The Newnan weekly news. (Newnan, Ga.) 189?-1906, November 24, 1905, Image 1

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Watch Newnan Crow Ok JVewnan Sleekly jVews Watch Newnan Crow NEWNAN, GA., FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 24. 1905. NO. 33 VOL VI. =, v Newnartv. + ends Hearty Greetings and Welcomes the North Georgia Conference METHODISTS ARE HERE IN ANNUAL ASSEMDLY Concerning Annual Confer ences and their Work. At 9:30 o’clock on Wednesday | All the ministers, he stated,were unorningthe 39th annual session of ardent workers and nothing against N r ortli Georgia Conference was jailed to order by Bishop William Wallace Duncan, of Spartanburg, S. in the superior court room of the Coweta county court house. Attendance at first session was larger than usual, the room being N almost tilled with clerical and lay ' delegates. Bishop Duncan ascended the judge’s stand and lined hymn No. ’’'221 in the Methodist Hymnal. The hymn was sung in a spirited man ner by the assembly and was fol lowed by a fervent prayer offered by the Bishop. Bishop Duncan then delivered his opening address to the Confer ence. It was spoken in his usual forcible style, and was freighted with sound advice to his brethren and words of love and encourage- ' ment for . their edification and in spiration. The scripture lesson used by the Bishop was the 3rd chapter of John’s First Epistle. The Bishop’s address was fol lowed by the roll-call and election of a Conference Secretary. Dr. John W. Heidt, who has been Secretary for 35 years, was unan imously re-elected. He selected as his assistants, J. G; Logan, J. S. Jenkins, W. B. Dillard, H. jy. Davies, J. F. Yarbrough, H. C. Emory, S. A. Harris, W. S. Rob- i (son, W. A. Maxwell, G. M. Elliott, T. A. Seals, A. E. Saus burn. It was decided that the Confer ence sessions should be from 8:30 to 11:45, a. m. Reports From Diitricb. The first called for was the Ath ens district, and the report was made by Rev. J. S. Bryan, the presiding elder of that district. He stated that his district was in fine shape and ready to continue a the good work next year. Four | * ew churches had been dedicated 1 ml a number of other improve- lents made. The collections were ‘ irger than usual, and all paid up jj heir assessments in full and some /n excess The Atlanta district report was the second called for, and Rev. J. H. Eakes,in his usual strong,clear- cut way presented the facts in re- \ yard to this district, which were most encouraging in every way. ‘ ■> He pointed to the opening of the . Wesley memorial hospital, which ^ is the first hospital ever establish ed by the Southern Methodist / church, and which is in prime condition and crowded so that it is 7 V impossible to accommodate all the any of them, except in the case of Dr. Wadsworth, the details of which appear elsewhere. He stat ed that the committee which had tried Dr. Wadsworth had acquit ted him. For the Gainesxille district,Rev. W. L. Pearce, made a most pheno menal report. His statistical re port showed seven hundred and ten additions to the church rolls in a year; three churches were finish ed during the year and ten more are now in course of erection. Dr. Glenn,of the Griffin district, reported twenty-live additions and no complaint whatsoever against any of the preachers of the district. He said the work in the Griffin district, while not what they de sired it to be, was growing every day. Dr. Allen reported the LaGrange district was in good shape and no complaint against any preacher in the district. Dr. Christian, of the Marietta district, reported 339 as the num ber having joined the churches of the district. He stated further that the work in the district was in fine trim and that the good ef fects of the conference meeting there last year was still being felt Dr. Heidt, of the Oxford dis trict, reported the finest condition in years. He said everything was in splendid shape for a great work in the next few years in that sec tion. S. B. Ledbetter reported for the Rome district splendid progress over last year. Dr. Wadsworth's Case. The sensational feature of the opening session of Conference was the appointment of a committee to investigate charges of immorality preferred against Dr. W. W. Wadsworth, pastor of the church at Hartwell. Many years ago Dr. Wadsworth was in charge of the church in Newnan, and during his residence here he was editor of one of the local newspapers. Charges against Dr. Wadsworth were developed by the report of his presiding elder, Rev. J. W. Quillian of Ellierton district. In making his report Elder Quillian stated there were no charges against any of his preachers, with one exception. He did not name the preacher referred to, but stated a committee had investigated the charges against him and this com mittee’s report would be made to Conference. After Rev. Mr. Quillian ceased Among the jieople in this coun try there is almost universal inter est in the religious meetings known among the Methodists as Annual Conferences. The members of the other Christian Churches have more than a passing concern for these yearly gatherings, while a large per ceut of the people who have no denominational affiliations watch the proceedings of an nual Conference with undisguised attention. The ference is concerned, has equal representation with another pre siding elder’s district having a half hundred churches or more. The lay delegates in an Annual Conference have all all the rights and privileges that the clerical members have, save in mutters touching ministerial character. The laymen can serve on all com mittees or boards save the commit tee on trial of a traveling preacher. . | He