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sont|crn Christian sbtotatt.
MACON, GEORGIA, OCTOBER 26, 1866.
ministerial character.
The influence of the preacher is com
pounded of many elements. If he be a
preacher , he ought, of course, to be able to
preach —and to do this as it should be done,
he must be a student. If not, he will find
that, before his meridian age is passed and
while he is yet in the vigour of his days,
congregations will tire of him feeling that
he is rehashing in every sermon the plati
tudes with which he commenced his youth
ful exhortations. Having run the round of
eligible appointments, no place can be found
that will give the finished preacher a hearty
welcome. So, of course, the preacher must
be a student.
But the influence of the pulpit is not the
only, perhaps not the chief influence the
preacher wields in a community. His life,
his character must give weight to his ser
mons. Sermons of moderate ability, sup
ported by a truly ministerial character, have
more weight than eloquent discourses from
men who forget their relation to the world,
after they leave the pulpit. How often it
is said of some men, that we think when
they are in the pulpit that they should never
leave it, when out, that they should never
enter it. And again ; while there are but
few men who by the power of their mere
pulpit performances can perpetuate their at
tractiveness when the novelty of hearing
them is over, if other elements do not com
bine to sustain their reputation, on the oth
er hand, there are but few, who, with mod
erate ability and studious habits, cannot, by
•ultivating aR the means of ministerial in
fluence, hold their place indefinitely in the
esteem of their congregations and the com
munity. Hence, the necessity of acquiring,
by all reasonable effort, this hold which
character, as develoDed in intercourse with ■
his flock, gives a preacher upon their res
pect and affection. Let us notice briefly
some of those characteristics, which add
largely to a preacher’s influence.
The preacher should identify himself ful
ly with all his members. They are his, in a
peculiar sense—his care as to their morals,
his burden as to their happiness. Whatev
er tempts or tries or afflicts one of them, is
his trial—his affliction. Their poverty and ,
sorrow and suffering should find in him a
sympathizing heart. The eloquence of an
angel will not atone for a cold, indifferent
treatment of the cases of real distress and
heart-suffering that are brought to him for
counsel and comfort. A merely profession
al prescription of the common place sedatives
to sorrow, will easily betray the administra
tor as counterfeiting the tender and loving
shepherd. And to avoid such appearances
by keeping aloof from them in trouble, is to
exhibit a great defect in ministerial qualifica
tions. The preacher should tutor himself,
by every argument of humanity and motive
of Christianity, to weep with them that weep
and to rejoice with those who rejoice.
Such effort will require from him many
self denying labors. Many men have to
crucify all their natural appetencies to be
come faithful pastors. To visit —to visit
wherever sorrow and sickness are—to look
upon the wretchedness and squalor of pover
ty to become familiar with the wrecks of hu
manity, to witness evils they cannot cure,
and hear plaints of sorrow they cannot si
lence, is no pleasant task. Most men must
school themselves to a sacrifice of their nor
mal tastes and inclinations to do all this.—
A few there are who have a native gift for
the work; and he who is not thus endowed
needs an iron will and a heart ruled by
grace to bring him to perform it well. But
if he do this, he acquires an influence over
his charge, that pulpit ability alone will not
give.
Singleness of aim, also, should character
ize the preacher. Not himself, but Christ
crucified. Not fame, nor money, nor
favor for himself, but souls, he is to
seek. He who is always solicitous about his
reputation, who counts how much favor he
is to gain by this or that act, who is ever
anxious about his stipend, and goes about
talking of his poverty and almost asking
alms, evinces an ambitious, self-seeking and
mercenary spirit, that will blunt the point of
many an eloquent tirade against worldliness.
Let the preacher, in the spirit of his Mas
ter, go about doing good for its own sake,
and feed his flock, and it is a rare case and
only in desperate times, that his flock will
fail to honor and to feed him.
An interest in the young is a capital qual
fication in the pastor. Some men never no
tice children —do not know them or their
names, or the families they belong to,
though they are the children of their care.
Some have no hold upon the young people
of a community. Yet the Church which is
not bringing on these recruits of another
generation will soon die out. The labor
spent on them so far from being lost, is the
most productive labor of the ministry. .The
time a minister bestows upon the Sunday
school, the interest he manifests in the chil
dren of his peopP, the sympathy and kind
ly feeling he evinces in the youth of the
community, return to him an amount of
influence that his lofty flights and eloquent
periods in the pulpit can never give him.—
He may not always reap the harvest him
self, but he sows seed that will bring a har
vest which the reaper who follows him may
gather for the Lord. He does best who best,
other things being equal, knows the chil~
dren, who makes them glad to see him, and
feel that in him they have a faithful
friend.
