Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-11-28
THE THlRTY-NINTH [
 SESSION OF THE
 ARKANSAS CONFERENCE
Of The A. M. E. Church-Bisll0p kyles Delivers Touching Message Ali.
 fcdting the Negro Race.

1CutAn6 cAAN ANSe~V AsNS~s
 The thirth-ninth annual session of the Arkansas Conference of the A. M. church at 9th and Cherry Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Wednesday morning. November 27th at 10:3 30 o'clock. About one hundred and fifty ministers and christian workers from all sections of the state answered the first roll call. |. The indications pointed to the most successful session in the history of the Conference. The Rt. Rev. l.. w.. Kyles A. M., s. T. D. is the presiding bishop of this conference. Under his supervision during the past two and a half years the work has made rapid progress and the influence of the con- ence is being felt in the state as never before.
 After~the usual preliminaries in the opening of an annual Conference, Bishop l.. w. Kyles delivered his third annual episcopal address. The ad- dressed was we'll received and arous- ed the audience to high pitch of en- thusiasm. He said in part: We are standing upon the threshold of a new era in human history. The awful catastrophe into which the nations of Europe were drawn with it's carnage of life, destruction of property and waste of money has disturbed the worlds equipoise, questioned human standards and threatened the basis of operation for nations races and in- dividuals. The first rays of the sun of new day are shining in our faces. hot c,Div Nff fhn Hov will h0 and what it's offspring, the most optimistic prophets seem unwilling to risk their reputation to foretell Many feel however, that with the passing of the clouds of war conditions will im- prove and the world will be better place to live in. One thing is evident and it is that the hand of Providence has been in this world cataclysm working out some lofty purpose con- serving the general good of all man. kind.
 Referring to the negro and the War Bishop Kyles said: "The negro has gone forward in this war with high CT average of intelligence and great CT degree of cheerfulness than has ever been the case before. The word democracy has new meaning for
 him. The beautiful phrases with
 which democracy has been clothed by
 artists on sign boards and orators on platforms in the various Liberty Loan
 Drives, have aroused his slumbering
 soul. created new ambitions in his
 bosom and inspired of a better day, a
 day of pure democracy when hangings from limbs on street corners, and
 burnings at stakes in public squares
 of our cities shall be "reminiscences
 of regretful past, a day when the
 negro's cause will have fair and i'm.
 partial hearing before the bar o
 American conscience and the door O.
 hope shall be open to him, when blacl
 men like. other men, will have a fail
 doubts that the intelligent negro has
 entered this war, not only with thu
 hope of making the world sare rol
 democracy, but with the hope also o
 making the democracy of which WI
 boast safe for the American negro. I After discussing the reconstruction
 problems at length Bishop Kyles mau
 a strong plea for a square deal for th' American negro in the readjustmen of the affairs of the world. He plea' for the continuance of the loyalty an' ! patriotism of the race which they hal so cheerfully demonstrated during tn period of the war and advised them t prepare for the many opportunities tha would open up to the race in the var ious avenues of American life. The Conference was organized a follows:
 Conference Secretary-Rev. w. F Davenort
 Statistical Secretary-Rey. D. I |: Washington.
 Marshall-Revercnds H. C. aioll ! and w. J. Johnson.
 Conference Timist-Rev. L. B. Od 5 field.
 ! Postofice Messenger-Rev. J. ], Drake.
 Conference Committees. ! Rules-Reverends, M. Meachem, l 5 s. Blackwell, R. B. Macon, D. ! Adams, J. S. Drake.
 Credentials --Reverends, E. l | Washington, E. D. Blackwell, w. . Davenport, R. E. Saunders, R. Courtney.
 | Public Worship-Reverends, D. Adams, R. B. Macon, D. s. Blackwell M Meachem, E. D. Washington. 1 Admission to Conference-Reve ends w. H. Davenport, III. c. McNea l.. B. Oldfield. c. W. Freeman, J. | Draper.