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leant many in it
any such folly. 'MM
is exceedingly tolerant in
especially when the force of example may
disquiet conscience, and prove the necessity
of conformity. It is so much easier, many
think, to move along the old ruts of travel,
than build new roads, especially if expen
sive. Many are religious because it is re -
proachful to bo otherwise, and to be so at
little cost is an object. Now with these it
is the very acmo of business achievements
to make religion so light and pleasant that
no pressure may be felt at any point, save
one. If there be any groaning in that di
-rectioa- they console themselves with tho
thought “better one suffer than many.”
Micah set great store by religion—wanted
an image, ephod, teraphim, and priest; got
tho last reasonably enough—ten shekels of
silver by the year, (a littlo over $5.00,) a
suit of apparel, and his victuals—and com
fortably thought—“ Now know I that the
Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite
to my priest.” But this did not prevent
his theft, idolatry, pride, and finally ruin.
Men may invent a religion, even make a
god—of course like themselves—and the
less of service and sacrifice he requires the
greater their delight. But the drawback is,
it is false, and as different from the true as
light is from darkness. Men of this class
don't care to look beneath the surface of
things, are offended with any standard of
liberality exceeding their own, count it a
robbery of the poor, and a waste of the
ointment when Jesus is anointed, and are
never so well pleased as when their priest is
as penurious as themselves. They are per
fectly willing he should consecrate all else
to God and their service—drudge like a slave
—and if publicity be avoided, starve, if
need be, but don’t let him give, for by it
their covetousness is rebuked.
Now the religion of Jesus is intended to
correct all this; to make the Church boun
tiful, and implant in all hearts a benevo
lence ns wide-reaching as the universe.
Christ’s religion is to make us Christianlike.
If our hearts are to be like his, the appoint
ed means of making them so must be used,
and the dross disappear before the crucial
flame. If content with a half-hearted con
secration when he requires the whole, we
must be content with an experience of shal
lows when otherwise “our peace might bo
as a river and our righteousness as the
waves of the sea;” content likewise with
the loss of the crown of life. The sin and
selfishness of a diseased nature is intended
to be, yea must be, overcome by the charity
of the Gospel. Failing here all else is
worthless. Tongues of men and angels,
gifts of. prophecy, faith removing moun
tains, bestowing all to feed the poor—yea
martyrdom itself is as nothing. Study its
portraiture by St. Paul: it suffereth long
and is kind, envietb not, vaunteth not itself,
is not puffed up, no unseemly behaviour, no
self-seeking, not easily provoked, thinketh
no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in the
truth, beareth, believeth, liopeth, endureth,
all things.
If your religion takes in this wide sweep
of excellency, can it be enjoyed in any less
than an entire consecration to God ? Can
anything like covetousness survive under its
scorching flame ? Can the minister of God
fail to rebuke that sin lest some should be
offended ? Can he fail to feed the hungry
and clothe the naked lest his own exchequer
suffer ? Can he fail to inculcate the highest
holiness lest men call him a fanatic or fool ?
If he can—then man of God—“ How dwel
eth the love of God in thee ?”
The grand object of Methodism from the
beginning was what ? To build up a great
civil or ecclesiastical commonwealth, rear
cathedrals to be the wonder of ages, en
throne a hierarchy bedizzened with gold?
Oh no, it was to enthrone Christ —“to spread
scriptural holiness over all these lands.”
Has this phrase, repeated so often, lost its
meaning—become a mere catchword, a
rounded period in a speech ? Our fathers
meant what it says—do we ? Not a neo
phyte in the ministry when taking the vows
of God upon him, but responds affirmative
ly to the question, “ Are you groaning after
it?” Does this cease soon after ordination?
If not, why are there so few witnesses to
the truth ? Is not this the point where we
have oftenest been baffled ? A hesitancy as
to what is included in the all to be conse
crated ? A shrinking back from the purity,
or the sacrifice, an attempt to substitute
the blind and the lame for the whole burnt
offering required ? So that instead of the
white vestments of the saints, our religion
is but as a garment of shreds and patches.
I have known a ribbon or an ear jewel be
wilder a sbul for long seeking pardon, but
the sign and symbol of idolatry abandoned,
bewilderment and guilt gave place to joy
and peace in believing. Now with a faith
that will not shrink from this entire conse
cration, before the Lord, all the mountains
of difficulty become a plain. Lay all upon
the altar, and look for the cleansing of the
Great High Priest of our profession, and it
is done. Lay “all," not in the way of pur
chase. God forbid, for never does the soul
feel more the worthlessness of its all than
when the grace of Jesus is magnified in its
salvation.
Alas! that so few comparatively are
preaching, seeking, enjoying this grace.
But shall we be discouraged? God may
have yet “seven thousand who have not
bowed the knee to Baal.” A holy Church
VJ- "r-'-' be
- s ' ! ; ' \' l \ " r on
that it was not
Slu ‘h committees,
so much at present on
could not attend to it.
Walker objected, and wanted
someeolbpromiso.
J. C. Keener moved to discharge the whole
committee.
Dr. Myers sat I that a Pastoral Address to
the entire Church which does not come from
the Chief Pastors of tho Church, is an an
omaly. He was willing to yield to the Bish
ops, but thought it better to discharge the
whole committee.
G. Lester moved as a substitute that the
Bishops be discharged from the active pre
paration of the Address, and that it be sub
mitted to them.
Dr. Keener thought the committee was a
novel thing and that tho Bishops had acted
with propriety in asking to be excused. He
thought the Bishops were fully competent
to prepare their own address, and that tho
appointment of that committee was one of
those things that dropped in accidentally,
without due consideration. He had there
fore moved that the committee be discharged.
Dr. Mitchell moved to lay the substitute
on the table, which motion prevailed.
A. W. Wilson moved an amendment to
Dr. Keener’s motion to discharge the com
mittee and refer the whole matter to the
Episcopacy.
Dr. Keener accepted the amendment which
was put to the Conference and carried.
The following reports from the Standing
Committees were submitted :
Itinerancy, J. E. Edwards, Chairman, Re
port No. 2, as follows :
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ITINERANCY —NO. 11.
The committee has considered the memo
rirl “of the official members of Trinity
Station,” Richmond, Va., asking “for the
abolishment of the office of Presiding Elder,
so far as it relates to tho larger towns and
and the admission of the lay element to the
Bishop's Council, as a part of the appoint
ing power of tho Church,” and recommend
that the General Conference do not concur
in the petition of the memorialists.
The paper, also, signed S. T. Moorman,
Richmond, Va., praying a change in the
number of appointments allowable in a Pre
siding Elder’s District, with other changes
in relation to administration, has been con
sidered, and the committee recommend non
concurrence on tho part of the General Con
ference.
