Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-18
THE METHODIST CONFERENCE
Characters Of Members znvesttsased.
fEe 57ft ~ N 4ffs.i ysst.f a..
secsnd Days Preceedings,

The members OF the tennessee annual
Conference, among their other virtues, IN
clude that of promptness, as they assem-
bled yesterday morning and were ready for
the transaction Of business at the some
what early hour appointed for conyening.
After the usual religious exercises, which
were conducted by DIR. Madden, the Bishop
announcing that DIR. Green would lead
these exercises this morning, the roll was
called by Secretary Young, nearly all the
delegates answering to their names.
TIE minutes of the previous days pro-
ceedings having been read, the reading OF
a 81. REPORTS sse-s
was announced to De in order. A report
from the committee appointed to visit the
Tennessee Female College was presented
and referred without being read, to its APP
propriate committee. sss saaes
'tlE A GAvEL NEEDED - 49,,
Considerable noise being made through
out the church by the large number of per-
sons present, which the Bishop found diff
ficult matter to entirely suppress, men,
Der was requested to see to it that the
chair was provided with gavel by the time
the meeting was again called to order.
THE s'TwENTIETH QUESTION"
The inquiry into the character of the
ministers, which is involved in the ssTwen-
tieth Question:" care all the preachers
blameless in their life and official admins
tration?" being in order, the Bishop said he
wished to impress upon the minds of those
present that this was far from being mere
religious ceremony, it being solemn and
serious question. He thought all the mem
bers should be able to bear good testimony,
or at least faithful testimony. He would
not detain the members by any general re-
marks upon the importance of the occasion,
feeling that the members should be fami-
liar with it, and while members must be
faithful, they must be lovipg-the love of
Christ constraining them. He had not
been advised in advance of single in
stance of dereliction of duty, and he came
with the fond and happy belief that the
members stand fair before God and man.
Some Of the brothers might be asked to re-
tire, and while the Bishop wished to be ex-
peditious, he did not wishto be hurried,
but desired 80 abridge all unnecessary de-
tail any farther than was necessary for q
proper development of facts, and the Elders
would please make their statements brief
and concise, as lengthy remarks were not
desirable. = 's'iis'a ~ ?
Nashville District.-Jno. W. Hammer,
Presiding Elder. ..........-ll .aa y..ss
The following are the ministers in this
district: d. G. Kelley, W. d. T. Sawrie,
Robt. A. Young, John Rains, e. K. Brown,
+. r. Hill, q. w. Martin, w. G.. Doris,
A. q. Mathews, f. T. Pagan, John u. Nc
Perrin, G. G. Mathew, s. P. Written, an
agent of the Bible Society.
In tho CASA of n ~ Eallau Eidor
Hughs, of the Lebanon district, wished to
enter protest against the manner in which
Mr.. Kelley had been granted two months
leave last summer, he having been all owed
this release from his duties by permission
of the Stewards of his church instead of by
the method provided in the discipline. He
was convinced of the fact that Mr.. Kelley
was in urgent need of the rest be obtained
by his two months vacation, but he objec-
ted seriously to the manner in whichit had
been granted him, as be felt that a prece-
dent was thereby established, calculated to
work iHjuriously throughout other portions
of the Conference; as McKendree district is
looked up to throughout the State the i'm
preston seeming to prevail that whatever
is done in this district must be right.
This objection was considered very pro-
per, by the Bishop, although no blame was
attached to Mr.. Kelley therefrom.
Mr.. McFerrin being necessarily absent
at the time his case was acted upon, was
informed by the chair on his return that the
members had nothing against him and that
they had passed him, to which he responded
by saying that there is no class of men on
earth for whom be had greater respect than
that he held for the Methodist preachers of
Tennessee; that he had nothing against the
members of the conference, but was per-
fectly willing to pass all of them.
A. G. Mathews was continued as SUI
perDumerary. All the ministers passed
without objection.
Lebanon District. F. Hughes, Presid-
ing Elder. The ministers are as follows:
j. r. Plummer, B. F. Terrell, J. j. Pitman,
W. T. J. Sullivan transferred to " estern
Conference), r. P. Gray, s. NJ. Cherry, G.
w. VIM, d. NJ. Stevens, w. NJ. Green, e.
R. Shapard.
R. P. Gray was reported by the Presiding
Elder as having been lately married, and in
answer to question by the Bishop as to
whether his marriage was likely to encum-
Der him in his ministerial labors, the Elder
replied that he supposed that Mr.. Gray's
wife would not be any more of an encum-
brance to him than q wife is to any man.
e. r. Shapard was transferred to the In
dian mission as Superintendent of New
Hope Seminary. 49,.
In reporting upon the character of his
preachers, Elder Hughes paid them high
compliment by saying that they were, one
and all, hard working, efficient men, in
whom he had the greatest confidence, max
To-, ltNsn lon 70 1fN 4
Carthage District. j. Conner, Presid-
ing Elder. The following named are the
minis ers of this district: N. B. S. Owens,
r. W. Bellamy, W. ii. johnson, o. G. Hal
liburton, j. r. Reagin. NJ. N. Ford, G. w.
Martin.
w. p. johnson, who has been on the
supernumerary list for some time past,
wished to be put at active work, but after
q discussion on this matter, it was deci-
ded to continue him in his present position.
No objection was made to any of the
preachers in this district.
Sparta District-J. W. Cullom, Pre-
siding Elder. The following named are
the minister's; W. d. Moore, ". Il. Rea-
gen, A. II. Reams, A. T. Goodloe, j. A.
Morris.
A. 81. Reams was continued super
numerary.
There being charges of rather serious
nature against the character of j. A. Nor
ris, considerable discussion arose with re-
gard to the disposition to be made of him.
DR.. Young said that he was convinced that
Mr.. Morris was not man of sound mind.
He made this explanation for the reason
that he did not wish outsiders who were
present to judge of the character of Meth
odist preachers By what they had heard of
Mr.. Norris course of conduct. The
speaker moved that the case be referred to
the Presiding Elder Of AcKendree district
for adjustment,
Another member moved that it be re-
ferred to the Presiding Elder of the distli f
to which Mr.. Morris belongs, but as there
seemed to be considerable difficulty in de-
termining just where he does belong, as it
was shown that he was not as regular in his
s;goings out" and "comings in" as the fixed
stars, but circulated around 'promiseuous
like the Bishop was of the opinion that
this reference of the matter was out of the
question. -s
T Mr.. Madden said that the gentleman in
Question had been a constant trouble to the
Conference from the time of his first con-
nection with it. There seemed TO be