The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-28
Extracts from Christian Neighbor
CONFERENCE AND BISHOP.
John Christian Keener and S"uth
Carolina MethOtiistS.

John Christian keenPr anu S""'h
Carolina MethOdists.
This, the 109th session of the South
Carolina Conference of the NJ. +.
Church, South, is the first session held
in the town of Laurens, S. {.
It is the fifth session of our Confer
ence over which Bishop Keener will
have presided,-the others being at
Orangeburg in 1873, Columbia in 1885,
Winnsboro i'm 1855 and Camden in
1889.
Bishop John Christian Keener. ID. d.,
was born in Baltimore, Md, Feb. -
1919. He graduated in 1888, at the
Wesleyan University, at MiddletoWn,
Connecticut. He was converted IN
Wesley Chapel, Baltimore, Feb. s, 1888.
In 1S43 he was admitted on trial in the
Alabama Conference, and sent as jun
ior preacher with DR.. Lovick Pierce to
Franklin Street charge, Mobile. In
1S4S he was transferred to the Louis
lana Conference and stationed in New
Orleans. He also served number of
wears as Presiding Elder. From 1866
TO 1870 he was editor of the New Or
leans "Christian Advocate" He was
elected Bishop by the General Confer
ence held in Memphis, Tenn, in 1870.
From the CHRISTIAN NEIGHBoR OF
June 2, 1870, the following paragraph
in the report of the proceedings of that
body is taken:
Saturday, May 2l.-It was, on mo-
ton, resolved. after debate, to elect one
more Bishop. The Conference engag-
ed in prayer, led by DR.. Lovick Pierce,
before proceeding 10 the election
of this high functionary. After three
ballotings J. G. Keener, of the Louis
lana Conference, was elected, the final
vote being: J. c. Keener SO; James
A. Duncan S4."
The clerical delegates present on
that occasion from the South Carolina
Conference were A. M. Shipp, H. A. G.
Walker, Whitefoord Smith, w. P.
Mouzon, w. H. Fleming and +. M.
Kennedy,-all of whom are now dead.
Our lay representatives were w. D.
Montgomery, George w. Williams,
A. A. Gilbert, H. II. Wright, Simpson
Bobo and II. S. Moorman,-the last
named being reserve delegate taking
the place of James H. Carlisle. OF
this delegation Brothers Williams and
Moornan, and the then absent Car
Isle, are yet alive and active in
church work.
Some comparisons in statistics show
gratifying growth in Methodism in
South Carolina sirce Bishop keener
first presided over our Conference
nineteen years ago. At that time the
Conference consisted of eight Districts,
and it was then that the new Florence
District was created, over which w. G.
Power was the first Presiding Elder.
Brother Power. by the way, is the on
ly "P. E." now occupying that office
who was in Bishop Keener's "cabinet"
in 1875.
In 1875 the Conference roll contain
ed the names of 145 effective preach
ers, II superannuates and 5 supernu-
meraries; Is were "on trial." and 5
Supplies" were employed. At this
time (November, 1894 we have l67 ef-
fective preachers, % superannuates
and supernumeraries 80 remain on
arial, and s supplies are employed.
s Our entire church membership in
1875 was, in round numbers, 4O,5Oo;
now it isabout $4,000. Then We had 456
Sunday schools, with 2O,6s5 teachers
and pupils; now we have over 700
Sunday schools, and about $4,000
teachers and pupils.
The number of churches we had in
1875 was 564 now there are 7l5. The
value of church property was 100000
then (including everything); now it
is over ST 100000. Palsonages in 1875
numbered "a, value not separately re-
ported now we have 16O-odd, valued
at over $3.50, 900.
The lay delegation in the Conference
of 1875 numbered S2,-being four from
each District /; now there are 40, the
increase being due to the creation of
Florence and Chester Districts.