The news & observer., 1897-12-01
THE CONFERENCE
MEETS TO-DAY
~$se ------
1t Will Be Called to Order at
9 O'clock.
EDEN TON STREET CHURCH
MEETING OF THE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY LAST NIGHT.
THE LIFE AND LABoRS OF Or. Gloss
Able and Interesting Address by Rev. Or. t.
"A. Yates--kew Officers Of the So
ciey Elected Mr.. Southgate
@ha hovf (lratar
the Next Orator.

the Next Orator.
The annual session of the North Caro-
ina Conference eonyenes III Euehtoh
Street Methodist church this morning ~
ten o'clock. Bishop HarSroVe VIII pre-
side. =.
The Conference will come TO its im-
cortant labors by first celebrating the
holy communion. This solemn sacfd-
ment will be a fitting commencement oA
a session devoted 10 the review OF the
work OF the past year and taking counsei
for the future.
All religious gatherings of great
bodies have deep interest for ali the
people, for there Is no interest OF tne
State that is not touched and helped by
the Christian ministry and the church
of Christ. There is hardly a village or
neichborhood IN the State that is not
reached By the ministry of the Metho-
dist church. The eyes of the Methodlsts
In all parts of the Conference are upon
their representatives now gathered An
Raleigh, and prayers for their guidance
voes ND from thousands of family al
tars. Thus it is that, though the Meth
odists are chiefly and directly interested
In the outcome of the body of goodly
men who meet in session this morning
In Raleigh. il is a gathering potential for
the veal OF the whole commonwealth.
Methodism is a vital force in North
Carolina. In its ranks it embraces
something over one hundred and fifty
thousand members 1--WE have not the sta
tisties) and is one Of the strongest relig-
ions denominations in the State. Its
growth has been phenomenal 1t was
the last of the large denominations 10
obtain a foothold here, and it has grown
until in every element that goes to make
a vigorous and great religious body it is
second TO none.
Raleigh, with its hundreds of devoted
Method.sts, rejoices to welcome this
gathing of the disciples of Wesley. The
welcome and the hospitality are not con-
fined to the Methodist church. All creeds
and men with no creed join in extending
welcome and hospitality to the repre-
sentatiyes of the great church gathered
In the capital of the State. Members
of all churches, and hospitable men be.
longing to no church, have thrown oper
their homes to the consecrated men who
are within an gates.
Last night at O'Clock the Historical
Society of the Conference met in Eden
ton Street church and held most inter
esting meeting. Rev. q. A. Oglesby pre-.
sided and Rev. 7. n. Ivey acted as sec
retary.
The roll was called and the minutes
of the last meeting OF the society, al
Kinston, were read.
Names of a. number of new members
were enrolled. and it was announced
that at the last meeting Rev. Il. c. Bea
man had been chosen to deliver the an
nual address, but that his health was
ic hoiy,r NJ
Rev. DIR. Il. A. Yates, presiding elder OF
the Durham district, had consented te
take his place.
DR.. Yates announced as his subject the
life and Labors of the Rev. William
Gloss, ID. D."
The speaker began his most admirable
address by speaking of the difficulties Of
bis undertaking. The subject OF hi.
sketch, he said, had left no writings tina
would help him in tracing his career @
usefulness, therefore he should be com
pelled to rely almost entirely upon hi
own recollection Of the man.
DIR, Yates said when he Joined ths
North Carolina conference in 1860 hi
found DR.. Gloss one Of it's most activ.
and useful members.
At that time the conference had only
II members; now it has nearly 400, bu
few of them have moved in from 9th
er conferences. OF the original n, only
IL are now living and only 6 OF these
are in the active ministry.
DR.. Gloss was of Irish parentage on his
fathers side; his mother was Penn
sylvania Quakeress. AT the age of p
he had joined the Virginia conference
at Petersburg.
"At that time the North Carolina con
ference had not been formed. Th'
South Carolina conference on the soutl
and the Virginia conference on the
north, covered this State, which was
then regarded only as a strip of land be
tween two States. But the good OLE
State of North Carolina, heavens bless
tngs attend her, like all good things
grows slowly and is OF finest texture"
The North Carolina conference was
formed in 1886 and held its first session
at Salisbury in 1887.
DIR. Gloss was converted at camp
meeting in Virginia. He died in 1882, al
the home OF his daughter in Enfield. lie
was buried at Henderson.
sit is well for us to review the life OF
this great man. The history OF the
church cannot be written without giving
a history of individuals composing it
Emerson says some where that all great
things originate in the mind Of a single
individuai-it is the thought conceived by