The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-17
LOoAL ArrAIRs.


the Maryland Conference Of the Methodist
Protestant Church, met 10 this city a. Q o elk.
a. M. on Wednesday morning:
The district under the control Of this cOn-
ference lies within the States Of Delaware,
Maryland and Virginia. The body is com
posed OF about one hundred itinerant minis
tiers and an equal number Of laymen, presided
over by an annually elective officer. II rep
resents 2OS churches, property valued at 5000
900, and membership Of 1900 eommuni-
cants.
The special interest of the present session
Of the body is that il il will elect and instruct
representatives to an extraordinary eonyen-
ton Of the general church to meet in Balti-
more in May, prox. The power and purpose
Of This convention is to make certain changes
in the constitution and to effect an immediate
union between the western and southern see
tons Of the church Their severance took
place in 1858 on the slavery question, and that
middle wall of partition being now pulled
down, the old status is 10 be resumed.
The statistics Of the consolidated church
will be about as follows ,-Communicants,
$50, 900; itinerant ministers, 1900; church
property, valued at Ss,OO0,00O; sabbath
school scholars, 100, 900 three book publish
ing concerns, issuing the Methodist Protest
ant, y L. ]. Drinkhouse, NJ. D., editor the
Methodist Recorder and Moving Guide
Alex. Clarke, d. D., editor, and the ''Central
Protestant, J. l.. Miehaux, editor; three
colleges in active and successful operation,
adrian in Michigan; "Yadkiu, - in North
Carolina, and western Maryland, in our
own city.
Rev. David Wilson, NJ. D., opened the SEES
SION, by reading Scripture lessons from ID
Timothy, 4, and Corinthians IS, which was
followed by singing the hymn commencing
"And are We yet Alive, and prayer.
The roll Of deceased ministers was called,
The demise Of Revs. Anon Richards and DR..
A. s. Eyersole during the past year being an
nounced, memorial services were held, and
eulOgies were pronounced by Reys. McCor-
mick, Nichols, Norris, Moore and others.
Revs. VIM. S. Hammond and j. NJ Holmes
we're appointed committee on credentials.
The following resolution was offered and
adopted That we yield the services Of to-
night to a meeting in behalf Of the Baltimore
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.
At II o'clock the conference sermon was
preached by Rev. Charles II. Little,on, Of
Frederick. The Lords Supper was after
wards administered, Drs, J. ]. Murray and L.
W. Bates eelebrants.
The afternoon session opened al p. NJ,
when it was ordered that the first half hour Of
each session be spent in devotional exercises.
President Wilson submitted his annual re-
port. ltiniieates a year of unusual pros-
periiy.
A paper was introduced BY Rev. d. ".
Bates condemning all private arrangement
between preachers aud charges as to their
/ appointments; the pTatice ofinstructing dele
gates to accept one chosen pastor and refuse
some other; also the appointment Of pastor
in defiance Of the protest Of delegate.
Pending the discussion Of the paper, the
order Of the day arrived and the election Of
president was entered upon. The first ballot
resuited-S. b. Southerland "a, ID. W. Bates
80, I. d. Valiant "a; necessary TO choice
ca. On the second ballot Rev. d. W. Bates
was chosen president.
Thursday. -Confereuce was opened with
religious services, conducted by Rev. A. r.
Melvin. Rev. ID. w. Bates, the newly elect.
ed president, in the chair
The standing committees we're called, On
unfinished business, A. T. Melvin, chairman;
finance, J. r. Nichols; official character, J .
I. Murray; statistics, d. A. Sturmer; timer.
aney and orders, S. B. Switzerland; bounda.
ries, VIM. Dale; missions, l.. W. Bates; lii.
erature, James K. Nichols; college, J. j.
Murray; superannuates. f. Swentzel Sabbath
schools, I. ID. Valiant; temperance, d. vii.
son; ecclesiastical communications, A. Web
ster; Bible House, p. l.. Wilson; pulpit ser.
vice, A. c. Cushing.
The morning hour was consumed in discus.
sion of the paper offered yesterday BY Rev.
ID. W. Bates It was practically rejected by
being laid upon the table. Balloting took
place for district committee, resulting in the
election Of one member, Rev. VIM Dale.
Conference opened and baloting was re-
sumed at two clock.
1t was ordered that in the examination OF
official character the question be asked "Has
your assistant been exemplary and faithfui!''
Five other members of district commit zee
Sere elected: Revs. J. I. Murray and David
Wilson, james W. Thompson, Dr. Herring
and Pere Wilmer.
Revs. c. +. Smith, Shipley and Miller, Of
VI. Z. Church, were int. oduced.
Rev. H. P. Jordan presented paper from
Lexington street station, and pending its re.
ception he arraigned the conference for the
violation of law in striking the station from
the list at the session of 1876. Ii was nc.
cepted and read
On motion of E. D. Bates, Esq. Lexington
street station was restored to the list OF cir.
cults and stations.
The committee on appeals was elected as
follows :-Drs. Switzerland, Bates, Nichols,
c. W. Button and 0rmond Hammond.
Rev. II. s. Rowe was elected conference
steward; Revs. A. W. Mather and J. +. Ma.
10y, assistants.