The resolution signed by F. E. Pitts and
L. M. Lee, recommending a change, were
practicable, in our circuits, so as to embrace
four regular appointments with preaching on
Saturday as well as Sunday, with Class-meet
ings, Love-feasts, etc., has been considered,
and the committee recommend that the
General Conference do not concur in the
resolution. J. E. Edwards, Chrmaian.
On motion of L. M. Lee, this Report was
laid on the table.
W. M. Rush, chairman of the Committee
on Books and Periodicals, presented Reports
Nos. 5,6, 7,8, 9, of said committee, which
were adopted, ns follows :
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
RIODICALS-NO. V.
Your committee having had under consid
eration that item in the exhibit of the Agent
of the Publishing House relating to the New
Orleans Depository, would beg leave to re
commend that it be continued under the
supervision of the Publishing House, so
long as it shall be self-sustaining and may
be deemed to be useful to the Church by the
Book Agent.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
Memphis, May 13, 1870.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
RIODICALS—NO. VI.
The committee on Books and Periodicals
report that they do not deem it advisable to
undertake the publication of a weekly news
paper as proposed in the resolution of C. K.
Marshall and A. M. Shipp, referred to them.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
RIODICALS —NO. vn.
The Committee on Books and Periodicals
having had under consideration that portion
of the report of the Agent of the Publish
ing House relating to the Christian Advocate,
and also a resolution of F. W. Earnest and
others, suggesting an enlargement of the
paper to double its present size, and the
election of a corps of not less than three
editors, report for adoption the following
resolutions:
Resolved 1. That the Christian Advocate
ought to be enlarged, and that the enlarge
ment be made so soon as the Agent may
deem it expedient.
2. That the size of the enlarged form be
left to the discretion of the Agent, and the
editorial management, as heretofore, be un
der the charge of one editor.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
RIODICALS —no. vnr.
The Committee on Books and Periodicals
have had referred to them a memorial from
the delegation of the Pacific Conference, in
reference to a series of catechisms for the
children of the Church, and beg leave to
refer the memorial back to the General Con
ference, with the recommendation that it
be referred to the Committee on Sunday
schools.
The committee also recommend the refer
ence to the Committee on Sunday-schools of
so much of the Report of the Agent of the
Publishing House as relates to the Sunday
school Visitor and the proposed publication
of a monthly paper for teachers in Sunday
schools, and an eclectic catalogue of Sunday
school publications.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
RIODICALS —NO. IX.
The Committee on Books and Periodicals,
to whom the subject of Church Architecture
was referred, have considered the same, and
as the result of their deliberations have
adopted the following resolutions :
Resolved 1. That the Book Agent be in
structed to procure, in connection with the
Book Editor, the preparation of a manual
on Church Architecture, adapted to the
wants and character of Southern Methodism,
both in city and country, and particularly
with the view of improvement in the design
and construction of houses of worship, at
comparatively small cost.
2. That the Book Agent publish said
manual, when procured, in a small cheap
volume.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
... HP of the same com
read, and laid
present. They are as
COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
RIODICALS—NO. X.
on Books and Periodicals
had before them the recommendation
of the Agent of the Publishing House to
publish a monthly periodical combining the
features of a Review and Magazine; and
also a resolution offered by P. A. Peterson
end E. H. Myers, proposing a monthly com
bining the features of a Religious Magazine
and a Theological and Literary Review; and
also a paper offered by J. P. Ralls and J.
Mathews, recommending the publication of
a monthly periodical particularly adapted to
the youth of the Church.
Upon the whole subject thus referred
them, the committee report for adoption the
following resolution :
Resolved. That the Agent of the Publish
ing House be authorized and instructed to
publish a monthly Magazine, of high grade,
to be called The Home Circle, of which an
editor shall be appointed, who shall be elect
ed by the General Conference.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
Report No. 11 of the same committee is
as follows:
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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
' RIODICALS—NO. XL
Your committee to whom was referred the
communication of Prof. A. B. Stark, Editor
of the Home Monthly, having'considered the
same, would recommend that the proposi
tion of Prof. Stark be accepted, and that
the Book Agent be authorized to make a
fair and equitable arrangement with Prof.
Starke for his interest in the Home Monthly.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
J. Hamilton, Chairman of the Committee
on Revisal, submitted Report No. 4 of that
committee, as follows :
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON REVISAL —NO. IV.
The Committee on Revisal beg leave to
offer report No 4.
Your committee had under consideration
a memorial from the Montgomery Confer
ence respecting local church organizations,
and do not judge any legislation is required
upon that subject.
They have also considered the resolution
referred to them, signed by N. F. Reid, R.
W. Moran, and W. M. Barringer, proposing
a change in answer 3, to question 4, section
11, chap. 3, page 15, N. A., by striking out
the words, “lost filled by him,” and insert
ing “in which he resides." In this your com
mittee concur.
Also, that the word “other,” in same an
swer, befor the words “quarterly confer
ence,” be stricken ouU
A resolution was referred to the commit
tee, signed by W. P. Harrison and W. J.
Parks, proposing to add the words, “It shall
be the duty of all members of the quarter
ly conference to attend its sessions, unless
providentially hindered,” to chap. 2, sec. 3,
and ques. 1. In this recommendation you
committee do not concur.
The committee had before them a memo
rial from the Baltimore Conference, and
also one from the Jefferson station, Trinity
Conference, proposing a change in the name
of the Church, by striking from it the word
“South.” Both of these papers are report
ed back to the General Conference,- to be
considered in Committee of the whole.
Also, a paper signed by the Delegation of
the North Carolina Conference, proposing
that chapter 2, section 5, page Cl, of the
Discipline be changed, by inserting after
the word “care,” the words, —“or to any
other appropriate work, in which he may be
useful as a minister of the gospel among
us.” This paper is also returned to the
General Conference, with the request that
it be referred to the Committee on Itiner
ancy.
Also, a resolution from the Piedmont sta
tion, Baltimore Conference, requesting that
the right to nominate trustees to fill vacan
cies that may occur in Boards, may be vest
ed by specific legislation, in the preacher in
charge, etc. Your committee are of. the
opinion that no further legislation is neces
sary—section IC, page 19, being sufficiently
explicit.
We recommend that the words, “in joint,”
be stricken out of answer 5, to question 2,
of the same section, (IC.)
The paper signed by H. P. Walker and C.
W. Miller, proposing a change in answer 2
to question 3, in section 3 of chapter 2,
page 61 of the Discipline, is reported back
to the General Conference, with the request
that it be referred to the Committee on Itin
erancy.
The resolution signed by D. R. McAn
nally and others, requesting that the Cate
chism be left out of the Discipline was con
curred in.
A resolution from the South Carolina
Conference, requesting that provision be
made for the election of trustees for district
parsonages, was before the Aimmittee, and
in compliance with it, we recommend the
adoption of the following as answer C to
question 2 in section 16, page 19, (N. A.):
“Trustees of District parsonages shall be
appointed by the District Conferences, upon
nomination by tho Presiding Elder, and
shall be responsible to the quarterly confer
ence of the charge within which the proper
ty may be located.”
