METHODIST BODIES
APPROVE A UNOIN
Representatives of Northern
and Southern Churches
Hold Conference
Cleveland, Ohio, July 26.—A plan
for the reunion of the northern and
southern divisions of the Methodist
Episcopal church was taken under
consideration by the joint commission
on unification tonight after having
been approved by members represent
ing both branches at seperate meet
ings.
The plan, drafted by a joint com
mittee of 16; was adopted unanimous
ly by the northern members at a
meeting this afternoon. At its meet
ing tonight the southern members
made a few changes in the wording
of the plan which was then submitted
to the joint commission.
Confidence that the differences in
the wording of the plan would be
ironed out and the breach which arose
in 1846 over the question of slavery
would be healed, was expressed by
members of the joint commission as
they went into session.
Approval of the plan means the
possibility of a united church by 1926,
according to Dr. A. W. Harris, gen
eral secretary of the board of educa
tion of the northern branch and sec
retary of the unification commission.
If reunion occurs, the Methodist
Episcopal church will be the first of
the three great Protestant denomina
tions which divided over the question
of slavery to become reconciled.
The plan, Dr. Harris said, provides
only that each church change its
constintution so that instead of hold
ing seperate general conferences, ev
ery four years, the two general con
ferences will be merged. Details of
unification of the various missionary,
educational and benevolent boards and
other matters of organization and
administration are left to the merged
general conferences to work out, he
said.
The required changes must be ap
proved by both general conferences
and then ratified by the annual con
ferences of the church throughout
th ecountry.
The general conference of the
church, north, will meet in Spring
field, Mass., next May. Should it
adopt the plan, a special meeting of
the general conference of the church,
south, whose next regular meeting
is scheduled for 1926, Dr. Harris said,
could be called fox the fall of 1924.
Assurance that the two general
conferences will be merged is seen
by Dr. Harris in the fact that during
their period of separation both
branches have maintained a similar
faith and organization. The problem
of reunio nhas been one of agree
ment rather than of complicated
questions.
The ministerial standing of the
negro bishops and clergymen in the j
northern Methodist Episcopal church j
will be continued to the reunited
church on an equality with the white
ministers and bishops, Dr. Harris
said. The negro bishops, however,
will not preside over white confer
ences.
Twenty of the 164 annual home
and foreign conferences into which
the northern churches are grouped j
are negro conferences.
The southern church has no negro
conferences.
After the merger the Methodist
Episcopal church wlil have 26,000 j
ministers ,44,000 churches and 6,200,-!
00C members.
Cleveland, July 26.—A plan for the ,
merging of the General Conferences |
of the Methodist Episcopal Church,!
North, and the Methodist Episcopal j
Church, South, separated since 1845, j
was adopted tonight by the joint
commission on unification. The plan
will now go to the general and an
nual conferences of the church for
ratification.
Delegations from both branches,
composing the membership of the
joint commission, adopted the plans
at seperate meetings today, after
minor changes were made in the orig
inal plan submitted at yesterday’s
meeting. Further changes were made
by the joint commission tonight, but
they are said to be unimportant.
LOSS OF $200,000 IN STORE
BLAZE AT ASHEVILLE,
—
Asheville, July 25.—After making
a first hand inspection of the site of '
the Emporium building, which was ]
destroyed at noon today by one of
the worst fires that ever occurred in '
the uptown district, and after con- ;
suiting Jack Blomberg, manager of !
the establishment, Chief A. L. Duck- |
ett. of the fire department, estimated j
the losses at approximately $200,000. !
Further investigation may reveal that
the loss is less, he said.
Insurance on the building and con
tents was about $76,000, a total of
$40,000 on the building itself having
been covered by policies held by
Haywood Parker, owner. Mr. Blcm
berg holds policies for about $30,000
on the stock of goods and a policy for 1
$6,000 on the fixtures.
A modern structure costing about
$200,000 will be built on the site, Mr.
Parker announced, if the walls are
condemned. If they are not, the
building will be repaired.
The three-story building and con
tents of the Emporium Department
Store on South Pack Square were
entirely destroyed by fire which de
veloped about 11:80 o’clock this
morning. O. P. McArthur and Mrs.
