Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-04-11
The Methodist Conference.

nestle Missionary society to the "relief soci-
ETY." The change is made because it has been
SO often confounded with the general society of
the church, and with the preachers soci'
ety. the operations of which are solely confined
to the support of the superannuated clergy.
The design of the relief society is to make up
the salaries of ministers of feeble churches.
The committee of the church aid society made
their first annual report. The object of the
society is to assist feeble societies to build or
to lift their burdens of debt 1t is proposed to
raise 500, 900 in loans for ten years, without
interest, which is to be loaned to the feeble
churches at four per cent. Of the principal
to be annually refunded to the original lenders.
The income which accumulates i'll the mean
time is to be reserved as the basis OF future
operations, The committee on ministerial sup
port submitted a plan for raising salaries of
ministers by assessing the amount on the en-
tire congregation, instead of leaving it to vol
untary contributions. The usual resolutions
on the bible and tract causes, and on slavery
were adopted. The resolutions on temper
ance were the subject OF a lively discussion,
which the Republican sketches as follows
The closing resolutions Of the series pledged
the conference to Cooperate" with all asso-
Citations having for their object the suppression
of the evil. Some one discovered i'll this
subtle endorsement of the Sons OF Temper
ance, and an implied pledge that the Methodist
clergy would straightway join the order. The
debate ran around the hall, but became at last
so mistified with amendatory propositions that
| the only means of escape was by laying the
entire question upon the table The tobacco
reform having been introduced into this debate,
and with signal effect upon some of the broth
ers guilty Of the habit, members now We'd
with one another in hurryng up independent
| resolutions on tue subject; and here opened
the most exciting debate OF the session. One
resolution declared that the use OF tobacco was
incompatible with the Christian ministry;
another insisted that no candidate who used the
weed should be admitted to full connections in
the ministry, &c. Rev. Mr.. Thayer. late Of
Broomfield street church, Boston, led off in an
able speech, as a disinterested party against
! committing the conference SO unqualltiedly
| upon the question, when so many good men
conscientiousy INDUCED the habit. Rev. MIR.
Hascall formerly of this city and later presid
ing elder OF the Worcester district, followed in
warm argument defending the use of the
weed per Sc. He used it himself, and found
it benefit; other brothers who had tried as
siduously but could not form the habit might
abstain if they choose, but they should not in
tict their conscientious scruples" upon him
or put them upon the records. lie urged that
all things were good, and should be received
| with thankfulness; and when one of the brethren
sought to bring him up on ST. PauPs injnnc-
tion-''if meat maketh my brother to offend,
&C., Mr.. H. lodged by saying, amidst roars of
laughter, that tobacco was not meat, but herbs,
and that herbs were everywhere recommended
in the Bible. Rev. Mr.. Twombly of Worces.
ter spoke feelingly as one who had grudge to
| the tobacco for the damage it had done him in
early life and while getting an education; he
| felt he was not the man he might have been,
| but for this, and he believed no minister could
use tobacco and retain his usefulness, at least,
unimpaired. Other remarks were made by
Rev Messrs. Cushman of Charestown, Coll.
! yer of Lowell McCurdy of Boston, etc. and
| finally substitute resolution was adopted
simply expressing that "as ministers of the
| Gospel we will exert our influence against the
use of tobacco" The debate was highly ex-
citing, at times quite congressional and many
consciences were quickened. One of the emf
nent divines of the church slipped quietly into
the pulpit, and having disposed of his quid
was made easy during the remainder OF the
morning
The conference adjourned, Tuesday after
noon, previous to which the bishop announced
the following appointments for the current
year: -
BOSTON DISTRICT.
| Presiding elder, Loranus CrOwell of Lynn; Bos-
ton, Hanover street, VIM c. High Bromiield
street. w, 4. Warren; Church street, l. j. 7. Col.
lyer; North Russell street, John w. Dadmun; NIer-
idian street Samuel Upper; bennington street, &.
