The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-21
SOUTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE OF
TIE NJ. IL. CHURCH, SOUTH.
Third Days Proceedings.
lrRox OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE

tFR0h OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
CuRRAw, S. G., December II.
Conference was opened this morning wit
religions services by the venerable and Itcv. J. W
Townsend.
communication from Rev. G. Nick. Smith, fra
ternal messenger OF the South Carolina Confer
cncc of the Methodist Protestant Church 10 tli
body, was read. The gentleman Is unable to al
tend In person, which lie very much regrets, bl,
gives strong assurances that the church lie repre-
scnts heartily desires fraternai union with the N
+. Church. South. The secretary was instructc,
to respond IN suitable terms to his letter, and th
presiding elder OF GrccnvIllc District and Rev. $
Lcard were elected frntcrnal delegates IRON
this To that body at its next annual session.
A communication was read from Rev. DIR
Foreign Missions, calling attention 10 the nbto
se Of or ~ s osse sSSt aTS. Il Mas t
tcrrcd to special committee Ol one lay and ono
sercal enSsr from each w,ss nrssng sdeTS Wis s
mnn I. Wood, ID. X. Barton. =. u. bowman, r.
Bryce, NJ. Brown, II; T. Wright, W. A. Hodges, DIR.
" smith, S. Boho ); a. Mo1,, II. A. Crawford
M: a. Connolly AMI J. G. Eagle.
J. B. Platt, J. G. Crisp and J. Il. TraywIck were
Miles II. Joy, Vim. Alexander. John l.. Hug.
gins. A. W. Moore, a. q. Harmon. Thomns ellison
elders.
Tine credentials OF Martin Eady were ordered to
be restored.
ference was 4 short time In session, DR.. Smith In
the chaIr. The business transacted Was III rcl;l-
tlon TO finances of the church, Of no general i'll
tcrcst FOR want Of funds.
After the bishop resumed the chair the consl-
dGratlon Of the report Of Special Committee on
Finance was male The special order for to.mor-
row at IL O'clock
Al II u'clucN Dr. Branch was hcar, In behalf OF
the Interest of the Circle Of Prayer. ile stated
that hs had no speech io make. Methodist
preachers need not be lcctnred upon the o''''~-
uon 10 80. Me., M.-vu,.,s were peculiarly praying
people The circles Of prayer are composed Of men
in tic little Village OF Ninety six In AShcvliie
they meet every Tuesday, AZ each meeting y
Chairman ana subject OF discussion mrG secc. eI
when called upon, and 70 express his opinion
upon the subject OF discussion; also TO give an ae-
count Of his experience during the past week.
They do not know each other us members OF diff
ferent denominations, but Ms children Of God, who
fashioned Methodist loyc-fcasts. As one result
there are three to live times many family affairs
practice trains every one to pray One question
discussed was "what constitutes the hest means
fer promoting religious reyivalf' THIS led To
prayer every morning. alternating In the differ
ent churches. Many conversions was the result
Many other similar organizations sprnng mp
There arc now fourteen In Abbcvle, Us many
more In Anderson. some In Lnurens, Edgefcd
&C: They hold convention once IN three months
thodlst clcrgymen, they had been delegated to
this body. God has blessed them, and lie felt 1t
down. e'
Dr., PRESLEY was most soIemny Impressed hy
ministers before him. lie could not prcncl, hut
nc could give tract and talk In private; had
done so, and tod had blessed Ills lahors. There
is no luxury equal to that or doing good-it is an
exquisite pleasure. II he thought there was one
drop OF sectarIan blood III his veins, he would
open an artery and let It ont. When he went TO
Ninety six, the brethren OF tile circle took him to
their arms, and talked abou, the bcst way TO get
to Heaven. Love of the brethren is next to The
love or God; II is the bond Of union which binds
the Christian world In one common brotherhood.
Love is the mainspring; but there is no pleasure
monIeier by which TO determine the warmth of
the HEARTS affections. We want annual convoca-
church
Rev. $. Lcard presented the following:
Resoired, That this Conference has heard with
great pleasure the communications made by Drs
J. Branch and q. W. PRESLEY, delegates from the
Convention OF Circles Of Prayer III Abhcyillc Dis
trict, and that We do heartily respond to the
Christian sentiments expressed by them; nnd
, aiIal w We extend our coriial sympaihes 10 icm
commend the establishment Of ihosc circles by
our preachers wherever practicable.
Mr. Leard alluded IN feeling sentiments 10 the
impression madc upon his own heart by The pres
clce Of the gentlemen who represent the Conren-
ton OF Circles OF Prayer. lie had from boyhou,l.
III tue graveyard OF the church whore lie held
membership. In his early days Mcihodsm was
f hot We wen known OF beloved In that vicinity. Now
warinest rcgurd for US. He rejoiced at the change
Which had taken place.
Rev. J. r. Pickett seconded the resolution in u
speech OF most hearty welcome TO the delegates
o Ihr Circles OF Prayer. He was rcOiced that In
q hundred years such change had been wrought
that I last the people Of God had come to seeS Tor
unity and harInony-that tile spiritual children
OF John Knox and John Calvin md John Wesley
could embrace each other in the fraternity OF u
common Christian brotherhood.
Rev. II. A. O. Walker remembered 10 have gone
as agent OF the American Bible Society many years
ago, by appointment; to the Church tLong Canc,)
where one Of the delegates worshippeu. On his
way good brother asked him IL lie was going to
preach at that scccdcr church. lie had replied
that he went with the open Bible in his hand.
After preaohing, he had been cordially invited 10
return, return again. I'VE are drawn together by the
kev. J. T. wlghtman stated that for three years
smeh SIC, II meetings for prayer had been held In the
dlnerent denominations had united and partIGi-
pa,ed In them.
Prayer originated at RInciy-Slx in 1865, by thrco
mcn, who sought religious Improvement an nd meet.
Ing for that purpose in the tlcoyc in rear Of the
pulpit III the Presby tcrian Church. They after
wards Invited friends to Join them. III July Inst
there were from three 10 four hundred praying
men connected with the organization. Forty or
hfty delegates were In attendance upon the re.
cent convention In Anderson. The circles nrc
crease the harmony OF tho churohes They learn
men To pray. A man that had stnmmercd, now
do ana s Prays of akss yIsg m
higher sphere. lie hopes yet to witness great
convention n I,I OF Circles Of Prayer in Columbia.
Major John Leland, OF Laurens, secretary OF the
convention.
Mr. +. II. Duist, pastor OF the PRESBYTERIAN
Church in Cheraw, thanked God Tint he had
lived to nee this day and thls body lie alluded
IN touching sentiments to the results OF united
cHorte by The different pastors and their member
ship In this place during the past SUNNI err
Many had been added to their numDcr. Ills re-
marks were most appropriate ana made n deep
Impression upon the entire audience. He did not
rear. but delighted I'm American associations.
Bishop Ravanaugh thought the scenes OF this
NJ mi In 10,
Carolina the ensuing year. lie hoped to hear OF
q glorious revival throughout the State. lie
lhought the old fences which divided the denomI
IL IL scarcely necessary TO Ray that the rcsolu.
tion OF Mr.. Leard were passed by q unanimous
rising vote.