»F s s- Erz-www VOL. XIX BY BBV. JiXB E. BACON, f. M. M Xongfellow in Christos—the Golden Legend, says : \ ir takes alone, bat two! he enters st s door,” Death entered the door of oar min isterinl ranks early in this first quar ter and removed Dr. J. P Thompson, and now our district is draped in m miming on aeooont of the demise of that historic character, Rt. Rev. Bish op J. P. Thompson, M. D,. D. D. Am the thought steals over me that we shall never behold hi* splendid form again, feel the throb of his lug** and generous heart, or be rtartled or soothed by Use rough our mild into nations of his voice, I feci* like say ing with the prophet, “Howl fir tree for the alder has fallen.’’ He Indeed was a cedar among the ministeria trees of the Zion connection. Tali broad shouldered, dtep chested, ooro ■nandiog-presence, physically was an unusual speciman of humanity. With a nature as rugged as the hills ovei which h*» traveled a hall century agr ; yet transforming, and becoming as mi ll active as the gloiioue and varie hues of an autumnal sunset he wa especially adapted for the pioneer work of fifty years ego The work andrthnes demanded mote of great courage, unswerving wills, and indomitable pluck and energy Them elements were largely personi fied fas th s character of Bpbop Thomp “Sare reign,' I must fight, if I wouln literally true on many M in conducting religious se* viees I remember hearfbg the Bi*t> op humorously remark one evening when accompanying him to Bingham ton depot, alluding to those eariy days: “I was a terror to evil doers and a blessing t > all who Caine unt* The prejudice against colored peop e In this section as in other sections ■ *; the country, because of the "peculia lnautotion” ran high, and their iiuh religions aeryices were often inter-. ) opted and sornr times broken upb! theft so-called civilised whi*e rowdiee and miscreants. And there was n law to appeal to, as the Negro had no rights that a white man was bound to respect. Thank God we lire nos under a different order of things. . It most hare been unusually gran fjing to the Bishop to bate had h» life prolonged to see such marvelous changes as have occurred during th» peat fifty years Few men have en tered upon such discouraging work under su*h limitations as the Bishop and lived to see sack productive and fruitful results of their labors, ezer tions and prsyen. From the log church which he assisted in erecting at Elmira, when it' was largely a wil derness—part awamp and part riling* green; he lived to see beautiful edi fiots erected in this conference, end » happy and prosperous people servi- g God under their own vine and fig tree, T|ie conference-Where he spent» {psny of his years has grtfern until n some respects it if the peer of any con (prencf in th? connection During all yeaf! $be conferex.ce has watche f }th peculiar inter, at and and admin tiog ony of its founders rise by steady degre from t circuit preacher to tb* high nod sacred tfflee of Bishop h the church of God Rfe goal and earnestness, tacrifi,* and devotion to the work of the Mas * fer—his uniform ‘Christian character wiiriremain with m asa preciou- l*ga j until tpe last syllable of recorded W7 U sealed pp tod deliver*! tu the OapifotfUt Judge. But the duty of the hour requires os to turn from vmflnAtWi Ia ftthnr social apd material advancement « the citizens. Rev. Dangerfield and wile have bean ?. ly cordially reorifed by the people, and we look" for batter thinjp. • ( w J. w. Uer b fairs at Water ton, N. V. This % a beautiful little little city on the Black River. The colored population num bers aboat two hundred. This charge is extremely peculiar and but few hate ever belonged to chunk. Demons hate ever belonged to ehttieb. For seveial years past our member ship consisted of teas then five msm ben and yet the pasters vMytd a salary of $600 Zion hen is alright Insurmountable barriers presented one from visiting Johnstown, Glovers ville and also 8ahoharie. I am creditably Informed that Bet. I J. a is still making oomimnd ibie progress and large oongregatieas ire waiting upon his ministry. Bet. D. F. Bradley; 8chohario. Is laboring oard to lift up Zion's standard