All of which is respectfully submitted,
J. Hamilton, Chairman.
Dr. R. S. Moron moved that so much of
the report as recommended reference to the
committee be adopted, which motion pre
vailed.
The rest of the report was laid on the ta
ble under rule.
S. Bobo, chairman of the Committee on
Sunday-schools, submitted report No. 2 of
that committee, which was laid on the table
under the rule. It is as follows :
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SUNDAY-SCHOOLS
—no. n.
Your Committee on Sunday-schools res
pectfully submit, as supplementary to re
port No. 1, in which a Sunday-school Secre
tary was recommended, the following reso
lution :
Resolved, That each Annual Conference
elect a Corresponding Secretary to repre
sent the Sunday-school interests of that Con
ference to the Sunday-school Secretary,
elected by the General Conference.
S. Bobo, Chairman.
S. Bobo submitted report No. 3, of the
same committee, and that portion recom
mending reference to the committee was
adopted, and the rest, on motion of W.
Shapard, was laid on the table. It is as
follows:
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SUNDAY-SCHOOLS
—NO. in.
Your committee submit as their report
No. 3, the following :
Resolved, That we hail with pleasure the
accession to our Sunday-school text-books,
of the Rev. Dr. T. O. Summers’s valuable
Commentaries on the Gospels of Matthew
and Mark, and recommend their use by our
teachers in the preparation of their Sunday
school lessons.
Your committee respectfully return to the
General Conference the resolution from the
Montgomery Annual Conference, asking
that the Discipline prescribe a method for
“organizing and relating the Sunday-school
to the Church,” with the recommendation
that the request be not concurred in by the
General Conference.
Respectfully submitted,
Simpson Bobo, Chairman.
Memphis, May 13, 1870.
Report 4, of the same committee was sub
mitted, and on motion of H. A. C. Walker,
was laid on the table. It is as follows :
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SUNDAY-SCHOOLS
—NO. IV.
Your committee have considered the vari
ous resolutions referred to them as to the
expediency of providing for the election of
Sunday-school Superintendents by the quar
terly conferences, and beg leave to report
that in the judgment of your committee,
such provision is not at this time expedient.
Simpson Bobo, Chairman.
May 13th, 1870.
R. A. Young then called for the report of
the Committee on Itinerancy, which was
made the order of the day for 10 o’clock.
The Secretary then read the Report No.
1, of the Majority, and also the Minority
Report, as previously published.
J. E. Edwards presented the original pa
per, which was read by the Secretary.
R. A. Young moved the adoption of the
Minority Report, which motion was rated
down; on the ground that tho ,5$
port should be considered first.
J. E. Edwards moved to substitute the
Minority Report for the Majority, on the
ground that the Majority Report referred
'only to one single aspect of the question,
while the Minority Report covered the whole
subject: which motion prevailed.
Dr. Young said: I propose to give the
history of this movement at the General
Conference held at New Orleans, for the
special benefit of the clerical and lay mem
bers who were not there, and perhaps did
not take the Daily, or have not seen the
Jouraal. I propose to give this from memo
ry, as well as I can. There was, at that
time, a committee appointed on Changes of
Economy. A resolution was brought m be
fore that committee, recommending an ex
tension of the pastorate; that is, that the
Bishop be allowed to appoint a preacher
one year at a time, so long as he was seen to
be the right man in the right place. "We
had a discussion on this question at night,
and a large majority went for taking out two
years and putting in none at all. This is my
first point: that after mature deliberation it
was by a fine majority that this was carried
The next morning we were waked up by the
fact that there was great dissatisfaction in
this regard on the part of some of the £a
perintendents and prominent members ipf
the Conference, who were jealous of the
very fringes of Methodism, and they sug
gested a reconsideration in order to adopt a
compromise. I believe it was one of the
Virginia delegates, moved that we put four
years instead of two; and told us that if we
moved a consideration, and allowed this
compromise, it would bring us up to this
General Conference, and we could then see
what further change could be made. I
voted for that because I considered it was
done in good faith. They encouraged us to
reconsider, that we might see tho working
of this plan through the coming four years
We stand on the threshold of that time and
that hour. Is there any one Bishop who
will say that this four year rule lias ever
hampered him ? If there is a Bishop whom
this four years’ rule has ever hampered, let
him speak. I have been busying myself to
see, to what extent this four years’ rule has
been carried out; and, as they allege, has
destroyed the Itinerant system. I have
found some Conferences in which not a man
has gone back four years; some in which
but one; and in others two. In Tennessee,
where we have men trained for the ministry,
men capable of staying fully that length of
time, there were only two sent back accord
ing to the four years’ rule. And it is so of
other Conferences. If I thought it would
ever hamper the Bishops, I would vote
against it instantly, and I speak sincerely.
I think the extension of the Pastorate would
have a good effect on the education of our
young men. I throw this out as a seed
thought, to be developed by men more ca
pable of doing it than myself. I think it
would have a good effect on our pastoral
work, and throw this out as another seed
thought. It would have a fine effect on the
clerical manners of our younger brethren. It
would have a fine effect on us in what we
courteously call our studies, and develop the
best talent of -our Church.
W. A. McCarty said : Dr. Young asked if
there was one of the Bishops who could an
swer that the four years rule had ever tram
melled him. In my Conference it has tram
elled them. I know that it trammels the
appointing power.
Another point: it will induce the reading
of sermons. It is easier to read them than
to preach them, and because he can’t preach
it out he will read it out. It will operate
injuriously on the young men of tho Con
ferences, who are on the outposts of tho
Church, and who are not known about tho
great centres. They say they want a man
who can stay it out—one who has reputation
and capacity to sustain it through an indef
inite period of time. This will keep back
tho young men, until their energies have
died out, and age has dampened the spirit
of their youth. This will not only damage
but destroy the Itinerancy. Is there a man
here who doubts this? [Answer, “Yes.”]
Well, I don’t know that I will reason with
that man. If man would doubt hi3 own
existence would I go into a logical argument
to prove it ? When you take away this rule,
and allow a man as long as he pleases, and
as long as the Church pleases, and as long
ns the Bishop pleases, you have Congrega
tionalism. It will destroy the Episcopacy.
Take an example: Here is a promising man,
beloved in his pastoral charge, and bound
to a people by ties of relationship and love,
and tell me where is the Bishop that would
dare to move him ? It would take more
than the nerve of a man, more than the
nerve of a Bishop. People would say we
don’t want that Bishop. They would say
it, too, if perchance he should fix a
man upon them whom they were not wil
ling to receive. I repeat it, Mr. President,
it will be subversive of the whole economy.