C. A. JVilliams, employes, were se
verely burned and the former suffer
ed a broken leg when he jumped
from a second story window. Two
clerks reported missing were later lo
cated.
So rapidly did the fire gain head
way that for a time it appeared that
several other buildings in the heart
of the business section would be de
stroyed. All the fire aparatus of the
city was concentrated and save for
minor losses to the City Library and
Legal Building, the fire was confined
to the department store. Several
clerks escaped from the second and
third floors by jumping into life nets.
MRS. MARY B. CREECH
DIES AT CLAYTON HOME
Clayton, July 25.—Mrs. Mary Bar
bour Creech, widow of the late Al
onzo Creech, died at her home here
Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock, aft
er an illness of several weeks.
Mrs. Creech was 70 years old. She
was a daughter of the late Mr. and
Mrs. Wormley Barbour and was
born in Johnston county. She was
married to Alonzo Creech about fifty
years ago and soon thereafter moved
to Clayton, where she has lived con
tinuously ever since. Her husband,
died two years ago and since that
time she has been in failing health.
Deceased was 'a member of the
Clayton Baptist church, her mem- j
bership in the church dating back
to about the time of her marriage,
and until ill health prevented was
a constant attendant upon its wor
ship. She was a good Christian
woman, a lovable character, and the
memory of her will live in the hearts
of many who knew and loved her.
She is survived by five sons and
one daughter. These are A. D.
Creech, W. M. Creech, J. R. Creech,
Hume Creech and Miss Ethel Creech
of Clayton, and Harvey Creech, of
Newport News, Va. She was a sister
of the late J. G. Barbour of Clayton,
and one brother J. R. Barbour, now
lives in Raleigh.
PLAY TRICK ON MAN
WITH BIG APPETITE
Chicago, July 25.—For a year
“Professor” Benge has astonished
onlookers here by eating enormous
quantities of food and drinking j
copious draughts of liquors. Today
he is in a hospital near death as a
result of a trick played on him while
giving an exhibition last night, and
two men are held in jail pending the
outcome of his condition.
Bengo had dowped his seventeenth
stein of beer in a saloon last night
after despatching a quantity of
sausage and a half a dozen eggs Some
one poured oil of mustard in the eigh
teenth stein. He drank the doctored
beverage and collapsed. Physicians
says he may die.
Hail Does Damage
The severe storm which visited this
section Tuesday afternoon was ac
companied by hail in some places. To
bacco on the Mitchiner farm owned
by Mr. T. S. Ragsdale was consider^
ably damaged. Hail was also report
ed near the county home.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
RECORDER’S COURT
Cases Few But Long Drawn
Out; No Liquor Cases
Were Tried
The cases in Recorder’s court this
week while few in number were Ion?
drawn out and occupied Tuesday and
a part of Wednesday. Liquor cases
were noticeably absent. The first 3
cases on the docket involved the same
quarrel and affray and were consoli
dated upon motion of the solicitor.
These cases were: State vs. Lena
Henry, charged with assault with
deadly weapon; State vs. Laddie Carr,
charged with assault with rV*
weapon; State vs. M. C. and Nettie
Carr charged with assault with dead
ly weapon. From the evidence it
semed that the family of Lena Henry
was a tenant upon land belonging to
the Carrs. After some dispute the
Henry family decided to move. When
they went to move, the Carrs went
up to the house and gave some in
structions as to what to move and
what not to move. This brought
about a quarrel and a fight. Lena
Henry cut Nettie Carr on the head
with a knife. Laddie Carr, son of
Nettie Carr then went home for a
gun and it seems assaulted Lena
Henry’s husband The outcome of the
affair was that M. C. Carr was
found not guilty; Lena Henry was
found guilty and fined $15 and one
third of the costs; Laddie Carr was
guilty and fined $15 and one third
of costs; and Nettie Carr was found
guilty of affray, fined $1 and a third
of the costs. The fine of the latter
was lessened inasmuch as she had to
pay for medical attention given her
after the fight.
