The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-04
.cHURCH's WORK
IS IN GOOD SHAPE
Address of Bishops, Read to
Conference, Makes Fine
Exhibit
5te4',
GREAT ACTIVITY SHOWN
In ALL DEPAR TMENTS
Gratifying Increase in the Num-
Der of New Ministers Received.
Interest in Education, Church
Building and Mission.

Especial TO The Richmond virginian.,
ASHEVILLE n. c.. May 4.-~Fhe
sixteenth quadrenntal general confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, the first session OF the
supreme body of this church, repre-
sEntTng an aggregate or nearly Z,VUV,-
utU souls. that mas ever conN ened on
North Carolina soil, was suspicious
III opened this morning in the city
auditorium, and Tor the next three
weeks this splendid body of men, cIer-
gymen and laymen interested not
only in the ad gance OF Methodisn, but
also in the spreading of the reagion
Of Jesus Christ to all parts of the
earth, will be the guests of the city.
1t was shortly after o'clock when
Bishop Aipheus w. Wilson, of Baiu-
more. pounded the gavel and the
crowd OF more than one thousand peo-
pie were silenced In an instant. Ii
was an impressive opening. Pracu-
calls every one of the clerical dele
gates were present, and almost all
Of the lay delegates, The few who
were absent will arrive before Satur-
day night. Upon the stage were gath
cred Bishops Wilson, r. X. Hendrix.
OF Kansas City; ]. s. Key. of Sher-
man. Texas: w. A. Chandler. OF At
lanta: II. C. Morrison, of Leeshurg,
Fla. E. Il. Hoss. OF Ashevsle: James
Atkins, of Wa$nesvilie and Rev.
Frank Richardson. of Fountain CITY.
Tenn, in addition tn more than
score OF newspaper men and women.
Great Audience Gathered,
The delegates were all seated In the
parauet of the great building, while
a large number of the people OF the
city filled the remaining space In the
first floor and the balcony Bishop Y.
E. H0ss read hymn No. SOC. and the
vast body Of men and women. arts
ing, sang with true Methodist har-
mony;
And we are yet alive.
And see each others face.
Glory and praise 10 Jesus give
For his redeeming grace"
This was followed by the recital of
the Apostles Creed. led by Bishop VIZ
son. The opening prayer was made by
Bishop Morrison. who expressed
thanks fer the manifold blessings and
unnumbered n1ercies of the past and
for the prosperity OF the church since
the last quadrennial. We magnify
thy name for what thou hast wrought
in the home land. where thousands
have been brought unto the Lord. We
have seen his hand in the movement
driving back the whiskey curse and in
the fight against the divorce evll-~that
thou are with the church Ia the fight
against evil OF every form"
Secretaries Chosen.
Secretaries chosen were \. +. Wat
kins, J A. Rurrow c. II, Briggs, f. o.
Watson, ]. E. Harrison. J. II. Mccoy.
The usual fourteen standing commit
fEsax Int Hkef,4 has on
motion of DIR. Cannon. Of Virginia, the
{ former committee on temperance Is
called the committee on moral and So
ciai reform, and is given enlarged
scope. The interest committee takes
charge OF colportage. ana a large com
mittee, with member FRI m each dele
cation, IT. appointed on fraternai rela-
tions with other churches.
The bishops address, which had been
prepared by Bishop Hendrix. was read
By him. Ii reviewed the history of
the church and declared that Method
ism holds the future of our civilization,
Bishops Address.
Bishop Hendrix stated that great
gains have been made In the church
membership, which now totals nearly
100000 During the past year. he
said. the church received asa new min
listers, the largest number In it's his
tory. There has been an increase In
local preachers OF 2sI In four years.
There are 12.6o0 ministers. 5000 of
them local preachers Forty six
preachers have come to the Methodists
from other churches The church owns
$75.0o0,00o worth OF property. Great
activity is reported In education. church
building and missions.
There are three publishing houses
and number of hospitals owned
by the church. The rate of increase
greater than the increase In the popu-
lation OF the nation. The densest
methodist population In the world is
in the south. The address endorses
the veto power OF the bishops over
the general conferences action and
declares that the South---has been
most successful In Its treatment of the
negro: reJotces that methodism has
never had dootorial sehfsm. ex-
presses doubt that any extension Of
the four years limit TO the passionate
;; Is desira Bile; notes With pleasure fra
tArnal relations with other methodist
churches; advises against any change
In the name OF the church. advises
against the memorial for Equal
rights for women. recommends an
endowment fund for superanuated
Minfsters, notes the sudress or the
Sunday-seheel. eenffnends THO Efs-
worth League; declares that the
church owns Vanderbilt university and
Urges that the college question he set
tled beyond all question for ali time
and eommends the standardiztng OF
Ill colleges. The address recommends
that the law be repeated. allowing
unoFdeined ministers to perform tho
rite OF matrimnny. The address closes
with q tribute to each of the six
1 bishops who have died and recom-
mends that At least five new bishops
be elected.