Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-02

have examined all the papers presented to
this conference and find that many of the
reports handed in are incomplete and i'm
perfect, so much 50, that we are unable TO
present such showing as we would de-
sire 70 10.
We find that there are:
16 Sabbath schools.
40 Officers.
1859 Teachers.
s1,903 Scholars.
2,737 Volumes in library.
1,014 Hymn and song books.
$l,O59.9S expended for Sunday school
purposes.
The difficulty we have had In getting at
the information wanted, suggests the i'm
portance of having blanks printed for the
use Of this Conference, and having said
blanks distributed to the several charges
and schools in this district.
Your committee would respectfully sub
NIT the following resolutions for your con-
sideratiOn:
Resolved, that whenever practicable,
special meetings for the children Of the
church, partaking somewhat of the charac-
ter of Prayer and Glass meetings combined
should be established and be under the con-
troll of the Pastor.
Resolved, that the 'tsystem of uniform
lessons" edited by Our Sunday-School Sec
rotary, and published by our church, is adj
mirably adapted for the purposes assigned; ;
that they ought to be used in all of our
sunday-schools that the Pastor, officers
and teachers meet once week for the pur-
pose Of preparing the lesson for the follow
ing Sabbath, and we would urge the officers
and teachers TO insist upon the children
studying their sunday school lessons during
the tOeek.
Resolved, that in view of the great re-
sponsibiity resting on the Sunday School
teacher, we would urge that great care and
much discretion be used in their selection,
and that no one should be appointed to
teach who does not bear a good moral
character, free from reproach, and who does
not have proper regard for the spiritual
welfare Of the children committed to his
care.
Resolved, that the general aim and OBJ.
ject of all Sunday School instruction should
be the conversion to God of each scholar,
and that each teacher should keep this end
steadily in view. The children should give
their hearts to God in their youth and be
reared in the church.
Resolved, That in view of the great adj
vantages which will accrue to the church by
training our children to systematic beneyo-
lence, and as 1t can be demonstrated that a
small weekly contribution from each mem
Der Of Sunday school will more than pay
its expenses, your committee therefore re-
commend that the Sunday schools in this
| district be advised TO adopt such financial
measures as will make each of them self
sustaining. Respectfully submitted,
VIM. 81. MORROW, Chairman.
The suggestions Of the committee and the
resolutions were adopted.
PARsoNAGEs.
The committee on Parsonages reported
that there were only two in the district.
One was valued at S10,O 900 and the other at
$1,000.
The following, introduced by Rev. R. K.
Brown, was adopted by yea and nay vote
of % to 3:
Resolved, that we as members of this
District Conference, representing its various
charges, pledge our earnest and continued
efforts to secure good parsonages in every
| station and circuit and that we report ouI
success or failure to the next District Con-
| ference.
2. That in case of failure we givt
TO that body satisfactory reasons for The
same.
Bishop McTyerie-We cannot carry on
this itinerant ministry, unless we have par
sonages. We are meeting obstacles which
are Absolutely insupportable. We are car
| rying on the itinerant ministry now only il
/ spots. To send the right man to the RICH
place: this is my idea of what ought to b.
! done. But when you are checked up anC
| your final action qualified by this answer
"But there is home for him here, and nom
for him there" then you change the whole
question. If you don't build houses il
which the preachers who have families cal
go and stay and be at home we canno
work this intinerant system of preaching
the gospel. Go forward then, brethren, il
this good work. ~
PUBLICATIONS.
| ; The Committee on Circulation Of Church
Literature reported that there were Al
copies of The Christian ADVOCATE taken il
this district; of the Visitor, 901; of tn
Little People, 464; Sunday-school maya
zines, 13S; Uniform System Of Lesson Pa
pers, 1898. The committee recommended
the use of the "Amaranth" sand Emerald
Sunday-school music books. The repoT
was adopted.
BEST NODE OF RAISING MONEY FOR DE
PRAYING CHURCH EXPENsES-RBPORT
Whereas, money is a necessity OF all in
situations and the church by no means con
stitutes an exception and, whereas, on
church recognizes this necessity, but ha
adopted no regular organized system, an,
as a consequence we find stations and cir
cults frequently falling below a healthfu
stand and, whereas, we discover among Oul
most advanced congregations two methods
viz: the assessment" and Envelope
for raising money, each ofwhich has man!
excellent features, hut neither of then
without objection, and believing a uniform
system most desirable and almost essentis
to the success of our beloved church,
Resolved, that we recommend the blend
ing of these two methods, and so harmon
izing them as to make one uniform system
by rejecting as far as possible all the defect
attaching to either, and retaining the viz
tues of both.
Resolved, that we regard the sssesmen
plan az the least liable to abuse and to be
come oppressive and as q consequence
more or less ineffective; and that in on
judgment, the envelope system is defective
not to say imperative, because by thi!
method the Board of Stewards cannot know
how to lay their plans for the years ex
penses.
Resolved, That we discountenance urgen
public appeals as far as may be and that W
especially and earnestly prostest agains
undigniied efforts resorted to sometime
among our people for raising money, be
lieving as we do that the end does not jus
tify the means, that the principle is wron
and that the results are injurious and preju
dicial. Respectfully,
THOMPSON ANDERSON,
j. NJ. SHARPE.
The report was adopted.
The following were elected
DELEGATES TO THE ANNUAL CONFEH
~ ENCE
Rev. ]. NJ. Sharpe and Messrs. w. N
Mccarthy, G. w. Petway and &. w. Max
ey. Reserves: Messrs. W. 81. Morrow, "
B. Ewing and T. p. Weakley. The annns
Conference will be held in Nashville on tn
10th of next October.