Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-31
METHO1|STS TO MEET
VIRGINIA ANNUAL co.EEREsCE
soos no GATHER HERE.
FEW CHANGES OF PASTORS.
Only Ten Preachers HIVE Served
Four Year Limit-So Burning Is
sues Up-May Invite General Con-
fcrcncc-Eishop Duncan Presides.

sues Up-May Invite General Con-
fcrcncc-Eisilop Duncan Presides.
The sessions of the Virginia Annual
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
church in this city for nearly week.
commencing about November 18th, viii
bring q body of some three hundred min
listers and two or three hundred additional
attendants, including lay members and
visitors, ard the wives and families CT the
preachers.
The conference usually begins on Tues
day or Wednesday and continues through
the following Sunday, sometimes lasting
until Tuesday. There is always a great
volume OF business 10 be disposed OF. but
this year the session is expected to be
a quiet one. there being no burning issues
to be discussed and nothing of more than
usual interest.
The climax of the interest every year
attaching to the conference session is the
announcement of the appointments for
tire succeeding year. for the Methodist
preacher who attends conference knows
only whence he comes, and seldom, If
ever whittier he will go, and. in COM
mon with his flock he awaits with in
tense interest the decree of the Bishop
fixing his place of residence for the en-
suing year.
THIS IS the result of what IS known rs
the itinerant system. no preacher oelnS
successfully located in one pastorate for
a period of more than four years. He
may, at the end e one. two. or three
years. be transfe cd to some other
charge The Bis p and his council
composed of the presiding elders of the
various districts under. the supervision
of whom, the preachers have been work
ing-arrange the Apo. ntnaents for the en-
suing year. according to The needs OF the
pastorate. the changes consequent upon
the expira ton of four-year terms, the re
tirements from active work owing TO de-
Ginning or impaired health. Or to adFanc-
ing age. and other exigencies.
THE BISHOPS DIFF CULT TASK.
It is no easy problem to distribute the
various prea crers with their varied char
acteristics among the stations and CIR
cults and districts Of the conference IN
such a way as to send to each congfess-
ton q man adapted to Is peculiar needs
and preferences. Sometimes the INNS
ters, being human. and sometimes very
human have preference. expressed or
une,pressed. as to their location for the
coming year. Frequently congregations
have pastor for whose return they send
m a request and it SO happens some
times that the pastor does not coincide III
this desire. This is rare, however II Is
delicate and diplomatic duty 10 selec.
the pastor for the various puiplts. anu
it is no wonder that the appointments GO
rot always please either pastor OF pep
Y TIN voT-P-yFAR MEN.
This wear a remarkable condition is pre-
..rl s.s S.sl-ie conference or three
| hundred ministers there are only ten wno>
! have served out their four-year limits
! and of ths 90 ten four are pres ding ela-
T! ers making the changes IN pastorates Tor
| as reason! only six. 1t is Impossible that
| there viii be more than ten transfers OF
| minister's however. The transfer OF one
| often necessitates the shifting or seVerai
| others in order to select the man best
| fitted for the work in certain nelos. ooIiie
| conversations and some ministers are dls-
! amounted necessarily. but they accept
/ their disappointment ptilosophlcalls.
a,none those most often disappointed are
! the Young ministers. located IN snall sal
! aried circuits or stations. but VINO desire
| 70 marry, and look forward TO appoint
ment 10 some station with salary 'lsae
| would Justify prospective brides IN leas-
| ing their comfortable homes Tor TIE ',ci'-
STUDIES in the life of an ltinerate pee'etisA
AS IRE TO CITY PULPlTS.
| OCCASIONALLY. some ambitious young pull
,It orator who has served his apprentice
shin and outlived his sophomore e!o-
| o,ance vearrs for a city pulpit, some
| times only to be disa pponted; occasion
! au, 10 have his cherished wish grained.
| rye soldiers in the ranks, however. tney
| 10 not murmur. but obey without la4te'.
| infs the behests of their superior onice1 ..
| But lis is why the ears OF the preachers
gro all strained to catch the announce
I ny
| frequently everybody is surprised oy some
! transfer at the last moment OF a mar
| VII, had confidently been expecting re-
| -,lrn To his old field. The appointment
means that he may have to PACK up HIS
belongings and remove TO a flelo "here le
! ;s unknown and uncertain OF MS wei
| come. ,r>-c,r
TO INVITE GENERAL. CONFERENCh.
It is expected that an effort ma! DC
made at this conference to nave an INV.
| tation on its part sent to the Generai
| Conference TO hold its meeting here four
| wears hence. AS there is lively competi-
| t5on for the seat of this great assembly
| of the giants of the denomina ton. 1t may
| ha deemed wise to invite them IN time,
| ard thus forestall other cities when ae-
sire ia entertain the body The expenses
Of delegates to the General Conference
/ are paid by the entire body OF Southefn
| Methodists, and amount to hall huhoreo
| thousand dollars or more. when is 70
large extent expended in the entertaining
! city.
There may be few or many changes
| in the Methodist pastorates OF thss city
| a. tha coming conference. but II there
/ are any as is most probable. they VIII
| he as a result Of the desire OF the pastor,
~ the con-regati ton or of the transfer OF
preachers from other fields. whose terms
| have expired.
Not one OF the pastors of this city
has reached the four-year limit rms
does not guarantee any of them contin-
| nance for another year, but IT VIII tend
| to secure their return. unless their own
I preferences Of the eNisencles Oh el'e III