Newspaper Page Text
146
3 "tlbfrn Cbristha
MAtJON. GE'JP '^ ;a gRpT 1() 186!)
Tilt*
.ewafrom the Churches.
rr^v
E liior is for one time set a*ide by
'ilhcorr- spondents. Doubtlees hi* readers
wish this ae'e more frequently the case,
and we heartily sympathise with them.
We give up our own columns this week to
get in the news from the recent revivals
and District meetings Even now, we
find no room for tlie tirifflu District- meet
ing -tlie re|»orts from which have just
come to baud, and must lie over till next
Week.
We like to be the herald of such news
as we tell this week resjieeting the pro
gress of the work of God. Let those who
see it prosperiug. impart to us the facts.
D > not fear over crowding us. If we find
it o*cessary, to make room for every body,
we can condense, as we have freely done
this week, in several instances.
Conference Boundaries.
A movement Is on foot to unite the two
Alabama Conferences, and then to divide
again, by running a line east and west—
thus forming a North and .South Alabama
C inference We find the following -ta'e
nieut in the New Orleans Clnistiaii Ad
vocate, from the pen of the Rev. 8. P.
Kiehardson :
There w’ere several ministers present
from the Montgomery and Mobile Con
lereliecs at the CoimlietlCenieiii of theCeli
tei ary College, they held an iuf.nuja!
meeting end discussed the importance, in
case certain changes should occur, of re
uniting tlie two Conferences The meet
ing was then auj >urned to meet at the
commencement at Greenst) >r--, where a
lager number of niinisteia was expected
to ne present. Tliere were uresent live of
the presiding eldi-rs, ami maoy of tiie
prominent preachers ot the Conference.
The meeting was again organized, and in
view of ilie fact that a general sen'iuient
prevails throughout all the Conferences
to confine Conference bounds to Slate
lines, and I lie probability iliat the next
Geneiai Conference would so order it,, it
was considered certain that in that event
tlie Mobile Conference would lose that,
jia't of her Conference now in the State
of Miseiss'ppi, wh cli they would be very
lotl l to give up. and Could only consent, to
do so by yielding to tlie necessity of a
great principle.
To timely meet these proba'de eoidin
gencies, a ul with a view to the good of
ti e whole c urcti iu Alabama, as »e I as
tie Sister Conferences interested. Dr.
Mitchell and myself were appointed a
committee to confer wiih the next nnet
ingof the Moti'gomery Confere cennthe
| ropriely of a tetllliou of Ihe two Con
iVreiices —provided such chances should
occur—with a view, in the future, to a di
vision by moiling a line eas 1 and Mis'
As to where such line should lie located
tlie meeting made no suggestions. But
as I travel extensivi ly in both Confer
eno-s. an 1 have an opportunity of learn
ing the views of tiie brethren therein, I
will simply state what tlie general opili
ion Is a< 1.0 wuere me line should run or
he located : Running east and west,
leaving Montgomery, Auburn and Tus
Uegee in lliesouiu. securing to that Con
ference the mile and female colleges in
the eastern part of the State; leaving
S-d na. Greensboro, Opel ka and Sum ner
lisd in the north, securing to that Con
ference those colleges iu the western part
of I lie .Vale.
This lin • would le ;vc eighteen stations
in the south..and seventeen in the north.
At present the sou ill would Pave much
the advantage an l liirtncially would per
Imps, always he much lii • strongest Con
f-reuce; but such a division would be
aboil on a line with the line dividing the
i ieorgi \ Coufereiicss. and would make two
large, influential Conferences. -As I fie
railroad lines are now ami others that aie
in ing > on-irueted, such a division would
he must, convenient to all (tallies,
D -ath of Rev. Peter Djub, D D.
A letter from Itev. VV. Barringer to the
It heigh Episc ipal Methodist, slates that
this venerable member of i fit* North Caio
liua Conference died on 24Hi August, at
Greensboro, N. C. His,lnalth had been
and -dining for some mouths, ami his dea h
was not unexpected. The writer says:
Dr. Doub was horn in the county of
Stokes (now Sorsyth) on tlie 12(.h of
March, 17!H>. was converted at Ward’s
camp ground, to October, 1817, was re
ccivetf into the Virginia Conference early
in tlie year 18i8 since which time, his
history is almost, ill- history of the chinch
in tins (.art of tlie M *tnodist. connection.
He sustained during his life aluiosi every
reiniion in tlie church known to Meilio
d'-m: circuit, and sa in tied picador.
Presiding E der, member of tlie Gene al
t'o IVrei.ce, a number of times Trustee oi
our male an-' female colleges, and at the
lime »f his death was Professor of Biblical
Lilera'tire ill Trinity Cohege. Iu all i 10-se
depirun nts lie was intelligent, ftiihfiii
and inll icntial. Asa (ireactier lie was
eminent, and successful and frequently
ovei whelming, such was the divine une
tloii that attended his ministry. He Was
n good man. full of faith and tlie lid)
Ghost, and many were added to thechurch
through hi- instrumental! y His travels
were extensive and Ills labors immense
For upward- of tis y years he has traveled
and preached from one end of the Coutel'-
ence to the other. IDs life has been oue of
great usefulness. His end was such in
might li tv- been anticipated. During his
long, protracted iliness, lie was me> k,
pitient and iiucomplaiiiing. His mind
was clear an I unclouded to tlie last. Al
most with Ins last dying gasp, lie signiri, and
that lie reposed with perfect confidence
upon the elficacv of the atonement of
Christ and felt that all was well Teh
til brethn nos tlie Conference, said he to
Dr Rent, tlie day be'ore lie died, ‘’that if
1 sm alive, I am working my way to the
skies, if I am dead. I am alive” He
leaves an aged companion, three children,
and many friends, but while they mourn
iiis neatli, tliere is great Comfort til reil ct
ing on his useful life and glorious end. Thus
has passed away t<» his reward oue of our
oldest and most i. fluential ministers. He
was one of -lie few among us, connecting
ns with thep st generation of Methodists.
L-t us cherish his memory, follow his e\-
anipie. and may our fast end be like his.
1 could say much more but he was well
and extensively known to tlie church,
with whom Ins memory will be precious.
Death cf Dr. Robert J. Boyd
Another of the fathers iu the South
Carolina Conference lias t.een called from
labor to rest. Dr. Robert J. Boyd has for
years filled au important place iu that
body, and lias been several limes a mem
her of llie General Conference. He was
long a faithful and etttcient Presiding
Ehhr, universally beloved by liis breth
ren, and iiisdea’b will be a great loss to
bis Conference, from whom so many
venerable men have been removed in tlie
last three years. We get the sad intelli
pence iu a brief note from tlie Rev. Thomas
Mitchell, dated Marion, S. C., 4th Septem
ber 1569
Dear Brother Myers: I have only a
moment before the departure of the mail,
to inform you of the death of our dear
brother. Rev R J. Boyd. Presiding El
derofthis District. It p eased God to
grant his release on last uight, 21 in-t.,
wit bout a pain or struggle. He lias been
a great .-utf-rer. ami lias kept his soul in
patience H s illness was of several
months’ duration. During the day yis
ttr.iay, his mind was flighty, but was in
the midst of old friends—sister Bass, of
Cokeshury aud others—and he was ap
parently communing with the saints who
had gone before. About 11 p. it. he en
tered his rest.
A Brief Note from Rev. W. R. Bran
ham, informs us that Emory College has
opened with flittering prospects. There
are several meetings of great interest
around Oxford. Bishop Andrew’s only
son and a graudson —a sou of Dr. R. \V.
Lovett— have >-een converted. This news
will ciieer the heart of the venerable
Bisfiop, who we learn is at home in feeble
health. May his son and namesake take
his place on the walls of Ziou.
Another Rispo.nse —Tlie Rev. R W.
Dixon s. nds from his Sunday school, iu
Americtis, $lO in respond to Dr. Mim
■ey’s appeal for motley from each sohoo),
to help liquidate the missionary debt.
This school has already paid this rear,
$-.0 f r ihe China Mission. Bro. D. says,
ad we heartily second the a* n lment: “I
wish out Church will wi|>e out that old
debt, by paying It at once.”
The Aug cut a District-meeting.—
The report from this meeting, found in
this week’s paper, was delayed, as the
Kecre ary informs us, partly because of
ids engagements, partly because of husi
n-ss —but principally,beemseof a gracious
revival meeting in Sparta. where be re
sides, which continued, day and night,
for over two weeks. It reached u« In time
for Inst week’s issue, but not before enough
"copy” I a-l been given out to compositors
to cause another week’s delay.
Carresponiuntt.
The Augusta Distriot Meeting.
i The Augusta District Me-ting conven
; cd in Miliedeeville ou 8a uiday morning,
Jul 24 Is, 1869. slid was opem-d hy Rev.
