Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-18
METHODISTS.
~ura DAY OF THEIR ANNUAL
CONFERENCE.
SESSION Of BUSINESS.
-..fluc Discussion on Educn-
aon-some Telling Statistics
touching the Growth of the
,.,...-ch--Thc Cause OF Temperance.

.v,-uprRG. VA, November IT,
.-..,.l The Virginia Methodist COME
.roncd az . o'clock this morning
., -..sious exercises conducted by Rev,
81 Edwards.
3D.. rrmor that the session. which
lasts a week, would be pro-
. caused some restlessness among
...rlegs. who are getting anxious to
-r home. and there was n dispose
.... , hasten business. a large amount
-,-t was disposed Of. notwithstand-
-.r. were a number OF lively dis
..r. which consumed a good deal
@, tme
-., name Of Rev. J. r. Tillery. who
announced as having been trans
l...f .rom the North Carolina COME
. was called. and In the absence
.-v Information concerning him the
,.t., stated that his transfer would
... ..bo effect until after the meeting
l.r. North Carolina Conference, and or
..-.. his name erased from the list Of
....r. The transfer Of Rev. +. II.
- from the South Georgia Confe-
--. was announced.
d. Brown announced that the
... ~ The hall fund have in hand
.... Dbl. distributed among the superan-
..f preachers and families Of de-
- preachers. and the conference
....l .t % Doe turned over to the joint
r.f of Finance for distribution.
APPLICATIONS.
-,.. qrrlicatlons Of eight young minis
t- admission on trial were pre-
.r and the conference spent nearly
t.rr- inquiring into the character
.IItes OF the several candidates.
.rlr discussion arose over one OF
.-.rI.rrts about whose qualifications
.-. v.re conflicting opinions. and II
suggested that the applicant be
..r.r with the understanding that
should go 10 college. Dr..
t-.t.h..d thought that when a
,r had reached 50 years Of age he
-l not be put on trial at college
.. .- tre active work. There are many
man i. -e.d. who have been able 10 10
... r school that have succeeded IN
..f .lueational deficiencies. Or. Gar
i.r ....rtal that the fact that man
,s r, ATTITUDE for learning did not ne
-....rv prove anything as to his future
o.. could not predict what the mlnd
-r do AS an illustration. he said
.... tf.ra was to-day a preacher occupy
.-.r rrnwiueut place I'm the Church, VINO
-r. rr.t year OF his ministry preached
anon on the Affections Of the right
. .- which he said: Brethren, the
.n....1re of life are very numerous
-..r. and severe. And l have IRE
...-t.r observed that Christian people
,r.r.rti-uiarly subject TO contagious dis
..e such as whooping cough, asthma,
.-l cramp collie"
AN AXE ILLUSTRATION.
Pow Joseph H. Amiss, speaking of what
....,.i.r may or may not do for DUH
-.-f said: when l was a boy l lived
~ lrm. and we had a good deal Of
..t..r 90 do. and when our axes got
~. f-rer would say; Now. let's grind
axes. We won't lose any time
-.r.r lost any time grinding an axe, even
.ttt0nk an hour TO grind 1t; but. Bishop
sometimes we got hod Of an axe That
VAS of the wrong sort of metal, and II
m f. ro difference how much grinding
- ..I-i 30 was too soft. sir The speak
.. ...h.ratod his figure at considerable
lr-th until he was interrupted by
.t.r.r who arose slowly from his seat
.-l e.r. "But YOU haven't told us any
f-r about the helve OF that axe The
--- brought down the house, and 1t
rs some time before the conference re-
..msI its usual gravity.
Ear IT, ddick thought that a more
'~--tort matter was the call to preach.
~--f.r.rco could not afford to deal light
b. With the case Of a man who was
.--fs.rt that he was called of God to
rach the Gospel Referring TO his
own c.se. Doc said that he had no more
r, about his own call than that he
sv DIS hands before him. 1t had been
.ti mo the start. Just before he en-
.-I the ministry his father came 10
-m offered him $1,000 TO 90 10 mer-
1II-.r- instead Of preaching. Il told
t~ that 1 could not DO it, if he gave me
t"."
Ohr who participated in the discus
a.c- were Drs. Judkins and Tudor, Revs.
W W Royal r. NJ. Peterson, and r.
49, Watts. and Captain Richard Irby
Tho following were admitted on trial:
From the Richmond District-JOhn A.
Waite. IT, ID. McSparran; from the West
luora Disfrict-John G. Granbery,
I- rm The Danyille District-Jesse 3
IasrIer James J.. Oyler; from the
T.mvIle District-Rohert c. Garland;
from the Portsmouth Districts. j. Bat
tr from the Eastern Shore District
l T. leerman.
T1. conference requested the Bishop
90 appoint Rev. 7. =. McSparIan'
STUDENT at Randolph Macon College, and
I.r s. u. Battin. a student AT Vanderbilt
University.
D.. .s understood that Rev. j.. L. Peer
ra is looking 10 the foreign mission
Wls Rev John c.. CRANBERRY, Jr., IS
e- f Bishop Granbery. 1t is said that
o.. class is on the whole very promising.
Il report Of the Committee on Pub
lt- Interests, which was laid on the
f.. 0u Monday. was again taken UP,
.. after brief talk by DR.. J. J. Is
f-.r ,Iltor OF the Richmond Christian
Advocate. was adopted. Or. LafferU' -
..r.l t1 The fact that IL was in court
r- church that he was licensed to
i
INTERESTING COMPARISON.
l. a o. Brown read carefully pre-
...I Paper reviewing the progress OF
90 m within the bounds of the
conference from November 1880
November. lN5 which shows a mar
growth ln all the interests Of the
Church
aI here were 57c5S members Of the
rt in tho Virginia Conference not
c fh9t part Of the conference in
".la Carolina territory; In 1895 there
tI-U-an increase Of - per cent
I.. following comparative statistics
H tle growth Of MethOdism I'm the
a chief cities within the bounds Of
conference:
f. Churches. Members.
I.a.rI ..............8 3&9
Manchester .............3 C39
lIH.....e ................4 1883
.................... t'i