Jos. B. Cottrell said: I deplore the fif
teen minutes rale, as it would require over
an hour to develop the argument I wish to
advance. The Methodist Church is without
a pastorate. To speak of an itinerant pas
torate is as absurd as to speak of a square
circle—that is, when’you mean by itineracy
the arbitrary changing of men, swapping of
men. Itineracy, in its best sense, is ‘ going
about doing good.’ It is intended to sig
nify aggression upon the outlying world
This aggression is prevented by the fact,
that preachers have not time to learn the
necessities of a neighborhood or tract of
country before they are, by the arbitrary
rale of limitation, dislodged from their po
sitions, to give place to others. This, too,
at an expense which is disastrous, and a
most deleterious effect, from the wear and
tear of constant moving. A nomadic, ever
shifting, changing ministry—‘ passers,’not
pastors—lacks essential elements . of con
servatism. Men subjected to it do not take
the finest mould and polish ; are prevented
from receiving the more delicate touches
which qualify for the responsible and sacred
duties of the pastoral office. It is remarka
ble that the exceptions to the rale in the
law of the Church are cases of a mere arti
ficial character, when the swapping of men
would disrupt nothing. For two professors
or two editors to swap seats would produce
no abrasion of any delicate organism ; but,
for two pastors to swap places, calls for a
dissolution of ties which may not be form
ed in a day. The pastoral functions have
reference to elements which mingle in the
relationships of neighborhood and home ;
they desiderate a knowledge which requires
time and diligence. The pastorate is God’s
order. It is thought that to conform to it
will interfere with our Episcopal arrange
ment. We must have it—it is essential to
the Church of God. If it be found to be
incompatible with our Episcopacy, then,
rather than the. Church be without what
God ordained, let our Episcopacy slide. I
see no incompatibility, however. It has
been said, our Bishops will not have the
nerve to carry out the system, without the
Rule of limitation. If that be the case, I
pity them. Men who only have God for a
master, can do their duty. It has been said
that unless there be a rule of limitation, tho
men But of the good appointments would
have no chance ever to get the good ones.
My observation has been that the men who
hold good appointments almost invariably
swap with men who have about as good. I
have heard a good deal of laudation of ‘ our
glorious itinerancy ’ from men who practically
ignore it. They manage to have their fam
ilies stay in the same town ten, fifteen, twen
ty years. After all their protestations, they
find their way to the Bishop’s room, and
are seen to arm Presiding Elders at the An
nual Conferrences, quite in contravention
to what they so fervently commend. Out
upon such simulation. It is said the chang
ing of men is necessary in a frontier coun
try. Why so ? What is gained ? If a man
can plant himself firmly and watch the suc
cessive waves of population as they come,
he can set his net wisely and gather in suc
cessfully, where a stranger would do little
or nothing. The idea of Itinerancy is per
verted. If it consists in an arbitrary dis
placement of men by an inexorable rule it
is not what obtained at the beginning. But
this is the notion, and it is the superstition
of the Methodist people—the Nehushtan of
our Church. Hezekiah, when he became
king, found the people worshiping the bra
zen serpent. He broke it to pieces, and he
called it Nehushtan — a piece of brass. Like
immerson among the Baptists and apostoli-
Pi^^R!^7riß7o.
cal succession among Episcopalians, we
must have our glorious something to flaunt
—and without considering what we'mean,
we say. our glorious Itinerancy. The
Methodist Church is made by the limitation
rale, the least aggressive of any of the
Churches. The Methodist tree needs a tap
root. Its lateral roots are fine. Institute a
pastorate and you have it. It had a provis
ional one in the class-leader and in the local
ministry of former days. They built up the
Church. When they dropped out, we need
ed a heaven-ordained pastorate. You can
not bring to life things worn out. Do not
try to put new wine into old bottles. You
must come ultimately to a proper pastorate.
Dr. A. R. Winfield said : My first propo
sition is this: First, Itinerancy is at the foun
dation of our government. It is the stand
point from which to contemplate every im
portant change in our economy. Our Church
is founded upon this. From the earliest
times, that has ever been its leading idea.
If Congregationalism had been superior to
Methodism, Wesley would never have bro
ken loose from the shackles of the Estab
lished Church, poverty-stricken, to found
this glorious system which we aro living to
perpetuate. Religion had been shut up in
those cells until its life-blood had left it,
and it had grown pale and sickly. The min
istry of the Methodist Church is an itiner
ant ministry, and her Itinerancy is the life
of her religion.
2. This removal of all restrictions, what
ever the theory, practically abolishes Itiner
ancy. To my mind, it is clear .that wo can
not reconcile an extended pastorate with an
Itinerancy. The only question is this : Is
Congregationalism better than Itinerancy ?
I will not take it upon myself to decide, but
I will say, that by the help of God, we have
set the world on fire. The camp fires of a
holy Christianity which have gleamed all
along our extended borders, have been fit
by the hands of the Itinerant Ministry. Had
it not been for this grand system, Andrew
Monroe and those who have gone before
him, had never carried the standard of
Methodism into this, our wide-extended
West. We have ever been the pioneer
Church, We do not wait for the feather
beds and pillorws to revel in luxurious ease.
The Methodist Itinerant hears the command
of his Saviour “ Go,” and he goes. You talk
about the Bishop removing men. I tell you,
sir, he will not do it. The preacher may be
spunky and the people may back him. Then
what are you going to do ? He brings you
up by challenging your right to do it. Will
you tell him that his good brotlier yonder
lias fared badly, and that he must go and
take his place V No, the Bishop will not,
cannot do it. I have been a Presiding El
der a long time, and have seen the danger
of putting men back.
3. My third proposition : It robs the
Episcopacy of one of its chief functions—the
appointing power—and thus degrades the of
fice, making tho Bishop a mere notary for
others. They say, “we only appoint for one
year, and then the Bishop can send them
wherever he pleases.” He cannot do it. I
might refer to a certain Southern city of
which an exception has been made, for an
illustration of this. I tell you, sir, they
will never consent to lie tom up from their
nests and thrown out on the rolling waves
of an Itineracy, when you build such fort
resses, behind which they may rest secure.*
4. It localizes the talent of the ministry,
for the benefit of the few, to the damage of
all the rest. Now, there are men of talent,
like Dr. "Young, who should go through the
country. Is it right to give McKendree
church all the benefit of his talent, when
other churches are calling for it ? Method
ism must be regarded as one great system,
and its great system and its ministers must
be common to ajl. H I should follow out
my feelings, I would offer here a resolution
to place ourselves completely in the hands
of our Bishops. Has it not sent the blush
to our cheek to read of our fathers, in tho
Histories of Methodism in Kentucky and
Tennessee, which liavc just beon published
—their sacrifices and sufferings, and their
devotion to the cause of Christ. Where
now is the fire that once burned on tho altar
of their hearts ? Where is that fire of zeal
that made them cut loose from all their so
cial and domestic ties, and all the relations
of life ? Ho that would have the honors
and wealth of this world, is not worthy to
serve in his Savior’s cause.
