The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-14
TO SIT ANOTHER DAY.
Owing TO Stress of Business, Con-
ference Did Not Adjourn.

can Methodist Episcopal Church, has no
place Tor minister with more than one
VIE" was the declaration of Bishon
James Anderson Handy, D. D., at the
opening OF the sixth days session of the
Virginia conference, which is drawing to
u close. w
Already the committee on admissions
mad reported rejecting four young men
VINO were unable to pass the required ey
animation, and urging them to attend
some school and to there remain until
they were qualified to lead and instruct
the people. At the last general confer.
ance 1t was decided TO makee an effort to
laise the standard of the ministry of the
church in the future by putting more
stress on educational qualifications. At
the meeting of the bishops last january
In New Orleans this new law was reviewed
ana each bishop declared that he would
see the law rigidly enforced. us it was use.
less to crowd the ministry with ignorant
men.
Bishop Handy is said to lie the first to
put the law into execution, and his rul
ing is highly regarded, The young men
VINO were turned away were advised by
the bishop to go to school and there pre-
pare themselves for usefulness.
Inc conference was called to order this
morning Mt O'Clock by Bishop Handy.
who after the devotional exercises deliy-
cred short address on the qualification
or the ministry. He regretted very much
that the conference was compelled to ex-
pei minister on account of having more
than one wise-that is, he was divorced
from one and married another. The
church is opposed to ministers divorcng
from their wives, hence the Rev. Mr..
Minter was expelled from the connection.
Kew. DR.. +. II. Bolden addressed the
conference this morning, telling them
how to raise money for general church
purposes.
Prof. John r. Hawkins, commissioner
oil education, also delivered an address i'm
which he spoke Of the necessity 70 educa-
ton, anu what the African Methodist
Episcopal Churt b was doing for the edit
cation OF the race. He noted with pleas
ure the progress of the race from an edu.
cational standpoint, and said that the
cloud OF Ignorance and superstition was
being rolled away. He complimented
the ministry, saying that it was preva.
lent among the negroes during the dark
days of slavery and immediately there
after that 1t was only necessary for the
negro preacher TO open his mouth and
God would fill it; now it is fill your mouth
and God will open it. The mouth he
Thought could only be filled by n thorough
training in some good Institution of
learning.
Prof. Hawkins has spent many years
of his life in the uplifting of his race.
lie was for u number of years president OF
Kittrell College, North Carolina, until
the last general conference elected him to
the Office OF commissioner of education.
Rev. w. r. Gullins, d. d., secretary of
the dollar money committee, reported
that they had collected 81, 920.56 for the
general funds and that the same was in
the hands of DR.. ID. p. Seaton, the treas
urer.
Rev. a. l.. Gaines who had served on
the committee rs chairman, was proud to
certify to the correctne of the statement
and said that it was about $500 more
than last year.
Owing to large amount of business,
the conference will not adjourn until to-
morrow.
The conference completed it's business
To-day, and Bishop Handy will make the
appointments tomorrow morning in time
for the preachers TO take the morning
trains for their work.
Rev G. y. Holmes, who was elected
chief secretary of the conference, was COM
plimented for his good and efficient work
by the members of the conference. He
is one of the leading pulpit orators of the
connection and scholar of reputation.
lie was elected to the office on account
If his ability. DR.. Holmes is one of the
few members CT the conference who is
blessed with college education and
oratorical powers. He was assisted by
Revs. immersion and Tyncs.