The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-18
Methodists Hear Encouraoinr
Reports at First Days SEES
sions of Conference
FERVENT MEETING
OPENING FEATURE
Bishop Gambler Addresses
Body-Rev. DR.. B. F. Lip
scomb Is Again Made Sec
retary-Committees Named

with Bishop Warren A. Gambler
presiding, the one hundred and thirty
third annual session of the Virginia
Methodist Conference convened this
morning at $3.50 o'clock in Cumber-
land Street Methodist Church.
Religious exercises were conducted
by Bishop Gambler and the grand old
hymn, Jesus. the Name High Over
All, was sung with fervor by the
large congregation which taxed the
/ commodious auditorium and gallery OF
the historic old house of Worship 70
It's capacity.
After prayer had been offered
Bishop Gambler read the eleventh
chapter of First Cornthian, and ex-
pounded the passage with special ref
/ erence to the administration of the
Sacrament of the Lords Supper, which
Immediately followed. The bishop
emphasized the monumental charac-
ter of the Lords supper and declared
that II was an represent miracle,
not of ssubstantiation, but a
miracle setting forth it's divine orr
gin. Referring to the real presence
in the sacrament, he said that no
one could believe in it more than
does he. but he made 1t plain that
it was the spiritual presence rather
Communion Service.
The communion service was con-
Quoted by Bishop Gambler, assisted
by Drs. Johnson. Ferguson, Lipscomb
and Judkins The singing in connec-
ton with this service was very inn
rressfve. and showed that Methodist
ministers can sing as well as preach
the Gospel. Rock of Ages" Come
| Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
! Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me-. Jesus, tho
Very Thought OF Thee" and other
good oldfashioned hymns were SUNG
| in most impressive manner.
DIR. Lipscomb Secretary:
Rev. B. r. Lipscomb was again
! unanimously elected secretary of the
conference. Rev. j. T. Whitley and
R>v. Frank l.. Wells being chosen as
his assistants. When DIR. Lipscomb
called the roll it was found that tina
major portion of the clergymen had
arrived, 22s responding when their
names were called. There were
twenty-five visiting laymen present at
the morning session.
Committees Announced.
The conference ordered the ap-
pointment of committees on nomina-
ton. conference. relations and adj
mission. Before the initial session
adjourned the following committees
We're announced:
Conference TtIdttOis. La L. wiz
liams. II. l.. Weston, John o. Moss.
H. J. Paylor, w. S. Boggs, J. C. Reed.
j. E. De Shazo. w. T. A. Haynes and
s. c. Hatcher.
Admission: L. H. Early, w. L. MUIR
ply, George w. Wray, c. f. Conner.
l.. c. Shoret, F. T. Donet, F. H. Davis
w. B. Jett. Fl. w. Davis and w. A.
Cooper
Another committee on temperance
and other social reforms, which will
probably have the most important
duties to perform of any OF the COM
mittees was ordeHed composed of
those members Of the executive CONF
mitee OF the Anti-Saloon League Of
Virginia, all of whom are members
Of this conference. The members Of
this committee are: ]. 8. Peters, z. Il
Dadmun. James Cannon, Jr.. w. A.
Christian, T. NJ Simpson, r. H. Benz
nett S. G. Hatcher, ]. F. Bellows.
Large Number Added TO Church.
Statistics show that there have been !
$500 additions to the various Metho-
dist Churches in Virginia during thS
past twelve months. and when the
presiding elders OF the Virginia dis
tricts made reports of what had been
done since the last conference, prAc-
tically all reported that the year just
ended has ben a most successful one.
All of them reported a large nuns
Der Of conversions, as many - 40
in some OF the churches, while only
few Of them fell below = hum
bred.
DR.. T. Men. Simpson. presiding
elder of the Richmond district, sub
mitted most encouraging report
showing that there had been l.z00
additions to the churches In his dis
trict during the past year. he sAi0
he had been very much impressed
with the work In the Epwortn
Leagues, all Of which. he reported.
are very largely attended.
FarmviIlc District.
Rev. H. c. Pfeiffer. Of the Farm-
VILE district also made \ very an.
couraging report, telling OF the work
that is being done in the district ATOMS
educational lines He declared that
much good has been accomplished ~
the blackstone Female Institute. .un-
der the able and efficient leadership cf
the Rev. James Cannon, Jr.. y. n.
In fact. every report made BY the prs
siding elders was encouraging. ana
Il showed that rapid strides have oeem
made by the Methodists througnou&@
Virginia during the past year
At the close Of the presiding e9der1 n
renorts. Bishop Gambler cOnEratutAtwS
ed the ministers on the large nunMs
her of conversions. He satd that tt
reports were about a. ENCOURAGING -
any he had ever heard He MaeAS
y, impress on the pastors mindn, Row
ever. that they should try " nxtM&
even better reports to the next -
hual conference.