Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-03-17

coMMrrTEEs-DUsINEss OF THE SESSION, &c.
Special Cor essondeace VI the Commercial.
SMYRNA, DEL, March 16.
The seventh annual session of the Wilmington
M. +. Conference opens in this town, tomorrow.
The sessions will be held in the Methodist
church, which is abundantly ample, being one
of til, largest aud handsomest on the Peninsula,
barring one Or two in Wilmington. The trains,
to-day, brought with them large number Of
ministers, some of whom are accompanied by
their wives, who domiced comfortably
among Methodsts for the most part, that de-
nomination being almost strong enough of it.
self to accommodate the entire Conference
The body comprises about 1876 ministers, but
provision was made for 200 persons, this being
necessary to accommodate the lay delegates and
others who usually attend.
BISHOP JAMES WILL PRESIDE,
being already present, the guest of J. R, Glenn
ent. 1t is impossible to forecast the business OF
the session in advance OF the opening, but 80 far
RS is now known it does not seem probable that
any matters of stirring interest will be presented
for consideration. This prospect, however, is en-
tirely circumstantial. The members have not
yet revealed what they have in contemplation,
and until they do it is not known that anything
will transpire beyond the ordinary routine work.
1t may be stated, however, in advance that the
subject Of the
CONFERENCE ACADEMY
Is likely to become matter Of deep concern, its
financial condition being such that some action
cannot be evaded. debt of $50, 900 is hang
ing over the institution, and longer indulgence
cannot be claimed of the contractors. Against
this debt the Trustees haye nothing except
some 1000 in subscriptions which are not now
available, and there is an actual present need OF
$4,000. This money must be raised from some
source the need is urgent and unpleasant as
the subject may be the Conference will be called
upon to take hold of it and devise some means
by which the present difficulty may be tided
over. AS AZ initiative,
FREE EXCURSION
will be made to Dover on Thursday, when an
inspection of the new building will be afforded,
and collation. be spread in the large din
ing hall for the visitors.
Among the earliest features Of general inter
est will be the introduction, tomorrow, by Rev.
Geo. E. Phoebus of a resolution committing the
sympathy of the Conference to the Centennial
The feeling of the members has not yet de-
veloped but the resolution will hardly fail.
THE PASTORAL CHANGES.
will bo many, but mostly confined to the lower
districts. There are several, however, in the
Wilmington district, outside of Wilmington, the
only one in the city of which there is any
defniteness being at Asbury, which will be
filled, it ID Thought by Rev. MIR. M Kramer; Other
they are scarcely within the range of probable
ity BY way of transfers to other conferences
it may be stated definitely that Rev. G. ID. Wat
son will go West, Rev. j. A. b. Wilson to II
some point in the West. He is already in that
field, and the forms OF transfer have only to be
gone through with. Rev. e. Stubbs is also ex-
pected to be transferred, some say to Phila-
delphia and others to New Jersey, while he ls
claimed here, and it is said the promise has
been given by him that he will accept this pas
torate.
DISTRICT sUB. DIVISIONS.
necessity for the division of some of the
larger circuits is believed to exist, but there ls
not now any strong probability that more than
one will be reduced in size, and even this one
may not be- Reference il made to Talbot cir
cult. The circuit itself s very strongly in favor
of division, and the Quarterly Conference has
resolved upon the following plan Divide the
circuit into three parts making st. Michaels a
station, Bay Hundred, Tilghman's Island and
Broad Greek Neck (four churches) circuit, and
Royal Oak and Ferry Neck, Gwo churches) an
other circuit. The whole question, some think,
hinges on ministerial supply.
THE STANDING COMMITTEES.
The following standing committees will be
Education-J. B. Merritt F. A. Ellis, W. ?.
Davis, @. H. b. Day, A. W. Mby, W. H.
Thompson, W. H. Hutchins, J. Z. Eegood;,
Bible Cause-I. 4. Cooper, j. W. Pierson,John
Allen, r. II. Adams.
Sunday Schoos.-Enoch Stubbs, j. w. Ham
mersly, w. +. Talbot.
Tract.-John France, G. r. Bristor, T o
Ayres, A. Stengle.
Temperance A. Brindle,C. W. prettyman,
A. d. Davis, Joseph Dare:
| General Statistics. N. Foreman ID. w. q.
Mcintyre, L. Il. White, L. II. Creamer.
| Missionary Statistcs.-Y. Gray, j. A. B. Will
| son. A. A. Fisher.
Finance. D. Kemp t. B. Williams, W. P.
Davis G. A. Campbell.
| Address of Local Preachers.-J. W. Weston,
| L. H. Hynson, L. J. Ayres, John E. Smith.
| Missions. s.-The Presiding Elders, John T.
Price, Thos. Mallalieu, Jacob Williams DIR. w.
| L. Smith.
Necessitous Cases. Tho Conference Stew
| ards.
| Post Ofices.-H. Sanderson, I. H. Harding,
| W. W. Redman, j. A. Arters.
| Anniversaries. B. Merritt, d. @. Ridgway
j. L. Bryan, N. M. Browne.
| Ladies' and Pastors Christian Union --J. Is
Qugg j. L. Houston, j. NJ. Williams, ?. IL
| Rawlins. ,
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society,". Hill
]. II. Caldwell, T. ]. Williams, q. M. Pegg.
This afternoon, the
| CONFERENCE EXAMINATION COMMIT TEES
are at work, and the Bishops Council are hold
ing preliminary meeting. In the evening, {
conference prayer meeting will be held, which
| will ba oonduntad bv Raw DIR. kaQuey