But to obtain this influence over the chil
dren and the young, the preacher must not
sacrifice his proper ministerial dignity.—
Some men cannot go into company, espec
ially that of the young, without forgetting
themselves. While they should be neither
cold nor stiff, sour nor magisterial, they must
at the same time, avoid a familiarity that-in
vites rude speech and disrespectful jesting.
We have seen preachers, whose forte in com
pany seemed to be only story-telling—not a
chance illustration of the topic in hand, but
story upon story —Ossa upon Pelion—as fast
as the laws of association or memory could
suggest them. Their unfortunate gift is not
held in abeyance even in the presence of
those who have sought their company to
hear them converse about religion. They
are very clever company, but very poor pas
tors. This is dry stubble they give, not
nourishing corn. It is an immense discount
upon a preacher to be “ hail fellow ! well
met,” with every sort of company. To be
a habitue of the loafing places of the village,
sitting in conclave with the idlers ot the
town, and exchanging gossip with them by
the hour, may give a man some knowledge
of the world, but it also furnishes the world
such a knowledge of himself, as will not
greatly redound to his credit as a minister
of the gospel.' To be sociable without levi
ty, familiar without loss of dignity, kind and
courteous to all without forfeiting their res
pect for him as a teacher of religion, is an
art that the preacher should study, as a
means of gaining influence. But a good
influence is never gained where the merely
social virtues are displayed at a sacrifice of
the respect and reverence due his position
as an instructor in divine things.
A cultivation of all the legitimate arts of
pleasing is part of a preachcx-’s duty. Rude
ness of manners, slovenly attire, boorishness,
and neglect of the proprieties of life in com
pany, have placed a large discount on the
usefulness of many a good, honest man.—
Awkwardness and ungainliuess in public min
istrations, indifference to all grace in the
pulpit, Scripture lessons and hymns read as
though they were neither understood nor
felt by the reader, perhaps misread or mis
pronounced, all these have their evil effect,
and mar the symmetry of the ministerial
character. There is nothing so small, that
may give offence to the taste of others,
which it may not be wise for the preacher
to avoid, if the avoidance is not in itself a
wrong; for the influence of a good sermon
may often fail where prejudices of taste have
set in against the preacher.
These are a few of the elements that give
influence over a flock and congregation. If
they are added to a burning zeal for souls,
a deep and fervid piety, an indomitable per
severance in study, and in labors, they will
give us the men the world needs for its re
generation.
THE LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE.
Dr. Summers passed at the Louisville
Conference, a day or two, including the Sab
bath. We copy from his report of the Con
ference :
We found the Conference making haste
slowly and surely under the able presidency
of one of our new Bishops. Doctor Doggett
has thus far nobly vindicated the wisdom
and sagacity of the General Conference in
his appointment to the Episcopate. He pre
sides as if to the manner born —with great
courtesy, dignity, and ease. We need not
say that his preaching made a powerful im
pression upon the Conference and the com
munity. He gave us a masterly and model
discourse, before the ordination of deacons,
on 2 Tim. ii 15 : “ Study to show thyself
approved unto God, a workman that need
eth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the
word of truth.” Os one thing we feel pret
ty certain, nobody was ashamed of the work
which he performed on that occasion. He
preached, we judge, after most elaborate
preparation, but not mcmoriter, nor with
notes. We do not want to see the sermon
in print, at least, not yet awhile —as we want
him to preach it, with circumstantial adap
tations, all over the Connection. We ven
ture to say no one trembled that day lest the
preacher should not be equal to his position
and the occasion. The ordination services
were conducted with great gravity and deco
rum. At night the Rev. Robert Holland—
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
the boy preacher —gave us a discourse that
was truly wonderful. It comprised all the
grand essentials of a great sermon—careful
exegesis, logical disposition, metaphysical
analysis, gorgeous imagery, striking illus
tration, opulent language, unctuous feeling,
pungent application, appropriate gesture,
an( j—if there was any art —the art which
conceals all art —for he seemed to be as sim
ple as a child speaking by inspiration. We
understand, however, that he writes his dis
courses with great labor and care, and de
livers them memoriter ; a prodigious achieve
ment. We trust he will retain his simplic
ity, humility, fervor, and sanctified popular
ity to the end of life, which we pray God
may be long protracted. By the time this
will be in print, he will probably be on his
way to Syria, Egypt, and other parts of the
old world, to visit which for his improve
ment be has obtained a year’s furlough.—
The readers of the Advocate may expect to
hear from him on his travels. May the
traveler’s God bless his going out and his
coming in !
