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PER ANNUM. THE ORGAN OF THE NORTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE OF THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. REV. F. L. RElu, liditor; Established 1855 RALEIGH, N. C, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1 tf 1889. VOL. XXXIY., NO. 42. 3.00 POETRY ti.v eetls of Kindness. ,v ,s m-wr a golden sunbeam :;itr :vii r-n a desolate place, tr:eft of its presence L - )T1 illli' . ", vn'i(l ot meltable sweetiieu 9'Ar'.,lhti the listening ear. ss nmi'sert-a m sueiiee ungoiien ?;r many and many a year ;,word or a lone might awaken :iH-al power anew Ti.:U " " . -i . ....ii.' .. Vift-vtlie sweet-voiced singer 'ih'l'uled from earthly view. Mh'iirt that was ever so weary, tVilntetl with sin and despair, vi'.it iuui :n abidincr place there. .n.u'itlss thousands are yearning vrsvnipathv, kindness, and love, .ouls are groping in darkness tv'thi'iit one gleam from above, was never a sunbeam wasted, c,.;.tr that was sumr m vain. .'i v'nti'rtt seem lost in the shadows is:;Vj,ir s love may reeiunn. '-I Waiter seeds of kindness, t ii!;'r:i VOU1 ueeus m;i nrfi uc- k'ii'V.n ;!:uvt will ripen in glory, : seeds be faithfully sown; Vlii'f will close with a blessing, i'h! fade into endless day, ::., golden hues of the sunbeam Sit fade in the twilight gray. 0 M Iff U K I C A T I 0 N S . For the Advocate. Virginia Correspondence. SY KtV. JOHN E. EDWARDS, D. D. SOMETHING ABOUT MATTERS AND THINGS IN GENERAL. I: is gratifying to learn that our hodist Colleges, as a general ait-opening with encouraging Mitets-. A prehensions had been iiilgetl that the short crops, oc- ?iontdby the uupropitious seasons, uld so discourage the farmers, as Lt-.enauy to mterrere witn rue swlmiuiber ot students trom tue ai sections 01 the country. If we iviudge fro in the number of ma- filiates reported, at most 01 our ileses, during the first two or ite weeks ot the Fall session, it uld seem that our calculation was fault. The indications are that L-re will be no failing off, but rath- yui lncYease of students, both in ): colleges tor young ladies, as well in those tor j'oung men. Ran iph Macon is reported to have ite as large a number ot" students, at any previous period for several irs past, at as early a date as the :ond or third week of the session, ke reports come to us from other iihodist Colleges. We should aik God and take courage. Under uue circumstances mis may oe acii as a clear indication oi agrow mterest in the cause of Christian .ncation. Our people all over the miry me waking up to the value :d importance of giving the rising -deration, male and female, the antages of high mental culture, a; :ned with a moral and religious "sin-r, without which mere schol--ip i liable to perversion and -application. The Methodists, ta in heretofore, are beginning etbe importance and necessity latronizing their own denomina- i colleges, if they would retain t'ouaren m an intelligent ai :"ce to their own church. By them especially their futers to Jioman Catholic, and A Church Episcopal Schools, J incur the hazard ot seeing them home estranged from Metho :J and with a strong bias in favor church in whose schools they received their education. This pvat mevuauie. ina, just in d5 sucn a result is to be dep- rciH 4-V j i ill -1 tuc biep snouia oe avoiaea Parents that -en. ihere is positively no par- influence at home that can fervail this result. We have enough . pf it in the sphere of I8.tlOn rirlc n-TTr nrvTtrn n r womanhood are found alien I .irom .Methodism. They find in tne church ot their -nun i ne "beautiful service" wterrpH u j e church of their parents. A ;f iy amusements. So it goes, his might have been obviat r indeed the parents desired it, .y onizmg their own denomina- schools. f'ieral thing I agree with m5ffnend Dr- G. Smith, in 31 that engage his facile f?,r hl books or periodicals. Cerllly strikes the golden .;J?; aii(i sometimes, on mooted comes as nigh going on f of the point in debate as He can split a hair a mile 4s a T" Jones would say. lie f startling statement in the :in ;E ot the 2nd Oct., in speak , I'jvor of the old probation sys- 1 t. 'SPiVS. "flm rpniiirrtmp.nt - nr. va'..; vx irz z fim wasus HiaKes ior a "1, :v and so our church is y , ' ' ' ?' ten con ver, ted peojne. iJir Ve of the old Metho : in Georgia ? The reme- Jitnstrous evil is not to ;;ju in ;i return to the unscrip- 11'- ',Ju!Otl SVtst-pm bnf liv rmnvfl. -oh n' 10 niembership m onr ihe Discipline provides y(i fir..-., i .