WSStoi * h ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST »PAL ZION CHURCH IN AMERICA. - wl VOL XVIII. SALISBURY, N.C. THURSDAY, MAY 11 , 1894 NUMBER 20 EPISCOPAL ADDRESS BY BBSHOP A. WALTERS. [Delivered before the Philadelphia a | ( Baltimore conference, May, 1894.] To the Ministers and Delegatee oompos- i log the Philadelphia and Baltimore < conference: Dear Fathers and Breth ren—We are grateful to almighty God for having spared us to assemble in another annual conference snsslnn It is because of the continued illness of Bish op C. R. Harris, D. D., that I appear among you for the seoond time as your presiding officer. At the last session of the Board of Bishops which was held the seoond week in Maroh at Charlotte, N. C*, Bishop Harris was given a year’s va cation. He is now recuperating in Cali fornia; I received a letter a few days ago from Mrs. Bishop Harris stating that he W8S greatly Improved in^bealth, an Its on the road to complete recovery. I notice l a remarkable ohange in 1dm for the bet # ter during the three weeks I w*» with him on the Coast. No pains will be spared to save this soholarly and plOns prelate to the churoh. Our losses by death in the last twelve months has been so great that we cannot afford by any neg lect on our part to. sustain any ad ditional losses. . In the first instance death removed from our midst an ex-member of this conference in the person of Bev. N. J Green, D. D. He was a dignified, pains taking, erudite, genial, ohiistlan gentle man; his place will be hard to fill. Er* this wound had time to heal the whole oonneotion was shocked at the news of the death of the foremost |educator of|he age, fearless advocate of bnmsn rights and neerless orator of the race, Bev. J. C. Price, D. D., president of Llvlngstonel College. A great many thought that his death meant the destruction of the in stitutlon, but happily for theehugtife andj the race his work was not of an evanes- ; cent nature ; he buHt not with “hay and stubble but with gold, silver and precious stones, materials sufficient to stand the fire.” His associates in this laudable en terprise were strong men and women who were able to take hold where he left off and carry on the work to complete viotory. While shedding tears of sorrow over his untimely taking off we were sadden ed by the intelligence of the demise of our venerable senior Bishop J. J. Moore, D. D. He ihay be dasssed as one of the greatest preachers ever produced by the ohurch. For dee p research, vivid image ry, scholarly attainments and gentleman )y bearing, he has not been exoelled by any. A short while another one of oar strong preachers was oalled to his heav enly reward; I refer to Rev. George E. Smith, of the New York oonferenoe. I am afraid that our men have not t.ken as maoh care of their health as they should have done. In oar haste to build up the ohureh we have driven on too rap idly. We mast pass the word along the line, "Take care of your health." All mast heed this admonition, from the bishops down. Let this be a part of oar instruction in the fatare. Mr. Wesley laid great stress upon this point; indeed it is one of our ecclesiastical rulers that we are not to talk too long or too loud. CONDITION OF TH* CHURCH. Notwitstaning onr political ohaos and financial straits oooasioned by an imbe cile administration, soolal upheavals as exhibited^ “Coxeyism,” and sonttnued outrages perpetrated upon our race by lynehings, discriminations, eto, the churoh has enjoyed a season of unusual prosperity. Esdedally is this true oi our organization. We have received see oral strong religious bodies anl more than a s lore of ministers into the emmet tion within the last twelve months. Oi the 20th of February a ohureh edifice two or three ministers ani 200 memben were received into our connection a Cincinnati,Qiio* Two ohurohes came U ns from the A, M E connection, one* Mohile, Alabama, and another at Wash iqgton, D. C. The Mother ohuroh (M E has furnished ns with some stymg mei ‘ in the persons of Drs* Johnson, Carta and Moreland, and I understand then are others to follow. Our Zion has beei blessed during tire fall and winte months with great revivals East, Nortl and South; hundreds have been added ti her oommunion; she is moving on glorl ously. We are proud of her ministrj * pleased witir her Qomreotlonal instttt tions even if they we not all we deair them to be. We are hopeful of her fn tare. What we need to make our inetl tattoos what they should be, is mor money. It is apparent to a great many in th ohuroh that the time has come when w must increase the general fund. W have done all in onr power to oolleot ti 60 oents; sttU there is a large deficient We ere told that