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Southern Christian
MACON, GEORGIA. JULY 18, 187 C.
THE SABBATH.
It is matter of profound gratification to
the Christian population of the United
States that the authorities of the Centennial
Exposition have had the nerve to withstand
the immense pressure brought to bear against
them, and have reaffirmed their indexible
determination to keep the gates to the Ex
position closed on the Sabbath. 1 his is a
victory for the believers in the sanctity of
the day —and indeed, for the friends of Bible
religion—of no mean importance. Wher
ever the observation is made, the fact ap
pears that the prosperity of true religion is
intimately allied with the reverent observ
ance of the Sabbath. It was the frequently
uttered remark of the distinguished Dr.
Chalmers that he “ Never knew a person
eminent for piety who was not also a strict
Sabbath-keeper,” and our readers have only
to review the catalogue of their religious ac
quaintances, with this point of comparison
in mind, to corroborate Dr. Chalmers’ ob
servation. Indifference to the obligation to
“ remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy ” is never found in connection with
conspicuous spiritual attainments. As with
individuals, so with communities. In those
cities whose municipal authorities encourage
or tolerate palpable infractions of the sacred
ness of the day, godlessness and irreligion
of every type abound and flourish, and the
Churches share the moral blight in propor
tion as they acquiesce in the crying evil.
The intimate relation between pure, spiritual
religion, and the religious observance of the
Sabbath, emerges even more distinctly in the
sphere of national existence. Take Ger
many for instance. Practically, there is no
Sabbath there ; and as a consequence, Pro
testantism in the land of Luther has degen
erated to almost the same spiritual level with
European Romanism. A competent, and
every way credible witness, speaking of the
Protestant Church in that country, says: “It
is eaten to the core by unbelief, and sapped
to its very foundations by infidelity. Ger
man theologians, for all their congresses,
seem unable to awaken anything like true
religious feeling in the hearts of the people.
Year by year, the Church services have
grown colder and more bald ; year by year,
fewer worshipers are seen ; and notwith
standing all the scolding of the preachers,
the churches remain empty.” In the ratio
of increasing disregard and desecration of
the Sabbath has been the spiritual declension
of these ecclesiastical descendants of the
devout and great hearted Luther. Their
apostasy is a wholesome warning to us ; their
history is a solemn appeal to American
Protestantism to antagonize by all lawful
means the naturalization of the “ Continen
tal Sabbath ”in this land. Asa people, we
are drifting dangerously in this direction.
The vast immigrant population which we
are constantly receiving from Europe is sen
sibly affecting the popular veneration for the
Sabbath. Infidels, native-born and foreign,
recognize the paramount vnlue of this insti
tution to the very life of true religion, and
hence they are unceasing and tireless in
their schemes and efforts for secularizing
the Sabbath. In Protestant Christianity
lies the only hope of defeating these machi
nations and averting the ills which their suc
cess would surely bring. We may not mul
tiply true converts to Christ by compelling
the outward observance of God’s Holy Day;
but fealty to Him demands of us to do what
we can toward saving the country and \he
Church from the incalculable evils conse
quent upon the practical obliteration of the
Fourth Commandment. The success of
those who sought so strenuously to have the
Sabbath ignored throughout the Centennial
Exposition, would huve tended powerfully
and rapidly toward destroying the already
weakened popular reverence for the Day,
and would have been a long stride toward
the consummation so devoutly (?) wished by
the fo ss to Christianity. Let us rejoice then
the' the Commissioners have had the moral
courage to withstand all the bitter and clam
orous opposition brought to bear upon them;
and byvtheir action to announce in hearing
of all the civilized nations, that the controll
ing sentiment of the American people re
cognizes the divine authority and sanctity of
the Christian Sabbath. That this testimony
is given at the sacrifice of more than one
seventh of the possible revenue from the
Exposition, enhances its value iu the grati
fying proof it furnishes that even in this cor
rupt and sordid era of the country’s history,
the “ almighty dollar ” is not absolutely
dominant.
But while we commend the action of the
Centennial Commissioners, and felicitate
ourselves upon this worthy public tribute to
the claims of the Sabbath, let us not lose
sight of our responsibility in the matter of
remembering the Sabbath day to keep it
holy. We may deprecate such desecration
as marks the Day in other lands andiu some
large cities of our own country ; we may be
guiltless of those grosser violations of its
sanctity which civil enactments are intended
to restrain; and yet, we may, it is to be feared
most of us do, fall very far short of such
observance of the Sabbath as is acceptable
to God, and inherits His blessing. If we
would realize in our own experience and re
flect upon society at large, the blessedness
of obedience to the divine will in this re
gard we must hallow the day in our hearts
and in our homes —not doing our own ways,
nor finding our own pleasure, nor speaking
our own words. In how many Christian
homes among us is the Sabbath honored
with such observance? Shall not the num
ber be increased? While we rejoice in all
that civil authorities may do toward making
clean the outside of the cup and platter, let
us strive to cleanse the fountains of public
virtue, the Christian homes of the country,
of all that is offensive in the sight of God.
The Hamburg Trouble. —Our news de
partment presents sucli of the particulars of
this unfortunate atfair as have come to hand.
The killing of those who had been captured
and were on their way to prison was an out
rage upon humanity which will liud no apol
ogist outside the exasperated men who per
petrated the foul crime. Such conflicts are
most deplorable in themselves and in their
effeets upon society and the well-being of the
South. But the attempt to fasten upon the
whites the responsibility for the inauguration
of such collisions, which lead almost iuevi
tablj to horrible excesses, is diabolically un
just. Avery different light is thrown upon
the inception of this dreadful affair, by|Gen
eral Butler’s letter, reference to which is
made in our news columns. In forming a
judgment let justice be done, in the light
of truth.
Rev. J. O. A. Clark, D. D.—Dr. Clark
has returned from his Northern tour in be
half of the Wesley Monumental Church, and
will at once resume the labors of his Dis
trict. An announcement from him will be
lound in our column of Church Notices. We
are gratified to learn from Dr. Clark that the
results of bis efforts t or the past two month
have jbeen encouraging. Notwithstand
ing the “ money cramp ” —which is as ago
nizing at the North as with us, and with some
classes, even more distressing—he found his
euterprize popular with the people, received
some liberal responses to his appeals, and
raised in the aggregate a sum which fully
Unities the outlay of time and effort.
EPISCOPAL DECISIONS.
