Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-20
THEIR THIRD DAY.
THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE
VIRGINIA METHoDrsrs.
VERY INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS
Committee ON bible Cause-Memo-
rial submitted--Admitted tn Dea-
cons Orders - The Question of
Conference-Entcrt

hundred being in Main-Street Metho-
dist Episcopal church when the opening
hour, O'clock arrived. They began
coming In force a few minutes later,
however, and when the presiding officer,
Bishop. o. 2. Fitzgerald. assembled the
rostrum at 900 o'clock the house was
filing rapidly. the general audience be-
yond the conference bar occupying all
the seats by 10 o'clock.
Rev. ]. w. Shackford conducted the
devotional exercises. and Assistant-Sec-
retGry Lambeth read the minutes of
Thursdays session.
The Committee on the Bible Cause was
named. as follows: DR.. w. w. Royal,
of Chase City; DR.. w. E. Judkins, Of
Ashland, and DIR. Richard Irby, also Of
Ashland.
DR.. Royal submitted memorial, pray
ing the General Conference at Its en-
suing session to make certain changes
in the Discipline, the object of which is
to bring the Epworth League in closer
relation with the general church and
conference work.
Another memorial was offered by Rev.
K. Ferguson, suggesting plan Tor the
better support of the ministry. Both me-
MORALS were referred to the proper COM
mittee.
Conference Question No. S-"What ira
yelling preachers are elected deasonsE
was then called. The following passed
| the examination of character and also
as to studies. and such of them as were
not already deacons were admitted to
deacons' orders: Lloyd T. Williams, Rap
pahannock District; G. f.. Blankenship
and II. +. b. Martin, Danville; G. E. b.
Smith and j. d. Hosler of Eastern
| Shore; A. L. Franklin, Farmville; Ora
| ham II. Lambeth, Portsmouth; w. L.
Ware, Charlottesville, and r. II. Gle
ments. Lynchburg. These. together with
, Eugene ]. Potts of Richmond, ana
| Thomas Il. Johnston, of Lynchburg,
were. under Minute-Question No. 4, ad-
mitted into the full connection.
EXAMINED.
Bishop Fitzgerald called the class be-
| fore the chancel, and descending from
| the rostrum conducted the examination
| provided by the Discipline. The ques-
tions of the Discipline were expounded
| with crispness and inclslveness that
| was exceedingly interesting and instruc-
| tive. To the Discipline question Are
| you In debt so as TO embarrass your
the Bishop added another OF his own:
"Are you In debt so as to embarrass
anybodyv else?" With this, the Bishop
| proceeded TO give a pithy, witty disser-
| tation on the evils of debt. Said he: A
| preacher in debt daily plants Scotch
thistles all over the territory he
traverses. A man who can, by sacrifice
or otherwise, pay his debts but won't,
Is dishonest, and dishonest man has
no business in the pulpit"
Rev. j. Cleveland Hall. rector Of the
Church of the Epiphany. and Rev.
! Percy G. Elsom, pastor of Moffitt-M Memo
rial Baptist church, both Of Danville,
we're introduced to the conference. In
introducing the Baptist preacher, Bishop
| Fitzgerald said: 1.-The brother represents
Church which is pressing us hard In
the evangelization Of the world. BY the
creeks and on the bottom-lands they lead
us. but we overtake them on ridges
again.
Rev. DIR. s. A. Steele. general secre-
tary of the Epworth League. was also
presented to the conference members.
ENTERTAINMENT.
The report of the special committee
appointed at the last annual conference
to consider the plan of conference en-
tertainment, which was submitted on
Wednesday and published in full in the
| Dispatch, came up as the special order
for the hour. The report suggested the
repeal of all previous action of con-
ference on the subject and the substitu-
ton of an entirely new plan for Con-
ference Entertainment and the discus
sion of the various sections of the report
occupied considerable time a motion to
lay on the table having been defeated
| nv an overwhelming ma iOrty.
The first section was quickly disposed
of by its adoption, but the second, In
which the power of selecting the place
OF meeting OF conference is delegated
TO a committee, was warmly debated,
among those opposing 1t being Judge
Kilby; Rev James Cannon, Jr., OF Black
stone, and Rev. Joseph ii. Amiss, Of
Portsmouth.
Judge Kilby's amendment, making the
committees selection subject to APP
proyal by conference, was discussed at
length. Rev. Messrs. Amiss and Can
non. Judge Kiby. and others favored ii,
while arguments in opposition were made
by Drs Brown, Whitehead. and others.
The amendment was lost by a vote of
Y ayes TO l13 noes. The section was
then adopted.
The third section, and then the plan as
a whole were adopted without discussion.
The committee who are to conduct the
trial of Rev. NJ. s. Watts, charged with
immortality, was announced as follows:
Rev. r. n. Sledd, ID. ID. (chairman). ].
r. Mastin, j. c. Watson. A. c. Berry
man. j. w. Shackford. f. NJ. Edwards,
T. Men. Simpson. w. r. Smithey, l.. b.
Betty. and c. ID. Crowley. DIR. s. s.
Lambeth was made secretary OF the COM
mittee.
Charlottesville District ministers,
twenty-five I'm number. satisfactorily an
swered Question No. 20, which was re-
sumed at this point In the proceedings.
Minute Question No. 10-"What local
preachers are elected deacons?"-was
called. The following applicants were
elected deacons: j. X. Clayton and J.
/, IT. Sewel, Petersburg District; Joseph
T. Meadows, Danvile District, and j. E.
White, Eastern Shore District.
ADMITTED ON TRIAL.
In response TO Question No. 1-"Who
are admitted on trial?'-the following
were reported as having satisfactorily
passed the examinations. and were adj
mitted: r. H. Marks. Frank Burruss,
w. r. Evans. j. c. Harry, and william
T.. Moore. Richmond District; j. X. Clay
ton. Petersburg District; Joseph ID. Lang
lev. Portsmouth District. Several other
applicants failed in proficiency.
The Committee on Memorials to Gene
| raj Conference was announced by the
Chair. as follows: G.. c. Vanderslice. w.
r.. Edwards, w. J. Young. j. NJ Ander-
son. Ernest Stevens. c. f.. Vawter. 81.
A. Cogbill II. A. Blackwell, Richard
Irby. and ]. C. Parker.
The subject of prison reform In Vir-