Page 35 - Pictorial History of EUB Church by Glovier
P. 35
35 HISTORY OF THE VA CONFERENCE, E.U.B. CHURCH—D.F. GLOVIER
History, page 571.) there is little force in it for we have already seen that by
the action of the conference of 1830, at Shopp’s Meeting House in
Pennsylvania, they were made the property of the Hagerstown (afterward
Virginia) Conference. The mere possession of a transcript of the records is a
light claim. The right to hold them is with the Virginia Conference.
The claim for highest antiquity, of the Virginia Conference, rests favorably
on the possession of the original name, the original records and a fair
proportion of the original territory, and here it rests.
As to the present numbering of our annual sessions it may be observed:
1. That our sessions were not numbered until 1879.
2. It was begun as far as records show by the secretary without
instructions from the conference.
3. The sessions presumably date from 1831, but allowing that the
sessions were annual, there is an error of one, there having been held 68
annual sessions since the one near Shiremanstown, Pa., in 1830.
4. Prior to 1831 there had been held annually, 31 conferences since 1800,
and two meetings known as conferences held, one in 1789 and one in 1791.
5. Counting the sessions held during the Civil War, north and south of the
Potomac River as one annually, an unbroken line from the beginning
shows 101 sessions held, this, in the year 1899 being the 102nd.
From the leading facts in the history of the United Brethren Church, it
appears that to the Virginia Conference belongs the right to the first claim of
antiquity. It therefore becomes the duty of this body to assert its right and insist
upon it, if necessary, in the interest of correct and accurate history. Also to
correct our records so as to conform thereto.
History, page 571.) there is little force in it for we have already seen that by
the action of the conference of 1830, at Shopp’s Meeting House in
Pennsylvania, they were made the property of the Hagerstown (afterward
Virginia) Conference. The mere possession of a transcript of the records is a
light claim. The right to hold them is with the Virginia Conference.
The claim for highest antiquity, of the Virginia Conference, rests favorably
on the possession of the original name, the original records and a fair
proportion of the original territory, and here it rests.
As to the present numbering of our annual sessions it may be observed:
1. That our sessions were not numbered until 1879.
2. It was begun as far as records show by the secretary without
instructions from the conference.
3. The sessions presumably date from 1831, but allowing that the
sessions were annual, there is an error of one, there having been held 68
annual sessions since the one near Shiremanstown, Pa., in 1830.
4. Prior to 1831 there had been held annually, 31 conferences since 1800,
and two meetings known as conferences held, one in 1789 and one in 1791.
5. Counting the sessions held during the Civil War, north and south of the
Potomac River as one annually, an unbroken line from the beginning
shows 101 sessions held, this, in the year 1899 being the 102nd.
From the leading facts in the history of the United Brethren Church, it
appears that to the Virginia Conference belongs the right to the first claim of
antiquity. It therefore becomes the duty of this body to assert its right and insist
upon it, if necessary, in the interest of correct and accurate history. Also to
correct our records so as to conform thereto.