We give below for the information of our
readers generally, and especially of those
charged with the administration of the Dis
cipline of the Church, the following decis
ions of the College of Bishops, rendered by
them at their anuual meeting in iLry last.
They appear, as we understand, imfin Ap
pendix to the Manual of the Discipline,
though we quote from the Nashville Advo
cate of J uly 8:
A VERDICT NOT TO BE REVERSED FOB INFOR
MALITY IN THE TRIAL.
In the trial of a member, the charge of
immorality was supported by two specifica
tions. He was found guilty and expelled.
An appeal to the Quarterly Conference was
taken by the accused, and this plea was
urged before the appellate court :
That the specification upon which he was
convicted belonged to a grade of offense less
than immorality—viz: improper conduct.
The Presiding Elder ruled, “That the
charge belonged to one class of offenses
and the first = specification to another.”
Whereupon the Quarterly Conference, with
out considering the testimony given at the
trial, proceeded to reverse the verdict of the
committee that tried the case. The matter
coming before the President of the ensuing
Annual Conference, he decided :
“The Quarterly Conference cannot reverse
the verdict of the committee except upon
the merits of the case. For irregular or il
legal proceedings, the proper course Is to
remand the case for a new trial. A reversal
of verdict ends the case.”
Approved (1876.)
PRO RATA DIVISION OP RECEIPTS.
The Joint Board of Finance presented to
the President of an Annual Conference
these questions of law arising out of a disa
greement between a Presiding Elder and one
of the preachers in his District —the issue
was referred to the Joint Board for adjust
ment, :
Question 1. Since the Discipline provides
(chap, ix.) that the District Stewards shall
apportion the Presiding Elder’s claim among
the different charges of the District, to be
added to the claims of the preacher in charge,
and its collection provided for in the same
way, has the Board of Stewards the right to
make any other than a pro rata division of
the funds collected?
Answer by the President. No.
Question 2 In case the Board of Stew
ards make other than a pro rata division be
tween the Presiding Elder and pastor, should
the one receiving more than his proportion
refund the excess to the other?
Answer by the President. Yes.
Question 3. In a reference to the Joint
Board of Finance of a disagreement concern
ing receipts between-'the Presiding Elder
and the pastor, may this Board take into
consideration the way each has performed
his duties?
Answer by the President. No ; the Pre
siding Elder and the preacher in charge are
responsible to the Annual Conference only
for the way in which they discharge their
duties.
Approved. (1876.)
HOW AN EXPELLED PERSON MAY REGAIN MEM
BERSHIP.
A member whs arraigned and tried for im
morality, and expelled. He gave notice of
an appeal to the ensuing Quarterly Confer
ence; but, before the meeting of said Con
ference, be was received into full member
ship by the pastor of another Society in the
same city, without conlession of the offense
for which he had been expelled, or any com
munication with the Society that expelled
him.
A complaint of maladministration was
made against this pastor, by his Presiding
Elder, at the ensuing Annual Conference,
and the President of the Cpnferencti made
the following decisions on questions of law:
Question 1. Can any one who has been ex
pelled from the Church by due process of
law, and who has formally given notice of an
appeal to the Quarterly Conference, be res
tored to membership during the pendency of
such an appeal ?
Answer by the President. He cannot be;
for an appeal, of which due notice has been
given, may only be terminated at the Quar
terly Conference to which the appeal has
been taken.
Question 2 Can any one who has been
expelled from the Church be restored, with
out confession of the offense for which he
was expelled, except in the case (as provid
ed for in Discipline, sec. 3, p. 152, par. 5)
where the Quarterly Conference becomes
satisfied that the expelled person is innocent
of the offense for which he was expelled?
Answer by the President. He cannot be ;
for a confession of any thing else would not
be a satisfactory evidence of repentance in
the sense of the Discipline.
Question 3. Can anyone expelled from
the Church he received into its membership
again, except in the way provided in Discip
line for the restoration of a member? (See
Discipline, chap, vii., sec. 3, par. 5.)
Answer by the President, No; for one
who has been excluded from the Church, by
due process of law, can only be restored reg
ularly by the Quarterly Conference of the
Society which excluded him, iu accordance
with an opiuion already placed upon the
Journal of this Conference by the President.
The College of Bishops, having these de
cisions before them for review, say :
Of Question 1 and Answer. We concur
in this decision with this understanding: One
who has taken an appeal to the Quarterly
Conference is at liberty to abandon it; but,
if he does not prosecute his appeal, the ef
fect will be to leave him in the same attitude
as if the appellate court had formally con
curred in the decision of the lower court.
Of Question 2 and Answer. There is some
ambiguity here. If instead of the words
“ confession of the offense for which he was
expelled,” the language of the Discipline,
in the place cited, had been used—viz: “Giv
ing satisfactory evidence of repentance”—
we should concur in saying, “He cannot be.”
But the Answer involves an interpretation of
language contained in the Question which
does not necessarily come before us.
Of Question 3 and Answer. We think the
answer “No” may be proper; but the words
iu the Answer beyond that we do not con
cur in, because — .-
1. Allusion is made to an opinion which
is not before us.
2. Where au expelled member gives “sat
isfactory evidence of repentance” he may be
restored without the intervention of the
Quarterly Conference.
3. The restoration of an expelled member,
by the Quarterly Conference of the Society
which excluded him, occurs only when the
Quarterly Conference “shall become con
vinced that he was innocent of the crime for
which he was expelled.” In this case, of
course, no evidence of repentance is requir
ed. (1876.)
ARE THERE ANY COMPLAINTS?
In a Quarterly Conference, under the
quesliou, Are there any complaints? the pas
tor was complained of for neglect of certain
duties, and a record was made ef it. The
case coming before the Annual Conference,
the President decided:
That while it is the duty of a Presiding El-
Elder to learn all he can concerning the use
fulness and acceptability of a pastor; and
from no source is he likely to get such re
liable information as from official members;
nevertheless,the Quarterly Conference is not
charged with the duty of inquiring into the
life and official administration of a member
of an Annual Conference. Complaints may
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
not be entertained against him by that body,
nor entered on its Journal. He is respon
sible to another ecclesiastical body which
has original jurisdiction, and may censure,
suspend, or expel him.
Approved. (1876.)
SOUTHERN REVIEW.
We give below a letter from Dr. Bledsoe
to the editor of the Nashville Advocate.
