The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-04-21
aIcfhotiise: Episcopal Conferences.

/ feelings Of devout gratitude the open
| ing Of another season of the General
Conference of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South. Circumstances
connected with the late unhappy war
hBve prevented us from an earlier
| meeting; and now that we are per
| initted by Divine Providence to as
semble, the important interests that
with all sobriety and prayerfulness,
we address ourselves to. their consi-
deration. -
We have to review the operation 8
of the church for eight years-en-
bracing a period during which i'm
portant and startling events have
crowded on each other in rapid sue
cession. When the last General Con-
ference closed, we anticipated an
earlier reunion in this city; but the
| welLknown condition of things, at the
time appointed in regular order for
our meeting, precluded our conveninc
| here. And ever since, until within
the last few months, it has been I'M
practicable to call tho Conference to-
gether. When it was definitely de-
clded that the Conference could not
meet at the proper time and place.
there being no law in the Discipline
authorizing the Bishops to convene
the General Conference, and the state
OF the country also being such as to
render it doubtful whether any CON
siderable number of the preachers
could be collected together for the
purpose of holding such u session. if
called, the Bishops, feeling the i'm
portance Of wise counsel in the emer-
gency, published card, inviting 4
meeting of the Bishops, Book Com
mlttee and others, to consult together
on divers important subjects connect
ed with the Immediate interests of
the church. Such a meeting was
held, first Mt Atlanta, Ga, afterwards
at Mac on, Ga, and then at Montoo-
mery, ala. In August last, the Bi
shops alone met for consultation at
columbus, GA. These various meet
lngs were seasons of interest and
profit to those who attended them.
and the results of our deliberations,
rs exhibited in the resolutions which
we published, tended greatly, as we
have reason to believe, to promote
the peace and prosperity of the
church
In order that the character of those
meetings may be clearly appreciated,
we would remind you that when they
We're called, it was distinctly stated
that all the acts of such meetings
would be simply advisory. We dis
claimed all authority to take anv
action that should be binding on tha
church, only as it might be approved
as wise and godly. We gave such
advice ns we judged best for the
church i'll her struitened circum-
stances. If the annual conferences
approved it, then they acted in ac-
cordance with their own convictions.
II not, then they simply took thei,:
own course in all matters that came
before them, without reference to our
advice. 1t is for the General Con
ference to decide whether we tran
scended our authority in converting
such advisory councils.
Early during the war, the Bishops
had to contine their episcopal vista
tions to the territory East Of the Mis-.
slsslppl River: This was deeply re-
SASoeees puo III OttC circumstances l.
was unavoidable. The consequences
was that the conferences West of the
mississippi were deprived of episco-
pal supervision during nearly tho
whole period of the war. We would
not, however, fail to mention that
Bishop Kavanaugh, residing RS he
did within the Federal lines, was able
to visit the Missouri, the st. Io,,i,
and the two Kentucky Conferences
and was also able to extend his yisi-
tatlons to the California work. The
rest of the Bishops were able to
extend their labors to various parts OF
the work within the Confederate
lines. Notwithstanding the fact thai
onr episcopal supervision of the worl,
has been necessarily partial, we are
gratified to believe that the preachers
have been faithful generally to the
interest OF the church of God. Will,
bnt very few exceptions, the annual
conferences have been regularly held
The presiding elders and preacher,
have filed their appointments as O:
old; and with humble gratitude to
God, we mention the fact that durinse
the trying years through which we
have passed, gracious revivals of rcli-
glon among our people have attested
how the Divine presence has been
with us.
We 40 mot otto,>>,>4 =. ~