The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-11-21
THE HATTIESBURG NEWS

This call was answered by Tobias
Gibson, a young South Carolinian,
who travelled on horseback from South
Carolina to some point in Tennessee
on the Cumberland river, where, ex-
changing his horse and saddle for a
canoe, he began his solitary journey
down that river towards the Missis-
sippi. After several weeks of travel,
sometimes in his skiff, sometimes in
passing fiatboats, he reached the
frontier City of Natchez in the spring
of 1893. Here he began his apostolic
labors, which were continued for six
years, when, worn out with the hard
ships and dangers of his heroic SER
vices, too great for his frail strength,
he fell on sleep. His body rests in a
secluded spot near the City of Vicks-
burg, and is marked by a modest mar
BILE shaft.
from time to time by high minded and
devoted young men who entered zeal
ously into his labors and after his
death carried ON the work with en-
couraging success.
First Mississippi Conference.
In 1912 provision was made for the
establishment of separate Annual
Conference in this territory, and in
the fall of 1918, the first Conference
was held at Spring Hill in Jefferson
county at the home of Mr.. hewitt
Wick. This session was not attended
by Bishop but was presided over by
the Rev. Samuel Sellers, the Secre-
tary being the Rev. VIM. Winans.
The first Conference in Mississippi
which bishop presided over was held
Oct. 10, 1916, at Fosters Mound, six
miles northeast of Natchez, and was
presided over by Bishop R. R. Roberts.
The home of Mr.. Foster was built
upon large Indian Mound, the sum-
NIT of which had been levelled off, fur.
nishing ample room for the house.
This historic structure still stands and
may be seen at Fosters station on
the Y. & M. V. into Natchez, the rail.
road touching the base of the mound.
At this time the Conference num-
bered ten preachers and 1,161 men,
bers. The boundary lines were some
what indefinite, but in general terms
they may be said to have embraced all
Of the State of Mississippi, large part
Of Alabama, all of Louisiana, and the
whole of the great state of Texas-a
territory now divided into twelve an
nual conferences. This broad do
main was, Of course, not all occupied,
but may be said to have been within
the limits of this new Conference of
the Southwest.
The first Missionaries into Texas
were sent from the Mississippi confer
ence about the year 1880.
Territory Now Served.
AS at present constituted, the Mis-
sissippi conference consists of eight
presiding elders districts, averaging
twenty-five pastoral charges to the dis
trict. The territory now served by the |
is the southern half of the |
state of Mississippi, and the member
ship numbers about $4,000 communi- |
cants. There are 491 churches val |
Jed at $943, 1890, and IA parsonages,
valued at $263,25O.OO, with other church |
valued at $151,452.
The conference owns three female |
colleges, and, jointly with the North |
Conference, Millsaps Col
ege and the Orphans Home, both To-
Gated at Jackson, Miss.
The conference paid last year for |
Home and Foreign Missions $43,S54.20. |
Winans And Benjamin Drake.
In the early history of the Missis-
sippi Conference incomparably the |
greatest preacher was William Win
ms, the grandfather of w. A. Dick
son, now one of Mississipprs repre-
,entatives in our National Congress.
Second in Importance and influence
)nly to DR.. Winans was the Rev. Ben
amin Drake, d. D. These two men
the characteristics Of that
disciple whom Jesus loved. DR.. Win
ms was as the Son Of Thunder" and
Dr.. brakes character was marked by
Ill the gentleness and grace of the
Seer of Patmos."
The most conspicuous layman of
'arly Methodism in Mississippi was
Judge Edward McGehee, the princely
patron of Centenary College and the