-.vi..,UuU mj O , y i j I it- I r- Y I Mil I r f I l c qo l no ti nro rkii in ii.v i 1 a: . -J . .. w a i for this. Head paragraph 94. "How shall members be received into the church?" "Ans. 1. When persons offer themselves for church mem bership, let the preacher in charge inquire into their spiritual condi tion, and receive them into the church when they have given satis factory assurances ot their desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins; and also of the 'genuineness of their faith, and of their willingness to keep the rules of the church." This last clause im plies something more than a mere desire to flee from the wrath to come. There is the further provision that the pastor is to be ''satisfied on these points," including "the genuineness of the faith" of the candidate, before presenting the applicant before the congregation for reception. More than the foregoing, all of which is to the point of conversion in the Bible sense before admission to member ship, the pastor has a prescribed form of prayer in which he says : "Give thy Holy Spirit to these per sons, that they being bom again, may ba made heirs of everlasting salvation." In abrogating the pro bation system it was manifestly the design of the General Conference to make conversion, in the sense of be ing born again, the condition of ad mittance into church fellowship. The slip shod way of too many pas tors in receiving members is "filling the church writh unconverted mem bers," not only in Georgia, but else where. Happily, not to any consid erable extent, in the Va. and N. C. Conferences. It is a fearful thing to think of a church being "filled with unconverted members!" The con dition of admittance to Mr. Wesley's Societies no longer obtains in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Something more than the "desire to flee from the wrath to come," is the condition of church membership. A genuine, saving faith, involving spiritual regeneration, more or less strongly attested, is the condition. All obscurity on this subject should be cleared up. The death of Mrs. Tillett, wife of Rev. W. F. Tillett, I). D., of Van derbilt University, has filled many hearts with sorrow. She was an exceptionally beautiful character. Being her pastor for four years I am prepared to form some just estimate of her intrinsic excellence and worth. Handsome in person, graceful in manners, constant in Christian de portment, she won all hearts that came in contact with her. She was the idol of her parents, and was held in the highest esteem by the whole community. 'Noie knew her but to love her, and none spole of her but in praise.' Less than one year from her marriage, in Mount Vernon Church, in Danville, she was carried to the same church as a corpse. The rustle of bridal robes, and the splendid pageant connected with the marriage ceremony were so soon ex changed for the funeral knell, the badges of mourning, the weer.ing procession, and the sad solemnities of the burial ! But she died as she lived, a model Christian. It is rare that such a demonstration marks the death and funeral services of any one as was exhibited on the oc casion of the obsequies of Mrs. Til lett. It was my lot to officiate at the bridal and the burial. The floral tribute, on the occasion of the funeral, surpassed anything that has ever fallen under my notice. The family and the bereaved husband share largely in the sympathies of the wide circle of friends in Dan ville, and in all parts of the country, where the bereaved ones are known. Mrs. Tillett was the daughter of Mr. John II. and Mrs. Susan School field of Danville, Va. She was edu cated at the Wesleyan Female Insti tute in Staunton, Va., where she professed conversion in 1882, and in all her after life illustrated the pow er of the Gospel in 'keeping her through faith unto final salvation.' But it is no part of my design to write an obituary, or biographical sketch of this noble and excellent woman. This I have done through the Nashville Advocate. Extensive preparations are being made for Sam Jones' meeting in Lynchburg, which according to ap pointment, begins on the 18th Octo ber. Great expectations are excited. The crowd in attendance will be im mense. With but few exceptions the pastors of the different churches in Lynchburg will heartily co-operate in this meeting. A large Ware House, that will seat four thousand persons, is just now being put in readiness for the occasion. It is hoped and prayed that the great evangelist will come to us "in the fulness of the blessing of the Gcspel of Christ." NEW BOOKS. Passing Through the Gates, and other sermons, by the late Bishop Holland Nimmons McTyeire, D. D., edited by the llev. John J. Ti gert, D. D., is the title of one of the latest books from our Nash ville Pub lishing House. Dr. Tiger t has done his work well. The introduction