THE ROWERS COLLECTKW
mm
ADVOCATE.
n
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA C0
FERENCE, M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLIN, Editor.
$1 aO a Year, iu Advance.
Vol. 01 .-3STo. i.
fl. JUL
1.. sVNSV.'.
Cnnfmnre Stonmifnts.
North Carolina Conference An Episco
pal Decision.
Thursday. Iee. 10th, 1857.
The Bishop submitted his opinion upon
the case tf I'ro. Burton, as follows, on the
charge of Dr. Hooker, from llillsbcro' sta
tion :
"Charge of Maladministration : Speci
fication. DecHing that certain witnesses
wore incompetent, because they were in
terested The chair decide that it is legitimate for
ihe presiding i filter iu a trial to decide
who are competent witnesses, aud what
documentary evidence is admissible ; and
that interested witnesses ought to be ruled
out as incompetent.
The quest'on arises, ATho are interested
witnesses 'i -and what amount, and what sort
of interest disqualifies them fur giving tes
timony ? I answer, .1 the issue i the
pending case entails either pecuniary) loss
or ".' to buh an extent, as in a reasonable
judgment, to damage his crelibility ; or if
there be malice prompting to persecution,
or constituting a strong motive to desire
the condemnation of the accused ; then, in
the judgment of the chair, the parties thus
involved are incompetent to testify.
After hearing the statement of the com
i ;. . . i F.i , i t. i. c t- -
plamant. ami ot the administrator or Disci-!.,.
pline in the eae before the Conference, and
examining the papers connected with the pre- I
1; - .1, . r i
liuinuiry investigation bv the committee 01
l,val poachers. ' previous to the Quarterly
Conference; the Chair is of opinion that!
the witnesses ruled out by the Presiding El- i
1 ..... . . - , , j u , " . 1
der, were not interested in such a sense as to :
dUqual-fv the.n forgiving testimmy; and J
th-ref .r-'tli.it there has been such art error
in al.ninistrarion as w.ll justify the Confer- I
ence in remanding the case for a new trial.if
the pros-euror .hall see fit to renew the :
pr.
charges.'"
ANOTHER EPISCOPAL DF.C1SIOX.
The following opinion was then presented 1
bv Bishop Pierce, on the charge preferred I
b"v Iv. William Cioss against Rev. R. 0. f
ii 0 ;
Burton: ;
"Charge. Maladministration. : cnarge ruieu our, as urawn up """ine
lt SPe.-ifiMti..n: In having refused t0 1 manner of similar specihcation? winch have
investigate charge 1st in the hill of charges ! b.een retufon entertained without objec-refe-re
I U him by the X. C. Conference." : !tuJ s, beCiluse 'hen there "
This charge was ruled out by the P. E. on !,ese pre-dents constitute the only guide
thi wp'h.n nf the acmied, on'the ground of : Bl.,f' f l'ie P1'".1 decision refuses tosus
its in letini-eness I t:lln tne nrst specification under the charge
It is true that we have not in our Piscinline ! "Sainf Kev" R- - orton.on the ground that
any precise statute, decliring in what man-! tlis char?? was.ruki ,,ut by the P. L. us
vi, .n 1. a ....i.rr vague and indefinite, whereas no such ground
.vt i.i.iiv ..-u.i. iuiitn(i. lilt, lljll WJ
the analogies i f law, and the obvious propri-
4
eties . t the sul ie t, as t .vae have been re- '.,v !, , 1 . a :
cognized and established by usage. The . not reaching the merits of the q..estion it
charge ought tube definite as to time, or ; undertakes to settle.
place, or substance, or circumstance. This . lt ,s further excepted to this decision, that
is nectary. 1st. that the accused may un- transcends Ep.seopal authority Ina D.S
derstand the precis, nature of the eharge ' c!P',nf: '.vV' T- AFi ' '
against him ; 2ndly, that the Court may de- ' v!des, tl,at he" 1 16 L,fhoP stla11 1,;ive;
termine wither the facts constitute an of- i ?,de1 ? l"0? t.he nference.A.;
fense. and thus graduate its guilt: and 3dly, ave te rojht to determine how far the law
, . t!l1 ,-.t . . ., f.,t,,ia : thus decided or lnrerpreted, is applicable to
prosecution for the sarn- offense. If the par-
ties in a cau-e waive all objection tthe ;
mariner ia which a charge is drawn, and ma-:
tu.illy agree to go into trial, the Court is un- -.
d-T no oblig-ition to interfere, unless it be ia
behalf of those t ignorant to know their
rights and privileges. An accused person,
preacher or i iyman. is entitled to all the pro
tection of his rights, which the constitution
and linage of the Church secures to him.
