The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-18
VIRGINIA CONFERENCE
IIGHT YOUNG PEEICHERs ADMIT
ILD on THAI.
A Breezy Debate and Something About
Grinding. Axes Report Of Ten Years
Progress Coming Changes.

LYNCHBURG. VA. Nov. E.-Special-
The sixth days session began without
any abatement OF interest. though the
rumor that Conference would not adj
jonrn until Wednesday night created
some rcstiessncss among those who were
anxious to get away.
Rev T. NJ. Edwards % South Boston,
conducted the devotional services
The name Of Rev. J. X. Tiilery, who
announced as having been transferred
from the North Carolina Conference was
called. and in the absence Of any informa-
ton concerning him. the Bishop stated
that his transfer would not take effect
until after the meeting Of the North car
DINA Conference. ana ordered his name
erased from the list OF transfers.
The transfer OF Rev. l.. ii. Rowe, from
the South Georgia Conference, was an
nOunced.
Dr. \. g. Brown announced that the
trustees Of the Hall Fund Ca bequest for
the benefit of worn-Out preachers and
widows and orphans OF deceased preach
cis) have in hand $40. TO Dee distributed
among tine Conference claimants. and the
Conference ordered the amount turned
over To- me Joint Board Of Finance Tor
that purpose.
EIGHT NEW PREACHERS.
The Bishop called minute question l.
Who arc admitted on frial.-and eight
young men, several of them especially
promising. who had passed the required
examination in the course Of study were
received into the Conference on trial.
Iney were KcVs. John y. White. /. Is.
NcSharran and John G. CRANBERRY, Jr.,
(sOn OF Bishop Cranberry OF the Rich
m0nd district. Reys. j. -. Lavinder and
James h. Oyler. Of the Danville district.
Robert g. Garland. Of the Farmvilie dis
trict: $. j. Battin. Of the Portsmouth dis
trlct. and Rev. l.. j.. Peerman, OF the
Eastern Shore district.
The Conference requested the Bishop 10
appoint Eevs. +. b. McSparran a stu
dent at Randolph-Macon College and
Rev. :. j. Battin student at Nandebnt
University. IL was stated that Rev. T..
l.. Peerman anticipates entering the For
oign Mission work The Conference de-
clined to request the Bishop 10 appoint
Rev. r. &. Garland a student at Ran
dolph- Macon College,
4 BREEZY DEBATE.
The breeziest debate Of the Conference
arose over one of the applicants about
whose intellectual qualifications some
doubt was expressed. Dr. J. Powell
Garland said that 10 is impossible 10 Tore
see the intellectual future OF men. As
an instance Of an unprOmsng young
man turning out well he said that a
preacher who now occupies a prominent
position i'm the church in his early min
istry was heard 10 preach a sermon on
the aniiction OF the righteous. i'm which
he said: Brethren. The Affections Of
life are very numerous, heavy and severe.
And / have frequently observed that
Christian people are particularly subject
to contagious diseases. such as Whooplns
cough. asthma and cramp collie.
Rev. j. II. Ridoick. j.. speaking Of the
young mans cali 10 the ministry, referred
touchlngly 10 mis- own experience, saying
that his father came TO him just before
DE entered the ministry and offered TO
give him $O00 If Doe would enter business
anu not preach.
GRINDING AXES.
Ecv. !. u. Amiss. speaking Of tho pos
sihhtics of dull minds II given cduca-
fional advantages. said that when be was
hoy hc lived on a farm ana he had
learned that in whcttng his axe Doe never
lost amy time, however busy be might Dee.
llIIi Ifl~ilDIit rdlN Nff SUM ttttt'" rNtN
hold OF an axe that diln have the right
sort Of material and then it made no
difference how much grinding was done.
Sometimes IL was too soft. sir" Mr..
Amiss elaborated the figure at some
length. and was interrupted By am aged
veteran. who wanted 10 know why moth
ing had been said about the axe helye.
The remark brought down the house, and
for several minutes IL was impossible 10
proceed with business. The discussion
(some Of 10 being Of "a humorous naturO
was kept up an hour and a half and was
a source of much amusement 10 the
spectators.
Others who made speeches were; Revs.
Paul Whitehead. +. NJ Peterson. W. W.
Royal. " = Judkins. r. W. Watts and
W. V. Tudor, and Captain Richard irby
The report Of the Committee on Pub
fishing Interests was taken from the table.
and after a brief talk 10y DIT j. j. Lafferty
editor Of the Richmond Christian Adyo-
cate. the report wds adopted.
TEN YEARS or PROGRESS.
Dr. \. G. Brown read a carefully pre-
pared paper, reviewing the progress Of
Methodism within the bounds Of the Nir-
einia Conference from November, 1855. to
November 1855. which shows a marvel
Ions growth in all the interests Of the
Church.
Ina 1853 there were 57,s5S members Of
the Church IN the Virginia Conference
mot including the North Carolina terri
tory: In 1888 there were si22o, an Increase
Of a. per cent.
The following comparative statistics
show the growth of Methodism In the
seven chief cities within the bounds Of
the conference.
49, 80