The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-31
HALF OF CLASS
FAILS t 0 PASS
OF Forty Undergraduates in
Baltimore Conference Only
Twenty Arc Advanced.
ADVICE TO YOUNG PREACHERS
Four Received Into Full Con
ncction--CFurch Extension
Board Anniversary.
Especial to The Times pispa,ch. !

NSPcNidl ~ nc DatCh.
Roanoke. W., March 3o.-Thc mum.
Der Of undergraduates N the Balu-
more Conference at this session Was
forty and of this number twcnty failed
to pass their examinations In the con-
ference course of study. a.d were con-
tnueI for another year in the same
classes OF which they were numbers
last year. There are four classes liz
tho course Of study, and 1t is expected
that every young preacher admitted on
trial In the confcrct &c Will complete
the course OF study In four years, and
some have compl ,tcd II within "a short
or time. II Is a source Of -.grel 10
the cniro conference that 90 per cent.
of the undergraduates at this session
failed to pass their examinations, and
several references were made 10 this
on the conference floor to-day.
Bishop Murrah again reminded the
young preachers of the fact that only
Tic best Of reasons should cause them.
tg. fall 10 keep UP their studies and
ross their examinations regularly.
J. H. Light, OF Richmond, said In
this connection that he felt the confer
encc did itself an injustice and the
young preachers an injustice by thrust
ing them into the work of the minis
try before thsy were ready for tho
work. and In this way men and ,he
conference were handicapped. He said
that instead Of bringing the young men
into the work hastily. the confcrenc,
ought TO look to It's own future md
TO their future, and tell them that
while the conference wants them and
needs them, th:y need the equipment
which education gives them NOR, than
the conference needs them. Air. Light
insisted that II tile conference would
exercise more care and not admit
preachers on trial until they Tcre
equipped for the work. the experience
of so many failures in the course OF
study would be a:oided.
Luymcn Urged 10 Help.
II. p. fIamill said that what stands in
the way OF young men mos, in their
studies is the raising Of the collections
for tho assessments of the church.
He showed that they are expected to
raise the assessments. and in DC ng this
their time is taken from their studies.
He urged that the laymen OF the church
should take this burden from the
preachers. and said that II the young
pdeachcrs ware relieved OF this they
would pass their examinations, but they
are handicapped as It Is.
j. E. Henry took the position th:r.
IL the young prca chers would deter
mine TO do the work and would study
as they should. they could pass THAR
examinations and do the other work
required OF them also. He showed
that the course OF study is much cas-
icF In tho conference now than IL was
a few years ago and that young men
in good health had no good excuse 70
falling 10 pass the examinations.
L. j. Prcttyman spoke again of the
Biblical Institute at Great Falls and
said the young preacht IS could get
much help there TO aid them in pass
ing their examinations.
r. II. Bennett. missionary secretary
of the Virginia Conference. and L. +.
,kahle, financial agent of the Virginia
Childrcn's Home Society, were intro
duced 10 the conference. MIR. Kanle
spoke to the conference of his work
and stated that % per cent. OF the
children rescued b. the society turn
out we'll.
Question is was called. "Nho are
elected local clders?" and Zach presid-
ing elder reported none"
On motion of E. V. REGISTER. the ere
duplicat ted. the original CT edcMtials
having been lost.
c. D. Harris. editor of the Baltimore
Southern Methodist, addressed the con-
ference. He reported the addition of
more than 1000 new subscribers dur
ing the past year.
Received Into Full Connection.
Five young preachers were received
into full connection n the conference
ut this session.. II. Billingby. John
l. Thomas. f. II. Lambert and Frank
r. Neel. The remarks OF Bishop
Murrah at this time were heard with
sp .cial interest. He emphasized the
facts that this time is an important
and serious time in the life OF a
preacher: that the candidates for ad-
mission into full connection have been
trying the conference for two years.
az we'll as the conference has been try
ing them, and that the conference has
the right to the information regard
ing their belief which is gained in an
swer TO questions al this time. He
urged the young men TO be spiritual
above everything else, saying that the
ministry is no place. for the man who
is not spiritual, hence the necessity Of
faith in God. without which the life
will have no power. All men quail
fled as ministers he said are not quail
fled for the system of the Methodist
Church, and that those who are to be
happy and useful In this system must
he qualified for II. He urged the
closest association with Christ to In
sure preachers to be on the winning
side of tho battle being waEed in the
world. He emphasized also the I'M
portance of study and pastoral visit
ing by preachers.
The anniversary of the conference