VV H. Potter. P. E.. who preached the iu
i tro Inctory sermon on Friday night, and
pie id-ul over tlie meeting until the arrival
i of B stop Pierce ou S.tuid.y evening.
| Fifty Deegate* were present aud duly en
inlied. VVeWf-re happy to see and wel
i cone-s visit ii g brethren, Dr. E H Myers,
I Editor Kou*hern Christian Advocate, aid
idr J. M. 800 ut il, Pierideut VV. F. Col
.leg-.
Un motion, the following subjects were
referred Inappropriate commit ees for con
sideration and report: 1 Btate of the
Cnurch. 2. Sunday Schools 3 Periodi
cals 4. Ailmioietraliou of Discipline.
o Parsonages. 8. Camp Mee.iu/». 7
r-upportef the Ministry. 8 Ctiurch Ex
lensiou. it < >ur Re atious to the Colored
People 10. Education.
The condition of tiie Church in this
Distiict may best tie seen by reference to
i tie report-, a bi ief summary each of which
is liere appended
I lie committee on the Hiate of the
Church cons idem its spiritual coiidhinn as
primary in importance. While aspii iiual
church will supp rt its ministry, build up
and sust in Sabbath schools, encourage
education and court h liteiature, and alt
other inter.sts that lielong to a living
.membership, all thea- may be done with
out ihe Hue spirit of religion Spiiiitiali
t y incessuiily involves eurnestne s, relig
ious devofidnees, 'heconslaut exercise of
iliegr at pnncip es of Love, Faith and
Obedience. These are iis highest tests.
-in pe- pie have very much to attain in
these respects, but from tbe indications,
they are improving, progressing—strug- ,
cling to rebuild the waste plaues of our]
/mu. Nei tier preacher nor people are [
ti amel ss, else greater signs would f-llow.
Church \lee ings are a success where pas
tor- have seen.in it tiiat their peop e at
leiid them Among the signs of ameud
in-nt are tiie return of some to family
worsliip and a recurring t bdency to the
old landmarks of Methodism. I lie revival
■ i 'ln- camp me* ting spirit, <lie tendeuev
t ‘ -ing our old revival so igs, aud preach
lUroul revival sermons”
The report eoncl ide*: "We believe tlie
t de i's rising, wi i h it taken at its flood t>v
t he mini.-try and meinbeisaip will e'latde
Met hndt-ni, under God, to achieve great * r
victories titan graced iier anna h iu the
palmy days of Asbury, Whi etield aud the
VVesleys "
Tlie coiumittee on Education, after call
ing attention to the high merit of our in
stitutions iu Georgia and the duty of
MeUioili-is to fo-ter and patron z« them
aliove al oiltcs, rr sets t> the istallii-ii
meiitofa Di-trict school of iiigh grade
the Imre suggestion of which has inspired
enlhu-iasm iu is behalf. As to localiiy,
tlie committee say, they have had refei red
to them the tender of the Sparta Male
a <1 Female Academy, iu thorough repair,
by the tru-teesof the Ins itution, with the
pledge of material aid iu erecliug auolber
house should it become necessary, and
urae tlie selection of that place and tiie
■iceep'unce of that offer, because Sparta
oilers more advantages thun any oilier lo
cation in the District, superadtled to which
is ill- fuc l that it was the birth-place of
Georgia Metho Msin, and has ever been
t tie nursery of educational enterprise. A
mixed school j» recommended at once l<>
tie super ede I by separate schools, for
males and females, whenever practicable
—its man g*meut to devolve on a B >ard
of Commissi. ner j , sixteen in number,
representing ail tiie ciiarges iu tlie Dis
trict, who are empowered with authority
to inaugurate and continue this important
cn erpiise.
The committee on Administration of
Disc plilie, say. —“No organization can
hie w il.oul wholes- me laws and tl-eir
wise • nfmi emeiii Our Discipline is hut
• ' emb 'diluent of tiie commands of God
scattered through Ins written word, or
ea-i y dedocihle therefrom Among the
violations of the Discipliue standing
prominently forward, aie the neglect or
refusal o' many of our members to com
mem-irate our L>r i’s death, to bring up
their children in the nurture and admo
nitiou of the Lord, anil a tendency to
conform to maxims an l practices of ih
world at varia .ee with our rules, aud
nurifu to mail’s souls To our divinely
appointed guides is specially committed
the enforcement of our laws, but the
membership have uu important work to
do in as-istaiice and co-operaliou These
rules should lie enforced in tlie spirit o
kindness and tenderness, hut also witli
proper firm:.ess, aud especitlly where
milder measures are unavailing to aocouis
plisli t'.e end desired.”
The committee on the Support of the
Ministry, "see no good reason *hy there
-tiioul I tie any fai ore iu this important
duty, and yet, while some charge* have
set a good example in this resject.it is
painful to know tnere are others in ar
rears They hope that the membership
will soon learn to r gard tile discharge of
■ his sue*e.l obligation as a gracious privi
lege, not ahuoien*oiue tax. They recoin
. end that tlie preacher be relieved from
taking up any of the Conference coilec
lions hy i lie Board of 8 ewards, who, early
111 the year, should ascertain the total ool
lections to be made tor all Conference pur
poses, and themselves make these coll, c
-1 ions by a system of assessments, and pay
the preacher at least one-half his yearly
allowance the first of the year.”
The Suiiilhv .School Report states 'hat
as this enterprise is the great feeder of the
church, so much the gr ater the need for
careful and tn trough instruction in the
teachiuis of the Bible, and the doctrines
of .Methodism ; anil it recommends a ata
tistical officer and the organization of a
prayer met ting iu each school.
Tne com mil tee ou Church Ex ensinn,
find unoccupied territory iu the lower
(.art of Coliimlda and upper part of Rich
mond ciumies, and reco uiueud the Au
nual Conference to estatiiisli a mission
there. The report congratulates the
church on the success of tile Taliaferro
Missi m, which ha* lieguu its career under
sU< li hope til auspices.
The committee <>n cur Relations to the
colored People, “find those relations as
deli»ied by the last Geuerai Conference,
satisfactory to both classes. They urge
the whiles, when in their power, to he
present with them at their meetiugs, and
aid ill nn m matters of organization and
di.cipline; also to assist them as far as
possible in erecting hous-s of worship, and
warn the brethren to be careful uot to cou
elude that I hey are rid altogether of the
care of their souls b -cause our organiza
tions are separate and independent.’'
I lie cooimiitre oil Periodicals, offer
many solid arguments in bebalf of our
periodicals and general church literature
1 bey regard Method sin as an active ag-n
cy of God for tlie salvatiou of the hutnau
family, and as such should be studied and
com jneiieuded as to ns origin, aims, strug
gles and triumphs. Know edge is its
power. Ignoiauce its baue. In this view
they deplore the tendency among our
people to encourage irreligious, and in
many instances corrupting, literature, to
the neglect of our own. Os the .Southern
Christian Advocate they say, "We legard
iliisasourowu iinmediateorgau, and wish
its inleiestiug and iusiruciive columns
could find their way into every Meihodist
family iu tlie District ; but alas! it only
readies one out of every five. Tney recoin
mend the Biiiimore Episcopal Methodist,
the Sutid y School Visitor, the Little Sol
dier, anew monthly published hy J. W.
Burke & Cos , and that pastors bring this
' imp .rtant matter specially before their
congregations
The Rev. Geo. H. PaHilby chairman of
committee ou Camp Meetings, reported
veiliaily, tiiat tiiree Camp grounds are yet
within tlie Augusta District, with afbors
in good coudiUou. There exist* to a lar_e
extent, the impression that camp meet
ings have become impracticable by reason
of tlie poverty of Ltie people, aili(lhe in
seemity of liie Limes—reasons wii ch were
uot c uclusive to the committee, who per
ceived that (.lie people still had a compe
tency, and could leave home as ever on
pleasure or husiuess. They recomtneut)
a return to these blessed institutions of
Methodism—that small movable tents be
tt-ed—that rxpenstve living and. dressing
be dispensed with—that fn-binn be dis
couraged, and that tbe spitttwaTgood of
Christians and sinners heihe sole corn-id
era'i >n i.ad in view in restoring them
They reminniei and further, that two or
m- re charg.s comhiue for the i uq ..sp iif
securing a greater nun b r of tent-holders.
Tliis rei ort awoke peculiar interest, anil
was tlie occasion of a free interchange of
opinion among tin- delegates, m bo ul.ii<«l
uuaiiimou-ly concurred in its lecomruen
d lions, and we lliink tiie result will lie
the establishment of camp meetings iu
the Augusta Di-trict While the hearts
of ihe delegates were warm with this
theme, Bro Potter read a let'er from
Warrenton, giving acc-unl of a' most
gracious revival in that place.