The next case was State vs. Joel
B. Lee charged with trespass. Lee
was found not guilty and the prose
cuting witness Ed Strickland was
taxed with the costs. This was fol
lowed by a case against Ed Strick
land charged with trespass, who was
also found not guilty, and the prose
cuting witness Joel B. Lee was taxed
with the costs. The indictments grew
out of trouble over a line between
the plantations belonging to Mr.
Strickland and Mr. Lee. It seems
when the division was mftde in
original tract, a tobacco bam was
on the line, which fact caused the
trouble.
Other cases tried were as follows:
Stffte vs. Alonzo Atkinson charged
with seduction. The warrant was
changed to prostitution. The defend
ant was found guilty, fined $25 and
costs
State vs. W. C. Murchison charged
with giving a worthless check. The
defendant was found not guilty.
R. E. Massengill was brought into
court having broken the conditions
of a suspended judgment imposed by
Judge Brooks in June 1922. He was
tried at that time for fornication and j
adultery with Tempie Coates and
judgment was suspended for two
years upon good behavior. Evidence
was disclosed that the conditions had
not been kept, and a capias issued for
both parties. The Coats woman es
caped to Virginia where she now is. ,
Massengil) was sentenced to four
months on the roads.
ANTI-TYPHOID CAMPAIGN
WILL BE HELD
It is an assured fact now that an
anti-typhoid campaign will be put on
in Johnston County. In fact in Ben
to nville township where there have
been several cases of typhoid, the
work has already begun. Dr. Thel
Hooks, the County Health Officer,
went to Bentonville Tuesday after
noon and vaccinated between two and
three hundred persons. He worked
at two points in the township at the
Bentonville post office and at Mill
Creek. He asks us to announce that
next Wednesday he will begin at those
p'aces to give the second treatment
but the hours will be changed. He
will be at Bentonville at one o’clock
and at Mill Creek at three o’clock.
Toxin antitoxin, a preventative of
diphtheria, will also be given during
the anti-typhoid campaign. Children
up to six years should take this treat
ment . All persons who have not tak
en the typhoid treatment recently
should be vaccinated again The treat
ments give immunity for a period of
two years. Toxin antitoxin gives im
munity in defintely.
STOP LAW MAKES
iTHE CROSSINGS SAFE
Official Reports No Acci
dents on Southern During
First Twenty Days
Not one crossing accident on the
1,232 miles of track of the Southern
railway in North Carolina was re
ported during the period between
July 1, 1923, the date the “Stop,
Look, Listen” law applicable to
drivers of automobiles went into ef
fect, and July 20, according to a
statement from W. M. Cowhig, gen
eral superintendent of transporta
tion for the Southern Railway sys
tem, lines east at Charlotte yesterday
There ware no crossing accidents re
ported, no person was injured or kill
ed at grade crossings in that period.
In the same period in June, 1923,
from the first to the 20th, there
were five crossing accidents; one
person injured; and two persons were
killed.
In the 30 days from July 1 to July
20, 1922, there were two crossing ac
cidents reported; three persons in
jured and no one killed
The figures compiled by Mr. Cow
hig yesterday cover reports from the
following divisions, with varying
miles of trackage, in North Carolina
Danville division, 330.87 miles;
Richmond division, 60.75 miles; Nor
forlk division, 35.88 miles (does not
include 126 miles of Selma division):
Winston-Salem division 220.62
miles; Charlotte division, 126,99
miles; Asheville division, 355.97
miles; Knoxville division 45.51 miles;
total North Carolina mileage 126.97
miles.
The figures complied by Mr. Cow
hig are from reports on 10 day per
iods as follows:
June 1 to 10, 1923: grade crossing
accidents one; persons injured none;
persons killed none. June 10 to 20,
1923; four grade crossing accidents,
persons injured one; persons killed
two •
July 1 to 10, 1923; grade crossing
accidents, none: persons injured
none; persons killed none. July 10
to 20; grade crossing accidents none:
persons injured none; persons killed
none.
July 1 to 10 1923; grade crossing
accidents one: persons injured one;
persons killed none July 10 to 20,
1923; grade crossing accidents one
persons injured two; persons killed
none.
