The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-04

reddened hands and wrists their hair
parted at the ears. brisk young fellows
ready to report their first charge, clean
shayen, in the more modern sack suits.
all singing the old tune with a passion
of devotion subtly mingled with note
of reverence for the long ago.
At the conclusion of the hymn, the
Bishop having announced that the dis
tricts would be called, the Rev. Thorn
as got upon his wooden leg to suggest
that it was customary for a committee
on memorials to be appointed to re-
port to the general conference, but the
Bishop gave him straight glance and
announced that the general conference
did not meet except ever four years
and there would be no session this
year
Rev. Thomas turned towards his
seat with an air of deep modification;
Now how did / forget that?' said he.
81 am behind the times!"
you are in front" interjected the
Bishop.
"No, 1 am not up-to-date" insisted
Rev. Thomas sadly as he sat down.
One of the first charges called was
that Of young man who made his re-
port and said modestly.
II don't think ] am intellectually
lazy, but 1 felt that 1 ought to do more
work before passed UP and did not
go before the COUlHltlLte.
The Bishop did not snort but it was
EVIDENT that he felt like doing SO.
Preachers ought to make themselves
ease lawyers" said he. Tney should
systematic their study. He referred
to the old books which contained the
ground work of sermons from which a
man could win ideas from bv reading.
A Judge, said he. would sit on the
hearing of a case and make instant
Ia "a a
Laws were constantly changing but
for eighteen centuries the rules by
which a preacher ought to work had
never changed. a preacher ought to
be familiar with his law and TO do
that required only systematic study.
Il don't know when / have sat down
and said Go to- I'll write a sermon.
Give me fifteen minutes to think IN
the pulpit and I'll preach as good a
sermon as I'd DO if l had fifteen years.
just so you-don't back me up against
one Of these fashionable choirs."
''You mean" interiected the Rev.
Thomas. that man should preach
and die in Christianity"
And live III it.
The Bishop went on to refer to
more books. There is lots Of good
stuff in Watson and it has the advant-
age that you know ii amt so" In
speaking of science he declared that
the old science had the same advant-
age. That was the way with science.
1t wasn't SO for long. The new science
won't be true in ten years. I'D rath-
er have my science dead than alive
said he. When YOU hear man
talking about Watson's Institutes ana
John Wesley's sermons being so dry
you can put it down that his smoke
stack amt long enough to burn ;hat
sort Of fuei. You can't burn anth~1-
cite coal in one of these little hot
stuff stoves or fellows He referred
to Robert Hall and Timothy Dwight.
"The only objection have to Calvin
ist is that he knows too much. I'm
not so good a believer"
good lawyer. said the Bishop.
would study more for one murder case
than many preachers you'd in year.
Every man needs a master, and a
good course of systematic study is d
fine master for any man.
Rev. William =. Constable got up 20
report. mentioning that his charge had
been reduced by people going out Of
the district and that while there had
been many conversions many had join
ed other churches.
''Whither is that migration drift
ing?" asked the Bishop sternly.
ACROSS the sound" replied Mr.. CtT-
stable with naive laconcism that rails
ed a breeze.
In reply TO a question Us TO why con-
verts went to other churches. Mr. Con-
stable replied that it was or acccvn-
of preachers Of other denominations
who spoke violently as to BAPTISM, the
converts prefering 70 be immersed.
what did you do?"
81 was patient with the people who
were led by that declaration, but l re-
piled TO it privately
isIr hat
was of the essence was contrary to the
genius Of Christianity declared the
Bishop. Spirituality can't be limited
by any water frontier; any baptism is
vitiated which is dependent on form.
Water on the outside of the head
never had any penetration; morality
can't be measured by the scales of
argument, the sweetness OF a song or
any such saccharine test.
Presently. after DR.. Yates had sub
mitted a report putting the conference
on record as unalterabiy opposed to
divorce for any cause save that OF the
the matter Of baptism again
came up in the report of Rev. Geo. r.
Rood, a tall young man with Sky
black hair and a dropping mustache
and clothes and linen that suggested
a young English clergyman Mr..
Rood's mild blue eyes look out on the
world. however. with the gaze of that
quaint quality Of German introspection
and analysis that finds an earnest in
terest where the American spirit
would find food for the extremes of
anger or laughter. Mr.. Rood. too. had
been having trouble with the Baptist
brothers who were intolerant of any
form Of baptism except that which
took in the whole person of the noyl-
tiate.
'They are preaching said Mr..
Rood, THAT anybody who practices in
fant baptism is either an ignoramus or
Christian. They say it is Roman
Catholicism. I did not preach a ser
mon on the subject" he continued IN
his soft German voice with falling
cadence on the ends of his sentences
but l threw out some hints-yes.
threw out some hints and the sort
and retrospective sadness with which
Mr. Rood uttered the word combined
with the subdued flash Of his mlld
blue eye, caused a smile to run around
the church.
According to these people SAID the
Bishop, what good does Baptism do :
1t does baby no less good than =
man. If baptism does no good TIL ne
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