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THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM. Vol. XXIX.—No- 48. The East Texas Preachers. ' A correspondent of the New Orleans Christian Advocate , who was present at the East Texas Conference, at Marshall writes to that paper : If I am correctly informed, about seventy members constitute this Conference, of whom about fifty were present; owing to sickness, I learned, and straitened cir cumstances, and distance from the point of meeting, many were absent. You should have heard the preaching, it was plain, simple but piercing, nothing fixed up for Conference occasion, but just such a sermon as you and I used to hear from the fearless self-sacrificing men of our boyish days. This is what we need. I fear we are too much disposed to generalize and spare the feelings of the gentle sinner. The re quirement of to-day, is the plain language and fearless gospel of our Master; I heard it at Marshall, many mere heard it, and went from there with the proud consciousness that the spirit of primitive Methodism is not dead or asleep These men came to Conference through severe afflictions and trials. The past year was to them one of peculiar hardships, and to many of destitu tion and absolute want of necessaries of life. Money bciag scarcer than ever was known before, they had to take their pay, what they got in cattle, corn and wheat. I heard many announce their reports on finances, as follows: “Allowance four hundred dollars, received one hundred and twenty five;" men of families too, what a shame ! Can the Church hold an unblushing face in the midst of such announcements as these? Some who had preached and labored with great acceptability, would not report anything be cause they desired to spare the people the mortification of having their delinquencies published. Many a warm, noble heart, beat under a coat of coarse homespun, and when you got inside, you walked in a palace of beauty all garnished and adorned, consecrated to our Divine*Master, and I could but think how Cod loved these beautiful souls. The Love beast on Sunday morning, (I put capitals and underscore for I mean to emphasize) will never be forgotton by those who were present. The tributes of Chris tian mothers, paid on that morning, we e enough to make women ever blessed in the eyes of man, and to arouse our sisters in the Church of God to lives of Christian devotion, that they may send oat their sons so deeply impressed with their piety, as to be to them ever on the boisterous sea of life the un changing meridian from whence their lon gitude may be calculated, and the undying, unhushed voice “behind them, saying : This wav, walk ye in it.’’ It was a feast indeed, God was there in the hearts of many, and as Jesus' love was extolled and self abased, the s u's f all waxed warm for future fight on t'.e lattlefields of life. I thank God I was ther . A’ eleven o’clock on Sabbath the Bishop preached the funeral sermon of Father Wil liam , one of the pioneers of Methodism in Texa3. The text was Rev. 20th ch. and 14th verse, and then followed what? Well, I shall not say much about it. I can’t, but as the heroic deeds of the gallant, pious dead, passed in review before the minds of the vast weeping audience, any other life than that of a devoted pious min ister of Jesus seemed too insignificant for a moment’s thought. A gentleman present, who had been a soldier, and had wreathed his name with laurels plucked from the bloody hand of war, said as he left the house: “How insignifi cant does my whole life appear when com pared to that of a Williams.” The Bishop is highly encouraged and full of hope for the future. He says that all the preachers of the Conferences he has held are determined, by God’s grace, to suffer and endure, through storm and sunshine, want and destitution, as good soldiers of Christ, and make lull proof of their minis try ; in a word, that the spirit of our Itin erant system is almost up to that of the fathers. I know that some who came to Marshall, thinking it would be impossible for them to travel next year, have conse crated themselves afresh to God and His work. jj£ May God bless these heroes, ana make them more abundantly fruitful this year than ever before. I will add that the col lection on Sabbath for the support of super annuated and worn out preachers, their widows and orphans, was something the rise of two hundred dollars, I think. Clouds lower, muttering thunders, foreboding dis aster and ruin, make the political future gloomy indeed, but “The Lord reigne*h, le’t the earth rejoice.’’ “The earth is le Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” Let n« get close under Jehovah's wing into the secret place of the Most High. We have a kingdom which shall never be moved. Are we not ready to suffer if need be ? There is no excuse for delay, if the clouds lower, or the wind blow, we must sow the word of God. The voice of our commission ever rings in our ears: “Go preach my gospel to every oreature, and lo I am with you always even to the end.’’ PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. Sttos from ttje Cjmrrljts. Culloden Circuit, Ga., Conference- Mr. Editor : —The 4th quarterly meet ing for this circuit closed on last Sabbath. But two or three more appointments to fill and the labors of the Conference year will have closed. It has been a year of labor, but in many respects a pleasant one. The preachers have labored together in harmony, and in parts of the circuit the Churches have been bless ed. More than 40 whites have joined the Church. In Culloden we had a gracious meeting which resulted in the conversion and addi tion to the Church of an interesting class of young people. It is said to have been the best meeting they have had there for many years. The genuineness of this work of grace may be seen in the blameless lives of these young people. At Macedonia, there has been a gracious influence for months in the Church and among the people, and at no time during the year, has it been more manifest than at the present. When we meet them to wor ship, we feel that it is refreshing to be with them. But the most remarkable display of di vine power that we have ever witnessed was realized at Bethel Church during the first daysin October. The meeting commenced on Friday and continued until the next Thurs day. From the first hour, the services were unusually solemn, and each hour increased the interest until the last day. On the sec ond d:»y, the Church was greatly blessed, and from that time there was a mind to work, and souls were converted in every prayer meeting, while awakening power was felt throughout the surrounding country". The people came out in crowds; among them, some who seldom go to the house of God. On Wednesday night, while Brother Wesley Smith was preaching, the Holy Ghost descended suddenly on preacher and people in such power, that the whole con gregation moved from their seat simultan eously—some rejoicing, some weeping and crying for mercy, while others fell on the floor. For hours the work went on above or beyond the supervision of the ministers; and many were the shouts of triumph among those whose spirits had been washed during the heavenly shower. There were some manifestations at the Bethel meeting, that remind us of the scenes recorded of the day of Pentecost.— An effort to describe them would fail to give a correct impression of the facts. For a time it was a delightful place, and yet it, was awful beyond description. Imagine a congregation bending under the mighty power of diviue grace, and that power at tended by the visible rays of divine glory, and you will have something of the idea as it was realized on the occasion. The remark has been made again and again, “I never saw the like before, I never expect to see the like again." One of those who participated in the labors of the meet ing, says he lived more in one week, than he had lived in a whole year before. Brother Cook has wisely and tenderly su pervised the interests of the colored Church in the bounds of the circuit. A quarterly conference has been organized for their benefit, and suitable men licensed to preach and exhort, and two of their preachers have been recommended to the Annual Confer ence for deacon’s orders. We hope they will be useful. Our Missionary and Conference collec tions will be light. It is a source of regret, just at this time when the money is so much needed. The universal complaint is, “no money and no bread." The interests ot the Advocate have not been forgotten* But our people do not take it. The question with them is, how can I afford it ? To you and to others the diffi culty might seem easy of solution, but to many hardtiraes afford a very broad apology for many delinquencies. May the Lord bless them and give them more grace, and more zeal. John M. Bright. Culloden, Nov , 13/A. Rich Hill Circuit, S. C. Conference. The Rev. Y. A. Sharpe writes: This is the Southern half of the old Spartanburg circuit, set off at the last Conference, and I am glad to say it is doing well. We have had good meeting at several places, particu larly at Antioch, Zion and Bivingsville, re sulting in the addition of more than one hundred to the Church, white and colored. The members have been greatly revived and strengthened, as God in mercy has been with us, to convict and convert. The peo ple here are not unmindful of the preacher’s temporal wants, and in the midst of “hard times" he gets a living. Sylvania Circuit, Ga. Conference. The Rev. J. M. Stokes writes: God has blessed us greatly ou this circuit. We can count about 80 conversions and 60 acces sions to the Church, among the whites, and nearly 200 among the colored people Many backsliders have been reclaimed, and the Church, generally, has been revived.