West-Jersey pioneer., 1866-04-14
New Jersey Annual Conference Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.

New Jersey Annual Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
We have received copy Of the annual
minutes of this body, making book of ninety
two pages, which has been perused with
considerable interest as embodying the status
of one of the powerful religious communities
of our State. Believing as we do, that the
morality of the country is very largely de-
pendant upon the progress and purity of its re-
ligious denominations, we watch their position
with interest, and hail their advancement with
pleasure; and when that position is set forth
with the minute distinctness of this pamphlet
the whole matter is easily presented to the
reader. The limits of the Conference are
defined by New Brunswick on the one extreme
and the Capes on the other, occupying all the
intervening territory so far as their denomina-
tional ecclesiasticism reaches the people, All
of the State above New Brunswick and the
line which crosses the State upon that level,
is set off into what is called the Newark Con-
ference. The whole territory, thirty years
ago, was only a part of Philadelphia Confer
ence, but in that time the advance has been
so great that the two bodies spoken of have
been formed, and are in successful operation.
The number of members, in the New Jersey
Conference, is 22,648 besides 5,l22 on trial
preparatory to a church membership. This
altogether makes nearly q, 900 persons directly
connected with the Church in actual member
ship, in addition to those that attend upon its
ministry but who are uuconnected with its
communion. There are l46 regular pastors
ministering to these Churches, assisted by l56
local neutrality-suspicious. who, possessing
some talent for public speaking, aid in filling
up the work where the regular minister finds it
impossible 80 to do Some of these men pos
seSs fine abilities and do credit to any pulpit.
The book contains the post Office address of
each of these, as well the appointment Of
each regular preacher. There are 207 church
edifces in this territory, estimated to be worth
SSl1 10000, upon but few of which there is
any very considerable amount of debt. There
are 55 parsonagcs owned by them, whose
supposed value is $lS4,2l0,0O. There was
raised in these bounds during the last year,
Tor Missionary purposes, $lS,4O for the
Bible Society, S2,6S6; for the S. S. Union,
S736; besides large amounts expended on
their own schools; for Tracts s747; and for
the support of their aged and infrm preachers,
SHOPS. This latter collection is distributed at
the Conference, according to the necessities of
the different preachers who are thus situated.
They have $4,000 volumns in their different
Sunday School libraries for the use of 24,7lI
scholars. They have 200 Sunday Schools
officered by 4,287 teachers, number which
seems to us inadequate to the teaching
of so many children. The Conference is
divided into four districts, over each of which
is placed Presiding Elder, 10 whom both
the preachers and people are responsible in
the execution OF the disciplinary provisions
of their organization, and whose expenses are
divided among the different churches within its
bounds. The Bridgeton district runs from
Pennsgrove to Cape May, and is under the
supervision of Rev. Charles H. Whiticar,
thoroughly earnest and effective man as well
as popular preacher. Within these are 36
preachers, 81 churches, 1888 members
besides 1855 who occupy probationary
position preparatory to their admission. In
the city of Bridgeton alone there are 1856
members Of their churches and 6O8 Sabbath
Scholars. The church buildings ON the district
represent value of SlS9, 400 and the parson-
ages $50, ,250. There was paid to the 81
preachers last year for their services $2l 900.
There was over 81 900 raised for the Mission
ary enterprise which is the favorite channel
in which their benevolent offerings are poured
of this sum nearly $500 was contributed in
this city. The other causes of religious
enterprise adopted by the church were fairly
supported also on this district, and ON the
ruhrAia 41l le,---:t onurUUcs prOS-
pering. The present year is expected to
surpass all previous ones in liberality as it is
the first centennial birth day of the church; one
hundred years having elapsed since the intro
duction of Methodism into this country,
during which time her numbers have swelled
to over million. We rejoice in its prosperity
as We do in the prosperity of all, believing
that the sooner all the people are brought
under the influence of one or other of the
churches, the higher will be the tone of public
morals, and the fewer scenes of disgraceful
corruption will be enacted in onr Legislative
halls.