The charge objected to by the accused, and
ruled out by the P. E. is vague and indefi- l
nite : and therefore, the first sw:iJi-atio is
nu'
''il'Specifio itioa: In having admitted
p irte tesum my, after giving assurance that
no cxp-trte test'imoiy would le admitted." i
T.'m assurance heVe mentfened; it is stated 1
and not denied, was given t both the accuser
an ! the a-vusel they were upon equal terms
lhrenngeot policy wis not mentioneJ to
t't:r, and both mig it, if they had' sought it,
have availei themselves of it, subject to the
decision ot the presiding officer. An Episco
ri ft..i;.. often r.,i..7 1 in f I- r,,n. of '
this cae, all ws the introduction of cx parla j have given.
testimony in certain c ases, some of which it j Aa l. th.e amission of ex-parte testimony,
specifies. The records of this Conference and exception is made upon the iden tical grounds
the usage of the C -lurch everywhere justifies 1 t!k?n h7 the Bishop on his first decision ,
it. In this case a Bishop advised it ; and 1 "V e ar,e left" S he ,n ,that P".mt- " to
therefore the 2nd specification is n:t sustained. the analogies of law, and the obvious pro-
"III Specification: In having suppressed ! Pieties t the subject. The analogies of
testimony !v ruling that a witness for the de- law would le ld us pelade ex-parte testi- j
fense was not baun 1 to answer ouestions ' mony- as (,ur clvil courts d.l' on the very ,
when en-is-examined, of which rulin-r wil. manifest ground that such testimony deprives j
ness availed himself, and refused, to aifwr." the (,PPoslte P"J yf the invaluable privilege j
In ecclesiastical courts wltaww may re- j "f cross-examining the witness. In civil ,
fuse to testify, nor is there .mv power in the j cur,ts- the truth of testimony is guarded first, j
Church to compel him. Ai presiding officer ! ,J-V the sanction of an oath, r.ei yndl,, by the j
in a church trial may decide that a question ', Penalty of perjury, and thirdly, by cross-ex-is
improper, an 1 the witness may with pro-' animation. As in eeclesiast cal courts the,
r.rietv refuse t, nnswer In ihnreb, ti-5 nl a. i hrst two cafe-guards are necessarily absent!
witness is rot bound to raveal confidential j m mos!t case f"r a snl1. stronger reason
communications, made to him as an intimate ' should they insist upen subjecting testimony
frien 1, or as adviser or counsel in a cause I to cross-examination, regard to " obvious
The question asked by the accuser, in this I proprieties,' it is very manifest that even
case, involved communications w-hici.- may i whn. witnesses desire to tell thn truth, they
have be -n made by the accused during ti,e j niaynmit what isrJ)st!aiely essential, because
progress of the cae, and of course, after the theJ do n,,t kn"w what nse maJ be ,nade of
charges were preferred; and if answered, ! fac'8 standing out of their connection, or
w-Mild not have b en evid-nce; and therefore j what connections may be essential to reach
the 2d suecifinaHon is not sustained. i ,he w,1!,le tri,th 1,1 tll(! Pliint at ,8Sue- 1 liere-
"IV'Si.Vcificatior,: In allowing a witness ! f(,re both by "the analogies of law and theob
f ,r th- defense to change his testim .n v.after j vious proprieties of the subject," ex-parte tes
it had been real an 1 approve! by himself, I t'nvony should be excluded from ecclesiasti
an 1 pending the d."s ;ii3-'i n, and after I h ad cal courts.
use 1 said tesciHny toshow that it proved But we are not left to these 'analogies
the -.iiit of the aesused." and " obvious proprieties ' aIon9. Ibe fol
In all courts, civil and ecclesiastical, if the
testimony of a witness is misapprehended, he
may at his own suggestion, or on the demand
of ihe judge, jury or counsel, explain his tes
timony ; and do this at any stage of the pro"
ceedings, before the verdict, in this ease,
according to the re-jord, in) word was r.kered
or added, and the explanation consisted sitn-
t.ltr in pnj'lns'.n'f i mntpncp in nootntlon
marks : and thetefore. ihe ilh svedihati is !
not sustained.
"V Spccifi -ation : That after the testimo
ny bad b"eu closed and argument submitted
on both sid-s. he introduced and examined a
new witness on behalf of the accused."
Tiiis, I grant, was a novel case, and my
decision is, that is was justified by the pecu
liar circumstance of the case, and wus alike
demanded by the aiSrmation of the accused ;
and if he was irvisinformed, necessr.ry for the
vindication of the accuser; and therefore the
fifi'i spcri ficiUion is not sustained.
"VI Specification: That after the parties
had retired, he remained with the Committee,
and took partTi their deliberations, in mak
ing up their decision."
Un this point there is nothing but usage to
guide us, sn?e the opinion or BUhop lled
ding,whieh has long been recognized as sound
and judieioai". True, Bishop Il-dding's
opinion id- deelerod particularly in re
gard to t! trial -of a ir.e.nher; but as to the
f irms id trial, neither the Discipline nor usage
secures any t-irilege to a preacher, local or
traveTirsg, which they deny to a member. If
a preacher is the pastor of a particular
church, so is the P. K. the paster of his Dis
trict. If the relation of pastor, as one au
thority has rfecdeJ, justifies the thing in one
case, the same relation justifies it in the other.
I ntil some legitimate authority, by spfei
fie direction orders to the contrary, an al
ministratir is not to be condemned, who
simply conforms to long established usape :
and therefore, the sixth specification is not
unstained."
Friday, Dec. 11th.
