The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-30
METHOD|STS WILL
GATHER AT OXFORD
Not for Sixty-Four Years Has
This Old North Carolina
Town Been Chosen.
HALF CENTURY OF PROGRESS
Church Has Quadruplcd Itself in
Mcmbcrship-Much In
tcrcst III Missions.
ny MAMIE RAYS.

oxford, y. C.. November 2o.-Whcn
tire North Carolina Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church South.
convenes at oxford in It's scvcnty-sev-
cnth annual session. it will be the
scco,id time that It has been held In
this town. tho frs; time having been
Ia ls4o. when the conference vas only
thirteen years old, At that time the
conference had only 2t.l1O white and
G.6l5 colorcd members Now, sixty
four years later. the total membership
OF the conference IA S2.2l3 The mem
bcrshp Is composed entirely of white
people now. the colorcd members hav-
ing transferred to churches for tho
negro race. This is ono of tho Oldest
conferences OF the church. and while II
has not grown so rapidly as some Of
tho conterenceH, the growth has been
steady and substantial. and from with
IN TIA territory have come some OF tho
strongest men OF the church
During laFt year there was added to
tho mem bership OF the church In this
conference n total Of s,a34: OF this mum
Der 4.lie wcro added on profession OF
faith and 37s5 on certificate. The re
:novals In tho membership during tho
year. by death and otherH Use. amount
cd 10 3.7s5. leaving "a net increase in
conference 1913 pastoral charges, hence
tho net increasc OF members on each
charge vas about sixteen. During the
year 1913 infants and 2,2o3 adults were
baptized.
The average contribution per mem
her IN the North Carolina Conference
To the various financial claims OF tho
church was little more than 81
during last year. The amount contri-
buted 10 conference claimants was
$500; TO foreign missions, SlS,53Q.jD. to
home and conference missions $40
80; 10 church extension, ss,G4l9e. to
tho American Biblo Society. 81 Pea -
10 bishops fund, s2,320.52; TO salaries
Of presiding elders, sis.7ae-58. 10 sal
aries OF preachers IN charge. si65,3t2.-
50. The number OF local preachers In
thls conference is ninety
Interest tn both foreign and domcs-
tic missions has made rapid progress
In this conference within tho pact few
yearE. ana last wear the amount con-
S3.9s6.33, ana ia the sunday schools
there was contributed FOR missions.
Sscle54. the sunday schools also con-
rriuuted S..330.sG on Chlldrens Day and
Ut other times, for other objects OF the
church. S2s,Sgs.i3. making total Of
dar schools The number OF sunday
schools ia tho conference IS Ge5; the
iunibcr OF officers and teachers, 5,Gst,
ara the number OF scholars, G3,sei.
Tho Epworth League. with q mem
lcrship II 1851. contributed $3!5-0a for
missions and s5lih3s FOR other objects.
InaInp total az Si.2io5s 10 all pur-
purposes from this otRanizat.on for the
year. The total amount contributed
~ the Womau's Foreign and the Won
ans Home Mission Societies was t52.-
&13.i2. OF TINS amount tho Foreign
Missionary society gave sls,G52 and
the Home Mission society Sl5,65I.37.
Tho Juvenile societies, with member
snip OF a.2!2. contributed SS,025.@1.
During last year the conference gave
20 it's orphuuago at Raleigh. $3l.C0S.0i.
The number OF chndrcn in the orphan
age at that timo was lop, and II is
probable a larger number VIII be re
ported to the conference this year.
There are uino districts in tho North
Carolina Conference. and Il IS estimat-
cd that the value OF The church prop
erty OF tho conference Is $2,os3,l9S-5O.
Tho total amount OF money for all
purposes contributed by this confer
ence last year was S577.Oso.76, the lar
pcst amount probably that II has con-
tributed In any year OF its history
TIE conference session Will convene
on Wednesday. December 3. and Bishop
James H. Mccoy. of Birmingham. Ala.
viii be The presiding officer.