is a pen and ink portrait of Bishop Mc Tyeire as a preacher. These ser mons richly repay careful study. Bishop McTyeire's style is remark able for its conciseness. It is crisp, sententious, incisive. His sermons are suggestive. He wrote with a reserved power. The funeral ser mons of Bishops Soule, Kavanaugh, Doggett, and Marvin, together with the funeral sermon of Dr. McFerrin, and his address at the Ecumenical Conference, c ntain an invaluable treasury of Methodistic history. The volume is cheap at one dollar as a book. Its c mtents are invaluable. No one will regret the outlay in ad ding this volume of sermons to his library. There is not a dry page from lid to lid. The Bishop's ser mons as read, are more instructive and better understood than as heard from the pulpit. The Coming Kingdom, by Rev. Willard W. Wadsworth, from the Eress of Trow's Printing and Book inding Co., N. Y. is timely, stir ring, and instructive. It contains a lively discussion of the foreign mis sionary question, in the light of the freshest facts, and latest statistics from various fields. The style is animated, perspicuous, and even ele gant. The author is thoroughly im bued with his subject, and writes con am ore. The encouragements and discouragements in foreign Mis sionary work are brought face to face. The advance all along the line is depicted in lively colors.Their is more in this book, directly to the times, and pertinent to the subject, than in any other publication that has been offered to the public from the press of this country. The price is one doHar,aad it may be ordered, from our Publishing House in Nash ville. It is heartily commended from an honest conviction of its great value. Lynctiburg, Va., Oct. 4th, '89. For the Advocate. Our Yamierbilt Letter. BY REV. N. II. D. WILSON. Scarcely a week has passed since I was at my desk in the Advocate office, and yet here I am in another state, living another life, and it al most seems to me being another man myself. Surely I am sharing the joys and the sorrows of my brethren of the Conference in so far as itinerating goes. A VISIT TO CHAPEL, IIILL. Leaving your home, Mr. Editor, which now seems almost my home, on Thursday, Sept. 26th, I came on to Chapel Hill, the home of my col lege life. Here I spent a day,renew ing the ties of friendship with those who in days gone by had been very kind to the little college boy. I found "Uncle Joe" Martin unchang ed in his genial character, but de cidedly changed in face by the remo val of his beard. At his home I al so had the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with my class-mate and friend, his son-in-law, Dr. S. B. Weeks, who was about to start for Johns Hopkins University, for an other year. My home during my visit was at Dr. Alan gum's. 1 found the Doctor looking much better than I had even hoped. He had be gun his work at the University, and was, contrary to the expectation of all, improving steadily. I was glad to learn from him and others that his sickness had been the occasion of maLy expressions of respect and love from both students and faculty, not only expressions in words, but the tender courtesy which speaks louder than words. Let the church in N. C. unite in prayer that God may bless with restored health this noble minister and teacher. Much to my regret, my stay was so short I did not get to meet Bro. North. I did, however, visit his new church and have no hesitancy in saying it is one of the most beautiful I ever saw. I consider Chapel Hill one of the most important and most diffi cult charges in our Conference. He who goes there must needs work laboriously, act wisely, and live close up to the Master, or he is a failure. I was unable to judge of Bro. North's work as a pastor in general, but his labors have been wonderfully blessed of the Master in the salva tion of precious souls. TWO DAYS IN GREENSBORO. Though a citizen of the state of Tennessee, and for two years almost 'a stranger to my birthplace, Greens boro is still my home. Saturday and Sunday were most pleasantly spent there with friends and rela tives. Sunday night I had the pleas ure of attending the anniversary of the Greensboro Bright Jewels. It would have made Aunt Mary's heart glad to have seen the success of her little ones. The whole exer cise was tastily arranged and well executed. I certainly enjoyed it. My mind went back to the "Busy Bees," the little band which after wards joined the Bright Jewels. I had been one of its first members, and in it I had done some of my first religious work. Three of the young men who are here preparing for the Christian ministry have been mem bers of that little band. May it long continue to help send the