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THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM.
Yol. XXIX.—No- 6.
"Comsponknct.
TEMPERANCE REVIVAL.
Mr Editor: Informer days and prior to
the war, much was said in your paper and
others, on the subject of Temperance. But
for years past, but little has been said or
done as far as we know. Temperance or
ganizations have all, or nearly all gone
down.
During the war, intemperance greatly in
creased and made fearful ravages in the
armies, and slew its thousands; and since
its close, it has been doing its work of de
»truction upon a laree scale.
Some of the friends of humanity in this
place, have been mourning over the evil,
and have been speaking one to another in
reference to its destruction, and finally
thus came to the conclusion that a revival
of the Sons of Temperance, would be the
most efficient organization, that coula be
adopted. But difficulties met us here. We
did not know whether there was a Grand
Division in the State, and if so, who were
its offieers, or whether there were any sub
ordinate Divisions in existence in the State.
We at least determined to organize a Di
vision, which we did on last evening with,
the following officers :
F. A. Lantznester, W. P., N. M. Thorn
ton, W. A., E. M. Sherum P. W. P., J. C.
Simmons Chap., Willis S. Cox, R. S., J.
K. Burnum, F. S., J. C. Mamfi“ld, Tress.,
J. W. Simmons, Conductor, M. L. Thorn
ton A C & John Singer Jr. I. S , and several
other members, which will warrant praise
from all who feel interested in Sons of Tem
perance. Having done this we determined
to write to you and ask all the informa
tion you could offor us, in relation to the
Grand or Subordinate Divisions in the State
(if there be any) and elsewhere, and try to
enlist you again in the cause. Give it to
us through the Advocate. Let us have in
it a Temperance department, and it may
greatly improve your paper.
This is an opportune time to commence
a movement of this sort. Many have
mourned over the decline of the Temper
ance cause in this country, and the spread
of intempernce, and long to see a revival
in this direction.
There are no party politics in the coun
try now, and nothing to hinder a great
work. Try to stir up the church, ard the
philanthropic on this important subject.
By giving this room in your paper you
will greatly oblige
* F. A. LAN TZN T ESTER, 1 W. P.
Willis S. Cox, R. S.
Lumpkin Ga. Jan. 24th.
[Will some of the officers of the Grand
D.vision please give the information asked
for ? We are willing to do all in our pow
er to advance the Temperance cause.—Eu.
S. C. Advocate ]
OXFORD LETTER.
The AdY 'cate—lmportance of a Church Pap jr—The
Pa tora.e—Emory College—a Tornado.
I congralu'ate you and (he numerous
readers of the Advocate , upon its greatly
improved appearance. I say numerous read
ers, because I cm hardly suppose that the
Methodist public will permit so meritorious
a Journal of its doings and defender of its
faith, to larguisli ior want of adequate
support. And yet, lam inclined* to fear
that the preachers, (myself ii chided.) un
de. value the importance of a well-conduct
ed prefS, sn 1 hence do not urge
with sufficient z?al and constancy, the im
portance of fostering its interests.
I read with peculiar interest and pleas
ure your ed.torials on Methodist econ
omy. To those wio have given themselves
time or troub'.e to think upon the subject
at all, it is apparent that the importance ol
the pastoral office and relation in the Meth
odist church has been too long and too gen
erally undervalued. Unless our economy is
so mod fied as to give to our people a more
permanent interest in tbe labors of their
preachers —unless some plan is adopted by
which our ministry shall be able to secure
a more respectful and affectionate defer
ence, especially from the young, we m»y
look for further defection and decline in
our Methodist Zion.
I once read of a woman of high position
in the church, who always appeared with
a patch upon some part of her forehead,
much to the annoyance of the good pastor,
who preached at it most furiously for twelve
months,, with no other remit than to gain
for himself the name of Pastor Patch.
Another secured the name of Dr. Topknot
for a similar reason. I much fear those
who are earnest y calling for changesjr
the economy of Methodism, will fare but
little better.
Students are slowly coming in and it it
hoped before Spring the number will be
largely augmented. The friends of Emojy
(College should at once rally to its support
PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH
and not suffer this cherished institution
to be given up to the moles and bats.
