The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-26

~ PA0pohCa bfQ ubuQeQ ia O6IOI0 the
close OF the month. He said that he
would be able TO report this wear a
slight increase on all collect ions and as
easements. The total increase was over
%, 400 outside the Baltimore conference,
which, he hoped, would raise it con-
siderably above that amount.
de also stated that there are several
large legacies which had been left TO
the work from which they had never, o.
yet realized dollar, and IL would he
some time before they would be able to
get anyt thing from these sources.
The actual cash now in hand by this
board ts sls5, e00 and this with the
number Of lega,ies and other sources
OF income will bring the amount up to
$500, 600.
The ladies, he said, who are connected
with the Parsonage and Home Missions
Societies are adding largely to the fund
and the loan feature insugurated by
them 10 making 1t easy for many of the
churches to erect parsonages. The gen.
ersl board has assisted more churches
during the past year than In any year
during the history of the conference.
fhey have not put out any more money,
but the money has gone farther and
built more and better houses.
Special attention was called to the
aid extended to the Cubsns In Florida
and the great need Of money to push
this work and among the Indians in
Oklahoma and Indian Territories. He
stated that 10000 Cubens have fled
from the prosecutions of the Spaniards
and are now in Southern Florida. They
have renowned their allegiance to
Spain and the Roman Catholic Church
and are now adrift on the world, not
having connected themselves with any
church.
Two churches have already been built
by the conference for the benefit df
these people, and 1t is hoped that thew
will soon be able to erect another. The
Home Mission Society Is establishing
schools and proposes to build churches
as fsst as their funds will permit.
Bishop Hsrgrove then took up the
work In Indian Territory and Oklahoma.
he having presided over the Indian
Mission Conference for two years and
made O tour OF the Indian reaervstion.
He said the conference has been emin-
emily successful. and IL not baby now,
by any means. 1t has nine presiding
elder districts, some of them having
grown so large that they have reached
the extreme limits Of the rules and by
laws OF the church, and some of the
braveet heroes Of the church had spent
their life work among the Indians, and
that all OF the heroes were not yet out
of the United States. There are many,
Of them still in this country.
There are still in the conference 2S1
congregations without o house OF wor-
ship, and a special effort is now being
made to erect chapelH for them. For
every 800 donated the conference was
going to build churches ranging in
ualnp from G2E0 In
ing elder said on those terms that
would build twenty churches at once on
his circuit.
The Bishop then appealed to the Bal
timore conference by saying what o
graceful thing 1t would be for this con-
ference TO erect church in commemor-
alton of those who have done 80 much
for the cause of Christ in those quarters
and name 1t after them. He said there
was no more beautiful country under the
sun than the Indian Territory and Okla.
boma; that Methodism had been estab-
lished among the red men in 1914. just
ffty-two years ago, and that vigorous
measures had been adopted to displace
them but they had all failed. The con-
ference had continued to grow and the
membership OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church had increased over 5000 in the
NOtAheOAAoS 0eAibk shO poob yc6Et 6uu
the work is better this year among the
wild tribes than ever before.
The bishop then announced that COL
lection would be taken for church ex-
tension purposes.
The suggestion made during the
course Of his remarks seemed TO be of sn
inspiring nature. Rev. A. Lee Knowles
gave IS and moved that 500 be raised
by this conference for the purpose of
building church among she Indians,
with the provision that it be named
after the Rev. Jno. s. Martin, o former
secretary of the conference.
The Eve dollars came rolling In, ssd
1t was soon announced that the money
WAS raised.
Rev. Ramsey Smithson then an
nounced thst he would be one of twenty
to give IS towards raising hundred to
build another in commemoration of
Samuel Register, anothe devoted mem.
Der Of the conference who has gone TO
his reward.
The report Of the church extension
committee WAS then read by the sscre-
tary and referred to the committee on
church extension.
The Official reports OF the book
agents and Sunday-school departments
were read and referred to sheir respec-
tive committees. The former report
showed the book business TO be in an
encouraging condition. This depart
mens has assets on hand amounting to
about 800, 600. while the liabilities are
something less than 100000. The Sum-
day school report showed 8 most en-
couraging increase, there being enrolled
sn army Of 905.582 on the registers of
the various Sunday schools.
The report OF the board OF education
WAS also read by Secretary Armstrong