5. It is a disguised Congregationalism,
and tends to subvert our whole econo
my. Our Church has never demanded it.
You kno w Arkansas has the true spirit of the
Itinerancy. But Dr. Young was terribly ag
grieved by being taken up ruthlessly and
carried across the river from Tulip street to
McKendree. Truly, that was a terrible af
fliction !
6. This plan teaches our people to rely
upon the acquaintance with confidence in,
aud affection for, the Preacher, aud the so
cial influence growing out of a long pastoral
relation, instead of the Holy Ghost. That
was a dark night in Methodism when that
four years’ rule was passed. I was willing
to accept it then as a compromise, but I am
happy to say that we can get a two-thirds
vote on our side at this time. Brother Cot
trell talked loud and long, and spoke of the
expense which the Itinerant system devolv
ed upon the Church. When such vital in
terests are at stake, such notions should not
be considered. Twenty years ago I went to
Arkansas a poor houseless wanderer to
preach the gospel of our blessed Lord.
They told me I would starve, that I could
never live. But I did live, and lam living
still, and, blessed be God, I am here to con
tend for this great system to which I have
devoted my life.
The venerable Dr. Pierce then arose and
said : All that I would have said has been
said on this subject. I will simply state
I look upon this as a grand crisis in the on
ward march of Methodism. I was the first
delegate to the first General Conference
ever assembled, and I have been in every
one since. By the mercy of God lam pre
served to be present at anew order of a
General Conference, where there are assem
bled an equal number of lay and clerical
members. I have perceived that the ques
tion under discussion was the leading ques
tion of the Church, and my impression is
that the change proposed would stand a
much better chance to be adopted if there
were no laymen present. While I mean no
imputation of impurity to any one, I will
say, that I have never seen a purer set of
men than the Methodist preachers of the
post. Strange to tell, this movement has
been slowly growing and growing, until it
lias culminated here. If it could be proved
to be tho best measure for the Church—
even though I could not see so far into the
future as those who advocate this measure,
it would be my prayer that it might prevail.
My philosophy, my logic, and my experi
ence teach me that the very day you break
up this system, you disembowel Methodism.
The Itinerancy belongs to the elements of
Wesleyan Methodism. The moment you
take out this you destroy its identity. You
can’t pass this law without that following.
As I speak to you to-day, if this ever pre
vails, the peace and harmony between the
Bishops and ministers will be broken up.
Every man who is favorably received into a
circuit and station, and gets this fixed into
his mind, will think hard of it unless the
Bishop signs this bill made up in his mind
and in the minds of the people, and it will
be heard whispered around: “I know that
man needs that place no more than I.” Let
there be a terminus as well as this peculiar
privilege. I only wish to say that I have
been working under the old rule, of six
months to two years, for sixty-six years, and
I have done more good than if I had been
stationed all that time in one of the churches
in the city of Memphis. The object of
Methodism is not to accommodate, but it is
the universal good. The argument of my
friend from Alabama, though I believe he
was sincere, was a very specious one, but
that of my brother from the Little Rock
Conference is the ground which should be
taken. You cannot adapt this change pro
posed, equally to the rights and claims of
every one. To call this an Itinerant minis
try would be a miserable nominalitv.
Dr. J. E. Edwards said : That Minority
Report covers all that is contemplated in
the change, and does not refer, as does tho
Majority Report, to a single aspect of the
question. But lam no lawyer to pick flaws
in the indictment of a Commonwealth at
torney. I confess that I approach this with
no small degree of embarrassment, mainly
because I am conscious of my inability in
the hurry of a speech, to discuss, fully, the
merits of this question. I also feel embar
rassed in following the Jeremy Taylor of our
Church, whose opinions, with some, aro al
most oracular ; and yet, I would beg leave
to put in a demurrer to what has been said
by some of my brethren on that side of the
question. I, too, am old in the pastorate.
I have been thirty-five years in tho Itineran
cy—in the hands of tho Bishops—never hav
ing given them occasion to consider thirty
five minutes as to where to send me. What
is proposed by the change now before this
Conference, is the lifting of an arbitrary
limitation, without any ulterior design to
strike a death-blow at the root of the Itiner
ant system. Let us look at the negative as
pect of this question.
1. It does not encroach, by any organic
law or usage of the Church, on the Episco
pacy. It only intends to lift a proviso that
shackles it. So far from encroaching upon
their authority, it goes to remove the tram
mels, that they might use men to the great
est advantage of the Church. We have been
careful to maintain this point. There is no
encroachment on their authority. It does
not invade their rights to ordain men, or to
preside in Conferences, and I maintain, in
view of this, that it does not encroach on
the Episcopacy.
2. Nor does it encroach on the Methodist
Itinerancy. “What,’’says one,does the
Chairman of Committee on Itinerancy pro
pose to abolish the system ?’’ Never, never
—so help me heavon. 1 would knock off
every trammel and chain and leave the min
istry wholly in the hands of the Bishops, to
send them wherever, in their opinion, they
would best subserve the interests of the
Church. What is tho Itinerancy ? It is that
principle or feature by which members of
Annnal Conferences are subject to continu
al change, under the authority of the Epis
copacy vested in their hands by tho General
Conference. It does not necessarily follow
that a man must be frequently changed in
order to constitute him an Itinerant minis
ter. If this is so, you violate this in your
military posts, in your editors’ chairs, in
your Agencies, and in your Presidents of
Colleges. These still retain the technicality
of Itinerant preachers, involving a liability
to change. That is just where this proposes
to place us.
Another negative aspect: It does not con
template a settled pastorate. What is meant
by a settled pastorate ? A minister takes
charge of a church by contract, and remains
until they wish him removed, or until he
gets some call which he deems more desira
ble. Nothing of that sort is intended. The
appointment of a preacher year after year
only resembles this by a bare possibility. It
is not our intention to fix a settled pastor
ate.
On motion of Dr. Marshall, Dr. Edwards
was allowed fifteen minutes more to fiuish
his speech.
Dr. Edwards continued : I am obliged to
the Conference for tho courtesy which they
have extended to me, but I see that there is
a disposition to throttle mo on the part of
some from whom I did not expect it. I can
do nothing more than merely state my ar
guments, which amount to nothing in this
body.
My fourth proposition was, that it did not
look to a settled pastorate.
5. It docs not contemplate a longer term
of pastorate than under the four years’ rule,
and the average term would be shorter.
6. It does not invade any divine right.
Surely they cannot claim this.
These are the negative aspects of the
question, but they go very far in favor of
the proposed measure.
I will refer to some objections :
1. They say thatit tends to Congregation
alism. It is an utter impossibility that it
could tend to this.
2. They say it would operate to the dis
advantage of a largo class of meu in our
Church. God made men with certain pecu
liar talents, and it is within the observation
of all that a man is drifted about from year
to year until a place which he fits exactly is
found. He should fill that place, aud should
not bo put off by any arbitrary law.