Return of Numbers, etc., to the Con
ference.
The General Conference made some chan
ges on this subject, which will demand at
tention. There is more to report now than
formerly. It is also made the duty of the
Presiding Elder to procure the statistics at
the last Quarterly Conference. On pages 48
and 71, it may be seen that the reports must
embrace the following items :
Number of Preachers, (white)
“ “ (colored)
“ Members, (white)
« “ (colored)
“ Adults baptised during the yr.
“ Infants “ “ “
“ Sunday-schools.
“ Officers and Teachers.
“ Scholars.
“ Volumes in Library.
SOUTHERN RELIEF SOCIETY OF
THE KENTUCKY CONFERENCE.
The Rev. C. W. Miller, favorably known
to some in Georgia and Alabama, as a chap
lain in the Army of Tennessee, during the
war, wrote us some time since that he con
templated proposing to the Kentucky Confer
ence, of which he is a member, the forma
tion of a society to help supply the preach
ers in the destitute portions of Georgia with
food from Kentucky. Wc answered, giving
what information we could and highly com
mending the purpose. We find that the
Conference did act on his suggestions, anu
passed the resolutions that follow.
In the name of our brethren, whose con
dition is thus taken into kindly considera
tion, we thank the Kentucky Conference for
thus considering their wants; and we trust
that such a System may be devised, as will
keep open a door to the gospel, that it has
been feared the absolute poverty of the
State would close for the time being. If we
can tide over anotli:r year, under God’s bles
sing, this fertile State will need no help from
abroad, but will be in a condition to help
others.
Whereas, In the inscrutable providence
of our Heavenly Father, our brethren of the
South have been pillaged by the late terri
ble war, their cities burned, their homes
destroyed, and the fruits of the land con
sumed ; and
Whereas, The fearful drought of the
past summer, following in the wake of deso
lating war, has entirely ruined both the corn
and cotton crops for the year, thus cutting
off nearly all hope of sustenance from thou
sands of brethren bound to us by the ties of
a common ancestry and a common Chris
tianity ; and
Whereas, It has been ascertained from
reliable sources that the present terrible ex
igency will compel hundreds of our breth
ren in the ministry to abandon their posts
for want of bread for themselves and fami
lies, unless relief is sent them, thus depriv
ing thousands of the only comfort left them;
therefore
Resolved, 1. That the Kentucky Annual
Coufereuce do organize itself into a South*
ern Relief Society, for the relief of our
brethren in the ministry in the Southern
States.
Resolved, 2. That this Conference ap
point a central committee to be located in
Lexington, Ky., with the pastor of the M.
E. Church, South, at that place, as chair
man of said committee ; that it shall be the
duty of that committee to receive donations
of money, corn, wheat, bac m, potatoes, etc.,
and Drovide for them storage until they can
be shipped South.
Resolved , 3. That each station and cir
cuit of this Conference shall be a committee,
with its pastor as a chairman, auxiliary to
the centra) committee at Lexington \ and
that it shall be the duty of such pastor, sta
tion, and circuit, to take steps, immediately
after the adjournment of the Conference, to
solicit and obtain whatever donations of
money, corn, bacon, etc., etc., possible, and
procure the shipment of the same to the
central committee at Lexington.
Resolved, 4. That in view of the want and
distress of our brethren of the Georgia Con
ference, we send whatever supplies we can
raise to Rev. Win. P. Harrison, at Atlanta,
to be distributed by him to the destitute
members of that Conference.
Resolved , 5. That as a Conference, we
religiously consecrate ourselves to this
work, and that wo appeal to our brethren
of the Louisville Conference to co-operate
with us.
Signed, C. W. Miller.
' Winchester, Ky., Oct. 8, 1866.
THE KENTUCKY CONFERENCE.
