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man. They go about their work as a man of the world. They do not have the power of the Holy Ghost. He quickens and empowers. Obstacles to him are as if they were not. By all means we should be careful that we re ceive him, the Holy Ghost, in all his fullness. Have we done so? Is there any doubt about it? If there is, let us not be satisfied until all doubt is removed, and we can answer an emphatic “yes” when he knocks. General Conference of the M. E. Church South. The Fifteenth Quadrennial Meeting of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South which is now being held at Birmingham, Ala., is attracting both interest and attention from all denominations. Bishop Wilson presided at the opening of the Conference while Dr. Carter of Louisiana led in prayer. Dr. J. J. Tigert of Nashville, Tenn., was elected secretary and there was an unusually large number present. The first evening meeting was so largely attended that it was difficult to procure even standing room. At this meeting Bishop Duncan presided after the religious introductory services of song and pray er’ by Bishop Morrison. Governor Jelks of Ala bama welcomed the Conference to the state. Gov. Jelks chose his words of welcome with marked taste and fitness, and when it was remembered that although not a Georgian, the governor is a graduate of Mercer University, all Georgians pres ent naturally felt pleased at the beautiful welcome given the Conference. The Address of Bishop Wilson was a notable feature of the first business session of the Conference, and every subject which might come under the consideration of the body was ably torched on by Bishop Wilson. Every thim v in this address was of interest and it ; s regretted that space forbids quotations from it in full. The following points. however, must be mentioned. Bishop Wilson spoke of the decrease in local preachers and on this subject he said: “In the early days of American Methodism local preachers were the “rmht arm” of the itinerant ministry, and without doubt made the marvelous triumphs of the Church a glorious possibility. It may be that the policy of subdividing circuits and multiplying stations, each under the care of a pas tor. is largely responsible for this decline. Ten years ago our general minutes reported 6.724 local preachers: today we have only 4.718. a decrease of 2.006. Whether the office and work of the local preacher is ever to be restored to former efficiency may be a matter of grave doubt. If not, we certain ly should consider how to develop a system of lay agency. We find also in many parts of the connection a desire with which we sympathize, to restore to the quarterly conference the authority to license preachers. ’ ’ Under this same head the Young People’s De partment was given consideration and a number of recommendations were made regarding the work of the Epworth League, etc. Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society was also mentioned fully as well as the Woman’s Home Missionary Society while Church Extension and Sunday Schools were also considered by Bishop Wilson. The Publishing House of the Church at Nashville, the great Vander bilt University at that city and the general question of education as well as the special subject of the Ministry and Modern Scholarship were each treated in an able and extensive manner. It is safe to say that in this address Bishop Wil son outlined as far as possible the entire work of the Conference and since the opening of the as sembly each subject touched on by him came under consideration. In concluding this remarkable ad dress. Bishop Wilson said: “The work is before us, and necessarily is upon us. A door is never opened without a command to enter. Into every whitened field the Lord calls both reaper and gleaner. “Go ye into all the The Golden Age for May 17, 1906. world” is the standing order of Heaven, never to be revoked until the last conquered banner has been furled, and the last lost sinner redeemed. To us. as in the olden time, a voice from Heaven speaks in tones of divine authority and urgency: “Sanc tify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do won ders among you.” The question of extending the time limit of Meth odist pastors was given much attention by the Con ference both in committee and general session. A recommendation of extending the time to six years and also of abolishing the time limit altogether was considered, but both questions met with more or less opposition and the subject was not decided as we go to press. x Missionary Exhibit. A splendid missionary exhibit was shown at Bir mingham and so varied, extensive and educational did this exhibit prove that it was moved to retain the collection as a whole and make a permanent exhibit at Nashville, Tenn. This point, however, is not yet decided on. Greetings to the Southern Baptist Convention. On Thursday, May 11, the Conference sent the following greeting to the Southern Baptist Con vention in session at Chattanooga: “The General Conference of the Methodist Epis copal Church, South, sends greeting to the South ern Baptist Convention. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. “j. J. TIGERT, Secretary.” x -?• • k " < - -- s I. - ' wy fill " •' '-'/I B. P. ALLEN, Presiding Elder LaGrange District, North Georgia Conference. One of the features of the Convention was the presence in the chair during the eighth day’s session of the venerable Bishop John C. Granbery, of Richmond. His arrival made a total of eleven bishops present at the Conference. Committee Reports. The various committee reports made up to date are as follows: A committee of physicians submitted to the con ference a resolution adopted by the Medical Asso ciation of Alabama opposing the insertion of cer tain medical advertisements in religious papers. The Church Extension Committee reported favor ably on the proposition to erect a representative church building at Washington city. The Sunday School Committee made suggestions for numerous changes in the Discipline and also made provision for the endowment of a chair of religious pedagogy and Sunday school at Vanderbilt University, Nash ville. The Committee of Appeals reversed the decision of the North Georgia Conference suspending Rev. W. W. Wadsworth. The Committee on Missions has recommended the creation of a Home Missionary Bishop, and G. H. Detwiler, of Greensboro, N. C., is favorably spoken of for the place. The Committee on Temperance recommended the amendment of the discipline so as to prohibit a mem ber of the church from acting as liquor dispenser under a dispensary law. The report provides that it shall be the duty of a pastor to deal with any member of the church who shall sign a petition for the sale of liquor or become a bondsman for a liquor dealer. This proposed law does not apply to any person acting under court decrees. The same com mittee reported a resolution calling on the President and Congress to prohibit the manufacture and sale of liquor in the Panama canal zone. The following summary made by that able mem ber of the Conference, Bishop Galloway, of Missis sippi, will be of interest not only to Methodists, but to all who are anxious for the spread of every me dium which carries the Light: “The increase in membership during the last four years was 109,427, against 38,085 during the preceding four. We have now 1,614,648 members, 1,039,785 Sunday school scholars, and 120,248 Ep worth League members. The receipts of our Board of Foreign Missions for this quadrennium were sl,- 659,941, an increase over the preceding four years of $645,673. The collections for church extension were $372,649, an increase of 112,833, over the quad rennium ending in 1902. During the past year the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society received $155,909, and the Woman’s Home Mission Society, $101,728. If these amounts be added to the receipts by the general and annual conference boards, we have a total, for home and foreign missions during the year now closing of $955,779.” Love’s Wish. When life has sunk into the golden West Os love’s last day, and we greet earth no more, When we, like fledglings, seek our soul’s sweet nest, When all love’s visions and fair dreams are o’er, I fain would fashion one fond hope for thee, Dear heart, whom ever I may call my bride: When death shall lead us to eternity, May we go smiling homeward side by side. I fain would have thee then, dear heart, As forth we fare to seek our soul’s last clime, Where mortal loves take the immortal part, And there’s no shadow of uncertain time, Come to me in thy spirit’s new-found form, And speak to me in the soft tones which blend With heaven’s language, love as true and warm As now you give me on the way we wend. And when we reach the land our souls have dreamed Awaits us far in some Arcadian sphere, And ere we pass the gates through which have teemed God’s faithful ones, then may you, drawing near, Plant love’s last kiss upon my waiting brow, And say to me in accents angel-sweet: “No shadow e’er hath intervened ’till now ’Tween me and thee and the great God we meet.” —Arthur L. Hardy. Eleven Thousand Conversions. Among all the multiplied religious and mission ary organizations of our land, the veteran Ameri can Sunday School Union (organized in 1824)., merits the help and good will of all who are inter ested in the children. The eighty-second year’s work, ending February 28, 1906, shows a wonderful amount of labor and results. Its missionaries have opened 2,641 Sunday Schools and brought in 94,- 988 children and parents, aided by visit or other wise, 3,527 schools; opened, 42 Home Department classes, enrolling 2,055 persons for Bible study; dis tributed 21.434 copies of the Scriptures. 268,939 visits were made to families; 464 Christian Endeav or Societies were formed; 25.703 Gospel sermons and addresses were delivered and 11,344 professed conversions in the Gospel meetings from these Sun day Schools. 5