3. It is objected, that tho Bishops would
not have the nerve to act. I have never
found them wanting in nerve, but they will
exercise their honest conviction so as to give
the greatest good to the greatest number.—
The operation of this restriction law lias in
some places nearly killed the Church. Con
structively a man could claim his right to
stay, and the object of this measure is just
as often to keep him from staying as to send
him back.
A few arguments in its favor. 1. It will
give all the advantage of a settled Pastorate
without any of its disadvantages. Here is
apian that will accomplish this by having a
flexible joint in the machine.
2. By this you furnish an additional stim
ulus to the preacher. Success and demand
will determine tho position he is to fill, and
thus determining, it would give au impetus
to his efforts.
3. It will give permanency to the work of
the pastor, which, by the old rule, is fre
quently left incomplete,
4. It will more firmly attach the preacher
to his people. There are men upon whose
hearts the coal of prophecy has been laid;
yet, while they believe the Methodist doc
trine, they hesitate to enter a pastorate in
which they see so little prospect of accom
plishing the result of their efforts.
6. This measure is suited to every part of
our country.
I intend only to say that I have no end to
gain by this measnre, bat I have prayed that
God would grant that I might live, just to
allow me to enter some field in which I
might accomplish the greatest amount of
good in my declining years.
We want a law to protect us, that will not
trammel the Episcopal authority.
Dr. Bond said : I have listened to these
speeches with not only gratification, but
with interest, as a learner of the minds of
the Church and the condition of its institu
tions. When I heard the able speech of my
friend from Alabama, all the instincts of my
nature we aroused ; for when I see a brave
man withstanding the popular tide and con
fronting the opinions of those with whom it is
his interest to agree, saying, m reference to
old established rules, ‘These be not the gods
that brought ye up from the land of Egypt,’
I honor him. When I see that man, it is
with pain that I am not converted to his
views.
I endeavored to find out what was the pro
position before the house. At length I
caught the idea, and I will give the Confer
ence the benefit of my discovery. There
are three systems which fix the relation of
ministers to churches. One is the Congre
gational system, in which the congregation
makes an agreement with the pastor. The
other two systems are those in which minis
ters are assigned by Episcopal authority.—
One of these is the Methodist, the other the
Roman Catholic. Both are good, and work
well, to the end proposed. The question is
now, which shall we prefer. I prefer our
own. The result of the proposed measure
would be to constitute the Bishop a tho
rough Pope, and he will be assailed on all
sides, and there will be a quarrel every time
he assigns a man. , , ...
A. S. Andrews said : “I do not think that
any subject is so fraught with weal or wo as
this I bear my testimony against the reso
lution. It will sap the foundation of our
Itineranoy. According to our present sys
tem the poor have the gospel preached to
them, and as the scream of tho panther dies
out on our borders the song of the Methodist
circuit preacher is heard in its place. Again.
It tends to destroy the great spiritual ele
ment in our Church by opening a field for
the gratification of worldly ambition and
the enjoyment of worldly pleasure. This
scheme throws around the preacher the en
chanting witcheries of worldly interest which
would set a bad example to the people; and
O, I pray you, guard the piety of your peo-
Sle. It will break into the unity of our
hurch. My brethren have laughed at me
for my earnestness in the matter. It springs
from my love to Methodism. To Method
ism I owe all that I hope for here, aud all
that I hope for hereafter.”
Dr. Rush opposed the measure by a few
emphatio remarks, directed against the use
of the expression “swapping off,” by J. B.
Cottrell, to designate the Itinerancy, which
he eulogized in a most eloquent and earnest
style.
A dispatch expressing fratfarnatodhtiments
was received from the Sonth Sunday
School Convention, in sessfoMfidhl ties ton,
7tjttb
and the Secretary was instructed to forward
a suitable answer. .
J. C. Deming asked and obtained leave of
absence.
L. C. Garland was recognized 83 having
the floor, and Conference adjourned with
the Doxology and Benediction by the
Bishop.
General Conrercnce.
REMOVAL OF THE PUBLISHING HOUSE.
Memorial presented Friday May 6.
The delegates of the Louisville Annual
Conference beg leave to State, that since
their arrival in this city they have received a
paper containing the proceedings of a meet
ing held in tho city of Louisville on the
25th ultimo, composed of a large number of
the most influential male members of all the
Southern Methodist churches in that city.
The object of the meeting (as stated in the
paper) was to consider the propriety of ten
dering to this General Conference some
proposition as to the removal of the Pub
lishing House of the M. E. Church, South,
from the city of Nashville, Tenn., to the city
of Louisville, Ky. It was agreed by the
meeting that should this General Confer
ence favor the removal of the Publishing
House to the city of Louisville, that the
members and friends of our Church in that
city, should assure the payment to the
House of such an amount of money as
would meet the expenses of the removal and
add largely to the capital of the House, —
After a full and free discussion, in which a
number of brethren participated, the fol
lowing resolution was unanimously adpted ;
“Resolved. That we, as the representatives of the
M. E. Church, South, in the city of Louisville, do
hereby request our delegates to the General Con
ference soon to conveno in the city of Memphis,
to offer to said body the sum of fifty thousand dol
lars for the use and boneiit of the General Publish
ing House, on ths condition of its removal from
Nashville, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky.—such remov
al to bo made upon the condition of tho payment
of the sum named, or as soon after said payment
as may be consistent with the Interests of the
House.”
We feel assured that w'e truly represent
our brethren at Louisvillo, when we say, al
though they would highly appreciate the
establishment of the Publishing House in
their midst, for the advantages which would
accrue to their city and to the Church, that
this is not the controlling consideration
with them in making, through us, the above
named proposition. They do not expect or
design, that the proposition to donate fifty
thousand dollars to the Publishing House on
condition of its removal to their city, shall
be a determining consideration in the pre
mises. Did they nqt feel assured that Lou
isville possesses the local advantages essen
tial to the successful operation of the House
they would not ask its removal, as they
would not expect it to succeed, though they
should endow it with a a capital of half a
million dollars. A large proportion of the
brethren making this proposition are busi
ness men of long and varied experience and
observation; and they well know that the
essential conditions of such a suocess as the
Church of the present day demands of our
Publishing House, and must have, are first,
facility of obtaining and cheapness of la
bor ; second moneyed facilities, and third,
such commercial advantages ns will enable
the House to transport her products cheap
ly, speedily and safely to every part of our
widely extending territory. In the absence
of these advantages, which are essential con
ditions of a genuine vitality, and of a health
ful and vigorous growth, whatever amount
of capital the House might command, and
whatever financial skill might be employed
in its management, it would be destined to
drag out an unnatural and siokly existence,
and finally reach a shameful and ignomini
ous death. In illustration wo refer you to
the fact that, of the wholo number of Book
Depositories authorized by the General Con
ference of 1846, tho Louisville Depository
was tho only one which achieved a financial
success. We refer you, also, to the success
of tho Louisville Conference Book and
Tract Depository, established under the ar
rangement of the General Conference of
1858, of which Dr. Bedford was agent, as
another illustration of the advantages of
Louisville as a business centre. This differ
ence of result is not to be accounted for al
together, if at all, in the difference of finan
cial ability, and degree of faithfulness and
energy with which theso establishments were
managed, but mainly, if not altogether, in
the difference of degree of conformity with
the principles which control all manufactu
ing and commercial operations, while we
most heartily unite with the whole Church
in gratitude to God for the marvelous work
accomplished in the last four years in the
resuscitation of our Publishing House, un
der the administration of Dr. Bedford, yet
we feel constrained to say that it is our opin
ion that this success has been accomplished
in despite of the disadvantages of the loca
tion of the House, and that, more favorably
located, much more would have been accom
plished. And we firmly believe that, con
tinuing in its present location, it never can
reaoh tho status that will render it capable of
meeting the constantly incroosing demands
of our growing Church.
