The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-09-17
THE METHODISTS
OF the West Virginia Conference
< II Open Their Meeting,
BISHOP HURST is PRESIDING


The opening services OF the West
Virginia NJ. u. conference were held
yesterday morning IN Simpson ". Z.
church, Moundsvllc, being conducted
by that venerable minister, Or. A. j.
LYDIA, who has been In the work for
ilfty.thrcc years. The songs sung were
very inspiring and the prayers offered
were fervCnt In spirit.
At 0 o'clock Bishop ]. F. Hurst, D.
49,, L. l.. D., OF Washington, called tho
conference to order and read the nine
tenth Psalm and announced hymn
No. 70S. The bishop then consccratcd
and administered the sacrament OF the
| Lords Supper, assisted by tho preside
ing elders. The service was n very I'm
presslve one, there being two hun
dred who took part In It.
| Bishop Hurst, before proceeding to
the business OF tho conference mudc a
| short address OF greeting. speaking OF
MS relations to the conferences; In the
past they had been us cordial as he
| Intends they shall be so In the future.
He spoke very fcelingly OF the time
several years aGO when he came to the
West virginia conference and appeal
cd TO II. when In session at Parkers-
burg, for aid to carry on the Drew
theological Seminary In Its time OF
great embarrassment, and received
such hearty response. He extended
Ills most cordial greetings and kind
rememberanCes. Dwelling further he
reviewed the general advancement
made by the great Methodist Eplsco-
pal church In the past year all over
the world. The address was very in
| terestinE.
The roll call was ordered. J. Ensle.
| secretary of the last conference, called
1t and one hundred and fifty members
| responded to their names. Many visI-
tors were present and quito number
Of members were absent Nominations
for and the election OF officers follow
| cd. J. Engle was reelected secretary.
He named s. X. Arbuthnot rs assist
| ant. S. p. Crummitt was elected sta
| ttstlcal secretary. His assistants are S.
]. Miller, J. c. Strader, A. 4. Kelly and
William Anderson. L,W. Roberts was
| reelected treasurer. The several
standing committees were then APP
pointed. y number OF communications
! were received and referred to the pro-
per committees.
On motion OF s. X. Arbuthnot, the
| committee on public worship was in
structed to prepare for the celebration
Of the golden anniversary OF the con-
ference at this session. This was heart
| hy acquiesced In by the whole body
| and the programme will be announced
! later.
Presidlng Elders Report.
The presiding elders then begun pre-
sentlns their reports for the past year.
]. H. Hess, of Buckhannon district, was
first. He reported 1880 conversions, OF
which there were ST who Joined the
| church on probation. The ministerial
| support IN his district was Increased
81. 900. Two churches had been dedica-
| ted. two more are ready for dedication
| after conference and six are In process
OF erection. One new parsonage was
built and one totally destroyed by the
late floods. One transfer had been
made into his district during the year,
| that of Rev. c. H. Shaw. from the New
York conference to the station at Graf
| ton This finished Rev. Mr.. Hess third
year on the district.
C. B. Graham, OF Charleston district,
made his sixth and last years report
| as presiding elder of Charleston dis
trIct. He reported the transfer OF Rev.
W. C. L. Cornell, from Point Pleasant
| 10 the North Dakota conference. An
increase In support of pastors amount
| ed to $1,000 last year. Five new
churches were dedicated, three are
ready for dedication and five others
| are in process OF erection. 1t being his
| closing year he made n general review
\ of the work during his six years term
OF office.
jeremiah Ensle. OF Clarkshurg dis
| trict. made a report OF his first years
work in tf,, district. Rev. b. S. Bcne-
dun, superannuate of Salem. Harri-
son county, died since the last confer
ence. The membership in the Epworth
| League. Junior leagues and Sunday
| schools had been greatly increased
during the year. Four new churches
have been dedicated with three others
now being erected and much improve
ments to other church properties. The
| supporter the ministers will fall short
of the previous year. Fairmont church
was credited with giving one-nfth OF
| all missionary contributions In West
Virginia, for the past year,
The further hearing OF the elders
reports was postponed entil to-day. AZ
| Ter euCn pTeSlulnH clucT READS MS re-
port the pastors In charge under him
also report their collections TO the sew
crnl church funds.
DR.. Crawford, president OF Allegheny
| College. was introduced mud made n
very entertaining address. At the close
of It a resolution was adopted. return
ing thanks to him for his address. con-
graduating him upon the success OF his
college and assuring him OF the ellcgi-
ance OF the West Virginia conference
10 his institution.
The Famous bishop Thoburn.
Bishop J., NJ. Thoburn, OF India. was
next introduced and happily received.
His clear burning words touched the
hearts Of his hearers and many wet
eyes were seen MS he compared the
very mcagre gifts OF the American
people with the offerings as they are
brought to the missionaries by the ma
tlvcs OF India. lie said, 'rhey bring
their all and lay 1t upon the altar for
conservation to the Masters service"
After the announcements and the
doxology.. with the benedlctIon by
| Bishop Thoburn. n recess was taken
until the afternoon.
At $50 O'Clock conference convened
again to receive the statistical reports