Though we gave a notice of the April num
ber of the Review, we were only enabled to
do so, by borrowing the copy of a friend —
having failed, like our brethren of the press,
to receive our usual exchange. We are glad
to know that the failure was accidental, and
we very cheerfully comply with Dr. B's re
quest for the publication of the following:
Alexandria, June 28, 1876.
Rev. T. O. Summers, D.D. — Dear Sir :
If you will be so kind as to publish in your
Advocate the following extract from a let
ter, with the accompanying explanation, my
reasons for wishing its publication will be
obvious to your readers.
A friend from Mississippi wrote as follows
on the 23d of June:
Rev A. T. Bledsoe — ily Dear Brother:
I saw no notice of the Southern Review,
April number, 1876, in any of the Advocates
that came to my table, except the Southern
Christian Advocate, Macon, Ga. This as
tonished me, and has been iu these parts an
occasion of some unfavorable remarks. Two
weeks ago I saw a line from Dr. Summers in
the Nashville Advocate, saying, “The April
number of the Review had not come to
hand.” This ought not so to be; for notices
of the Review, whether favorable or unfavor
able, a'tract attention and aid in its circula
tion. Our people are beginning to look for
both from first sources, and consequently
take nothing second hand. I thought it was
due to you to know that some are ready to
say the Advocates have quit the Review. If
the editors do not get the Review, ot course
they cannot answer it. All this may have
been the fault of the mails. The Southern
Review is to me such a rich treasury ot good
things, that I would, if 1 could, put it in
every family iu the laud. There is no man,
living or dead, who has been so much help
to me in my search after truth as Dr. Bled
soe, etc.
I omit all the rest of the letter, because it
relates exclusively to the writer's indebted
ness to my writings. It would be exceeding
ly gratifying to me to have it published in
our Advocates, but it is not to the present
point.
I did not see the statement referred to in
the above extract, that you had not received
the Review for April. Brother Bennett, the
editor of the Richmond Christian Advocate,
informed me that he bad not received it; and
now the statement comes from Mississippi
tbat none of our Advocates, except one, has
noticed the Southern Review for April.
Hence “some are ready to say the Advocates
have quit the Review .”
All this was a great mystery to me; for I
had not the shadow of a doubt that the Re
view had been, as usual, mailed to all of
them. The impression which has got abroad
that I had declined to send the Review to
them, has no foundation whatever in relation
to any one of our Advocates. Such a thought
never has for a moment entered into our
imagination, and never will enter there, un
less some unfriendly Advocate should direct
the discontinuance of Che Review, which 1 do
not apprehend will ever be the case. As
soon as I received the above letter I looked
into the matter, and, to my great astonish
ment and regret, discovered that the April
number of the Review had not been mailed
to any of our exchanges. The printer, by
whom the Review is mailed, had made out a
new mail-list of subscribers from the one
furnished by the associate editor of the Re
view ; but he did not think to add the ex
change list already in his possession, and in
hispossesMi alone. Hence our exchanges
did not get the Review for April, without the
least knowledge of the neglect- oh our pvt.
until after the above letter was this morning
received.
I will be obliged to those editors of our
exchanges, who did not receive the Review
for April, if they will be kind enough to copy
the above extract and explanation. They
will receive the April number of the Review
with the July number, which will be issued
in two or three days.
Truly and fraternally yours,
A. T. Bledsoe.
A THING FIT TO BE DONE.
From the appended correspondence it will
be seen that the Alumna; of the Wesleyan
Female College have resolved to embellish
the walls of the College -chapel with a life
size portrait of Dr. Lovick Pierce, whom,
above all other men, they revere and honor.
There could be no more graceful and appro
priate recognition of the distinguished and
unstinted services rendered by Dr. Pierce to
this venerable seat of learning. The elo
quent and untiring advocate of female educa
tion, he has been from the inauguration of
the College until now, its uuf.iltering and
zealous friend. A member of its Board of
Trust from the beginning, he has throughout
itß long history, been absent from but one of
the annual meetings, and then his purpose
to be present succumbed only to the invinci
ble hindrance of disabling sickness. It is
eminently fit that the portrait of so devoted
a patron of the College should adorn its
chapel, and the Alumnae houor themselves
in claiming the privilege of thus pepetuating
his houored presence within the walls of their
Alma Mater.
Rev. Lovick Pierce, D Lh
Dear Sir: At a call meeting of the Alum
neau Association of Wesleyan Female Col
lege on the afternoon of June 27th, we were
appointed a committee to solicit your con
sent to having a life size portrait of yourself
taken, to be hung in the chapel of our
cherished “Alma Mater.”
We, representing the Association, would
feel honored to ornament our walls with the
likeness of one whose devotion to the institu
tion gave an impetus to female education
which it never possessed before, and which,
we believe, it never would have received
without it.
It will be a pleasing tribute while living;
and when the sauds of life have given out,
with moorings clipped and
“Anchorage safe on that bright store.
Where billows never beat, nor temptests roar”
’twill ever remain a perpetual reminder of
our venerable trustee and much loved Father
of this Association. As President Bass has
kindly consented to aid us in making all
necessary arrangements, if it meets your
approbation, we would urge a compliance
with our request at your earliest opportunity.
Respectfully,
Jci.ia C. Rogers,
Leila N. Burke,
Madge W. Snider,
Committee.
Macon, Ga., June 28, 1876.
Sunshine, July 5, 1876.
Misses Rogers, Burke, and Snider:
Ladies: I received your official note last
week. It gives me great pleasure to assure
you that I know of nothing besides, that be
gins and ends on earth, that you could have
done in honor of me, that could have been
so highly prized by me, as this conception
and compliment. I can not as a live man
fill my place on the stage much longer. But
if the alumnae will give me this college im
mortality, by making me a fixture in their
honored Alma Mater, I shall always be there.
I do not want, during the next century, that
there should be a commencement at the
Wesleyan Female College without my being
represented at it; this is your kind design.
For it please accept the assurance of my
warm affection and sincere thanks.
I feel it to be uu houor above my merits,
of which lam very glad. I mean lam glad
Ido not claim such honors. When they are
presented by such heads and hearts as the
Alumnean Association possesses I can but
hone I may have been worth more to the
women of the nineteenth century than I
claim to have been. These distinguished
honors, ladies, if you please, I will consider
as freely given. 1 ask through you the pleas
ure to communicate to any one, that is in
sympathy with you m this memorial imaior
talityof me, to believe me to be their bene
ficiary debtor in love.
Heaven’s benedictions be upon you all.