The following are del. gates elect to the
Animal Conference fr.-m mis District :
Rev R W Hut» rt, Dr W H. Doughty,
F.s. Lmle. Oapt T. 8. Newell.
Alternaie-: Kev. F. P Bio wo W. L.
Jones, M. 8. Medlock, Col. N. C. Bar
nett,
The next. District meeting to be held at
Thomsons
The questions which assumed the great
est importance in th - s meeting wete ihe
orgaiMzoinu of the District nclmols, and
the return t-> camp meetings. Tlie word
was powerfully preached by Bro's. Potter
and Wright, Drs K. H Myers aud Bon
nell, and Bi“iM»|) Pierce to large and at
tentive audieoecs,
F. S. Little, Secretary.
Tbs Columbus D strict-Meetlng,
Convened at Buena VisiaCamp Ground
Aug 25th, 1869, under the presidency of
the R-v R B Lester P. E
II P Leouard waselected Secretary,and
Rev. H. P. Myers assistant. Jntroduclo
ry sermon preached l.y Rev. H. D. Moore.
There were ninety one delegates in at
tendance, and all the circuits, missions,
and stations iu Hie District were repre
sented. Among the visiting brethren who
added tiy their presence, speecnes aud ser
inons. to tlie interest of tiie meeting, were
Dr-. Key and Bonneli, Revs. J H. Sis
trunk and Clias. L. Hayes, Gen. Colquitt,
ami otliers.
From the commencement of tiie meet
ing to its close iu our business sessions, as
well as re igious services, tlie Lord favored
us with His presence. Truly it was tbe
• Feast «.f Tabernacles.”
Kev. T. T. Christian, and tlie Secretaries
were appointed a Committee to prepare
for publication ill tiie Advoca’e, arepnit
of tbe proceedings of the meeting. In
the performance of that duty we will
abridge as much as possible, giving only
such portions of i lie proceedings as may
be of general interest.
The Committee <>h ti eSta'eo'theChurcli
r*pnrre I tlie spiritual condition of our
/ion within the bounds of tiie District to
be in an improving coud'tion —in many
r. spects very favorable. Tbe i formation
elicited from tlie r. ports of pastors, how
ever showed i tie beee.-sily fora still great
er improvi ment.
'1 tie Commit ee most earnestly recom
mend a greater a tenliou to. ami attend
ance i]|ion class meetings, prayer meetings
llie sacrament of the Loro’s Supper, and
.lie baptism of infants The neglect ol
there impo riant duties is greatly deplored
It was unanimously re.-olved,
• That as mmistets aud members of tlie
Church, we wil s’tive in ali pioper ways,
to correct tlie evil- alluded to, and thus
seek to bring back the Cburch to Wesley
uii Metbodism ”
Tbe Committee on Sunday schools re
port "an increased interest and decided
improvement.” The leport was an able
one, and while we should like to see it
published entire, we w ill content ourselves
hy presenting ttie following recommenda
tions contained in it:
1. “Tha 1 each school procure a good li
brary, black board aud maps for the use
of tbe school ”
2 "Thai in view of this great interest,
(-ahbath-scliools.) we recommend our
delegates to ttie next Annual onferetiee,
to memorialize t lint body in authorize each
Sabbath sch.ml to tie represented in the
District-meetings wiili oue delegate.”
3 "Tiiat, io cooai.ieiation of tlie great
good accomplished l.y the holding of Sun
day-school Di-urict Conventions, we rec
ommend a full attendance ou the Conven
tion to be held iu Taluotiou ou the Ist of
tlav. 187(1 ”
We bi-d an utile report on Finance. We
Can only hope that ii may do good. We
extract tbe following from tie leport:
‘•Tne_ Bstile clearly makes it tlie duty of
everyone, however poor in this world’s
goods, to io .tubule something. If but tiie
mite of ti e poo* widow ; and your Com
mittee think it hardly a debatable question
whether anyoneban tie a true Christian
wlm refuses or neglects to give something
torfieCliarcli, and wo- tl Hi - steward finds
such an one, lie sltoul i be reported to the
Chur-Hi, aim l.y it be regard'd unworthy
of iis communion.” * * * The Coiumittee
recommends "t he assessment plan” asthe
best iliat lias been tiieil for tlie support of
tiie mini-try and urges tlie s ewards every
where to adopt it work up.toit -ud there
by do away wiili Uie “bad pracin e v. Inch
prevails of boiling Til'll, quartet|y meet
1 igs ' where, with tony faces ami many
excusei for our uufai hfuluess. and i-uiii
p'ui ing at our brethren, we mm our
(.readier loose upon llie world without a
dollar in Ins pocket.”
The Committee on Church Literature
ami Sou'lieru Christian Advocate, made a
highly gratifying report. O irs are" last
becoming a reading people. Our Church
literature is being circulated, while our
religious papers are being liberally patron
ized Tlie Committee recommend to every
Meihudist lumily, the Southern Christian
Advocate, especially, and, that it may
have a more general circulation, the fol
lowing re-o tition was adopted aud we
hope it wlil be carried out,
"Resolved, Tiiat. tlie boards of stewards
of tlie circuits and stations of this District
be requeued to resolve themselves into so
many agents for Hie Southern Christian
Advocate, aud in their official vi.-itings
from house to house, urge the people to
suhsc'ibe to that or some other publicati >n
of our Church so as to supply their fami
lies with sound Christian instruet'on.”
The Committee further recommend that
our people supply themselves with di-eip
lii-es, hymn books, Wesley’s sermons, aud
other famil ar standard r.-ligious books.
Ou M ssions. Cburch Extension and re
al rang meut of tne work, the Committee
made au elaborate and interesting report.
We h ive enlarged our borders and the yet
waste (> aces within the bounds of the
D strict are nejng carefully sought out,
Tiie Committee "endorae and recom
mend our Foreign Missions to the love
p’-ayersaud eon Dilutions, of all our peo
ple, aud !>l-o urges again upon all our
i-liargescompliance witli our Annual Con
f-reiice plan as to mode aud time for col
lectiug missionary money, and. tiie more
particularly from the fact, that the plan
lias worked so well the present year. In
all chutches where it has beea fully
tested.”
The Committee ou Parsouages recom
in. u<l i hat "permanent hornet* tie procured
for our preachers in every charge.” Tbe
proposition for a District Parsonage met
wiili great unanimiry. The following res
solution was uuaiiiuioualv adopted :
" Resolved, Tiiat a Committee, consist
ing of one front each charge in the Colum
bus District, beappoioted to raise money,
select a location aud purchase a District
Parsonage. ” The following brethren
were appointed that Committee: John A
Frazier, H W Verstillo, L M Diggers, I)
Lumpkin, Tlios Dixon, T M Bailey R H
Leouard. J M Mob! y, C M Lowe, j Gard
ner, Rev R Omniums. J.o Searcy.fi G
Bailor.l, T R Lawson. G M Venable
On the fidiicaHonal Interests of the
Church, the report of the Committee is
highly interesting. We extract as fol
lows :
"Within the bounds of the District
tliere are two institutions of learning,,
under the fostering care of the Church,
viz : ColliiiswortU Instit he, aud LeVert
College. We lie-ire to call special atten
tion lo one fact in the history of ‘Collins
worth liistiiute.’ hot generally known,
aud which fact should make it a matter of
peculiar interest to our t hureli. We al
lude to tlie faet, that its original design
was for the benefit of Methodism, an.i that
in its original deed it was e-p.cially stipu
lated that it should be kept for school pur ;
poses and under the care of the Methodist
tdiurch. In all its subsequent changes
thin fact ha» been understood anti
-nized. U is, therefore, the legSUmaie i.il
epring or tile Cnurch, anil as sue , as well
as for tlie go >d influence it lias exerted iu
behalf of our Church ands r its proent
nigh grade of scholarship, and good diss
cipliue, it .well deserv s ttie liberaf patron
age of our people and the he'arry co oper
ation of the Methodists of this District.”
“L Vert College, under the presidency of
Rev H D Moore, we learn, is ti) be ten
dered as a deed of gift to Hie South Ga.
Conference, at its ensuing ses ioti. Froth
the present spirit manifested Iu behalf of
the College and contemplated imprqvo
iiient>, we way reasonably expect increas
ed patronaee aud a brighter day for the
LeVert College. To realize this Wti wftmld
ask for the College ah Immediate
worthy of its present Faculty, with full as ■
souTTumisr Christian advocate.
surance frrm its present prospects, that it
will in every sense meet tbe demands of
its natrons
“We would sugee t >o this body that an
ail vis ry Board, of not less than five, be
appointed to attend the exainina'ions and
other public cwrcpseu of these two insti
tutions. atid report at‘ the next District
meeting
“Outsideof the District we would ca'lat
tentiuu, u> our hqioved institutions, Euui-
Ty Cqllexe aiid tb«i We-te an Female Col
lege. V\ e would especially urge upon our
people tiie importance of endowing these
institutions upon thesitnnle and f-a-ihle
(.lan which whs presented by Gen. Col
quitt, in hi- sp-eeb befoie this bony, in
i.eni.lf of Emory Colieye, and let Melbo
and sm have two Colleges in the Btate free
and unembarrassed in their operations,
» quat to a»*y Tir-ail ih« facilities for educa
ting, and .•oi|*ss-e<i by none m Ihe benevo
lence of its degfgn in ntfering these advan
tages to ail t'fsm terms reasonable, and
w thin the range of ihe great mass of the
pe *tile.”