Rev. Geo. S. Savage, Secretary, furnishes
the Nashville Advocate, the following par
ticulars in reference to this Conference :
The Report of the Committee on Educa
tion shows the organization of the Method
ist College at Millersburg, as a College prop
er, with a full and efficient Faculty, with
Dr. Charles Taylor, of the South Carolina
Conference, as President. That a brighter
day dawns upon our educational interests in
Kentucky. “We already see the dawning
of the morning—may the noon-day glory
come.” From the financial exhibit it ap
pears that the amount of scholarships sold,
and donations, is §95,796. Amount invest
ed, §40,084. The report warmly recom
mends the College to the prayerful consid
eration of our people, and speaks in high
commendation of Science Hill at Shelby
ville, of the Millersburg Female College at
Millersburg, and the Male High School at
Shelbyville.
A missionary meeting was held on Satur
day evening of the Conference, at which
§382 93 was paid in money. The total
amount of missionary money collected du
ring the year was §1,838. The Conference
organized a Board of Foreign and Domestic
Missions, as provided for in the Discipline.
The vote of the Conference on concuriing
with the General Conference in changing
the name of the Church to that of Episco
pal Methodist Church was, yeas, 45 —nays,
7. On concurring in Lay-Representation,
yeas, 47 —nays, 4.
Rev. Drs. McFerrin and Selion were
warmly received by the Conference, and did
good service in pleading the cause of Mis
sions.
Six preachers were admitted on trial, five
re admitted, and several transfers, among
which were the Rev. J. W. Wightman, H.
A. C. Walker, and Dr. Charles Taylor. C.
W. Miller was transferred to Western Vir
ginia Conference.
Bishop D. S. Doggett presided with abil
ity and impartiality, and gave evidence of a
very familiar knowledge of parliamentary
law.
The session of the Conference was one of
great haimony, and closed its labors on
Tuesday night, the 9th inst., at half-past
eleven o’clock.
We find names familiar to our readers in
the list of appointments. Dr. Charles Tay
lor goes, of course, to Millersburg; H. A.
C. Walker to Shelbyville, and J. W. Wight
man to Sharon and Sardis. We greatly
regret to see these excellent brethren getting
so far away from us.
The Arkansas Conferences. —Bish-
op Pierce called in this week on his re
turn from the Conferences in Arkansas.
He was in sound health and fine spirits.
He reports that the Conference sessions
passed off pleasantly, that the preachers
have been at work heroically on very short
rations, and that they are ready to go forth
again to meet whatever may befall. There
is great lack of preachers in the State. He
could supply as many as twenty-five more
than he had to dispose of—and he wants
volunteers for that section. The crop pros
pects are better there than on this side, aid
the probability is that the preachers will
fare better next year. There have been
great revivals throughout the whole country,
and Methodism flourishes there. The Lit
tle Rock Conference, as was generally ex
pected from the attitude of its delegates in
the General Conference, does not vote for
“ changes of economy.” The vote for
change of name stood yeas 24, nays 19; on
lay delegation, yeas 16, nays 29.
Bishop Pierce is very hopeful respecting
the future of the Church. He finds signs
of good, promise of progress everywhere.
He thinks the proposed changes will be
adopted by the vote of the Conferences—
indeed, laughingly said, he had already be
gan to call the Church “ Episcopal Methon
dist,’’ fully expecting the change to be
made. Pie promises to communicate his
opinions on several subjects through the
Advocate, at his earliest opportunity.
North-West Texas Conference. —
The Rev. F. P. Ray, Secretary of the North-
West Texas Conference, has forwarded to
Dr. Summers, a certified statement of the
vote on the proposed changes : 28 voting
for the change of the name, and none
against; 26 for lay-representation, and none
against.
THE PRIZE PROPOSITION.
This proposition has been standing some
two months. It closes on the Ist of No*
vernber. We will then proceed to award
the premiums offered for cash subscribers,
obtained since they were offered —should
there be any applications. We are notified
of three congregations competing for a pre
mium, but the money thus far forthcoming
does not give promise of either of them com
ing up to the conditions of the proposition.
But they may perhaps do so, by the Ist of
November.
Death of Dr. T. H. Capers. —A note
from Rev. Samuel Woodber, dated Monti
cello, Florida, Oct. 17, informs us of the death
of Dr. Thomas H. Capers, Presiding Elder of
the Tallahassee District. He died on Monday,
15th October, from the effects of carbuncle
on the back of the neck. Bro. W. says
that his sufferings were intense, but he bore
them with Christian patience and fortitude.
