Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-06-17


Fort Mill circuit-Rev. w. w. Williams.
Yorkville-Rev. Thos. E. Gilbert, DR.. W. M.
Walker.
York circuit-Rev. A. Ervine.
Edgeteld circuit-Rev. S. Leard, Abram
Jones.
Johnston circuit-Rev. W. A. Rogers, II.
Il. Wright, p. L. Wright.
Ward circuit-Rev. A. G. Walker, G. g..
Wise.
Gilbert Hollow circuit-Rev. J. J. Work
man, d. T. Barr, Jr.,
The hours of meeting were fixed at A. NJ,
and 4.3OP. NJ. Adjournment for public wor-
ship at II A. M, and $50 P. NJ.
Rev. Robert Latham, of the Associate Re-
formed Presbyterian Church, Rev. T. R. Eng.
lish, pastor of the Presbyterian Church OF
Yorkville, and Rev. Mr.. Starke, of the Arkan-
sas Conference, were introduced to the Con-
ference.
The Presiding Elder, the pastor of York
vile M. E. Church, and DR.. W. NJ. Walker
were appointed committee of arrangement
for public worship.
Rev. Thos. E. Gilbert, pastor of Yorkville
NJ. E. Church, welcomed the conference to
Yorkville in few well-chosen remarks, to
which the President responded in most touch
ing manner, expressing the earnest wish that
the meeting Of Conference here may prove a
blessing both to the members and the cOmmu-
nity
The fraternal greetings of Rev. David Der
rick, superanuate, were presented to the Con-
ference by Rev. j. L. Stokes, and on motion
of the Presiding Elder, the secretary was in
structed to return by letter to Rev. Mr.. Derrick,
the sincere appreciation by the Conference OF
his message.
The various charges were then called in the
following order, the pastors reporting general
ly very satisfactory condition of the churches
to which they respectively administer:
Washington Street Church, Columbia-Rev.
w. T. Capers.
Marion Street Church, Columbia J. L.
Stokes.
Columbia City Mission-Report made by
Presiding Elder, the pastor being absent.
Columbia circuit-Report read by Presiding
Elder, the pastor, Rev. j. Walter Dickson,
being unavoidably absent.
RidgeWay circuit-Rev. w. H. POOser.
After the reading of this report, at lo.45,
Conference adjourned for public worship,
which was conducted by Rev. j. l.. Stokes,
who preached from Hebrews, 11th chaper, 10th
verse: sFor he looked for a city which hath
foundations, whose builder and maker Is
God"
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The session was opened with reading the
121st Psalm and prayer by Rev. S. Leard.
The following ministers and laymen were
reported present, having arrived since the
morning roll call: Rev. w. Martin, Rev. i.
j. Clyde, Rev. J. NJ. Friday, and Messrs. W.
H. Padgett, G. T. Kee, R. d. Sem, and K. +.
Guthrie.
The unfinished business of the morning ses-
sion was resumed, and reports were heard
from the following charges:
Fairfield circuit-Rev. A. J. Cauthen.
Chester circuit-Rev. L. A. Johnson.
East Chester circuit-Rev. T. j. Clyde.
Fort Mill-Rev. w. W. Williams.
Edgefeld circut-Rev. S. Leard.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Leards report, the
hour for adjournment having arrived, Confer
ence adjourned until O'Clock tomorrow NOR
ming, with doxology and benediction by the
President.
Services were conducted in the evening by
Rev. w. T. Capers, D. D., who preached from
18th verse, 18th chapter Of St. John: ''Verily,
verify, say unto you, he that believeth on me,
the works that do shall he do also; and great
er ,corks than these shall he do; because 60
unto my father"
SECOND DAY-MORNING SESSION.
FRIDAY, June 11.-Conference convened at
the hour to which it adjourned yesterday, the
President in the chair, and was opened with
reading the 9th Psalm and prayer by Rev. w.
w. Williams.
The name of Mr. William Roberts, lay
delegate, was announced as having arrived
since adjournment yesterday.
The hearing of reports from the various
charges not having been concluded yesterday,
that business was resumed as the first order OF
the day. and reports were made from the fol-
lowing charges:
port made by letter.
Lexington Fork circuit-Rev W. W. Jones'
Yorkyille station, including Philadelphia
Church-Rev. Thos. E. Gilbert.
York circuit-Rev. A. Ervine.
Lexington circuit-Rev. Lewis Rast. The
pastor being detained at his home by sickness,
a report of the condition Of this circuit was
made by the Presiding Elder.
Johnstons circuit--Rev. W. A. Rogers.
Atthe conclusion of Mr.. Rogers report, ne
having made reference to lack OF interest In
class-meetings on his charge-a complaint
made by the pastors generally in their reports
The President remarked that the time was
opportune for him to address few words TO
Conference on the subject Of class-meetngs:
He deprecated the lack of interest MANIFESTED
bv members of the church, which evidently
exhibited want of Christian and brotherly
communion. He feared there was but little
of that feeling in the church, taking one cir
cuit with another Perhaps this condition
NAV be attributed to a practical discontinue
ance of class-meetingS as compared with the
manner in which they were conducted twenty
or thirty years ago. He must confess that he
had never been in class-meeting in which ne
was not spiritually profited. He attributed
the present decadence to want OF ftness on
the part of s-leaders. a man, TO DE a
good class-leader, must be Jealous a lover OF
the cause of Christ, and well read IN works
on Christianity-ever ready to present some
thing new and fresh, calculated to awaken
and Interest the minds of his class. 4Ie had
known instances where class-leading had drop
ped into mere routine system, and he didn't
wonder that sensible people-as Methodlsts
usually are-became discouraged and failed to
take proper interest in this important work.
Another reason why class-leading had deterl-
grated was, that a few years ago, when men,
her of the church showed a peculiar fitness
for this labor, he was invariably met by his
friends on all sides with the remark: "Why,
brother. YOU really ought to be preacher; you
are too smart man to be here amongst us
as a class-leader-you ought to preach The
consequence was, under the system then III
practice, the good brother would apply to Con-
ference for license to preach, and by this
means many good class-leaders were spoiled.
In conclusion, he hoped to see the old status
set I'D once more. The cause is worth the Ia
Dor; and a religion, if worth anything, should
be worth everything to the soul.
Mr.. H. T. Wright, a layman from Johnston's
circuit. was here called upon by the pastor of
the circuit to give his views on the condition
of that circuit, which he briefly did, his re-
marks coinciding with the report of the pastor.
Rev. Mr.. Leard desired to be heard on the
subject of class-meetings. He said he was in
full accord with the President in his remarks
-. Ill .l:..4 III fbon viauod his aarly