Gos pel to the nations of heathendom, and long may it do its no less noble work of training the children to work for their Savior. OFF TO NASHVILLE. Monday I bade farewell for another season to my home and loved ones, and started on my journey to this city. For the first time I was to pass through the Switzerland of Ameri ca,. To High Point I traveled with Y. M. C. A. boys of Trinity College, who were returning from the Dis trict Meeting at Winston. They seemed full of zeal and consecration. A noble band I was glad to meet them; Mr. Coulter, the State Sec. was also on board and I had the pleasure of a long talk with him about the Y. M. C. A. work in N. C. His idea of a definite work for young men, different from and auxiliary to the work of the churches, pleases me much. Let the Y. M. C. A. confine itself to its distinctive work, and then let it have the hearty support of pastors and people of the various churches. It is doing much for Christianity and deserves our sup port. 4 Leaving the Air Line at Sal isbury, we began our ascent of the hill country. The day was rainy and foggy, and of course we saw the scenery at its worst. Nevertheless, it was then grandly beautiful. I dare not try to describe it; it must be seen to be appreciated. An inter esting magazine lay beside me, but I cared not for its contents. Before my eyes stretched out the magnifi cent handiwork of my Maker, and each inoment revealed new beau ties, new grandeur. I could but feel how small I was in the presence of him who made all; and yet my heart swelled with thanksgiving that he had pemitted me, even me, to call him Father. "Behold, what man ner of love the Father hath bestow ed upoq us th?t we should be called the sonsof God." TWO HOLSTON BRETHREN. But while we were still in the midst of this paradise, beneath us the beautiful French Broad, above us the towering mountains, the gathering shadows of night shut us in to ourselves. Afraid to read by the flickering lamps, I began to amuse myself by an examination of each new comer as he entered. Presently two strangers caught my eye. A brief examination convinc ed me that they were preachers on their way to Morristown to the meet ing uMe 'Holston Conference. As soon as the younger man had de posited his saddle-bags and made himself comfortable, I went over and introduced myself. He proved to be none other than the nobhs though sometimes erring P. E., of the Asheville District, Dr. C. T. Car roll. His companion was Dr. J. A. Reagan, of Weaverville, for years an itinerant, now one of the most influential local preachers in his conference. It was indeed a pleas ure to meet them. Of course we talked of the proposed transfer of the N. C. territory which is now held by Holston, and of course Dr. Car roll was much opposed. He is a strong man; an earnest man. What he lays his hand to is done with his might. Firmly convinced that he is right in this matter, he will fight the proposition to the death. He loves the church at large and de sires its welfare, but Holston is his ido', and he can see no benefit to the whole church in the suffering of his own Conference. We respect and honor him for the love he bears his Conference, but trust the General Conference, viewing the matter with unprejudiced eye, will recognize state ' lines and give N. C. Metho dism a unity and strength she can not have while scattered as she is to day. THE OTHER SIDE. Dr. Reagan proved to be an ear nest advocate of the transfer. He says that the prominent laymen in this territory are almost unanimous ly in favor of the transfer. The leading appointments in the Ashe ville District have said so in the face of a presiding elder whose heart and soul are against it. A number of the minor apppointments, however, swayed by the influence of the dis trict "Bishop," failed to ask for the transfer. In the Franklin District he says they want to come, but they have been led to believe that Va. will get her three districts anyway and if they also leave the Holston Conference it must cease to exist; hence rather than sound the death knell of the grand old Conference by their withdrawing, they will give up their own preference and remain. Dr. Reagan is in every way a capa ble judge, and he assures me that the time is ripe for the transfer. The laymen almost as an unit, and'quite a number of ministers, favor the transfer; the best interest of N. C. Methodism and the welfare of the church at large demands the move. The Holston Conference as a body will, no doubt, oppose the movement: but we appeal to a higher power and await in confidence their action. Space does not permit any word about the remainder of my trip. Four hours were spent on Mt. Look