A terrible tornado passed over the lower
part of this county last week ; prostrating
trees, fences, and in some instances unroof
ing and carrying away houses At Sandtown*
(Newborn) the residence of Mr. James CJ
Baily, was blown down and scattered in, ev
ery direction, and himself and wife, and a
little girl residing with them, it is supposed
were instantly killed, for their mangled
remains were found some distance from
where tl e house stood. A colored man
was a'so killed. Dr. Montgomery apgl iady
were Beriously injured. Several other
houses and out houses were b'own down, and
persons more or less injured. The storm
came up about dark. Mr Baily was but re
cently married to a very estimable and pi
ous jourg lady, the youngest daughter of
John W. Pitts, Esq. They were both much
respected, and their untftnely and mourn
ful death has cast a deep gloom over the
entire community. May God comfort and
sustain tbeir many bereaved kindred and
friends.
Oxford Ga , Jan: 26. J K.
Stled’oits,
From the Episcopal Methodist.
Work for the Next General Confer
ence.
The next General Conference must do
something worthy of the church, and in
keeping with the demands of the age in
which we live. It is no time to mince mat
ters. Great questions are before us, and
they must be met in a firm, bold, manly aud
independent manner, or the tide will leave
us. There should be no hesitation about
thq introduction of* Laymen into the legis
lative and executive councils of the chuich.
It is too late in the day to be debating this
question. Public sentiment, and the voice
of the church have settled this matter. It
is idle to say they have not. The laity have
not spoken uut in any formal action upon the
subject, except to a limited extent, but it is
not hence to be inferred that the intelli
gence of the church, as fouud in the body
of the laity, is not almost unanimously in
favor of such a change in struc
ture of our church government, as to admit
the laity to equal rights aud privileges, un
der Scriptural regulations and limitations,
in the legislative councils of Southern
Methodism. Call this radicalism—call it
what you please, the time has fully come
ior r'fompt.and immediate action in meeting
an issue that is cjearly made up, and cannot
be ignored by tbe approaching General Con
ference without irreparable damages to the
hopes and prospects of our church. The
church needs the laity in all our ecclesiasti
cal councils, nor can she dispense with their
presence and invaluable services. Asa
matter of enlightened policy, to say nothing
more, the door should be opened, and they
should be invited to stand side by side with
the ministry in our legislative councils. We
shall have more to say on this subject.
THE ITINERACY.
The Richmond Advocate in entering on
the discussion of the extension of tbe pas
torate, begins with an estimate of the rela
tion of the itineracy to our entire system
and inquires into the propriety of holding
it as essential to Methodism. He says:
“ The most careful provision has been made
to carry out the itinerant idea. Yet Method
ism has not such a law of itineracy as to
deprive itself of particular advantages which
itinerant labors could not secure. The law
is after all general, not universal, in its up
plication to the ministry. We have local
ministers who are not affected by it at all
There is, also, special provision made for de
tailing ministers for particular local work—
such as missionaries, teachers, editors, and
pastors of churches iu certain localities, as
in New Orleans.
“ When, therefore, a constitutional amend
ment is proposed, and its influence on itin
erary is considered, let us remember that
while the principle of itineracy is the idea of
Methodism, yet the law is not universal , and
the practice not invariable. Also, let it be
understood, that the pastoral • term has
been several times extended, while the itin
erant principle is yet preserved. It. is by
keeping such a view of the whole subject
before our minds, that we shall be able prob
ably to avoid narrow prejudices and empiri
cal methods in discussing the constitutioua
amendments- that # may be pr tposed. The
great question, we think, to ho determined
is concerning the future application of the
principle of itineracy. We call it the great
question because it involves, either in whole
or part, nearly all the points in dispute con
cerning our ecclesiastical polity, and in
volves the final fate of itineracy itself. If
this piiuciple finds its application iu fyruis
that enhance the power ot the church, and
where it will smoo hiy work only useful re
sults, it will contiuue iu favor aud increase
iu iuflue.ee and abide iu honor; hot if its
forms of application be found, for any reason,
Macon, Ga., Friday, February 9, 1866.
no matter what, to occasion dissatisfaction,
discord, or deterioration of ecclesiastical in
fluence, it will only struggle hopelessly
against an ever increasing tide of opposition
for a season, and ultimately give place to
something less objectionable. No mere
glory in the past will save it. No hallowed
memories will save it. No description of
its wondrous achievements will redeem it.
