The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1916-10-20

ployed. He said: "This will give us
eleven more laymen, we want forty. l
shall be glad when we have as many
laymen in the conference as preach
ers." After the measure was passed,
Bishop Atkins spoke on the measure.
He said that the action of the gen.
eral conference had to be confirmed
by the district conferences.
In answer to the question who are
admitted on trial?" the name of Ma.
thaniel Dowell Rollings was called,
and was accepted by the conference.
DR.. ]. ]. Stowe then read the report
of the Commission of Social Service
prepared by J. E. Edgerton, the chair
man. The report showed that more
had been accomplished during the
past year than on the year before, al
though less had been attempted.
Health Day was observed in most of
the churches. The report showed that
many communities had been visited
by chautauquas which had added ma
terially to the social uplift of the peo-
Ne. According to the report, three
ettlements, Wariota, Humphreys
Street Mission, and Wesley House, at
Murfreesboro, had been either taken
over or continued, and had proved a
great blessing to the people. There
are in the state of Tennessee fifty
thousand mental deflcients, of whom
butIhalf can be taken care of. The
remainder are in county asylums, poor
houses, jails, or left to roam at will
over the country. In 81 instances the
superintendent Of the county farms
had secured their positions by COM
Iatitive bidding. Several cases of in
human treatment were referred to, one
an aged negro woman feeble-minded
but not violent, who had been confined
in a wooden cage for seven years, with
only one period of liberty when she
had been chained to tree. She had
had no bath in seven years.
The report recommended the estab-
lishment of more Wesley Houses over
the state; that Tennessee should care
more for the predetermined in the
state, should provide hospitals and
schools for the care of the feeble-mind-
ed, and should maintain a close watch
on feeble-minded females of child bear
ing age; and the conference should
appoint the Social Service Commits
sion to confer with the Tennessee leg
islature to enact the laws desired by
the commission. The report was unan-
imously adopted.
In reply to the question Where
shall the next annual conference be
heidi" official invitations were extend
ed from Galaltin, Springfield, and
West End Nashville. Speeches we're
made in support Of each, The first
vote taken was as follows Gallatin,
81; Springfield, SO; and West Nash
vile, SIS. West Nashville was dropped
from the list, and on the next ballot
Gallatin was chosen as the meeting
place. The choice was then made
unanimous. 1t was the closest con-
tets in the history of the Tennessee
Conference.
The report of the Epworth League
Board showing an increase in leagues
of 20 and an increase in membership
of 1,OS1 was adopted by the confer
ence The name of T. A. Matthews
was re-referred to the Comittee on Su-
perannuate Relations. His name was
accepted by the board.
The Board of Education rendered its
report which was adopted by the Con-
ference. The assessments, collections,
and percentages of payment of the dis
tricts follows:
District Assess. Amount Per-
ment Paid centage
Clarksvil1a 1870 S1195 96