Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-14
THEIR THIRD DAY.
THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF
Examination of Characterised Mig
sunday Schooi-A Successful APP
pcnl-Ihc bible Causc-Richm
Churches nnd Their Condition.


Cspecial)-There was small attendance
when the third days session OF the Meth
odist Conference opened this morning.
az . o'clock. but tho preachers came I'm
rapidly a little later. and when the con-
ference got down TO business the church
was well filed.
The conference was opened with ren-
gious services. conducted by Rev. W. j..
Judkins. Of Ashland. When the devo-
tional exercises were over Bishop Dun
can gently put aside all interruptions.
real or threatened. and brought the con-
| ference at once 10 business. bent on get
! ting through with tho routine work. which
| had so far consumed most Of the time.
J. w. Bradbury was appointed on the
| Board of Missions. I'm the place of l.. j..
Marks. resigned.
Dr. Siedd read the report OF the Board
Of Missions. The mission Of the Church.
says the report. is 10 subdue the world
unto Jesus Christ. On It's fidelity to
/ This diynely-appOinte work depends its
| life God has no use for a church whose
sole aim is TO maintain itself Such an
organization may expect 10 die. and ought
10 die The Southern Church has
raised during the year 151-2 cents per
capita for foreign missions. and cents
per capita for domestic missions. In
the Virginia Conference the amount
reaches 10 cents per capita for foreign
missions. The board does not dcsrlse the
day of small things. but 10 does not
believe that this contribution is "a fair
exponent Of the ability Of the Church.
chief difficulty appears TO be the lack
of zeal on the part Of pastors. As
rule. missionary pastors need the fire
Of Pentecost on their heads and i'm their
hearts. The board recommends that the
pastors make an earnest effort to secure
"a contribution from every member: that
they preach on the subject Of missions.
and reinforce their sermons by the dis
seminatiOn Of missionary literature: that
the collection be taken early I'm the year.
and that, wherever practicable the sun
day schools Doe organized into missionary
societies. Missionary mass meetings are
also recommended.
EXAMINATION OF CHARACTER.
The ministers who have been on trial
one year passed the examination Of char
acter. Rev. G.. II. Lambeth. of this
class, who has been very sd with typhoid
fever was reported out Of danger.
Revs. G. T.. B. Smith. j. -. Hosier
T.. L. Peerman. and =. n. Clements We're
elected 10 deacons orders as local preach
ers.
Rev. l.. T. Williams was elected TO
elders orders as a local preacher.
Revs. J. Wiley Bledsoe. a. c. Brown
and w. r. Judkins We're appointed COM
mittee TO send fraternal greetings 20 the
state Baptist Association, i'm session I'm
Richmond.
The following message was sent:
ITO the Virginia Baptist General Asso-
citation. Richmond. Va.
by request ~ the Virginia Annual Con-
ference, Methodist Episcopal Church
South. now In session in Lynchburg. Va.
we send You orr Christian salutatious
Read l. Thessaioniars. &c.. II and 70
(SigneD -. WILEY BLEDSOE.
"a. G.. BROWN.
'W. i. JUDKINS"
Revs. J. p. Woodward. @. $. warmslev.
and J. II. Proctor. an OF whom are in
ill health were referred 10 the Commit
tee on Conference Relations for q ST.
poranuuated Relation. All the pastors
who had not already made theiI reports
passed the examination of character one
preacher reported: "a great revival
which resulted i'm getting l6s people ont
of the Church. and Gs I'm the Church"
\ BIG SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Rev. c. w. Dyer reported that the
Sunday school OF Cabell-Street church.
Danville, has on its roll more than 100
pupils. This is probably the largest
sunday school I'm the State
Dir. j. G.. Kilgo. president OF Trinity
College. Durham y. O.; Dr. James At
l,ins. Sunday-School editor Nashville.
the First Presbyterian church. this city;
Rev. Mr. Collins. of the Baltimore Con-
ference. and Rev. r. NJ. McCorke of
the Third Presbytorian church, this city,
were introduced 10 the conference.
A SUCCESSFUL APPEAL.
bishop Lane. OF the colored Methodist
Episcopal Church. was presented 10 the
conference and made n successful ap-
neal for help 20 complete the main build
ing at Paine and Lane Institute. "Our
church" he said. els the only child your
church ever had. and I hope 10 is the only
child she will ever have" He said that
IN 1866 the cOlored people In the Southern
Methodist Church were a third of the
entire membership. The co.orcd people
were set apart by themselves IN 1870. and
they have prospered On spite Of serious
obstacles. which were thrown I'm their
way by uusympathetic and designing per-
sons. owe now have twenty-four con-
ferences." said the speaker. Though
some Of them are not more than class
meeting"
Bishop Lanes speech awakened n deep
interest I'm his work, and the collection /
amounted 20 S25l.
THE BIBLE CAUSE.
brief talk was made by Rev. Mr..
Campbell of Richmond. representative of /
the American Bible Society. Mr.. Camp /
bell explained the work Of the society. |
showing the great demand for the Bible. /
and the necessity OF its circulation. lie /
pointed out the countries Of the world. |
with their tecming millions OF people. and |
I'm which, the Holy Book was not /
being distributed. He stated thai even /
i'm Virginia the society had great work |
10 perform 80 number OF interesting /
statistics Mr. Campbell pointed ont the I
deplorable scarcity Of the Bible. ana /
stated that there We're in Virginia hun /
lrols' and thousands Of FAINT |
lies I'm which the Bible could |
not be found. The society had published /
millions Of copies. 8nd upon il |
depended the extent OF the missionary /
work Of the Church. The society
never questioned what church needed
books. but provided them wherever and
whenever they could. over 100 coipor-
tiers were employed by the society I'm
AN foreign field. The work Of the So
ciety was being done all over the mis-
sion-feld Of the world. but in no coun-
try was the work more extensive or
more systematic than in America. The
Bibles of the society was sold at actual
$3.50 -.