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THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM. Yol. XXIX.—No. 7. Original A PETITION FOR PRESIDENT DAVIS. BT JANK T. H. CROSS. Within a prison's dreary walla, Low languishes our honored one ; While darkness all around him falls, Be thou, O gracious Lord, his sun ! Exposed to wounds on every side, More dread than those on battle field, Hide him, in thy pavilion, hide, And be Thou, blessed Christ, his ihield ! Our prisoned Eagle, like the dove, Sits patient, till his suffering end*; Surround him, Father, with thy love 1 Be his society and friends ! Be thon his strength, his joy, his life, All that the world to him could be, Be thou his children and his wife, His Country, if that land were free! Still make him equal to his task, Maintaining bis integrity ; 0, ‘‘more than I can think or ask, ” All, may he find, my Cod, in Thee! ~ TWILIGHT. The sun is set, and twilight comes on all ; Casting o’er field and fence its darkening robe; Lulling some birds to rest, awakening some Who come forth from their bow’rs with sweetest song , Itmoves the browsing kine, to seek their young, Who, with the milk maid wait their comiDg And wearied shepherds drive their sated flocks To hurdles warm, fast by the cottage door. Yes, all good things to man doth Heeper bring; Sleep to the eyes of mortal?, and all tribes, Relief to sickened frames, who through the day, The weary day, war long with biting jam, It brings and lays them down with day— to Hail! thou sweet vfsper hour, thou parent mild Os soft influences, and softer chimes Os village bells, whoso.soothing notes at eve, Breathes o’er our spirits, like some angel’s song. At this sweat hour, feouls from the Aiden-land Come down to earth, and bring their heav’nly harps , . And chant mild mude in our listening cars ; So that our souls lo?e sight of earth and time And soar from earth’s twilight to the high nooa of heaven. H. L O Auburn, Ala Contributions. DR. GREEN’S MEMORIAL—No. 7. INDEFINITE PROLONGATION OF THE PAS TORAL TERM DESTRUCTIVE OF THE ITINERACY. Says the memorialist, “Should not the restriction be taken off from the appointing power, that the bishops may make the best possible appropriation of laborers to the work, securing the greatest amount of good ? Would not a removal of all restriction bet ter subserve the purpose than a mere exten sion of the term? Let it be understood that the preachers shall be appointed for one year only, leaving the Bishops to return them as often as in his judgment shall be to the glory of God and the best interests of the church.” When such a proposition as the above is presented, it becomes necesary to recur to several facts First. The itinerant is an unnatural man ner of life—in opposition to the habits and tastes of those who engage in it; conse quently it is not difficult to abandon it. Second. The voluntary submission of one man’s will to another, is always the result of unbounded confidence in superior judgment, or the recognition of the hand of God in the matter. Third. Our clinches do not call ” their pastors—that is choose, elect by ballot, or otherwise, but they are sent to them without any agency whatever of their own. T.his fact is inseparable from the maintenance of the itinerant plan. Fourth. Our people have submitted to the •surrender of this right (as it is considered -to be) which most other churches retain, under the rule that no pastor is to be sent for a longer term to any given charge than ■oue year, if unacceptable ; cannot be, unless the rule is trampled under foot, longer than two years, under any circumstances. fifth. Where the settled pastorate ob tains, dissolution of the pastoral relation, from the dissatisfaction of one or the other party, or of both, frequently occurs. Now, with these facts before us, let us see how the memorialist’s proposed change would work. First, llemove all restrictions from the appointing power as to how long a traveling preacher may be sent to any given church or churches. Second. Leave the bishop to return them as often as in his judgment shall be for the glory of God and the best interest of the ehurch. Third. Let it be understood that the preachers shall be appointed for one year only. Now take a Conference of one hundred traveling preachers. Fifty of them, have been two years upon their respective circuits and stations, and the remainder have been one year each. The new order of things begins Twenty-five of these one hundred are returned year after year, for five, ten, -twenty years or more, to the same appoint ments —our best circuits and our most pleas PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH ant stations. Fifty of the hundred are never permitted to remain longer than two years upon any circuit or station, and