Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-12-15
SOUTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE.


convenience -. o..
SOUTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE. T
GREENv1LLE, Dec. 8, 1859.
Dear Enquirer Through an oversight in
somebody I have failed to see your face since my
arrival here, and am now somewhat at q loss to
know Just where I left off last week. But the
proceedings Of Conference on Tuesday and We'd
nesday will have reached you before the arrival
Of this, and shall at present merely sum up in
general terms.
The most important business Of an Annual Con-
ference is the examination of the character OF
every member of which it is composed: This
work so far as know, is not performed by any
other ecclesiastical body. Yet, it is the first
great duty Of Methodist Conference. 1t was
originally performed with closed doors, and the
writer would fan witness return to the old rule.
Perhaps no class Of men are more endeared to
each other than Methodist preachers. What af-
fects one concerns all. Hence there is reluctance
to speak of brothers in6rmities in promiscu-
GUS assembly. Sometimes, too, the public mis-
construes the object of q speaker when character
is involved If any feeling is manifested it is too
often taken for spirit of opposition to the man,
when nothing more is meant than to show what
every man Of God should exhibit, an utter hatred
and adherence of sin. And. however preachers
may be attached to each other, they are more in
love with the cause they have espoused and with
its Divine Founder so that they will cheerfully
cut off, one from the other, rather than suffer det'
riments to the kingdom of our common Lord
Character, as a Methodist preacher views 1t, not
only comprehends the principles Of right and
wrong in the abstract, but moreover, as to pro-
priety, prudence, &c. One brother stood before
the bar of our late Conference to answer the COM
plaint of certain lay brethren that he used edn'
phrases in the pulpit. One at a former Confer
ence was called to answer the complaint OF biz
ueople. that his anecdotes and illustrations were
not altogether such as became q Minister Of the
Gospel.
An Annual Conference is not q legislative body
Methodists believe that the laws by which we are
to be governed may be found in the Scripture
the Constitution of Christian government; sn6
that the general rules, published in their Dis
cipline, contain ON epitome of the moral duties
thereby enioined. To the discipline we refer FOL
the statement of our doctrines, as to faith and
practice-but the Bible is the only iDfalibe chart
and to it we refer for the proof Of our doctrines
All legislation Dy the church must, therefore, bt
subordinate to the teachings Of inspiration. The
general Conference is invested with power tt
frame such laws or rules Of action as shall bes
secure the object of the Lawgiver. The Annual
Conference, having had voice in the Genera
Conference, is a working body whose business il
is harmoniously, to carry out the enterprises sci
on foot by the General Conference.
The government of the Methodist church does
not claim to be republican, and yet it is as much
so. perhaps, as any church. Republican is not
a word of Bible origin. The objects Of civil
and ecclesiastical government ere essentially diff
ferent. The one is for the protection Of life, lib
erty and property the other is for the dissent,
nation of the gospel and meets its legitimate enc
by going forth "conquering and to conquer. -
Hence it will be seen that their organization mus
of necessity differ, and the mode Of action cannot
be alike in each case. Civil government is for
defence; ecclesiastical or church government is
for aggression. The citizens Of well ordered
civil government "dwell in safety" while the true
citizens of q we'll regulated Church, like their
Divine King, go "about doing good" and, in the
last days, "many shall run to and fro," in real
circuit preacher fashion, "and knowledge shall
be increased in the EARTH
But if republcanism is equity in equality, then
is the Methodist church republican institution.
A layman here is responsible to his peers-be can
only be tried by committee Of layman, and we
have no standing committee for his trial. A
preacher is responsible to his peers We recog-
nize no higher grade than than that of Elder. A
presiding Elder is only an Office of the church,
A preacher, though the pastor, may not so much
as give the casting vote in case of tie for or a.
.gainst layman. All the preachers, Bishops in
cluded, of the whole connection, are incompetent
to exclude one lsyman.
But am rambling, for which however, you
and your readers will doubtless excuse me.
The increase in the membership Of the S. c.
Conference for the past year is as follows:
r Drao obaru ZS
White members. 1893
Colored II" 1,84s
Total increase for the year, 3O65
The number Of itinerant preachers IN the >. u
ro,fo,oroo "a 16e
GonaI proocbors 231
wiz rosrobers 1924
eolored 1858
Total ministry and membership, o7,275
There has been collected for the cause of Mis-
sons during the past year, $27, ,lO6,3S.
The widows and orphans and superannuated
preachers were paid only two-thirds Of their
claim. We trust to do better on this score in fu-
ture.
The following will exhibit the number of Meth
od;sts in the United States at the close of 1858,
the latest date to which reports have been fully
made out:
NJ. E. Church, South, ~,
Travelling Preachers, a'ooi 20.
Local Preachers, '''o1
roto, preacbers. 1851
White members, 4oo'oo4 o'os