Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-06
THE M~ETHoDIsTs.
Proceedings Of the cOnventiOn--.sishOps
Understandable Hen.

Ad1feSS---hemarkaple wen.
The Conference was called to order b.
Bishop Paine. Bishop Andrews read II
7th chapter of st. John, and the hymn
beginning High on His everlasting
throne" The venerable Bishops prayer
was listened to with profound interest
and evoked deep feeling.
The Secretary called the roll, and an
nounced the presence of los delegates.
Bishop Pierce supplanted Bishop Paine.
of Georgia, as President of the Conyen.
ton, and the roll was again called and
corrected by the addition of the names Of
delegates who have reached the city since
yesterday morning.
The several standing committees were
appointed.
Preachers were designated to serve al
several churches of the city. At the
Second street church, r. A. Young, ID. D..
fernando street, Andrew Hunter; Cen
trail Church, DIR. Watkins, of Mississippi
Saffarans street Church, DR.. John N,
Steele.
A committee on Orphans Homes was
appointed.
It was agreed to have a special Com
mittee on Sabbath School Song Books, to
prepare a book adapted to the wants Of
children.
DIR. Mechanically opposed the PROPOSE
ton to appoint a committee on temper
ance. He thought 10 an outside question,
and the Convention had enough to do,
DR.. Wingfield. of Arkansas, whose head
is clear as a bell, and who talks well and
reasons accurately, favored the PROPOSE
ton, which was lost.
The reason assigned for the defeat of the
proposition was substantially CHAT the
whole church ever nov is at VAT with
the vice sought TO be repressed.
1lw,.,fFraa On nhr.r oh FUauwn wwnu
ordered to be appointed by the several
delegations, to consist of laymen alone.
The several delegations will each be rep
resented on this committee.
The address of the Bishops was read by
DIR. Wightman, of South Carolina. 1t was
listened to with profound attention.
ADDRESS or H BISHOPS
To the General Conference Of the NJ. E.
Church, South:
Beloved Brethren: We would join you
in devOut thanksgiving to God that an
other quadrenniaI session of your body
has occurred. Representing, as you do,
all parts of our wide field of labor, con-
verssnt with their conditions and wants,
and invested with authority over the
whole church, we beg respectfully to re-
mind you of the importance of prayerful,
v~igilant and impartial attention to the
/ duties of your delicate and responsible
position. We trust that the subjects
which may be brought before you Will be
discussed and decided as in the imme-
diate presence of God, and with direcs
reference TO the welfare of the whole
church.
With profound emotion we announce
to you that since your last session our
venerable and beloved colleague, Joshua
Soule, has departed this lite. His death
occurred in Nashville, Tenn, March 9Th,
1867, in the S7th year OF his lie, n the
10th year of his ~itinerant ministry. In
many respects Bishop Soule was a re
markable mar. At the time of his death
he was, probably, the Oldest travelling
preacher in America, if not in the world;
and was thus the connecting link between
the Methodism of Wesley and Asbury
and that of the present day. Throughout
his whole ministerial life he was eminent
ly devoted to God, and employed exclui
sively in the service of the church; otteE
filling positions of the highest response
bility, and always honorably and usefully.
His mind was clear and vigorous, his de-
pertinent dignited, and his whole course
was marked by consistency, parity, and
answering fidelity to principle Whether
/ viewed as a man, a Christian or minister,
or as filling the highest Office in the church
for fOrty-three years, his character de-
serves to be held in the highest esteem,
and his memory to be perpetuated in the
! ulSlOE4 Vi Vie taluLtns W hGNODLAJ
thank God for such a man, and for the
gifts and grace which rendered his event.
ful life 50 useful, his declining years and
closing day so beautifully serene, so sub
timely triumphant.
The past four years have abOunded
with trials to the church you represent,
especially in those portions of the cOun-
try which suffered most by military de-
VISITATION during the late war, ans by &C.
clesiastical interference with our church
property. But it is a matter of devOut
gratitude that poverty and persecution
even unto stripes and death, in some
csses-have only tested and increased
the attachment and fidelity of our minis
ters and the general body of u member
ship, to the church. The itinerant
preachers, although very meagerly sup
ported, have, in general, been faithful 10
their ordination vows, and have perse-
vered, as best they could, in performing
their duties. By the blessing of God this
has resulted in the maintenance of our
itinerant system, a the steady and
increasing prosperity of all the enter
prises of the church. Even where we
had suffered most we are rapidly regain
ing our former ground, and in many sec
tions extending our borders and multi
plying our membership. Seasons of re-
freshment from the presence of the Lord
have come upon the people, and thou
sands have been converted and added to
the church..
We rejoice, also, to report that the
greatest unity and harmony exist through
out the whole Connection. lie has been
truly said that " MethOdists, all over the
world, are one in doctrines" so that, how
ever widely scattered and differing in
other respects, they present the peculiar
ity of agreeing cordially in the great doc
trines OF Christianity. And as the men,
bers of our communion are a unit in faith,
so also there Is scarcely any disagreement
among them as to u church polity. Their
prevalent desire is that both be pre-
served-the former intact, the latter, if
altered at all, to be modified so far only
as TO make l. more effective in accom-
plishing the original purposes Of Meth
odism. This is seen in the fact that we
have quietly passed what is justly re-
garded in all forms of government a great
crisis, in the adoption of a new element
into our system. We allude to the intro
duction of Lay Representation into the
Annual and General Conferences. This
important change in our economy was not
a peace-otfering, rendered necessary for
the preservation of the unity and peace
of the church, from the attacks of a dis
satisfied and refractory membership, but
was proposed and effected by the nearly
unanimous voice Of the ministry, and the
acquieseence of the laity-bOth believing
that the time had fully come when il
would enhance the effectiveness of the
church and the glory of Christ. /
In attestatiOn of the approval of the
whole church of this measure, we are
gratiied 20 see in this body so large a
number of lay delegates, representing
the intelligence, piety and strength of
the connection. Ne are sure that we K
press the feelings of their clerical assocl-
ates and of the entire church, in welcOm-
ing them to their seats; and we shall
gladly share with them the labors and
responsibilities of this chief council of the
1t may not be amiss in this connection
to suggest that excessive legislation is too
common in all deliberatiYe bodies. Laws
and usages, generally understood and APP
proved, should not be changed hastily;
or, if changed at all, only from a convic-
ton of the greater utility of the change.
Nor is il prudent to alter even a recent
until it is practically demon
strate4t Ito be necessary TO do so. This
caution we would respectfully apply to
the regulations under which lay represen-
tation has been introduced. Would it not
be judicious to learn by experience what
notifications, if any, may be necessary,
than risk the success of the system
by hasty attempts to improve it2
The efficiency OF the Church of Christ
must result from His gifts and grace, and
the General Conference can reasonably
to do hut littls to increase it by
prudential means, except as these
tend to increase its spiritual life. 1t is
your first duty,s therefore, to ascertain
the real condition of the church in this
respect, in order to correct what maVAbe
wrong, and supply what may be nee
for this great end. Your attention.
earnestly invited to a careful examihs I,
ton into its spiritual state, and of thfce
means and measures likely to con
tribute to this, its highest, most vital in
terest.
Without intending a disparsging com