the other twenty-five of the hundred remain but one year , because our bishops are men who fear God, and watch over the souls commit ted to them , and in their judgment it is for the glory of God, and the best interests of the church, that such a disposition should be made of this Conference of one hundred preachers. Here we have the fact present ed that twenty-five of the best circuits and stations are set apart for twenty-five preach ers ; circuits and stations from which the remaining seventy-five are shut out , whilst of them, fifty must remove to new appoint ments every two years, and the remainder every year! Now I call upon every candid reader, especially every itinerant preacher, to say how can any bishop convince these seventy-five that the twenty-five are not a privileged class, exempted from all the self denials and hardships of the traveling con nection, yet enjoying all the advantages which the traveling has over the local preacher. In a word, how can you convince these seventy-five real itinerants, that the twenty-five nominal itinerants are not a privileged class ? It cannot be done, and unless it can be done, the continuance of the itineracy is impracticable, if the memorial ist’s proposed change is adopted,, for every one acquainted with Methodist itinerant preachers, and bearing in mind the facts adverted to in the outset.of this article, as to our churches not calling their pastors, etc., must see that if our bishops maintain their integrity in the new and trying rela tion to the churches and the preachers, which the proposed change will bring them into, keeping the glory of God and the in terests of the church ever before them, that about such a difficulty mast present itself. Out of every one hundred traveling preach ers, about one-fourih must be changed an nually; about one-half at the end of two years, or frequently, and the remaining one fourth only could continue for an indefinite length of time. Let us now consider the inconsistency of the proposed change with the maintenance of the itineracy, when viewed in its relation to the laity. First. I ask where is the church that will agree that our bishops, or either one of them, shall appoint, year by year, for an in definite term of years or for life, any preach er who, in his or their judgment, ought to be the pastor of said church? Such church *hot even suggesting who that person should be. Second. What church, if it becomes pos sible for a bishop to send to it, year after year, indefinitely, some special favorite, will submit to his removal, merely because, in the judgment of the bishop, some other church should have this desired person’s services, year after year, for ten or twenty years, or for life ? Third. What church will agree to have an unacceptable preacher returned, year after year, for an indefinite term of years ? Yet such an occurrence becomes inseparable from the working of the itinerant plan, wheu the space in which changes can be made becomes so much contracted, as it will be when all restriction as to term of service is removed. We all know that the theory of our present rule is, that preachers are ap pointed only for one year at a time, and but for one, if unacceptable, yet the practice is that many an unacceptable preacher is per mitted by the appointing power to remain two years, rather than necessitate the change of acceptable preachers at other points at the end of their first year. In conclusion upon the subject, I beg re flecting men to consider this fact: if these difficulties obstruct the work ing of the in definite extension plan , they are inseparable only in less degree from any prolongation of the pastoral term. Let us be very careful therefore how we inaugurate a movement which inevitably tends to the destruction of the itineracy. In my next I propose to review the me morialist’s suggested changes in the Episco pacy. To A Member of the 6a. Conference. Mr. Editor : Your compositors have made several mistakes heretofore in deci phering my chirography, but not being ma terial ones I have not noticed them, but one occurs in my No. 5 which should be cor rected. I was endeavoring to show that the itin erant is an unnatural life, and noth with standing this, by reference to the soldier more frequently and the sailor less fre quently abandoning their occupations for more settled employments, owing to .the sailor entering in youth or childhood gen erally upon his employment, whilst the sol dier enlisted when nearly grown, or quite so, and I said, the hardships and dangers of each avocation being about equal, this can be accounted for most reasonably by the fact that a wandering is an unnatural life; you have a wandering is an unsettled, life. A Member, etc. [The compositor begs pardon—has no fault to find with the