we have e sough area $r» io njf'eet bqt 6Q oenb |l(isiuaybetruetsttlil am prepared < a ay that 1 don’t believe It wfll be don There la net a bishop an the beaoh wl does not use all hit influence to have the i brethren oolleet the whole of the general fond, and jet with all oar efforts we had bat very little, if any, Increase in the last two years. Ir the last year we ac tually had a deorease in the general amount. The matter has been pretty thoroughly worked up, and about all.the members who are going to pay their 50 oents are paying it. I am sorry to say that there are some people who will nev er pay any general fund. It is only the loyal members who pay; these same members, who are interested in the con nections! Institutions and who glory in their prosperity, will pay the dollar or'as muoh of it as they can. Wnat we need to do is to oonvinoe them that it is needed. Our educational work is suffering for the want of financial support. The buildings at Livingstone College are greatly in need of repairs, and the teach ers are far hack in their salaries. The Sigh school at Madisonvllle, K>., will ; be olosed and the property taken awsy from us if immediate relief is not given. Jones University must have some finan cial aid or dose her doors. Other insti tutions are in like condition. Shall we stand by and see them perish because a few persons objeot to the increase of the general fund t Nay, nay; let us have the courage to make suoh assessments as will meet the demands of the work. We may boast of our members as much i as we choose, and talk about what 50ots will do, but I am convinced that without \ an increase in taxation we shall be forc ed into bankruptcy. We made a great mistake in 1884 when we failed to increase the taxation at the j suggestion of the bishops. If the assess ment was one dollar, 25 cents of it would go into the educational work, 25 cents to the Church extension fund and the other 50 cents for other oonnectlonal purposes, soothes superannuated preachers’ fund, Junday-school Department, Stab, Quar terly, Book Concern, widows and or phans’ fund salaries of bishops and general offioers. y There are several large dties in this country where we have no ohurohes; if we had a strong church extension fund we would be able to loan to strug gling organisations sufficient money to put them on their feet, and would be im proving the work. The Board of Bishops i at their last session acted wisely in re questing that every member of the con nection contribute one dollar towards building a church in Chioago. We need strong churches at Baltimore, Md., At lanta Ga., New Orleans, La., Nashville, Tenn., Kansas City, Mo., Cleveland Ohio Denver, CoL, Buffalo, N. Y., Richmond, Va., St Paul, Minn., Omaha, Nebaska, and at a great many other points that I cannot just think of. j While werej ice that'some money is being collected for the theologioal de partment at Livingstone College, yet it is a very meagre amount that is being paid in. We must have a regular system of collecting money for educational work; these spasmodic eff orts wont do. ▲ friend speaking of a certain western city the other day said that when schools were supported by voluntary contribu tions they were no good; rarely ever oontinued more than three or four months;'but when the oitizens made up their minds to levy a tax upon the people for sohool purposes it was not long be fore they had a ten months’ sohool and tbe.teaohers paid regularly. The increased taxation may be a little galling for a while, but when the ipem hers see the increased influence, splendor and general prosperity of the work they will rejotoe at the increase of the tax. I hope this conference will be the first to go on record in favor of raising tne gen eral fund to one dollar. O brethren, wont you hear and answer the prayer of help from our worn out preachers (who have spent their best days in building up the work) by lnoreas ; ing the fund? Qur educational cause demands an increase of the assessment. The Stab, Quarterly, all our publica tion departments are pleading for rail must have financial aid. I appeal to you i to-day on behalf of the institutions of the ohuroh and future of the connection • to help out in this struggle. I am not here pleading for the salary of the biih ■ ops alone; God forbid that I should be i that narrow mad selfish. I am pleading i for the future suooejM of our Zion. VARRICK MEMORIAL BUILDING. We have just scoured a beautiful build Ing at Charlotte, N. C., for a publishing 1 department Hon. John 0. Dancy haa ’ been appointed collecting agent for it ■ Wahops our brethren will assist him it » his effort*. The building is to be knosi as the Yarrlek Memorial Building. Th< » seoontr