The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29

elected to that office after the introduce
ton of lay representation
The general conference of 1874. being
the It'll. was held in Louisville, Ky, be-
ginning its session on the first day Of
May The first fraternal messengers ap-
pointed by the Methodist Episcopal
church to the church South We're received
by this conference. The publishing house
at Nashville had been destroyed by fire
two years before and it was passing
through financial crisis. The mission
airy spirit was rising. 1t was ordered
that mission work should begin in Brazil,
and that one of the bishops should visit
China. This visit was made by Bishop
Marvin. The cause of education received
a forward movement, as the gift of Com
modore Vanderbilt made the establish
ment of the Vanderbilt university posi-
Bile. This muniticence was acknowledged
in a suitable resolution by the confer
ence. Atlanta entertained the eighth gen
eral conference, which met May l. 1873.
1t was urged that this should be a short
session, and only needed legislation should
be undertaken. The publishing house was
the most important matter before the
! body. The house was then in a bankrupt
condition, its liabilities being one-thrd
more than all its assets. DR.. j. B. Me
Ferrin was elected agent, the famous
bond scheme projected, and the house
was saved. The Womans Missionary
society was adopted.
For the second time the conference
met in Nashville, Tenn, May 3, 1852. DR.
Thomas o. Summers was elected sec
rotary for the eighth time conseeutively
He died on the third day of the session.
Bishop Paine was retired at his own
request. Attention was called to the
centenary of American Methodism to oe-
eur in 1884 Five bishops We're elected
A. w Wilson, Linus Parker, A. g. Hay
good, j. C, Cranberry and r. X. Har-
groce. Bishop Haygood declined to be
ordained. The conference was gratified
at the success of the Womans Mis-
sionary society.
Richmond va, entertained the tenth
general conference, which met May o.
1886. It was found that the offerings
of the church during the centennial year
had been $1,375,O00 The membership of
the church was little less than mill
lion.
An assessment was levied to pay the
expenses of future general conferences.
A system of coportage was provided for,
"Children's day in the Sunday school
was ordered to be observed. w. w.
Duncan, C. b. Galloway, e. r. Hendrix
and j. s. Key were elected bishops. The
session lasted eighteen days.
The eleventh general conference as
senbled in Centenary church, st. Louis,
Mo, May 7, 1890, Just forty years after
the second general conference, had met
In the same place. w. p. Harrison was
elected secretary. Bishop Wilson read
the Episcopal address The membership
of the church was more than million.
All departments of the work were pros
pering The Epworth League was author
lied An official document was received
from the convention of the Protestant
Episcopal church proposing union. The
proposition was declined respectfully.
Three annual conferences were created.
Atticus G. Haygood and Oscar p. Fitz-
gerald were elected to the Episcopacy.
The assets of the publishing house. above
all liabilities were now more than half
million dollars rigid rule was adopted
against our ministers soemnizing the
rite of marriage between divorced peo-
pie, except the divorce was granted on
scrptural ground.
The twelfth general conference met In
First church, Memphis, Tenn. May 3,
1894. The Rev. DIR. c. b. Riddick as
pastor of the church. was the Host of the
conference The membership had increas-
ed 170197 during the quadrennium. A res
olution was introducing asking that
layman from each presiding elders dis
trict might set In the bishops cabinet