Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-11-26
Virginia Conference.

session of the Virginia State Con
ference of the Methodist Church.
South, consisted of the examination
of applications for admission to mem
ship in the body, and hearing report
of the committee having in charge
the examination of first and second
year ministers, and the determination
Of their fitness for full relationship
Third and fourth year ministers were
also reported on by the committee
The report of the editors of the
Sunday School Magazine showed that
there were in attendance in the Sun
day schools of the Southern Methos
dist Church S51 900 children, and the
Sunday schools were reported as
nourishing.
The names of ministers on the 'se
cond year, were called, and satis-
factory replies were received from all.
and they will be admitted tofull rels =
tions as soon as they pass the proper
examinations before the committee
The class of the third year was
called, and the following were granted
elders orders: M. S. Colonna, j. c.
Smith, John w. Parish, Dexter H
Reed, G.. NJ Dyea, George w. Jones,
and Fred. g. Davis.
The name of DR.. George E. Booker
was referred to the Committee on
Superannuated Relations, and col
lection was taken up for the benefit
of DR.. Booker, who is broken down
in health in his old age.
DIR. a. Coke Smith, chairman OF
the Committee of the Board OF Edu-
cation. read a lengthy report, show
ing among other things that the
Southern Methodist Church is
pledged to raise an educational fund
as twentieth century offering of
$1,5OO,O OC. ri Northern Method t
Church has pledged itself to raise
So, 100000. The report was received
and adopted.
Norfolk, Va, Nov. 2O.-The fourth
day of the Virginia State Conference
of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, held in Monumental Church,
Portsmouth, was an interesting one,
fact principally due to the bringing
before the body of the case of DR..
Paul Whitehead, its secretary, and
the Rev. Jas. Cannon, of Blackstone,
Va, editor of the Methodist Recorder.
DR.. Whitehead and Mr.. Cannon, just
after the last conference, engaged in
a controversy over MIR. Whitehead's
report, published in the Nashville
Christian Advocate, of a resolution
offered by Mr. Cannon. In his paper,
the Recorder, Mr.. Cannon attacked
DR.. Whitehead, saying he was incapa-
bic of telling the truth in reference
to any matter upon which his null
was biased. This was the beginning
of controversy which grew rather
TOO warm and which was dropped at
the earnest solicitation Of friends OF
DR.. Whitehead. who determined to
defer action in the matter until con :
ference met and to then bring it be-
fore the body. This he did yester
day.
When the call of the twentieth
question, Are all the preachers of
olameless lives?" was reached, salts
factory replies were received until
the name of James Cannon, Jr, was
reached. The members present ex-
pected a sensation and were not dis
appointed. AS Mr.. Canpon's name
was called. DR.. Whitehead arose and
objected to Mr. Cannon being de.
clared of good character. DR.. White
head said his complaint was based
on certain editorials written by Mr..
Cannon, in which his (Dr. White
head's) honor and character had been
attacked, and that he had notified
Mr.. Cannon in writing that he would
bring charges against him before this
conference.
A motion was made TO take up the
matter at once ard investigate 1t in
open session.
Rev. A. g. Browns motion to refer
the whole matter to a committee was
adopted.
The remainder of the days session
was taken up principally by routine
business, but one important matter
the Methodist Book Concern affair
was touched upon by the Rev. w. w.
Royal, who offered the following
resolutions:
In view of facts well known to the
whole church, be it, by the Virginia
Conference, resolved,
II. That we look upon the employ
ment by whomsoever effected OF a
professional lobbyist TO collect our
claim from the United States govern
ment as entirely upjustitiable and as
unreconcilable with the dignity and
purity of the Church of Christ.
-. That we utterly deprecate and
abhor the confessed duplicity prac-
ticed by the said lobbyist and re :
pudiate all completely in and any
responsibility for the same.
-. That we deplore the fact that
our book agents, Messrs Barbee s.
Smith, have become in any degree
implicated in these dishonorable pro
ceedings, whether the same be the
res ult of deliberate choice or of an
unfortunate blunder, and that we
believe that the interest of the
church would be served by their
resignation or retirement.
"a That we can but view with SUR
prise and regret the fact that to our
knowledge no action has been taken
to administer church discipline to the
said lobbyist,a member of one of our
churches.
5. That we favor the return of the
whole sum of S2SS, 900 to the govern
Inent of the United States, regardless
of it's ultimate disposal by The same
IS. That we indorse the action Of
our bishops in the matter, except
that we do not think that any condi-
ton should attach to the return OF
the money"
The resolutions were referred to
special committee.
Norfolk. Va, Nov 21.-To~days
session of the Annual Conference of
the Virginia Methodist Episcopal
Church of.the South practically con-
Guided the minute business Of the
conference. The conference convened
10 Monumental Church, Portsmouth,
at 9 o'clock. Little business of gen
eral Importance was transacted, the
principal being the admission OF new