The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-08-06
SKETCHES
FROM THE LIFE OF A WEST vIR.
GINA METHODIST PREACHER
WORTHY OF PERUSAL.
Rev. DR.. Fullerton Reviews Through
the Columns of the Telegram His
Thirty Years Work IN the West
Virginia Ministry.
sketch XVII.

change ministers from one e,fi4fEse 70 an
other during the year, within the bound,
of their own district; provided there b'
sufficient cause to Justify them in max
/ ing such change. They cannot. however
change a pastor from an appointment in
one district to another district without
4 the consent of the bishop, who has SUI
pervision of the conference. They have
also the power to engage preachers to
supply any vacancies not filed ut con
ference IN their list Of appointments, OF
that may occur by sickness, death or
removal during the year. Presiding eld-
4 ers nominate the preachers for the cir.
cults and stations within the territory
committed to their care, and these norni-
nations usually. stalN and arc approved
by the bishops, though it is sometimes
the case that the bishop makes an aP-
pointment or several of them to places
within their districts TO which presiding
elders object. The appointment holds
however, as the bishop may indicate, he
having the fun and final control Of this
matter.
Invitations accepted to certain Pasto-
raj charges prior to the meeting of the
| annual conference are always accepted,
subject to the approval of the Presid-
ing bishop.
The chief work of the presiding elder
is to hold quarterly meetings and to pre-
side in district conferences. In so do
ing he comes in contact with all the
preachers and official members and i
able fntelligentIy to care for their in
tercsts and to do the best possible to adj
vance the various interests of the church.
Every pastoral charge has what is call
ed a quarterly conference. This is com
posed of the official members of the cir
cult or station, and is presided over by
the presiding elder, or in case of his
absence some minister whom he sends in
his place Should neither be present, the
chair is filed by tic pastor himself. In
connection with this conference there are
generally several services. including com
munion service, love feast and several
sermons. These are held by the pre-
siding elder, assisted by other ministers
present In our larger stations and
towns these. services are not always held
in such number or to the same extent.
especially at the present day, but in our
country and rural charges they are al
ways held, covering nearly two tinys, nnd
are occasions of reunion and much Chris
tinn enjoyment.
Some things are very surprising to the
presiding elder when i,e learns from the
inside. rather than the outside of his
Office. As, for instance, the anxienty
sometimes displayed by goodly num-
ber of preachers in regard to their next
years appointment. Sometimes these
preachers become 50 nervous and anxious
a. to make the annual conference a time
of perplexity and almost worry to the
presiding elder and cause him to think
that their faith in Providence has we'll
night for saken them. Mr. Fullerton had
some such trying experiences in his time
as presiding elder, and it was not gen
orally the middle.agcd or older mon
either. with large families. that displayed
this annoying spirit, but younger men.
who should have stood ready to keep
their vows. and go anywhere to work for
the Lord, without questioning.
Take the rank and file of the men.
however, year after year, and they are
generally very loyal to do the bidding
of the church and 10 accept whatever
| place may bt Thought AAtt bssfs -
or ut least the best that can be done
for them under the circum stances.
Mr.. Fullerton had an amusing thing
to happen on a certain charge almost ev-
cry time he visited it. A certain brother
first undertook to tell him all the things
that went wrong during the quarter,
sometimes touching up with a liberal
tongue the pastor or some official. and
suggesting proper chastisement. When
this became wearisome und the man was
told so, lie found another way of reach
ing the elders ear, by mixing the griev-
ances in his experience in love feast
on Sunday morning, and if this failed
he would manage to get nm opportunity
to pray and then spread it all out before
the Lord. There arc persons in this
world mean enough to s.prny at their
ncigIrbors, and abuse them in this way
when they dare not say a word to their
face. Sometimes preachers even 50 fan
forget themselves as to preach at peo-
pie instead of to them, using insults in
this way they would not dare to indulge
1 in otherwise. We once knew of a pre-
siding elder who 50 far forgot himself
as to preach ut a brother minister IN the
presence of a large congregation, and
abuse the brother simply to satisfy his
own small, malicious disposition. Those
who knew whom and what he was driv'