Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-12-17
The slsiAsilsi Conference.

|
Nowberry special of Wednesday to the
News and Courier: The South Carolina
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, began it's one hundred
and seventeenth annual session in Central
Methodist church, this city, the Rev. w.
!. Herbert, pastor, this morning. The
conference in the lit years OF its exist
once has had awonderful growth and de
valopment. At the first session, held In
charleston, March 20, 1887, DIR. Thomas
Coke and Bishop Asbnry presiding, 2,V71
white members and OIL colored members
were reported. The reports ut the pres
emit session will show o total membership
(white) of about $4,000. At tho first ses-
sion only 10 appointments were mads.
At the close of this session Bishop Dun.
can will appoint about 240 preachers Co
fields of labor. This is the fourth time
conference has met In Newberry. It's
time Bishop Robert A. Paine presided,
and the Rev. Paul A. M. Williams was
secretary. The membership consisted of
33,213 whites and 1920 blacks. The
next session in Newberry was in 1884,
Bishop George Il. Pierce presiding, and
the Rev. Francis Asbury Mood acting
SECRETARY; The membership then taken
SO,pZO ulG6o hlu n ,fDO UlttCkB.
The next session held in Newberry was
in 1878. Bishop Wightman was the Pre-
sident and the Rev. VIM. G. Power was
secretary. At this session the mem ber-
ship consisted of 44,435 whites. The
blacks by this time had been set off to
themselves. Since the session of 1873
there have been many changes in the
conference, as well as in the city of New
berry. The business sessions were then
held in the Baptist church, the audito-
rum of the old Methodist church not
being large enough. Now the old Me-
thodist church has been torn down and
the sessions are being held in the hand
some new brick and granite home of the
Methodists in Newberry, q building that
is the pride of Newberry and the Metho-
dists of South Carolina. Between fifty
and sixty of those who were members of
the conference in 1878 are still living, the
others having finished their labors In the
church militant and gone to their re-
ward. Conference, as is its usual GUS
tom, was opened at 10 o. clock this morn
ing with the sacrament of the Lords
Supper. Bishop w. w. Duncan made a
few opening remarks and the roll was
called and organization perfected The
morning session was. taken up with re-
ports of committees, including the re-
port of the board of mission and the
board of church extension. Both these
reports showed gratifying increase in
the interest taken in the work and the
results therefrom.
On Thursday each of the Presiding
Elders submitted a report from his dis
trict. These reports were most favora-
BILE. The past year has been marked by
large endeavor and great achievement.
sounded.
One of the young preachers made q
remark concerning the need of our work
at manufacturing points, which led the
Bishop to emphasize the supreme impor-
tance of such work. He declared it to
be the work of our church in this State.
Revs. W. 1. Herbert and T. Griggs
Herbert have been summoned to Lees
vile, where their father lies seriously
ill, and of whose recovery there is some
doubt.
Friday was mainly taken up with the
discussion of the question of the re-
moval of the Columbia Female College.
Flattering and liberal propositions had
been made by Laurens, Greenwood and
other places for the college. Upon a
vote being taken on the question of re-
moval it was decided by small majority
to let the college remain where it is for a
while longer.
On. Saturday Mr.. j. f. Lyon, confer
ence treasurer, reported $11 900 to have
been assessed for superannuated preach,
ers, etc. OF this amount $7,5532S had
been collected Collected for church ex-
tension, So, 110.65; for support of Bishop,
81 ,S91 .6S; for foreign missions, $11 1922. .03; I;
for domestic missions, $12,795.70; for
conference education fund, $2,95l.72; for
Tulane, $418.40; total increase in amount
collected for all purposes over last year,
$6,706.37.
A resolution was read from the fourth
quarterly conference of the Pendleton
Circuit, held at Pendleton, endorsing the
efforts of the Methodists at Clemson to