Dr. Capers was a nephew of Bishop Capers,
and travelled till recently in Alabama or
Mississippi. He came to Florida during
the war, and had taken a prominent position,
as a good preacher and highly useful minis
ter.
Mason & Hamlin’s Cabinet Organs.
We would call special attention to the ads
vertisement of these excellent instruments.
The editor has used one of the smallest size
in family worship for six years, and feels
amply repaid for the outlay. J. W. Burke
& Cos. are the Macon Agents for Messrs.
Hamlin & Mason.
Steele’s Hat Hall, Charleston, is an
excellent place for “re-tiling’’ the head.—
See advertisement.
CorrcspontiJirct.
Letter from Bishop Andrew.
Dear Bro. Myers : It has been some time
since I had any direct communication with
you, though I hear from you every week,
through my old friend, the Advocate, which
I am glad to see loses none* of its vigour in
consequence of advancing age, but continues
to maiutain the cause of truth with unaba
ted energy and interest. Its columns of
late have been filled with tidings of glorious
revivals of religion, which are pervading
many portions of the land in unusual power,
in Georgia. God has been doing great things
for his people, whereof the Church is glad,
and in Alabama God has not forgotten to be
gracious.
Not long since, I spent about a week at
Montevallo, in Bro. Wilson’s District. The
prospect was dull at the commencement, but
it soon began to improve, and when 1 left a
good deal of interest was beginning to be
felt. Since then I learn that God has made
bare his arm most gloriously in the awaken
ing of sinners and the conversion of peni«
tents. Bro. Wilson told me that at a pro"
tracted meeting recently held at Coluinbian
na, a small town on the railroad, about 100
souls professed conversion ; many of them
young men of great promise, who will prob
ably enter the ministry. Dr. Mitchell who
has just returned from a quarterly meeting
on the Randolph Circuit, tells me that they
had a good meeting which was going on
when he lift with glorious prospects lor
good. I see also from the weekly reports in
all our papers, that God is everywhere in
saving power. Glory be to His holy name !
In the midst of all our troubles, and the
dark clouds which hang over us in some res
pects, God is now giving us assurance that
He is with us, and all shall yet work out
good for His people.
You remember how very friendly Dr.
Whedon seemed at the General Conference.
I was glad to think that there was one
Methodist preacher at the North who had
an eye and heart to perceive, and Christian
courage enough to vindicate, the right.—
But it seems I rejoiced too soon. The Doc
tor, I see, has not been equal to the task,
but has ingloriously crawfished out of his
conservative position, and sold himself, body
soul and mind, to the black republican pari
ty. Alas! for poor human nature. Well,
what will the radicals do with the poor South
before they quit ? From the time of the
surrender till now, they have been doing
everything in their power io crush the
Southern people. We have submitted in
good faith, and yet they have been constant
ly seeking occasion against us. They have
hired informers, who have been constantly
sending abroad, through their papers, the
most outrageous reports about our people.
They would seem to desire to drive us to
some overt act which would enable them to
consider us, as still in rebellion, and to mar
shal all their forces for another war. They
want proper security for our good behavior
to the end of time. Such is the pretence,
but is it not more probable that the whole
amount of stealing and robbing performed
by them during the war did not satisfy
them ? They think that something still
may be left behind, and another war would
give them an opportunity to steal the little
balance that is left.. They say we don’t love
the government of the United States. Now
will the radicals tell us what reason they
have given us to love them or trust them ?
The only ruling principle which they recog
nize is,, that they may do whatever they
choose if they have the power, and such is
also the rule of aetion for their ally, the M.
E. Church, North.
But lam sick of the theme. My only
hope and comfort is, that Jesus reigns. Oh
that our people may cleave fast to Jesus,
and cultivate the proper Christian temper,
in these days of provocation ; and now, may
God bless you and yours, and direct you in
your work. «
Yours, very affectionately,
Jas. 0. Andrew.
Summerfield, Oct. 18</i, 1866.
CHARLESTON, S. O.
Mr. Editor : —Although we have not re
cently been blessed with a revival, yet I
may venture to say the churches in this
city are improving. Bro. F. A. Mood, our
P. E., is of the opinion that Methodism
here promises more than it ever did, and
others think so too. The withdrawal of the
colored people from our church, has really
operated in opening for us anew and far
better prospect. We are relieved of a bur
den, and what was a stigma, unjustly, far
our devotedness to this unfortunate race
ug- : ■; tM-