Mr Cowhig said that he had not
had an opportunity to receive reports
from railway engineers as to the
feeling of greater security that he
felt sure would be theirs on cross
ing roadways at grade in making
fast schedules, but he was sure that
their feature of the stop law would
have good effect in helping to main
tain fast running time on the rail
way lines in this state.—Charlotte
Observer, July 26.
WILSON RECEIVES REPORT
OF HEAVY CROP DAMAGE
Wilson, July 23.—Reports brought
here today by Wilson county people
who were in Pitt County during the
storm of Sunday afternoon estimate
the damage to growing crops at
around a half million dollars. The
loss on the farms of Alf and Gus
Forbes, between Falkland and Green
ville, is estimated at between $12,000
and $14,000. The storm area, it is
claimed, covered a scope of 20 miles
and destruction was left in its wake.
There was considerable wjjnd, hall
and rain in Wilson county, but slight
loss.
MISS SANDERS HAS
WEEK END HOUSE PARTY
Miss Leone Sanders is entertain
ing a number of friends for the week
end at the home of her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. John K. Sanders in the
Sanders Chapel section. Those in
the party are Misses Lucy Wellons,
Mattie Lassiter, Edna Coates, Nell
and Maude Meacham, Rose and Nell
Grantham, of this city and Virginia
Stevens of Richmond, Va.
Union Services
The Union services will be held at
the Methodist church Sunday evening
at 8:15. Rev. J. C. Wooten, presiding
elder of the Raleigh district will
preach. The public is invited.
MRS. T. W. BICKETT TO ADDRESS
FARM WOMEN AT GREENSBORO
Mrs. T. W. Bickett, widow of ex
Govemor Bickett, the negro’s friend,:
will address the North Carolina Negro
Farmers’ Congress in the auditorium
of the A. & T. College, Greehsboro, N.
| C., Thursday night, August 9th at
18:00 o’clock. This program has been ,
! arranged by Mrs. Jane McKimmon,
i State Home Demonstration Agent and
• a committee of Colored County Home
| Demonstration Agent, and promises
to be intensely interesting. It will
' be accompanied with fine music fur
I nished by the best negro talents.
Mrs. L. E. Hall of Raleigh will pre
side.
Although the women will have
charge, it is understood that it will
be a joint meeting of both men and
women. There will be some fine
demonstrations that will be especial
ly interesting and helpful to the wo
men; every negro woman in Greens
boro as well as those from various
parts of the state should be present
at this occasion.
Mrs. Bickett represents the State
Health Department and is doing a
work that is particularly needful and
helpful to the women. Those who
miss her address will miss some very
helpful information.
There will be ample provision for
white women who wish to hear Mrs.
j Bickett, the Congress extends them
a cordial invitation. We are look
ing forward with much anticipation
to the success of this two days meet
ing and we will announce other
speakers later.
Don’t forget to observe President
Dudley’s request, that is: All indi
viduals and automobile parties
should report to the secretary, John
D. Wray, A. & T. College, Greens
boro, N. C., not later than August
6th. Free accommodation can only
be given to those who observe this
rule and pay the one dollar member
ship fee of the Congress upon ar
rival and secure a badge which will
admit them to the dining hall and
dormitories free of charge It is
very important that you should ob
serve this regulation.—Jno. D. Wray,
Farm Makers’ Club Agent, and Sec
retary, Farmers’ CongTess.
SPIRIT OF THRIFT
SHOWN IN THE SOUTH
Atlanta, Ga., July 24.—The spirit
of thrift continues in the south, ac
cording to Atlanta bankers. Savings
deposits in all banks of the south it
is shown here give evidence that the
people of the south are putting aside
money for the lean days as they did
not long ago.
“The prosperity of southern peo
ple has much to do with this” today
declared John K. Ottley president of
the Fourth National bank of Atlan
ta, “and the saving habit in the south
is doing much to offset the reckless
spending era that came with the war
time boom.”
Increased savings deposits in
Southern banks, as Mr. Ottley points
ou+ and the big bank which be heads
has one of the largest savings depart
ments in the south—give evidence
that the people have a surplus of
money and are able to lay some aside
without interfering with their ordi
nary living expenditures. Mr Ottley
sajs that savings accounts always
show a gain when wages are good,
work is plentiful and the farmers are
reaMiing a profit upon their c^-ops.
