Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-04-03
The Baltimore Conference Of the VI. T.
Church, South.


March 27th-Bishop CRANBERRY presiding
with 225 clerical and 80 lay members
Rev. DR.. J. Z Armstrong was again elected
Secretary. Dr. Morton of the Church Elk
tension Committee addressed the Confer
ence.
The most unexpected and at the same
time most welcome incident of the day was
the announcement from the secretary that
Charles Shipley, of Baltimore, had given
$4,000 to the support of the superannuated
preachers of the church. Secretary Arm
strong read letter from Mr.. Shipley, sta
ting that he gave the money while he was
vet alive to make sure that it went as he
directed, for he knew that dead men seldom
had their own way in the matter OF requests.
A report was received from the church
publishing-house as to its work during the
year. The business transacted for the year
amounted to over s34S 900, and the excess
of assets over liabilities amounted to $780,
600.
The Women's Foreign Missionary Society
also submitted report showing an expen-
diture of 500, O54 for the year.
The list of applicants for admission TO the
conference was as follows: Charles d. Bull
la, C. H. Day, George H. Echols, Seymour
Grady, J. B. Henry, W. E. Henry, c. L.
Jones, ]. L. Lutte, c. F. Moore, Frank d.
Orrick, G. L. Potter, William l.. Reid, j. j.
Ringer, II. H. Sherman, John A. Taylor,
NJ. T. Welkie aud V. W. Wheeler.
On the second day DIR. Morrison, one oil
the general secretaries of missions made a
brief address. The inquiry "are all the
preachers blameless in their life aud ofiicia al
administration" and the calling of the roll
began, the Presiding Elder remarking as
those under his immediate charge arose /:
Nothing against Brother -" and the
preacher proceeded to state the condition
of his charge spiritually and financially
Along this line touching incident trans
pired when the venerable w. G. Eggle-
ston arose and in an eloquent way he told
of the difficulty in maintaining church effort
in his charge, and at the close of his re-
marks asked leave of Bishop Cranberry to
speak briefly in personal way. He then
asked to be relieved from work on the active
list, after having spent fifly-eight years in
the ministry, all of that time in the Baltl-
more conference Mr. Eggleston in that
long period had attended every conference,
except two or three during the war, when
the military lines prevented. The confer
ence wa, deeply moved by his speech, which
came in the clear, ready language of strong
and able preacher, and there were many
moist eyes in the large audience during the
half hour that witnessed Mr.. Eggleston's
passage from the active to the superannua-
ted list The congregation broke out sever
al times with the singing of hymns, and
Rev. j. E. Armstrong, secretary of the con-
ference, made speech telling of the az
fiction and admiration he and others who
knew him felt for Mr.. Eggleston. With
few appropriate remarks Bishop Cranberry
referred the request to the committee on
conference relations.
On Friday, among other things the fol-
lowing occurred Rev. J, 2. HYDE, d. d.,
announced that lie had received through
Private Secretary Thurber, an invitation to
the members of the conference to visit the
White House at | Is o'clock to morrow,
where they will be received by the President
and Mrs. Cleveland. There were murmurs
of approval among the clergymen, but be-
fore any one could move the acceptance of
the invitation, Rev. j. W. Tongue arose and
proceeded to make rather remarkable adj
dress. Mr.. Tongue is one of the superaLnu-
ated clergymen of the Baltimore Conference,
and as the intention of his remarks was
somewhat obscured by his method of speak
ing, it was sometime before it was generally
understood that he was Directing to the pro-
posed call upon the presidency. Mr.. Tongue
said he remembered when the Baltimore
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, had refused to call upon
President Grant twenty years ago. At that
time, he continued, all Southern Methodists
felt they owed General Grant debt of graf.
itude for his magnanimous treatment of the
great Confederate captain, General Lee
Still the conference had always endeavored
to keep entirely sloOf from politics, and had
refused to visit the White House then for
fear their doing 50 would be regarded as
having some political significance. Cir
cumstances had not changed since then, in
the opinion Of the Rev. Mr.. Tongue, and,
while he realized the respect due the Chief
Magistrate of the country, he did not be-
lieve the conference, rs body, should call
upon him. 1t was not to be wondered ut
that Mr.. Tongues remarks created some
thing OF a sensation, and it was several mo.
ments before the conference recoved from its
surprise. During the interval the members
expressed their disapproyal. Then the con-
ference did the best possible thing under the
circumstances. They ignored Mr.. Tongue.
Rev. Mr.. Armstrong, the secretary, called
attention to tie fact that Bishop Asbury,
one of the early leaders of Methodism in
America, had attended the reception of
President Washington. \ motion was made