Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-05-11
DR., Bascom Anthony Ridi-
cuIes Proposal Amid
Laughter - Georgians
Mourn Judge Evans Death
BY REV. HOMER THOMPSON

HOT SPRINGS, Ark, May 10
The advocates of extreme demo-
cratic principles in the southern
Methodist church suffered a decided
setback Monday when memorial
providing that the local church. con-
ference be abolished. That it's func-
tons be transferred to the quarter
ly conference and that all individual
members of the church over eight
cen years of age be made members
of the quarterly conference, was re-
ported adversely by the committee.
A stubborn fight ragged for more
than an hour over the adoption of
the committees report, the following
Georgians participating in the spir
tied debate: DR.. c. r. Jenkins, of
Macon; DR.. Charles G. FARRELL, of Au
gusta, and DR.. Bascom Anthony, of
Macon, all of whom favored adop-
ton of the report. DR.. Anthony's
speech was the most humorous de-
1INSISu Jul IIlS IIlS SIllllC SCSSlOl CIlO
literally convulsed the house with
laughter time after time. In the
course of his argument he charged
that the proposal if enacted into law
would create a specie of eccesesias-
teal hybrid which would function
neither as a church nor quarterly
conference. He declared that the
memorial reminded him of a fat pas
senger who vel overheard at GeOr-
gia seaport. Owing to the shallow
depth of the water, the crew of the
boat made no effort to rescue him,
thinking that he would wade ashore.
However, it was discovered that he
was in danger of drowning and the
crew pulled him aboard again. When
asked why he waited to be rescued
he said, "The water was too deep to
wade and every time tried to swim
I dragged the bottom" With gale
of laughter, the report was adopted.
The Tobacco Question
With the conference calendar lit
orally groaning under the weight of
committee reports which have been
III OpCl1J ll1Co anu 1Ooby LII SOllSAu-
Grafton, there will be few dull mo-
ments during the remainder of the
session. One of the most uneXpect-
ed fights and perhaps one Of the
most strenuously contested will re.
suit when the committee on temper
ance and social service makes it's re-
port to the conference carrying the
recommendation that the disciple
laI Ky roo11il.incr
who are admitted on trial to abstain
from the use of tobacco be made
more stringent The law now in
force declares that the committee
on admission shall require all appli-
cants for admission on trial to agree
to abstain from the use Of tobacco,
to which the committee will recon-
mend the addition of the words 80
long as they remain in the itinerary"
It is felt that such an amendment
would reflect upon the honor of the
young preachers and that the ex
IRENE position would result in a re-
action against the law which has al
ready demonstrated it's effectiveness
The advocates Of the measure do
not appear to be in the majority,
but they were able, contrary to eX-
pectation, to engineer it by a safe
margin through the committee
Every expectation that the various
issues which have thus far come be.
fore the conference would divide it's
membership into two hostile and ir-
reconcilable camps has been con-
sistently disappointed.
Better Balanced Feeling
There appears to be a better bal
anced feeling prevailing in the con-
ference between the conservatives
and progressives than existed four
years ago. In fact, one is impressed
that the conservatives have become
more progressive and that the pro-
SreSslVes have become more con-
sentative. There is substratum
that is conservative, but even the
conservative element recognizes the
need OF what is called progressive
legislation in view of the required
readjustments incident to the new
day Georgia Methodists may rest
assured, judging from the evident
temper OF the conference, that what
changes will be made in the law of
the church will arise out of a con-
dlt1on of the most urgent necessity
and be tempered with the most pro-
gressive conservatism.
Rev. Paul Quillian, assistant pas
tor of the First Methodist church at
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and son of DR..
}. w. Quillian, of Augusta, is at
tending the conference and greeting
his friends from Georgia.
DIR. Dempsey's Book PIeases
According to A. B. Tarpley, head
OF the sales department of the Meth
odlst Publishing house, the book re-
Gently published by DR.. Elan F.
Dempsey, of Atlanta, entitled THE
Wit and Wisdom of Warren Akin