Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Progress is being made in arranging for the Southern Christian Citizenship Conference, un der the auspices of the Civic League of Amer ica. to be held at the auditorium in Atlanta September 19, 20, 21, 1913. Able speakers have been engaged, some of them of national reputation. Many of the topics for discussion will be found in the following- Education of public opinion and quickening of the popular conscience. Character develop ment in our public schools. Co-operation of the Family, the Church and the State. The moral personality of th e State. The Sabbath. The ethical and economical evils of war. Practical patriotism. Crime and lawlessness. Intemper ance. Social service. Child welfare. Wom an suffrage. The moral accountability of na tions. Divorce and social welfare. Persona] evangelism. Regeneration of immortal souls. Universal prosperity . Social environment and moral progress. Christ and his law the only remedy. Children’s rights. Women’s rights. The rights of property. Human rights or the brotherhood of man. Should we permit our children to continue “reading dirt?” The modern dance, or “from the ballroom to hell.” ’Haint had much winter as one might say Yet I’ve been feelin’ all the day As if somehow I’d like to see The spring time come for you and me. I ain’t no growler ’cause its wet An will not fuss an’ whine an’ yet, ’Way down deep in this heart o’ mine I keep on wishin’ for the summer-time. When the sap climbs to the top o’ the trees An the sap-sucker hunts his bugs and bees. Whenever I see the buds a bustin’ I think o’ my fish hook lyin’ a rustin’ An’ feel the sap—not in the trees, But a climbin ’ up me ’bove my knees. In my dreams most every night I see my cork sing out o’ sight An’ feel the tug o’ a pull that’s fine An’ wake up a wishin' for the summer-time. The Veteran McGhee Brothers, Famous Methodist Preachers DR. JOHN B. M’GEHEE, SIXTY-ONE YEARS IN THE AC TIVE MINISTRY, AND DR. E. H. M’GEHEE CELEBRATES IN COLUMBUS, GA., HIS FIFTY-FIFTH YEAR AS A METHODIST ITINERANT. THE South Georgia Conference boasts the most remarkable pair of preacher brothers in all the land. They are Dr. J. B. McGehee, eighty years old, now the beloved pastor of the Methodist church at Oglethorpe, Ga., and Dr. E. H. McGehee, now ac tive in the ministry as the highly suc cessful pastor of East Highlands Meth odist church, Columbus, Ga. Bless the dear old hearts! Every body loves and honors the “McGehee boys” as they are pleasantly called. Last Sunday in Columbus, Rev. E. H. McGehee celebrated his 55th anniver sary as a preacher and The Ledger gives the following delightful sketch of these brave old brother-veterans of the cross: One Out of Twenty-Nine. Rev. E. H. McGehee was admitted to the South Georgia conference in Columbus fifty-five years ago next Southern Christian Citizenship Conference THE GOLDEN AGE FOR WEEK OF AUG. 28 A censorship of music in connection with in decent songs. The city for the people. Mu nicipal reform. Which is best, the Atlanta, the Birmingham or the Dayton form of muni cipal government? The hand that rocks the cradle. Our boys and girls, and posterity. The power of righteous public sentiment. A revi val of ( hristian religion needed from ocean to ocean. The relation of home mission work to national life and welfare. With especial sincerity the Civic League of America invites the interest and co-opera tion of public spirited citizens because this is a conference looking toward constructive ef forts to remedy evils which beset human so ciety. We have been spending millions of dol lars lor penal and eleemosynary institutions where we have been spending but little for the remedy of the conditions which make necessary such institutions. From this conference, with a definite pur pose to seek a solution for these problems, we may expect constructive work to be ac complished. It offers an unusual opportunity, and the Southern States, so rich in natural re sources and material progress, are invited to JUST A THINKIN’ When the blossoms bloom an' the air gits soft It sets me to thinkin’ o’ the big-house loft Where, as a boy, I used to creep When I got so lazy I wanted to sleep. Was a thinkin’ today o’ the days since then An' almost wishin’ I could live again The care-free life o’ a little boy So full o’ hope an’ rich with joy. This growin’ old kinder pesters me An’ makes me wish I could alius be Strong an’ ready to bear life’s load An’ help some other on the lonesome road. This bein’ a burden when the shadders fall An’ you sit a waitin’ for the sea to call You across the bar to another clime Makes me wish for the summer-time. Visions look forward to untrod ways November, the annual conference hav ing been held in this town that year. Os the class of twenty-nine, who were admitted to the conference at the same time, Mr. McGehee was admit ted, he is the only one living who is engaged in active pastoral work. He was admitted to the ministry in 1858 and since that time he has served two years as a missionary to the ne groes, ten years on circuits, fifteen years as a presiding elder and twenty eight years on circuits. For the past sixty years, he has not been confined to his home as long as four days at a time on account of illness and it is probable that there is not a man in the conference today who does more real work than he, in making pastoral visits, preaching twice each Sunday, conducting prayer ser vices, funerals and performing mar riage ceremonies. He has united in By C. A. RIDLEY. marriage twenty couples since coming to Columbus last December. He is at present doing a great work, and on the occasion of his last birth, day, which occurred recently, he preached two sermons, made a talk at Sunday school and addressed a meet ing of children in the afternoon, show ing that he can still do as much work as the average young minister. The record of his brother, Dr. John B. McGehee, pastor of the Methodist church in Oglethorpe, is probably even more remarkable, though he is not as active as Rev. E. H. McGehee. Dr. McGehee is 80 years of age, and is now completing his sixty-first year as an itinerant minister. During his long service he has represented the South Georgia conference at nine sessions of the general conference, which meets every four years. During the sixty-one years he has co-operate with Georgia in making this great conference a wholesome inspiration not only for the South, but for the entire nation. In addition to addresses to be announced e i revised official program, a few hours will be left open for short speeches and gen eral discussion. Wide publicity is being given the confer ence, and wide publicity will be given its pro ceedings. All churches, either local or gen eral, all missionary societies, and boards, Young People’s Societies of the different de nominations, Young Men’s and Young Wom en's (’hristian Associations, temperance socie ties and other organizations, having a Chris tian and patriotic purpose, are specially urg ed to appoint delegates to this conference, as follows: Ten delegates from each national body, five from each state organiztaion and two from ev ery other co-operating organization. For further information address, Executive Committee of the Civic League of America. 622 Empire Bldg., Atlanta, Ga. While dreams are alius o’ yesterdays! Boys all a wishin’ they ’uz great big men An’ men a dreamin’ they ’uz boys again. But when the frost gits aroun’ your ears An’ the evenin’-time is full o’ fears, To watch the lights failin’ fast, An’ the shadders gatherin’ on the day at last Beclouds the face with anxiousness An’ fills the heart with lonesomeness That chills like winter in a Boreas Clime An’ makes one wish for the summer-time. But when the twilight drops over me An’ the death-bell chimes: “Eternity”— If then I feel your gentle touch It won’t matter so very much Whether the clouds shut out the shine Or whether its winter or summer-time. served thirty-nine years as presiding elder in the South Georgia conference, which gives him a longer record in that capacity than any man in South ern Methodism. He was also presi dent of Andrew Female College for two or three years and the remainder of his long ministry has been spent on stations and circuits. 116 Years of Preaching. The brothers have served the Meth odist church as ministers one hun dred and sixteen years, which prob ably exceeds in point of time the ser vice of any other brothers in southern Methodism, and they are the oldest active ministers in the South Georgia conference at the present time. It would simply be as impossible matter to estimate the great good they have done during their life-time. They have preached hundred and hundreds (Continued on page 16.) 7