Report of the federal reserve board
shows that savings deposits in the j
country at large have increased 10
per cent in the last year, according to
information received by the Federal
Reserve bank of Atlanta, of which
Mr. Ottley is a director. It ;s noted
that the greatest savings in propor
tion have been, among others »n the.
Atlanta (istrict, this district showing
l(j ier cmt increase. Most of the
sa»ng is being done, it is shown, by
toe wage earners and the people of
moderate means.
MARK TWAIN’S HOME
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Redding, Qonn., July 25.—Storm
field, the home of Samuel L. Clem
ens (Mark Twain) in the closing
years of his life, a picturesque house
on a ridge in this town was burned
early today. It was unoccupied for
many years after Mr. Clemens’ death
and was bought last December by
Mrs. Margaret E. Givens, of New
York.
VOCAL UNION WILL
BE AT WAREHOUSE
Thousands Are Expected to
Be Here Sunday to Hear
The Choirs Sing
Plans are nearing completion
for the big Vocal Union which
will be held here Sunday, accord
ing to Mr. J. B. Beasley, presi
dent of the Union. A program
has been planned which indudeo
several short talks, bat main
feature of the day will be the
singing of the various choirs
which will assemble here. At
least fifteen singing classes are
expected, and thousands of per
sons from every part of the comi
ty will be here unless Mr. Beasley
has miscalculated. The meeting
was first announced to be held at
the Methodist church but the
president has decided that this
building will be insufficient to
house the big crowd which will
come, so the Farmers Warehouse
has been designated as the place.
Unusual interest is taken in
these vocal unions which are held
ever yfifth Sunday in various
sections of the county, the crowds
attending rivaling the numbers
who go to the Primitive Baptist
Associations.
SECT BELIEVES JESUS IS
ON EARTH NOW
The following clipping from the
Washington Post was sent to us for
publication:
Columbus, Ohio, July 14.—That
Christ is present on earth and has
been present during the past 50 years
is the cairn made by International Bi
ble Students at a conference here. The
“Epiphania,” or bright shininig, soon
will convince everyone “of the fact”
of the second presence of Christ, ac
ccuding to C. B. Shull, who addressed
tl:c students on “Christ’s Second Ad
vent.”
“Actual presence of Jesus during
His se 'ond advent will cover a period
of 1,000 years” said Shull. “His se
cret presence covered the first 40
years of this time and is in the past,
having begun in 1874. We are now
in the revealment stage, which will
burst into the Epiphan'a, or Lright
shin:: g, in the near future.
“Jesus never again will be visible
to human eyes—one can not see
nho'O the plane he occupies. Jesus
as a divine being, has returned to
earth and soon will manifest Him
self as the ‘lightning shineth from
east to west.'
“We do not see the electricity back
of the lightning, but discern the
power, or influence, of Jesus’ pres
ence will operate on humanity and
the sick will be healed, the dead rais
ed, and the whole earth willbe made
a paradise, and all tears w»’I he wiped
from ail faces, and they shall be no
more ceath. Thus “every eye shall
see Him.’”
DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT
HALF MILLION DOLLARS
Goldsboro, July 23.—According to
information received by telephone
from Sheriff Jackson of Pitt county,
damage to growing crops estimated
at $500,000 was caused by a terrific
hail, wind and electrical storm which
struck the Greenville section of that
county Sunday.
Sheriff Johnson stated that the
storm covered an area of perhaps 12
miles. In many sections large quan
tities of tobacco, cotton and corn were
totally destroyed.
The sheriff said that Messrs. Gus
and A1 Forbes, Travis Hoker, R. E.
Currin and Gorman & Jenkins were
probably the heaviest losers, a hun
dred or more acres of tobacco be
longing to the Forbes brothers being
virtually torn to pieces by the heavy
fall of hail and rain, the hail at times
being as large as guinea eggs.”
No injuries or deaths as a result
of the storm had been reported up to
a late hour tonight.
To Vsit Boll Weevil Section
Messrs. H. C. Woodall, J. Rufus
Creech and N. B. Grantham left yes
terday for an automobile trip through
boll weevil sections of North and
South Carolina. They spent last
night in Sumter, S. C.