The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-16
PROCEED INGS OF THE MARYLAND AN
NOAL CONFERENCE METHODIST PRO-
TESTANT CHURCH.
FIRST DAY.

NEWARK, N. j., March 13.-The several trains
OF cars yesterday brought together the clerical and
lay members CT the Maryland Conference of the NJ
I. Church, who were Immediately conducted to
the homes generously provided them by the citi-
zens of Newark. 1t is pleasing sight to see rep.
resentatives from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Del
aware, Maryland, Virginia, Charleston, South
Carolina, and District Columbia, mngng in fra.
ternal union.
The Conference is held in the first Methodist
Protestant Church, on Hill street, Rev. DR.. Mur-
ray, pastor This church organized about one
year ago with about thirty persons who after
careful examination of the polity of the NJ p
Church, withdrew from Broad street NJ. E. Church.
This organization, though yet in its infancy, gives
assurance of vigorous maturity. In the past year
a neat and cOmmodiOus edifice, at cost of about
SIS, 600, has been erected.
The Conference is well attended by both clerical
and lay members The distance has prevented
some of the fathers of the church from attendance;
they will, however, probably be represented bv the
venerable DR.. Francis Waters, of Baltimore, late
President of Washington College.
At nine o'clock this morning the Conference was
called to order by the President, Rev. D.. W. Bates
at whose invitation Rev. S. B. Switzerland, of
Charleston, South Carolina conducted the religious
exercises.
Rev. J. 7. Ward, of Alexandria, Virginia, was
elected Secretary, and John S. Repp and Ormand
Hammond, Esqs, appointed assistant secretaries
The mode of examining official character was deter
mined upon.
The annual sermon preached by Rev. Daniel
W. Bates, following which was the administering
of the Sacrament.
The conference reasSembled at O'Clock p. NJ,
The president read message, of which the follow.
ing is synopsis: During the year past the life of
all the ministers has been spared, and the district
Is in prosperous condition. He has travelled
4722 miles in discharge of official duty; preached
l64 times, and written 279 letters. He has supplied
several vacant churches with ministers On appli.
cation OF y seceders from the Methodist Episcopal
church at Fredericksburg, he has recognised them
as Methodist Protestant church. He has employ
ed four young minieters coming from the Methodist
Episcopal church.
lie deprecates the reception of young men into
the itinerancy at too early an age as restricting
their ultimate usefulness. He also deprecates the
hasty imposition of hands, either upon preachers
in the itinerant or local ranks. He recommends
the instruction of congregations upon the subject
CT baptism; the enarging of powers of missionaries,
and the more extended employment of superannu-
ated ministers. He also makes some suggestions
upon the subject of protracted meetings. recogniz-
ing the Importance of immediate Improvement of
religious impressions without waiting for set times
for protracted efforts. He also recommends more
vigorous exertions to increase the circulation of the
Methodist Protestant in the Maryland District.
The remainder of the afternoon was consumed IN
examining official character of minister's
Tomorrow committees will be appointed, and
business given into their hands, and thus the bust
ness of Conference will be fully under way.