The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-05-09
CLERGY and LAlTY
}PRAY FOR GUIDANCE
UNUSUAL RELIGIOUS FERvoR
MARKS GENERAL CONFER.
ENcE OF METHopIsTs.
BISHOP WILSON PLEADS
FOX Old FAMILY ALTAR
Leaders Consider Aid and Advice to
| Negro Church-Commlttee Prepares
Resolution Withdrawing All Support
From Vanderbilt and Establishing
New University.

Oklahoma City, Okla, May 9.-Ac-
cording to resolutions passed the Gen.
eral Conference of the Methodist
Church today observed fasting and
prayer and devoted an hour and half
OF the regular session to devotional
exercises. Great religious fervor was
manifest, and the spirit of brotherhood
prevailed. Bishop E. R. Hendricks
presided and many of the great and de-
vout men of the Southern Methodist
and other churches led in prayer The
most thrilling of all that was done and
said were the words of the senior and
much honored Bishop A. w. Wilson
In part he said:
THE church must reinstate the fam.
, lily altar. because of the mad clamor of
business and in the many irregulari-
ties of life, only a few homes are left
which make God the chief thought.
Our safety and assurance of our sue
cess sis left with God. The church is
entrusted with the destinies of the
world and if one part works for the
lwArld alone a damage impossible tc
ri ssd has been done. We must lay
ash our personal desires for gain
and Rsan upon power divine. The lay
men f the conference are setting ar
example to some of the ministers by
assembling an hour each morning fol
prayer and testimony before sessions
of the conference begin"
E8,t Aid For Negroes.
The conference has taken under con
sideration and will adopt paper pro
viding for closer relationship in poin
of advice and service between the M
iE. Church, South, and the Coloret
Methodist Episcopal Church of Ameri
ca. In 1866 this colored church wa
set up by the Methodist Episcopa
Church, South, and since that time /
has felt a general interest in its Sue
cess, but now feels a more substantial
aid should be rendered than ever be
fore in every department of religion
. activity. A commission will be pre-
vided consisting of a representativ
of all of the boards Of the M. F
Church, South. to cooperate with sin
liar boards of the Colored Methods
Episcopal Church with view Of e.
tending the work in Sunday schools
Epworth Leagues and missions anon
that race of people.
Propose Change in Creed.
1t is generally believed that the con
mittee on episcopacy will not recon
9 mend the election of any new bisho
as requested by the college of bishop
Should the conference, however. d
c eide to elect two DEW. A. Ainswort
of the South Georgia Conference, an
DR.. F. F. Culver OF Central Texs
Conference and DR.. r. M. Thomas I
l. the Louisville Conference are prom
'e nently spoken of y this conn ection.
D. The committee on revisionsI voted
'e strike out the words Holy Cathol
C. Church of God" This change, whe
presented to the general conferen'
by the committee, will provoke e
tensive discussion. but 1t is believe
that the conference win approve IL
n action of the committee.
D The special comm iEtee appointed
vanderbilt Universit, is writing its I
port to the conference. in whi,h it
Of thought that recommendation be mat
as to withdraw entirely from any come
lie. tion with the university and inaug
of rate plans for the building and endo
ID. ment of another.