I am as ever yours,
Lovick Pierce.
THE CUSTER TRAGEDY.
The country, to its widest extremities, has
been painfully thrilled by the intelligence of
the slaying of this brave officer and his en
tire command by the Sioux Indians. So
complete and overwhelming a disaster is
without precedent in the annals of the coun
try, and the eminent character of the chief
victim sharpens the popular desire for re
venge. There is therefore great danger of
matching this cruel and bloody tragedy with
atrocities even more indefensible. Deplor
able as is the fate of the brave men who were
butchered in the valley of the Little Big
Horn, it is hardly fair to call it a
ere,” —a term which implies that the slain
were all unarmed and defenceless. Sore as
is the calamity, let us not aggravate the
odium against the wretched savages, by tor
getting that the viciims perished with arms
iu their hands, and doubtless after inflicting
heavy slaughter upon their foes. It was a
disastrous battle, in which suffered
to which each felt that he was liable
entering upon the campaign. Nor shouljt it
be forgotten that this war, which is doubtless
yet to cost the country many lives and untold
treasure, has been precipitated by injuries
and wrongs systematically inflicted upon
those blood-thirsty and reveugeiul savages.
The proof seems to be unanswerable that
they have been mercilessly plundered by the
Agents of the Government and their unscru
pulous underlings; and that on several o6ba
sious, when invited to conferences, their
leaders have been ruthlessly shot down at
the Council-board. The memory of these
facts will serve to temper the indignation,
and tone down the clamor for vengence,
which very naturally arises upon contemplat
ing the wretched fate of Gen. Custer and his
comrades. From the organization of the
Government, the Indians have furnished a
perplexing problem, and the statesmanship
to solve it satisfactorily has not yet appeared.
We may not apologize for the conduct of the
Indians, and can only regard with abhorrence
their brutal atrocities; but we may very well
blush with shame when we remember Tire
outrageous treatment they have suffered at
the hands of the civilized whites. We must
give both sides au impartial hearing, if we
would render a just judgment in the premises.
Erratum. —In our issue of July 4th we
published the obituary of Charles E. Vauhe,
but printed the name Vance. Errors of this
kind are as annoying to us. as they are to
our readers who are immediately interested,
and we do our best to prevent them ; but,
though at rare intervals, one will occur now
and then. Of course, the omission of an ‘h’
in printing Alachua, was a typographical
slip.
Wesleyan Female Institute, Staunton,
Va. —By a mistake of the printer, the terms
of Board and Tuition were put down at $3lO
a year in the advertisement which appeared
last, week. The figures should have been, as
they no w appear, $240.
THE V. M. C. A.
These tetters art-g.-ttrng'to be
liar. We see them in the newspapers, and
on sign-boards in front of halls in the cities.
Most people, know what they stand for—
“ Young Men’s Christian Association.”
Some good Church people are afraid of
these associations. This is because they do
not understand them. Acquaintance with
their aims and methods will lead to confi
dence, if not co-operation.
The Y. M. C. A. began its work first in
London a little over thirty years ago. It was
in 1844, we believe. It is no longer an ex
periment. It has been tried and its results
prove its merits.
It is not anew Church and its work adds
nothing to the asperity of theological contro
versies. It will not drive the sects wider
apart; its influence will rather bring them
nearer to each other. It does not propose
to substitute, in any way, the Church, nor
does it hinder the Church in any of its work.
It is quite otherwise —bringing a substantial
contribution to every usetul form of Church
enterprise. /'
We have been looking over the “Annual
Report of the President of the Young Men s
Christian Association, of Atlanta, Ga., for
thß year ending June 23, 1876.” This re
port was rea l at the third anniversary of the
Association.
Who compose this Association ? Christian
young men of each of the leading Proteataqt
Churches of.the city. The best young men
of the city belong to it. The President is a
Methodist; last year the Baptists furnished
the President,. The officers are chosen from
the different Churches represented in the
Association.
What do they do ? On Sunday afternoons
they hold devotional meetings in their hall —f-
singing, praying, telling their experience,
reading God’s word, and seeking growth in
grace. Two of these Sabbath afternoon de
votional meetings we attended. It was good
to be there.
What else? Once each Sabbath they hold
devotional meetings in the Fulton county
jail. This prison, for a tew yaars past, ha 7
had many inmates besidei the common criiaL
iuals. The president says of 'his part
their work: “The fact that the Revenue pri
soners have been confined in Fulton county
jail has greatly enlarged this opportunity of
doing good.” We have enquired carefully
into this part of their work, and their spirit
and methods have tided us with admiration.
Having known Atlanta twenty-four years,
we make bold to say that these boys hav?
done more gospel work in the Fulton county
prison within the last three years than was
done during the twenty-one that went before.
Their work makes us ashamed of our own
pastoral negligence iu the years that are
gone. If we only could recall the oppor
tunity that was so poorly used ! y
What else ? There is a large “Surgical
Institute” in Atlanta. Sometimes there are
more than fifty patients in this Institute who,
“through God’s providence, are unable to
attend regular Church service.” To these
unfortunates the young men have carried
songs, prayers, exhortations, and blessings.
What else? A few noble ladies—with con*
paratively few sympathizers among those who:
are rich enough to help them —have estab
listed in Atlanta a “Benevolent Home.”j
Here the utterly destitute, the sick stranger,
and such as have neither friend nor helper,
have found temporary refuge. Here they
have found friends and helpers. They have
received medicine, and nursing, and from
the Home some have received Christian
burial. The President’s report says: “We
are told by the matron and officers, that the
large “Home Family" looks joyfully forward
to the Sunday afternoon meetings. The bed
side of the sick, cared for by this noble in
stitution, is often cheered by the songs and
prayers of our workers.”
What else? They have conducted very sue-
cessful devotional meetings in i locality in
Atlanta called Brooklyn, that was in sore
need of evangelical work.
What else ? These young men have shown
themselves to be the best lay-workers at the
revival meetings in the Churches.
They have done their great and good work
at little expense. They are gathering a
choice library. They deserve the sympathy,
the respect, and co operafion of all good peo
ple. Good people who do not wish them
well do not understand them. But they
should study their ways and imitate their
example. These associations are multiply
ing in Georgia and, so far as we have oppor
tunity to judge, are doing an incalculable
amount of good.