Sunday in August has been sei » inert as Msmorlal Day in honor of Blsh • ^.TuovZd.b^ i.t, • be taken up on that day for the benefi >, of the Yarrlok Building. LetnqVoth f 4 fu(l tnolperu tip lam 1* this respeot i CENTENNIAL 0 We are nesting the time of our Cental r nisi We hope to make it the greater 0 affair of the kind over attempted by th race. All branches of the chriatta^ church are to be invited to participate with us in our one hundredth wmlTenl ry, which is to be held in New York city during the latter part of September or the early part of October, 1896. I know the Philadelphia anil Baltimore confer ence will not be backward in performing its part in this gigantic enterprise. Everybody in the connection is expect ed to gi^e one dollar or more during the Centennial year; it is to be the grand ral lying year of the connection. Let our versatile penmen grasp their pens and write quioidy and continuously either in prose or poetry, (for we are blessed with the ability in this confer ence to do both) that 150,000 is needed and must be raised during the Centen nial year. ^am afraid that some of oar brethren don’t understand my position on the sib j*ot of Organic Union. I am as much a Unionist tc-day as I over was. I believe chase two churches would do a greater work together, but because of the seem ing indifference and inslnoerlty on the part of some of oar leading brethren in the A M E church, I have deemed it wise to be silent on that subjeot for a while. Tf the A M ,E and A M K Z churches should fail to unite I am sure that it will not be the fault of our church., Let me j reiterate this:—If the A M E Zion and i the A M E churches fail to unite, it will I not be the fault of the A M E Zion < ohuroh. We are for union; every one of our conferences have so declared; a large majority of our members of our members are for union. But I am afraid that ! some of our A M E brethren started out to swallow us up, and not have a mutual affair of it; when they discovered that Zion was likely to divide honors with them in the consummation, they backed down 1 found that they were taking advantage of the situation by telling •pmertour membersinloealities where 'hey were stronger than jwe were, that they might just as well oome on over to them, as the two ohurches were united, or about to unite. When I saw that move l thought we ought to do some thing to thwart it; at least let our mem bers know that there was no likelihood union until we had reinforced our selves to suoh an extent as to convince the A M E brethren of the advisability of uniting. J The A M E brethren believe they are stronger than we are numerically and fi* socially, hence don’t c^re to take us as equal. Perhaps they are. If this 'is true, it is only a matter of time until they will be forced to ahange their opin iod along tois line. While I am anxious for the consummation of the union, I don’t want it consummated until we have demonstrated to them that we are their equal in every partioalar. My chief business now Is, to help put the foroes to work which will convince them of this fact. <(It is not lhat I love the union less, but Zion more.” Thii is why I allowed my address on “Unity without Uniformity” to be published in The Q uarterly. More: was anxious for some of the “Anti Uaionists” to make whatever capital out of it they oould, and so wrote my friend, Dr. J. W. Smith. The man who thinks that the Afrioan Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is lack ing in ecclesiastical diplomacy and dex terity is greatly mistaken; I am afraid some people are finding this out to their confusion. If the Zion church is noted for any two things, they are piety and diplomacy; she Is a striot observer of the admonition of the Savior: “Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” I mean no braggadocio, for if there is anything a minister ought to avoid it is the oontemptible business of braggado cio: it is not Christlike,—there is no ohristianity in it. There ought to be no disagreement as to the unity of the churohes being right; the ohief feature of the controversy is, the advisability of the consummation under the existing conditions, whioh are mainly alleged superiority In numbers and wealth—and in some initanoea^pre judiee. When these causes shall have been removed you mty expeot the con summation of the union. In the mean time let us do all in our power to remove these hindrances; let us put nothing in the way of the union, but do everything that we can to encourage it, since itii right and “right the day must win.” Let me assure you that I have not losi faith in the union. THE HEW HYMNAL. Our new Hymnal has been published ai considerable expense