If the idea of its practical utility, that orig
inally gave it a system and made it honor
able, shall give place to the conviction that
it has done its work, and cannot longer pro
mote the great ends of religion, it will be
substituted, like thousands of other princi
ples of machinery that have had only a tem
porary application.
“ If, then, itineracy , which is valued
only as it is useful, is to be preserved, it
must have the most efficient plan of action.
Its best friends mu-fc devote themselves to
remedy every defect that may exist in its
present application, and seek for it the best
forms in which to illustrate its power in
promoting the interests of the church.
What, then, is proposed ? We shall an
swer the question next week.”
THE MOBILE CONFERENCE
RESOLUTIONS.
The Episcopal Methodist is much pleased
with the resolutions of the Mobile Confer
ence, respecting the alteration of the term
of the pastorate. It docs not pledge itself
to sustain that change in preference to any
that may be offered, but it thinks it em
bodies the best proposition yet made. It
says:
This Conference proposes to substitute
the following, in the duties of bishops, for
the present rule:
“To make the appointment of preachers
in the Annual Conferences, provided he (the
bishop) shall not allow any preacher to re
main in the same appointment more than
three years without change, except the pre
siding elders, supernumerary aud superan
nuated preachers, appointees of the General
Conference, and such preachers as the An
nual Conference or a Quarterly Conference
may , by resolution , request to be continued
for a longer time.” » i
On the italicised clause in this rule, the
Episcopal Methodist says:
“ A large number of the Annual Confer
ences have recommended the extension of
the term of the pastorate; some proposing
three or four years as the limit beyond
which a preacher shall not be allowed to re
main on the same charge; others preferring
to remove all restrictions as to the term of
years, and allow the bishop to return preach
ers, by annual appointment, as loDg as it
may he mutually agreeable to the preacher
and his charge. The Mobile Conference
proposes to fix the limit at three years , be
yond which the preacher shall not be re
turned to the same circuit or station, unless
the Annual Conference of which he is a
member, or the Quarterly Conference of the
charge of which he has been pastor, shall,
by resolution , request the bishop to appoint
him for a longer time than three years. This
strikes us favorably. It extends the pres
ent time by one year, at least. Then it al
lows the bishop, under certain conditions, to
extend the term of service, from year to
year, as he may feel authorized to do by
resolution of the Conference, or by resolu
tion of the Quarterly Conference, represent
ing the wishes of the charge which has been
served .by the preacher, whose return, for a
longer time, is requested at the hands of
the bishop. This plan certainly has the
merit ol obviating some difficulties that
would be likely to embarrass any other that
has yet been proposed for extending the
term, without positive limitation. Three
years , und-r the change proposed by tie
Mobile Conference, would form the limit
beyond which a bishop could not return a
pastor to the same charge, unless authorized
to do so by the Annual Conference, or by
the warrant of a' resolution from the Quar
terly Conference interested in the matter 1
There would be a positive limit as to the
term, in the absence of a qualification or
condition, beyond which the tishop could
not go; and such a condition as a bishop
could not originate on the ons hand, nor
countervail on the other, by anjother pow
er than that with which he is invested by
the General Conference. He would feel
bound to respect the resolution ly which he
was requested to exceed the three years, as
much as he respected the law in the case
allowing him to return the preacher to the
same charge for the space of thrie consecu
tive years; but he might, in tbe one case
as in the other, remove the preasher to an
other charge, for reasons satisfadpry to his
own mind, at the end of any one year of
pastoral oversight."
—i
From tlie Nashville Christian Advocate.
WHAT WE NEED.
We have referred several tirnsg in our
column i.to contemplated changes inOur econ
ouiy, ami have published several d|cuments
suggesting some of the changes sofcrdently
wished for by our brethren.
to -ugge-st that that which we perbips most
need, is an elevation of the ministry. We I
mean to say that our ministry must be im
proved in two respects. First, the stand
ard of literary and theological attainments
should be elevated. There is no use in
disguising the fact, that many of our preach
ers seem to be satisfied withji very slight
stock of knowledge. They have little
taste for mental culture, and give evidence
of indifference to such a degree, that they
become unacceptable to the people, and ex
ercise but a small influence upon the Christ
ian public.