But the most important and hopeful result
we have not mentioned, though our readers
must have thought of it —the development of
these young mAi themselves in personal
religion and in their power to do good. Ten
yea r s from to day they will be leaders in
their respective Churches; twenty years hence
they will be the pillars. And they are, by
God's grace, getting themselves ready for
the greater work tbat awaits them. By the
Master’s test—“ then fruits” —we judge
them.
God speed them in their work for man’s
good and God’s glory. H.
Oxford.
NURSING RESENTMENTS.
Most of them would die of themselves but
for careful nursing. Many resentments are
really without cause. Some arise from sim
pte misunderstandings; many more, so far
as we have observed, from wounded vanity.
there is nothing so easily wounded.
The egotist is easily hurt. His harness has
only “joints” and they are all open. A
random arrow can’t miss him. A Presiding
Elder friend of ours lost the friendship of a
country brother whom he esteemed, and
years afterwards found out the cause. It
sterns that the brother saw the Presiding
Elder in the crowded street of a city one day
and bowed to him. But the Presiding Elder —
a little near-sighted withal —did not see him
and so did not return the brother’s saluta
tion. The brother never forgave him for
what he took as au affront. Moreover, he
nurse i his resentment and told the story of
his wrongs till at last he concluded that the
Presiding Elder had done him a real injury.
He would hear him preach no more.
Resentments do not need nursing; it is bet
ter to nurse vipers, for they will only sting the
bosom that warms them into life. Resent
ments nursed will sting the heart that nour
ishes them. Many a man has embittered his
whole life and set a neighborhood by the
ears, because he fancied that some body had
slighted him. It seems, to use the mildest
word the case allows, excessively foolish.
One must think himself of vast consequence
to spend his life nursing little viper-lings in
the shape of resentments. One other thing
should be said —it is very wicked. It is not
the Spirit of Christ, nor does it lead to Christ.
What a waste of time and feeling it in
volves, if there were no greater evils in this
foolish weakness 1 Charlotte Broute says
on this subject, quite conclusively: “Life
appears too short to be spent in nursing ani
mosity or registering wrongs.”
Oxford. H.
Contsponkiicc.
“A LETTER FROM THE MOUNTAINS.”
Mr. Editor: It has been a long time
since I have attempted to write anything
from the “Mountains” from the fact that, I
could find nothing of late that was encour
aging. I often get letters of enquiry eon
'earning cter- country from various parts of
the States, wauting to know all about Mon
tana. Many of these letters embrace a wide
scope of enquiry and such a multitude of
questions as to almost entirely discourage me
from the attempt to write at all. There are
some who think they see much, and know
more, that the outside world ought to know,
therefore, the long and exaggerated accounts
given of this “ wonderful country.” It is
not to be wondered at that some are satis
fied, however, with Montana, as some are
satisfied with anything and anywhere.
To say that very many have been deceived
by the glowing encomiums upon the country
does not by any means express it. And to
day there are hundreds who, if they could
get away, would go anywhere to escape the
hardships, privations, and general prostra
tion, and financial distress of the mountains.
It is true that the soil in the valleys, that is
at all available, is productive. But in all
the valleys that I have visited, not more
than an average of one in 20 to 25 acres are
available for agricultural purposes. The
most of the valleys are destitute of sufficient
water facilities, and large bodies of the land
are nothing but gravel beds, which produce
nothing but sage brush, prickly pears (cac
tus), and very little grass. The foot hills
and mountain sides produce abundant grass,
but the valleys are now almost entirely use
le s for grazing purposes. The large herds
of stock have consumed the valley range.
The rage for stock, especially cattle, has
subsided. Cows and calves, together, can
be purchased at $lO and sl2. Other cattle
in proportion. Horses are low. Sheep $4
aud $6. Everything else in the same low
proportion, except dry goods and groceries,
and there is considerable reduction of late
in these lines of trade. The climate is
severe and cold for at least six months of
the year; and to-day (June 26) it is cold
and very disagreeable, demanding hot fires
and heavy woolen clothes. It gets so cold
during the winter, that the ordinary ther
mometers are useless. There has been a
large increase in the rainfall this Spring;
and snow in the mountains in sight. _
There is plenty of land open for pre
emption at $1.25 per acre. Homesteads at
a cost of office fees, by residing on them for
five years. But in most of the country,
ranches can be purchased for less than what
it cost to improve the land, by from one
third to one-half. Tnese lands are irrigated
from creeks, rivers, and mountain streams,
at considerable cost and labor. And should
there be a scarcity of water the crops fail.
Fencing is done with rails, poles, and hoards,
but very expensive in most cases. Rails
cost from $3.50 to $5.00 per hundred in the
fence. In the rural districts the houses are
mostly log cabins covered with poles, straw,
aud dirt. There are some framed houses.
In the towns they are mostly frame, with
some stone and brick residences and busi
ness houses. Tnsre is abundant timber in
the mountains, but very often very difficult
to obtain. The best timber, according to
my observation, is almost entirely inaccessi
ble. In some places (encing poles must be
hauled a distance of 15 and 25 miles.
The Placer Mines are about exhausted,
and hundreds of the “honest miners” are
seeking other fields of adventure and discov
ery. Many are gone to the Black Hills, and
others are trying to get money enough ahead
to go. The Quartz Mines being developed,
are not. meeting the hopes and expectations
of the people. And the wide-spread scourge
now sweeping over the Territory, threaten
ing the entire destruction of the crops, pro
duces a state of things painful to contem
plate. The cry of “hard times” is heard
everywhere; and how many are to survive
the crisis I cannot see. When times were
prosperous the people were extravagant, and
now they are oppressed and burdened with
debts they can uever pay. The burdensome
taxes, and enormous interest, paid by the
borrower, is crushing, destructive to the
people. The taxes iu some counties are as
high as S3O on the SI,OOO. Most of the
towns have run down very materially. Hel
ena has all the energy aud go-ahead of the
country. As to energy and enlerprize, it
would do credit to any country. It is the
only town of importance in Montana. It is
situated twelve miles from the Missouri
river, in the centre of a rich mining region,
and overlooking for a considerable distance
the beautiful Prickly Pear Valley. In Hel
ena the finest schools of the Territory are to
be found. Iu all the towns and valleys
there are schools supported by general taxa
tion—some good, some bad, and some very
indifferent.
Iu regard to Church matters in the Terri
tory, “ the prospect is not very inviting.”
