The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-12-12
Memphis Conference News.

JACKSON, TExN., Dee. 10th, 1878
JNes8rs Editors:
Knowing that many of your reader.
axe AIothodists, and that they would
be pleased to have carly news of the
Memphis Conference, l send you the
following summary of the proceedings:
The Conference convened on the 4th
inst. and after Il very interesting ses-
sion closed its labors at 1880 o'clock
Last night.
On Friday night Rev. Julius Jones
delivered Il good sermon in the First
church. During the forenoon session
of Saturday the Bishop introduced to
the Conference the Missionary agent of
the NJ. r. church South, A. W. VII
son, d. d. In a few appropriate re-
marks he explained his duties, and
gave the reasons for his presence in
our midst. Dr. Wilson is man of
splendid physique, his bearing is ele-
CANT, courteous, .dignifcd. 1t is enough
to say of the charms of his person and
manner, that he is Il living picture Of
the traditional Virginia gentleman.
lie delivered i'll the morning an adj
dress in the interest offoreign Missions,
and, Mr.. Editor, of all the speeches of
this kind that | have heard this was
the Missionary address. 1t is, my
dear sir, wholly beyond the power of
my feeble pen to give you anything
like recital Of it; ! shall not wrong
the man and the noble cause he repre-
sents by any such attempt. His exor-
dunn did not promise a great deal, but
it was the calm before the storm-the
mighty forces Of his intellect were
slowly but none the less surely rising
from their ocean-bed to sweep the sea
of his subject from shore to shore. The
''Storm" blew for one hour, while peo-
pie held their breath. 1t swept every
obstacle from its path. I never before
saw the foreign mission cause, but at
the close of this herculean effort there
it stood, the vital principle of the
church whose parish is the world, as
real and sublime, as granite-like and
towering rs tire-girdled Vcsuviue
itself At the close Of the evenings
exercises it was announced that DR..
Wilson would preach the next day,
Sunday. Long before the time for
services to begin, although it was a
uisagreeable day, the auditorium was
crowded. The preacher took for his
lext the conversation of our Saviour
with Peter in which he asks him" Whom
ITO men say that l ann" and makes the
ueclaration that ''show art Peter and
upon this rock will build my church"
/ have heard some of the most distin-
guished pulpit orators of America, but
Tor the elegance of diction and grand !
cur of comprehension | think l have I
never heard this sermon surpassed. OFF I
from The main broad, grand road of /
The subject branehcd innumerable
vistas of thought down which /, ac-
tive mind might wander till lost in the
iAtricacies OF its own evOlutiors.
when Illustrating some thought the
swing of the speakers arm reminded
me of lhe gigantic steam-driver ham,
mer. 1t was one of those sermons af
Ter which each auditor draws long
'igh as if just descended from a noun
lain height, and looks around for the
lash Of sympathy in his neighbor's eye
Sunday night there was memorial
service in homer of the seven members
Il the Conference who have died dur !
hg the year, five with yellow fever i
l'he pulpit of the First Church was (
uaped. Touching remarks were made 4
~ the brethren commendatory of the 5
ives and deaths OF these men. The y
.rent heart OF the people went out to
ae daughters of the heroic Slater. =
Monday and the early part of Mon
by night were consumed ly Ia,
of routine business. TheI ,
Il other business having been dis :.
'atched, the appointments for the en- p
ling con ference wear we're arnounced: