The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-31
President Of Randolph
Macon Addresses Me
thodist Conference.
THINKS III UNWISE
TO MAKE CHANGE
Or. Blackwell Declares That
Board of Trustees Is Under
Methodist Auspices, but Is
Self-Perpetuating Body.
L. Discussion Is Feature
Of Days Session.
Especial to The Times.Dispatch.l

Clifton Forge, Va, March 30.-Thc
second days session Of the Baltimore
Conference OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church. South. found G Larger number
OF delegates present than on the pre-
ccding day, twenty having come In
since the first meeting. The bisnop
asked suspension OF the regular or
der that he might read a telegram
from the Baltimore Conference OF the
Methodist Church. Il was MESA ge
OF greeting. and an appropriate re-
spouse was made.
The order OF the day was the cleo
ton OF three members to meet with
committee OF six from the Virginia
conference TO discuss with the trustees
the Randolph -eiacon schools TWO
ballots were taken. One resulted in
no election. as no one received a ma
jority, and tho other ballot was taken,
but not canvassed at the time OF ad-
3ournment. 1t was decided by the con
ference that the committee should be
composed of two ministerial and one
lay delegate. TWO addresses were
made on the subject. neither being by
T. member OF this conferences One wa s
Il by Or. W. ~. smith. chancellor OF the
Randolph- Macon system. and the other
by Or. K. NJ. Blackwell. president of
the Randolph Macon College at Ash
land.
Relation to Church.
Dr. Smiths address was principally
on the exceptional growth Of the RAN
oolph- Macon schools. while DR. Black
well address himself more particularly
10 the relations Of the colleges to the
church. He, too. paid some little at
teatlon In his remarks to the promi-
ncnt place that the college had taken
and insisted that It must be kept TO
that nigh standard. Touching the uues-
ton OF the church control. he said
ha =. .
or the church; that It was under Metho-
dist auspices. and he hoped it would
always remain SO, but that it's board
OF trustees was a self pc pet natinp,
body. and could elect any one TO MI
vacancy. no matter what his belief
AS ell OF the trustees were Metho-
dists. he did not think that there was
any doubt of the fact that the board
would always be Methodist He was
opposed 10 anything that would in the
least relieve the influence OF tho con
ference over the school. but the fact
was that the Randolph Macon Col
leges would proceed. even If the con-
ference decided TO start a school OF
It's own. They had an investment of
100000, and they would have to colt-
tinue the work. All the men, however.
who We're connected witr the school
We're earnest Methodists, and wanted
the school to remain a 5 1t was. unless
otherwise.
He asked the members OF the confer
ence not o read them out of the ranks.
The question was not new one
1t had been up in 1890. 1884 1900 and
In 1909. and in each case 1t was assert
ed that while the school was under
the auspices of the Methodist Church,
1t was insisted that 1t was not under
It's control.
He wound UP by stating that all Of
the trustees were earnest Methodists,
but that they had studied the question
carefully and were fully convinced that
the present charter was the best they
could get. and that it would be unwise
TO make a change.
Maintained for Eighty Years.
The charge had been made that this
stand was taken because the college
wanted to get on the Carnegie Foun-
dalton. This was not correct. because
this same position had been taken
eighty years ago. and maintained ever
since. He was glad that the confer
ence was TO elect three committeeman
to investigate the matter.
The discussion was the feature OF
the session.
DR.. blackwell was asked "a number
Of questions. and at one time he was
corrected by the bishop. On good au-
thority, 1t Is said, no reply Will be
4 made to the address Of Drs. Smith
and Blackwell.
this afternoon and tonight a large
congregation heard with pleasure an
address by DR.. HabllI, OF Nashville, on
Sunday school work.
The city is crowded with distinguish
ed Methodists. and scores Of people
from nearby towns attend in the day,
and return home at night
.