— We have 13 S. Schools which promise a large harvest to the Church in future days. Macon, Ga., Friday, November 30, 1866. Class meetings are growing in favor with the people. Many new family altars have been erected. The members, generally, are willing to do their duty so far as they are able. The Church meetings are invaluable. Whilst we see much to be done, yet we have great reason to bless the Lord, and call upon “all that is within us to bless His holy name.” Union Circuit, Montgomery Cons. Mr. Editor: This Circuit is Southeast of the city of Montgomery, and has ten ap pointments, five of which are in Pike coun ty, four in Montgomery county, and one in Macon county. It embraces some excellent lands, and several little villages, and some most worthy citizens. It is in many re spects an inviting, but quite a laborious field of labor for a minister. The writer labored under considerable disability in being ap pointed to this charge, as he had a very large and helpless family, no home of bis own, and no parsonage on the circuit, nor could a suitable house be had on the work ; but a house off the charge was rented, and he commenced his labors the first Sabbath in December. On the second Sabbath in Jan uary, his colleague, C. A. King, joined him on the circuit, and the fourth Sabbath in this month (November) we close our la bors for the year. One of us has labored full twelve months and the other about eleven months. We have labored every Saturday and Sunday, and two Fridays in each month, filling stated appointments, serving ten white and eight colored congre gations. We have held eight protracted meetings, embracing from a week to two weeks, and as the result of our labors the spirituality of the membership of the Church has been improved, and one hundred and seventy five whites and over one hundred colored members have been added. We have had eight Sabbath schools in operation, with some three hundred and fifty children receiving Sabbath-school instruction, and between thirty and forty of them have been converted. The Church Meetings were in augurated at some of the appointments be fore they were adopted by the General Con ference, and at all the others since their adoption, and they are doing well, and will accomplish much good. The finances of the circuit are coming up very well. The pastors will receive a fair support, and the* people have remembered them with some substantial donations. The year has been one of harmony be tween the pastors and the people of this charge, and their affection for each other has been increased and intensified, and they would be pleased to live and labor together another year. James W. Shores. Orion , Ala., Nov. 21, 1866. Statesboro Circuit, Ga. Conference. Mr. Editor: I have good news to write you again. I have just closed a meeting of nine days, continuance. I believe it sur passed any thing I ever saw for the deep ness of the work and the genuineness of the conversions The meeting embraced the quarterly conference, and Bro. Anthony failed to come on account of ill health. So I had to battle it out alcne. But Jesus was with us. I cannot tell the number of con versions, the number was greater than the occasions, and many perhaps will join the Churches; thirty-one was added to our Church. I want to tell you one circum stance because it shows how much good may be done by following the impression of the Spirit. A lady, no matter who, while filled with the Spirit, went out and took a sinner by the hand and led him into the altar and stayed by him and wept over him till he found peace in believing. The devil sent a horse thief here to steal a horse the night before the meeting closed, and he escaped with his prize, confusing the whole vicinity for a time, but the next night we rallied and prayed to God not to let this kill our meeting, and such power divine I never saw displayed before, considering the size of the audience. We protracted the meeting at Linion 6 days, but the devil whipped us, though 9 colored persons joined the Church. Some people in this neighborhood are preju diced against me, because I am a Methodist and oppose dancing, and as soon as our meeting began to increase in interest and their children to come to the altar weeping, they rallied their powers and kept them away from God. It is well known that Bul loch is the stronghold of Hard-shellism; but it is dyiDg out even here. They have some peculiarities of which doubtless you know nothing. They have a little sprinkling of Quakerism in them. One old preacher has not said a word in his own Church in two years, waiting for the Spirit to move him. I did not intend writing so much, but I could not help it. I believe I shall yet leave my work in a revival blaze. W. T. McMichael. Christian Advocate. IMPROPER RECREATIONS. It is not to be supposed that because dancing, theatres, and the like, are not spe cifically forbidden in the General Rules, or in any other part of the old Methodist Discip line, that therefore Mr. Wesley and the other fathers of Methodism looked with len iency upon those amusements. They would have as readily excluded persons from the “So ciety” for going to balls and theatres, if they would ~v 3 reformed, as any AL.