The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-07
CONFERENCE CLOSING DAY.
Congratulations Upon the Decline of
Hard-SheII Baptists.

The devotional service at the morning
session was conducted by Rev. F. F, st.
Clair of Woodburn.
The first business transacted was the
carrying OF motion instructing the joint
board of finance to levy an assessment for
the publication of the minutes of the con-
ference. The twentieth question of the
discipline, "are all the preachers blame
less in their lives and official adminstra-
tions?" was again taken up and conclud-
ed without a name being arrested.
Revs. r. F. Williamson, H. R. Fielder
and f, w. Flanders, as their names were
called were referred. on motion. to the
committee on conference relations, to be
placed upon the list of superanuuated
preachers one preachers report showed
that the EIardshell Baptists are not as
strong in his community as they had been
when it was known by the bishop. Bishop
Key said he was glad to note that the
sect is dying out. As he expressed it, it
as giving away as civilization advances.
He referred to an occasion on which Rev.
DR.. j. w, Hinton was preaching. The
decline of the Hardshells was mentioned,
and the doctor said the best cure for
them is the spelling book.
\ communication was read by the Sec
sired a duplicate of his deacon's orders,
which had been destroyed some years be-
fore by fire. Rev. G. G. N. MacDonen
stated that he had a bound volume of the
proceedings of the conference for the years
desired, and that he would be able to fur
nish all the data of Mr.. Culpepper's ordi-
nation, so that the duplicate of the papers
could be made out by the bishop.
Rev, Mr.. MacDonell stated that he would
like to ask the conference to reconsider
the discontinuance of Rev. w. j. Nease of
Etfingham, who had been in the confer
ence for one year on trial One of the
preachers wanted to know if Brother
Nease had given up his habit of running
around here, there and everywhere with
girls" MI MacDonen, who was the
young preachers presiding elder announc-
ed that this was not due to anything more
than a natural le,-'+.- Of disposition on the
young mans part that he is made of good
stuff and Is likely to succeed as a preach
err The presiding elder said he thought
there was no reason why the young man
should have been discontinued. His name
was reconsidered and passed.
Rev. DR.. Hinton moved that the confer
ence go into session as a corporate body
His motion prevailed and he, as president
of the legal conference, took the chair.
The legal session was for the transaction
of the temporal business. The report of
tlAS HtASdSNll a VI the iSSdi DOuy, 1eN. II,
Christian, was received and adopted
The report of Rev. j. O. A. Cook. for the
| Preachers Aid Society was adopted. Rev.
| G. G. n. MacDonell reported as the treas
urer of the special relief fund. A collec-
ton, as is customary, was taken up to go
| to this fund.
The question of the conference minutes
| which had been before the body a number
| of times, seemed difficult of settlement
! There was considerable discussion as to
| whether the number to be published
! should be 1900 as heretofore, or 5000 Some
| wanted the number increased, so that the
| proceedings of the body may be more wide
! ~ read, even at the cost of the minutes
| having to be distributed free of charge tc
| the members of the church. A motion that
| the number be made 5000 met with warm
| seconds, and it was carried. Upon motion
| Rev. DIR. Hinton was reelected president
| and Rev. II. 7. Christian secretary. BY
| the constitution. the other officers remain
| in without election. The conference then
| returned to the consideration of the af-
| fairs of the Incorporate body