Rev Wm Closs (having given notice the day
hefire,) submitted the grounds upon which
he appealed from the decision of Bishop
Pierce to the Hoard of Bishops ; and on mo
tion, it was Resolved, that the Conference
sustain the appeal. The following is the ap
peal: "The Presiding Elder of the Raleigh Dis
trict, Rev. R O. Burton, having been charged
with ' jfal-a-hiiinisratioii' by the Rev. Wil
liam Clos, this charge with six specifications
was ti ied before -he North Carolina Confer
ence at its session in Goldshoro'. commencing
ihe 2d of December, 1S37. .Bishop '!,.,
r 'e pre.sid'njr S'Eoer. ft;3 tendered his de-
oiLi, wnich goes-to record upon the Journals
vfm. p.fon' h;c .1 r. r,r,i
lowing exceptions pre taken, to witr
1. The presiding Elder was presiding when
an Elder was on his trial under several
charges of immorality. The first charge was
" immorality," and the specification was
" speaking injuriously of me (the prosecutor)
as a christian minister." The presiding El-
l der ruled out this charge on the ground that
ii ini'i no specuicaiion. ine ueeision 01 me
, 1 , I . ,. , ,
it had no specification. The decision of the
"'.S,"T .u"'1",5, . '
decision exception is taken because the
Bishop assigns the reason that the Presiding
... . 1 , . , ., , 'J
Ld.er r.ulfd ' charge " on the ground
"s "'linitene-a ; ; whereas the records
"f ",e tr,a.1 how tlia !t was r.ul?d "'i1 1b-V,the
1. E. on the assumed ground that it had no
. . ... ..
f P'ation. On this ruling, the prosecutor
ro,,S '', hs- ! the accused P.
canfl".t auowe? c.nanR9 u,e. ncura'
nor Episcopal decision assign as a
reas'n f.r the ruhng, that which was r,t en-
j lereu 01 record 011 me iriui uenrw. Xjven u
j the decision by the Presiding Elder had been
! what the Eishup assumes it was, and what
e oords show it w,s not exception would
8tlU Je taken .n the around that this deci
s.K,n has al1 the.u,rce ,f fu.:, le& :1"
tion. forasmuch as the specification to the
, , , , . ' r. .,
was taken by the P. E. as the record shows,
. --1 lTT. - -l 1: .
tie case then pending Ibis dec.sto,, art, i
decides a question o, lawsecondly. its ferti-
J '? t!.,0.cas.e "J '.l ltu' ,an, ,tn4,rl!'' !,m !
Iitr ineuecisuu. uu -'t--' '
pending. In this last particular the right of
the Annual Conference is assumed by the
Bishop; the Bishop having authority only to
say what is tho- law, or the interpretation
thereof, and the Conference having the right
then to say whether or not in view of this
decision, ine opec.ncation susiaincu. in
deciding that the specification ,s or is not
sus a.ne i. oe uisnop . staging iron me nanus
of tne Conference a right certainly and ex-
pressly gHaraniied to theConference by our
or?anli; UV-. . , , , . , ,.
1 Exception is taken to the wcond ruling
nf the ,B,sh"P ,a th,s uase on the foilow,nS
There are two points made in the speci.fi'
cation lt. The admission of ex-parte evi
dence ; 2d. The admission of that ex-parte
evidence on one side when the P. E. had pur
sued such a course as to prevent the other
side from any advantage such evidence might
owing exposition ot an ecclesiastical usage
is from an acknowledged authority, Bishop
Baker on the Discipline, chap. 5. sec. 9, ar
ticle 6, says "Depositions should be rejec
ted, if it appear that the opposite party
was not notified to attend at the thne and
place appointed for taking the deposhion, or
that not a sufficien-t notice was given, or
that he was notified to attend at a time when
!'e must necessarily be absent or engaged in
important business requiring his personal at
tention, and that this was known to the party
giving the notice."
In addition, we have the decision of Bish
op Andrew, lie says see Journal of Session
Va. Conf, IS jo, p. 24 1 :
"The law of propriety would seem-to re
quire, that in all cases where testimony is to
be taken, it should be done in the preser.ee
of both the parties in litigaU ;n, so that no
ex-parte testimony be received, but that both
parties have a fair opportunity of eliciting
tho truth; nor is the introduction of ,jrivate
letters free from considerable danger of abuse.
Yet, there are cases in which such testimony
is admissible; as when the party seeking to in
troduce uch testimony had not sufficient tiaie
to pursue the usual course, after ascertaining
the existence of such testimony, or where
the distance of the witness renders it imprac
ticable to pursue the usual course, and yet
the evidence is deemed of importance to the
understanding of tho case in hand. In such
cases the Church has allowed the introduc
tion -of such testimony, leaving the Confer-
ence f. decide as to its relative weight; which
it would seem to ms
which is properly attached to testimony eiih- j
er oral or written taken in the usual way."
HlUSb ti.au
In the last ouoted decision, it is true that
ou.c exceptions are made to the rejection of!
x-parte testimony, as Bishop Pierce argue,
1: : i.- ,i r ,t i
some i
k.,; i,:. ,i..;- i, ,toc f r.tr.n.nt t
show, nor in the progress of the investigation
has it been attempted to be sho n, that the
ex-n;,rte testimo.'v which the P. E. allowed
comes under any of these exceptions. The
contrary has been shown. Nor is this ex-
caption to the ruling weakened by the state-
ment of the accused P. E., that a Bishop had
privately advised him to admit ex-parte testi-j
mony, because in the first place, there is no
proof that such advice had been given, and
in the second place, if it had, toe private
opinion of a Bishop avails nothing against
the law, as made by the official and officially !
published opinion ot another Bishop.