^odist miuioter would exclude such offends fLOjp the Church at the present day. In various parts of his writings, Mr. Wesley de nounces those diversions with great energy, though with his characteristic discrimination. In his sermon on the More Excellent Way, he has this passage 1. We have seen what is the ‘-'more ex cellent way’’ of ordering our conversation, as well as our business. But we cannot be al ways intent upon business; both our bodies and minds require some relaxation. We need intervals of diversion from business.— It will be necessary to be very explicit upon this head, as it is a point which has been much misunderstood. 2. Diversions are of various kinds. Some are almost peculiar to men, as the sports of the field : hunting, shooting, fishing, where in not many women (I should say ladies) are concerned. Others are indifferently used by persons of both sexes, some of which are of a more public nature; as races, masquerades, plays, assemblies, balls.— Others are chiefly used in private houses ; as cards, dancing, and music; to we add, the reading of plays, novels, romances, newspapers, and fashionable poetry. 3. Some diversions, indeed, which were formerly in great request, are now fallen into disrepute. The nobility and gentry, in England at least, seem totally to disregard the once fashionable diversion of hawking; and the vulgar themselves are no longer di verted, by men hacking and hewing each other in pieces at broad swoid. The noble game of quarter staff, likewise, is now exer cised by very few. Yea, cudgeling has lost its honor, even in Wales itself. Bear-bait ing also is now very seldom seen, and bull baiting not very often. And it seems cock fighting would totally cease in England, were it not for two or three right honorable patrons. 4. It is not needful to say anything more of these foul remains of Gothic barbarity. than that they are a reproach, not only to all religion, but even to human nature. One would not pass so severe a censure on the sports of the field. Let those who have nothing better to do, still run foxes and hares out of breath. Neither need much be said about horse-races, till some man of sense will undertake to defend them. It seems a great deal more may be said in defense of seeing a serious tragedy. I could not do it with a clear conscience; at least not in an English theatre, the sink of all profaneness and debauchery; but possibly others can.— I cannot say quite so much for balls or as semblies, which, though more reputable than masquerades, yet must be allowed by all impartial persons to have exactly the same tendency. So undoubtedly have all public dancings. And the same tendency they must have, unless the same caution ob tained among modern Christians which was observed among the ancient heathens. — With them, men and women never danced together, but always in separate rooms. — This was always observed in ancient Greece, and for several ages at Rome, where a wo man dancing in company with men would have at once been set down for a prostitute Os playiug at cards, I say the same as of seeing plays. I could not do it with a clear conscience But lam not obliged to pass any sentence on those that are otherwise minded, I leave them to their cwn Master: to him let them stand or fall. 5. But supposing these, as well as the reading of plays, novels, newspapers, and the like, to be quite innocent diversions, yet are there not more excellent ways of diverting themselves for those that love or fear God? Would men of fortune divert themselves in the open air ? They may do it by culti vating and improving their lands, by plant ing their ground, by laying out, carrying on, and perfecting their gardens and orchards. At other times they may visit and converse with the most serious and sensible of their neighbors ; or they may visit the sick, the poor, the widowed, and the fatherless in their affliction. Do they desire to divert themselves in the house ? They may read useful history, pious and elegant poetry, or several branches of natural philosophy. If you have time, you may divert yourself by music, and perhaps by philosophical experi ments. But above all, when you have once learned the use of prayer, you will find, that as “That which yields or fills All space, the ambient air, wide interfused Embraces round this florid earth:” so will this; till through every space of life it be interfused with all your employments, and wherever you are, whatever you do, em brace you on every side. Then you will be able to say boldly:— “With me no melancholy void, No moment lingers unemployed Or unimproved below; My weariness of life is gone, Who live to serve my God alone, And only Jesus know.” It is very clear from the foregoing, that though Mr. Wesley did not condemn danc ing, etc., as sin, per se, and would not deny that any one might be a Christian, who un der any circumstances indulged in those diversions, yet he shows us a more excellent way of seeking recreation, and