The -Corom'dtee on Local Ministers,
presented a good report and-reoom memied
the following resttlutiou which was ad
.ped:
IteetAoed, That we petition the General
Conference to piescrit** h Cnnr-e of Btudy
for ih- I >.-al ministry, and that a board of
examination be created in each charge for
tiie examination r>f loeal ti.’iit-ters on
their studies, ai Dually, at the 2 I quarterly
C. m feiviree. .
On Temperance, it was resolved, “that
we u-e nur influence,our precept, and ex
ample to iii.tuce tlie mem iters of our
Churelt to atis.ain from the dietihation,
sale or use of intoxb atiug liquors, excefit
ill esses of necessity *’
d'lie religious interests of the colored
people was properly looked after.
Tbe following are the D legates elected
to the Annual Conference : Dr M Wood
ruff! LK, W 8 Wallace, It"K Leonard. J
M Mobley. Alternaies; itev W B Merritt,
E E Uaiford, T J Watt. N I) Guerry.
Tho Spartanburg District Meeting
Mr. Editor: This mee’iug convened at
Rtulierf rdmu. N. C„ August 19th, ISO 9,
at 9 o’clock, am., Rev. It. I*. Franks, P.
ti.. iu llie ciiair.
Enough was re(Kirted, said and done of
deei<led interest to till y>>u paper But I
reineipb r that tliere are other District
M-etings, equally as important and inter
esUug as our own, aud will be brief.
Tiie organization of tlie meeting was
auspiciously pieceded hy an appropriate
ami impressive sermon by Rev. Wliite
fooril Siuitli, D D.
Conuuiliees weie appointed on Ktate of
tiie Church—Sabbath Bcho >hi Educaiiou
'diasions-Fniai.ee —Cl.uicli Lueraiure,
Church l’rdperty and Nominal ions.
Ihe various t-tations. Circuits and Mis
si ns were failed, and tlie preacheis iu
charge and stewards, resfiectively re. ort
ed, and the reports served a-a basis for the
report ou tlie ntute of I lie Church.
The committee reported, that in look
ing over tlie whole ti-dd, they' are pleased
to state that tliere has been a general ad
vancement of the various interests of tlie
church in our District since last year.
VVhile they rejoice iu this general ad
vancement, they report, with iegret, tiiat
thechurch is iiegliceLt in most important
duti.s. The sumnFitg up of their delib
erations is found iu the following resolu
tions. viz :
Resolved. That we earnestly recom
mend to all our people a m re diligent
study and faithful nh.-ervanee of the Gen
eral It lies ordained by Mr. Wesley, and
contained in tlie Book of Discipline, for
the spiritual guidauceaud direction of his
fopowers.
Resolved That we will particularly urge
all our people to the duty of family relig
ion ami to attend to a I tlie prudential
means of gra.-e in our cburch.
hesolved That the sacrament of tlie
Lord’s Buppei he administered to every
Congregation at least once in every quar
ter, aud all our members he urged to par
take thereof, and that they likewise he
encouraged to dedicate liieir children to
Cnrisi in holy baptism.
R s lived, That tlie members of our
church be affec'innately eutrtaied to ab
stain from ail sititul amusements, aud in
cases of persistent indulgence therein, tiiat
llie order of ihe church iu relation to the
same tie faithfully executed.
I lie comini tee on Sunday Kchoo's re
ported that the number of Bnnd»y schools
is less than ihe number of cougrega
tinns
They recommend that when it is neces
sary to suspend the school sessions at tlie
Oimic.il. tiiat two or more families meet at
some central dwelling house and keep up
tlie lessons in tois manner during tlie sea
son of cold weath-r and bad roads. They
recommend tiiat suitable anil willing Sun
day school leaehers or Superintendents
be sought out by the pastor ot quarterly
conference, ami requested to visit tlie ijjf
ferent congiegatioiis it, behalf of Sunday
-schools.
They specially hope that at our next
meeting no pastor will repeat the signifi
cant and tmlaneholy statement made hy
several in our hearing at this time: "Tiie
children are willing to come to Sunday
schools but our people will not teach
them!”
The committee on Nominations recom
mend the following as lay delegates lo the
next session of ihe r*. C. Conference to tie
held in Cheraw, 8. C., woo were unani
mously elected : Rev C. B B'aril S Bubo,
Dr. J H. Gilkey, T. A. Carlis'e Al'er
uates : Rev. W. D. I.ee, R. N T . Littlejohn,
Col. Johu McDowell aud Dr. J. H.
Dogan.
Tliecommittee on Finance, say, that in
the advancement of knowledge, virtue
and true religion, God condescends to co
opera'e with man. and demands tiiat man
co-operate with Him He who withholds
from tlie church whatever conscience,
duty, and the plain teaching* oi Scripture
demand for the suppo'tof tlie Gosjiel in
its varied interests, will be held to a strict
account in the film! day. they recoin
mend the financial plan proposed by tbelay
tneii of the last S. I'. Conference. (See plan
a* pub istied in Advocate and Minutes of
Conference.) To make this plan effective
they projmse tiiat our jireacliers on liieir
respeclive stations aud circuits be r- ques
ted to preach one or more sermon* on the
sufj *ct of systematic benevolence, in
•which tlie obligation, duly, and benefits
of giving to the cause of religion and edu
cation, may lie fully stated and enforced,
and tse various interests of tlie church
may be presented and explained.
That the principle of rotation in office
lie at lop ed in ihe appointment of boards
of stewards To aecomjili-li this, anew
hoard may lie ch 'Seii annually, or at tlie
*-X(iiraiiou f every,six or twelve months,
one-hallo one-four h of ilie incumbenls
in ty retire from office, and their jdaces
rtl ed hy new t.pp lintments. Thus, after
a peiiod of years, every properly qualified
male member of tile church will have
-e .ved lit- term become acquainted with
the H lanciai operations of the clnirch,
identified iiitnse f wi.li its various inter
ests, felt the tuil tesjionsibiliry of the obli
gati- ns resting npou him, and will have
learned the blessed privilege of giving.
'They recommend to jiarent-and teach
ers the important duty of trainiug up
children! to coil ribnte weekly to ttie va
ri ius enterprises of the church. Train
them to give, and you will so in raise up a
host of pious financiers, thoroughly in
structed and full of zeal, a. noble hand of
stewards for Christ and His church.
In iHe rep >ri on Educa ion, it Is said,
that the support of our institutions of
learning, is a matter of vital importance
to the countiy and the .church. Our col
leges are regard da* the parents of our
common schools, and are of prim- impor
tance to their successful opera:ion. The
rates bf tuition iu our colleges are neces
sarily so low as uot to meet their current
exjtenses. This is true of ail firsi-class
corporate colleges. The S. C Conference
has now only two colleges in operation
W.fford, for our son*, and Dtvenport, for
our daughters. These are heartily recoin
m.tided to the liberal patronage of the
church.
With its endowment well nigh swept
away by the late war, Wofford College
looks to the geheTnu* support of our
churchtomeet curreut expenses. With the
high standard of sciioia ship it offers rare
advantages for securing a liberal educa
tion. But this Is not all. The moral and
religions influence of the college is such
that nearly all who euter its hall*, not
only learn human wisdom, but that wis
dom which maketh wise unto salvation.
About of the students of
Ibb' year have received their tuition free of
charge, which reduces tlie salaries of the
Professors iriarcriaHy. I he college, how
ever, is nnembarrasHed by d.bt.
The committee recommend that each
official fhemWr.nf till* District Meeting
he instructed to lay "before our congrega
tions the claims of Wofford Collevo aud
urge immediate relief.
The cbmmtrtee presented the subject of
ao .Educated, Ministry, .fnd recommend
ed tifat (lie Presiding (Dltier bf this Distinct
and ,the preacher in charge of Bpartan
bUrg station, constitute a committee to re
ceive atjil acttiptan applications for aid
rfbrfl Those'whii ate endeavoring to pre
pare themselves for the ministry in our
church without adequate means of doing
so When th j necessary amount has been
ascertained, they will notify pas ors of
the District of the amount required from
j their respective ciiarges aud when these
; amounts are collected, ibey will be placed
in the hands of said committee for dis
bursement.
