The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-16
GONE RANDOM THOUGHTS
y AFTER THE CONFERENCE.
BY REV. II. II. WHITAKER

A District Conference is a pleasant
affair. lift does come in hot weather;
in fact, hot or cold, the assembling
together of parcel OF preachers and
lay delegates OF q presiding elders
district could not be otherwise than
enjoyable; il is SO much like a family
reunion. And, about this time of the
year the chickens are at their best.
tor frying, stewing or smothering
peach pies and apple dumplings are in
full blast, to say nothing OF The many
vegetables and other good things
Methodist wives know so we'll how to
prepare for their guests. Then. all
the preachers are so glad TO see each
other and hear each other talk: tell
ing how well they are getting on with
their work; and, comparing preseSt
conditions with what they were when
they went to their circuits. il is so
apparent that things are looking up
along all lines" now, as never be-
fore, since the circuit was a circuit.
I don't insinuate. I'm fact l do not be-
lieye, that preachers are yain-glori-
Gus. or that they make stilted reports;
but, ] am suspicious sometimes that
with them, as with other people. they
allow one swallow TO make summer
or little cloud, no bigger than 4
mans hand. TO make a cyclone. Most
any preacher can truthfully say. that
he has few good people on his
charge; but il cannot be truthfully
said, BY any preacher. that his en-
tire charge is in a good spiritual con-
dition. The fayorite expression-the
one most frequently used-in making
reports on the spiritual condition of a
charge, is that "it is fairly good. ="
What that means the Lord only
knows, but. il passes current and
seems to be entirely satisfactory.
suppose it means that, as compared
with other charges and other people,
ones charge Is as good as they are.
That raises the suspicion that We
have discarded Christ as our model
and substituted for Him worldly-mind-
ed men and women who are doing
bout as they please, so far as taking
in the world is concerned. but do
ing nothing to enlarge the kingdom of
God or strengthen the fecble-minded
One thing is noticeable in all as
semblies. and that is, each man has
his hobby-some special theory which
he regards Of the utmost importance.
/ don't object to that. as il proves that
men are thinking. We all have our
hobbies and We don't think Other
hobbies are at all TO be compared
with ours. ] mean we little fellows
who ride hobby-horses-we fellows
who can't manage but one idea at a
time-we one-horse fellows.
/ am amused and entertained with
the performances of hobby-horse rid
ers. They remind me of experts
on a bicycle, who have practised
their tricks so we'll as TO make the
spectators imagine. that. what they
do on the wheel, isn't a circumstance
TO what they could do, il they We're
TO try.
Another thing is noticeable in all
assemblies, which is, that. in the
midst of the hobby horse riders, there
are generally some experts-OId
stagers, who, Ito change the figure.
somewhat), can easily manipulate the
reins of four or six-horse team.
They don't make themselves half 80
noisy as the hobby-horse fellows; but.
when they do drive out. instead of
single little hobby-horse. they come