The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-08
.IHE DISTRICT CONFERENCE
There Was a large Attendance
Yesterday,
Domestic Missions. Education and
Spiritual Condition of the Church.
Delegates Elected to the An
nual Conference. Womens'
Missionary Society,

Methodist District Conferences
usually holds three days, aud the big
dsy of the conference now i'll session
Mt Providence Church, Princess Anne
county, q suort distance from Oceaua.
station on the Virginia Beach road,
wns yesterday
There were present besides the mem
bers and delegates u large number of
visiting preachers aud others Interested
in tho educational and other interests
OF the church.
Providence is said to be one OF the
best church buildings in the county.
1t is pretty frame building we'll made
and will seat about 500 persons. The
affords ample protection from the sun.
an advantage indispensable to Motho.
dist Church when frequently ali dny
meetings are held.
The people of Princess Anne nre
noted for their hospitality, especially
those who compose the Providence
congregation.
Yesterday they had provided dinner
and enough was left over to feed
regiment OF soldiers.
Rev. Mr.. Wallace, the preacher i'll
charge, has worked hard dnriug con.
ference looking after the delegates aud
seeing that the visitors are not neg
lected.
1t 10 very doubtful if any charge
within the bounds OF the Virginia Con
ference can surpnss Providence in the
entertainment of visltore.
The Presiding Elder. DIR. Garland,
called the eession 10 order Mt 10 o'clock
and tue work of the second day began.
Devotional exercises were conducted
by Rev. j. Is. Merritt.
The minutes of the first days session
were read end approved.
Rev. mir. Cook, of the uoston Con
ference; Rev. DR.. Carter, OF Park Wow
Church, Portsmouth: Rev. j. II. Wat
erield, of the Bowling Green Circuit,
and Prof. L. p. Barham, of the Hamp
ton College, were introduced to the
Conference and invited to seats within
the bar.
TIE CALL OF CHARGES.
The call of the charges ON the district
was resumed, and Rev. DR.. Royal, OF
the South Princess Anne Circuit re.
ported membership Of nine hundred
with good record. He expects to
raise all the Conference collections, in
spite OF the difficulties to be overcome
arising from the heavy assessments
made on the circuit. The spiritual con
dltion Of the churches was good and
improving. lie expects to build new
church.
Rev. j. 3. Merritt, chaplain of the
Sesmen's Bethel, reported having no
complished good work during the
year. His ministerial labors were con
hned for the most part among thoge
who are homeless and friendess.
THE MISSION FIELDS.
DR.. Royal. from the Business Com
m!ttee, presented tho report on mis-
sionu. AT the conclusion of the read.
Ing OF this report he addressed the CON
terence on the subject, giving very
encouraging account OF the mission
work in foreign fields, including an in
teresting account of his six years
labors in China.
He offered the following resolutions,
which were discussed aud adopted:
ReSofrcd. That the collection for
missions be taken up separately, and,
as far as practicable. before May.
ReSolred. That the provision of and
the discipline as to Sunday School Mis-
sionary Societies be fully enforced and
executed.
ReSolred, That an effort be made to
place 1000 copies of The Woru for
Christ, our juvenile missionary paper.
IN circulation within the bounds of the
Norfolk District.
ResolUcd, That we most heartily con-
gratula,e Uncle Larry and the Rose
buds of the Virginia Conference on the
euccesa OF their efforts to free the Mon.
terey School from debt.
SPIRITUAL CONDITION.
Rev. DR.. w. V. Tudor presented the
report on the spiritual condition OF tho
churches. The report showed that
while the churches presented n most
favorable aspect with reference to mat.
ters OF minor Importance, the spiritual
condition OF the churches was not what
they ought to be; that only about 300
actual additions had been reported to
tho churches during the year. Tho
report also regretted that the practice
OF family worship is largely neglected
IN many families. @ fact that should not
exist. The Doctor closed his report
by Offering the following resolutions.
which were adopted:
Rcsolcc0. That as preachers md
laymen we will pray and labor more
Tor conversions at tho stated services.
ReSoloed, That we will preac h and
labor more earnestly to persuade those
who are ncgIectful of this important
means OF grace to adopt aud carry into
practice family worship.
The resolutions were discussed nv
Ray DIR Raw md