Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-01
NORTHERN M. E. CONFERENCE
Proceedings of the Annual Session.
Which Convened In Yorkville Wed.

Which Convened IN roTkNH'e "ee
nesday.
The following report Of the proceed
ings of the Northern Methodist CONFER
ence, composed principally of color
ed members) was made by the confer
ence reporter, and is published for the
benefit Of those interested:
The forty first session Of the South
Carolina annual conference convened
at Wesley M. E. church Yorkvilie
Wednesday morning at O'CLOCK
Bishop William Burt, d. D., pre-
siding. The session was commence
ed with devotionals conducted by
Bishop Burt who read a portion
of the twen,y-fourth chapter or the
Gospel according to Luke, and gave
lucid and edifying exposition or
1t, after which he. assisted by
the presiding elders, administered
the Sacrament of the Lords sup
per. This concluded, the bishop made
a few prefa.ory remarks which, py
their Appropriateness gave courage and
enthusiasm to the members OF the con-
ference.
After the roll call Rev. ]. B. Middle
ton was reelected secretary, Rev. j.
F.. Page statistical secretary, and Rev.
w. R. Jervay conference treasurer,
and Immediately appointed their as
sistants. The bar Of the conference
was fixed and the hours for meeting
and adjourning were arra.iged. The
sessions will commence at 3 O'CLOCK a..
m, the first half hour Of each session.
being devoted to a sermon by one OF
the preachers or an address by the
bishop. Rev. A. e. Quick was appoint
1ax
Rev. DIR. |. L. Thomas, field worker
for the board Of church extension So
cie:y was introduced and delivered an
earnest, eloquent and convincing ad-
Dire IS In the interest Of this society.
Rev. DR.. R. E. Jones, editor OF the
South Western Christian Advocate was
then introduced and gave a brief his
tory Of the work and worth OF this pa
per and very encouraging re-
port Of the work done for the
paper during the past year by the
presidi.lg elders and pastors. The bish-
Cd reported a draft from the book
concern or $1,053, and one from the
chartered fund for $23, for conference
claimants, and the conference ordered
the same to be turned over to the con-
ference board Of stewards.
Mr.. George Eckert. representing the
book concern was next introduced, and
invited the brethren indebted to any
OF the publishing houses to see him
and settle.
The 18th question was then taken up
and reports Of presiding elders were
called for. Rev. G. ]. Davis or the
Beaufort district was passed In cnar-
acter and submitted his annual report.
Among other things he said that his
dis. rict comprised 21 charges, and en-
braced seven counties. The pastors
were all true and faithful. He and
they had encountered trials and hard
ships but had been wonderfully sus-
tanned. The health Of the pastors and
their families had been fairly good.
The moral and spiritual conditlon
of the people was on the upward grade.
Spiritually the district has made ire
mendous strides. Conversions, 403;
accessions on probation, 326; admitted
into full membership, 269. Benevo-
lences away in advance OF last year
Raised for missions, $500; for Freed
mems Aid and Southern Education so.
ciety, 1902. The Epworth League no.
generally successful. Rev. B. M. Pc
CUES sustained a great loss In his faith.
full and devoted wife, who was a model
Christian, and who passed In full tr-
umph 10 her eternal reward. Every
benevolence has been mentioned, forcl-
bly, put and the collections taken.
Presiding Elder ]. s. Thomas was
passed in character and reported for
the Bennettsville district, saying
among other things, that there were In
his district AZ churches, five mission
points, 1882 members, including pro-
bationers, so Sunday schools, four OF
them, Bennettsville, Cheraw, Darling
ton and Dillon, being among the best
in the South Carolina conference. the
Epworth League was not doing as well
as wished for. Many Of the pastors
and himself also had labored under un-
favorable auspices. The spiritual con-
dition Of the district was good. Tney
still believed in class meetings, prayer
me etings and experience meetings
Accessions. 724; conversions, 746; mis-
sions, $50; F. A. and s. e. society,
| 512. The health Of the pastors and
families has been good. The relation
betwee en- the presiding elder and the
pastors very cordial.
Rev. ]. E. Wilson, presiding elder OIL
the Charleston district was passed IN
character, and reported. He said IN
mart: There. has been constant and
gradual improvement in all the inter
ests Of the church. Accessions, l,OOO;
conversions, 1,100. The statistical re-
ports will show an increase OF 80 pei
cent over last year. Family prayers
and close attendance to religious duties
are increasing. Increased interest IL
also manifested in Sunday schoo
work. There have been some I'M
provements in Epworth League WorS
and in the matter Of education. Out
side Of the city Of Charleston, the edu-
cational advantages are poor The So
called free school system Is a farce
The educational sermon, as provided
for in the discipline has been preached
on nearly every charge In the district
The material improvements on church
and parsonage property amounted te
several thousand dollars. There has
been an increase Of nearly 50 per cent
in the collections for F. A. and 5. T.
society. He turned over to the CONFER
ence a check for $50, presented by MRS
J. E. Wilson as a result OF her enorIs
in raising money on the district for the
Louise Soule Home for girls at car
| lin university.
Rev. c. r. Brown was passed In
character and reported his work on
the Florence district He said In part:
He has preached in the district every
Sunday but three this year. Several Of
his brethren had had sickness In thelI
families and one had died. Rev. ]. h
Parks. after a brief but severe illness
died in full triumph in the city OF CO.
lumbia and his remains were properly
laid to rest by his brethren, after they
had paid due respect to his memory
All of the pastors have labored hard
with more or less success. The mater
ial improvements have been quite ex-
tensive. The members still believe In
the doctrine of experimental religion
Conversions more than 500; received
on probation, 700: into full member
Iship. $50. There are so Sunday schools
| in the dis rict, and 1000 scholars. Of
ficers and teachers. More Sunday
schools keep out OF winter quarters
than ever before. The Sunday schools
raised more than one-half Of the be-
nevo!ent cole cions. The Epworth Lea
que Is Intermittent in its active exist
ence. Had very interesting preach
ers' meeting, Sunday School institute
and Epworth League on the district
He pronounced as untrue the statement
by the southern white press that the
white people Of the south pay the
money to support the colored free
schools. The colored people pay as
much in one year from the tax levy,
poll tax, dispensary profits and fertil-
lied tax, as they receive in two years.
He reported the benevolences Of the
ENl1