out, near Chatanooga, Tenn. They were hours of deep enjoyment. God's mighty hand has wrought wonder fully. Man's ingenuity, has also achieved seeming impossibilities. I would like to devote a whole letter to that visit, but I may not delay here. THE SHADOWS GATHER. Speeding on to this city and the Vanderbilt, I found a ready welcome from old friends. Of course I was sad because I found many old faces gone, but no doubt I shall soon find many friends among the new. A deep shadow has rested upon us since I came; deep then, deeper now. Last year about this time our Dean, Dr. W. F. Tillett, brought to our midst his beautiful and attractive Christian bride. She was fast win ning her way into the hearts of all. Beautiful in face and form, graceful in manner, consecrated to her Savior, her heart was set upon help ing those who in the providence of God were her husband's pupils. Last year she did much to add to the en joyment of "the boys," and to draw them to herself and her husband. She had entered upon her married life under circumstances which seemed to foretell the highest happi ness and the widest usefulness. But ere a year had passed at the thresh hold of her life, in answer to the Father's voice, she paused, surren dered her loved ones, laid down her work, and entered into rest. (Katie Schooifield Tillett died at the home of her parents in Danville, Va., on Saturday, Sept. 28th.) No words can tell the loss the church and the world have experienced in the death of this noble Christian ' woman; much more is it impossible to tell the loss of husband and child and parents. Surely this is an inscruta ble providence, but since God did it we know it must be best. May the Holy Spirit strengthen, bless, and comfort the afflicted ones. Such was the deep shadow that rested upon our community when T returned, but another was impend ing and soon settled upon our hearts. On Thursday, the 3rd inst., Casimir Zdanowicz, Professor of Modern Languages and Literature, died at his home on the Vanderbilt Campus, Prof. Zdanowicz was a native of France. He had already won for himself a prominent place in rank as a scholar, and was fast advancing to the front. He was a faithful and zealous teacher, a refined and genial man, a tender and loving husband and father; but above all he was a conscientious, trusting child-like Christian man. At the funeral ex ercises Chancellor Garland, in be half of himself and colleagues, inmost emphatic and"fi'nmistakable terms bore witness to the greatness of the character of the departed as to schol arship, manhood, friendship and Christianity. Strong as were the words used, those who knew him could see in them no exaggeration. One of our strongest, best and truest men has gone, and we are in deep sadness. ' My letter is too long, but my pen has much else it would like to say to its old friends. Bear with me this time; grant me a frequent hearing, and I will try to be more brief. I shall speak more largely of Nash ville and the Vanderbilt in my next. Nashville, Tenn., Oct. bth, '89. For the Advocate. Signs of True Iit-ty. BY REV. E. L. PERKINS, M. D. Hearing a woman using the most violent language in denouncing the Methodists, because they did not use as much water in their initiatory rites,as suited her fancy, and noticing that she greatly stood in need of a daily dipping, instead of one dip in a lifetime, I was naturally led to the following reflections: If cleanli ness is not Godliness it is one of the oldest children which Godliness has produced, and the child has a very striking resemblance to its parent. At the same time filth is the offspring of sin and closely resembles its an cestry. Whoever has lived long has noticed that sin and uncleanness are genial companions, and the Bible has very properly associated these terms. "Neglecting the body" is one of the charges brought, by one of the Apostles, against certain classes of people. A celebrated chemist remarked that the degree of civilization attain ed by any nation might be arrived at by ascertaining the amount of soap used by the people, and I am strongly impressed with the belief that there is a friendly alliance be tween pure religion and good soap. The first man I ever heard curse his mother to her teeth, using the vilest language, was drunk, ragged and covered with dirt. His mother stood with a vacant stare, with an old black pipe in her mouth, and her clothes looked as if they had long since been divorced from the wash-tub. In our large cities, as you approach those quarters where the dens of vice abound, you become aware of the fact by the scenes of filth which greet the eye on every side of you. Some people seem to think that filth is an