Noah Webster
Conference
CON'FERENCE, noun [See Confer.]
1. The act of conversing on a serious subject; a discoursing between two or more, for the purpose of instruction, consultation, or deliberation; formal discourse; oral discussion.
For they who seemed to be somewhat, in conference added nothing to me. Galatians 2:6.
The ministers had a conference at Ratisbon.
2. A meeting for consultation, discussion or instruction.
3. Comparison; examination of things by comparison.
The mutual conference of observations. The conference of different passages of scripture.
[This sense is, I believe, now obsolete.]