The Charlotte Democrat., 1889-11-08
State Lines as Conference Boundaries.

uglOuS anu SeCuldF PoPOIc1 Az ASA0.
ence to a change in the lines which marx
the boundaries OF some Of our Conferences;
and | have been surprised TO see conflict
between the Richmond and Raleigh
Christian Advocates on this subject. 1t
seems to me that there is principal or d
reason, if you choose to 80 call 1t, under
lying this discussion, which has common
application; and upon which these s~o
great Church papers might stand side by
side in friendly accord, and work together
for common good. Let me see If l can
not point out this common principle. To
fully appreciate it, it may be necessary to
revert to the past.
When the Methodist Church was plant
ed and established in Virginia, North
Carolina. South Carolina and Tennessee
the country as is we'll koown was sparsely
settled; and it was generally the case that
the "Methodist meeting houses" stood far
apart. The Circuit Rider had to make
long Journeys on horse back, or in the old
"stick gig" to make the round OF bis
circuit: Tor they often embraced large
extent of territory. There were no public
modes of travel, or at best but few; and 1t
became necessary, in grouping circuits
together to form Conferences, to have an
eve to contiguity and to conveniences.
The church was weak in numbers and
means. when it was proposed to start
church enterprise like Church College
or a Church paper, it was necessary to
draw patronage and support from great
extent of territory in order TO make re-
spectacle showing. This sense OF weak,
ness and dependence, coupled with an
earnest desire to build up, TO gro' and to
prosper, ignored state lines and state pride.
Hence when Randolph Macon College
was established more than halt century
ago, it was very largely the joint work OF
the Virginia Methodist and the North
Carolina Methodists; so much so, that II
was named for Virginia Statesman and
a N North Carolina Statesman; and, although
located on Virginia soil, it was very near
the North Carolina line. For years it was
the Denominalional College for North
Carolina as we'll as for Virginia Methodists,
and the sons of the former as well as OF
the latter sought it's benefits, and received
its blessings. What is true of Randolph
Macon, is also true to greater or less ex-
tent, of the Richmond Christian Advocate,
and other church enterprises in which the
Methodist people of both States had
common interest and felt common sym
pathy. And this was we'll so long as tie
condition of things continued which Gre
ated these enterprises, and which required
the united support OF North Carolina as
we'll as Virginia Methodists. All honor
10 the men who wrought the good work
of their day and generation! They mad
their peculiar work, and they did 1t well.
But we also have ours, and while it may
not be, in appearance, on the same iine as
theirs, it is in fact and in truth only con-
centrating and making more effective the
agencies which they set on foot Tor the
elevation of the people and the up building
of the church.
The situation is changed, entirely
changed. The condition which existed In
the days of the Pioneers of Methodism do
not exist now; and it is no reflection upon
the wisdom of our fathers nor disiOy atty
to their memory, for US to pursue that
line of action indicated by the pJeseut
order OF things. We live in a thcklY
populated country in which our demon
ination has grown to be strong aud
powerful factor for good. Public modes
OF travel have been opened up, till one
may go ia any direction almost at will.
Our Conference lines need not, and should
not be determined by the same Influences
which located them in the past age, be-
cause these influences do not exist, and
any effort to revive them or to appeal to
them, must when sub jected to The light
of reasons, end 10 failure. Iu forming
new Conference lines, or in making changes
in the old, we should study the present
conditions and seek for rational system
which shall be adopted as the policy OF
the denomination. and adhered TO as far
as practicable. What simpler or more
natural system of church government, aud
in many respects it is like the American
system of Political Government. The
circuit or the station is the unit, aud cor
respond to the county, while the Quarter
ly Conference of the Circuit or station
may be likened, in many respects, to the
local government of county or Town.
Our Annual Conference correspond TO our
State Legislatures and our General Con-
ference to our National Legislatures.
Changes have been made from time to
time in the details of our system of church
government, but the great principles
upon which it is based remain the same;
and it is not likely that there will be any
which will endure, the Annual and Cen
ersl Conferences may be safely counted.
The State Governments and the National
Government will endure for all time !
do not believe that either can or will de-
stroy the other. An ardent love for ones
State is not disloyalty to the National
Government. In TACT the man who does
not love his state, his country, his town,
his home knows very little about the feel
ings that we'll up in the bosom of the true
patriot. 1t is therefore, not improper in
the church to inculcate in its mem bership
e love of state and of home. 10 lact, it is
in my opinion part Of it's duty and of it's
mission. If so, the sooner it puts itself in
the position to teach these lessons in their
broadcast and fullest sense the better. TO
do this, the church organization must be
local as we'll as the person to be taught.
The teacher as well as the person to be
instructed must be in sympathy With the
sentiments to be impaired, or else the
work will be in vain-if not 3 hollow
mockery. Think of Virginia Conference.
or Virginia preacher, with all their COM
mendabie love of Virginia, teaching a
North Carolina Methodist that North
Carolins has anything as good as Virginia,
or that it is his duty to support North
Carolina Institutions in preference to
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