And moreover, as in the first, so in this I
second ruling, by deciding that the speciti-l
cation was not sustained, the Bishop presi
ding lias deprived the Conference m its rigis
as guarantied by tho Disci pline of our church, j
&re Discipline Chap. n. feec.
Ques. 3,
Ans. 7.
III. Exception is taken to- the third ruling j This Institution is the oldest College
of the Bishop on the following -rounds: . ;n the Southern Church. It was built
in the case eliciting the decision, even i - a . r .i e vr r i
..." , . r- t. i chiefly by the co-operation of IN. C and
supposing the witness was counsel tor the . , n ' r . , ,T
accused, it was the accused who called him B- for the beoefit f each. The N. C.
to the stand, and when he had so presented Conference has an equal number of Trus
him he became subject to the same examina- tees with the Virginia Conference. The
tion as other witnesses. He was not the pros Institution is enjoying its usual prosperity,
ecutor's witness, but the witness for the ac- anc jts Gnancial condition is encouraging,
cused. This distinction is important to the j Tlie Agent durinjI th3 past Conference
decision of the case. , year, has been successfully laboring to se-
The Episcopal decision supposes that the ; cure an endowment of ine hundred thousand
quest.ons asked involved communications j d()u:(rS) wh;eh when obtaed, wiirseCure to
which may have been maue by the accused the Conference the rh'ht to educate free of
during the progress of the trial, and if an- j tuUi(in fr 30 pJ ThJ Committee gubmit
swered would not have been evidence. In i for y()ur adopti()n tfie followiii" resolution :
taking exception, the reply is (1) that no , Ilexolvedf That this Conference feel inter
proof has beer, offered that the answers would este1 in R M College, and recommend it to
nave invoivea sucn communications, it iney
had been made ; (2) that no reason is offer
e l why this circumstance would have ren
dered the answers no evidence ; and (3) that
one question necessarily set its own answer,
whatever that answer might have been,
wholly outside any communications which
may have been made to him as counsel.
Exception is farther taken on the ground
that such ruling in ecclesiastical courts gives
a guilty man every opportunity to shutout
the evidence of his guilt by availing himself
of a technicality founded upon most dubious
grounds.
And lastly, as this decision goes beyond
the interpretation of the law to the applica
tion thereof, in like manner with its prede
cessors, it cuts on the Uonlerence trom its
constitutional rights.
I Exception is taken to the fourth ruling,
on the ground of its general inapplicability
to the point at issue, which appears as fol-
lows: The testimony is written and not pa
role evidence. It had been repeatedly read
to the witness, and approved by him. An
argument had been submitted. The witness
was counsel for the aecuseil. From the ar- j
gument, it was apparent that his testimony!
convicted his client, and that it was suscepti-
ble of different meaning as the quotation j
marks might be arranged, and was then al
lowed to arrange the quotation marks so as
to save bis case. i
The fact that no word appears on the re-1
cord as inserted according to the argument!
in the Episcopal decision, and jet according!
to that decision there was an " explanation," i
only strengthens the force of the exception j
now taken, as in all cases whatever is an ex- j
planation, alteration, or correction, should
so appear on the record whereas as the re
cords now read there is no intimation of such '
explanation. Baker on Discipline. Chap. v.
Sees, viii, ix, says " A witness while aicinn
his testimony may recall and correct his tes.
it is given, with all its corrections, and it is
for the Committee to decide whether the lat
ter statements are more worthy of belief than j
the former." j
FiirfilPl'ninl'P tba TCiclirvr'a rl.iiirti, riiloa !
that the third specification is not sustained, 1 a.fc tne oor f a small cottage in Oak
and bases its argument upon a technicality, j ville.
namely, that the witness was counsel for the i .-, t , . , . .. . , ,
accused, and now rules that the fourth sPe-! "Mjeat pace that ola man to him given had;
dfication is not sustained, and bases this de- j . ,f or ,)d he oftf7 sa.w heaven s light ;
cision upon the rejection of technicalities, i A". wfre, h,s earthly eien both blunt and )bad,
namely, the strictness demanded in the mode And thn.ugh great age had lost their kind
of entering the correction of written testi- - sight.
naony.
And lastly, this decision, like its predeces-
sors. deririves the Annual (;oniereni;e of il i
right to apply the legal decision to the pend-; eleven, had just finished giving hira his
ing case. bread and milk supper.
V. Exception is taken to the fifth decision j "Has the sun gone down yet, my
on the ground : That the analogies of all Jarjntr ?"
legal proceedings forbid the introduction of j . XT , ,, ,. - ,,.
new testimony after the case is closed and ! . Grandpa, replied Molly, "he
the arguments have been submitted, for the jis just beginning to touch the hills with
obvious reason that if the contrary were al- his lower edce."
lowed, there could be no order in the man- thot,g so . ;8 nofc tle sky very
agement ot a trial, as neither the prosecutor . 0 j j
nor the accused could evsr know when he c'earT
had met the whole case. j "Yes, Grandpa, there is not a cloud
And here, as before, the Episcopal decision : to be seen "
places the . power ot the Conference in the j Then j can j; .j darling,
hands ot the bishop, in contravention of the I , ,,. . , i J o
Disciplinary guaranty already quoted. j how Sublime IS the great arch Ot the
VL Exception is taken to the last ruling 'sky! Nothing in nature so enlarges
on these grounds : our sense of being ; it seems to give us
. not reach the second point in the room . the hei ht of it ia g0 satisfjing
specification, to wit: That the Presiding , ' , . . , , J
Elder took part in the deliberations of theito the desire which has for an mi
Committeo. This is an important failure. bounded home. In thinking overall
2. It is contrary to the analogies obtain- the objects which I most miss from
ing m civil courts. Mwron i.iscipi.ne.unap.
v . -ii i - vi I vi 1 1 1 1 i ' r r i in iihimu.' hi.it i
cal courts mere technicalities should never
subvert the principles of equity, yet the gen-'
eral laws of evidence established by the wis- J
dom of ages are as applicable in establishing
matters of fact
before an ecclesiastical tri
bunal as before a civil." By the same rea
soning the processes of trial in civil courts
so far a3 they are founded upon principles of
equity and established by the wisdom of ages
should obtain in our ecclesiastical courts.
Now, it- would be most incongruous to supi
pose that a judge might go in with the jury,
take part in their deliberations and express
his opinion as to the consideration or rejec
tion of the testimony of any particular wit
ness: so would it be subversive of justice in
church courts it Presiding hluers were al
lowed this liberty with the Committees, who
sit as juries to try men charged with immor
ality. 3. Nor is the authority of Bishop Iledding
available here ; for the reason that he-gives
the law in regard to the trial of members and
not of ministers; and what may be right in
the one case may be wrong in the other.
The President in the trial of a member is
his pastor, but the Presiding Elder is not
the pastor of an Elder in charge of a circuit:
he is co-pastor with that Elder, and if as this
decision affirms, he is Pastor of the District,
it. is of tho Iavmen and not of the ,wv nn i
bis district. i
4. And further, as in the preceding cases, j
so here, the decision is based upon the by-
pothesis that the Bishop is to decide what is
law or interpret, and then apply that decision
or interpretation to the case pending, where-
as, the Discipline secures this latter as a
" to the Conference before which the
Lastly. (1.) Whenever decisions are given,
which by their form cut off the rights vested
in an Annual Conference by an organic law,
that decision must from that very fact be lb
In. six several mstannes the decision
under review has manifestly so stepped in
; unuer review uas maniissny so sieppca
j between the Conference and its rested rights,
j (2) Moreover, wh, e maladministration
' may be n.erely a mistake in the judgment of
the P. Elder, it may be more, sn in specifica
tion 2d and Gth, which this decision preven-
ted the Conference fro., deciding.
For these reasons and on these exceptions,
this appeal is entered upon the Journal to go
up with the Episcopal decision which it re
views, to the Bench of Bishops."
Signed, . WILLIAM CLOSS.
E. M. Colltge.
Frtday5veing, Dec. 11th.
j A minority re-f Oomrjaittee on
E Iuout!ouJ was presentvef as follows .
'Ihe minority of the Committee on
' Education, beg leave to submit their report
ion R. 31. Colleire.
the patronage of our friends.
R. I. CARSOX,
R. 0. BURTOX.
On motion to adopt, t!. yeas and
nays
were called for, (by R. 0. Burton,) and the
vote was taken as follows :
Yeas James Reid, B. T. Blake, A. Nor
man. R. I. Carson, T. S. Campbell, R. O.
Burton, W, M. Jordan, J. "VV. Lewis, Win.
Carter. R. P. Bibb, II. Gray, J. W. Floyd,
J. II. Jefferson, J. II. Wheeler, C. H. Phil
ips, P. W. Archer, J. D. Ilolstead. J. P.
Moore. B. F. Long, T. W. Moore, J. B. Ab
ford. M, J. Hunt, J. Johnson, Wm. Holmes
24.
Nays P. Doub, D. B. Nicholson, D. Cul
breth, W. M. Walsh, R. C. Maynard. I. T
i "ycne. Jonn linen, u t. lieems, N. A.
i100ker'w-b- Chaffin, Wm. Closs, C. P.
j DouJ, r ' JL D" W,lson- 11 T-
: .leflr1"' ,L' Snell J W. Tucker, J. B. Martin,
! V'"T - . V' c L" ,re,,drpn.
V; V l8ner. L- &- Bmkhead, If. II. Gibbons,
i ? Carraway, J,.hn Jones. T.B.James,
; b; !! Outline, A. Weaver. A. F. Reid, C
Weaver. N. F.
M. Peppei, W. F. Ciegg, S. II. Helsabeck.
C. M. Anderson, W. B. Richardson, J. E
Mann, J. W. Avent, J. tl. Hill, B. B. Shel
ton, D. C. Johnson. S. D. Peeler, J. F. Keer
ans, N. A. II. Goddin, C? V. King, M. L
Wood, T. L. Triplett, J. VV. Wheeler, J. B
Bobbitt, M. C. Thomas, J. L. Newby. J. A .
Cuninggim, J. C. Thomas, W. D. Meecham
O. J. Brent 54.
J. S. Davis, R. S. 3Ieran, and Joseph
Wheeler, were excused from voting.
fdrrtimi
a.
The following from that singular
book, Post Oak Circuit, 13 punished by
j " ' J
The Setting Fun.
An old man leaning on his staff sat
jlt was old Father Hemphill. His
Tr,11w n OM-nn iv.l r.F
" . . . . o.
dimne89 0f 8;hf nexE to
your sweet
-' '
face and your mother's, my darling, I
oftenest wish to see once more the blue
sky. What a delightful balmy day
;a va ifl .lolir, f T
- . r A, . 5, . , ., ,
of the year in this Southern latitude,
more than any other season. In the
North they have but an imperfect no
tion of this delightful temperature; the
sensation is to me that of bathing in
air.
"Did you ever live in the North,
Grandpa ?" asked Molly.
"0 yes, my darling ; there are few
sections of country, in the North or
South, in the East or West, where
grandpa has not been at some time.
For forty-five years I received an ap
pointment as an itinerant preacher
from our dear bishops. But from the
waters of the Monongahela down to
the Attakapas country the greater part
of my life as a preacher was spent."
"I think you said the Attakapas was
i a tribe of Indians Grandpa ; did you
se to prencii io ine inuians :
1 i i T If 13
"Yes, indeed, Grandpa has many a
time preached through an interpreter,
Many a time have I slept in the woods;
J , t i
for years, as often tnere as elsewhere,
This whole country was then thinly
settled. I labored hereabouts, and all
over the West and South west, among
I the early settlers."
"Was it not a hard life, Grandpa ?"
asked Molly.
It was a very giunous
lite, my
a useful,
dearest; yes, a hard life, but
noble toil. O. would that I could still
nrneli tho rrnana) ti iniin-r ssinnpft! and
,' v-'.u.. .in. iiu.'iivi .y ii v.....i. ... " - - -
minister consolation to the people ot
God !"
"Were you poor then too, Grand
pa ?"
"Yes, my dear, I was poor then too
often very poor ; though somf timesl
had a little beforehand. I have been
once or tvice, of late, rather more de
pendent than any time before. For
when I was younger and could go from
place to place, God always opened the
heart of some Lydia, or some Widow
of Sarepta, to shelter and feed me.
Uut, my darling, (iod is still good, and
the pleasures of memory, at the close
of a life which has been spent in trying
to do good, are calm and sweet to the
soul as this fall-sunset."
"But just the thought of being poor
in old age, Gram, makes me wish
not to live to bo old if I am poor,"
said Molly. "Now suppose, Grandpa,
you had neither ma nor me to wait on
you, and give you your bread and milk :
what could you do .'
"Ah, my darling, the Lord has many
wars. He will fulfil his promises ; and
he has said that he will not see the
righteous forsaken."
"0, Grandpa !" exclaimed Molly,
"I think I see old Mrs. Ilardiman and
another lady coming the new preach
er's wife, I think."
The two ladies came upon a rather
unusual mission : they were briugmg
the old, worn-out itinerant a new suit
of clothes, and, what was still better,
were the bearers of a letter containing
a year's quarterage, (old style,) one
hundred dollars.
"1 wonder if the old man is at home,"
said Mrs. Carson.
"0, yes," answered Sister Ilardi
man ; "he does not often stir out. lie
is very systematic ; and I expect, as it's
sunset, we shall find the old man eating
hU bread and milk, Sweet old man ! j
he never complains. 0, how often j
have I prayed for such a day as this ! j
and now the Lord has heard me. Our
people are awakening to their duty ;
and, what is better, beginning to real
ize the pleasure and spiritual profit
which flow from doing it. But here is
the cottage of his daug'iter."
"There they doe find that goodly
aged sire,
With snowy lockes adowne his shoulders
shed ;
As heary frost with spangles doth attire
Tho mossy brannches of an oke half-dcd."
After the usual salutations, the la
dies told the old man the object of
their visit, and handed him the suit of
clothes and the money-letter.
"Molly, my darling, said the old
man, "did I not just tell you that the
Lord had many ways to fulfil his prom
ises? Molly," continued he, address
ing the ladies, ''gets a little frightened
sometimes, when she sees the meal get
ting low in the barrel. But," he add
ed, "this is no ordinary supply. It
has been a long time since my dear
brethren sent me so mnch if, indeed,
ever. Tell my dear friends of Post-
Oak that, with Paul, I can say, 'I re
ijoice in the Lord greatly that now, at
I the last, your care of me has flourished
again. iot tnat l speaK m respect oi
want ; for I have learned in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content. -I
know both how to be abased and I
know how to abound : everywhere and
in all things I am instructed both to be
full and to be hungry, both to abound
and to suffer need. I can do all things
through
Christ which strengtheneth
me. Notwithstanding ye have well
done that ye did communicate with my
aflliction. Not because I desire a? gift ;
but I desire fruit that may abound to
your account. But I have all and
abound : I am full, having receive1 the
things which were sent from you, an
oder of a sweet smell, a sacrifice accep
table, well-pleasing to God.' "
"What a fine old man I" exclaimed
Mrs. Carson, as they left the house,
"It is worth half a life of common
pleasure to be the bearer of a gift to
such a noble spirit. How much like an
aged apostle he looked when he re
peated that beautiful scripture, and
V uo t . i -J ly i kui 1 1 .
She waited for an answer from Sis
ter Ilardiman, and then saw that the
old lady was weeping".
Christian Mammonists.
