The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-10-25
MUCH FEELING
WASMANIFESTED
BY MEMBERS or "A. E. CONFER
ENcE WHEN VENERABLE 5IsH-
oP FITZcERAL SPEAKS
WORK OF THE LAYMEN
Its Value Shown In Report Made
BY The Lebanon
District.
(stan correspOpdencs):

SPRINGFIELD Tenn, Oct. IL, 1907.
The feature Of the Conference this
morning was the presence and loving
address by the venerable Bishop o. P.
Fitzgerald. when the tall, spare form
of this hoary-headed man Of God ap-
peared and he was taken by the hand
by Bishop Hoss, the Conference rose
as a man In tribute to one they love
as a father.
Bishop Fitzgerald made short talk,
so full of pathos, so replete with gems
of though, so charged with spiritual
fire, that when he had taken his chair
the "Old Time Religion" burst forth.
and amid tears and rejoicing an old
time Methodist love feast and hand
shaking followed.
A resolution was offered congratu-
lating Tennessee Methodfsm that Bish-
Cd Hoss had selected Nashville as his
home. In replying Bishop Hoss said
that he loved all the states of this
Union, but he loved Tennessee best.
That in California a lady sought an
introduction to him and said, Il was
so anxious to meet you. Can you
speak the language of the East Ten
nessee mountaineers?" II think can,
fairly we'll" he replied. II have stu
died It for half century" ooh, but
do you know, ana have you ever been
among those strange people OF the
mountains" st am one Of them" he
replied. "and have about $50 years OF
their blood in my veins"
Or. Kelley's comment touching the
work of the Lebanon charge, was an
other one of the interesting features
Of the day: the love, the generation,
the respect the conference holds for
Dr. Kelly was manifest by the quiet,
marked attention given him. NO
sooner was his name called, than the
walking and talking. which is hard for
the Bishop to control, was stopped,
and the most perfect attention accord
ed this notable figure of the old Jeru-
salem Conference. DR.. Kelley's voice
has the old clear ring, his eye the
bright sparkle of old, his mind quick,
alert, active in replying or retort, and
as usual he is one of the busiest men
on the floor. He said:
"At the beginning of the Conference
year the young pastor who had IN
charge the Lebanon Circuit, which
contained the church originally built
by my father and mother on the farm
Of the ancestors of my mother, found
the prayer meetings suspended and
the old leaders all gone, and came to
me with the question what can we do
for a prayer meeting, I must have
one. We reached the determination
TO attempt to use all the material
at hand-men, women and children.
Subjects were to be selected a week
ahead no man appointed to conduct
The meeting to refuse to at least read
q chapter in the Bible and call on
others to pray, speak or read some
hing bearing on the topic of the even
ing. Every child and women to re-
peat a text of scripture alike bearing
IN the topic. The interest was stirred
IN once; the second meeting was dou-
Die the first. When fifteen people
we're formerly counted good meeting
he third meeting counted rs, the fifth
vas re, from other churches and no
churches. The story was told at the
District Conference. The next morn
ng strong laymen asked to be given
work. The presiding elder was man |
# strength and wisdom, the laymen
If the district responded, large re-
'ivals and aceessions followed and for
he first time in its history, Lebanon
district paid all claims in full, as
esult of lay activity well directed.
Rev. o. P. Hill Of the Sumner cir
uit made the remarkable report that
very member of his church had con-
ributed to the support of the minis
ry. The Bishop asked II there was
mother charge that could make that
eport but received no response.