can speak or vote on all ques tions coming up save on such as CONFERENCE IS IN MIDST OF LIVELY SESSION daily press, that not altogether misleading indi cator of what the masses wish to read, are tak ing more and more care to have in their columns some account of the doings of “Zion’s cavalry- men.” The truth is, the eyes of a large per cent of Geor gia’s two and one-half million of population will be on the published pro ceedings ofthese representttti ve s of Southeru Methodism while they are lh session at Newnan and Americus. This fact should give us all pause, lest we do some thoughtless some thing; it should likewise give us all poise, lest we do some rash or hurtful thing. Its Compoiltlon. The Discipline defines the mem bership of an Annual Conference as follows: “All the traveling preachei's in full connection with it, and four lay representatives— one of whom may be a local preach- from each presiding elder’s district.” Simple as that definition looks, it suggests some features of the composition of an Anuual Confer ence unlike any other deliberative or religious liody in the world. The clerical membership is self- perpetuating, the clerical element electing those to membership who i>.* BISHOP W. W. DUNCAN. involve ministerial character. There is, so far as we know, no deliberative body analagous to this. And yet it works admirably. We have gone for years without friction on this account, and to the credit of the laity let it be said, that the admission of them into the District, Annual and General Conferences came from no demand on their part. They were satisfied to let the composition of these Conferences as originally ordained lie composed of ministers only. Our people have never chafed, as some have supposed, under priest ly or ministerial control of the legislative function of the earlier Methodist ministry. The Work of a Conference. patients. He also called attention j speaking, Dr. Wadsworth arose I to the erection of Grace Methodist i and asked if he was the man refer- .church, which is in progress, and re d to. Rev. Mr. Quillian replied i which, when finished, will be the j that Dr. Wadsworth was the man [equal of any church in Atlanta. j he referred to. Then the fight Two new parsonages have been j W as precipitated. erected and the St. Paul church | Dr. Wadsworth said he thought has in formulation plans for a new the proceeding of the presiding ^building to be located at a better elder in stating the matter to the site. ! conference was unkind and unusu- The Augusta district was the a l. He said the presiding elder third called for, and Dr. John B. j knew the committee had found Robbins gave the report as presid- him not guilty, and that there was ing elder of the district. He said no reason for him to do other than they had paid up all their assess-' report that no preacher in his dis- ments in full and that the condi- trict had anything against his por tion was tine in Augusta. He said sonal character or life, he had the finest lot of faithful Dr. Quillian stated that he workers in his district in the coun- thought he followed closely the try. Methodist law in proceeding as he ' Dr. McRee reported as presid- had,but that if the Bishop thought ing elder for the Dalton district, otherwise, he would be glad to which, he said, was iu good condi- correct himself. £j on j Rev. D. C. Brown, of Hartwell, Rev. J.W. Quillian reported ■ f ose at this juncture and asked ^ , . . I for anew committee to go over for the Elberton district, and stat- a g a j u ^e charges against the ed that about 400 or 500 had teen ! character of Dr. Wadsworth received by all the churches of the j district during the year. ' (Continued on page 8. j Few people have any just con ception of the amount of work done in these meetings within a week. A visitor does not see by any means all of it, for much of it is done in committees and by boards, and the re sults and conclusions only are seen by the public. Just think of it! At t Newnan there will lie something like two hun dred and fifty pastors. Each of these must re port additions to the membership he has serv ed, both by certificate and on profession of faith, the number of in fants baptized,the num ber of adult baptisms, full Sunday school sta tistics, Epworth League memliers, etc., and a full and itemized state- come into it, and this membership | ment of all money raised by his is perpetual during life, save for | people for a number of good causes, immorality or the voluntary with- and these reports must all be ag- drawal of the member from the gregated and reported before the body, while the lay element is Conference adjourns, elected annually, by laymen and Besides, the Conference must only for the session after their consider the missions within its election. bounds—where new ones should Furthermore, the lay member- be established should be continued ship is fixed irrespective of the or raised to self-supporting numerical strength of the laity charges, receive reports in detail within the bounds of the Confer- from all who have been dependent ence. A presiding elder’s district upon its funds, and make to the having ten churches in it, so far as Conference before it closes its ses- the lay element of an Annual Con- sion a full and accurate report of DABNKY .JUNKS, Who preached the first sermon in Newnan in 1827 what has been done, and of what is proposed for the ensuing year. The Board of Education must take cognizance of all the institu tions belonging to the Conference, examine as to their endowments, indebtedness, if any, and make such recommendations as it deems proper. Those items constitute a very partial inventory of what^m