Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-14
Busy Final Session Held Last
Night.
MEETS AT NORTHERN hElKN,Xr
Visiting Delegates win Inspect the
shpyard Today-mr. Wii!ett Elect
ed Lay Delegate TO General AS
sembly--LocaI Church the Largest.


The twcnty-second annual meeting
of the Norfolk Presbytery. which
opened at the Second Presbyterian
church in East End last Monday night.
was brought to close last night and
today The pastors and laymcn who
have been attending the sessions; will
return 10 their homes. The meeting
has been one OF the most gratifying in
The history of the Presbytcry and the
reports from the twenty-five churches
in Norfolk, Berkeley. Portsmouth. vii.
liamsburg. Hampton. Northern Neck,
Cape Charles and This city, which
comprise it. show II decided i'm prove.
mcnt in all departments since The
last meeting of the presbytery
Three sessions OF the prcsbytcry
were held yesterday. one in The morn.
ing, another in the afternoon and the
last nj night. The first two sessions
were taken up with the reports on
foreign missions and the general re.
ports of the various committees
Last night the reports OF The Sun.
day schools of the churches compris.
ing the Prcsbytery and the reports of
the young peoples societies were read
by Mr.. Dewitt Crane and approved by
the hoard. The reports were very
interesting and showed a ratifvtng
increase in membership over those of
HE last meeting.
At Northern Neck Next.
AT the session held yesterday after
noon the Presbytery decided To hold
lis next scmiannual meeting at the
Weems Presbyterian church, North.
crn Neck The invitation was ey-
tended by the pastor OF that church
and was accepted unanimously.
The body empowered The Sunday
school committee to elect an evan
gels, To work among The needy
churches ri The Prcshyiery. in organic
ing Sunday schools and young folks
societies. The principal work of the
evangelist will be on the peninsula
where there is Il good field for his
lahnrS AMI where ii is thought that
the best work along the lines mention
ell can be done
Commissioners to General Assembly
The Preslytery elected Rev DR.
Mcclure. of Norfolk. commissioner To
the general assembly, which will con
vene in Fort Worth. Texas, ON May
Is. Mr.. J, A. Willett, of the First
Presbyterian church in this city. was
elected law commissioner to that as
sembly. The body is always repre-
scented as the general assembly of
The Southern churches by TWO COM
missioncrS. one the pastor of some
church in the Presbytery ana he other
Il lay commissioner
There was a good attendance ut
The meeting of the Presbytery last
night and Rev. DR.. a. l.. Phillips. of
Richmond. general assembly supcrin-
tendent of Sunday schools and Young
peoples societies. gave an interesting
talk ON Sunday school work. He ey-
planned and discussed the best means
OF organization and conduct of The
schools.
After Rev. Mr.. Phillips had concluded
Mr.. Crane read the reports OF the
various Sunday schools and young
peoples societies, which were adopted
without change.
Just before the closing Of the final
session The Preshytery adopted rcso.
luiions thanking the pastor and mem.
hers OF the Second Presbyterian
church for their. hospitality and kind.
ness 10 the ministerssand laymen who
have been their guests
Largest Membership.
The reports on membership. etc. of
The various churches of the Presby.
terry. showed that the First Prcsby-
terrain church of this city Rev. 4. r.
wexford, pastor, has The largest
membership OF any church in the
Presbylery by 40 members. The first
church of Norfolk ranked second
among the churches at the last meet
ing OF The Presbytcry. and the first
church here led by two members. hui
during the past six months il has in.
creased its lead twenty-i0Id. The
first church i'll Norfolk is said to he
one of the Oldest Presbyterian church
In the United States, and up to a wear
ago ii had the largest membership of
the Presbytery.
viii be Built in Europe.
Rev. e. T. Wexford stated al The
meeting last night that the mission
boat which the Prcsbytery will buIld
Tor mission work in South Africa will
in all probability, be consIructedk in
Europe and in that case she will not
nave the protection of the United
States, as she will fly a foreign nag
The speaker went on to say that the
reason the vii! not he built in America
is because il can be cons irllcteJ in
England for about half the price which
American yards will demand for tho
work The local shipyari. MIR. Wen.
ford said, had refused TO bid ON The
mission boat, but agreed to construct
hcr AT ACTUAL cost. II was found. how.
ever. that IL would require about sac.
uOO to build the vessel here, while
advices from abroad have been re.
ceived TO the effect that she can no
Dnllt in England for about $40 ono
VIII Visit ShiDyard.
Nearly all of the ministers and Law.
men OF the Preshytcry will visit The
shipyard this morning about IN
u 'llI.nl: > IL v