The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-21
METHODISTS ON PICKET.
coyFEREyCE MEMBERS FILL ALI
THE DAyvrLLE PULPTTS.
Bishop Fitzgerald the Champion OF the
Press--He Meets Foeman worthy OF
His steei--The Days Proceedings.

ana the sermon VIII "
ordination of deacons. The ORDINATION
elders will take place ut Mt. Vernon a
night. and the ordination sermon VIII d
nreached by Rev. w. II. Edwards.
Several pulpits will be iilled by promi
nent ministers from abroad.
The Richmond pastors appointed &
preach are Drs. Starr. Potts. and Wander
slice. and Revs. S. c. Hatcher w. Is
Beauchamp. and J. o. Babcock.
DR.. PeU will address Sunday-schoo
workers. and Rev. r. II. Rawlings vii
sneak at an Epwcrth League rally.
DIR. Tudor will preach the sermon AT tn
missionary anniversary Monday night.
THE BISHOP AND THE PRESS.
Bishop Fitzgerald has never recovered
from the spell OF printers ink which
bound him in early life. and he ncve
misses an opportunity to speak a kline
word for the press. a criticism by mem
Der concerning a newspapers report o
the conference proceedings brought hin
to his feet. with a compliment for th'
paper criticised that called forth grea
applause. He rarely passes The Times
table without stopping 10 talk. and hi
sometimes looks as II he would rathei
be al the reporters table than In th'
bishops chair.
LIVELY REPARTEE.
Among the visitors introduced to th'
conference to-day were Dr. T.. +. Hoss
editor Of the Nashville Christian AdNo
cate. the general organ of the church
Revs. W. b. Martin and j. H. Shore, Of
NE North Carolina Conference. and Or
@. g. smith. of the North Georgia con
ference. DR.. Smith. who is an author
called attention 70 his books and re
marked:
"The bishop here writes books, too. bu
he doesn't sell them"
The Bishop (mischievously): My books
scil themselves"
Dr. smith. And my books would sci
themselves too IL I was bishop.
Tho audience was convulscd with ~
ter as the reporter continued. II wa
the general opinion that when 1t ended
r. was a drawn battle.
Tn calling attention to his book "Th'
Georgia Cracker" DR. Smith said tha
an tho Georgia crackers came from old
Virginia.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.
T0-day's session Of the conference began
with devotional services conducted by
Rev Dr. W T. Judkins Two hours were
devoted 10 routine work and then the
Conference gave itself up 10 the elo-
qucuCe Of a high order IL was by far the
The report OF the Sunday-Scho0l editor
Dr. James Atkins. Of Nashville. Tenn.
was read. The report shows that y
schools were organized during the year
making a total OF Is 997 schools in the
connection. These schools have a mem
bership Of 9i2 IA. an increase of q .096
This increase is three times greater thar
that OF the previous year.
DR. Sledd. president OF the court fol
the trial Of Rev VI. $. Watts announced
that Rev. W. r.. Smithey y Il been m
PEELED 10 retire from the jE y by reason
OF physical aflliction and asked the Con
ference 10 fill the yacanC Rev. r. a
Compton was appointed.
TO CIiANGv \ LAW
Rev. c. Il. HOLIDAY presented a resolu
ton To memOrialiZe the General Con
ference 10 so change the law OF the
church as TO give an annual conferenc,
the right 10 accept or reject preachers
transferred from other conferences alsC
TO provide for the expulsion we refus,
when able 10 support the institutions o.
the church: also TO put Fredericksburg
back into the Virginia Conference
Rev. W. =. Wright and others offered ;
resolution TO memorabilia the Genera
Conference TO increase the number o.
Bishops and TO decrease the size of th'
Episcopal districts. The plan contem
plates more than 20 Episcopal districts
Rev. }. II. Amiss proposed a memOria
10 forbid preachers and members VIII,
have control Of their property renting oil
selling property to be used for immor
al purposes.
ELECTED ELDERS.
Minute question: What travelling
preachers are elected Elders? was called
and keVs. ;. G. Hatcher, j. $. Peters. +,
j. Peters. j.. W. Proctor, q. +. Booker
Jr1 T. j.; Sharpe, r. T. Waterfield W
-. Beauchamp, \. \. WhitmOre j. w
Baker, c. w. Leftwich and l.. r. Hit
made their reports. passed the examina
tloh and We're elected TO the Elders or
ders.
Rev. W. b. Beauchamp Of St. Jane.
church, Richmond, reported that he ha,
had q prosperous year and that his church
is growing. All assessments were paid
Rev. $. Q. Hatcher, OF Denny-Stree
church. Richmond, reported thht his col
lectlons exceeded the assessments an(
that there had been a net increase OF
utly in the membership during the year.
EDUCATION.
The pastors OF the Lynchburg dlstric
made their reports and passed the an
nual examination OF character Prof A
NJ. Hughlett read the report of the Boar
Of Education. The report declares tina
She Randolph-Macon system Of college.
and schools is a system Of which any
people may be proud. The merit Of tn,
college at Ashland has been tested by tn,
largest universities Of America and Eu,
rope Every Methodist in the territory
Of the Virginia Conference is a share
holder in the system.
Rev DR.. Kern, president OF Randolph
Macon College. addressed the Conference
IN behalf Of his institution. He was fol.
lowed by DIT W W. Smith, chancellor
of the Randolph Macon system. in q
stirring address, I'm which he replied TO a
criticism by Or. Ray, Of the action OF the
MANAGEMENT in the establishment OF the
academies, II was a magnificent effort
and was punctuated with frequent APP
plause.
The report was discussed with much
oarnestness by DR.. Ray and. Rev. Messrs
Amiss. Royal. and Cannon. and wa
finally laid on the table. until Monday.
CHURCH EXTENSION.
Dr. David Morton, OF Louisville, Ky.
secretary OF the Board Of Church Exten
sion. addressed the Conference in the in
tcrest Of his work. He gave an encour
aging view OF the work OF church exten
sion I'm the West and said that the re
ports that have thus far come from tn
IAN Conference show an increase I'm tn
collection.
He told Of an old man on the outskirts
OF civilization in Montana who HAVING
ventured 5000 I'm a speculation and lost
IL turned around and balanced the matte
by an equal amount TO church extension
Dr. +. T. HOss addressed the Confer
ence concerning his work az the editoi
OF the general organ OF the church. HI
said that none OF the Bishops had evel