by persuad ing us to walk in it, he seeks to substitute all inclination to such frivolities by that spirit* E - R D-. editor Whole Num>> 0< s, ~12 ual appetency which aerizes all those who are born of the Spirit, and are led by him. He would have us test the expulsive power of a contrary and superior passion. In a letter written the same year in which he organized the Methodist Episeopal Church in America, to Miss Bishop, who it would seem had offended some of the “pat rons’’ of her school by refusing to teach them dancing, so that they for r ':tne with held their patrona j says: _ “It seems God j? u - uas already de cided the question coGAerning dancing. He hath showu his approi ation of your conduct, by sending those children to you again. If dancing be not evil in itself, yet it leads young women to numberless evils. And the hazard of these on the one side, seems far to overbalance the little inconveniences on the other. Therefore, thus much may oer tainly be said, You have chosen the more excellent way.” As it is not easy to draw the line between innocent dancing and that which is not in nocent, Mr. Wesley recommends entire ab stinence from it, though he was not willing to proscribe every one who danced under any circumstances. This is the reason, perhaps, that he did not specify dancing in the General Rules. The fathers of Meth odism determined in each particular case, whether it was sinful, and so involving ex pulsion, or dangerous in its tendency, and so calling for counsel, remonstrance, or re buke. It is very certain that persons were excluded for dancing as readily before 1858, when the word dancing was put into the Discipline, as they have been since; and there has been far more complaint about “dancing Methodists” since that time than there was before; as if when the law came —in that form—sin revived, and the people danced. We fear there has been too much depen* dencc upon disciplinary technicalities—spe cific statutes —to prevent or cure various evils which infest the Church; and too little painstaking, pastoral attention, to those who are exposed to temptation. Go to the young people, hear their statements, rebut their arguments, inform their ignorance, show unto them a more excellent way, and encourage them to walk in it. Use all dili gence, and have due patience; and if they are under gracious influence and yield to it, they will abandon those silly frivolities ; but if otherwise, they will in nine cases out of ten save you the trouble of formal excommu nication, by going back into the world where they belong, or into other communions where they can enjoy their dancing privi leges. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the truly Wesleyan, or rather scriptural, way of meeting this case. You have gained but little when you have extorted a promise that your people will notdance or go to theatres, etc., unless you have put them in the way of realizing true pleasure. Mere dry, legal negations will not do. You must see that they have substantial, positive delights; they must enjoy relic/ion. This is finely developed in one of Charles Wesley’s Watch-Night IlytnDs, with which, as many of our readers may not have seen it, we close this paper. INNOCENT DIVERSIONS. Come let us anew Our pleasures pursue : For Christian delight The day is too short; let us borr )w the night. Iu sanctified joy Each moment employ, To Jesus’ praise, And spend, and be spent iu the triumph of grace. The slaves of excess, Their senses to please Whole nights can bestow, And on in a circle of riot they go : Poor prodigals, they The night, into day 13y revelings turn, And all the restraints of sobriety scorn. The drunkards proclaim At midnight their shame Their sacrifice bring, And loud to the praise of their master they sing: The hellish desires Which. Satan inspires, In sonnets they breathe, And shouting descend to the mansions of death. The civiler crowd In theatres proud, Acknowledge his power, And Satan in nightly assemblies adore : To the masque and the ball They fly at his call; Or iu pleasure excel, And chant in a grove* to the harpers of hell. And shall we not sing Our Master and King While men are at rest, With Jesus admitted at midnight to feast? Here only we may With innocence stay, The enjoyment improves, And abide at the banquet of Jesus’ love. In Him is bestowed The spiritual food, The manna divine, And Jesus’ love is far better than wine : With joy we receive The blessing, and give By day and by night, All thanks to the Source of our endless delight. ‘ ■ * ■' ■ Our concert of praise To Jesus we raise, And all the night long, Continue the new evange ieal song : We dance to the fame Os Jesus’ name ; The joy it imparts Is heaven begun in our musical hearts. Thus, thus we bestow Our moments below, And singing remove, With all the redeemed to the Zion above ; There, there shall we stand With our harps ia our hand, Interrupted no more, And eternally sing, and rejoice, and adore. *Ranelagh’s Gardens, Vaux hall, etc.