The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-04

Methodist general conference. Following
is the complete text of the message;
Dear Brethren-We cordially greet you,
the chosen representatives OF the annual
conferences and our fellow-workers IN
the kingdom of God, in the name of our
I common Lord, and earnestly invoke the
divine blessing upon your great quauren-
nial gathering. May you be preserved III
health amid the exacting and responsible
labors of the session, and be amply en-
dued with that wisdom which cometh
from above. for all your varied and i'm
portant duties Assembling under clrcum-
stances so gracious, and in time SO
pronttious. and with responsibilities SO
momentous, we devoutly pray that t
great head of the church may grant you
1.-The spirit of power, of love, and of a
sound mind" "And we have confidence
in the Lord touching you, that we both dc
and will do the things that will make for
the continued peace and larger pros
pe1ity of our beloved Zion But as there
can be no outpouring of the Spirit with
out previous outpourfng of souls to
God. our prayer is that this general con-
ference may wait on the Lord for the
manifestation of the Holy Ghost
In all suggested notifications of our
wonderful system we are sure you will
exercise wise and prudent reserve. To
changes of the growing years. there must,
from time to time, be readjustment of
our ecclesiastical poity. We will not hold
to theory because 1t is old or continue
q statute simply as tribute of respect
to the( fathers. Efficiency is the test of
value a. I the tenure of service. On the
other hand, we will not, without wise
caution and most patient consideration,
radically modify system of government
10, fns
almost unexamped success of a century
or more Not every change is a reform
and not all notifications are improve
ments.
We rejoice with you and give thanks to
God and the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ for the manifold tokens of favors
vouchsafed to the church during the
past four years, and for the large meas
ure of success which has attended the
labors of faithful brethren throughout
cur widely extended Israel There has
been substantial and gratifying progress
in every well-organzed department OF
our correctional service. Revivals nave
been gracious and widespread, attestns
the od-time power of the gospel and
the witnessing presence of the Holy Unjust.
In many places we have seen THE glory
of the Lord, and the excellency OF our
Cod" There have been signal victories
all along our far-1ung battle line In
the home land and in the distant fields
cloud of glory has lowered over our he
roic legions. God has moved in mighty
and mysterious way. While results nave
not euualed our highest hopes and we'll
meant efforts we have every reason Tor
devout Thanksgiving and renewed conse~
Grafton History is a mighty support to
faith. Memory is an inspiration to spir-
itual courage. We may have looked Tor
ward with fear; we turn our eyes back
ward in perfect confidence. And when
hope has found its fruition-when faith
has suffered no disappointment-whe
Providence has been indicated by the
story of years-we enter upon a new
ouadrennium with steadier step and firm-
err trust and higher courage.
The last four years have been nap
piIy free from any disturbing or exciting
questions of correctional administration.
No great issue has occasioned heated dis
cussion or sharp division or factional sep
aration We have had peace in all our
Zion. Unity and harmony have prevailed
throughout the entire connection. Ana
we have possibly never known PERIOD
of more harmonious cooperation or cease
less activity or aggressive enterprise.
The statistical returns are altogether
enooura pinp The Increase of members
during the past four years was lo94zl,
as against only 38,0S5 during the pre-
ceding quadrennium. We have now l.
g14.s4S members, 1,O39,7s5 Sunday school
scholars. and 12O,4S7 Epworth league MEM
hers. The receipts of our board of foreign
missions for this quadrennium were ST.
e5o oat an increase over the preceding
four wears of s64567S. The collections for
church extensions were 1872, 649.3 30, an IN
crease of s112. 1893 6S over the quadrennlum
ending in 1902 During the past year the
woman's Foreign Missionary society re-
ceived s155 800 and the Womans Home
Mission society $101,72S. If these amounts
be added to the receipts by the general
and annual conference boards, we nave
q sum total for home and foreign mis-
sions during the year now closing OF $780,
719.
Deere asinq Supply of Ministers.
But while deeply grateful Tor SO many
tokens of divine favor, and cheered by
tha gracious results of really great quad
rennium, some things give us grave con-
Germ. and call for importunate prayer.
E,irat of all we lament with ANXIOUS
fear. our decreasing supply OF ministers.
All the evangelical churches are feeiinB
q measure of alarm New fields are open
ing and new demands for ministerial
service are multiplying, but the laborers
are few, and comparatively decreasing. All
the annual conferences are in need of
deyout lip is the earnest question, wv mat
;s the matter?" Has the church so dis
honored herself as the bride OF Christ
that she has lost power to bear and train
nrophets for the Lord? And this ques-
ton comes not alone from constitutional
pronhets- of woe 1t is the burden OF
sincere souls, loyal to Christ and the
church. and who are by nature ana grace
ardent and enlightened optim1sts
Various theories have been suggested
In order to account for this meager re-
sponse to the Lord of the harvest Doubt
less the answer is, decline in the spir-
,tua1 tone of our family life. 1t is much
70 he feared that subtle, alluring, ma
ter,alistic spirit is affecting our homes
and diverting the thoughts of our sons
from the simple life and the blessed privi-
Iege. while other professions offer such
large rewards intimidate the faith of
some who may have heard the call OF
duty.
Our appeal to the ministry is, that
we make up for any lack OF lapQrers
bv extraordinary diligence and singular
conservation to our high Gaining. Inc
con,;ction deepens with us that revived
ministry is the need OF the times, minis-
trv rejoicing in conscious salvation,
walking and talking with a living Christ,
whose glowing and growing experiences
accord with the blessed doctrines of revel-
ation we must know God If we would
make God known. Let us preach known
and a felt Christ. And any man may wen
fear that he has lost the call to preach
II he has lost the power to convert i.
In MANY churches of the east there
IN a crueifix. in full view of the officiating
v,riast and the figure of dove with out