We do not pretend to assume that Louis
ville is the only point within our bounds af
fording the essential conditions of success
in this department of Church operation ;
but we believe that it possesses these advan
tanges, taking all things into the account,
in a degree superior to any other point.
Having thus discharged our duty to our
brethren of Louisville, by presenting the
above named proposition to the General
Conference, we close by most respectfully
requesting that this paper be referred to the
Committee on Books and Periodicals, with
instructions to consider and report on the
same, at as early a period as possible, during
the present session. N. H. Lee,
Chairman of the Delegation.
EAST ALABAMA MALE COLLEGE.
Memorial presented Saturday May 7.
To the General Conference of the M. E. Churoli,
South, assembled atAiemphia:
Reverend and Dear Brethren : We, the Trustees
of East Alabama College, being persuaded that the
time has fully arrived for the Church to establish
a Biblical Institute for the proper training of can
didates for the ministry, and seeing .that the ques
tion la agitating the Church in many sections, and
believing that your body will devise measures to
found such an institution, respectfully beg leave
to suggest that you establish it Id connection with
this College.
We feel satisfied that there is not a more eligible
location for such a school In the entire South.—
There is, perhaps, not a more healthy spot on tho
globe than Auburn, and the community is Meth
odistlc and highly refined, enterprising and Intel
ligent. The College is cosy of access, being Im
mediately on the leading thoroughfare from the
Northeast to the Southwest, and by means of
railroads now constructing, will very soon be in
connection by short lines with all the Northern
and Northwestern portions of our territory. It is
at present in successful operation, with a well ap
pointed and efficient faculty, and offers to the
public all the advantages and Inducements of a
first-class Institution.
The building—erected before the war at a cost
of nearly *BO,<XX)-is perhaps the largest and best
arranged of any belonging to our Church. It was
planned to accommodate oyer seven hundred stu
dents. with all necessary lecture rooms, public
halls etc. Wo tender to the Church the free use
of the libraries of the college, and of such halls and
rooms as may be necessary for a Biblical Institute
for the entire Connection. Wo pray your earnest
and patient consideration of the suggestion and
offer we make, and If in your wisdom you should
determine to establish the school in connection
with our College, we pledgo ourselves to do what
we can to promote Its interest and make it a bless
ing to the Church. M. 8. Andrews, Pros., Jos. B.
Cottroll, W. A. McCarty, Wm. Shapard. In behalf
of the Trustees.
Auburn, Ala., AprU 28, 1870.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND PE
RIODICALS. —NO. 1.
Presented, Wednesday, May 11.
Your committee to whom was referred the
communication of Bishop Paine, in relation
to his work, “ Life and Times of Bishop
McKendree,” prepared by him in compli
ance with the request of the General Con
ference, together with a paper from Dra.
Keener and Garland touching the same mat
ter, would respectfully report:
That iu their judgment the work is of so
great value, not only because it presents the
Methodist itinerant preacher in his true
light as set forth in the labors, travels and
sufferings of Bishop McKendree, but because
of its historic character, being the only reli
able history of the Church, in many respects,
during the period in which he lived, that it
should be widely circulated throughout the
Church, and measures should be taken to
perpetuate it for the benefit of ooming gen
erations; therefore,
Resolved, 1. That the General Conference ex
presses not only its appreciation bnt its unqualified
E. H. MYERS, D. D., EDITOR
WHOLE NUMBER 1802.
(admiration of the manner in which Bishop Paine
has discharged the laborious and delicate trust
confided to him by the General Conference of 1854,
in the preparation and publication of the “Life
and Times of Bishop McKendree.”
3. That the Conference regards the work as an
extremely valuable and timely contribution to tbo
general, and particularly to the constitutional his
tory of the Methodist Chnrch in America during
the most eventful period of its development, aa
well as a faithful ana interesting delineation c f the
characters and labors of the venerable McKendree.
3. That the Bishops be, and they hereby are, re
quested to put it into the Course of Study presc rlbed
for undergraduates in onr ministry.
4. That we accept and hereby tender onr thanks
to Bishop Paine for the copy of his work that ac
companied his communication, and that it be pre
served in the archives of this General Conference.
Respectfully submitted,
W. M. Rush, Chairman.
REPOKT OF COMMITTEE ON BEVISAL. —NO. 2.
The committee on Revisal beg leave to
offer report No. 2.
Tour committee have bad under consideration a
memorial from the Virginia Conference upon the
subject of District Conferences, and report the fol
lowing, to bo adopted as sec. 3 of chapter 2, of the
new arrangement:
Question. What directions arc given concerning
District Conferences ?
.dajKXT i. There shall be bold annually, In each
Presiding Elder’s District, a District Conference
at such time as the Presiding Elder may designate
and at such place as the Conference may scleet.
Ans. 2. Said Conference shall be composed of
all the preachers in the District, both travelling
and local, and such number of laymen, to be ap
pointed in such manner as each Annual Conference
may determine for itself.
Arm 8. A Bishop, and in iris absence the Pre
siding Elder, shall preside; and if both be absent,
tho Conference shall elect a President.
Ans. 4. The Conference shall elect a Secretary
s»ho shall keep a record of all its proceedings.
Ans. 5. It shall bo tho duty of the District Con
ference to Inquire particularly Into the condition of
the Beveral chargee In the District.
Ist. As to theTr spiritual state, and the attend
ance upon the Ordinances and Social Meetings of
the Church.
fid. As to their financial systems, their contribu
tions to Church purposes, and the condition of
houses of worship and parsonages.
Bd. As to Sunday-schools and the manner of con
■ ducting them, and as to education generally.
4th. As to Missions within the District; where
new missions should be established, or what mis
sions should be raised to circuits and stations.
