,
In May, 1916.
Another was held In Richmond May,
1856 forty years later. At that session
Charles b. Galloway. OF Mississippi.
was elected and ordained Hishop and
he is to preside over the annual confer
ence which meets here November 18th.
bishop Galloway is about forty-iive
years old; man of fine presence, mag
netic manner, superb voice, and Is
quite an eloquent divine. lie has been
Bishop for nine years. but this Is his
first presiding in Virginia.
The conference Is composed Of Dos
preachers 'in full connection" besides
twenty-five more who IRE yet ION
trial" and Inny be discontinued" by n
majority vote. They have no vote In
the deliberations OF the body There
are likewise fortyfour lay members
four from each presiding elders dis
trict, who have equal rights of partici-
patton In business, except such as
relates to ministerial character" The
greater part Of these 29I persons will
be present.
or the clerical members fifty eight
only were admitted before the civil
war. Two Of these. one aged eighty
five and the other eighty. We're admit
ted previous to 1S40-namcly, in 1873
AMI 1880 These are the venerable
James ~. Itiddick and Jacob Manning.
The secrethrlal stan is elected at each
session, but the chief secretary has
been reelected for thlrty-!ive sessions.
has been assistant for five previous scs-
sions, and Is the Oldest secretary In
continuous service in the South, II not
also i'll the whole world.
He Is Rev. Paul Whitehead, of Rich
mond, presiding elder of the West
Richmond District. The principal as
who has been I'm office since 1874. being
recording clerk until two years ago.
when the death Of Rev u. a. Peterson
first assistant from 1860 changed his
position, ~, was SUCCEEDED IL the
journal work by Rev. Ernest Stevens.
Much OF the important business of
the Conference Is transacted by boards.
OF these the most important is the
joint Board of Finance. of which Rev.
y. G. Brown, ID. D.. has long been the
efficient chairman. He is MS much u
fixture of the conference rs DR.
wi M 90 in
vice. He Is presiding elder of the East
Richmond District and general colpor-
teur. managing the distribution of de
nominational literature, and other rcli-
sious publications In n depository al
Ashland. Va.
He has able official aid in the board
In the persons of Rev. Il. f. Lipscomb,
secretary. and Mr.. l.. l.. Marks. of Pc
tcrsburg. treasurer.
The Board of Missions is presided
over by Dir. X. n. S!cdd. the able pastor
OF Centenary Church In Richmond.
Rev. l.. Is. Betty is secretary, and L.
l.. Marks, treasurer.
Mr. Marks has the custody of all the
funds of the Conference. handling at
each session over $4,000. which large
amount is disb,irscd and distributed
with perfect system and cXactneSS. Be
sides. this. the Rosebud Missionary So
cicty. the Woman's Foreign Missionary
Society and the Preachers Relief So
cicty. handle. respectively, $4,000,
$4,000, and $3.50, uncome in the last
case on spa, 800 invested funds).
The Board of Education, Sunday
Schools, Church Extension and Colpor-
tagc are presided over by DIR. a. Coke
Smith DR.. e. NJ. Peterson. Rev. George
w. Wray, and Rev. w. T.. Williams.
The Virginia Conference Brotherhood,
of which DR.. l-afferty Q president and
DIR. Nanderslicc treasurer. pays about
$3.50 for the family fund OF deceased
preachers. Eight have died the present
year.
The well-known custom of the Metho-
dist Church is to arrange annually the
appointments of their clergy, no one
of whom. except editors connected
with church affairs. and few other cx-
ceHtiona. cases, can remain In one
place more than four years successive
ly. These appointments. the most in
tercsting and exciting work of the an
nual conference arc made by the Bish-
OPP in consultation with the presiding
elders, of whom there are eleven.
a present these officers, known by
usage as the Council" are Revs. j. T.
Garland, y. G.. Brown. Paul Whitehead.
c. +. Watts. j. J. Laffertv (who was APP
pointed temporarily to fill the place of
Rev. VIM. l.. Payne. deceased, on July
30th lasD, Oscar Littleton, j. Il. Des-
hazo, IT. II. Campbell. Joseph H. Rid
dick, Joseph II. Amiss. and William T.
Wright. Some Of these have been In
office only three years: others, in vari-
Gus districts, as much as fifteen. The
reading Of the appointments, publicl,
by the I;iShODS Is the last act of tho