The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1905-12-01
HOST OF MINISTERS
Hold Forth in Newman at ThirtY-Ninth
Annual Session Of North Georgia
M1luoalsG LOGIGI Glcg.

MSlA0GI5L SUHIGL GAGss
The tuuty -DlAtA aAAuAl session OIL
The NORTH Georgia Conference or tie
Methodist Episcopal Cndrcn, ooutAr
was called to oruer at Newman by
Bishop Duncan at O'CLOCK Wednea-
day morning.
The feature OK the opening day was
the appointment OF a committee ID
investigate certain charges against
the character Of Dr.. w. w. Wads-
worth, which developed when the re-
port OF Rev. J. W.. QullIian OF the Ell
berton district was made.
He made a splendid report regard
ing the work, and when the bishop
as is customary, asked whether there
was any report regarding the charac
ter of the ministers Of his conference,
he said all were good, except for "one
lame, which the conference now has
When Dr.. Quillian sat down, gen
tleman arose in the body of the audi
ence and asked DR.. Quillian if he had
reference to him in his last remark
DR.. Quillian admitted that he had. The
man was Dr.. W. w. Wadsworth,
against whom charges had been pre-
ferred concerning his moral character,
and who was recently tried by an in
yestigating committee at his home,
HaytweH, Ca, and found not guilty.
DR.. WadswoFth said he thought the
proceedings Of the presiding elder Ill
stating the matter as he did to the
conference was unkind and unusual.
He said that the presiding elder knew
that the committees had found him
not guilty, and that there was no rea-
son for him to do other than report
that not one person in his district
had anything against his personal
character or life.
DR.. Quillian stated that he thought
he followed closely the Methodist law
in proceeding as he had, but that f
the bishop thought otherwise, he
would be glad to correct himself.
e. c. Brown of Hartwell arose 1T
this junctUre and asked for q new
committee to go over again the
charges against the character of DR..
Wadsworth.
DR.. Wadsworth asked to speak on
the plea of personal privilege, and
said he did not think he was being
treated justly. He said that he had
never seen such a precedent as this
set before. He said he could and was
willing to stand any number of trials,
but that he did not want this new
committee appointed, as there was abb
solutely no use in doing it, He said
he was troubled that he should be so
Inundated in public as this bringing
Of the matter up before the confer
ence was Going. He said he thought
it was unkjnd and unbrotherly to give
him the humiliation of the public dis
cussion.
Conference voted to appoint a new
committee. DR.. Wadsworth has been
prominently connected with Method.
ism for m1ny years. To his friends
the charge of immoral conduct on his
part came as great surprise.
The roll was called and showed
goodly number of delegates present
a larger number probably than has
ever been at an opening roll Of the
North Georgia Conference before.
The conference reelected DR.. John
Heidi as secretary Of the meeting. His
popularity and good work nave serv-
ed to make him fixture in the North
Georgia Conference, where he has for
thirty years served faithfully and eli
as secretary.
Rev. M. J. Cofer. the popular
manager Of the Christian
4 dvocdte made a strong and stir
ring speech in regard to the work
which The Advocate had done during
the past year. He showed that The
Advocate Lad made more progress N |
the past year than ever before, AMI |
that it w9s planned to give better |
service to the church through it dut-
Ing the coming year. He thanked all |
those who had helped him in the work /
Of building up The Advocate,
At the conclusion of the address 3! |
DR.. Cofer, conference went into the
+ caring of reports from each Dresid
ing elder regarding the condition Il
the work in their districts. |