The Afro-American., 1896-05-16
LBy Ourspecial Staff Correspondent.

WILMINGTON, n. c., May 12, 90.
The past week has been given ur to
discussion ad libitum. Discussion on
every Imaginable subject except that
| which would bring about much
needed legislation for the benefit Of
| the church. Points of order, privi-
lege questions in which the various
candidates take occasion to vindicate
their purity of character and their
| lives, aud, incidentally, to make a
| little political capital, have been in
dulged ia without stint, with the re-
suit that nothing has been done up to
the present. Frivolous questions of
every kind; and noise without stint
has characterized this general confer
ence.
Candidates for Office buttonhole
men at every step, and no political
convention was ever graced with such
persistent henchmen as this great &C.
clesiastical body Of a great church
One days session usually wears out
the presiding officer, such is the strain
upon him.
Tie reports of the general officers
are nearly all in, and by the time this
article is put in print the reports will
be passed upon by the several special
committees to whom they have been
referred.
The conference decided to elect only
three bishops, and at this writing
groups Of men are standing every,
where discussing the merits OF the va
riOus candidates. After the election
much business which has been held in
allegiance will no doubt be pushed
through with considerable haste.
There is much talk of entrench-
ment, but | am afraid it will amount
to talk.
Rev. F. s. Peck. Jr., who left Balti-
more for the West is the leader of his
conference and one of the secretaries.
DR.. Z. E. Sprattliug, layman, is also
one of the secretaries. Prof. Healing
OF Texas and Prof Hawkins of Kit
trell, n. c., both laymen, are i'm the |
lead for editor of the A. M Il. Re |
view and Secretary Of Education re-
spectively. 1t is, however, a question |
whether either will succeed, but the |
probabilities are that Prof. Healing |
will be defeated and Prof. Hawkins !
elected.
1t is surmised that DR.. Tyree may
may take the place of DIR. Derrick and |
Dr. COppin the place of Dr. Embry. |
There was considerable talk at one
time during the conference of quite a
number OF ministers of the South |
withdrawing from the Church and
forming a Southern A, M. X. Church,
but | believe it has fallen through.
Rev. Chappell of the n. b. South Car
olina conference was the leader of the
movement.
1t is probable that DIR. G.. 5. Smith
will be retired from the Union on a
pension and a new secretary elected,
The question of consolidating the de-
partments will come up in q few days.
and it is quite likely that the offices
will be concentrated in the PhiladeI.
phia building.
DIR. w. II. Heard has Just arrived
from Africa, accompanied by Mrs. A.
L. Ridgel, the wife of our missionary.
He reports progress in the church
work, and says the government holds
out every iuducement to emigrants.
He will return in June, and hopes this I
conference may consecrate q bishop to |
accompany him,
CONFERENCE NOTES.
Rev. Reynolds of Galveston Ii chief
secretary
Representatives are present from
Nova Scotia, Ontario, Sierra Leone,
Liberia Bermuda, Santo Domingo,
Hay II aid DemeraFa.
Re- Jenifer og sc. Johns Temple.