and we are anxt<*ui to put it on the market. At has a shori ritual service which ought to be intro doced into every church in the connection If for no other reason this alone should h an inducement for our members, to buy th< boo^. Besides, it oontaiqs a great man; hymns by oqr own bishops and minister! It is the best book of the kind that ha ever been published in a colored church. In the next place, the Book Boom mar agement is greatly in need of funds, an must make sale of its literature if it woul i |ibe relieved of this embarrassment. Lot every minister if tjils coufereLoa send in his order at the earliest opportunity. See to it that the Bltnal is introduced in your churches; it wifi ad greatly to tie dignity of the service. If our brethren will send for a dozen or more we will allow then 30 per cent., on condition that they remit within $0 days. We have also published some new Class Books, which the brethren will do well to fhrnish their leade.f with. We have secured Mss. of Bishop Hood’s History of the A. M. E. ZiouvConneo tion,” and are prepared to give a large per centage to agents. The book h|now in print and will soon be ready for delivery. It will make between six and sepn hun dred pages and the price will in the neighborhood of $360 or $3.00. '* DEPARTMENTS. I know you will give the following de partments proper conside *ation: Star of Ziow, Quarterly, Sunday School Uiipn, Ed ucational, Missionary and Theologjpal De partments. I hope you will nefepncglect any of them. I* expect the reggeaenta tives of the most of them here us en courage them by giving cial help we can. MINISTERIAL I am glad to perceive a for the better along all lines try. Our men are impioi neatness and intelligence, a number of diligent men who appreciate their ^ and are doing all in their! $ewer[ to pre pare thexnse'yea for their tasks.^ It is a good sign for the future of the church and race when our brethren are willing to make sacrifices in order to procure for themselves first class literature, especially when they make proper Use* the same. Indeed, some of them possess most excel lent libraries, and are prepared te-intelli gently lead the people. The fitet is, we are coming! Tea, we are HXSKl Notwithstanding the hindrance* #ttttiOS& upon us through the vnoiMd institution of slavery, we ere fast rising above our banefhl environments and are snatching victories ont of our defeats. West we need is to add to our piety and intelligence. Be sober, sincere, conscien tious in what you do and say, and the vic tory is Ours. The question is being asked in religious assemblies if Holy Ghost preaching la not falling into decay. It is the consensus of opinion by some of t he best writers and thinkers of this age that it is. Says Dr. J M Buckley, of the Christian Advocate, N. Y.: “The power of the pulpit in the presentation of truth has sensibly declined It is increasingly seldom that convictions are attributed to particular sermons. This arises from the fact that preaching is not as spiritual; that sin, guilt and punish ment, and the need of regeneration are not preached with the clearness, solemnity and earnestness commensurate with their vital relation to salvation; and that thatches are regarded as places of enter tainment. of solemn, admonition, Revivals appear to be more and more superficial; conversions not deep; charac ter not changed; converts, though enter ing and renaming in the ehurch, speedily returning to their former associations and practices. Nor do revivals take hold of in telligent and strong characters as former ly.” This is a serious statement. I don’t think .t is as generally true of the colored minis •try as of the white; however, I believe hat more spiritual preaching is needed in »nr pulpits as well as among the whites, k man can not do much good without tho motion of the Holy Ghost. ‘O that it now from Heaven might fall Ind all our sins consume; 3ome Holy Ghost, tor thee we call, Spirit of burning, oome. Refining fire, go through our hearts, Illuminate our souls Scatter thy lift through every part, knd sanctify the whole.” O.my brethren, you who have not beer mbued by the Holy Ghost do tarry a rerusalem. Be constant in your prayer md thorough in your consecration till ym receive the baptism of powsr. Youwil iever be able to do your foil measuremen »f spiritual work until you receive it. All along with the baptism of the Ho$| Sheet we most look alter our inteUectua endowment. They both go together. On most not be urged te the detriment of th other. I am afraid this has been done ii too mang instance*. The Lord wants tut have as much in thahsai as in the.hsarl If the head is foil ofknOwledge and th heart foil of religion, we will be