The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-02
THE ACTIVE MINISTER'S.

THE ACTIVE MINISTER'S.
Having completed the roll-call of tie
superannuated preachers who are il
part at least supported by the church,
and the supernumeraries who have other
means Of support, the Bishop began the
call of the roll of the active ministry
In open session. at every session OF ev-
cry Methodist Conference, every preach
er has to pass an examination of char
acter. The Bishop calls his name and
asks: SIS there anything against Broth
or Brown or JonesY' There is a pause
when if any man knows anything a.
gainst the preachers character he may
present it. If any charges have been
made to the presiding elder of the dis
trict it becomes his duty to arrest the
character Of the preacher upon the floor
of the Conference, and a committee is
then appointed to investigate the charges
and a trial follows. Every preacher
lives in the knowledge that if he is not
living up to his professions, he will be
in danger of being expelled from the
ministry or Of having to disprove charges
against his conduct and life.
THE RALEIGH DISTRICT.
In the examination Of character. the
first name called was that of Rev. #. A..
Yates, D. D., presiding elder. There
was response from several Nothing a
gainst Brother Yates" Nearly half a
century has this able divine been min
;ster in the Methodist church, holding
every position from the humblest circuit
rider to the recognized leader in schOl-
nrship and ability in the Conference
He is as young in heart, thought and
feeling as in his youth, and with ripen-
al experience OF a long career, and q
freedom from anything like self-seek-
ing or cant. he is the fitting man to hold
The first place in his church. May he
live long to illustrate in his life the
power Of Christian manhood and the
sweetness OF brotherly love!
DR.. Yates reported the Raleigh dis
trict to be "in pretty good condition
There is some improvement all round.
Manv have been converted. We are
naking progress"
Rev w G.. Norman. pastor OF Fdenton
Street Methodist church WINS the Mex
man called. 1--WE have Ind fine anil
nrosrer year in all departments OF
church work." he said. "All assessments
have been paid in full. There hove
been 105 accessiOns to the church. The
membership now is 762. a net increase
Of 60 or 20. The Sunday School has
heen larger in numbers than ever be-
fore. decided advances in methods of
work have been made. The Epworth
League with $50 members has done
good work. Nearly all our young peo-
pie are enlisted in il under fine leader
shin. We have two Woman's Foreign
Missionary Societies, one for young and
one for older women. a Parsonage and
Home Mission Society and a Juvenile
Society, and we are moving forward
Rev. e. G. Glenn, pastor of Central
Methodist church, Raleigh, reported
that all collections had been paid in
full. The net increase in the member
ship of the church is Sc. The Epworth
League contains 1875 members The
number in attendance upon the Sun
day School has more than doubled.
Church is organized in all departments
and all show progress.
The church debt has been slightly de-
creased. The debt on the churches ST.
600.
Rev. J. w. Jenkins, of Cary circuit.
reported the work on his circuit on
rising ground. doing better in everything
except in finances. They feel the effect
of five cent cotton. In Cary we have
fiourishing Sunday school, Woman's
Missionary Society that raised $77.75
We have a Bright Jewels society that
raised S91 for foreign missions. 1t is
one of the first little churches I have
ever served. 1t is my beau ideal of a
church. There is a tendency to remove
membership from country to city
churches.
Rev. J. T. Draper. Of Clayton circuit:
'We have had a good year. There has
been no net increase We have re-
ceived 20 members, but we have had
to turn out good many and because
Of that we have net decrease Of or g.
We have raised 60 to rs per cent Of the
collections. We have been suffering
from cent cotton. We have raised
$500 on building and repairing churches"
DR.. Yates said: "Under the circumstan-
ces this is very good report"
Rev. w. J. Crowson, OF Smithfeld
circuit: We have had "a accessions. We
have not turned out any members. We
Continued on fourth page.)