Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-19
HEALTH BAR FOR
PASTOR SPLITS
METHODISTS
Rev.. DR.. DuBose Champions Ap-
pIicant's Right to License Even
Though Afflicted.

Shall a man who has had some
attack which might develop into cpl
lepsy" be granted a license to preach
the Gospel in the Methodist Church ?
This question produced Wednesday
afternoon much discussion, rather
pointed at times, and consumed a
goodly share of the closing business
session of the Atlanta District Meth
odist Conference at the Lakewood
Heights Methodist Church.
DR.. H. NJ. DuBose, pastor of the
First Methodist Church, brought the
matter to a focus when, in champion
ing the right of the applicant to a
license. he declared that Julius Gaze
sar and Napoleon Bonaparte, two of
the greatest men that ever lived,
lived in the shadow Of epilepsy all
their lives. Why shouldn't the pres
ent applicant who has not even de-
velOped' the dread disease" asked
DR.. DuBose, be granted a license to
do that which he wishes to do?"
Question Finally Referred.
The discussion went pro and con
for quite a while, prominent Method
list divines lining up on both sides
until the matter was finally disposed
of by referring it, along with others,
to the committee on examination for
license to preach, pending the action
of the next annual North Georgia
Conference. The applicant in ques-
ton desired admission to the gem
eral conference. A similar applica-
ton was turned down a year ago, it
was stated, on the grounds that the
applicant was not physically fit, as he
showed signs of epilepsy.
Following the discussion, further
controversy arose over the whole
proposition of granting licenses to
preach. DR.. Lovejoy presiding elder
in charge, read the Methodist law on
renewal of licenses and requested
that the matter be referred to a com
mittee. DR.. John 7. Dawes, a for
mer presiding elder. objected to this,
however, and declared that the pres
ent conference should renew the IL
censes whether application had been
made or not, since failure to apply
was a sign that the applicant wished
his license to be renewed. DR.. Dawes
finally won his point after much dis
cussion both pro and con, in which
the legal point at issue was stressed
by those who sided with DR.. Love-
joy.
I'VE don't care thing about the
legal point" declared one delegate,
what we want is the saving of souls
and the redemption of sinners"
Business Session Closes.
The business session of the confer
ence came to close late Wednesday
afternoon following the election of
four delegates to the general confer
ence as follows: II. l.. Watts, Asa G.
Gambler, ]. H. Ewing and DR.. J. c.
White. Among the speakers at the
afternoon session were Rev. r. S.
Smith, of Emory College; Rev. Mr..
Sexton. of Washington. d. c.. and
Rev. B. T. F'raseron. DR.. DuBose occu-
pied the pulpit at the morning ses-
sion, while DIR. Olin King, of Walker
Street Church, preached at the final
session Wednesday night. Among the
speakers at the conference were DIR.
Henry Pace, pastor of Asbury Meth
odist Church, and Rev. George d.
Stone.
BY unanimous vote of the confer
ence it was decided to meet next year
at the East Atlanta Methodist
Church. of which Rev. c. V. Wealth
ers, secretary of the conference, is
pastor.
A feature of the conference was the
raising of about $40, by popular sub
scription, for the YanCey family.