Southern Christian Advocate

District Meetings---The First Report. Well done for the Columbus (Ga.) District, and for its Presiding Elder, the Rev. Robert B. Lester. It and he have inaugurated the District Meetings; and the first report warrants all that was plead for them by its friends at the General Conference, as a means of giving impulse to the church. We believe they are to prove an unparalleled power in Methodism, after we get a Bishop for each Conference, so that this chief pastor can hold an official district meeting every year in every district in his conference. We feel much obliged to our brother. Rev. W. Knox, for the satisfactory report he gives of the meeting. He says: The District Meeting for the Columbus District was held in this place, Talbotton, Georgia, and has just closed. A meeting of some interest was going on here at the time of its commencement, and is resumed. The interposition of the District Conference proved no drawback, but a powerful auxiliary. As some of the proceedings of the district meeting will be furnished you for publication, I will not here say much. It was an entire success. The Columbus District was well represented, and a great deal of interest was awakened in reference to the several topics introduced. Some said they wished they could have one every quarter; others wanted it to continue all the time. The opening sermon, by Rev. Jas. E. Evans, was an admirable one, and just suited the time and occasion. The able sermon of the Rev. J. O. A. Clark, on the reciprocal duties of ministers and people, caused I trust, many to return to their homes with a deep, fixed resolution to do more than they had ever done for the comfort and the well being of their spiritual teachers. The brethren, generally, were revived. The love-feast on Sunday morning, and the prayer meeting this morning, carried me back to the days of my earlier religious experience, when the people met together, prayed together, and rejoiced together. We trust better days are coming.