Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-12-07
Proceedings of Elders Conyen-
ton.
BRISTOL, Tenn.


Nov. 25th, 1875
WHEREAS. In the providence of
/ God, there has been an awakening in
the minds of many Laymen in the
/ christian church, IN regard 20 higher
/ standard Of the performance of the
/ duties required OF lhemIn the word
| of God. And whereas. the awaken
/ ing has caused some If the Eldership
/ in tails branch of the Presbyterian
| Church, desire to bring together the
! Eldership OF all our churches in East
Tenn, ia convention, for the purpose
OF conferlng together, and thereby
awaken i'll them higher ssiISe (
their responsibilities aud duties as
officers in the church, and t. take up
on themselves the fuIfillment of those
duties in the light of Gods Word. as
Overseers OF the flock over which they.
IN the providence of God have been
called 10 labor. In view of this ob-
ject, the Convention Of Elders of the
Presbyterian Churches in Sullivan
County, has been convened here to-
day, and although few in number, we
feel like TepOsing deeper reliance and
trust upon the great Head of the
Church, and pray a. at be may give Us
that wisdom winch will guide us in
the way that may lead to a more gen
erai interest, and arouse. the sleepinI
energies of our Eldership in the
bounds of this county. We do ear
nestly urge upon all the Elders in our
bounds, TO begin now To work as la
borers in the LOId's vineyard, seeing
the field is ripe for the harvest. and
the labOrers are few. Remember that
we now live in the latter dav of Gods
power, which He is manifesting in
His Church, as predicted 10y His Pruph-
cts of old: And il shall come to pass
afterward, that / will pour out my
Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons
and your daughters shall prOphesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your
young men shall see visions. And
also upon the servants and upon
the handnaids in those days will |
pour out my Spirit, and | will show
wonders in the heavens and the earth.
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke,
the sun shall be turned into darkness
and the moon into blood, before the
great and terrible day of the Lord
comes" Joe! II 2Slh to 3lst.
From all that has taken place in
the past few years, we have had much
of the fuIfillment of this prophecy
IN the sweeping frey elements that
have scOurged the earth, also in the
raging storm king that has desOlated
some of our fair cities, ard portions of
our land. Nor has the frey elements
or storm food been confined to our
continent. but the Old world has been
swept with fire and flood without a
parallel in the history Of the christian
church These manifestations of the
ruling power Of the Head of the
church, cannot he ascribed to the nat
ural result in the history of natural
phenomena, and shall awaken deep
concern in all the church militant of
earth.
We are glad to see the beginning of
an awakened spirit i'm the hearts of
such men as Moody. Sankey, Whittle, |
Bliss, Finney and Howard, which We |
trust is but the beginning of the end |
of the work which the Lord is now |
preparing in the hearts of his people, |
These servants of the Lord are doing |
great and glorious work in the masters /
and yet there are thousands |
in our churches who can fulfill the
same mission. !
Take my yoke,upOn you, says Christ, /
and learn of mo. Ny yoke is easy f.
and my burden light. / will pour out !
my spirit upon YOU, and ye shall
prophesy. The Lord reigns in the !
hearts of his people. Therefore
ReSOtUcd That we who are here
DO now pledge ourselves.
that by the help and grace of God, we
will, in our churches, lead more ac-
tive christian life. and 10y wCrd and
deed, so eXemplIfy the spirit of our
Master before others, that they may
be led by our spirit, TO more active
and energetic chistian life.
ReSOiUed f: That we earnestly recon-
mend ID the EldershiP in the coun-
ties of East Tenn, To hold conventions
in their respective counties.
ResOIUcd That we heartily concur
with the idea of holding convention
IF the Elders in the bounds of Knox
vile and Holston Presbyteries.
RcSOLUed That the Chairman an d
Secretary of this Convention, have
power to call the Convention of SuIli-
IAN Co., whenever the interest of the
.hurcu seems to demand it. {
RcSOiUed That when this COnven- ,
ion adjuurns, they adjourn to meet
n the Presbyterian Church, Union, I
III the lst day Of Jan. next, at IL l
o'clock A NJ.
ResOtUed That the Secretary FUR
fish copies of this meeting, to be pub !
ished in the Bristol Ne1Uy and COlu- .
CT, and Sullivan Landmark. !,
On motion, the Convention ad. '
burned as above. ,
ROBT. P. RHEA, Chm'n,
J. r. ANDERSON, Sec'y.