Smyrna times., 1873-05-14
mise Tia ID e D IL s.
MethodiSm.
ANOTHER CENTENNIAL.

The centennial of American MethOdsm has |
already been duly celebrated, but there were
so many interesting episodes in the early his
tory of the denomination, that several special
centennial celebrations are to be held in com
memoratiOn of them. Among these is the
centennial of the first Methodist Annual Con
ference in America, which is to be celebrated
in this city in July Of the present year.
The first annual conference of Methodist
preachers in America was held in this city on
the l4th, 18th, and 10th of July, 1873. Inview
of the near approach of the one hundredth
anniversary of that important event, the pro-
ject of an appropriate celebration was presen-
ted to the Methodist Episcopal Conferences
within the section OF country over which the
preachers of that day travelled. These con-
ferences appointed committees to take charge
of the proposed Centennial Celebration. The
committees thus appointed met recently in ST.
Georges Church, on Fourth street, near Vine,
in this city, where the first conference had as
sembled, and decided in favor of holding the
proposed Centennial celebration in this city, on
the dates corresponding with those of the
first conference, and that the general sessions
of the Commemorative Celebration should be
held in the same building where the confer
ence had met in 1913. As the conference was
called for July l3, l1773, and some were present
on that day, although, owing to the absence
OF others, no business was transacted, the
general committee recommended that the as
sembling of the conference be commemorated
in all Methodist churches of the land Oh Sab.
bath, July Is, 1873. They desire that as fal
as possible all the branches which have sprung
from the original body represented in the Firs
Conference shall participate in the celebration
t in the city of Philadelphia.
10 make the necessary preparations for
/. suitable celebration, the General Committe
/; appointed Committee on Arrangements, con
: sisting of the following ministers and layme
+ residing in Philadelphia and its vicinity
e Mntisters.-Wm. Swindells (Sec'y), r. II
2 Lybrand, VIM Mullen, Joseph Mason, Geo
If w Maclaughin, E. H. Stokes, George A
h Phoebus, j. B. Merritt, and William L. Gray
d ID Ldynlea. Heiskel (Ch' NM, y,
. Tasker, Sr., Hon. ID. NJ. Bates, James Ions
~ Charles Scott, Hon. Chas A. Albright, +.
+ WOrne, James NJ. Cassidy, Benz. Schofelt
d Jr. and William c. Bakes.
20 This committee met in this city on April
m and effected permanent organization, as give
80 above. The committee propose that the essa
% and addresses to be delivered on the OccasiC
er OF the Annual Conference Centennial shi
nass embrace an outline of the History of II
ed Organized Methodist Church, for the Centur
er taking in such topics as Methodism in Ameri
10 I. before the First Annual Conference; the Fir
se Annual Conference-its Men and their Deed
"a: SS the First Churches; the various Conferenc
.ssTT ,sT since formed; the Principal Historic Event
!: the Preaching of the Olden Times; and {
,se se General Operations of the Church. To car
M m, out this project, the committee requ'
me- the speedy cooperation of all who can in a
s'' way assist in making the celebration worthy
va; the event which it will commemorate.
a,; nat,;; 1t is designed to make the celebration one
iinn great interest The various topics suggest
sit. for essays by the Committee on Arrangemel
,sd will be referred to some of the ablest mnist
81. in the denomination. Representations FRI
the various Offshoots of the Methodist Chul
Ss will be invited, and invitations will also be
! o tended to the Bishops, clergy, and layity of
HaiH ali Methodist Episcopal Church South to unite
de de- the celebration. The sessions will all be h
ned in st. Georges Church. except the final me
the ing, which will probably be held in the Acade
; az of Music, and will be one of the grandest oC
hen sions of the kind ever witnessed in this city
t t.It Gt PHILADELPHIA Telegraph.