The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-16
Troy Conference OF the Methodist
Church
Troy CONFERENCE, April IA.


The forty-second session of this body will
commence tomorrow morning at 0 o'clock.
Bishop II. s. Foster, presiding. Prelimin-
AIRY TO the regular business, and, to q large
extent, preparatory to it, this day Tues
day. is occupied in literary and theological
examination of four classes of young
preachers. Two of these classes are on
trial for admission TO conference and for
dcacoI's orders and two other classes are
undergoing examinations for promotion |
and preparatory to the reception of elders |
orders. The courses of study pursued ly |
these, and all candidates for admission to |
any of our sevcnty-two conferences. are
prescribed by order of the general confer
encc by the bishops, everywhere the same, |
and are extensive, both in literature and !
theology, So that young man from the
farm, or shop, or from any of the profess
sions, or from an academy, or even from
college. indeed, whatever may be his intel
lectual and literary qualifications
must pass through them. It is
- iN't NNhiH 'OulNts DDttl VI hluNO
for examination and of readings
And no young man. can pass through these
several books, undergo a satisfactory exam
nation, and graduate to full orders with
out being a fair scholar and thcologian.
One advantage in this method, so unlike
that of other churches, is that each and ev-
cry minister, unless he comes to us fully
accredited from other churches, is in the
actual work of the ministry, both in the
pulpit and IN the pastoratc, while he is
prosecuting his studies with care and pre-
paratory to annual examinations for four
years Theory and practice begin and 90
together.
These examinations are conducted by
committees previously appointed, with
some changes annually, who meet the
classes in separate rooms on the day pre-
ccding the opening and at the scat of con
| ference. In order that any one may be
promoted or graduate to the next years
course of study and reading, the exam
| ination must be satisfactory to the com
mittoc, who through the several chaimcn
openly announce the results thereof when
the name of each candidate for promotion
is called by the Bishop, and his ministerial
qualities and adaptations are given in the
hearing of all, except the candidates them
selves, who are not to be present. The eX-
amnatons for the first three years are
oral, except written specimens of sermon
ling presented for criticism. Those of the
fourth year are written at sufficient length
TO indicate to what extent the books have
been read, authorities have been consulted,
and the examined are familiar with the
books studied.
II is usual with us that the Presiding Ell
ders who are the appointees of Bishop,
to do some supervisory and administrative
work throughout districts that embrace
from fifteen to fifty churches and societies,
according to the populousness of the
country, meet, on the evening pre-
ceding conference for the purpose OF
comparing their own plans for the
ensuing year, TO exchange preachers if they
can. and in this way be ready to become
the advisors of the bishop in making out
the appointments for another year; for you
''"'".'-' 'hat 'ho lVirhonr who orc timer
ants and general superintendent, rather
than diocesan, are seldom sufficiently ac-
qnanted with the preachers or with the
churches to know their adaptations to each
other. After conference is opened the
bishop invites the presiding elders to his
room for counsel in assigning preachers to
their churches. 1t is no part of regular
conference business, but is attended to in
the afternoons and evenings, at such times
as matter of convenience. In conference
hours, usually from 0 a. m to - M, the
bishop is performing the duties of chair
man only Again, the presiding elders,
for the sake of cXpediting business, are
usually made a committee TO nominate
what we call the standing committees
committees to which are referred for con
sideration all matters that come regularly
before conference. On the evening before
conference, the presiding elders make out
list OF these regular committees, which
usually consists of one from each district.
or these standing committees there are
iJ''' ."ci'e ~ ili,ceii' 10 "nich are REFER
iof MI, t'i'''oa. all ,lic business on conference
into benevolent socictics eocj hoying it's
own set of officers. holding their anniyer
saries during the evenings, so that we have
a conference missionary, church extension,
union tract and Educational Societies bo.
sides what is called a clerical life assurance
association connected with these annual
assclnplieS; Eaci, ana every preacher mas
ciet,es and tbourh he nav tal,a nv an.; iU
part in their anniversaries, he is expected