Annual Church Conference

May 12, 1887 THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER Philadelphia, PA THE COMING COLUMBIA (S.C.) ANNUAL CONFERENCE BY REV. B.J. RAMSEY The tenth session since division of the Columbia (S.C.) Annual Conference will convene in Miller's Chapel A.M.E. Church in the town of Newberry, S.C., December, 1887. I adjudge that this session of our conference is looked forward to with intense interest. Our church in this part of the country having passed through a terrible ordeal last year, and is still feeling the shock of such a tragedy, it is hoped that the delegates to the next General Conference will take some step to check the present current of downward movement in the Church. May the peace and harmony which characterized our last session characterize this, and may the life of our venerable presiding officer, Bishop Shorter, with his cool brain, sober mind and deliberate judgment be spared to see the time and also the lives of the noble band of brethren this conference comprises. I feel sure that it will be inspiring and also encouraging to the people of Newberry and the adjoining vicinities to see and meet this vast body of Christian men. The question of division of this and the South Carolina Conference has been agitated. I hope the spirit of division is still existing and that the work of division will be finally executed at our next annual conference session. Prudence, economy and the interest of our Church cause would dictate the division of this and the South Carolina Conferences. Our conference is entirely too large to be carried to all of t he places where it ought to go. It has been experienced to some extent that the assemblage of our conference in many parts of our Church was inspiring to the people. There are many places groaning for it that could no take care of it because of its great size. This fact was clearly demonstrated at Spartanburg in '82, and at Greenville in '85. Not that the people were narrow-hearted, but rather liberal, hospitable and sacrificing; but the conference was too heavy for our churches in these places. At present we have a membership of about a conference and a half. There are seven presiding elder districts, each having from fourteen to eighteen appointments, saying nothing of the surplus preachers on hand who are members of the conference. The South Carolina Conference has six presiding districts. It could easily give up two; the Columbia (S.C.) Conference could easily give up two, adjoining the two given by the mother conference, and thus form a central conference with four districts. This should be done at our next session and reported to the General Conference for confirmation, and have the boundaries laid down in the book of Discipline. Prominent among the brethren of our next annual conference session is the election of delegates to the ensuing General Conference. I exhort you, brethren, let not favoritism, aggrandizement nor rash judgment take the place of our Church interest in your minds. Begin to think now who ought to be sent to represent this portion of our Church work in that august body. Let not your sentiment be controlled by the position that men occupy in the conference, but rather ability and loyalty to the Church. The scenes that characterized the election of the delegates in '83 to the General Conference of '84, to say the least, were abominable. So, brethren, let us elect men who will work for the Church and not every man try to get in his man. Newberry. S.C.

August 14, 1890 THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NEWBERRY DIST. CONFERENCE REPORTED BY REV. A.J. CORDE The fifth annual session of the Newberry district conference convened at Prosperity, July 25th, Rev. H. Young in the chair. Devotional exercises conducted by the presiding elder. The welcome address was delivered by Rev. F.F. Harper and responded to by Rev. A.J. Corde. Rev. H.E. Lewis was elected secretary, C.L. Henderson assistant secretary, Rev. A.J. Corde reporter. The presiding elder gave a sketch of the district and the brethren, what they are doing for the cause of Christ ad his church. Presiding Elder Young is a ma of God. E.D. Spearman, of the Newberry station, is paying off all the back indebtedness. Rev. J.F. Jackson, of Newberry circuit, has saved our church in Greenville; he has ceiled his church. Rev. F.F. Harper, at Prosperity, is a young man's friend. B.W. Boone has built a new pulpit, and carpeted his pews and altar. Rev. C.L. Archie is in his fourth year and the people say he can stay four more. Rev. H.H. Ely has had fifty accessions to his church this year. Rev. W.T. Burges has done a great work at Clinton. Rev. G.T. Coleman has done a great work. He collected $64 for Allen University on the second Sunday in May and his people say they can equal any circuit in the State of South Carolina. Rev. T.C. Devilin, who went to a broken down work, has done more in the first quarter than any preacher in the district. Rev. E.D. Perrin is one of great strength at Chappelle. Rev. P.M. Hartinell, the old war horse, is here and says by his way, I am in the field. Mountreville circuit is still alive. Rev. N. Child, of Mt. Olive Station, is serving his fourth year here, and the people say they will keep him four years more. Lauren Station, Rev. H.E. Lewis, is doing a grand work; he has a grand revival with many conversations and accessions. Rev. A.J. Corde, of Pleasant Grove, is among those who say we will be there when the call is called. He is getting along nicely; he has had 14 accessions to the church this year.