The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-27
WILL SOON GATHER
IN C0CKADE CITY
Annual Conference Of Methodist
Church to Meet in Petersburg
November 13tll.
WILL BE BUSY SESSION
Successor TO Be Elected to DR..
Whitehead as Sccretary-Many
Pastors Must Change.
WILL Be BUSY SESSION

twritten for Tho Times-Dispatcho
The Virginia Annual Conference OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church. south.
which is TO convene in Petersburg at
9 o'clock ON the morning of November
13th, lis ono OF the largest and most
important ecclesiastical bodies whlch
meet within tho bounds of the state.
There are ovcr 100000 members rep.e-
rented by four prominent laymen from
each OF the eleven presiding elders dis
tricts and $50 clerical delegates. me
reason there Is such 81 comparative dit.
ference In tho number or lay aua
clerical delegates is because the busi-
r,ess of an annual conference Is arge-
Iy judicial.
In the general Conference. which
meets every -four years, and Is the only
legislative body In the church. there
liz an equal number of clerical and lay
delegated. and In the quarterly CONFER
ence, which takes oversight OF all the
work in the individual charge, the
laymen are In the large majority.
What Its BUSINESS Ir.
Tho business OF an ANIMAL conference
IL to receive the reports of the MN
isters OF the work accomplished OH
their respective charges during the
conference year. and TO receive their
appointments for tho coming year; TO
supervise the work OF missions, edu-
cation. church extension. Epworth
Leagues, distribution OF the Bible, Vlr-
ginia Conference orphanage, Rosebud
Missionary Society. woman foreign
and home mission societies and tenn
perance.
Bishop charIea 3. Galloway. OF
Jackson, Miss, will preside over the
deliberations OF the body and make
the appointments for the coming year.
1t Is very gratifying to all OF the
preachers of the conference that TINS
Is so, as he Is n general faYortte. lie
is at the same time the most eloquent
OF pulpit orators, an earnest, attrac-
tive and forceful preacher OF the gos-
pei, a man OF gpotles8 character and
heroic sel.-sacriice, a genial and
warm-hearted brother to the minis
tiers and a careful and conservative
executive officer.
To Eject New Secretary.
The conference will have to choose
from It's ranks Il secretary to sit In
the seat of the late Dr.. Paul White
head, who performed the duties OF
secretary for fifty years. and to whom
the conference only last ear pre-
sented u handsome silver loving cup
as a testimony of their appreciation
OF his long and faithful service and
OF tne1r lOVe dua S3tecG-
There nav been several names mem
toned for the position. among whom
are Rev. S. s. Lambeth. p. D., who for
many years has been the faithful and
efficient assistant secretary; Rev. E. f.
Lipscomo. D. D.. presiding elder of the
Petersburg district and publisher OF
the Conference Annual: Rev. B. NJ.
Beckham. pastor of Memorial Church.
Lynchburg. and statistical secretary Of
the conference. and Rev. ]. 7. Whitley,
presiding elder OF the Fnrmyille dis
trict. All OF these preachers are in
every way qualified to fill the position
admirably. and IL either n OF them
is elected to he Office he will dis
charge Its duties faithfully, neatly and
accurately.
The report that Macon
College will make to the conference
Will be very gratifying, as the state
mont went the round OF the press
n few weeks ago that the school was
the only institution In the State that
has q decreased attendance this year.
This lis now shown to be 4 mistake.
and though the college raised It's en-
trance requirements from ten to four
teen points. a point being a years
study of one subject in a high school,
there is a larger number Of students
enrolled thar at this time last year,
and last years enrolment was the
- ISeSGH W - ShA - <NhA ~ 49,
schools of the Randolph-Macon system
are crowded to OVERCOMING. as is also
the great school for girls under Rev.
James Cannon, Jr., tho Blackstone Fo-
malo Institute.
Some who Have Died.
The losses by death to the confer
cnce during h past twelve months
llaye been severe.
Two presiding elders. Rev. Pau
HfF IA, 1,J 81 n e. rE MI 1fat- r. ~ VII.
son. D. D.. and three active ministers.
Rev. J.. ". Baker, OF Wiconnico: Rev.
Paul Bradley. OF Crewe; inc Rev. w.
u. Rullard. OF Lunenburg; also. Rev.
Robert r. Beadles, a superannuated
preacher. in Richmond. In addition to
these losses. Rev. e. F.. Harrcll, OF
Bethany Station. was paralyzed, and
AT is feared that he may not DO able
10 take active work next veal and
Rev. r. Osgood Smith, son of the late
Bishop a.. Coke Smith, was compelled
to discontinue his labors at Portsmouth
on account OF extreme nervousness.
Rev. John l.. Bray. who Transferred
from the Virginia Conference to the IN
dian Mission Conference several years
ago. has returned to Virginia. and has
been stationed at Crewe to fill out the
year. He will remain in the confer
ence and take work the coming year
OF course tho question u~pperInost II
the minds OF the Methodists. boil
preachers and laymen. Is the last Dues.
astion asked during tho session, 'VVhert
are preachers stationed this year," g
This Moving Year.
This is known as the moving veal
among the preachers, because SO MANY
A of the most prominent preachers are
compelled to move by virtue OF thu
law OF limitation
In Richmond. Rev. NV. j. Young, y
D.. of Centenary; Rev. George II
spooner, OF Broad Street; Rev. T., Men