Cox; Centenary Church, Il. W. Allen; Hedding
Church, IL. W. Warren; Mariners Church, Edward
| L. Taylor; Chelsea, Walnut street, Justin s. Bar
rows; Mt. Bellingham, w. f. Mallalieu Winthrop,
| John S. Day; RoXbury, Fales ii. Newha; Dor.
chester, First Church, Z. A. Nudge Dedham, NJ.
Dwight; Walpole, VIM Merrill; Natick and Need
HoIliston, Daniel Richards; Hopkinton, T. W. Lew,
is; Milford, g. q. Jones; Mendon and Franklin, VIM.
A. Clapp Westboro, VIM 2. Blackmer; MillbuIy 10
seph Scott Whitinsville and East Douglass, n A.
Soule; Rock Bottom, VIM f. Lacount sudbury,
Charles S. Rogers; Boston City Mission, Luman
Boyden, James Porter, John W Merrill, and Joseph
Cummings
LYNN DISTRICT.
Presiding Elder VIM. II. Hatch;-Lynn, Common
Street, IL NJ. Steele; Union Street VIM A. Bra
mani South Street, j. l.. Hanaford; Maple Street,
Jarvis A. Ames; Charlestown, High Street, George
Bowler Union Church, N D. George; Somerye,
Oliver S. Howe; Cambridge EAST, Moses A. Howe;
Harvard Street, Gilbert Haven; Lowell. ST. Paul's,
w. B. Clark Worthen Street, L. Il. Thayer; Cen
trail Church, Chester Field; Watham, Edward a.
Manning Melrose, A. d. Merrill; Medford, Austin
f. Herrck; Saugus, Jonas NJ. Clark Ciondae,
solomon Chaplin; Salem, John IL. Mansfield; Mar
Dlehead, Abraham NJ. Osgood; South Danyers, Ed
ward 5. Best; Ipswich, Cyrus L. Eastman; New
6uryport Liberty Street S Kelley Purchase Street,
Franklin Furber; Gloucester, Elm Street G. l.. Nc
Curdy; Topsfed j. w Lewis; chaplain to Middle
sex House of Correction, VIM. R. Stone; missionary
to India, VIM. Butler.
WORCESTER DISTRICT.
| Presiding Elder, Jefferson Hascall of Shrewsbury;
Worcester Park Street, j. H. Twombly; Laurel
Street, j. c. Cromack; New Worcester. Daniel Dor
chester; Leicester, Albert Gould; Shrewsbury, Hi
ram +. Sachwell; Grafton, Z. w Virgin; Oxford,
Daniel Wait; Webster, ?. Wood; Dudley, r. J. Alb
bott;, Southbridge and Fiskdale, j. w Mowry;
| Charlton City, e. Ii. Hanaford; Spencer, w. j.
Hambeton; Brookfeld b f. Reeves West Brook
field, w. j. Pomiret; Warren, David Sherman;
Monson, Q. A. Hamiltoni Wales and Holland, Silas
| Piper Palmer, Lorenzo Bodies, Jr. South Becher-
town, William b. Toulmin; Ware Village, Nelson
III. Martin; Barre NJ. Parkhurst Hubbardston
and Iempleton, Henry X. Parmenter; Atho Depot,
| l. u. Bigelow; Phillipston and Baldwnville L. ID.
Winslowi Winchendon. j. w. z. Jordan Fitch
burg, IL. NJ: Loud; Leominster, - Miller;
fnnceton John Goodwin Oakdale, l. j. Coolidge;
Ashburnham, l. Marcy.
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT.
Presiding Elder, VIM. Gordon Springfield Union
street, ID. Steee Pynchon street, Nelson Stutson ;
Ash6ury Chapel, S. Jackson East Longmeadow,
r. Mitchell; Wil6raham, L. White; Chicopee Falls,
x. Gagei Southwick, John Cadwell Westtied,
Daniel E. Chaplin; West Parish, ii. Mouton Bland