eqnall; poised. When erne Is developed to th exclusion of the othsr, look out for an ei thusiast or an egotist. ; T. . I have not had the pleasure of viaiti* but a fow charges in the conference, di Uiet,heneel will bate to depend upc foe prodding elders for reports «f ti wo’-k. I have been informed that tl work has met with especially John Wesley churoh, Waahin ton. DO, under the pastorate of Dr B Fisher. * I anticipate a pleasant and profitab 1 Now unto Him that is able to do ex ceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, onto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jeans throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. TU8KEGEE, (ALA.) DISTRICT REPORT OP THE EA8T DIYIMON OF THE ALA. CONFERENCE. BY BEY. L 8. PETERSON, P. E We are proud to state abroad to the members and friends of Zion that we hare completed the first round on our field of labor, and found things present ing a very promising outlook both spirit ually and temporally. Tuskegee Station, Rev J T McMillin pastor. Elder McMillan is serving his seoond year at this church. It Is one among the leading ohurohes In the Ala bama conference, and the longer he stays at Tuskegee the more he proves to be the proper man for the plaoe. He at attends the Bible Training school there to make himself fully prepared for the work of the ministry by and by. He is muoh beloved by his people as one of Zion’s ooming young men. Chebaw oiroult, Rev L Fannin pastor. Elder Fannin has but few equals as to his ohristlan integrity and experience as a preaoher. Though he bears the weight of many years he still plays flue part In the battle-field of the Lord. He is also going to the Bible Training school in Tuskegee to prepare to do better work for the Master. Rev Fannan is looked upon as a worthy father in Israel. Tatlasee oiroult, Rev C L Alexander pastor, nils young brother seems to have a warm plaoe in the hearts of near ly all of his people. Whatever he wants them to do he only but has to make it kaosmte them and the work is, or will. be done. There are three churches on this oiroult. Peaoe abides with them. He is also In the Bible Training school. Mt Meigs circuit, Rev Moses Pitts pas tor. Brother Pitts is noted for building fine houses of worship. He has erected one of the most delightful ohurohes on this circuit that I ever saw in the coun try. It equals almost any oity ohuroh for taste and beauty. There are a little odds against him at one of his three ohnrches, but as far as we have been able to hear and see into the matter it is founded upon unwarranted grounds. Wetumpka Station, Rev R Taylor, pas tor. RevATaylor is doing a great work for Zion at this point. This is his fourth year, nevertheless he is spreading the borders of our churoh in Wetumpka. He has a cheerful and willing working orowd around him that are at work repairing the ohuroh, painting, oarpeting and put ing new seats into it. Brother Taylor is proving himself master of the work at his high calling. Mt Zion station, Rev E M Brooks pas tor. Too muoh can not be said for this roung brother as a devoted pastor and neaeher, He is a man of remarkable duck, grit and graoe, he fills his plaoe >othin the Sabbath-sohool and pulpit nanfully. He has gone to work with lis trustees to enlarge his church that iss proven to be too small to seat the irowds that gather to hear him. Verbena circuit, Rev J T Scales pastor. Brother Soa!*s has three appointments m this eirouit; however the membership • very small, and is not large enough to keep the pastor and family above want. STevertheless we are glad to state that she preaoher is moving oheerfully along rith his little band. We had a grand time with him at Verbena on E*«ter Sunday. Burkvilie circuit, Rer J R Gill pastor. Fhen Elder Gill reached this point from he conference he found things little op used to him oaused by the hope of the uople for the return of Brother Wrivht, hair pastor of last year. All things are tbw quiet and the preaoher is going □Sharters oiroult, Rav P W Laremore pastor. Elder Laremore Is a young man raised up on this oiroult, and it suffloes to say that no minister is looked up to and regarded higher than he is by the people of his ohuroh. He Is a good preacher and a muoh beloved pastor. Hs has three churches on this oiroult Bro Laremore never runs behlnk with gen eral tan. Fort Hall otrcuit, Rev J 0 Lannre pas tor. These two young men are brot hers and what is said of one of them for up rightness is true of the other according to all reports. Rev J 0 is putting forth all efforts possible to build a new ohurol at Fort Hull five miles below Tuskegei to the South. We ask the blessing ol <*9d npoa his labors. Fine Grove circuit, Rsv JH Huber ~ ‘ were very muoh soattem reached this appoint proving himself maete in gathering the Hook o r droult, Rev MoD Shaq Sharp is one omong'tb leading young ministers in our confer ence. It is no mistake to say that i he is a good preacher ani« man of prom ] ising appearance. There are three i churches on this circuit and the pastor i don’t allow the grass to grow under any i body’s feet that comes in touch with ’ him. They are preparing for a new ; church at Liberty Hill He is also a 1 student of the Bible school. 