The news & observer., 1905-12-02
REPORTS TO
THE CONFERENCE
Stands Among Leaders
of the South.
NOW TO NEW HEIGHTS
Forgetting What ..is Past, These Con-
seCratedz Men in the Service of
God Will Push Forward With
Greater Efforts for UpIift-
ing Humanity.
Especial to News and Observer.)

| NPpCCioI " ANOWS anu ODSCI NCI'J
Wilson, N. c., Dec. 1.-The reports
! of the churches of the North Caro-
| lima Methodist Conference were con-
| cluded today, and they place this con-
ference on the honor roll of the con-
| ferences of the South, and i'm some
| respects a leader among them. Like
| all the preceding reports those of to-
| day indicated that Christianity is prac-
| tical and the Methodists of this con-
| ference are growing to the full meas
ure of it.
Methodism is prosperous and pro-
! gressive, and the present boundaries
will be enlarged. Wider eefforts will
! be made in the foreign fields, more
workmen of God will be sent to the
heather nations, and deeper and
broader channels will be cut through
gTiless and fnfidel lands. through
which the river of life may flow for
| the salvation and cultivation of un-
| saved humanity.
There seems to be an awakening in
the conference; more interest was
manifested in missions during the past
year than ever before, and no phase
! of the conference work receives more
Jealous, earnest and profound atten-
| ton. The missionary talks We're the
| interest centres of today aside from
| the reports of the churches.
The Preacher as Builder.
Tonight Dr. II. NJ Dubose, secretary
of the EpWorth League Board of the
Church, delivered an impressive ad-
dress "The Preacher as a Worker"
was the subject upon which DIR. Kilgo
spoke this afternoon in closing his
series of discourses during the con-
ference. After telling what Kind of
character the preachers should have,
he said there vc~~e two worlds in
| which men of earth live, one being
| the academic and the other the work
ing world, and the preacher is always
| in one of them, and no called preacher
should be in the old. THE academic
world" he said, lis a world of books,
| pictures, dreams fancies, world of
| fine analysis of fine theorizing, and
of fine hypothesis, far away from the
roar. the groan and the shrek of the
| world in its trail, and the man in it
| lives a luxurious life.
THE working world is full of work.
| ing men dealing with the problems
| of life, bringing GAout larger dispen-
| sations finding out truth, discovering
! the stream upon which God floats
! the commerce of heaven. The min
isteer belongs to the second order; he
! is a workman of the world and bulls
! the civilization of earth. He is not
a builder of fortune or systems, but
of empires, an architect of life.
changer of earth, reformer and
| remolder of civilization. He does
! things that can't be dreampt out in
academic shades, but must be hewn
from truth"
In answering his where is the
preachers position in the earths
destiny?" DR.. Kilgo said: ''In the
first rank, political, religious and So
cial partisanship should be beneath
his dignity, and should be contemptu-
GUS in his eyes. But he has much
to do with the destiny of the nation,
for all power is ordained of Cod
Il believe in government for the
people and by the people, but not in
a government of the people. l be-
lieve in a government of God. All
authority rests with God. Christ set
us an example when he went to the
capital of his little nation and found
a set of men guilty of graft. He adj
ministered the lash to their backs
with no uncertain intention. Christ
had to do with politics.
'Releigion can not be separated
from politics, for religion has to do
with every force of civilization and
when religion decays everything else
goes to decadence with it,
Preachers are nation builders as
we'll as church builders, and they save
civilization rs Well as souls Churcr-
men dTe the Oh the naLlOn.
The business of the church is not only
to get men converted, but to get them
educated. No influence ever gave
greater impetus to the cause of edu-
cation than Methodism. and none was
ever stronger and more effective in
the upbuilding of the intelligence of
the citiZenry of the nation.
"In the Methodist church there is
no room for loiters, but the preachers
here must have gigantic character in
Vincible will, and be possessed of tre-
lnendous power. And under the strain
and stress of their work in this de-
nomination they become the strongest
men in the world. No field of work
requires such concentrations and it
takes more religion to serve in the
Methodist ministry than in any other
avocation on earth"
The Work OF the DaY.
Bishop Wilson called the conference
to order at $3.50 o'clock this morning
and after song and prayer, Rev. j.
H. Hall, of Rockingham Station, led
in the devotional reading, the third
chapter of Second Corinthians.
Admissions to Conference.
Bishop Wilson asked the first ques-
ton: "Who are Admitted on Trial?''
Durham district presented the name
of Rev. Lester p. Howard. He was ad-
mitted to the conference.
Wilmington district gave the name
Continued on Page Three.)