Young men enter the ministry with a ve
ry limited knowledge of the arts and sciences’
and with no knowledge whatever of the
languages; and instead of devoting their
energies to intellectual culture, they attain a
smattering, and never seem to have a pur
pose to go beyond the first rudiments. They
make no proficiency, but dwarf themselves
in the outset of their career. They never
acquire much taste for reading and study ;
indeed, they have never learned how to
study. To patient, persevering, laborious
investigation, they are total strangers.
Hence they never make any progress after
a few years’ service in the ministry. They
are full grown, or fully dwarfed, by the time
they are ordained elders in the Church of
God. Having attained to fall orders, they
seem to content themselves. 8 Their books
are neglected, their study abandoned, and
they feed upon the bare pastures on which
they have grazed until there is nothing left
hut dry stubble. Hence their leanness;
having nothing on hand, they have nothing to
impart. Their flocks are not fed, or if fed
at all, it is on dry , stale food, that gives
neither pleasure nor fatness.
We speak plainly. The time has come
when ministers of the gospel, to be accepta
ble and useful, must make themselves wise,
able to bring things out of the treasury,
both new and old. He, therefore, that fails
to study and improve, so far as he has op
portunity, sins against himself, aud against
the Chqrch, and is disapproved of God#'
The Church must be more rigid in its re
quirements of those who are received into
the ministry; and when young men are re
ceived, they must be required to keep their
pledges. It is improper to confer orders
on men who give no evidence of a desire to
make themselves able and efficient min
isters of the New Testament.
Secondly. We need an increase of zeal.
Many preachers of the gospel are so engross
ed with worldly matters that they devote too
little time to their heavenly calling. The
Church wants—greatly needs working preach
ers—men who labor day and night in the
Master’s vineyard.
Zeal in preparation for the pulpit; zeal
in preaching the gospel, in visiting the sick
—instructing the children in doing good.
Men of one calling, one work whose only
business it is to feed and take care of the
sheep of Christ, and to warn sinners to flee
the wrath to come.
THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
The St. Louis Advocate thus expresses
itself with respect to some of the changes
proposed in the economy of Methodism:
1. The Advocate does not sanction the
proposed abolition of the Presiding Elder
ship—at least, until something better has
been proposed.
2. It does not sanction the proposed in
definite extension of the ter* of the pastor
ate; that is to say, it does not favor the
proposition to so change our rule as that a
Bishop may appoint a man to the same
charge for an indefinite term of years.
3. It does not favor the proposition to so
increase the number of Bishops as that
there may be one for each and every Con
ference.
4. It does not favor the proposition to
bui'ld up a great Book-Concern, Publishing-
House, Publishing interest, or by what
other name it may be called, which may
tend, as it has done in the North, to secu
larize the Church, aud ultimately to put its
controlling power in the hands of a few
score men. Our books can be edited by an
appointee of the General Conference, and
then published by an agent of the same
body—a good business man from among the
laity would be preferable—wherever he
could procure the work to be dhne best and
cheapest; and thus books would be fur
nished our people as promptly and more
cheaply than on the other plan.
5. For the same general reasons, the Ad
vocate is opposed to any and all appropria
tions by the General Conference, or by any
officer or agent thereof, of money to sustain
weekly papers unless they be in missionary
fields. If a weekly religious paper is what
it ought to be, the people will sustain it lib
erally. If it be not what it shouhi be, the
sooner it dies the better. In a matter of
this kind, real merit, and not prestige or
patronage, should bsar the palm.
There are some other things proposed as
the work of the next General Conference,
to which the Advocate is opposed, but they
need not be mentioned now.
On the other hand, there are propositions
for changes which it would favor readily
and cheerfully; such, for instance, as—
1. A change in the form for receiving
members into the Church; doing away en
tirely with what has been called the “ pro»
bationary ” system.
E: H. MYERS, D.D., EDITOR.
Whole Number, 1470.
1
2. Although it has 1 not, so far as the Ad
vocate knows, been proposed, it would favor
the formation of Episcopal Districts by the
General Conference—say four, five or six
Annual Conferences in a district; appoint
ing a Bishop to each district; requiring
him to live within its bounds, and there to
preside in the Conferences and oversee the
general interests of the Church during four
successive years; and then be, by the Gen
eral Conference, removed to some other dis
trict, and thus be made to itinerate like
other poor Methodist preachers.
