Page 43 - United Brethren Virginia Conferences 1800-1946
P. 43
Volume 7 History of Virginia Conferences of United Brethren December 26, 2024
upon to pass through some sore bereavements, and some things looked dark from a human standpoint,
yet I am disposed to look at the bright side, knowing that the Lord does all things well.
Shenandoah District is composed of 14 fields of labor: 9 circuits, 4 missions, and 1 mission
station. C. I. B Brane, appointed to Rockbridge Circuit at our last Annual Conference, resigned
immediately on receiving the appointment. Fully half the year passed before it was regularly supplied,
and this was very much against the prosperity of the circuit. Rev. A. Hoover was employed to take
charge of it, and he has been working faithfully since. Rev. J. E. Whitesel, in charge of Churchville
Circuit, who fell at his post on the 26th of October, died in full prospects of a blissful immortality, and
went from labor to reward. Rev. G. P. Hott was employed to take charge of the work. All the preachers
on the district have labored zealously and most of them quite successfully during the year.
Two excellent houses of worship have been dedicated, and one other ready for dedication. One
under roof will be ready for dedication in the spring. Our excellent house of worship at Hawkinstown,
so long burdened with debt, has been entirely relieved of its burden. A parsonage enterprise has been
commenced on Augusta Circuit; a lot has been procured and some material gathered, all paid for. Most
of the fields have been visited with revivals of religion, and quite a number of persons have been
received into the church.
The finances have been carefully looked after, but, owing to the hard times and stinginess of
some of our people, many of the preachers with myself are considerably behind in salary. The other
items, I think, will be fully up to last year’s report. We have endeavored to look after the publishing
interests at all the quarterlies, and I think the footings of the [statistical] chart will show some increase.
Shenandoah Seminary, located at Dayton, Va., though not strictly a church school, is largely patronized
by our people, and it is doing an excelled work.
All things considered, I think we ought to be encouraged to go forward. Owing to affliction and
other unavoidable circumstances, I have not been able to hold quite as many quarterlies during the year
as I desired, but I have done what I could, and hereby tender my sincere thanks to all the preachers on
the District for the kindness manifested toward me, and I humbly pray that the great Head of the Church
may abundantly bless them. Number of quarterlies held, 42; fields of labor, 14; salary received,
$478.16; presents, $21; and time employed, 12 months. Respectfully submitted, J. W. Howe, P.E.
South Branch District (pp. 10-11). Dear brethren: This being my first year on the district, my
labors were different to any of the preceding years of my ministerial life. When the appointments were
announced near the close of our last session in Winchester, my heart was sad at the thought that my
district was mountainous and difficult to travel. I knew that I would have high mountains to cross and
deep streams to ford, but I determined to go and work for Jesus, felling that he would be with me, and I
can truly say he has been with me all the blessed year, with me scaling the rugged mountains and
crossing angry, swollen streams, with me in the pulpit, with me in private devotion, with me when far
away from my loved ones. Bless his holy name forever, he has promised to be with me to the end. The
presence of Jesus has made my hear glad and happy. My work has not been irksome to me.
Through the mercy of God, I have been permitted to reach and hold all my quarterlies save one,
and then was hindered by streams being past riding. I have tried to represent all the interest of the
church at each and every quarterly meeting. I urged all the preachers of the District to circulate the
Telescope and plead with our people, especially the official members, to take it. I also tried to show or
set forth the merits of our other papers, Children’s Friend, Missionary Visitor, and [Lessons for] Little
1879 Reports 33
upon to pass through some sore bereavements, and some things looked dark from a human standpoint,
yet I am disposed to look at the bright side, knowing that the Lord does all things well.
Shenandoah District is composed of 14 fields of labor: 9 circuits, 4 missions, and 1 mission
station. C. I. B Brane, appointed to Rockbridge Circuit at our last Annual Conference, resigned
immediately on receiving the appointment. Fully half the year passed before it was regularly supplied,
and this was very much against the prosperity of the circuit. Rev. A. Hoover was employed to take
charge of it, and he has been working faithfully since. Rev. J. E. Whitesel, in charge of Churchville
Circuit, who fell at his post on the 26th of October, died in full prospects of a blissful immortality, and
went from labor to reward. Rev. G. P. Hott was employed to take charge of the work. All the preachers
on the district have labored zealously and most of them quite successfully during the year.
Two excellent houses of worship have been dedicated, and one other ready for dedication. One
under roof will be ready for dedication in the spring. Our excellent house of worship at Hawkinstown,
so long burdened with debt, has been entirely relieved of its burden. A parsonage enterprise has been
commenced on Augusta Circuit; a lot has been procured and some material gathered, all paid for. Most
of the fields have been visited with revivals of religion, and quite a number of persons have been
received into the church.
The finances have been carefully looked after, but, owing to the hard times and stinginess of
some of our people, many of the preachers with myself are considerably behind in salary. The other
items, I think, will be fully up to last year’s report. We have endeavored to look after the publishing
interests at all the quarterlies, and I think the footings of the [statistical] chart will show some increase.
Shenandoah Seminary, located at Dayton, Va., though not strictly a church school, is largely patronized
by our people, and it is doing an excelled work.
All things considered, I think we ought to be encouraged to go forward. Owing to affliction and
other unavoidable circumstances, I have not been able to hold quite as many quarterlies during the year
as I desired, but I have done what I could, and hereby tender my sincere thanks to all the preachers on
the District for the kindness manifested toward me, and I humbly pray that the great Head of the Church
may abundantly bless them. Number of quarterlies held, 42; fields of labor, 14; salary received,
$478.16; presents, $21; and time employed, 12 months. Respectfully submitted, J. W. Howe, P.E.
South Branch District (pp. 10-11). Dear brethren: This being my first year on the district, my
labors were different to any of the preceding years of my ministerial life. When the appointments were
announced near the close of our last session in Winchester, my heart was sad at the thought that my
district was mountainous and difficult to travel. I knew that I would have high mountains to cross and
deep streams to ford, but I determined to go and work for Jesus, felling that he would be with me, and I
can truly say he has been with me all the blessed year, with me scaling the rugged mountains and
crossing angry, swollen streams, with me in the pulpit, with me in private devotion, with me when far
away from my loved ones. Bless his holy name forever, he has promised to be with me to the end. The
presence of Jesus has made my hear glad and happy. My work has not been irksome to me.
Through the mercy of God, I have been permitted to reach and hold all my quarterlies save one,
and then was hindered by streams being past riding. I have tried to represent all the interest of the
church at each and every quarterly meeting. I urged all the preachers of the District to circulate the
Telescope and plead with our people, especially the official members, to take it. I also tried to show or
set forth the merits of our other papers, Children’s Friend, Missionary Visitor, and [Lessons for] Little
1879 Reports 33