By order of th“ District meeting the re*
port of the committee on Church Litera
ture w'ill be sent to you for publication
Marion, N ()., wasselected for the place
of holding our next District M-eting.
i The results of this m-eting cannot be
! gathered from a cold abs ract from its
i journal. It was a decid-d success. We
had a large attends, ce. Among these was
an unusually large share of sanedfied tal
ent and intelligent zeal. Above all, tlie
Holy (spirit was present with quickening
and comforting power. The hearts of ail
melted anil flowed together.
Tlie love feast on Sunday morning was
superior to anything *>f tlie kind that we
have witnessed for many years The in
terest increased to the last moment, and
the meeiing was protracted. Out l esteem
ed Sunday School Agent, R-v Samuel
Lesrd. was with us at and contributed to the
in'erest of tiie ocra-inn. The meeting is
'ndeb'ed in a large degree for its snceess to
Rev. J. \V, Kelly of Laurens rirettit He
! came to us with his big heart ful: of fail ii,
love ami zeal, which he h is tlie happy art
ofc .mniuuicsting to others.
The Facn'ty of Wofford was ably repre
sented by Drs. -hipp and 8 oitli. and Pro
f-sso's Les’er, DuPre and Carlisle Their
services were invaluaole. The church
does not know how much she owes to i liese
laborious,self-sacrificing men. Killed wi'h
! a zeal for God and the church of their
! choice, some of them visit ail tlie District
; meetings in our conference, and by their
| labors, united wisdom and pravers, con
I tribute largely to .he succe-s of Methodism
iin Kou'h Carolina. Let this Inet. tn'inn,
1 rep’e pitted l.y such men, be appreciated
i aud supported bv our whoiechuruh.
-A J. Bnikes, ) Secretaries
R M. Littlejohn, | Secretaries.
Nacoociiec and its Surroundings—
No. in.
[ The discovery of gold herein IS2B, was
| an e|>och iu the history of this quiet mourn.
I tain people. Those who owned a few
| forty acre lota dreamed of golden fortunes
j —many of wlii.di were never realiz-d.
Tlie excitement was greatly increased
j by tiie Uiscoveiy of a lump of gold in a
j neighboring State, weighing 28 pounds.
It is not an uncommon occurrence here,
I to find pieces webbing front one to three
1 pounds. People fl .eked to this new El
' D .rado from all sectious of the country.
Even the meat Calhoun did not escape
j li.e prevailing epidemic. Your correa
: poiideot, then a small boy. knew every
I bye path through the mountains, and to
| him was assigned the honor of piloting
| tlie Carolina Statesman to Ynnab, tlie
j mines, and other places of ititeiest,. It
was tiie .tear the "abominable” tariff act
i was passed, and about ihe time Mr Cal
! houn resigned his position as Vice Presi-
I dent under the hero of New Orleans.
Mr. Caihoun was at Nacoocliee when
! tlie-news was received that, South Car >li
j naßiad “nullified.” I shall never forget
i lio-w much he was excited. He would
J walk tlie floor for hours in tiie deepest
j meditation, frequently passing his long
I fingers nervously through ills hair, which
stood a'most ere. tou ills head. The great
mind of Calhoun penetrated the future;
he saw that the political even's which
wete then transpiring, North and South,
would result eitiier in a dissolution of the
j Federal Union, or a desolating civil war.
Mr. Calhoun seemed to dread the one as
i much as the other. VVhile he regarded
I many acts of Congress as odious, unjust,
| aud oppressive to the Son ill, yet lie was
not at tiiat time in favor of a dissolution of
tlie Union. He stood firiu.y upon tlie
Constitution handed down to us hy our
forefatliers
The political fever, however, had not
taken so entire possession of the great
Carolina hlatesmau, as iliat he should es
cape the gold mania. He had studied po
litical economy enough to know tiiat gold
was tlie only true representative of all
values, aud tiie great leveler of distiuc
tiona.
It was tlie custom of tlie miners and
speculators who had “deposites”or "veins”
tor sale, to prepare them for "testing ”
Mjf father warned Mr Calhoun against
of hand, practiced by many o.
those Wall Street adventurers But tlie
man who was wouderiully wise in polities
aud bonk-, heeded not tlie advice, and was
a child iu tile clutches of the rude miners.
To be certain tha. there was no decep
tion, Mr. Calhoun would seieci a piece of
ground uniouvbed by the spade, staud by
ands. e the small trees removed, ilien the
earth, until the gravel and slate was readi
ed, which was washed before our eyes. If
unluckily they did not succeed in finding
gold, not a few were unscrupulous enough
to have it concealed about ilieir persons,
which was hy the sleight of hand transfer
red into tile pans. Tins was what was
failed "saltine,” and tliere were not a lew
victims to this mode of “cornering ”
Mr Caihoun paid ten thousand do.lars
for a mine not worth as many hundred
He, however, purchased a vein of ore,
winch proved t> he of immense value.—
1 he gold wasembedded in astraiaof rocks,
aud ihere could be no deception pc .diced
iu such mines.
Bince toat day th. re have been great im
prove aenis in working the mines. The
old boxes and log troughs have given
place to the hydraulic ptocei-s, aud alt tlie
latest improvements in machinery have
been introduced.
The Naeoocbee Hydraulic Mining Com
pany was e-lablistied just before ltie iate
waV, mainly by enterprising .New Eng
landers.
The water is carried in a canal twelve
mi es in length, which cost some forty
thousand dollars.
Tlie canal ha< its source in tlie Blue
Ridge und is carried on tile side of the
mountain. With its branches which
spread out ou tlie ridges, thousands of
acres of laud can be irrigated aud washed.
Deposites and veins of gold ex'erid the
euliie leogili of i lie canal and its branch
es. Tiie Nacooeliee company own and
have under 1-ase 8001) acres of the best
turning ground in Georgia. It is surpris
ing to see with what force tlie water pass
es through the pipes', washing, down ihe
hills almost as eu-ily as if they were so
many hanks of snow.
Few persons fully comprehend the pow
er ands rce of water. Such streams as
(>a-s through the Aacoochee canal if al
lowed to flow down the side of the loitiest
mountain unobstructed by rocks wou and
iu a short time level it with (he Valley.
A friend of mine who had charge of one
of tlie aqueducts came near b iug buried
a’ive. Au old tunnel which had been dug
many years ago was peuctrated by water
from tlie canai which had been gradually
un termiuiug tlie inouniaiu for days. My
fneud heard au unusual roaring, aud saw
tlie forest trees near him begin to shake,
and the earth to quiver, then followed a
loud cra*h. The trees an 1 ground were
swallowed in ail immense chasm. He
nad just left the sjiot that disappeared for
ever.
When and how tlie rich dejiosiles and
gold bearing rocks were formed is a moot
ed question between learned geologists
who nave given much attention to tiiis
interesting branch of science. Dr. M. F.
btejibeusou, one of the most experienced
miners in the South,and a gentleman of
more than ordinary intelligence, in a re
ceut communication upon the subject of
"segregated gO/d veins,” writes:
‘‘When I lie 'Youaii Mountain and Blue
Ridge for 900 miles were eh-vatetl, tlie true
veins were formed, winch made tile pla
cers or deposites at Richardson’s mine,
and on ttie mountain near Dean’s Cabin ;
and also at the Loud mine aud Polosi
mine, etc.’ All of which veins are and
will be found to traverse or cross the strata,
proving that they were made afier the
stratified rocks were hardened, and hy
their upheaval w-re figured, aud tiiose
fissures filled with silica and gold, iron,
etc., which, upon cooling, formed the fis
sure veins,someof which have been found
ed, aud those at Naeoocbee will, be found,
whenever the company abandon the ab
smd theory of Prof. Blake, and adopt ttie
only rational one of recent voio.uiic action
for it is an axiom that massive gold itt
never found iu a “ segregated vein,” nor
smooth nggets. Wh, ? H-cause the gold,
by segregation in silica becomes ragged
and rough, wheu tiiat from a volcanic
Vein, with oxide of iron, cols off in a
matrix which leaves it smooth, as If
»ater worn. These are facts which are
predicated on the immutable laws of
Chemistry and God, aud cannot be suc
cessfully contradicted The vein which
formed, by decomposition, .he Richard
son mine—the McGhee mine, where the
Company are now finding the large nug
gets, was formed when tlie Yonah Moun
tain was upheaved aud is a cross vein,
or what is technically called a true or JU
sure vein, and runs near Richardson's
house to the Dean hill on the McGhee lot,
in a north westw&rdly direction. Tills is
proved by the ravines, which all yield
similar n'uggets where they cross this line
of vein—kud also by the volcanic rock 1
which intrudes—ail proves a fissure to
exist,and when found, like the Loud mine,
will prove to be worth millions; for fis
sure veins always improve iu size and
quality. ”
Tliere is more gold in “Nacooehee and
its surroundings," than there is in tlie
vaults of all the banks in the United
Btees. How much if will cost to remove
It from its present snug depositee remains
to be seen.