Ans. 6. The District Conference shall elect an
nually, by ballot, from the District, four delegates
to the ensuing Annual Conference; Provided, no
member of the Annual Conference shall vote in
said election.
Ans. 7. At these Conferences prominence shall
be given to all religious exercises, such as preach
ing, prayer-meetings, lovc-feasts and the adminis
tration of the sacraments.
Tour Committee also had beforo them a (second
memorial from the Virginia Conference, asking a
change In Chapter ll,Sec. s,Acs. S.oftheDiscipline,
by striking ont the clause which limits the number
of appointments in a Presiding Elder’s District to
fourteen—and recommend that the General Con
ference do not concur. Allot which is respectfully
submitted. J. Hamilton, Chairman.
* May 11.
RESOLUTIONS.
Presented, read and adopted Wednesday
May 11.
By ChOs. Taylor.
Resolved, That tho committee on Revisal bo in
structed to inquire into the propriety of inserting
after line 2d, page 12, of the re-arrangement, or at
tho end of paragraph 16, page 71. In the Discipline,
the following: “ 17. On removal of any memberof
his charge to another, to write Immediately in
forming the preacher in charge of the work to which
such member has removed, whether with or with
out a certificate.”
By T. H. Reid.
Resolved, That the committee on Revisal be In
structed to Inquire into the expediency of chang
ing the Discipline, chapter 2, sec. 8, page 50, loat
paragraph in answer to question 5, as follows:
After the word "change” strike out the phrase,
“ Lost filled by him,” and insert in the place of It,
“In which he reeldes.” Then it will read thus:
“ When a travelling preacher Is located he shall be
amenable to the Quarterly Conference of the charge
in which he resides until he presents his certificate
of location to that or some other Quarterly Con
ference.”
By P. A. Peterson.
Resolved, That no minister of our Church shall
solemnize matrimony when there is a divorced
wife or husband of either party still living; pro
vided, this prohibition shall not apply in the caso
of an innocent party in a divorce for the cause of
adultery, or to parties who have been divorced
seeking to be re-united.
By W. H. Bobbitt.
Resolved, That tho committee on Revisal bo re
quested to inquire into the (expediency of amend
ing tho Discipline (new arrangement,) page. 15,
answer Ist, to question 4, eighth line after the word
“Church,” by adding the following words: “And
they shall report the extent and result of their la*
bors to tho fourth Quarterly Conference.”
By J. E. Edwards.
Resolved, That tho committee on Revisal be re
quested to consider tbe propriety of fixing a limit
as to the time within which, as a general rule, a
certificate of Church membership shall entitle a
member to re-admission into our Church.
By T. L. Boswell.
Resolved, That the committee on Revisal be and
they arc hereby Instructed to inquire into tbe, pro
priety of so amending the Discipline, chap. 6, sec.
5, page 26 (new arrangement,) beginning after the
word “care,” by inserting the following: “ Pro
vided, that if in any case said committee should
refuse or neglect to perform their duty, the preach
er in charge shall proceed to Investigate the ‘report’
and if he Is thereby convinced that the pnrity and
peace of the Chnrch requires a trial, he shall pre
pare a bill of charges and specifications himself.’
By W. G. E. Cunnyngkam.
Resolved, That the commltteo on Books and Pe
riodicals be instrnctcd to consider and report upon
the expediency of publishing a monthly periodical
devoted to tbe cause of Missions, to be under tho
editorial supervision of the Missionary Secretaries.
By A. L. P. Green.
Resolved, That tho committee on Books and Pe
riodicals be instrnoted to Inquire into the propriety
of reporting in favor of creating the office of Book
and Periodical Superintendent in every society, to
be nominated by the preacher in charge and elected
by the Quarterly Conference annually, bnt the ap
pointee to hold the office until a successor has
been nominated and elected; bis duties to be un
der the direction of and co-operation with the
preacher in charge, to assist in the circulation of
the Books and Periodicals of the Church, and to
be responsible to the Quarterly .Conference, of
which he shall be ex-qffMo a member.
By F. W. Earnest.
Revolved, That the oommlttee on Books and Pe
riodicals be and therare hereby requested to report
upon the expediency and propriety of enlarging
the Nashville Advocate to double its present size,
and the election of a corps of not lees thsn three
editors by this General Conference for the same,
who shall devote their entire time to the interest
of said paper.
By H. P. Walker.
Resolved, That the committee on Revisal be and
the same is hereby instructed to consider the pro
priety of adding the following provisions on the
duties of Bishops, after the word “institution, ’
ans. 2, qnes. 3, sec. 5, chap. 2, page 61. of the Dis
cipline, “and when requested by an Annual Con
ference to appoint a preacher to travel at large,and
do such work as the Conference may direct.
William Tisdale, and “the English
Bible.’’--The Dublin University Magazine
says: “Tlie name of William Tyndale should
be cherished by every man who enters a
chnrch or sets any value upon an English
Bible. He it was who gave his whole exis
tence to the work of its translation, braved
tho fury of his enemies, and sealed his mis
sion with liis martyrdom. This extraordi
naiy man——and if magnitude and impor
tance of labor be estimated, this greatest and
noblest of Englishmen—was bom ol the
borders of Wales, where the doctrines of
Wiokliffo had taken a firm hold on the peo
ple’s minds. To him we owe the English
Bible. It was he who first ventured openly
to proclaim the necessity for promulgating
that book; it was he who in solitude, iu pov
erty and in peril, set about translating it;
who braved the fury of the enemies of the
Bible and defied them; who went into vol
untary exile, and sought in a foreign land
that shelter which his country refused him ;
spurned by her, ho was yet faithful to her
interests; banished from her shores, he con
ferred on her the choicest gift she possesses;
persecuted, yet undaunted ; freviled yet la
boring on; robbed, but not discouraged; in
sickness, in want, in shipwreck, in prison,
with all faith, love, aud meekness, did this
man woik ont his title to a place in the cal
endar of the world’s worthies; and when tho
one labor of bis life was finished, he laid
down that life at the stake, with the prayer
upon his lips for God’s blessing upon that
oonntry for whom he bad labored, and who
had cruelly betrayed him into the bands of
his merciless foes.”
Teaching “Scolding.”—A little girl, not
six years of age, screamed out to her littlo
brother, who was playing in the mud : “B?b>
you good-for-nothiug rascal, come into the
house this minute, or I’ll beat you till the
skin comes off.” “Why, Angelina, dear,
what do you mean ?” exclaimed the mortified
mother, who stood talking with a friend.
Angelina’s childish reply was a good com
mentary upon this manner of spoaking to
children: “Why, mother yon seewowere
playing, and he’s my little boy, and 1 m
scolding him just as you did me this morning.
“Thou hast made ns for thyself, O God,
and onr hearts are unquiet till they rest in
Thee !”
The greatest temptation the doyi i has for
the Christian is comfort— Luther,