The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-10
General Conference M. E. Church.

BALTIMORE May 9, 1876.
10 The Editor of the Press:
This religious body, which holds a session
once in four years, assembled in this city on
MONDAY last. 1t consists of twelve bishops,
three missionary secretaries, two general
agents of the church extension society. one
agent OF the Freedmans aid society, and two
hundred and twenty-three delegates from
among the clergy, and 133 lay delegates.
This body represents 80 annual conferences.
from every State in the Union,-and confer.
euces in Germany and Switzerland, India and
Liberia from abroad
In these conferences there are in the ssere-
gate ,642, ,456 church members. 19,287 Sunday
Schools, 207 1872 teachers and officers, and l.
4O6, ,16S scholars, During the last four years,
there has been an increase of 1882 schools, 13, :
2O3 officers and teachers and 138, ,456 scholars.
During the same time there has been admit
ted to the church 234 4,610 new members and the
net increase-after deducting tine deaths etc.,
has been 160, ,460-and of minister's 1924
The whole number of churches reported in
1875, were 1858. aud their estimated value
81, ,234. There were during the last four
years l, 1873 new churches erected, and their es-
timated value S14, ,444.334
During the same period there were 7OS new
parsonages erected, of the value Of S1,944,S94
and the whole number of parsonages owned BY
the church as reported in 1875, was SOY, of
the value 49, 73l, ,62S.
These figures. which are officially reported in
the quadrennal address of the bishops. give
some idea of the extent, and influence of this
great and powerful church. As might be rea-
sonably expected, this general conference EN-.
bodies large amount Of ability, and learning.
A glance at the catalogue of delegates, will
show no less than nineteen presidents of col.
leges, and large number Of the most distin-
guished DiviLes in the country. Among the
laymen belonging to the conference are gover-
nors and ex-governors of states. members and
ex-members of both houses in Congress, with a
large sprinkling of distinguished men
from the legal profession, from the
different paris of the country. Prominent
among these are Judges Reynolds, of New
York; Cooley. of Iowa; Lawrence, of Ohio;
Shinkle, OF Kentucky; White, OF Pennsylva-
mia; Hammond, of Illinois; and Walker, of
Texas.
Among the distinguished visitors are Rev.
Drs. Riggs aud Pope, from the Wesleyan
Church in England; Bishop Carman and Drs.
Loundsberly and Williams, of the N. L.
Church, Canada; Rev. Drs. Pierce, Magreder,
Dupcan Hargrave, Garland ana Myers, from
the M. E. Church South; Rev. DR.. Patten,
from the Presby yterian Church, and Reyds
Scott, Jordan, Collier and Pierrepont, Of the
Methodist President Church
But little business has been done as yet. ex-
cept the raising and organizing of the several
standing committees. Reports will begin to
come in the first of next week. A large mum.
Der of memorials, resolutions and propos 4
amendments to the ecclesiastical laws of the
church have been already referred. In presd-
ing the bishops alternate, and arrange the
matter between themselves. In presiding over
this large body it requires nearly as mucn par
liamentary skill and ability as is required in
the Speakers chair at Washing ton. Bishops
Simpson and Harris have already exhibited
large executive ability in this direction.
The sessions of the conference are held in
the Academy of Music, one Of the most splen
did audience rooms in the whole country.
There are AZ Methodist churches 10 Baltimore,
and the proverbial hospitality OF the Monu-
mental City was never more clearly demon
strated than in the generous free entertain
ment given the members and visitors attend
ing this conference. P.