The Evening critic., 1882-05-06
THE coNFERENCE
OF the q. M. Il. Church-TO-iay's Pro-
cccdings-Tbc Message OF the Bisb-

cccdiugs-Tbc Messnge OF tme btsn-
ops.
Tho @. NJ. T.. Conference was called to order
by Bishop Becbe at o 80 this morning. Devo-
tional exercises wore conducted by Rov. d. A.
Amos, Of Louisiana. Bishop Bane then took
tho chair. a committee on Sunday schools
having pecn omitted each conference was In
structed TO appoint representative to serve
on such committee.
REV. II. A. Morgan, Of tho Twelfth-street
(southeas) NJ. L. Church, was introduced to
the Conference, and made short address, In
would be one OF harmony ana result In great
good to the church.
A resolution indorslng tho ChristidR inder
as the Official organ OF the church, and urging
the appointment OF new editor, was sub
mitted by Rev. j. X. Daniels. The resolu-
tions were referred to the committee on church
Bishop Miles said that he had paid tho mort
gage on the paper and he would now now, relin, In
turn tho same over TO the Conference. Revs.
Daniels, Delland Harner, of the a. M; E.Church,
OF this city, were also introduced to the Confer.
once, and spoke words of encouragement.
At IL O'Clock Bishop Miles began the reading
OF the Bishops message, as follows;
The bishops Address.
To the General Conference Of The C0iorod MsthO-
dist Episcopal Church R ADertcd, tobe heLd In
Washington, n. e., May, 1882:
DEAR BRETHREN; We, tho chief pastors of
the church, esteem 1t pleasure, as well as n
duty, to lay before you this, our messago.for
the fourth quadrennial term OF your venera-
bic body. Assured that you Will weigh well
whatever we may suggest to your Cody judg-
ment, we assume great latitude In expressing
ourselves TO you in the most familiar way,
y3 1o view ro SS SSery pgs
to your minds and hearts. Being perfectly IA
miliar with all the operations and conditions
of the church, both In theory and practice, 1t
may be deemed proper that we should say
that we are competent to know It's needs and
deficiencies at the present time.
We are glad to say that the growth and gem
eral outlook of tho Church is hoalthful and
hopeful. God has blessed us In ways and in
stances too numerous TO be detailed or noted
in message like this. Indeed, the organiza
tion of the Church seems providential IL not
absolutely necessary to meet the changed re-
lation OF church and state. 1t meets the
wants OF an age and circumstances that could
not have been met under any other conditions
known to us. The arch of the Lord has been
brought up in q way that We know not Of.
Goodness and mercy and truly precocious
growth has marked the lines of progress,
| success and an encouraging development.
| What was once deemed an experiment. and of
| doubtful tenor, is now seen TO be the thing
| needed. What was weak is strong, and the
dark and intricate is being untrameled with
| doubt and difficulty. In short, we have u.s.
| cended an altitude upon the plain of church
life that exceeds all our most sanguine hopes
| and expectations. Experience, patience,
| moderation and faith In the righteousness of
our high commission have proved to be mighty
| factors in the general makeup Of our success.
| Having been set apart by the Methodist Epis-
| copal Church South, and having sustained to
| that Church the relation of children, 1t drew
| only dishonorable to the propagators, and
| foul blotch upon the escutcheon OF Metho-
| dism, but was very damaging to u.s. and dis
| astrous in its effects upon the moral status of
| our whole people, and has effectually him
| dered that much desired fellowship and fra
| ternity that should exist among all Christians,
and especially among those called Methodists.
| But we are thankful to say, that after eleven
years of conflict and suffering, we have
| reached the margin of a more congenial period
| III the history of the Church. Persecution
has become unpopular, and the weapons,
| once so formidable, and used with so much
dexterity, are now fallen into ignomy and the
| grave of disquietude. Consequently, we arc
gradually assuming our place among the
churches of saints and the thousands of Israel
throughout the land. The ministry and laity
understand, and are more thoroughly welded
to tho Church than at any time in the
| past, and the whole pastorate Is devoted to
their high calling with zeal that is truly
commendable and far-reaching in Its effects.
Indeed, from every standpoint from which we
may view the work, we arc convinced that
there is a constant and hopeful improvement
in every department of the Church, whether
| we consider II spiritually, intellectually or
financially. With these encouraging prognos-
tcatfons, and with profound conviction that
God has called us into the field to labor for the
| salvation of men, we feel very grateful to that
| benencent Providence that has led us through
the darkness of the past.
| The lives OF all the bishops have been
spared, and their health and active powers re-
tanned. But few Of the ministry have died
since the last quadrennial session, though
some of the noblest have fallen by the hand OF
death while In the flower and virglnity of man
hood. But as fast as one has fallen thus God
has called forth others to take their places III
the ranks Of the ministry; though this you
know; for Christ sayeth that the gates of he'll
shall not prevail against his Church.
The discipline of the Church Will be for your
review and inspection; but we conceive that
there is little TO be done in this respect. The
changes to be made, If any, should be as few
and conservative as possible, since there is
usually more danger in over than in under
legislation. Either extreme, however, Il
fraught with more or less danger to the sue
pneratiOns of the Oh urcb tho n n 9
of Christ. Our present book of discipline is
the product Of tho ripest wisdom, based on
profuse and long experiences of the Fathers
| OF Metlroaism, and generally we have found II
to be pretty well adapted to meet the wants
and exigencies of the present time. We would
therefore, invite your soberest judgment and
profoundcSt moderation respecting this worry
important part of the work Of the presen
session.
The missionary operations Of the Church de
mand your cordial and very especial atten
tion. Our needs in this direction arc grea
and manifold. Nothing can be substituted In
Its place in saving souls and in extending and
| developing the Church. Something has beer
done In this department, but nothing com
pared to the wants and requirements of the
| present condition Of the work. If We would bt
| vigorous and adyancive, We must retain very
large share OF tho missionary spirit and gospel
| propagandism. We must seek the lost, the
J outcast and the neglected. Our cities ant
| rural precincts are thronged with such, to sa!
lands. In tho past, the people called Metho
dists, in this and the mother country, hav'
| been distinguished Tor successful mis-
sionary operations, and In proclaiming the
gospel OF Christ to the farthest frontiers of the
outlying skirtsof semi and uncultured State
and communities. Some Of their grandes
achievements have accomplished In tn
wilderness wilds of the South and West, ant
have written their names In glorious deeds o
. | redemptive work In the islands of the seas a
4 well as In the great centres of civil and socia
progress. We need means. Something shoul
be done to obtain them, II possible. Tho la'
should be so framed that every pastor be CON
PEELED to collect and bring to the annual Cor
IS ference whatever may be assessed for tina
o purpose. The Sunday-school departmer
seems to be doing WELL Constantly We al
N encouraged by signs OF improvement. Ou
= law bearing upon the subject appears We
. fitted for this part Of the work. As there hav
D been Improvements in the past we hay
d grounds to expect greater advances in th
Q near future.
l. The educational interest OF the church ha
amounted to but little In the past. None q
N the conferences, nor all OF them as a whole
q have as yet been able To establish any schoC
- or schools. However, the matter is In constai
agitation in some OF the larger conference
and accordingly some efforts have been mad
II in that direction, to wit: The Tennessee an
D. North Mississippi Conferences have made
~ start, while the Tennessee has purchased, an
hold the titles to, school site In the city
N jackson. The day schools and church schoo
is OF other denominations have done somethir