Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-05-27
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE
M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH.
Thursday, 7th May, Is

M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH
Thursday, 7th May, 1s46.
MIR. McMahan wished 10 ask single
question. Did Dr.. Smith desire 70 do
away with Episcopacy in the Methods
E. Church Soulh2 H. (Mr. Men, y
had been ordained by Bishop A>bury,
had travelled with Bishop Mckrndree
hundreds of miles lhro' The "wiIderhess
and the city full ;" he had also travelled
extensively with The present worthy and
venerable incnmbents, and he was OF the
opinion that they did as much work as
their predecessors. 1t could not be ex-
pected tina, the present Bishops could
preach as often because Of their very ex
tensive travel, having sometimes to 60
eight thousand miles in a stretch:
Mr.. ]. B. McFer,in did not intend TO
make speech. He did not believe that
Dr.. Smith desired to cast any reaec'on
upon our Bishops, but such was certainly
the tendency Of his remarks. II insis-
ted tha, Dr.. S. was wrong in the suppn>
sition that ,hp Bishops did not know the
preachers and the people, and. their
wants, and also in saying that the Presi'
ding Elders in effect made the. appoint
menrs. This was no, So with his people.
DR.. S. would be aslonished, it the. Bish-
ops were ca,echsed, 10 hear them speak
with so much accuracy asIosthe talents,
zeal and vasied capaci.iess a taeseeefe4-
ministers in the annual conferences
The Presiding Elders do not station the
ministers, but only advise with the Bish-
ops when necessary. Suppose we had
six or eight Bishops, would they learn as
much by travelling through the confer
ences, as in taree nights counsel with
the Presiding Elders! No. The Bisll-
hops would call those ministers together,
and, after short conversation; send
them home. The next morning, 10 the
periecI establishment Of the ministers the
appointments would be read out. Some
would be disappointed to be sure. Some
expecting ,o be made Presiding Elders
would be pr, upon Circuits, but it would
in the end work well. Again, things
would be different now. The four BisI-
ops will be at the South. at home, in the
mids of their fields of labor, and they
can circulate among the people more
freely and extensively. BY This means
the Bishop, whose bodily infimritg is
greatest, will be able to visit three or
four Conferences annually, leaving to
each of the others only about four. In
our country, Methodist Bishops are re-
gardpd as working men. not local men,
possessing sinecures in the church. He
hoped the time would never come when
our Bishops could not say "our labois
and sufierings are more than either of
you." Give IN, M work enough to do,
in the name Of God. A..
Mr.. bnngs,reer wished always to bear
in mind the great cardinal principles of
Wesleyan Methodism, and considered
it safe TO adhere 10 those principles now.
He thought one additional Bishop would
be all sufficient at leas, til the meeting
of the next General Conference. He
therefore moved to strike out the word
too, and insert in its place the word one
DR.. Smith would rather see one cleo
ted than two, and was therefore glad to
hsar Mr.. Longsireel's motion.
He regretted TO be misunderstood by
brethren. He believed Methodist Epis
copacy, if sucha decl ration was neces-
sary at that time from him. But under
the circumstances which now surround
the Episcopacy he could see no good to
be derived from increasing their num-
Der. If you could put them in circum
stances in which they could exert all
THEN influence and talents, he would NOT
object to their increase, hut would rather
rejoice at it. He referred to difficulties
which had occurred in Virginia, SIMPLY
on account ofthe absence of a Bishop,
The lapse Of 20 years would not.remove
those influences Produced by the ineffi-
cheney of this plan. He could neve, be
brought to make Methodist glorifca-
ton speech (; if fMe,hodism could not glo-
rifya herself, she should never speak
through his trumpet. He wished to
place the Episcopacy in asuchsa situa-
ton as 10 render j. efficientevety where,
so that its influence might besfeltin ev.
cry circui. and station,