The Portland daily press., 1865-05-05
Methodist Episcopal Conference,
REPORTED FOB THE PEEss By REV. A.
MOORE.

HALLowELL, MAY 8, 1855.
Inc Maine Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church commenced its forty-drst
annual session in Hallowell this day. Bishop
u. w. Clarke, opened the session with re-
llgious services and the Lords Supper was adj
ministered to one hundred and fifty ministers
and members of our own and other Christian
Churches. The Bishop called attention to
the section of the Discipline relating to our
department at the Conference, and made
some very appropriate remarks. The roll Of
Conference was called by the Secretary of the
last Conference, when it appeared that sixty
eight answered to their names. Dan. Perry.
father of Hon. J. J. Perry, who joined the
Conference in 1902, Henry M. Blake, and Sar-
geant 5. Gray, were announced as having
died In the Lord. Forty-four were absent.
A.. Moore was reelected Secretary, and B.
Freeman his Assistant. After some prelimi-
naries were attended to, the names of the lay
delegates were announced and the usual COM
mittees were appointed. As an indication of
the working spirit pervading the body, the
each days session meets at o'clock, A. M,
and adjourns at IA before Ia Committees
seize all their leisure to prepare their reports
for the action Of Conference. Religious SER
vices or anniversary exercises, are held in the
afternoon and evening.
The Bishop submitted certain resolutions
Of the General Conference proposing change
Of our General Rule on slavery-prohibiting
our members entirely from holding slaves,
SO that whenever the church shall send her
missionaries into countries where slave-hold-
ing is allowed by the government, they must
in this respect maintain the purity of the
church. They were referred to this Committee
on Slavery.
The Bishop also submitted resoluticn on
q change in the number of delegates to the
General Conference allowed to small Confer
ences, which was referred to Committee Of
five to be appointed by the chair.
Several circulars, and the report of the
Agent of the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and
Female College, were referred to their appro-
pirate committees.
The pastors of the Congregational and
Freewill Baptist Churches, in this city, were
introduced to the Conference.
just at this point came tug of war on the
following resolution introduced by 81. B. Alb
bot:
Resolued, That the Bishop be respectfully
requested not to allow any preacher in said
Conference to remain on the same station or
circuit more than two years successfully; ex-
| cept some peculiar business relating to the
church, demand his longer continuance.
After spirited discussion the resolution
with preamble, was adopted by vote Of
! twenty-six to nineteen. So the churches
and societies, who had expected the return Of
their preacher for a third year, may find
themselves disappointed.
A Committee on the Christian Commission
was ordered.
The eighth question was taken up. Who
are the superannuated preachers? And the
| names Of twelve were called-one of whom
had died, and eleven were continued in the
same relation. The Conference then adjourn.
cd with singing the Doxology, and benedic.
ton by A. Moore. nWf
AFTERNOON.
The afternoon was devoted to a prayer
meeting, in which the members of the Con.
ference conducted the exercises.
In the evening Rev. Joseph Hawkes. preach
ed an excellent sermon to the young, from Isl
Chron. %, o.
| The dying father speaks OF knowledge
knowledge of God = knowledge reduced te
practice-serUe Him-character Of this service
urged by most important motives.