The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-23
VIRGINIA METH0DISTS.
4 RICHMOND pREA CHER THo rs
MUcH IN DEMAND.
fnscnse Interest Manifested in tho E'eo-
ton Of Delegates TO the General -on-
ference sunday Services.


tions. great preachers and great sermons.
Lisbon Fitzgcrald. though quite feeoie'
delighted a great throng At Main-Street
church in the morning. The remaining
puipits were Occupied by members % ihe
conference. Go.
Tho ordination services ~ Main-Sireet
IN the morning and al Mt Vernon At
night were very impressive
NO LIGHT ON THE APPOlNTMENi >.
II Is learned from excellent au'hoI"s
that tho work in the Bishops cabinet mas
s,roercscd very slowly and that no I'M
portant appointments have been as Se,
unany decided upon The BishoP an"
prcsjdlug elders are besleged by commit
tees Of prominent stizcns-somc OF '"oni
headed bv able lawycrs-from an p"i1o
Of the state. who are frying I" sSv ,,
the pastors OF their choice ono i', n.
mond pastor has several committees al ~,
him. an equally determined 10 geN nlni
and ALI from the present outlook oeslheu
20 dlsannointmcnf. That there VIII be
many changes Il now generally beheVed'
hut to-day everything Is IN confusion.
SUNDAY NOTES.
Tho sermon by DR. Hoss was colossal
DIR. Hoss himself is colossal-in pralh,
Drawn. learning. breadth Of view-every-
thing Several eminent lawpyers mere re-
garded It as one Of the greatest inteiec-
The Bishops sermon was an outward
sign Of innor gracc-tender. genial. mel
low. full Of sweetness and light.
DR. steel has the finest voice on the
American platform And he has thoughts
that III his voice and words that wonder
fully III his thoughts.
DR. starr preached a magnificent SER
mon at the Church Of the Epiphany (Epis-
copaD Sunday morning.
IL n
that a preacher might be as correct as
the multiplication table and yet be as dry
as a coffee mill and not half as useful
The Bishop Is a Christian of the short
faced type. He is always bubbling with
FUN. Tn passing the man Mt the Times
table this morning he laid his hand on
his shoulder and said. impressively;
Dear brother you are worth your
weight in-sawdust.'
CHANGE THE DISCIPLINE.
Rev. Ernest Stevens, secretary OF the
COMMITTEES on Memorials. presented re-
commending concurrence in the memorial
offered by Rev. ". =. Wright 10 so
change the discipline as TO allow unor.
dained preachers. having cn o,,s on oi
folemnize the rights OF matrimony; also
concurrence I'm DR.. Rays memorial so
amended as 10 allow the presiding Bishop
OF an annual Conference to form the Pre-
siding Elders. districts. according TO his
Judgment: also concurrence in a memo
rial offered by Rev w. l.. Royal TO so
change the Church law as TO bring the
Epworth League i'm closer touch with the
machinery Of the church: also non con-
currence In part first OF a memorial by
Rev James Cannon. Jr.,, to allow each
Conference to indicate by vote their
choice for Presiding Elders: said vote TO
be only advisory; also concurrence In
several other memorials The first three
memorials were adopted
IN the memorial concerning the Preside
ing Elders. James Cannon. Jr.. made
sp ech IN which he declared that the Pre-
siding hldership is in favor in many sec
lions. that in the cities when the Pre-
siding Elder comes TO preach the people
go elsewhere: that IL often happened that
men who could no LONGER hold their own
the Presiding Eidership to let them down
easily.
CHARGES DENIED.
Mr.. Cannons speech stirred uD storm
especially among the laymen, several of
whom arose and vigorously denied the
charges 50 far as their Presiding Elders
were concerned.
Further discussion of the report was
postponed, and the Conference entered
upon the election of delegates to the
General Conference. The ballot was TAX
en- for twelve delegates, six clerical and
six lay. the, ministers and laymen vot-
ing separately Messrs. a. T.. kellam, w
W. Smith and G. T.. Vawter were elected
on the first lay ballot. The clerical bal
lot resulted ia the election of Drs. j. T.
Garland. II. n. Sledd. Paul Whitehead,
a. G.. Brown and a. Coke Smith.
While the ballots were being count
ed DIR. Sledd announced that there
had been large increase I'm
the missionary collections and that
his Board lacked only $40 Of hav-
ing enough to pay the domestic mission
aries hundred cents on the dollar
tfIDtN NJ MADE UP
DIR. Brown announced that only $500 was
needed to enable the joint Board OF
FINANCE 10 pay the WORKOUT preachers
and and the widows and orphans OF
preachers I'm full. a collection was sug-
gested. ana the fun amount desired was
quickly raised Revs. j. Il. Brooks and
J. r. seweil were admitted in the Con-
terence on trial AT o'clock the Confer
ence adjourned to meet at T. NJ
CONF-IsLNCE PROCEEDINGS.
The vast crowds which came to con-
ference to-day expecting to witness the
ballotting for delegates to the General
Conference showed for the first time
since the session began, an intense in
ierest In the proceedings.
EPISCOPAL DECISION.
Rev VIM. F. Balm conducted the open-
ing devotional services. The annual re-
port of the Sunday School Board was read
by Rev. I. j. Taylor The report states
mat there has been a steady and healthy
increase IN the number of Sunday schools
ana or teachers and pupils. and a deep
'ning interest In the study OF the word
OF God.
The question presented at n former SEES
sion for Episcopal decision as to whether
recording steward who withdraws by
certiiicate from the church I'm which he
was elected and untes with another
charge. loses his office or retains 1t until
the end Of the year. was answered by the
Bishop as follows:
ward ceases in pastoral charge when he
has removed therefrom. His time of Of
fce ceases when his membership ceases"
motion TO enter upon the election OF
delegates TO the General Conference AT
noon stirred up a breeze that for half an
hour made things very lively. substi-
tute was offered 10 postpone the election
until the report OF the Committee on Me-
MORALS should be disposed OF. This in
dicated the secret OF the agitation, which
was a desire on the part OF some members
10 know how those who had been men
toned for the General Conference would
stand on the memorials that would be
sent up TO that body
NO POLITICS.
Dr. Whitehead and others insisted that
the methods which obtain in political CAM
paigns have no place in the conference.
The majority Of the conference appeared
to he of the same opinion, and the hour
Of ~ o'clock to-day was fixed for the
election.
A stronger breeze WAS stirred IN. a re-