The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-11-15
NORTH MISSISSIPPI CONFERENCE
TO MEET uERE DEC. 8.


Mississippi annual conference will con
yene amid the joyous singing of tn
beautiful hymns of the sweet long ag
in the progressive city of Greenwood
Dec. 3.
From the little church in the wild
wood, surrounded by flowers and fall
ing leaves, to the magnificent steeplec
structure in the city thousands of peo
pie are making busy preparations tc
attend the approaching session of this
religious body.
Bishop Morrison of Florida will pre-
side during the conference. Hundreds
of people from all portions of Mississippi
as we'll as many from Memphis, Nash
vile, New Orleans and Louisville, will
attend, for the interest of an annual
conference is not circumscrbed by its
state boundary lines. Methodism is
correctional the world over, and the
deliberations of one body are carefully
noted by all other Methodist assemblies.
Mississippi methodism rejoices in the
glorious record of her past. No state
or conference in Southern Methodism
has given to the church a more able,
consecrated or efficient minister than
has the conference of Mississippi. 1t
was from Mississippi that the lamented
and nimitable Charles B. Galloway
came; also one of the leading bishops
of the present college of bishops
Bishop W. B. Murrah-is distin-
guished Mississippian.
Rev. T. W. Lewis, pastor First Meth
odist Church, Memphis; also Rev. R.
A. Clark, pastor Second Methodist
Church, Memphis, were members of
the North Mississippi Conference prior
to their assignment to the Memphis
churches. /
Many more ministers equally as dis
tinguished as any of the above reside
within the bounds of the North Missis-
slppi Conference and will respond to the
roll call in Greenwood and report their
worthy Iabors to Bishop Morrison.
1t is an interesting scene to witness
hundreds of preachers with their heads
bowed awaiting in silence their ap-
pointment to any field of labor, how
ever little the remuneration or trying
the hardships awaiting them there.
Conditions have greatly changed. The
people pay their preachers more tina
ever before; and subscribe to and pay
greater amount to the support of
. missionaries on the foreign field than
ever before, yet the salaries paid in
many places are entirely inadequate.
1t is necessary that the minister of
today be as we'll qualified for his pro-
fesson as the lawyer or physician in
their professional fields, and the stand
ard of requirement is quite equal to
that of any other profession, requiring
mastery of many subjects, the laying
of deep and broad foundation that
the required educational standard be
reached and maintained.
The greatest requisite, however, is
found in preparation of heart and life
carrying with it the willingness to
make any sacrifice to serve the cause
of Christ and his church.
Rev. H. S. Spraggins is pastor of the
First Methodist Church, Greenwood
and host of the forty y-third annual con-
ference.
Rev. r. A. Tucker is presiding elder
of the Holly Springs district, immediate
ly adjacent to Memphis. Rev. Tucker
is son of one of the faithful ministers
and presiding elders of earlier days.
Rev. W. W. Woodland is presiding
elder of the Greenville district. This
district lies in the YGzoo delta, along
the Mississippi river, and embraces
Tunica, Coahoma, Bolivar, Washington,
part of Quitman and Sunhower counties.
The Greenville district has eighteen
pastoral charges, with a membership
exceeding $500, For the greater part
the churches have small membership,
some of them only eight members,
which is due to the scarcity of white
people in the district. Yet these small
churches are noted for their liberality
in supporting the ministry. Rev.
Woodland has accomplished much.
Rev. w. W. Mitchell is presiding
elder of the Corinth district, and he,
too, has wrought well, and is the son
of an itinerant Methodist preacher.
The district home in which Rev.
Mitchell lives in Corinth is perhaps the
most valuable district home in the con-
ference.
Rev. John W Dorman is the presiding
elder of the Sardis district, just south
of Memphis. The churches of Memphis
have made heavy drafts on the mem
bership of this district during the past
several years, as hundreds have moved
to the city and identified themselves
with the churches there. The people
OF this district, like those of the Gorinth
and Greenville and other districts, have
shown live and progressive spirit.
The Methodist church at Sardis is a
beautiful structure and cost upwards
of $4,000.
The Rev. j. E. Thomas is presiding
elder of the Columbus district, which is