There is au influence, and cause, operating
against the cause of Christianity in this
country. In my travels and observation I
find that no denomination is making any
permanent headway. There is no financial,
and but very little moral support here for
the ministry. The preacher that relies upon
the people for support, and devotes his time
alone to the ministry of the Word, will inev
itably safl’er. And if be engages in secular
pursuits fora support for himself and family
it will bring him in contact with such influ
ences as must necessarily hinder, if not in
jure his usefulness. If he works for his
daily bread, some will think he should not
be paid because he is a preacher; andotbers
will refuse to pay him for praaching because
he is engaged at something else to keep his
family from want, while serving a heartless,
unappreciative people I give it as my opin
ion, that, unless the few ministers engaged
in this field are placed, by missionary a>d,
above want they must withdraw from the field.
The time has come when it is folly to look
to the people for ministerial support in
Montana. It must be done by missionary aid,
or the preachers must secularize, or abandon
the work. Then the question arises in the
thinking mind: Under all the circumstances,
will it pay? I have my doubts. Tbe out
look is anything but encouraging. The peo
ple do not take the interest in the cause of
Christ that might be looked for. They will
not attend Church service, consequently the
preacher cannot reach them. Go into the
towns, and the preacher that panders to the
world, aud advocates dancing, will play
billiards and cards, go into saloons, take a
social drink with a friend, “draws the con
gregation.” But a devoted gospel preacher,
whatever his ability, is not the man for this
country. But more anon. Traveler.
July, 1876.
AVAI/i'ERBORO CIRCUIT-A NEW FAR
sox At; k.
Mr. Editor: At the beginning of this Cen
tennial year the brethren of the Walterboro
Circuit determined to have anew and com
modious parsonage, for their minister to live
in, and consequently appointed a building
committee to take hold of the matter and
push the work forward to completion. The
Committee —amid the doubts of some, the
disapproval of others, aud the prayers of
many, —began the work in earnest, and yes
terday, the 6th of July, our preacher, Rev.
J. L. Sifley, with his dear family moved into
a house, neat, new, and comfortable. He
did not have to move far, however, as it is
built within ten feet of the one occupied
heretofore by him. 1 would remark that it
is hard for any circuit to say what they can
do until they try. We have made the ex
periment, have succeeded, and nobody is
seriously injured. This section country
suffered last year very much from the drouth,
and consequently the brethren were leasable
to aid iu an enterprise of this kind than they
otherwise would have been; but the work is
completed, and the preacher is comfortable,
and the stigma of compelling our minister to
live in a house altogether too small and un
comfortable, is removed.
I would advise my brethren of other cir
cuits to do likewise. Brave hearts and a
steady aim will accomplish the same,aud ere
long all our circuits may have a good and
comfortable home for their preacher. Breth
ren, if your minister has not a comfortable
home, do try the experiment as we have and
see what you will accomplish. This home
for our preacher is built in the midst of a
thriving anil populous neighborhood of
thorough-going Methodists. An excellent
church edifice stands within a stone’s-throw
of the parsonage. Sister Durant and family
ive within two hundred yards,and Dr. Peirce
lonly about one hundred yards further. The
location is very healthy, the water is pure,
the Church is thriving, the Sunday-school is
large and well attended the year round. Our
Church register shows a membership of about
one hundred and twenty-five.
If you think Mr. Editor that I am exagger
ating, do come over to our third Quarterly
Meeting and see for yourself.
I see you have us down for September 9th
instead of 16th August as the appointment
now stands. I hope our Presiding Eider will
have the chaugejmade in your paper,as many
people from other circuits wish to come and
it will cause a confusion. Let it be known
then that our third Quarterly Meeting begins
on Thursday before the 3d Sunday in August.
If you will come we will treat you as we used
to, when you were our boy-preacher in days
long gone by. Your brother in Christ
A. English Williams.
[We could desire no better treatment than
we received from the good people of Colie"
ton in our “boy-preacher” days, and would
gladly accept our friend’s invitation if it were
possible.—En]
COLUMBIA FEMALE COLLEGE.
Mr. Editor: This is the time for College
Commencements. Oar people are reading
the reports from visiting committees, and
other correspondents. Your readers should
now be considering the question of sending
their daughters and sons promptly at the
opening of the next sessions. May I not
therefore say a word for our Female College
in Columbia, S. C. Asa member of the
Board of Trustees tor the past six years, I
naturally feel an interest in the continuance
and prosperity of our institution.
Dr. Jones, with great courage, and at
much financial risk, re-opened in January,
1873; and for three years and six months,
conducted it with success, paid his way, and
diminished the debt several thousand dol‘
lars. He has judged it his duty to resign
the presidency, and the Board, with great
reluctance, were obliged to accept his resig
naton. The Executive Committee, with
proper authority, have secured Prof. Jones,
late of the Cokesbury Conference school, as
his successor. We have a good omen in the
name. Dr. Meynardie has informed us of
his record and endorsements in a late article
in your paper, and I need say nothing at
present on that suhject.
We can and must sustain this college. We
cannot afford to lose our place in the ranks
of those who propose to educate their
daughters under religious auspices. The
members of the South Carolina Conference,
I trust, will give general and serious atten
tion to this interest. Mention it, in private
and in public, to our people, and to our
frieuds. Let us have continued and increas
ed patronage.
I hope it may be practicable for the new
President to visit some of our District
Conferences, and by this and other meth
odj, secure an interest in himself person
ally. Dr. Jones, as President, and Brother
Browne as agent for two years, did much in
this way. Some member of our Board may
be in attendance at our several District Con
ferences, and I hope will give information,
and give this institution prominent notice
during the sessions. I most respectfully ask
the Presiding Elders to use their influence
iu this behalf. The most of them are mem
bers of our Board of Trustees, and I trust
will not forget. Others, as members of the
Conference, and prominent officers of the
Church, must feel that we cannot allow this
Conference interest to languish tor want of
their potential eo-operatiun. To the preach
ers; one and all, and to all our people and
friends, I venture to make this appeal. Let
us hold our property and our position in
Columbia. In three months much can be
done. Let us hope that next October will
show that we are resolved to succeed. Send
the girls along to the Columbia Female Col
lege next October 1 J. W. Kelly.
July, 1876.
THE AMERICUS DISTRICT CONFER
ENCE
Convened at Montezuma, Ga., Jane 28th,
Dr. J. W. Hinton presiding. Rev. A. J.
Dean was elected Secretary, and Pat. B.