1 Miss Lilia V Davis is doing great edu- < catlonal work in the Cotton Valley clr- 1 cuit. She is creating thinss ane v in that sect! on in the uplif ing of fallen hu- j inanity. It would be a great blessing < to the race if it had a thousand in this i State to do the work for it she is doing I out in the country. ZION IN ARKANSAS. BY PRESIDING ELDEtt R. J. *IMES. Mr. Elitor:—It has been qaite a while since I have furnished the readers of our gieat Stab a few words in behalf of ZioD. As I am presiding elder of the Little Rook district I thought it time to write a few lines, so our people might know what we are doing. After a still voice, deep studying and hard work, I can say Zion is alive on my distriot, and we are moving on to a greater success. Though some times things look a little dark and discouraging but I still hold Zion’s ban- 1 ner high. I want to say I hare been bat tling for Zion for 24 years and if I I've j 24 more I will battle on for her for she is good enough for me. I will give you a I brief account of my district. 1 I started on my first quarterly confer- 1 conference round Dec. 23, 1893. Bev T 1 J Jones is pastor here. The work is in 1 very good condition. Rev J >nes Is a stir- 1 ring man. Dee. 25 th I held quarterly conference at Neel’s school house. Rev G W Morris is pastor in charge. Rev Morris fs hold ing tho fort like a. great and true general; he is moving things before him. January 4*.h, 1894, 1 held conference at Clarendon. Rev W S Cou’ey is the pastor at this point. Owing to bad weather we were unable to have much suocess, but the outlook is bright and we expect much good to be done at this point by Rev Couley. January 6th, I held conference at Pop lar Grove. Rev G W Taylor is pastor at this point. He is a wide awake man in the interest of' God and the church, and has donemuoh for Zion here, and is loved by the people. Since he has was appoint ed here he has built a nioe church for God and Zion. We had a fine conference and everything is in good shape. |f January 11th I arrived at Forest City. Our church at this place’ is under the pastorate of Rev W G Brooks.- Owing to the heavy rains we were hindered a little. But on my arrival I was met by Mr and Mrs S Scott and Sister Harrison. Rev Brooks is the right man in the right place. He will push things to the front for Zion. January 13th and 14th 1 was with Bro W M Mathews at Brinkley. Here things are looking very bright. We held a love ly conference. We had good reports.’ Bro Mathews is a young preacher but he is brave and a hard worker for Zion. He loves his church and i3 loved by the church. May God bless him. January 18th, I arrived at Payne’s chapel, Little Book. Bev C N Payne is i pastor in charge. Rev Payne is doing a • great work at this place, and he is loved by his people. He had everything in trim for the quarterly conference. All of his offioora were prompt and made their reports according to law. He is meeting with great suooess in this city. The Sunday-sohool is also in a flourish ing condition; in fact it is in better con lition than any timesinoe RevR Moman was pastor. Bro T S Mitcham is the raperintendent of the Sunday-school. He is a true Zionite and he loves the oonneo don. May God spare him a long time to help build up Zion. January 27th and 28th, I was with Bro j L Evans at Cato, Rev Evans is a young man and a soholar; he is full of vigor for God and Zion. He is also loved by Us people and is doing a good work at this point He had every thing ready (or the conference and we had a pleasant session. On the 8th of February I reached Con way station on Rev J C Williams work. Raining as it was we held conference and had services. Bro Williams is an ener getic cVls’iBn gentleman and a good preacher. He 1. holding things down for Zion here. February 10th and 11th, I was at Blaok rille. Bev MMitoham is holding th* 'ort at this point and has done a wonder ful work for Zion. He Is a dignified flrristlan minister and has one. of the nost intelligent congregations in the State. His officers are always on time. I hope the time will soon oome when we jan have more such ministers and ohargei is this one. This is his fourth vearal