chirography, but sug gests that he would make fewer mistakes if the MS. were in blacker ink, and especially if written on white, instead of blue, paper.] Macon, Ga., Friday, February 16, 1866. CLASS MEETINGS. I feel grieved to ascertain the fact of the great difference of opinion among our preach ers relative to the rules and government of our church; but especially the great thirst that seems to exist in certain quarters to expunge those long-tried and useful instis tutions which have existed among us, for so long a time, and with such evident marks of God’s holy approval; witness class meet ing, which institution it is gravely proposed to expunge from our book of Discipline, and substitute, in the place thereof, an un tried something which no one knows wheth er it can redound to the profit of a solitary soul, a most courteous privilege extended to our members to do as they please. Now we know that class meetings have been amongst the most profitable cf all our Institu tions, next to preaching the Gospel. Who can tell what vast numbers have been con victed,-converted and built up, in the sa cred walls of the church as the fathers held class meetings with closed doors. I re peat closed doors, as in the days of the pristine glory of Methodism. Whenever this heav en blessed means of grace ( class meeting) is expuDged from our book of Discipline, one of the great instruments promotive of per sonal holiness will have come to an end. But I ask, why expunge class meetings ? It is said, “our people will not attend class meetings.” I ask whose fault is it ? Does not the fault lie somewhat at the Pastor’s door ? Did not the declension of class meet ing commence with the time when ministers became lovers of ease and ceased to be Pas tors, after the original acceptation of that word in the old days of Methodism, I mean in not visiting from house to house, (espe cially the poor of the flock) “to see how their souls prosper.” Who can tell when and where and by what preacher a class meeting was held after preaching? What encouragement have class leaders to hold class meetings, when their Pastors practical ly ignore them. More anon. A. Turner. Palmetto, Pel. Is/, 1866. J “ENDURING HARDSHIPS.” Methodism in the countjy has lost (to use a French term ) its esprit du corps; and, the tendency to disintegration is alarming. Those of our preachers, who labor near the great centres of Methodism, cannot appreciate the condition of things in remote rural districts. While there, our Doctors are displaying so brilliantly their talents in the discussion cf “the changes in our economy,” the poor circuit preacher’s brain is awfully puzz'ed in devising ways and means of keeping soul and body to gether. And when he opens his Advocate , at night, aud by his l’ghtwood knot fire, reads the caption of an article ‘ Wants of Methodism,” his overcharged heart res ponds at once, meat and bread. ‘ Let the preacher do his duty, visit the people from house to house, educate them on the subject of giving, seek for himself a rebaptism of the Holy Ghost, and be will not lack for meat and bread.” Alas! alas ! this is all very well, but so nething else is needed. Tne preacher needs more relig ion doubtless, deeper consecration pernapst neglects many of his duties in all proba bility ; but who is there to bring these charges against God’s ambassadors? Let him that is guiltless, throw the first stone. But what is the true state of the case? Let facts speak. Here is a preacher pop ular with ail classes, an acceptable preacher, faithful pastor, the people demand bis return the second year. More than all this, our preacher is a good man, eijoys religion, cries when he preaches and makes others Cl y—has good meetings, receives many in to the church in all parts of his circuit. Methodists love him, Baptists love him, old and young, black and white, all join in his praise.—Let us visit him at the parson age. Surely plenty crowns his board. N ci tirl you were never worse mistaken in you! life. Don’t go to the lot; your horse wjj be attended to, directly, when the preacj® has borrowed a little corn. Don’t thing about supper —you will get ter awhile. The preacher’s wife send off to one neighbprV for a lit and lard to make bread, and to 1 for some milk to put into your cm the end of two years, one of tlj cuiis in the District locates best preachers in the —— What’s the matter? The prjfl| not beg from house to into the people’s hearts into their corn cribs Facte are stubborn Let me close, by quotinflQH viour’s language, to preachers that fie sent stingy grumbling Mat. x, beginning in vide neither gold your purses ; r.or b 'Pyjfpf; neither two coats, staves, for the meat. * * And whoitoerei'sh is whatsoever house city or circuit shall re fuse to receive you, as a preacher, and