Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-06-09
GvoL. mo. 38.
Methodist Episcopal Church South.

we copy inc following Synopsis from lilo
Southern Christian Advocate" ~
The action of the General Conference may
be summed up in tho following items
/. 1t was resolved to change the name of
the Church to Episcopal Methodist Church"
provided that three -fourths Of all the members
Of the several Annual Conferences shall con-
our therein. >sy
g Lay rcpresentation--fou 1aymen, one Of
whom may be q local preacher, (to be elected
by the District Stewards, or in such way as
the Annual Conference may direct,) to each
Presiding Elders District in Tho Annual
clcgymen as representatives to the General
the clerical representatives. Upon the request
of one fifth of the General Conference, the lay
men and cIergymcn can form two distinct
houses, whom concurrent majority will be
necessary to pass any law. This action, how
ever, is subject to the same confirmation and
| approval of thrce.fourths of all the preachers
in the several Annual Conferences.
8. The limit of the pastorate has bccn cx-
| tended from two to four years.
4. A system of church meetings was adop-
ted, to be held once month, if practicable
otherwise once quarter-to be presided
over by the preacher in charge. Tho object
of it is to put the membership more thorough
ly in connection with the various enterprises
of the church.
S. The probationary system has boon ab-
rogatcd are to be received formally
by the preacher in charge, according to tho
form of the baptisnIal service, or some other
form in an appendix 70 the discipline
9. Glass meeting is placed upon the same
footing with prayer meeting and no longcra
condition of membership.
7. The Missionary Society is divided into
Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society,
with distinct Boards, Secretaries and Treas
urcrs-the former located at Nashville and tho
latter at Baltimore.
y g.: 8: Eysryhiog in tho discipline in regard
church, has been taken out.
8. The whole matter of quarterago has
been merged into real support.
10. Everything advisory in regaru to dress
is taken out; and so, too, all that part which
requires preachers to consult tho Presiding
Elder upon the delicate ubjcct of matrimony.
IL. No travelling preacher can be proposed
to an Annual Conference for ordination except
he shall have passed al. examination before
the Conference Committees, to their satlsfao.
ton i'll the prescribed courses of study.
II. 1t is recommended that for tho pres.
cnt, a Biblical Chair be established in connec-
ton with each Of our colleges for the thcolog-
ical education Of young preachers.
IL. Several important changes in the boun-
daries of Conferences were made, for which
we refer to the report of the Committee on
Boundaries; and Northwest Texas, the Co
lumbia, the Mobile and the Montgomery Con-
ferences were formed. The name of tho
/" Rio Grande" Conference was changed to
" i 4l-ko IS IL, 4 ,sA-b T..>
ference to Little Rock. The Kansas Con-
and St. Louie Conferences. tbs St. Louis.
the Missouri, the Baltimore; tie Virginia,
the Georgia and the East Texas are permitted
to divide during the next four years, if thoy
shall deem it expedient and desirable to do so.
II. The vote OH licensing preachers and
recommending persons for ordination, is to bo
taken by ballot in the Quarterly Conferences
Is. The colored members Of the Church
are to be formed into their own Quarterly
and Annual Conferences, tho latter at the dis
cretion of the Bishops, with a view to their
ultimately forming their own general Confer.
ence. Meanwhile, the Bishops of our church
are authorised to confer with the Bishops Of
the African NJ. Il. Church, ,witha "a view tosa
union between our colored churches and that
church. 1t is also recommended that day
schools and Sabbath schools be formed among
the colored people whenever practicable.
16. There was change ii, the entire sys.
tenn of church trials and trials ofiappeal cases
The principle adopted is to try BY large COM
mittees, and to make their action that Of tho
body appointing them, withouta review Of
the case. 5 So s. Eii
II. The SONS allowed to upofannuated
preachers, widows and orphans, etc, arc to be9 {
designated by Boards of Conference Stewards;
and they are to have the direction Of the meth
dds of raising the necessary funds, leto, b f4
GY- The Secretary Of The Treasury has8iis
sued to the Union Pacific Rail Road sEas,,
tern Division, s3Ga,O00 Of six PES ,ents bonds,
being the amount due on the. last sectionSpf
twoDty-three miles, which was acsepte
&ha IIs;tad Stata Ge, - sSSaG s.