3. It would favor the introduction of lay
men into all the councils of the Church to
a greater extent thara has ever yet been
practiced among us.
godritu anil <%raentt,
A PERVERTED CpNSCIENCE~
The true work of conscience is to reprove
personal sins. Its right action is within.
It is not to be wounded'by the sins of oth
ers. Love may suffer because of them, and
conscience prompt love to work for their re
moval and their forgiveness. Conscience,
guided by love, takes truth and goes forth
to win others by it away from sin, and its
companion sorrow, and its doom, death. If
it fails, it is not turned into hatred. If it
withdraws, it is beeause it has ceased to hope.
It does not scowl, but weeps when it retires.
But in the case of fanatical and persecu
ting zeal, conscience performs a different
function. Not being au enlightened con
science, it does not perform its appropriate
work. It does not act on personal sins. It
is wounded by the sins and beliefs of others.
It works itself out from under the mountain
load of its own iniquities, by which it might
be crushed into humility, and be made to
bleed in contrition, and it rushes against the
sins of others, and is maddened into pride
and resentment, and fierce self assertion,
which it sanctifies with the holy name of
zeal. . In this misdirection of a perverted
conscience, it does not abandon love, for love
was never with it; but it takes with it the
whole dread sisterhood of the malignant
passions, and it is these which it drives on
to the work of converting, coercing / perse
cuting, and destroying. The true defini
tion off anatical persecution then seems to
be that it is a perverted conscience employ
ing hatred, to do the work which love alone
can do. Then it is a Jehu in his chariot,
from whom not ■alone thtf enemies, but the
friends of God must flee if they would live.
And that which is most awful in this por
tentous wickedness, is that it considers it
self eminently righteous. Never are the
malignant passions so horrible as when driv
en on by conscience. When men persuade
themselves that it is their duty to be vin
dictive, to let loose their evil passions, to
hate and persecute, and torture, then will
there be such fiendish developments of hu
manity as are never elsewhere witnessed.
It is to be observed that it is not often
the truth which is thus used in the service
of persecuting zeal; but it is some perver
sions of truth, or half truth, or single truths
separated from those, without which they
are errors; or it is simple errors and false
hood which are thus employed. Holy truth
refuses to be used except by holy love. The
spear of Gabriel can not be fitted to the hand
of Lucifer. This persecuting fanaticism is
Phariseeism, destroying the spirit of the law
oy the letter, and imposing upon men hu
man traditions in the place of divine laws.
It is Judaism, ignorant of the spirit, and yet
clinging to the forms of an abrogated econo
my. It is Mohammedanism with its false
its flaming sword, and its impure
heaven. It is the zeal of the Jews that as
sailed Panl in the Temple, and racked around
him in the Sanhedrim. It is the zeal of the
Inquisition, the zeal of Alva, the zeal of
Philip of Spain, and Louis XIV, of France,
the zeal of those who followed the Saints ot
Savoy with fire and sword to their mountain
fastnesses, and drove the Huguenots, noble
martyrs and confessors, into the wild glens
of the Cevennes.
“ Oh, my soul, come not into their secret:
unto their assembly mine honor be not thou
united. ” It is an utterly hateful and hor
rible spirit. Let us be far from it.
Testimony for Missionaries.-— The
London Saturday Review, which is not re
markable for speaking favorably of religious
matters, has some remarks in a notice of
Krapf’s Travels and Labors in Eastern Afri
ca, which are of weight, coming from such
a journal: It would be difficult to find a vol
ume which cuts more completly across the
silly, popular platitude that missions to the
heathens are useless, and that wise men would
confine themselves to our own heathen at
home. It is strange that, if a man goes
merely to hunt, or to make geographical dis
coveries, he is loudly applauded by the very
people who speak so slightingly of
nes. To bring some hundreds of tusks and
teeth, and skins, or to show where a river ri
ses, and what is the altitude of a mountain
range, is thought a noble achievement; but
to have crossed the plains where elephants
range and to have ascended those unknown
heights m order to give the greatest of bless
ings to the men who live there, is thought
Quixotic, and derogatory to the wisdom 8 of
The real facts are jut the