Page 145 - United Brethren Virginia Conferences 1800-1946
P. 145
Volume 7 History of Virginia Conferences of United Brethren December 26, 2024
School of Music, is having the best year in its history. The present facilities are greatly inadequate to
the needs and demands of the School. The present indebtedness should be provided for within the next
few months, and new and enlarged facilities planned for. This Conference should fix a time for a
concerted action upon the part of the board of trustees, faculty of the School, ministers, and membership
of the Church to accomplish this important work. It can be done. Let everyone say, “Amen.”
Literature. The literature of the Church has had a fair circulation. I think there has been an
increase in the number of all our periodicals, but it is still far below what it should be; this is especially
true of the Religious Telescope and Watchword, yet there has been some increase in these. Why a
family in the church, who is financially able to take and pay for a paper, does not take and read the
Telescope I do not understand; but we will improve in this respect. The Virginia Conference News. The
little paper, named above, published quarterly, in the interest of the Church in the Conference, has met
with universal favor, and there is a strong demand for its continuance as a bi-monthly.
Finance. There has been some increase in pastors’ salaries over any previous year. The increase
varied from $5 to $150 [per year]. Most of the charges paid the salary in full. The charge that did not
pay in full was not because it was not able to do so, but because it was unwilling to do so or purely
indifferent about it. The financial methods of this class of charges must be radically changed or be left
without ministerial service. The conference assessments in the main will be paid in full. Sustentation. I
think the present constitution of the department is good, but a few minor changes or additions should be
made. This fund will bring great help to a number of the brethren, and will encourage some charges to
do better for themselves. This fund is not yet adequate to the actual needs, but will go a long way
toward meeting the demands.
Licenses Granted. Bro. Lewis Messick, of Mt. Clinton, Va., was granted license, February 15,
1907, and is now in school at Dayton, Va. Bro. Charles B. Baily, of Staunton, Va., was licensed,
August 20, 1906. Bro. Hallie B. Ritter, of Edinburg, Va., was licensed to preach in Edinburg, Va.,
March 8, 1907. Sister Nora Crawford, of Martinsburg, W.Va., a godly and capable young woman, was
granted deaconess’ license, February 18, 1907, and will be employed in the Church in Martinsburg.
Three or four young men are now in school preparing for the Ministry. Bros. L. A. Maiden and L. E.
Brill have been recommended for membership to this Conference.
Revivals. There has been some great meetings in the Conference. Nearly every charge has had
some revival interest. Revs. R. J. Parrett and W. D. Mitchell as special leaders in this work were
wonderfully owned of God, and their labors abundantly blest in the conversion of hundreds of souls.
Many pastors gave valuable assistance to each other. I wish to most heartily commend this method of
evangelistic work. Something over 1,100 have been added to the membership of the Church in the
Conference.
Revision of Church Records. While we have received 1,100 into the Church, I greatly fear that
our losses will be almost as great as our gains. This is appalling. This is partly due to a positive refusal
of some pastors to revise at all, while some are entirely indifferent about it, and others find it so much
easier to simply write the word “dropped” after the name of a delinquent than to make an earnest,
prayerful, personal effort to save them. We have gotten to the place where something heroic ought to be
done to stop these fearful losses. Too many pastors and local church officers willfully neglect and
refuse to take care of the results of the revival. God pity us.
Quarterly Conference. The business meetings of the quarterly conferences were well attended
on a majority of the charges, and these meetings proved helpful to every department of the work, while
1907 Reports 135
School of Music, is having the best year in its history. The present facilities are greatly inadequate to
the needs and demands of the School. The present indebtedness should be provided for within the next
few months, and new and enlarged facilities planned for. This Conference should fix a time for a
concerted action upon the part of the board of trustees, faculty of the School, ministers, and membership
of the Church to accomplish this important work. It can be done. Let everyone say, “Amen.”
Literature. The literature of the Church has had a fair circulation. I think there has been an
increase in the number of all our periodicals, but it is still far below what it should be; this is especially
true of the Religious Telescope and Watchword, yet there has been some increase in these. Why a
family in the church, who is financially able to take and pay for a paper, does not take and read the
Telescope I do not understand; but we will improve in this respect. The Virginia Conference News. The
little paper, named above, published quarterly, in the interest of the Church in the Conference, has met
with universal favor, and there is a strong demand for its continuance as a bi-monthly.
Finance. There has been some increase in pastors’ salaries over any previous year. The increase
varied from $5 to $150 [per year]. Most of the charges paid the salary in full. The charge that did not
pay in full was not because it was not able to do so, but because it was unwilling to do so or purely
indifferent about it. The financial methods of this class of charges must be radically changed or be left
without ministerial service. The conference assessments in the main will be paid in full. Sustentation. I
think the present constitution of the department is good, but a few minor changes or additions should be
made. This fund will bring great help to a number of the brethren, and will encourage some charges to
do better for themselves. This fund is not yet adequate to the actual needs, but will go a long way
toward meeting the demands.
Licenses Granted. Bro. Lewis Messick, of Mt. Clinton, Va., was granted license, February 15,
1907, and is now in school at Dayton, Va. Bro. Charles B. Baily, of Staunton, Va., was licensed,
August 20, 1906. Bro. Hallie B. Ritter, of Edinburg, Va., was licensed to preach in Edinburg, Va.,
March 8, 1907. Sister Nora Crawford, of Martinsburg, W.Va., a godly and capable young woman, was
granted deaconess’ license, February 18, 1907, and will be employed in the Church in Martinsburg.
Three or four young men are now in school preparing for the Ministry. Bros. L. A. Maiden and L. E.
Brill have been recommended for membership to this Conference.
Revivals. There has been some great meetings in the Conference. Nearly every charge has had
some revival interest. Revs. R. J. Parrett and W. D. Mitchell as special leaders in this work were
wonderfully owned of God, and their labors abundantly blest in the conversion of hundreds of souls.
Many pastors gave valuable assistance to each other. I wish to most heartily commend this method of
evangelistic work. Something over 1,100 have been added to the membership of the Church in the
Conference.
Revision of Church Records. While we have received 1,100 into the Church, I greatly fear that
our losses will be almost as great as our gains. This is appalling. This is partly due to a positive refusal
of some pastors to revise at all, while some are entirely indifferent about it, and others find it so much
easier to simply write the word “dropped” after the name of a delinquent than to make an earnest,
prayerful, personal effort to save them. We have gotten to the place where something heroic ought to be
done to stop these fearful losses. Too many pastors and local church officers willfully neglect and
refuse to take care of the results of the revival. God pity us.
Quarterly Conference. The business meetings of the quarterly conferences were well attended
on a majority of the charges, and these meetings proved helpful to every department of the work, while
1907 Reports 135