Thus Coleridge writes : 'Often as the
motley reSxes of my experience move in
long procession of manifold groups before
me, the distinguished and world-renowned
company of Christian mammouists appear
to the eye of my imagination as a drove of
camels heavily laden, yet all at full speed
and each in tho confident expectation of
passing through the eye. of the needle,
without stop or halt, both beast and bag-
How few there are who believe riches is
any hinderance to heaven, let the strug
gles of this present day show ! If Christ
had said, 'how easy shall they who have
riches enter the kingdom of heaven,' there
could not be much more earnestness in en
deavoring to be rich than there is at pres
ent. But does the reader know Christ has
not said tbis ? Nay ! that he has said the
opposite? It is even so: 'How hardly
shall they who have riches enter the king
dom of heaven.' Do you believe this ?.
The Atheist's Creed.
Thc fool hath said in his heart, There is no
God." Psalm iii. 1.
The Atheist must be a wise man !
Whence did he acquire so much knowl
edge ? Did he always exist? Did he
create himself t
No. Did he come into
! being by hifl 0WI1
choice ? No. Do his
lungs heave or his heart beat ;t his own
bidding ? No. Can he even prolong his
own life at his own pleasure ? Xo. Does
the 'pestihoss walki .g in darkness, or the
destruction wasting at noon- ay,' come
and go at his will? No; none o' these
things can he do. Can he bring the day
and night, the beat and col I, on outrol the
changing seasons? Does he dire:t the
lightning ht its course, or bring the snow,
or the i;ail, or the rain out of his treas
ures? Does the sea roar at his word, or
by hii? command lie still ? Does the sun
adiid forth his "light 'end heat, or do tne
planets revolve in obedience to his man
date? Dcea he give us fruitful seasons,
aud provide food for man aud beast? Does
be hear the young ravens cry, or do the
young lions seek their meat from him ?
No; not one of all these things is done at
his nod. And yet h knows there is no
God I Amazing knowledge ! How did
he attain it! 'The fool hath said in his
heart, No God.' Yes, a fool truly: to be
lieve his senses and dethrone his reason !
And all, for what ? To drown the voice
of conscience, aud calm his fears, while
he indulges in transient pleasures, and
'wallows' in the filth of siu. When shall
he awake from his dream, and know as he
is known ? Eternity shall dissipate the
delusion reason shall resume her throne,
the undying worm shall feed upon hira,
and conscience with ten thousand stings
shall : upbraid his folly. 'Now consider
this, ye that forget God, least He tear you
in pieces-aud there be none to deliver '
T. M.
Advice to Preachers.
1.
9
Understand your text.
Confirm your views by private
reference to the original.
3. Strengthen your opinicn by once
more reading the whole context.
4. Avoid a display of learning crit
icise in the study, teach in the pulpit.
5. Divide your subject it helps
your hearers.
6. Speak in slicrt sentences it helps
the preacher.
7. Use plain words they nro good
for all sorts and conditions of men.
8. Avoid parenthesis they trouble
the speaker, they puzzlo the hearer.
9. Speak in the first person singular
it give3 reality.
10. Avoid the first person plural
! kings speak thus:, preachers should not.
Hi Apply pointedly all within the
church-walls are not of the Church of
Christ;
12. Rebuke boldly.
ia.
Warn lovingly.
Encourage hearlily.
14.
15.
Preach frequently
w
ith
your
tongue.
16. Preach always by your life.
17. Honor the Holy G!iost.
18. Remember your Master. Speak
his glory, not your own.
Pleasing Incident.
Just before tho hour of preachiug on
Sabbath morning, during the Conf icnce
at Jacksonport, a plain-looking man, dress
ed in traveling garb, entered the room
where we lodged, and looked earnestly at
all the persons sitting iu tho circle. The
editor arose, believing that he recognized
the itranger and said "It. is I for whom
vouseek." "Brother McFerrin," said the
stranger, "my name is-
...
"Ulad tu
see you, brotner . lie was ironioneor:
the States east of the Mississippi, and was
seeking a home in Arkansas. He had
camped with his family near the town, and
was emaininf'.to spend the Sabbath lid
not travel on the Sabbath. Be of course j
attended church, and enjoyed the service
of the sanctuary. Ordered the Nashville
Christian Advocate and the Sunday-school j
Visitor. We talked cf old times, when j
the editor was-a missionary among the
Cberokees : spoke of personal piety and j
Christian experience, lears evinced the
joy of the heart, and we thanked God for
that oJassof Christians who carry their re
ligion with them into a "at range land."
Such Christians are reliable. They are
the salt of the earth, the light of the world.
Nashville. Ch. Ad'-'omtc.
POFERY IN THE UNITED STATES.
The Civilta Catholica, published at
Rome, has lately presented its readers
with 'two remarkable articles, said
to be from the pen of 'a gifted and
zealous; American v?riter.' 'Not a few
of our readers,' says the N. Y. Free
man's Journal, 'will recognize the au
thor ;' who is said to bo 'temporarily
and providentially sojourning in Rome.'
The following extract is remarkable
enough :
Divine Providence watched with
such care over the ground-work of the
American Government, that were it to
day to be committed to the Catholics of
the United States to construct their
Government anew, they perhaps could
not frame one to such a degree favo
rable tO'their Faith as is the one under
which they now live. 'Nowhere, said
Pope Gregory XVI., 'am I so com
pletely Pope as in the United States.'
jj-f Industry is always deserting honor.