Annual Conference must do, and do within a week. The Passage of Character. Every preacher’s name must be called, and his character passed. The church cannot ailbrd to pre sume that one of its ministers is “blameless in life and official ad ministration.” The presiding el dor, who knows, or who should know, is to answer for each man in his district. And if, from the presiding elder some minister luus concealed a neglect of duty or a blameworthy act, and it is known to some other memlier of the body, such member is bound by the most solemn demands of the closest brotherhood known among men to let it be known. The passage of character is a most responsible act. However much beyond accurate expression the approval of an Annual Confer ence may lie, it is of great worth to the man approved. It is also of value to the church to know that the man who is sent to them is a man worthy thuir confidence, and of judgment sufficient to adminis ter the affairs of the church. The “passage of character” should lie at the furthermost possible remove from a perfunctory, or a merely technical act. It should mean what on the surface it is intended to convey to the people—a stain less character aud a competent leader. Tht Biihoo'i Cabinet. Around this unique feature of a Conference much interest centers Unprovided for in law,it has come to Im a recognized feature of every Annual Conference, uml carries with it the force of a legally an thorized part of our proceedings. The task of this body is to assign preachers to their appointments— a task so delicate and so difficult that one who has never been in the “cabinet” can form but a very im perfect idea of it. And well may uny man shrink from a part in its work. Every preacher must be con sidered—his gifts, his successes, his experience, his family, etc.; each charge its conditions, its re quirements, its needs, as far as is just, its demands, and its ability. And this must all be done within a week! The task is a huge one. But it is done over and over again, and when all things are considered,this plan of supplying the church with ministerial service has proved the most efficient the world has ever known. We do well to hold to it as a church, and to hold to it as the “fathers” handed it down to us. Our modern conditions demand no modifications of it to make.it more efficient. With our higher aver age of education we have not pass ed beyond its highest service to the Church of God.—Wesleyan Christian Advocate. eat, timely discourse. At the evening service the officials of the church made their final report for the year. In some respects it was a remarkable stutment of facts and, on the whole, is said to bo the l»est report ever sent up by this, church to an annual Conference. The report shows that this con gregation raised for all purposes during the year the sum of #5,GOO. All claims of whatever nature have been paid in full and there remains a cash balance to the church's credit. During the year 131 mem bers were added to the church. Rev. J. R. King has closed his third year as pastor of this church. He has been remarkably successful in building up the church. Nearly 500 persons have been added to its membership during his pastorate; and all church interests have pros pered under his direction. Pastor King has a strong hold on the Methodists of Newnan, and is respected and admired by Chris tian people of all denominations. His own people and the people of the entire city.hope Mr. King will be allowed to remain here another year. Meeting of Aid Society. The first meeting of the Confer ence was held in the Methodist church Tuesday evening, and was the annual meeting of the Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Society, an as sessment organization which pays death benefits to the widows and orphans of deceased preachers. Rev. M. J. Gofer, President of the organization, presided in the meeting. Rev. H. R. Ledbetter, Secretary and Treasurer, read his annual report—pronounced by the brethren one of the very best ever made by the Society. It showed amount of money collected during the year aud expended in caring for families of deceased inemljers. During the meeting some lively discussions were indulged iu by the preachers in reference to mat ters connected with the welfare of the Society. These little tilts en livened the evening to an appre ciable extent, especially when viewed from the standpoint of the visitors who were present. The annual election of officers resulted in the re-election of Presi dent Color, Vice President Myrick, and Secretary and Treasurer Led better. Consolidation of Schools Effected. Consolidation of the schools at Turin and Sharpsburg has been effected, and both of the old school houses will be sold and a new school house erected about midway between the two places, near the home of Prof. A. 8. Jones. This consolidation will give Turin and Sharpsburg one of the largest schools in the county and will doubtless result in building up one of the county's best schools at that point. First Methodist Church Makes Splendid Record. City Tax Notice. Tax books of the City of New nan close Dec. 1st. Let all tax payers remember this and pay their taxes on or before that date. The time itf short. Don’t wait un til the last day to settle taxes. I have no alternative but to close the books on the date named; so let everyliody pay taxes now. E. D. Fouse, City Clerk. The service last Sunday night closed the Conference year at the First Methodist church in Newnan. Pastor J. It. King preached his J. T. Holmes, Real Estate and farewell sermon to a large audience Renting Agent. Office over First Sunday morning. It was an earn- National Bank.