The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-10-21
FIRST CON. 4.
FERENCE
49,. f."s;TA. E@-.
OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPA11S IN WEST VIRGIN, +
la HELD LAST WEEK
Bish. Derrick Presides
And Gives the Delegates Good AID.
vice OH the Question Of Funeral
Extravaganza, and Great Need Of
Clean Ministers. -.
Grew. w. u. 1Valker.)

\ANeF. w. ~. walker.
Morgantown, Oct. 1S.-Moryan-
town was the place. IA picturesque
little. city, named after the famous
Guerilla leader, General Morgan.
Our church sits, with it's parsonage
racing the gently flowing waters Of
the Monongahela river, while be-
You'd towers the Blue Ridge noun
tains. A most restfEl- and refresh
ing place for the itinSrants, after the
years conflicr and struggle, which
are experienced onlyfin such a mis-
sion field as this conference en-
braces. AlIare missi onary appoint
ments and deserve the fostering care
Of the Church as much as that of the
Oklahoma or any other mission con
ference. 1t is a promising field. and
the possibilities for &rowth and de-
Velopment are. very Inviting and fiat
tering; but, the minfsters need SYM
pathy and hefD. -, -, ~. -
The. reception, On . Wednesday
night, October 18th, was a very en-
Iertaining affair The three or four
white Speakers one, OF them, the
pastor of the First M. E. Church,
were f1atteringly frGternai and op-
t1mistic to Degree, concerning the
future of the Negro. At all Of the
meetings a few whites we're in at
tendance, the ABSENCE of whom had
been. noted at other conferences.
The, pastor, Rev. Sandy Christian,
venerable, Jealous, ffaithful pastor,
spared no pains to entertain the con-
ference and much is aue to him for
the general good feeling and cheer
which prevailed. '...>.'
~. The conference BEGAN It's session
on tn urseays ~ N arniaa started of
with. a deep, spiritual fervor which
characterized the entire session. The
visitors from the Pittsburgh confer
Cnce were, Doctors Anderson, Bent
ley, Jeffrey, ,McGhee, Askew, Doc
Ior Stinson, of Morris Brown COL
lege, Rev. Morris, agent for Wilber-
force, and Dean Woodson, of Payne
Seminary. The financial and other
reports were good, going ahead con-
SlderaDly of last year The cOncen-
sus Of opinion was that no mistake
was made in setting off the work
in West Virginia.
The Missionary meeting at night
was full of enthusiasm. The speak
RS were-Dr. J. M. Henderson who
made a slendid address, and Dr<
Bentley, who briefly, but interesting
ly followed. Bishop Derrick kindly
and encouragingly closed the pro-
gram, expressing the deepest SYM
pathy and prophesy1ng a great fu-
ture for the work The song Of
Presiding Elder Accooe-"Moye On"
stirred the music Of every heart and
the valley was filled with the un-
pent volume Of MUSIC which, for in
SEPARATION, eXcelled anything Of the
other conferences we had attended.
The next morning was again a
season Of wild, rapturous song, up
lifting and yoluptuous as only Negro
melodies can be. Dr.. Meredith, Of
the M. E. Church, who was present
5aid--"If / were an unconVerted
WV
man, I don't see how, under such
intense spirituality, | could get out
without coming into the church,"
Hon. Oliver Mack, Of the Connecti-
cut Senate, spoke in a similar strain;
he had never before been South or
had seen the Southern Negro in such
a religious meeting. He was en-
tranced with the melody Of their
songs and depth of fervor and ex-
pressed both interest and sympathy,
wishing them God speed.
The Bishop was stirred by the
words Of kindness and replied In elo-
quent manner, assuring them, that
what he saw and heard was the out
come Of the Negroes endeavor at
self-help and not because of antag-
Onism to the Mother M. T..
Church" He also, spoke at length
CONTINUED ON PACE THREE.