The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-09
ANOTHER DAY
The Methodist Ministers
Hold Their Second
Session
MANY MATTERS
Engage the Attention of the Body.
The Dearth of Young Men Entering
the Ministry Calls for Comment
and DiscussfOn-in Address by DIR.
Reid-Afternoon and Night Session
Sunday School Work.

yesterday at $50 a. m, Bishop A. Coke
Smith in the chair. The opening hymn
was H Calleth Me" after which Rev.
W. G. Norman, D. D.. conducted the
devotional exercises.
The minutes of the previous days
session were read and approved.
On motion of w. H. Moore the con-
ference ordered that the calling of the
roll be discontinued. The roll of the
districts was called and the names If
the ay-delegates who had arrived
since the session Of yesterday morn
ing were enrolled. The clerical dele
gates who have arrived since then We're
requested to notify the secretary Of
their arrival.
MINUTE QUESTIONS.
Question Z, Who are the deacons Of
one Year?" was called by Bishop
Smith. In answer 20 this question p.
D. WOOdall, r. r. Grant, ]. T. Stan
ford, "a. r. Welch. II. NJ. North, ]. F.
Bivins. ]. l.. Cuninggim. w. F. Jones
and F. F. Dixon we're as
having passed their examinations.
Their characters were passed and they
were advanced II the class of the
fourth year. G. A. Read and w. A.
Piland were continued in the class of
the third year.
CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS.
The correspondence school of the NJ.
h. church.. south, is a new enterprise,
and J.. L. Cuninggim, who is secretary
Of this school, addressed the conference
in behalf of this new enterprise of the
church. He stated that the c~orrespOn-
dence school has for it's motto the ex-
tension of ministerial education. There
is prejudice" said he, against mini
terial education, and while this preju-
dice should not exist, still some of the
charges brought against ministerial
education are true. 1t is true that
much of our ministerial education is
narrow, and what we need is to broad
en- this education of our ministers. The
education of our ministry ought to be
broad enough 10 cause some of our
strong men to take their time and
talent and use them in settling the
great problems of the church. 1t is a
sad comment tC me that many of he
books we read in connection with our
work, even the best books in our con-
ference course, are the contributions Of
men Of other cOuntries and cOmmun-
ions.
w need this broadening of minis
teriaI education in our missionary
work. One of the greatest needs Of
our work in the foreign fields is that of
trained workers n the co~rrespOn-
denCe school hopes to aid in supplying
this need i'm a large way.
THE other object of the co~rrespon-
dence school is to broaden the avail
ability of ministerial education until it
is within the reach Of all men in the
church
ADVANCE To SECOND YEAR.
Tho fOrroy-ir.- NY mon u-bn u-ara
admitted on trial into the conference
last year. Were advanced to the class
of the second vear: j. NJ. Culbreth. E.
N Snipes. W =. Jenkins. w. E.
Brown. w. T.. Constable. w. Towe.
The following. L. y. Porter. and G.. B.
Webster were continued i'm the class Of
the first ear.
REPORTS.
The report of the Raleigh Christian
Advocate was read by Rev. I. n. Ivey,
u. d. the editor. This report shows
the Advocate to be in the best con,
dition Financially hat il has enjoyed
during the four years of its history.
TIE subscription list now shows about
5000 names.
Rev. J. NJ. Rhodes submitted the re-
port of LittletOn Female College. He
Is president of this college and under
mis- management il is meeting with
NNA'aNN 1885, - -ACS - ~AS 49,
being prominently a boarding school
OTHER QUESTIONS.
Bishop Smith called question IL
''Who are admitted on trial?" and but
three were recommended. all of these
being from the Elizabeth City district
Their names are ". H. Brown. J. +
Saunders, and j. H. Buffalo. This j:
an unusually small number to be ad
mitted On trial and Bishop Smith said
Brethren. what is the matter will
our church? Is it the commercials
Of our country that is absorbing OF
young men? There is q dearth o
young men entering the ministry. Thos'
who are coming into our ranks ar
from poor families and Countr,
churches. We of the ministry ough
TO talk to our young men about this
not cal! them TO the ministry. for r.
man should ccU a yung man to thi
work, but it is our duty to unstop TIE!
ears so that they may hear the call !
God. We need to pray about this, 70
what a man prays about he talk
about. 1t is sad to think that duria
the past year eighteen of your appoint
ments had to be filed with. supDlt-<
IF ever God calls a man to the nh
istrv He calls him to be h nai.iies
man on earth. and We need man ny me
and more manly men in our ranks.
Il want us to stop right here and haV
a prayer that God nay bless ns ar
give us such an o~ut-pourinC - -
Holy Spirit that many young men W.
be called TO the work of the ministry.
He requested DR.. Kilgo to lead I'll
conference in this prayer. After tn
prayer Dr.. Kiigo said in substance.
"A great number of young men com
TO us as ministerial Students and "
give them free tuition, and they ?
away and neither become ministers M
pay the tuition. 1t would surprise yo
To see how many of these unpaid note
lie in safe - Trinity College. Sue
facts are bri~ ring everlasting reproac
upon the mir stry. We have problem
TO solve her, There are numbers
young men n college as minlsteri
Students who are dropping into specf
courses and -lrning sharp corners.
of this there are brig
young men in this state who have Re