The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-04-06
SOUTHERN METHopIsTs.
The Conference at Roanoke.

Atthe opening services of the | | TIL ses-
sion of the Baltimore Conference, Method
list Episcopal Church South, at Roanoke,
the old conference hymn, And Are We
Yet Alive?" was sung. Bishop Fitzgerald
offered prayer and read the thirteenth
chapter of First Corinthians. lie said:
Brethren, wanted to he with you ut
this session of your conference. WANTED
TO breathe again old Virginia air; to see
the peaks of Otter and enjoy Virginia
hospitality. have had grip, double en-
cored. fully agree with the Georgia
negro when he said, III you have grip IT
will use you up, but il you have In grippe
it will lay you out II anything wrong
is done, blame the secretary; II anything
is well done, give me the credit. lie
paused and said, :lfany Of you say Amen
to that, III sit down" Afervent chorus
of" Amens" came in response, and amidst
laughter the Bishop sat down.
I'm response to the roll-call | 30 preachers
and 20 laymen answered to their names.
Rev. JAS T.. Armstrong was elected sec
rotary, naming M his assistants Revs. T..
V. Register, Il. Il. Tyler, \. X. Martin, j.
p. Stump. II. s. Coe and W. Nj. Waters.
DIR. Campbell, of the Virginia Bible So
ciety, stated there were 81, 600 homes IN
the State without Bibles.
Rev. DIR. j. d. Barbee, book agent for
the publishing house at Nashville, Tenn,
presented his annualrpOrt. The net sales
for the two houses, Nashville and Dallas,
Texas. amount to $3.50, Z -; increase over
last year, $40,447. Total assets, S933,
OGT; total liabilities, $l2, 535.
Rev. p. H. Whisner, ID. d., secretary oil
the Church Extension Society, read his
report. He said: Collections for the year
aggregate $6.929 more than the year
before; 43S churches have received aid to
the amount of $1OS,9l1. During the
brief existence of this society churches
have been aided 10y donations amounting
to ISL ,242, and loans amounting to
$345,0O
Rev. J. IL. Boyd gave fine report from
the Washington district. He stated there
had been 500 accessions to the church;
that $l4, 900 had been spent in building
and improving church property; that the
Twentieth Century Offering had amount
ed to 81 900, which was about 81 600
above the district apportionment. The
reports from the other districts were
encouraging.
At the second days session Bishop
Gambler. Of Georgia, addressed the con
ference.
Bev. r. r. S. Hough, d. D., made a
touching statement. in which he said he
would have to retire from active work,
after forty-seven years as a minister. He
had been attacked by the grip and was
weak physically. lie asked To be Laid
aside until he could get home.
Dr. Kern of Vanderbilt University,
made an interesting address. A st,
Louis philanthropist had offered 500
600. he said. for the endowment OF the
chair of practical theology il 100000
could be raised.
The secretary read communication
from Miss Matte Z. Harris of Virginia
College, Buena Vista, requesting the con
ference TO settle the claim of her father
for 81. 642 % due the college when it
was located in Stanton. Thecommuni
cation was referred to the committee ON
education.
Bishop Gambler preached the anniver-
sary sermon.