than iud the present indications an fotpr hie to his successful accompHthiBSWI Rochester, N. Y„ the Flower Oitj •t the Empire State, Rev. W. A. Etf* O.O.. is pa.tor.v He is suoelfiAtty idministeriog ehe*cb affairs. the Sunday school is rite largest in the ffioem and teachers. Possibly th» argeei young colored ladies* class in he North is her^ oeasistiag of near lj eighty members. This school makes « specialtv of developing the sotiai e-ement amoog its members. Bath, N. Y., is commanded by th* eloquent *»boy preacher,” Her. B. W. swain. He i= serving soooeasfaUy bis tillh year. The various departments; *ere never so successful as now.* For nearly three yeas the church has bee* i ^adequate to meet the demands oi the increasing congregation. In oo»j a-queues plans and specifications were drawn for a new and more oommoi iious edifice list Jana, Notwithj tending the fi' andal exigencies hi oas raisecT a fcubscriptkm of tw«j housand ($2,000) dollars during tW tjssi five months. The foundations ot me church have been laid and tty building whan complaled will s« uesrly $4,000 Bev. Soain sinoe his advent among us has proven himself & »e a remarkable young man. It North Carolina has say mow inti tons to spare, assy they now hearth* call, "Come over in Macedonia and help us.” 0*10 CONFEBENCE NEWS. BY BEV. J;«. TUMBLE, F, E. Through the will of Co$. the noty nation of our beloved bishop and tlie offrage of the brethren I was r# lected presiding ek&r of the Qhie ■ HH ■ Jp very grate ful There wss a little opposition thro « misunderstanding, but tbftt i| s bing of the past with u# end we have agreed to go to work as one ; to take d«r ah a?y debt, but ih*Terefttllof hone and Bor Omnh>l 1 ? that, ~Wm - r ■ rMJ Vm**•;■ ■ 1 1 ■ ^ i;7^■ 9* with a hfllnhi hand, tber oao moat «ll demend*. «SN*«hB iftfkievivat dmraki All lore him. ';-. *«* «P»«»§* ~M*Wl|0tM» “IIW Jpt^-P^R., p®*®**:! .**WT ''“**T*^" •P* iraith at attend; tfill; nearly all 4 tk« witwnhflTi had ffose into winter if^rvTr - ■ • iy- ' «*«•» Wot, qmrterlj liig Is prfililini in rcuit, ft* LT Freeman 9* ray mnoh of 4 ® W;«|tS fondi> for the pastor and fiunily. tell him that he hew done good than any of his pro He ^ae not got the big think himself lord of all, 4U^ the poblic school JPff. for D H Horton, a member and class leader of his church. JEEeia *. rigH m« ,od praushw in tb. BY XBffOPHEX, One of the most important of the grave sad important subjects to be enmidered and disposed of by the ea rning general oonferenoe, is the choos ing of a number of its members to graea the high and honorable office of MwOp JSu0n discretion suet wisdom art here required. Brother Bttdfci letter, captioned "In honor preferring onafnother/’ shows the epirft-ihst oofhtto paimil whilst this all i*p<* lant matter is beiagoonridered and terminated. TbedftBoolfy whiekeoa ftcBtfeasi* too often each one oi the whole membership fssla half heshtndd bathe urn hi honor preferred and hasa miich feelinfcvhich la not alto* gather ohriataan-liko, Is sna^ginN|nred. Efcpeoiattyh thisfeeling mod intense Ij fdt bf bimufco by some good stroke of fortune bar made unto bim— tatf a name for oratory or eharch building or aea snOoeisAil pastor to •hocae one .W. done* to the e* of The Star roust be highly dieted by; ■ Be?; Junto r mjr lenthnrtiti to the letter. Clinton 1 as had a herd row to and I think he hie held up folly eel 1 under the preMing 1 able dreuraitancer. ^drhouldfodeiWj ip med and I Mm quite willing to •5 toward thi^ ■ary fupplnia’t6vt pare well 2ibn i and the lack of ohifrdfc piWe mm tafartrik o: ♦S church sentiment. ccrodndiA tomm It can be Oon nor dSfed.tfceappend of the edited mights* regarded MHb h wilh foiLhlm to fefyhnd who Wdnto him to oatniAjpii, to begin the eeoond —i-rr rip rffiftyIpmt »fAH Ofripl( * ff medo w!tb Wadb^M^Mt to. the heaveas. His faneftt'^Hr pftaofced by the writer. T fefcfted u t text Jerexqiah li:2fc "thou eft xnybettie **» «*d weapons of war.” Quit# a targe aodkoee attended tbeftifaml. HjMret « aedifeer^of’ that Odd** viUe cemetery. true and thcw U» Dear .Uter, w» .jmpathi.. with forth* widow and a fiuhar for tlia Lord taketh away, blessed be the i uttHTCBtartMr , fmmui