Ilet the young man remember thi. The use
less idler- the vulgar drone, whose energies
of body and soul arc failing for want of occu
pation, may look with contempt and scorn
upon the honest worker at his allotted toil :
but his scorn is praise his contempt, honor.
Let this be remembered, and whatsoever thy
hands find to do, let it be done with might. ,
Komish Intolerance.
We have before u a letter from
South-western Louisiana, dated 17th
ult., giving briefly a state of fa.is that
would better suit the latitude of Na
ples or Rome, and the dark ngM.
Of the first fruits of Methodism a
mong the Creoles in that part of the
stated long devoted to Romanism and
fiven now not delivered of its nightraare
usages and superstitions, is Mr. L. and
wife. Fer the crime of being Metho
dists, their eon, who died lately, was
denied the right cf sepulture in the
public cemetery in Lafayette pari.ih,by
the priest. The corpnc was then inter
red the plantation of Ex Gov. Mou
tOTVoid Rev. J'. VF. Chevis a local
prelf her, using a French- translation of
" our ritual, performed our burjal service,
atoid tho weepings of friendi and
neigiors, who heard, for tla' Grst time
suchVservico in their cvrn tongue.
We have found much difficulty in
getting the Christian Advocate circu
lated in certain parts of Louisini.a, on
account of similar intolerance in post
masters and survcilance of priest's.
One man takes the Advocate not in
his own name, to avoid unpopularity,
if not persecution, in society and bu
siness. A subscriber had called at
the po toffice for his paper in vain,
though it had been mailed to him reg
ularly. One of our Agents denanded
the cause, and there a parcel of back
numbers lay, thrown under the table !
We hope our friends and agenti will
persevere. This veil must be penetra
ted and the bats and owls of supersti
tion and intolerance made to see sun
shine, whether they like it r not.
X. O. i'h. Advocate.
Evil Speaking-
The following anecdote is related of
the late excellent J. J. (.urney, by
one who, a3 a child, was often one of
his family circle :
One night I remember it well I
received a sevcro lesson on the s.n of
evil speaking. Severe I thought it
then, and my heart rose in childish an
ger against him who gave it ; but I had
not lived long enough in tl.n world to
know how much mischief a child'::
thoughtless talk may do, and howeften
it happens that talkers run olT the
straight line of truth. S. did not
stand very high in my esteem, and 1
was about to speak further of l..r fail ings
cf temper. In a few ir.ouicnts my
eye caught a,' look cf sr.ch calm ami
steady displeasure, that I'stcppf d .--hort.
There was no mistaking the meaning of
that dark, speaking eye. It brought
the color to my face, and confu-ion and
shame to my heart. I was silent fcr &
few moments, when Joseph John Gur
ney asked, very gravely.
'Dost thou know any good thing to
tell us of her ?'
I did not answer ; and the question
was more seriously asked :
Think ; is there nothing good thou
canst tell us of her 'C
'Oyes; I know some goi -1 things;
but"
'Would it not have been better, then,
to relate those rood things than to
have told us that which would lower
her in our esteem ? Since then: good!
to relate, would it not be kinder to bo
silent on the evil ? 'Charity rejoiocth
not in iniquity,' thou knowest."
Dancing.
The Alabama Conference, (M ihodiai'
Trotestant,) recently held at Montgomery,
adopted the following resolutions:
1. Resolced, That this C-'ufcrcncc re
gard dancing as an injurious habit, and
dangerous in its tendencies ti the spiritual
iutcrcsts of the soul ; as destructive of re
ligion in the heart, and Chri-iiari influence
in the life of professors cf religion.
2. Rrxolvd, That thN body solemnly
protest against any of ihe moiub'is of the
Methodist 1'rutestant Church K iiding their
children or wards to the dancing school ;
that we regard it as contrary to the Scrip
tural injunction, 'Train up a chil 1 in the
way in which it should go '
3. Rrs'Jcid, That any member of the
Church who shall be guilty of dancing at a
party or ball, l-hall bo reproved by the Sa
perintsndant of the circuit or station where
iiuch a person may rc.iJe; and if tl.cy still
persist in the habit, the person shall be
subject to trial, and suspended or expelled,
as circumstances may dic'a'e.
'4. Retolccd, That uay parent or guar
dian belonging to our Church, who shall
patronize that, school of sin, t-c dancing
school, by sendiug their children or wards,
shall be subject to trial and reproof, sua-pen-ion
or expulsion, as the case may de
mand.' .
Possessions Unto the Lord.
'If I have any earthly posMsiutiH,' said
Gregory Nazianzeu, 'health, crcd't, learn
ing, etc., tba only coutcntnicnt I dciive
from them is, that I have something I may
despise for Christ.' The Christian, iu this
view, finds in wha. the world may call its
pedestal, a liethel to raise him toward
heaven. The higher he may thus, in tho
eyes of the world, be lifted, tho deeper his
humility before the Lord. He exults in
his possessions, not because he can hold
them, but because he can divet himself of '
jthem. Each rjnnlity may thus become
test to prove his own fithfuinos. 'Do L
take glory to myself the soul bhould say,
'then these qualities are my pitfall. Rut
do I see niy Saviour in them, an! rot con
tented in them only so far as they can be
separated from self and attached to him ;
then I may rejoice that thus I may minis--ter
to the Lord !'
'-N