take care of your bodily wants,) when you de part out of that house or city (or circuit) shake off the dußt of your feet. Verily I iay unio you “ It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city (or circuit.) J UNIOR. THERE IS REST FOR THE WEA RY. The weary! who does not sometimes feel weary of the toil and conflict incident to the life of man, and long for rest ? To none is this a world of ease. The man of the world, who cares for naught but the accumulating and amassing of wealth, has to toil to amass, or if the wealth be inher ited, he strives if not to add to, at least to retain by care what he already posesses. Perhaps, he may squander his wealth for “things which satisfy not,” but is he not often weary of the life which he leads, and longs for something, (he knows not what,) which will impart a feeling of peace, of quiet, of rest? Yes, it is rest forwhich his soul thirsts ; for what is so sweet to the weary, as rest. And the Christian, the child of God, does he never feel weary and long for this prom ised rest ? Has he no trials and conflicts in the world of sin? Are there no hard fought bittle3 between his faith and the world, the flesh and Satan, after which “even though through God’s grace he be victorious,” does he not feel weary, and earnestly des : re rest? Hemay be willing “to suffer all things” and work zealously in his master’s vine yard, and yet this feeling of weariness, this desire for rest will come over him, for no man is perfect; the ideal man is the whole Christian brotherhood. He knows “there is rest for the weary,” and he feels how sweet this rest must be, for he has experienced how pleasant and refreshing it is to rest after a day of toil for the support of his “loved ones.” How gladly he saw the nun sinking in the west, and twilight as a curtain, pinned here and there with a star, descending upon;the earth, for he knew night was drawing near, when he could rest. This rest which comes with night is giv en to all, but the promised rest so cheer ing to the Christian, is not granted to the wicked, to none but the children of God. “And there will be no night there, there where the children will find tW rest, but such a blissful eternity and rest. Will wo not strive to obtain What if we are poor and trials and humiliations, was Siviour poor? Can our dignities placed upon us compared to IIis? May God make that wo should nsJßfi’fly desires for -'A. <'] comer let us , j t '(TV’ A Bose Vine Cl THE M A We M j. nmt Atlant^HS his (flj|fl We Jill Bj H. MYERS, 8.D., EDITOR. Whole Number, 1471. ten members were members of the M. E Church before the division, and all opposed to that unfortunate measure; yet like thousands of others, they were carried off from the church of their choice without their consent. They were so firmly bound, hand, foot, and tongue by the slave power, that they could not, with out endangering their personal welfare, even remonstrate against it. There are thousands of Methodists all through the South who were strongly opposed to a division of the Church. Many of these are calling on us and writing to us to receivo them back into the “old Church.” They are scattered, however, over a wide ex tent of country, and it will take us some time to reach them all. In the mean time the col ored people c’aim our immediate attention. There are many, yea, ten thousands of Metho dists among them, who are entirely destitute of religious and intellectual advantages. Ma ny missions which were once established among them are now entirely abandoned for want of means to keep them up. Our first business is to go out into the wilderness in search of these now forsaken sheep. Were the facts and fig ures given to the public which came before our quarterly conference at which we were organ-, ized, in the form of a report from a committee appointed for. that purpose, it would appal and move the heart of the Church to its profoundest depths. We earnestly hope that the Missiona ry and Church Extension Societies will be enabled to render us some assistance in thig respect. If the wants of our colored people were properly laid before the churches, I am confident that they would respond cheerfully and liberally in their donations to these noble societies. After giving the appointments thYwritor says : One thing was quite remarkable in all our interviews with the bishop and superintendent (to whom we look as our presiding elder,) —that was the evident satisfaction which it gave to all the brethren to feel that they were in hands of kind Christian friends. They charoM ed us all most affectionately to havenoßnfi no controversy ; but to act no offence to our Southern "v. 1 wish is to cultivate with ly and Christian p*.., \v. I that we may all cause of our hel wide enoughJ^i hausting other. raj m-M