Evening star., 1897-03-24
SOUTHERN METHODISTS.
The One Hundred and Thirteenth
Session of the Baltimore Conference.

Session of the Baltimore Conference.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
STAUNTON, Va. March 24.-Bishop
Charles b. Galloway of Mississippi this
morning called to order the one hundred
and thirteenth annual session of the Bal
timore conference of the NJ. E. Church
South. The gathering is held in Trinity
Church. the largest In the conference. of
which Rev. J. H. Boyd is the retiring pas
tor.
AS is usual In the conference sessions
interest is centered in the changes in pas
torates by reason of the time limit and
for other causes Two new presiding elders
are to be appointed this year to take the
places of Rev. Rumsey Smithson in the
Washington district, and Rev Dr. J. F.
Armstrong of the East Baltimore district
Each has served four years in that ca
pacity and must retire from the presiding
eldership.
The changes in pastorates include the
following changes and preachers: Wilkens
Avenue, Rev l.. W. Haslup: Patuxent
Rev. w. l.. Smith: North Baltimore, Rev
J. H. Wills; Mount Vernon Place. Wash
ington. Rev. l. w. Canter: Fredericksburg
Rev. S. G. Ferguson: Hamilton, Rev. r. r.
s. Hough Occoquan, Rev. c. E. Simmons
Stafford. Rev. L. Fox; Berryville. Rev. H.
o. Armstrong: Staunton, Rev. ]. H. Boyd ;
Blacksburg. Rev. w. L. Dolly; Union, Rev.
R. H. Wilson; ,Allegany, Rev. J. W. Nc
Neil; Springfield, Rev. S. A. Parker
One Of the questions to be discussed by
the conference is the disposition of the
Wesleyan Female Institute at this place
A special committee. appointed last year.
will report, through its chairman. Rev. Dr.
p. H. Whisner, as to terms made, with
creditors Of the institution. which is prom
inent among schools for girls in the south.
Last year stock company with 10000
capital was organized to continue the in
stitute. under the care of the conference.
Preparations for the meeting in Balti
more next year Of the general conference
of the church will also likely come before
the conference.
Bishop Galloway, who is presiding over
the conference for the first time enjoys
the unusual distinction Of having read his
own obituary as it appeared In print after
his supposed death. The premature an
nouncement came about during the yellow
fever epidemic In 1873.
The bishop, then an itinerant preacher
was stationed at Vicksburg. He refused
to leave his post, and was finally stricken
with the fever. On September 8 of that
year he was given up for dead, and his
wife was called to his bedside to hear his
last words.
Many years afterward the bishop wrote
the memoir of very dear friend who
transcribed the supposed last words OF the
bishop. and this paper was found among
the friends private papers Bishop Gallo
way now treasures the paper. together with
the newspaper announcements of his death.
Bishop Galloway is a native of Missis
sipp where he was born at kosciusko in
lS49. He educated at the University
of Mississippi. After recovering from the
yellow fever attack he was made editor of
the New Orleans Christian Advocate in
1882. In 1886 he was elected and ordained
bishop and now lives at Jackson, Miss
He has gained prominence in his native
state and throughout the south by his ad-
vocacy of prohibtory liquor legislation.
The conference embraces, geographically,
ha n{ctri of Cnlnmhia MARYLAND
northern neck and valley of Virginia, part
of West Virginia and portion of Penn
sylvania. The members. lay and clerical.
number about 2S8, and, in addition, about
$50 visitors are being entertained.
Reports of the state of the church in the
eight districts of the conference were sub
mitted by presiding elders. Rev. Rumsey
Smithson Of the Washington district re-
ported that the spiritual state Of the
church was good, and an Increase was
shown in Sunday school work. new par
sonage in process of building at Manassas
will complete residences for all the preach
ers in the district except the stations in
Washington. Eleven churches have been
built during his four years service as pre-
siding elder.
Mt. Vernon Place Passionate.
committee from Mt. Vernon Place
Church. Washington. received little set
back last night. They have been working
for a transfer to take the place of Rev. l.
w. Canter whose pastorate will expire by
the time limit. One of the outside members
they had their eyes on was Rev. DIR. F. r.
Hill, formerly a member OF this confer
ence but transferred a few years ago 10
the southwestern Missouri conference, and
now stationed at st. Louis. Bishop Gallo
way is understood to have given them to
understand that he would sanction no
transfers, and thus blocked their plans
Now they are looking for the best man in
he M Rrpn
the retiring presiding elder. is now promi-
nently spoken Of for the vacant pastorate
One hundred and sixty-four clerical dele
gates responded to the first roll call.
Rev. DR.. James E. Armstrong was re-
elected secretary of the conference and
named for his assistants the same men as
last year.
The lay delegates accredited from the
Washington district are Albertus L. john
son, Henry NJ Woolf, Benjamin F. Mark
and VIM. H. Thomas
Unions Application Denied.