The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-12

AGAIN RISES DIVORCE
Bishop Cheshire Addresses the West
ern North Carolina Conference on
the Laxity of the State Law.
Churches Uniting in Con-
demning This Law.
Especial 10 News and Observer.

Especial 20 News and Observer)
Charlotte, N. G., Nov. 1.-THE
fourteenth session of the Methodist
Conference of Western North Carolina
is being held under sunny skies and
bright auspices. 1t represent a mem
bership Of 78, ,33S, with 17S ministers.
The best sign of this conference is
that twenty-one young men are ap-
plying for admission as preachers.
Bishop Duncan is presiding, and in
his opening remarks declared that he
could not under any circumstances,
hear a complaint against any preacher
by another preacher or a layman. If
this complaint has not already been
made to the preacher himself. Hel
was very positive about this
A letter was read from the Raleigh
Advocate Publishing Company sug-
gesting that the Greensboro and Raj
eigh Christian Advocate be consol-
dated to serve both conferences. 1t is
| believed that plans have been matured
to bring that about.
At to-day session Bishop Joseph
Blount Cheshire, of the Episcopal
Church of the State, addressed the
conference on the laws of this State
regarding divorces. The address with
the accompanying resolutions decry
ing the great evil referred to a COM
mittee that will report either to-mor
row or Monday.
Bishop Cheshire said that he con-
sidered the divorce evil nothing short
of a State scandal and he desired
very much that the Western North
Carolina Conference would join with
the EpiscOpalians in there efforts to
undo the great and growing evil The
resolutions as offered by Bishop Chesh-
ire were similar to those adopted at
the diocesan convention held in Raj
eigh last June.
1t is the purpose of the church peo-
pie of North Carolina in their organ
lied bodies, TO bring the matter of
increasing divorces before all annual
sessions. The Presbyterians meet next
week in Durham. 1t is understood
that that body will strongly condemn
the laws of the State in SO far as
they relate to divorces.
Reports OF Presiding Elders.
The reports of presiding elders at
conference afford the most compre-
hensiVe reviews of the work of the
church for the year. They are the
field marshals OF the church. They
compose the bishops cabinet. They
direct all the work and know all the
condition. The reports this year are
uniformly good and are thus printed
in the Charlotte Observers account.
Rev. r. II. Parker, presiding elder of
the AsheVille district:
Il have met all my appointments
this year, and on the district we have
had a degree of success, but not DIS
large as | wish The preachers gen
orally have been faithful. Most of tie
charges have paid the assessments in
full, and some have oVer-paid. | have
emphasized the missionary collections, !
but not at the expense of the other
collections Three churches have been
built, three parsonages begun and one
parsonage finished
j. e. Thompson, presiding elder Of
the Charlotte district: 1--WE have had
large degree of success on this ais
trict There have been 400 professions
of faith and many acessions to the
church. There has been no serious
sickness among the preachers. The
financial condition is good, nearly So
600 having been contributed for al
purposes. The district is almost out
of debt"
j. E. Woosley, presiding elder of the
Franklin district: Il devoted my first
round on the district largely 10 the
payment of old debts, and nearly all
are paid. There have been relnarK-
able changes on the district. Every
church will have a parsonage within |
a short time, there being but one to I
finish. The second round I Gevo-e1 TO |
finances, and these are nearly doubled |
when compared with the amount paid |
last year. 1 never have made any |
difference in favor of the collie ctions |
for missions. One new church has
been begun, and all conditions are |
good"
j. r. Scroggs, presiding elder of the |
Greensboro district: "Good meetings |
have been held over the district, anG |
there have been 700 or 500 additions to |
the church. Two new churches have |
been built, and one dedicated One |
parsonage has been built, and the pas |
tors have been better paid this year |
than last The work has gone for |
ward along all lines. All collections !
are about paid, with a surplus on mis-
sions. The Woman's Foreign anG |
Home Mission Societies of West Mar |
ket Street church. Greensboro, have |
contributed $1.208.22 to missions
j. H. West, presiding elder of the |
Morganton district: There have been I
about 700 additions to the church or |
the district, with a net increase OF |
400 or 500 A district parsonage has |
been bought at Rutherford College. |
The preachers are not to blame for |
any deficit in the collections; the fault |
lies with the people"
j. A. Cook, presiding elder of the |
Mt. Airy district: Every charge has |
had rood revivals. The Sunday school |
work is in better condition than ever |
before. We have 800 members of the |
EDWorth League. One church and one |
parsonage have been built and other