The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-09-11
hem. What are all the treasures Of

word OF life. For depth OF Wis
dom, beauty Of style and sublimi'y o.
thought, it SURPRISES tho sagcs nI
Greece the orators Of Rome. and all
the litelati Of modern times: AS tC
the sermon on the mount. ana al
other diacuurscs Of our Lord and
Saviour. il is enough to rrci'' the
concession % his enemies Newer
man spoke likcthiq man" oar "a,
viour says. Search the Scriptures.
and those who refuse IT, ito so will
lead barren and unfruitfui III.
Reading the Scriptures are ~ ncrrs,
s"ry to our spiritual life. ~ eating
Tod is 10 our physical HE. \ law
yer who noGlects to read his Law
| books. u physician VINO does not
rrad medical works. and n member
Of the church who does not read the
Bible. are all on q par. useless. iGno-
rant and unsuccessful.
Tom Payne said some 81 years ago,
that at tho close Of the present cen
fury the Bible would BE- an obsolete
book. ~ II so? No. so. far from
that the very room in which lie wrote
that prophecy is now u Bible depot.
and Is literally crowded from toor tn
ceiling with tho precious word Of
God. IF iniilclity makes as rapid
progress against the Bible during
| the mex. 30 years us it has during the
past 50. tho result will be that the
Bible will be in the hands OF every
man and woman in tho world. AMI
enjoyed by all. The Bible Is to-day
! foremost NJ all other books. il is be-
ing published in $50 different tia
lccts, and millions Of copies ore pub.
lishca annually and still tho cry OF
! the world is for more Bibles.
The recent religious movement in
! France is attributed to the circula-
tons OF the Bible. DR.. Fisk OF Paris
reports that four millions Of copies
OF the Scriptures have been sold in
Paris. and that great numbers OF the
people can now repeat the whole OF
the Gospel OF st. John by heart.
The report Of tho preachers OF this
district hiacloses the fact that all. or
nearly every member Of our church
owns and reads the Bible. and re.
ali2s the truth OF st. Paul's assertion,
that. "all scripture is given by In
spira.ion Of God. Your committee
urge that all. both breaches and
iayman. learned and untearned. read
tho Bible daily, carefully, prayer.
fully. and truly it will prove ~ lamp
unto our feet and light unto our
path"
The committee offer the following
resolution: Resolved. That our
preachers urge upon our members
tho duty Of owning and reading the
Bible.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas J. HoUaH, Chairman.
REPORT or COMMITTEE ON SPIRITUAL
STATE OF THE CHURCH.
To tho presiding Elder, and members
Of tho Shreveport District Con.
ference.
BRETHREN Your committee to whom
was referred the spiritual state Of the
church bog leave to report, that when
We survey tho broad fields Of Meth
odism with its millions OF members,
lts ponderous machinery, its daily
increasing membership on every Is
land and continent Of the world, we
have reason for profound gratitude
to Almighty God, and ut tho same
time have reasons to tedr lest We
should not act worthy Of the hles.
sings q Kind Providence has extend
to ,ls, to ffar. lest We look moro to
numbers, and financial strength
than TO lhc spiritual welfare OF our
zion. And while tho glad tilinga OF
success and victory. Is being borne
upon oyery breeze from all quarters
OF the globe. our own district has not
been idle, hut Is nObly and success
fully pressing onward, and bearing
her part in the grand work OF tho
worlds redemption.
Under tho devotion, zeal, energy,
ability and solf denial Of our preach.
crs. We have received during tho
four years past 1850 members. and
have had fully that number Of con-
versions. All over tho district new
houses OF worship. parsonages and
camp grounds arc being built, nnd
much interest is being manifested In
our church by those from without.
We have in this district 2O2D NOM
bers and have had, this year, lb7 &C.
cessions, and l2i conversions; A5 in
fants have been baptized. 80 per
cont OF the members take commu.
MON.
There arc 5000 persons preached to
on the district by our preachers.
About 20 per cent OF tho heads Of
families hold family Worship.
The attendance upon public wor-
ship ia unusually good. Onr prayer
meetings. l6 IN number, arc we'll at.
tended. Only 5 regularly organized
class meetings have been reported.
Our members, with some eN-
captions. arc orderly and consis.
tent, but yet there is much room for
imprOyeme q need Of boiler lives
and q moro orderly walk. The above
figures show a considerable increase
In our ranks, and We think conslde.
rablc growth in spirituality, and
could wo have had reports from all
tho circuits and stations in tho dis.
trict, VIC have no doubt that our re.
port would have been more crafty.
ing to those who feel an interest in
the church. Five OF our circuits and
stations have not been heard from,
and among them como OF our most
important works.
Brethren, lot us take courage and
return to our respective fields Of Ia.
Dor with renewed energy and zeal
for the masters cause. moro fully dc.
tcrmined to 1.-Two above reproach and
| to work more faithfully for the saliva
ton OF souls.
Resolved that We will entleavOr BY
all possible means to elevate thu
standard Of religion and urge oui
people on to higher state in the
divine life.
With deep and profound gratitude
to tho great head Of tho church FOL
his goodness and continued mercies
this report and resolution IL submit