The expense of mining, since the intro
duction of improved machinery, is great
ly reduced, w itit the use of cauals and
pipe-, one man can do tlie work of a .loz
eu under the old process. The result is
tiiat mines are now worked at a profit
wh ch were abandoned years ago I see
no rea-on why fortunes should inn. he
reahz and by those who are engaged in min
ing under the «taliforuia sysiein.
The best Valley lamia here command
S-oO per acre. Tlie proprietors sell wi'h
great reluclance. as they do not know in
pirting with a ten acre lot, but that they
sell a gold mine worth a hundred thou
sand doilms.
I have a nugget of gold weighing five
eighths of a pound, which was picked up
by my brother, Col E. P. Williams, in a
Held near his residence. This gold lias
been ploughed over for many years and
was brought lo light by a hard washing
rain. ou can scarcely sink a pit in these
bills and va’ieys without fiudmg particies
of gold.
When a little boy I got the gold fever
up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, an 1 pre
vailed on my father to embark in mining.
To my great delight he promised to bo
giuiqiera ions next morning. That uight,
visions* .f gold d-zzed my wakeful eyes.
I was impatient that morning should
co ie. At the break of day, I was with
my father iu tlie barn yard He ordered
me to put the p ow liarne-son "Old Dick,”
a favorite horse he brought from N. Caro-.
Una.
In a short time Dick was harnessed,
and I was directed to hitch him to the
plow ! I thought this anew mode of
“gold digging,” but as my father’s orders
were never questioned, I silently obeyed.
My father selected a broad coru field, in
winch he initiated me into the mysteries
of mil.ing. t'arrying me to the field, he
said ‘ Now George, you see the coru be
fore you, plow four furrows carefully be
tween eacti row This field is a sure gold
mine —one tiiat has never tailed me. We
will make coru to sell to those men who
spend all their t me hunting for gold."
I followed “Old Dick” And my father’s
orders to the let'er. VV lieu ihe hard day's
work was over, I took for supper a hearty
meal of rye mush and milk, I was too
tired and practical that night to dream.
B> morning tlie gold fever was cured. I
UaVe never had a return of it.
G. VV. VV.
Lettap from South Cirolina-
Mr. Editor: I have thought that per
sons traveling on cars were not very com
petent judges of the state of crops, aud
that harm was often done by their state
inetits. I have just taken a ride of about
one hundred miles, from near Columbia
to Cokesbuiy. South Carolina, and, w.tb
a very few exceptions, have never seen
such a poor a Oornjcrop. The
late severe drought and excessive hot
weather, have materially injured ttie cot
ton crop I did not confine my observa
tion to the tra -t of country immediately
ou tlie road, but passed through the adja
cent country from three different points,
so tiiat at this late season l give it as my
opinion, tiiat the coni is a failure, and not,
more than from one-half to two thirds of
a cotton crop cao be realized. Rut I did
not intend to write for ail agricultural
journal.
I was at Cokeshury four days of “the
week of prayer,” heard tlie Rev. Mr.
Capers, the pastor, preach two most ex
cellent ser ons, Rev. Manning Brown,
two, and Rev. Joel Townsend, one, after
Hie old Methodist pre otters' style. I
heard tlie latter preach thirty-five years
ago. He is still zealous, and preaches just
like lie did then, plain, forcible and un
compromising. 1 had never heard Mr.
Capers since his first year—was reminded
of liis veuerabief ilher, particularly while
singingoue of r ose old fas homed Metho
dist hj ulus. I think someone was once
asked "in what does oratory consist?" and
answered, action. I should not be sur
prised were lie to answer, emphasis. Mr.
Blown spares neither saint ..or siuuer—
seems to give each “his portion iu due sea
son.”
1 also attended tiie third quarterly meet
ing of the F.-tii field Circuit, and for the
first time heard the Presiding Elder of
the Columbia District. He is a strong
preacher, plain and forcible, verysystem
a-ic, lud 01, a M-thodist preacher, not
withstanding tlie cha .ges, innovations
and Ilia like that have taken place since I
was a boy. In reviewing tlie preachers,
sermons etc., I Can say we have had Paul
and Apollos aud Cephas during the
week of prayer.
A good work was going on at Cokeshury
and also in Fairfield Circuit, of which
you may hear more anou. These are pre
emus seasons, and r hope they will he an
nually ob-erved, by Dot only the Metho
dists, hut all religious denomination-—the
nearest to camp-meetings we now have.
Do away with (eld usages or customs if
you choose, substitute new ones if you
may— modernize ns you please, and call all
an improvement; hut my desire is to hold
fast to all good old usages, and add all
new Letter ones. I cou and, Mr Editor, add
much tiiat might be encouraging to Hie
Cnurch, hut I believe others may acquaint
you more particularly. Ides re to be
considered No-Critic.
Letter from Americus.
Mr. Editor Tlie last Nashville Advo
cate is freighted with revival intelligence.
Who is not glad to see four closely printed
columns filled wi’h such "News from tlie
Chinches.” Hers are Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Alabama, and I'exas, ail testifying
to the majesty and march of an uugowued
unordained, unchurched Methodism—all
proclaiming God's presence with a minis
try ready to preach the gospel at the grand
centres of commerce, and yet eager toout
strip steam, liirlitniug ami wealth, and,
apostle like, publish salvation to the dis
tant and poor.
Who can estimate the light, logic, pow
er, spiritual aggrandisement enclosed iu
a revival envelope? It is to the closet
and pulpit what a smile is to a patient, a
harvest to a husbandman, a victory to au
army. It silences croaking, drives away
doubt and despondency, strengthens the
feeble knees, and hurls a victorious col
umn against an already repealing foe.
Itepoits of revivals are to the sinful
and skeptic what Burke's Weekly is to
the children. As the latter quit (heir
spurts when tbe Weekly enters, so tlie
former turn away from Church Hi-tories
aud dogmatic discussions and gather creed
and church conclusions from revival (ire
mi-es. The world, as ii is, is sensible.
Now and then it may seem to give a ver
dict in favor of a communion whose min
istrv knows nolhingof the new birth, and
whose exclusive ciaitns are bolstered by
the arrogance arid effrontery that origina
ted them—but ibis verdict is only appa
rent. Sometimes a sinner’s sense may be
swept awny by a flood of flattery and pre
tensions, aud, one thinking probably ‘I
may reach a higher respectability,” be
comes intoxicated and entrapped by the
excessive cry of “the Church.” But this
is not usual. The musses can and do read
genuine revivals, and are indoctrinated
and sobered by th- m.
If Methodism is revived, and published,
we have nothing to fear. Revived and
advertised, the masses will see in her the
real works of an apostolic church
Who does not know that the church,
though spiced and sauced with succession
and confirmation, actually lives on tiie
remnants of Methodism? that our back
slidmgs furnish her breakfast, dinner and
tea ?
Let us i-pply the only efficient remedy
and eflects will follow. Many a musty
discourse (oil the church of course) will he
grate ul for a little repose. Some pulpits
will send forth strange, yet sweet gospel
sounds. Aud Iu the meantime, the think
ing masses will apply the proper scripmr
al iest, “by their fruits ye shall know
them.” Auy braggart can come to a city,
boast of Ills outfit and agricultural skill,
but a shrewd old farmer, not unacquaint
ed with the boaster's empty barns, will
take time to listen and to smile.
Once more, I join you in calling upon
tlie brethren to wr-te. A candfeou a can
dlestiek glveth light unto all tiiat are in
tlie house. To allow fear, indolence, ex
ces-ive modesty to conceal the light is to
rob the house—to live to and through our
selves. We must abolish the bushel. The
children of light must study those of this
world. There is power in printer’s ink.
Revivals must be advertised. The tri
umph of truth, salvation of souls, the
gl -ry of God demand it.
Take the Americus District, and flow
much might be said for our encourage
ment. Bros. Rents and Stewart could
tell you of a work beginnings Ogi .-tliorpe
anal extending quite around ttie circuit.
Happy year. Bro. McKtbben could write
of a Sunday school revival and fouror five
ppeoiotis meetings in the Bethel cl. Bro.
Speiglit might speak of strong accessions
to the Siarkville mission. Bro. Cook will
■ay, the Lord has dono great things for
Cuihbert. And so, pastor iu tbe
District can cheer the entire church with
the news of believers Idessed, souls con
verted, and Societies strengthened.
A secular (taper of Savannah, extolling
a prelate of another Church sa\B, “in iit
tle more than a year lie lias planted
churches in nearly every section of tlie
State. ” Had ‘ city” substituted "section”
the Editor would have been nearer to the
mark. Tiie pielale has p'anted a Church
iu one city of rt.-West Georgia Immense
tracts are still unoccupied. Sc'iley. Web
ster, Stewart, Randolph, Terrell, L~e,
D'«i y. Worth Irwin, Mitchell, and other
counties, swarm with souls deorived of
the sacraments through tlie tardiness of
"the only true Church." People at a dis
tance will lie surprised to leani that, after
all the putting, the little Americas District
compared wn n all ih • (ire a e's diocese has
about twice as many churches and nearly
double the number of c.>in ouuicants. L-t
us hope that the increase of population
and State aid to R. Roads, will carry the
Church to those now sitting in the region
aud li slow of death
Some time ..gotheseruiarpress trumpeted
a brilliant dancing par'y. Ii was at the
hospitable mansion of a distinguished
Methodist. So far every pen is still. At
the risk f being called “fogy,” “fiilibus
ter,” or “fire eater,” I break tlie silence
anil pronounce these diversions tiu-Meth
odistic, at war will) gospel sobriety, at va
riance wit ti our church vows, arid as far
from th • spirit of Jesus ns Georgia is from
Senegambia Now, sir, I havehigti regard
for uiauy whose theory differs from mine;
bur, witli me, dancing Methodism is a dis
counted, declining one. What are we to
do? Will we ever act ? Will we begin at
the rlirht place? Or will tlie General, An
nual. Quarterly Conferences and Societies
still favor concessions, and hy concesaions
gradually turn over a demoralized mem
bership to the devil and other commun
ions? I see but one door of escape. The
EpUcopaoy carry tlie key.
Yours, conscientiously,
J. ii. McUkuek.
Sept, la t, ISG9.
The Columbus District-Meeting.
Well, Mr. Editor, in compliance with
the priestly call, we all went up on the
twenty fifth day of tiie eighth month to
t lie consecrated ground in Marion county,
to “have a solemn a-setlibly, an hulyeonvo
caliou unto ih- Lord!” Sureenougli there
was a "wilderness” of several miles in
breadth to he paw-ed through in order to
resell tiie holy place, well ea'culated to
remind us that it was through a wilder
ness our fal tiers toiled to reach (lie prom
ised land. On arriving at tlie place, there
were llie booths, more than a dozen in
number, presenting their lowly fronts
around tiie large and admirable preach
ing-slalld. On! what recollections tided
our souls as we entered tlie consecrated
square and sought our diff.-reut places of
a journ! The tall and solemn pines
around might easily be imagined to lie the
sainted spirits of camp-meeting h. roes,
returning lo witness the rekindling of tbe
old fires ou tiie long forsaken altars. Ah,
they might have w. pt at the degenerate
people tiiat were pre-umiiig to imi'xte
them, and perpetuate their work! But
happily, no such saddening, depressing
and unwise letiectious, tilled the minds of
the people They were meeting one an
otner with gladness and sing'eness of
lieart, and with the warm graspitnrs and
greetings which characterize tlie "I«rae|-
i'es indeed, in whom there is no guile.”
Y-t tliere was one saddening fad. In
one corner of llie ground stood a neat a <1
comely cloth tent, erected aceotdmg to
the tie-t style and pattern, hut clo-ed,
silent and lenautless. It looked like a
tomb. On inquiry, it wa- found to be the
lent win.-li was to have been occupied hy
tlie sons of St. Paul’s, but who.-e juiutaud
normal attendance bad teen prevented by
the sudden and alarming iiliie‘-s of »fiat
leader in Israel, Dr. M. Woodruff How
wa- iiis name honored and his value at
iis eil by the unfeigned regret aud sym
pathizing solicitude with which anxious
inquiries were made after him !
The camp mcetiug began ou Wednes
day evening. Tiie Dint riot-meeting whs
organized oil Thursday morning. Tne
two interests, if indeed ihey are two, were
most happily adjusted. There was no
preaching at 8 o’clock, hut the whole fore
noon, up to eleven o’clock, was devoted to
tlie exercises of tlie District-meeting. The
rest ot the day, except a short time given
to husitie-s after iimner was occupied with
llie preaching and its attendant exercises.
This arrangement was found to work well
The District-meeting, so far from being a
drawback 10 tlie camp-tueeling, was a de
cided advantage to it. It collected to
gether a body of ministers and working
laymen, such as no camp-meeting in these
and ys could hope to gather. It aff'.r.led
proper relief oilie mind hy calling for
efforts of a somewhat different character
fr..m worship, aud yet so intimately con
nected with the cause of God, as to feed
tlie faith and love and zeal of all partiei
pa'ing in them, or witnessing them.
Os th- results of the District-meeting,
Mr. Editor, I suppose you will be in
formed officially. Tlie Columbus District
is one of the pattern Districts in our
Church, and its annual synod is the pat
tern of District-meetings.
But llie camp-mee ing—we must meas
ure that l.y another standard. Any lime
that makes up a judgment as to a camp
meeting must bear in mind what camp
mi-etings have been in this country.
Taking all tills into the view, Mr. Editor,
you may rest satisfied that tlie Marmn
camp meeting was a capital meeting. Its
summing up forty or fifty conversions in
but an imperfect index of tlie good that
was done. T lie question was—ls the
Lord among us or not ? And if the an
swer had been given audibly from heaven,
it could not have been more convincing to
tlie brethren there. We had a goodly
number of exceileut preachers tliere; but
in their sermous, untie of them, except.
Dr. Pierc*. was equal to himself; and yet
blessed results followed. Every preach
ing service wound up well. Hearts were
melted, sinners convicted and converted,
and Christians inspired witli those pecu
liar inde-ciiliable feelings tiiat attest the
presence of God.
We have mentioned Dr. Pierce. The
grand old Nestor was present, aud preach
ed twice. Hisseruaou on Friday was ac
companied with a degree of unction far
beyond what those present ever recollect
to have witnessed with him. In simplic
ity, dearness and pathos, it was wonder
ful. Bit whether tlie word came from his
venerable mouth or fioui the quivering
lips of weaker vessels it was all the same.
Tlie people yielded ; crowded into the al
tar, and seemed determined to make that
camp-meeting tlie scene of their spirit
ual nativity.
Oue occasion was peculiarly interesting.
It was tlie last night of the meeting. Af
ter several prayers bad been o ire red, tlie
Presiding Elder called then to order, like
a general reforming his line after one suc
cessful c’.iarge iu order to storiu a higher
battery. He then called upou ail ti.oae
who desired a deeper acquaiutuoce witli
Gnd, and were willing to make then and
there a full consecration to him, to stand
up and slug as be gave out that inimita
ble hymn,
“Oh for a heart to praise my God.”
Tbe scene was verily sublime. A hun
dred brethren, standing as thick as they
could among tlie scores of bowed peuitems.
with voices whose streiiKlli and harmony
told of tiie energy of their desire, many of
them with ouutretche I bauds and uplift
ed eyes, prayed for purity. Could tliere
be a grander s|>ectacle this side of the
heavenly multitude?
Well, so we pa-sed llie four days; bless
aed. blessed day» ! We all left there ex
pectiug to feel tlie strength from that
feast, not for fony ilaysou'y. hut forever.
Mr Editor, we have Itartied better tbau
to repeat tlie unwise request or Peter,
"Let us make tatiernadeS and slay ou the
nmuot.” We will all go to our posts ami
fields of labor for a year ; and llieu we’ll
gatiiei again to the holy ground, to tiie
fn.-e.-t sanctuary And we’ll bring others
with us. We will say come let us remem
ber the worship- of ou r fait tiers. Let us
commemorate by imitation/ -the rustic
simplicity of tlie days wheu the church
was planted and trained iu llie wilder
ness. Let us lay asidelhe wearying forms
of elaborate society, the constraints aud
conventionalities, tbe glare aud oppressive
splendor, aud let us go linek to the plain
dress aud coarse fare, the straw carpets
and the slab-seats, the simple preachiug
and the strung faith of primitive daya.
Let us remember how the Lord led our"
fathers un, and learn to lean upon our
fat'ers’God. J. M. B.
Macon , &pt. 3 d, 1869.
. ' . 1,, ; “ . - ■] ~ |
Summerville Circuit, North Ga. Con
■' forence ~ v -
Mr. Editor: We are nowin the midst
of our protracted meetings. Up to tli s
time, I have “protracted” at three of my
appointments—Ami, Tryou Factory aud
Oak Hill —at each of which, we have beeu
greatly blessed, aoma-fifty having been
added to tbe cburch, aud more tbao tiiat
number converted. At Ami, four of eur
young brethren, Mosely, Conner, Ward-
JV'ol. xxxii. INo. 37
law and McFarland, gave me valuable as
sistance. ihe church lias made a profita
ble investment in tli se you ig tn-n, who
are now at Oxford preparing tor the min
istry. I cannot say to > much for them.
Mav each one of them make a " workman
that need not tie ashamed.”
At every serviee and at each of these
appointments, tlie holy Spirit was j.ower
fully present to own our labors. At Aini
I have npver sen better order or a people
who seemed more to appreciate gos( el
privileges.
Bro. Mosely was also with me at Oak
Hill, full ol work and hap .y. The "au
thorities” at Oxford will (.lease give him
ail extra good mark, even it he was a lit
tle behind lime. "Uncle Berry” was al
so iln-re, a busy workman among tlie
mourners, full ot joy and tears and m my
beany “aniens." Sutti-.o it to say with
referen.'e to Oak Hill. Bro "B >t>” J >nes,
at tiie close, exoresseti himself pert’ etly
sa’i-lied with tin meeting; and "they”
tell me this is an uncommon admission
lor iii m
At Tryon Factory, there was a perfect,
jubihe. For tiree'niglits especially, it e
new and cmno odious In-use of worship
erected" by Judge Allgood for the special
accommodation of tne op -ratives, resound
ed with cries and pr.ai-.ei, vvuiie, until ilia
"small liours” # souls at |>riv.ate houses
were being powerfully ami happily con
verted. During one of 1 lie and tys, even the
Factory itself was fillel witti the holy
Spirit, who witnessed w th -a u i ndsrof
souls. 1 think it but right jost here, to
aa.y of Bin Batlew, an exliorter at this
place, tiiat ha is a man remark ible iu
prayer and exlmrta intis to mourners Ha
was my best helper.
I have y> t six appointments where I
expect ‘big meetings.” Oil! if wo had
more laborers, what might bo accom
plished! Two of our most elll den t local
brethren are too "feeble to render me as
sistance — Bros Bass ami Powill while
iiiifon iinateemb irra-Hinenissurrmindo ti
ers, almost tying their hands for the pres
ent, which well nigh leaves me alone.
This is ah important field, and I beg
the prayers of tlie church iu my future
labors, l't ank Gnd. tiie “L >rd of hosts
is with us ” Jno. A. Reynolds.
Auuu&imh. 1869.
Live Oak, Florida.
This town is shunted at tlie junction of
tlie railmad from Jacksonville io Talla
hassee (in be extended to Pensacola,) wi-fi
tbe road from Savannah, and a company
isorgaiiiz-’d to buildanotuer railroad froiit
here in lain pa, VVeeertui ily have some
grounds tor imping that this "Live Oak’’
may , in its maturity, not ouiy prove equal
to, but far outstrip her coicmpmaiies
bearing mui-li more distinguished names.
A few years since, and this spot was a
dense pine forest, aud timed as "a go and
stand” at which to shoot the deei"cl.used
hy tlie liuuler’s dogs; anti lo designate it,
in puicellitigout.t e various “stands” they
called it "Live Oak,” because tliere stands
a gland old oak ot that species in tlie edge
of a little pond where the deer perhaps
,designed to shelter himself from the
scotching sunshine aud cool his parched
tongue.
Now, however, the pine forest is rapid
ly transforming into pV Its and sil sand
blocks and fit ads, etc ; and like magic,
we suddenly behold llie huiucr. ua lmle
knolls capped with houses of various
sorts and sizes. Some are rougli and un
comely, but tiie most of i hem are neat, and
a number large and handsome Up to
about 1867, there were only two or thr e
houses hete. We now have about filly
dwellings, and in all about fifteen stores,
and quite a numb r of them are large I we
st, ry buildings. Two others are to be
built soon.
This place has b»en recently selected by
tbe vote of llie county (nuwami •*) tin tne
county site. Thus is imparted anew im
pel us to our exei Mohs to enlarge our bo
derifaud improve nur buildings, mid in
crease our expectations
Another enterprise is now on font, cut
eufe ed, if successful, to draw tlie trade,
attract Hie literary, and in ike us a famous
town, if not a city ; and that, is, the Live
O.k Male and Fe nttla Seminary, set on
Toothy a joint stock company composed
us a I nur leading citiz -ns Tne com pa >y
lias secured the services of one of Emory’s
sons, formerly of Macon. He gladti .led
in 1854, with thesecoud honor of his u ass,
and tuts t.een engaged in teaching ever
since, lie sends us tis'iuioniaN from Dr.
Bonneli, Dr Means, Bishop Pierce aud
other distinguished gentlemen 100 nu
merous to mention We must therefore,
believe him to lie "tbe light man in Hie
right place,” and with a large, handsome
two story building for the Heminaiy. I
have faitli to heliuve tiiat lie will soon draw
pa roiiage from ail parts of this State, and
now and then one from our nei.hunts.
Especially does this faitli grow strung,
when I consider the heilthfulness of tbe
locality and the agreeabteness of the cli
mate. Our teacher’s name is J. R. Drake.
Siill another tiling, calculated to do us
good, is the organ tzai ion of a DfVjsion of
the Sons of Tempt ranee. Already drunk
enness is getting to be exceedingly un popu
lar, and Ihe hearts of wives and friends
are made glad by tlie soheiing influence
of tlie "Sons.” We had some i.ad easts,
but they are nearly all cured—or at least,
iu a stale of convalescence.
And last, though not least, we area
church going people. Eveu now we have
two churches and the nucleii of sev. ral
otliers. We kept up a prayer meeting in
theTur.rning and pieacutug ev ry night,
during “the week of prayer” and the
week following it. Tlie results were—
backsliders reclaimed, sinners awakened,
mourners convened, children horn of God
ami tlie older oms advanced to “young
men,” and some, we hope, to “pet feet
men.” Tliere were iu all, twelve names
added to our church roll, and as is gener
ally the case, some to other church reg
isters.
Though, in tiiis revival only one person
was guilty of shouting aloud, yet I am sat
isfied tliav I never saw more solemnity per
vading congregations, and more earnest
ness upon the part of mourners. We had
no "l>ig preachers,” but tire Lord enabled
tlie two local brethren aud myself to
preach in “demonstration of the Spirit,
and witli powei.” Aud, thank God, much,
and i trust, lasting good was done
Tlie first four days of "llie week of
prayer,” I preached twice a day, and tlie
•llier four once a day. Tlie weather was
oppressively hot, and for that reason the
exercise was too severe and threw me into
fever. The brethren came to my help and
ttie meeting went ou until la-i Monday
night, and strange to say, nur lawyers and
doctors are now all members of the church
and enjoying a good hope through grace,
of eternal life. We trust the revival lias
uoi ceased.
Roiiert L. Wiggins.
The Providence Camp-meeting.
This meeting on the Genera ct. Mari
anna-Diet, Montgomery Conference,
closed (1(1 3-1 August, resulting in acces
sions six whiles aud three colored. N >t
withsrandiiitL the ram aud lowering
clouds, quite a numb r assembler! Satur
day anu Salt hath The people for ttie
imi-t part were f oin the "Flats" Ttie
lull people, from Uu y uiuda u ruin >r,
walking up and d> vu in tne earth, were
p.eveuied from attending. ‘ Bay Uo lies
iu oilier mao’s matters ofum-s prove
detrimental in the best of eau-es. But
Gsi snowed hun-telf üble to m ike tiie
wravli ot tuau to praise him aud the re
mainder of wrath to restrain. It was
thought proper, that tiie peop o should
meet after the original order of (J,.mp
meeiings -brush arbor and cloth leuts,
for four days, at Rrovidenee euurcn as
tiiat locality was nearly central and
grounds lav.uable. A nl while from Hi >
scarcity of tlie old cro i, s >me few pious
souls drd; not favor the tueaStire at the be
ginning with that z-al iliat d'.v.-ri inferior
meetings have witnessed; yet b-fire tlie
meetiug closed, they ooutes-ed before
many witnesses, that they were truly glad
tiiat they had come up to assist io the uo.
ble work of budding au arbor for ttie
Lord, aud felt more ttiau paid for the ex
pense aud sacrifice.
It is true, some may think this a
lengthy report for so meagre a nuiuoer of
accessions, "but, the word of G id is not
hound.” As elsewhere there was other
(lersuasious ministered to, and many
heard "not with euticing words of man’s
wisdom,” but "iu demou-tratiou of the
spirit and of power” he gospel as preached
by Methodists. The church, without
doubt, was strengthened -ttie neighbor-
Hiood edified—tlie circuit more strongly
united, uud Methodism received ail im-
IK!tua ill .circle* hitherto strangers to # it.
We had no D.D.’s as tiler camp meetings
have bad; and among the A. M ’s omy a
fe v. Kev. VV. A. Sampey from the Haw
Ridge circuit, with R >tit. Joues and Ba
ker, and exborters Vaughn uud Traw
mell were llie volunteers and did effective
service. Aud iu view of tlie paucity of
preachers doubtless the word, "And lo I
am with you always eveu unto Hie end
of the worth,” was”itie street anchor of tiie
herald, as he tried to point the congrega
tion to the iamb of God that laketh away
the sins of the world.
A Monbob Gillespie.