In the Southern Union Conference
By C. B. Stephenson.
DURING the month of May I spent two weeks visiting the colored churches in some of the large cities in the Southern Union Conference. Sabbath, May 8, I was at Nashville, Tenn. The church here is very nicely located in a prominent section of the city, on a corner lot. The building has been purchased recently at a very reasonable price, and has a seating capacity of three hundred, with two vestries, for Sabbath school and for the day school. This church has increased in membership the last three years from about twenty to sixty-five, with a corresponding increase in tithes and offerings. I visited Louisville, Ky., next, spending one day, and speaking Sunday night in the church, which is located in the best part of the city. It is a nice brick building, with a seating capacity of two hundred, I should judge. The house was filled, and I felt much freedom in presenting the message of the baptism of the Holy Ghost for service. Five years ago this church consisted of eighteen members, and meetings were conducted in a private home. The present membership is nearly one hundred and fifty. The tithes and offerings are good. My next appointment was at Memphis, Tenn., Monday night. Elder W. R. Elliott, the president of the conference, met me, and we spent some time in studying the work. We met with the little company at night, and felt the same good spirit which was present in the other meetings. We have no church building there, but hold meetings in a hall. Plans are being made, however, to begin work on a new church soon. With the new church and a strong tent effort, I am sure Memphis will follow Nashville and Louisville in the line of progress. Stopping at Lexington, Miss., I spoke in the Presbyterian church one night, then went on to Jackson, Miss., for the Sabbath. Elder C. S. Wiest met me and gave assistance to my work in his conference. We studied the various conditions and the best method of work for the colored race, and I spoke twice—Friday night to church No. 1, and Sabbath morning to No. 2. We have a church building there and a membership of forty. Plans are made for a strong tent effort preceding the camp meeting, which we hope will increase the membership. Monday night I met with the church at Vicksburg. At this place the missionary steamer "Morning Star" landed years ago with a few faithful missionaries who felt a call from Heaven to do something for the colored people of the South. Elder I. E. White and others17began work, which resulted in the erection of a commodious house of worship, and a residence for the workers. While there are few of the charter members there now, the membership has kept up very well. I think there are some thirty members. No doubt the time will soon come when strong efforts will be made to build up the work there. From Vicksburg I went to Yazoo City, where we have a nice church and an active membership. The Lord came very near as we studied the message which God has so graciously given to us to present to a lost world. I dwelt upon the importance of a depth of consecration which meets the divine requirement, and will bring into the life more power for efficient service. My next stop was in Meridian, Miss. While our company there is small, they are hard at work to add to their numbers. They have purchased a small house for service and are quite nicely located. A few hundred dollars would go a long way in helping some of these small, weak churches to prepare suitable houses of worship to which they could invite the public. Where we have such churches the work is making much more rapid progress. My last appointment brought me to Birmingham, Ala. Brother Miller, the president of the conference, was not there, but I had a pleasant visit at the office. Brother Roberts had made all plans for the service. The Lord met with us in a marked manner and blessed the presentation of his Word. We studied the experience of the early church in receiving from the Lord himself the great commission to go and preach this gospel to all the world, dwelling upon the preparedness of the church, and the conditions which brought the promise of the Father and the bestowal of the necessary power to carry forward the work of saving souls. They have a church building, but it is not well located, and is not the sort of building a city like Birmingham should have. Plans are being made to erect or purchase a better one soon. I found in every place a desire on the part of all to consecrate themselves to God for better service in labor for their fellow men. The greatest need is more workers, and more means with which to support the work. I tried to impress upon every one the importance of personal service, that every one should be a worker for God in some way.