Sims aud 0. Swearengiu Assistants. From
the reports of the pastors, it was ascertained
that there is nothing in the state of the work
to cause discouragement. The attendance
on public worship is good ; the Sacraments
are regularly administered ; family prayer is
ueither so extensively practiced nor so high
ly estimated as is needful for wholesome
spiritual growth ; discipline is judiciously
and prayerfully administered ; the Sabbath
school cause is fully alive and is receiving the
faithful attention of the preachers ; pastoral
visiting is duly appreciated. Financial ope
rations in the District show nothing remark
able, unless it be the heroic, uncomplainiug
devotion to the Master’s cause, of His faith-
ful heralds. The able report of the Commit
tee on Finances, develops the unpleasant
fact that in point of supporting the minis
try and meeting our missionary assessments,
we are farther behind than usual at this
date, and hopefully urges upon stewards
and pastors, the most persistent effort du
ring the remainder of the year. The Com
mittee thought that the sisters might be,
and should be made available in collecting
funds, and trainiug the young in tbe grace
of liberality. The report was replete with
wholesome instruction and wise counsel, and
would do good in print if there were space
for it. The reports on State of the Church,
Sunday schools, Education, and Church
Literature, were alike interesting and in
structive. The Advocate and Sunday
school Periodicals received universal appro
val —the only regret being that they are not
more generally enjoyed. The International
Lesson Series was warmly commended.
The religious element constituted the lead
ing feature of the Conference occasion.
Among the visiting brethren who preached
with power and to purpose was Dr. Lovick
Pierce, who, for an hour and twenty minutes
held his large congregation wrapt in eager
attention, anxious to catch every word he
uttered upon his favorite theme —Sanctifica-
tion. The unction of the Spirit rested upon
the preacher and his hearers. The discourse
of the Presiding Elder on Sunday morning
will not soon he forgotton, and will prove
the comfort of many a soul on the last day.
The Rev. J. L. Gibson, M. E. Rylander,
W. H. Robinson, and R. T. Dozier, were
elected delegates to the Annual Conference;
and Pat B. Sims, S. T. Crawford, F. T.
Snead, and C. M. Lowe, alternates, in the
order named. ’The next session of the Dis
trict Conference is to be held at Ellaville.
We have never seen more ample provision
made for the comfort and enjoyment of del
egates, and the abounding hospitality of the
good people of Montezuma and the vicinity
was gratefully recoguized by the Conference
in resolutions which were unanimously pass
ed by a rising vote. Pat B. Sims,
Assistant Sec'y.
SOUTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE Dis
tricts.
Mr. Editor: I am fully persuaded we
ought to make better or more general use
of our Conference paper to advance the in
terest of the Church. We plod along until
Conference and then a meager statistical
showing is all, losing the force of the press
that all through the year might aid efficient
ly, and which our modesty, or something
else, will not allow us to use.
Our Conference Districts may be likened
to the various corps of an army, all aiming
at the same object, success in the best of
causes. All these, with one exception, are
well officered. Now, when these officers
speak out as two do iu your paper of the
4th —show what is done, doing, or hoped to
be done, it is as stirring as the sound of a
trumpet; and when the command rings out,
“ forward I” it tells not only upon the one
corps, but all. “Is that your object?”
thinks Florence —(of which it may be truly
written, “See Florence and die”) —“then
power shall not be lacking to bring us to the
front.”
Thus the “Swamp Fox” District influences
its neighbor, which wakps up the “ Game
Cock,” whose loud crowing rouses Columbia,
the very center of us all. Columbia’s fiery
little chieftain roils the cry on down the
South Carolina Railroad, and Orangeburg,
aud Charleston wheel into line, and up the
G. and C. R. R.—and Greenville. Spartan
burg, and Cokesbury hear, and determine not
to be outdone.
Now, Mr. Editor, as we all have at heart
the advancement of our old Conference, suf
fer me to repeat in part the story our last
Conference Minutes tell, in order to awaken
a general interest in the subject, and hard as
are the times, the present year, to urge that
there be no falling off' in our next report.
The Minutes for 1875 show in the
Charleston District —Wm. P. Mouzon,
P. E.:
Members —increase, 328 ; decrease, 282.
Baptisms increase, 283 ; decrease, 53.
Sunday-school scholars—increase, 586; de
crease, 242. Conference claims assessed,
$2,772 ; Conference claims collected, sl,-
936.28. Average per member, 35 cents.
Orangeburg District— Wm. Martin, P. E.:
Members increase, 251 ; decrease, 28.
Baptisms—increase, 80; decrease, 80. Sun
day-school scholars —iucrease, 271; decrease,
125. Conference claims assessed, $2,7:10 ;
Conference claims collected, $1,651.11. De
ficit, $1,078.89. Average per member, 47
cents.
Columbia District —W. H. Fleming, P. E.:
Members —increase, 894 ; decrease, 135.
Baptisms increase, 62; decrease, 191.
Sunday-school scholars —increase, 220; de
crease, 283. Conference claims assessed,
$2,983; Conference claims collected, $2,-
161.11, Deficit, $821.89. Average per
member, 42 cents.
Sumter District —A. M. Chrietzberg, P.E.:
Members increase, 539; decrease, 310.
Baptisms increase, 177 ; decrease, 97.
Sunday-school scholars—iucrease 491 ; de
crease, 497. Conference claims assessed,
$2.905; , Conference claims collected, $2,-
130.84. Average per member, 34 cents.
Marion District—'Wm. C. Power, P. E.:
Members —increase, 274; decrease, 601.
Baptisms—increase, 110; decrease, 146.
Sunday-school scholars —increase, 114; de
crease, 623. Conference claims assessed,
$2,965; collected, $2,120 96. Deficit, $844,-
04. Average per member, 28 cents.
N. B. —Toe changes of circuit boundaries
in this district accounts for the apparently
large decrease, there being no returns on
VOLUME XXXIX., NO. 29.
some charges the preceding year to make
comparisons by.
Spartanburg District —11. M. Mood,P.E :
Members —Increase, 19!); decrease, 134.
Baptisms increase, 69 ; decrease, 182.
Sunday-school scholars —increase, 247 ; de
crease, 147. Conference claims assessed,
$2,700; collected, $1,641.85. Deficit, sl,-
058.15. Average per member, 38 cents.
Cokesbury District —Manning Brown,P.E.
Members increase, 344 ; decrease, 463.
Baptisms—lncrease, 62; decrease, 172. Sun
day-school scholars —increase, 111; decrease
268. Conference claims assessed, $2,905;
collected, $2,021.40. Deficit, $883.60. Av
erage per member, 48 cents.
