The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-08
IN NEW PULPITS NEXT WEEK.
METHODIST PREACHERS GONE
HOME TO PACK UP AND MOVE.

Rev. 4. VI. williams Goes to Macon
This Week-Rev. DIR. Branch Comes
Down Next Week-Presiding Elder
j. a. Thompson Takes Charge
About Jan. 1-Preachers Generally
to Move Within the Next Ten Days.
Report of Statistical Secretary of
The Conference.
Nearly all the preachers who were in
Savannah in attendance upon the South
Georeia conference have returned to their
charges. A number went away by the
trains that left Savannah on the night the
conference adjourned. Yesterday morn
ing the others got away. The trains
leaving by all roads were well crowded.
Most of the preachers will move from
their old to their new charges next week.
1t is customary for them to lose no time
In making the changes and going right on
with the work. Some of those whose
names were announced by the bishop for
other charges than those they have filed
during the past year will not fill the new
places until about the first of the new
year.
Rev. A. NJ. Williams, pastor of Wesley
Monumental church, expects to leave dur
ing the latter part of the week for Ma
con, where he will have his home as pre-
siding elder of the North Macon district,
Mr.. Williams is pleased with his appoint
ment. Had he had the ordering of it, and
if it were to be a district, he said ne
would have preferred to have had the
al Hictr no hoc
ly attached to this city during the tins
he has spent here with Wesley church
In some respects, however, he said, the
district to which he has been assigned
ranks above this Mr.. williams says that
DR.. J. 0. Branch formerly presiding elder
of the North Macon district, but now to
be pastor of Wesley, will probably be here
next week and Will preach his first SER
mon in his new charge Sunday week.
1t is expected that Rev. John A. Thomp-
son. who was appointed presiding elder
of this district to succeed Rev, G. G. N.
A!acDonell, will assume charge of the dis
trict about Jan. /. Rev. Mr. Thompson
comes from Townsville, where he was
pastor. Rev. Mr.. MacDoneI will leave
shortly for Waycross, where he will be
pastor of the First church. His trans
fer to the pastorate of that church gives
him one of the best charges in South
Georgia. The change of the presiding
elders from districts to pastorates is looked
upon as perfectly natural and in the regu-
lar order of events. Rev. Mr.. MacDonell
does not rank lower in charge of we'll
paying churches than he did as presiding
elder
1t is thought that Rev o. F. Cook, ap-
pointed to Grace church, will take charge
next week and will preach his first ser
mon the following Sunday. The people
of Grace are thoroughly satisfied with the
preacher whom the bishop has given them
to take the place of Rev. James T. Ryder,
who filled their pulpit so successfully for
a year.
Those who entertained the preachers
willie here speak highly of them. The
warm appreciation expressed by the
preachers of the hospitality extended them
was very satisfactory to those who had
been their hosts and others who had tried
TO add to their pleasures while the con-
ference was in session.
The report of the statistical secretary.
Rev. W. N. Ainsworth of cambridge, for
last year is interesting. 1t was presented
before the conference and is as follows:
Local preachers, 10; members, SO 29O; in
fants baptized during the year, 2,2S7; Ep-
worth Leagues, ST; Epworth League mem
bers, 3774; Sunday schools, $751; Sunday
school teachers, 3,946; Sunday school schol-
ars, 30,57S; assessed for the superannuated
preachers, the widows and orphans, &c.
SS5.22; collected on this account, IS, 164. 38;
contributed for missions, home, $6536.14,
foreign, 11,01S22; American Bible Society,
$S94.4; presiding elders and preachers in
charge, elders, $14, ia. s.; preachers, S92,-
80; societies, $50; church edifices, 6O715;
value 1919, oil rs; number of charges, ia;
parsonages, 1911 value $151, 551; district par
sonages, ], value, $1,000.