The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-11-23
NORTHWEST TEXAS CONFERENCE.
Proceedings Of the Second Days Meeting
at Fort Worth.

at Fort Worth.
FORT WORTH, Nov. 1.-THE confer.
ence was opened with prayer by Rev.
j. L. Annis, presiding elder of the
Cisco district. The minutes of the
meeting of yesterday were read and
approved. The routine business of the
conference was then resumed.
The 10th question-What local
preacher becomes deacon? was re-
sumed.
Bishop Wilson announced that sew.
aral visiting brethren were present.
DR.. Hass of The Christian Advocate
then made some remarks to the con.
ference.
Local preachers elected elders:
Rev. w. H. Matthews of Georgetown'
district; Rev James w. Howell, Rev.
John ID. Limbaugh, Waco district;
Rev. James d Logan, Fort Worth
district; Rev. William E. Bradfield,
Rev. Allen F. Bowden, Rev Green G.
Field of the Brentwood district were
elected to deacon's orders.
The following were admitted into
full connection
John A. Burke, j. w. R. Buchanan,
=. V. Cox, w. r. Ford, James Hall,
NJ. l.. Hollenbeck, Albert Hussey, S.
w. Love, E NJ. Mclaughlin, S. b.
Lawyers and E. r. Wallace.
Bishop Wilson then addressed the
candidates and administered the VOWS.
He said: II become more and more
Impressed with the seriousness and
solemnity of these VOWS every time |
administer them, and my views o the
ministry, as related to the life that is
TO come, become broader and
higher as the years go on,
become more impressed with
the responsibilities and obligations
that are assumed and taken up by a
man entering this course of life. /
take it for granted that you have read
and carefully thought over this subject
aud these vows were not taken mad.
visedly; that you have advised with
yourselves discrGetly and in the fear of
God. 1t is for you TO say now whether
or not personal ambition and expec-
fancy of place has decided you
to take this stand and step
You know Methodism is the only form
of religion that advocates christian
perfection. l am glad it has put it on
record ruthoritatively. | am glad our
church has had the boldness to put its
seal there as its final conviction Of
Gods purpose and of the possibilities
of christian life. We expect,
nay we require, every mau who
come among us to preach the gospel,
looking TOR nothing less than perfec-
ton. The old LevItical law was the
most magnificent thug that God ever
gave to man outside the gospel, and
the only fault with it was that it could
not be made perfect. That was
why the Bible was brought in.
1t was not because the old law did
not work, and work splendidly, but
because it did not work perfectly.
There are men who will tell you such
a thing as perfection in any sense is
unatTain BILE.
Well, we say simply that they give
the law to the gospel. The gospel
says that is what it came for, and
Christ says that is what He came for.
If that is so, perfection is attain
able. When you come to deal
ing with the higher conditions
of the soul and mind of mau it be-
hooves you to deal with great caution
and care, for it is just there the
of our nature appear and
the perplexities of our logic
creep out, and it becomes
to give definition
You cannot do it. The Bible does not
do it. 1t just tells what is ahead, and
gives us the means of getting there.
Many men believe as they please and
doubt any teaching, but advise you
to take the Bible and hold to that"
The conference then adjourned.