The Portland daily press., 1866-05-05
Statistics of Methodism in Maine.

The Maine Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church was set off from the New
England Conference by the General Confer
ence at its session held in Baltimore in May,
1924. The two Conferences met together al
Barnard, Vermont, June %, 1921. The nrs'
session of the Maine Conference was held at
Gardiner, July 7, 1925, Bishop Enoch 0eofse'
presiding. Rev. Oliver Beale was Its flrst sec
retary, and served the Conference in this re-
lation for eight years. The Conference in
cluded all the State of Maine, and that part OF
New Hampshire east of the White Hills and
north ofthe waters of Ossippee Lake. At the
session of 1925, there were reported o,9oo
members in society; 46. preachers were sta
toned, and one, James L. Bishop, was return
ed superannuated The limits OF the Confer
ence remained unchanged, until the General
Conference held in Pittsburgh May, 1S4S. The
Maine Conference was then made to include
that "part of the State OF Maine lying west of
the KeEnebec river from its mouth to the
Great Bend below Skowhesan and of a line
running thence north to State line" Including
Skowhegan and Augusta stations in the Maine
Conierence) and that part of New Hampshire
before included. The East Maine Conference
includes that part of Maine not included in the
Maine Conference.
Up to the time of this division the Confer
! ence had gained 2S5 preachers by admission
| on trial; 30 by re-admission and 80 by trans
fers from other Conferences; and had lost 81
| by location; II by discontinuance; by with
drawal;4 by expulsion, 80 by transfer to
other Conferences, and 22 by death. The UNI
divided Conference held its last session in
Saco, June 80, 1o47, when there were reported
| 19,467 members in society and 165 local
preachers. One hundred and sixty-one preach
ers were stationed. Thirty were returned SUI
perannuated and one was left without an ap-
pointment OF those stationed eighty-two
were in what was to be the Maine Conference
and seventy-nine in what was to be the East
Maine Conference OF the superannuated
preachers seventeen were assigned to the
Maine and thirteen to the East Maine Confer
ence. The z. M. G. held its first session in
Bangor, August I'd 1S4S. and reported men,
bership of 9146 and seventy-one local preach
ers. The Maine Conference held its next ses-
sion after the division at Portland and report
ed membership Of, 1854, and ninety-nine
local preachers.
The General Conference of 1S4S, made pro-
visions for reporting members in full con-
nection. and probationers separately. Since
the division in 1S4s, the Maine Conference has
received an accession of preachers, as follows
Ninety-nine by admission on trial; twenty-five
by re-admission, and twelve by transfer from
other conferences; and has sustaind loss Of
thirty-six by location; sixteen by discontinue
ance; one by withdrawal; two by expulsion
twenty-six by transfer to other conferences,
and twenty-six by death. At its session in
1865, ninety-four received appointments, eight
OF which were to literary institutions, chap
iaincies and agencies; twenty-seven were re-
turned superannuated and four were left with
out appointments. There were reported 10, :
SOB members of the church, 1709 probationers,
and "a local preachers. At the East Maine
Conference in 1865, seventy-three preachers
received appointments, one Of which was as
Agent of the E. M. Conference Seminary
seventeen were superannuated. four were left
without appointments. There were reported
8715 members, 1907 probationers, and seven
ty-nine local preachers.
The Maine Conference for 1866 meets in
Lewiston, Wednesday, May 9, and the E. M.
Conference in Waldoboro', May II, Bishop
james presiding. A. MOORE.