OF SOUTHERN METHODISM FOR 1 8 5 6. EDITED BY THE REV. CHARLES F. DEEMS, D.D., OF THE NORTH-CAROLINA CONFERENCE. NASHVILLE, TENN., STEVENSON & OWEN. And by the Booksellers generally. BX 8241 ENTERED, ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1857. mw. JOHN A. GRAY, PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER, 16 & 18 JACOB STREET, NEW-YORK, Fire-Proof Buildings. PREFACE. THIS Volume is the second of its series. The intent is to ur N LEQUA volume which shall present, in a collected form, all that is desirable for full information in regard to the workings and growth of the Southern Methodist Church. The volume for 1855 contained the statistics of the numbers of churchmembers on each station and circuit. These occupy much space, and are contained in the "General Minutes," which constitute one of the permanent documents of the Church. For these reasons, they are omitted this year; otherwise, the general cast of the work is the same as that of its predecessor. One who has never undertaken it can scarcely estimate the amount of labor necessarily expended on the preparation of such a book as this. After all, it does not reach the compiler's ideal. Where so many periodicals must be consulted, and the loss of a single newspaper may occasion great perplexity, the Editor has found his patience sorely tested in his efforts to digest and arrange his materials. The fact that some of our weekly Church journals represent several Conferences; that the Conferences are not bounded by State lines; that it is therefore frequently difficult to assign particular churches, institutions, and individuals, to the Conferences to which they belong; render it almost impracticable to make a digest of some of the materials when collected. The writers of articles for our newspapers, are not always careful to mark their Conferences; sometimes there is no clue-no State, Conference, District, Station, Town, or Post-office, being mentioned. The Editor begs leave to call attention to this. A little carefulness would save vast trouble to the collectors of historical materials. The reports of revivals are specially defective in this particular. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the Editor is happy to learn that the volume for 1855 gave so much and such general satisfaction; that it is considered so complete and impartial; and that it has done much towards giving the communicants of the Church it represents, and the intelligent of other Churches, a fair idea of our plans and operations: and he hopes that this year he has prepared a volume which will be so generously received by the Church and the public as to justify the continuance of the series, which the very highest authorities pronounce of incalculable historic value to the Church. It will be perceived, by comparing the volumes, that in the first a greater prominence is given to some points of interest, and in the second to others. It is believed that by this means the series will be more satisfactory to the mass of readers, and greater variety will be maintained. In regard to the recurrence of the name of the Editor, he must refer to the remarks on that subject in the preface to the volume for 1855; and will only add that only such selections have been made from current notices as in the judgment of judicious friends were due to the truth of history, and the impartiality necessary to such a work as this. The Editor will thankfully receive any original communications illustrating the history of our Church, or the biography of any of its ministers and members, and will be grateful for suggestions assisting him to render the work, from year to year, more useful as a book of reference and more interesting for general reading. WILMINGTON, N. C. |