this point He has built a nice ohurol and furnished it up. His people love Urn and are planning to keep him another year. March 31 and 4 h, I was a!; Cleveland, A.rk. Rev E M Martin is pastor at this point. He is a gospel preacher and an intelligent Christian gentleman. He is meeting with suoccsi on every hand. He is pastor of Moore Point. Grand reports were received. ■ Fort Rmith mission is under the pas torate of Rev H II Huggins and is doing very well; not as well as he would have done had he been well. May God bless him. March 5th and G.h, I was with Rev P E McElwee at Atkins, Ark. He is a true Christian and a lover of Zion. He was appointed to this mission without a mem her or a dollar but he is doing well now. March 9^h and lO.h, I was with llev E M Martin at Solgohachia. Here Rev Martin is holding tie fort and both saints and sinners love him, He is high ly esteemed by both colored aucl white. This ends my first quarterly round. We believe in raising the general tax to $1.00 and hope it will be dona in ’90. ‘UNTOUCHED AND UNAN . 6WERED” BY REV. EDWARD D. W. J0NE3. Editor of The ^Stae:—I’ieaso give space to the following: I would suggest to Bro. Blackwell that as he sees so many deficiencies in Janes’ Hand-Book on Discipline, so many im portant questions "unanswered and un touched” as it is such a narrow, " on com' prehensive little book, and as he wa3 the to discover that it contained only "good and reliable” matter that he would be doing a great work for the connection to displace it by a broader work emenating from his versatile brain. I know Bishop Jones would not have dipped bis pen in ink only to write a “goo*}, reliable” essay on Methodist law, for to my own personal knowledge, he was actuated to spend his little earnings to publish the book, to deal only with those knotty questions over which had arisen doubt as to the exact meaning. He was asked- to write on intricate top ics in our general law by the best brain of Zion connection, and the majority of subjects explained in his work were sug gested to Jiim by such men who desired information, as would not ask for light only on "important” subjects. He left nothing "untouched” that needed to be touched then, and as our law in general is a fixed basis of operation, therj re mains nothing important now that he left "unanswered.” The "pity” Bro. Blackwell experiences because "Jones’ Hand-Book is so brief,” is to a goodly number of us a great satis, faotion, since ,we want a handy, plain guide. It was his purpose to enclose valuable truths in a concise way, and he did not intend for it to be estimated by size, but by its contents. Brevity does not lack for;e, or Bro. Blackwell’s grand ‘ Excurses” would bo weak indeed. He oomplains against Watson’s Theo logical Institutes because it is too volu minous, and Jones’ Hand-Book is tco brief; well let him give us a "digest ot Methodist law” that will come up to the standard. He has been the only one to see so many important things unanswer ed and untouched and he is the only one to touch and answer thoso important things, for he alone knows them. He implies that the wilting is good and re liable, but of no value since it deals only with trite subjects, subigots that are not important. There wotWl have been no need of his writing the Hand-E ook If he did not intend for it to explain the weighty questions in our Discipline. The book is the result of bis experi ence. He saw what the men needed, i and knew exaotly the points that were , difficult to understand, and he treated i these in a, simple e'ear manner. The Methodist law should not be beyond the , oommon level of those to be governed, > nor is it, yet there are a few things that • oall for a dear explanation. But, if the ■ Discipline demands a vclumniuoug book t to be written, a kind of "Encyclopedia,” r to dear it from obscurity, then 1 would t suggest that it be written at once, and substitute it for oui present established . oode. No ehuroh need make laws that the I ministers who are to enforce them, nor y tbs laity who are to obey them can’t un~ 1 derstand, and if there are necessary top a ios left oat in oar Discipline they should be placed therein, to save the time of our great men to write lengthy "Digests a on Methodist Law.” v I have noticed Bro. Blackwell’s arti j cles, and if I be guided by him, why at B our next general conference we will have a to ohaoge everything. It is a great won ,, der to my mind that ha hasn’t said that B the Discipline had left untouched and un a answered important questions. Let ns X go slow on what has been done for Zion h by her dead pioneers, and not run too * far ahead ot our times, for fear we will k be oalled "fast” Maryville, Tenn,