The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-01
THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

in Elizabeth City yesterday morning. 1t
represents quite 100000 people, having
membership of over 10000. The Method
list church in Eastern and Central North
Carolina in numbers, in influence and in
aggressive Christian work is second to no
religious denomination in the State. One
Of the latest churches to be planted in the
State it has become one of the largest
and most influential denominations. In
city town and country alike it is the
church of thousands of North Carroll
mans. and power in the work of evange-
lizing, uplifting and educating the PEG
pie.
The people of the State will read an
account of the proceedings of the body
with deep interest. Aside from the mat
tiers of ordinary interest that come before
all Conferences, the Conference now in
session will be called upon to speak out
with reference TO the proper action of thu
church to free itself from the stigma
which Stahlman, Barbee and Smith put
upon it when they made false state
ments TO Senators to secure the payment
of just debt. The Western Conference
passed resolutions looking to the return
of the money, but by close vote, OUT
of mistaken charity for Smith and Bar
bee. failed to register the demand of the
church that they retire as officials OF the
church. whose good name their wrong ac-
ton has injured, in SO far as two church
officials can damage a church. 1t is to be
hoped that the Conference in session AT
Elizabeth City will follow the example
of the Western Conference in voting not
to accept the money voted by deception,
and also to condemn the officials guilty
of the deception. Logically one must fol-
low the other. If no deception was prac-
ticed. the money ought TO be retained by
the church. for ii was an honest debt that
the government owed the church. If 1t
was obtained by deception, the deception
that influenced Senators was practised by
Barbee and Smith, as well as Stahlman.
If Barbee and Smith had replied fully
and truthfully to Senator Bates tele-
gram. the deception would not have mis-
led Senators. 1t was this telegram, con-
firming in effect Stahlman's lies, that Gre
atcd the whole trouble. Therefore to vote
not to take the money and then to vote
against censure of Barbee and Smith Is
Illogical. The North Georgia Conference
was not guilty of the illogical course pur-
sued by the Western North Carolina Con-
ference. 1t commended the action of the
Bishops looking to n return of the mon
as our authority extends, demand the inn
mediate resignation Of the book agents,
giving as the unanswerable reason THE
continuation of their imprimature on our
publications would be very detrimental
to the publishing house, and would not
properly represent our church. That
Conference also demands a re-organiza-
ton of the book committee so "as to free
the church from the official action of
conduct of our book agents" Such reso-
buttons show that the conscience of the
church is aroused, and for no considera-
tons of profit or of charity to wrong
doing, will it compromise with the scan
dial that has brought trouble in the coun-
ellis of the church. 1t is a spectacle to
win worldwide admiration To see great
church, whose treasury is not full, refuse
to touch more than quarter of million
its agents used deception to secure it.
As long as the church takes this high
ground and refuses to countenance agents
guilty of deception, it will confound in
fidelity and unbelief.
Another matter of wide interest is the
paper question. Now the two Confer
ences Jointly control the \. G. Christian
Advocate which is chiefly owned by that
prince of just men, Rev. l.. w. Craw-
ford. who was reelected editor of the
Advocate by the Western Conference.
Rev. L. n. Iyey is the editor elected by
the \. C. Conference, and is one of the
most eloquent men in the Methodist
ministry There is a suggestion that the
two Conferences buy the paper and own
it jointly and another suggestion that
the ~ C. Conference establish an organ
of its own, leaving the " G. Christian
Advocate as the organ of the Western
Conference alone. The solution of this
question will be watched with interest.
Whether any phase of the Clark-kllgo
discussion, or the Kilgo-Gattis controver-
sy will come before the Conference is not
known. In the Western Conference
majority were opposed to the policy OF
DR.. Kilgo. C is believed that a majority
Of the members of Conference now in
session at Elizabeth City is in accord
with Dr. Kilgo's policy. 1t is the desire
of many that harmony be secured and
Al, 1,