Greenville District —O. A. Darby, P. E.:
Members —increase, 115; decrease, 119.
Baptism increase, 37; decrease, 115.
Suuday-sehool scholars —increase, 324 ; de
cease, 216. Conference claims assessed,
$2,285; collected, $926.40. Deficit, sl,-
358.60. Average per member, 19 cents.
The average assessed and paid per member
on salaries are as follows:
o|
Charge. || and .§3
><j > *§ '§ c ?’
< -d O C
Charleston $2 60 $2 24 36 14
Orangeburg 242 209 33 13
Columbia 257 223 34 13
Sumter 217 190 27 12
Marion 199 165 34 17
Spartanburg 170 144 26 15
Cokesbury 259 228 31 11
Greenville 164 1 27 37 22
Which of our Districts shall bear away the
banner this year? Cokesbury and Columbia
shared the honor last. All have an equal
chance, for the times are hard everywhere.
I like that idea of driving “ Old Hard
Times” out of the Marion Circuit parson
age, by that stirring war-cry “ Charge!
brethren , Charge'.” I would improve it. iu
only one particular by whisperiug, “ Bay,
brethren, pay ” There lias been so much
that one does not know, unless there be some
change, bow the men will get away wheu
pay day comes. Observer.
TO THE COLUMBUS DISTRICT.
Dear Brethren : My last sought to invest
each Church official with the importance de
signated in our Book of Discipline. We do
well if we take heed. I would now extend
the thought to the interests they represent—
the department to which they are assigned.
The division of labor in our Church has its
advantages—with a slight disadvantage. Its
advantge is seen in the opportunity to con
centrate, as in the case of a steward, on a
given subject. A disadvantage arises from a
failure to transfer the knowledge thus derived
to all questions involving finance. This is
not the smallest. As the division stops too
soon, it spreads the pastorate over a field
too large for the force, prevents concentra
tion on their peculiar work, sends them “to
serve tables” without a scriptural call, abid
ing taste, or antecedent training—and thus
necessitates a fearful loss of power that
might be acquired by study, prayer,and pas
toral work. For the present, till we avail
ourselves of the real benefit resulting from
the introduction of the lay-element, we
should give the greater diligence to develop
all the interests of the Church. It will re
quire no small investments of body, brain,
and soul. A minister can so attend to all
the duties as to make a creditable report of
each. This has beeu demonstrated by faith
ful men —and they are always in demand.
Punctuality, push, will-power, go a great
ways towards reconciling the discordant
members of a family. Faith and force can
make the.lion lie down together.
Duties and different interests need not,
should not, conflict. Brother A. can hear
preaching without neglecting prayer-meet
ing, Church-conference, Sunday-school, etc.
Brother B. should not be so contented with
Church membership, so absorbed in it, as to
forget and forsake everything else. Brother
C. need not allow the friction of finance to
disturb the sweetness and smoothness of his
spirit. “To everything there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the hea
ven”: A time to preach and pray; a time to
sing and shout; a time to attend the social
meetings and Conferences; a time to make
all you can; a time to save all you can; a
time to give all you can. Blessed be the
preacher and Church that identifies the
greatest number with each interest—and
compels each interest to stand on its own
legal bottom.
I am happy to inform you that your Quar
terly Meetings are growing in interest. In
Talbot the Church manifests a high appre
ciation of these quarterly visitations—and
other places are like minded. One brother,
rather than stop a plough or be remiss in his
stewardship, walked eight miles. lam tempt
ed to give his name. Such a man is worthy
to be called Hon. Mr. W , and should be
more than an ex-member of the Legislature.
Like many others he has a good wife, chil
dren, farm —is a Sunday-school man —but by
a little wise precaution he always succeeds
in staying until Sunday afternoon—very often
until Monday—and thus assists iu and enjoys
all the exercises of the occasion.
To say nothing of its President, a Quar
terly Conference made up of preachers, ex
horters, stewards, leaders, trustees, superin
tendents, and secretaries —and making most
of these —as well as unmaking as occasion
requires—-is second in scope and sweep,
routine and responsibility, only to what has
beeu called “that congress of the Church.”
The elements composing it, its inherent
power, the influence of those commissioned
by it, the interests with which it is charged—
all these, coupled with its weekly distribu
tion throughout the connection exalt it above
our District Conference and give it a more
constant, telling effect, in the way of mould
ing our Methodism, than a single Annual
convocation of ministers. Not to minify
either of these, for District Conferences are
salutary—especially in the absence of camp
meetings—and the Annual Conference alone
can select, drill, and distribute the laborers,
and superinted other enterprises of great
moment, still, these Conferences, though
more largely attended aud always allowed to
pass without criticism, take their rise in the
Quarterly Conference and the flow, hue,
healthtuluess of an Annual Conference, is
largely dependent on the composition, char
acter, care, of the Quarterly Conference.
The Jewish Church worked ab extra. Re
modeled by Jesus it now works ab intra. A
Quarterly Conference is like the latter.
Working according to, and out of the heart
of those that compose it—its legitimate (unc
tion is to vitalize the nearest and remote in
terests —every member of the vast body.
And tor this it is, like the human heart,
admirably situated. Not too high— not too
low—about the center—midway from clergy
to laity—among the people it commends it
self to the kind regards and fostering care of
all who would love aud perpetuate our
Methodism.
For these, and other reasons, I have al
ways magnified the Quarterly Meetings—
(more perhaps as a private member and pas
tor than a Presiding Elder). I would have
you do the same—continue and abound.
Rest assured that pastoral fidelity, Church
discipline, Sunday-schools, social and official
meetings—instead of dispensing with the
work assigned a Quartet ly Conference —
stand in need of all the aid this legally form
ed and time-honored arm of the service can
give them. Make them potent for increased
good by throwing around them the aegis of
your presence aud prayers. A proper study
of these things and the spirit of the last sen
tence would bring to the front the beauty
aud necessity of our system —uproot and
eliminate any lingering prejudice—prevent
many badly digested propositions—older
Conferences wouid settle down confirmed as
to the question of practical utility, and every
Church in our broad connection —be it little
or large, country or city—would smile at the
pastor s announcements, and resolve to be
present in force. Brethren, the “Third
Round” has to do with some things sacred
to all—character, 1 beg your attendance, in
dulgence, aid. Yours in Christ
J. B. McGkhee,