The Washington bee., 1908-05-16
PHILADELPHIA Conference
PhiIadelphia. Pa. Nav 6. 1908.


Delegates from all parts of the
United States and also from the Phil
ippine Islands, Cuba, Porto Rico, the
Bahamas and the West Coast of Al
rca, assembled Wednesday morning
in Tie twenty-third quadrennial con-
ference of the African Methodist
Episcopal Zion Church at the Wes-
ley Church, Fifteenth and Lombard
streets. There are 5I2 delegates pres
ent, and with their wives and friends
make over a thousand representatives
of the varied activities of this Church
present, one of the oldest forms OF
Methodism in this country; sessions
will be held three times daily for the
next sixteen days, ending on May 2I.
Mayor Reyburn welcomed the dele
gates yesterday. In the course of his
remarks he said: Il deem it a great
privilege, as we'll as a duty, to come
before this assemblage of orderly,
law-abiding colored citizens. l well
come you to our city, and do so with
added pleasure,as l regard your meet
ing as one of national significance, as
we'll as a tribute to our city and
State. There is no branch of our
Government which comes nearer to
the life of the people than the ad-
ministration Of our great cities, and
by meeting you face to face | can
better understand your problems and,
I trust, command your confidence. I
want to say that | meet you today in
no partisan spirit, but as a man with
men dealing fairly with the problems
Eith which your Church as to deal.
Ey advancing morality and the forces
o. law and order you form an inn
pCrtant part of the Commonwealth,
and ] want to say as a tribute to
your race that whatever difficulties
we may have il other directions we
never have any trouble in maintaining
ord,r among the colOred people. The
Majors remarks were greeted with
prolonged cheers, and were replied
to in an appreciative vein by Prof. S.
c. Atkins, of WinSton-Salem, n. c.,
He said that ''there were more Ne
groes in Philadelphia than in any 9TH
er city of the United States" and
said that this was due to the fact
that they were treated better here
than elsewhere. He told the Mayor
that the race would endeavor to prove
worthy Of the good reputation he had
given them. This session is regard
ed as one of exceptional Importance,
as not only will It elect three new
bishops, but decide questions of ad-
ministratve policy affecting its more
than six hundred thousand members.
At the opening there was a solemn
ecclesiastical procession, to the main
auditorium, headed by the seven bish-
ops, who we're followed by the min
isterial delegates. They were then
called to Older by Senior Bishop John
w. Hood, of North Carolina. Devo-
tional exercises were held by Bishop
Alexander Walton, of New York.
After singing by the choir, Bishop G.
from the Old Testament; Bishop J..
w. Alstook read the New Testament
lesson. An invocation was then pro-
nounced by Bishop J. w. Smith, the
sermon was delivered by
Bishop c. B. Harris, of Salisbury,
n. c.; the final hymn, Great God,
attend while Zion sings" was an
nounced by Bishop J. s. Caldwell, of
Philadelphia, and the morning ses-
sion closed with serving the Lords
Supper At the evening session there
was a series of brief welcoming and
congratulatory speeches by the fol-
lowing representatives: Rev. c. a.
Tindley, Rev. J. w. Lee, Rev. J. H.
Dwellie, Bishop ]. F. Ramsey, Prof.
w. ]. Trent, Mrs. NJ. E. Washing
ton, Jr
Philadelphia, Pa, May 8, 1908.
An interesting ceremony marked
the second days session of the At
rican Methodist Episcopal Zion
Church Conference, when at the op-
ening of the morning session Rev.
ohm Quincy Adams, of Harrisburg,
made a formal presentation to Bishop