emblem of humility, and that the soul within is rendered humble and pure by a good coat of filth without. Some of the ancient nuns, acting upon this principle,refusedto change their clothing or to extermi nate the vermin from tli eir dwellings, because, they said, the body needed punishing on account of sin. This looks like trying to win heaven by doing evil to ourselves, rather than doing good to others, thus they re verse the doctrine that "Pure relig ion and undented beforeGod and the Father, is to visit the fatherless and the widow in their affli?!:: and to keep thyself unspotted from the world." Our Savior place.? the grounds of admittance into heaven upon charitable conduct. "In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ye have done it un to me." We conclude that pure charity and pure cleanliness are the best signs exhibited by those who are really on the road to heaven. For the Advccate. Honoring- the Governor. Our Governor is a Christian, and does not feel honoredby a ball. His respect for his church and his bap tismal vows make him very un comfortable in a ball-room. Some propose to honor him by a "hop," in ignorance. Others, insincerely. These wish to enjoy the carnal "hop," and hope to make it respectable by having the Governor present, or by having his name associated with the "hop" in the newspapers. Those wlio have proper respect for the Governor will never ask him to attend a ball. Yours truly, A. D. Betts. Something Out of Joint. The Wesleyan Advocate very sen sibly says : One case, in many that have recently attracted our atten tion illustrating the inconvenience of having unordained men in the pastorate, came to our notice last week. An unordained pastor in the No: in Georgia Conference has re cently had a great re ival on his circuit. Quite a large number have applied for membership in the church. A committee, including the pastor, wrote this editor an urgent letter asking us to go. He could not go. Then a telegra m came to the pastor at Austell begging him to go and baptize the candidates for membership or send some one that could baptize them. The Austell pastor was engaged in a meeting of his own and could not go. It is, un certain if any one can be obtained for some weeks. There is someth ing out of joint in a system where such delays as the above are so numerous as in some portions of our church; either the baptism is made too much of as a preliminary to full membership in the church, or the disability of unordained pastors ought to be removed. A Word From Bishop Duncan. Bishop Duncan spoke as follows concerning the Church paper at the recent session of an Annual Confer ence : "The church paper is your junior preacher, and a very faithful and efficient preacher he is. Rain or snow does not keep this helper from meeting his appointments. The people may be detained at home by a storm, but this preacher comes to their homes, and preaches to them by the fireside preaches clearly and forcibly, and often, better than the able senior. The intelligence of the church, the interest which people take in church work, or their spirit uality, is measured very correctly by their reading of our church litera ture. The plea of poverty will not excuse them. A matter so essential to their spiritual good, and to the welfare of their familif ?, can only be neglected out of indifference to A Timely Hint. At the Louisville Conference the balloting for delegates to the Gener alConference ramified through every part of the body in a way that indi cated (to at least one visitor) an ab sence of all cliques and combinations that was honorable to all concerned and auspicious of good things tor the church of Christ. Nashville Advo cate. Matters of Opinion. Nashville Advocate : "The professed Christian who shows by his words and act s that he considers the question of a high tariff or low tariff more important than that of his own h?;;h or low spiritual condition, will come out of the campaign where he started in a shabby specimen of a disciple of Christ." Central Methodist : "Seven is the perfect number, and if the following seven rulea were faithfully observed, they would do something toward making a perfect man: Before thou openest thy mouth, think, first, wha.t thou shalt speak; second, why thcu houldst speak it; third, to whom thou art about to speak; fourth, .'-?r::erning whom or what thou art about to speak; fifth, what will result there from : sixth, what benefit it can nrodiue; seventh, who ir.vy be listen mg. Subscribe for this Advocate.
North Carolina Christian Advocate (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Oct. 16, 1889, edition 1
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