Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-12-18

! 9TH. For the limitation to n poriod
Of years Of the t"r;ns Of Federal
! judges, ....,.- ......
rde Annl,ai Conference of the Methodist
:. -, Episcopal Church.
The Annual Conference of this
large and. influential body, assembled
in this place. according to previous ap
'lpointment on Monday last. There
was very fine attendance, compris.
inga minority Of the able. and inhu-
ential divincs Of the Church. Here is
Bishops Wm. N. Wightnan, d. d.:
tho. presiding oilicor, who elevated
to his present position, two years ago,
finds in its multitarious and rcspons:-
bic duties full scope for his eminent
administrative talents. Here are also
ithe.distinguishcd Professors of Wof-
ford College, President a Il. ;aliipp and
Rev. Whitefoord Smith, ,Ae Revs.
Fleming, Boyd, Pickctt, GumcwclI,
Brown, Wightman, t.card, Franks,
Pritchard, Stevens, Eim Mons, Martin.
Carers and many others equally able
and distinguished, whose influence, is
tclsand whose praise is heard throu gh-
out all the churches.
, The Conference is indeed large
and influential boav; I4.br&cing nine
Districts and numbering.one hundred
and fortv-fvc travelling and local
preachers. in addition to that, by Il
regulation of the last General Confer.
cnee which met in 1866, each District
now sends up four lay delegates,
which swell the clerical and Law repre-.
sentation to aEout one hundred and
ninety racmber These are all active
and e}icient ..orkers, Wpc bring tc
tho councils of the Ch,rc \, the same
zeal and energy which are exhibited
in thcic varied fields Of ministerial la
Dor.
For several days previous to the
meeting Of tho Conference, commit
tees OF examination were e:Mr.oyed,
in testing tho qualifications of tho
various candidates for the ministry
Can iidates arc required TO undergo a
four years probation, and to- stand
four examinations hcfcrc they are H.
ccnscd to assume tho full ministerial
functions of an elder or presbytcr
Such is tho training to which they arc
subj and it is most efficient in
preparing them for their work.
The business proceedings of the
Conference arc being conducted in the
Presbyterian Church, and present
many important and interesting dis
cussions. -..
!. The present location Of tho -Sash-
will "linolz Concern" found JEALOUS
and effective advocate in the Rev. DR..
McFerrin, distinguished minister Of
the Church, the agent. who showed
that W hatcvcr reasons might exist for
changing the location, applied equally
against selecting another.
An important feature of tie. regu-
lar business o., the Conference, is the
examination and discussion of all
changcs'afRcctirg the he>nainistsriai,c char
actcr Of its members. This is ce:tain-
y most ctfcicnt mode Of purifying
the body. and placing tho ministerial
character abGyo tho reach Of caium-
ny.
During the n,ceting of the Coafer-
ence three religious services have
been held daily in tho Methodist
Church, which has been fitted up
anew for tho occasion, and which,
with its warm stove, wcll.closcd doors,
and nicely carpcted floor, is ono Of
tho most comlnodious buildings in our
Vill:,se.
The business Of the Conference will
likely occupy an entire week.
Revs. EenncdS and Powa5: are the
Secretaries. -
Rev. J. o. Lindsay, Of the Prcsb5-
terrain, and Rev. W. P. DuBose, of the
Episcopal Churches wsro introduced
to the body and made appropriate
responses. ,....
The citi5ans Of our Village have
extended to the members of the Con.
ference oil the hospitalities Of cordial
welcome, and the occasion promises to
DO ono Of much interest and gretifica-
tion, eqnallyto guests and ehtoitain-
Iers.
We learn that our fellow citizens
from all parts Of the District intend
coming upsn mas. on Sunday next
Special trains ,wo believe will be run
on tho G: & c. r. r. i - =
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l.. R1sAsERous FInE IN CoLuMprA.--
= disastrous fro. occnrsed on last