, 1877-10-12
Second Day's Proceedings OF the Meth
odist Conference at Princeton.
Reports Presented by the Elders Of Va
rious Districts.
Commissions Appointed for the Trial
Of Alleged Offenders.
Work Accomplished by the Episcopal Gen.
aral Convention,
THE MET1lODISTs.

PRINCETON, ILL.,, Oct. 11.-Tbc second dayts
session Of the Rock River Conference opened
this morning with Bishop Merrill In tho chair.
Elder boring conducted devotional oxcrciscs
Tile Rev. Luke Hitchcock, u. D.. presented lis
report rs trustee Of the Request of $1,000 mado
10 the Conference by Mrs. WhItcsldc. lie re-.
ported ttlat the accrued intorcst tip to Oct. 10
was $l04, which uas to bc divided Into four
parts, ~ provided In the will. The American
Bible 8ociety, the Conference Treasurer Of the
Missionary Society, the Stewards. for division
among the widows and orphans, and the Prcstl-
ing Elder Of tho Dixon District, for tho support
Of preaching In tilat district, we're each rotcd
$23; and tho Rev. Mr.. Hitchcock WAS reelected
trustee OF tue fund.
wANTs AN lNvEsr1oAr1oN.
Tho Rev. William Goolfcllov called tho attcr-
tion Of Conference to the fact that ho was
charged in the churc'l-extenston annual with the
sum Of $500 He Ind never seen cent Of tho
mittec 10 look into the matter. The Roy. /. E.
Springer, F. A. Hardin, and 8. A. W. Jewott
were appointed Us sa'l Committee.
ruE TENTH QUESTION
''Wna tho character of each preacher cxamin-
cdi''--was then again ordered. Elder Tbbais
reported on behalf Of the Frccport District TINT
there had been some extensive rcviyals during
the past year, and TINT 800 persons had bccn
added to the church on probation. During the
four years Of hts Eldcrshlp Iwo churches were
built and paid for, $2, 100 Of debt wiped out, and
church improvements amounting to s4,9i0
made. The Sunday-scl,ool records showed
4 GRATIFYING lNcnEAsK
in attendance, and tho minlstcrs' salaries in
nearly every caso werc promptly met. So far
rs possible tho missionary plan has been carried
OUT. aud the collections had bccn well sus-
talned, except 10 SONIC Of the smaller churches,
where It wns feared that collections might In
terfcre with tho minister's salary which Is small
in ITSELF During tho ycar tho Rev. c. G.
Busbby had died. There wcrc no complaints
against any ministers In the FrccpoEt District.
PRESENTATION.
Bishop Merrill, on behalf of tho friends OF
Elder Tibbals, presented HIN on Ills retirement
from tho district With very tlno hilrer witch.
Air. Tibha1s briefly returned thanks.
nEpoRTs
Elder Isaac Ltnebnrgcr presented the report
Of the Dixon District. Over 900 souls wcrc
added to the church and three campmcetinCa
had been held during the year. Three churches
were erected and dedicated to tho worship of
God during the year. Ono Of these cost q, 900,
aud the second 5000, and all this is already
raIscd. A new parsonage had been built at
Sterling, Broadway, and considerable Sums cx-
pended on necessary Fepatrs and improvements.
There Vas nothing agalnst any preacher In tue
MENDOZA DISTRICT.
Elder W. II. Smith represented tho Mcnd0tn
District. Several hundred persons were added
10 the church. Two ncw churches llad been
The ehurcf, at sublette had been finally cleared
Of all tncumbrances,. and about 81 900 Of debt
wiped out. Many OF tho ministers in this lfs-
triet had strlycn nobly and deserved credit for
holding thc fort On the whole, tho church Was
lourtshlpg. ;. . -.
A charge Of tn'morality had been preferred
Newark Church, which lie handed 'in.
0n motion, Dr.: lllteheoes, Or. doodfellow,
..elect thirteen mcIaLefs Tor Court Of Trial.
The Rev. N. Ii. Axtcll WIS appointed rot,nsel
for tho accused. The Specifications were not
read, but y Is understood that tho offcnso
charged 10 that OF making Improper proposals.
Charges OF falschood, s1nnder. and unclrIs-
ttan conduct were preferred ngninst J. j. Yates,
Of WSanct, by 7. G. ClendcnninK. Tho same
COMMITTEES was empowered to select Tral
was recognized a: counsel for the accused, and
the Rsv. William Il. 8troup as counsel for tho
Church.
an OLD orSxNpEn.
Mr. Yates seems destined To furnish employ
ment tor Commission caeh rear. Last time
10 was charged viii, cruelty and ,lescrtson. and
the Court found him not guilty, but reported
that "thou9b they ltd not Ind my one Of the
epcciteations sustained, tn the scnsc In which
those specifications must ho interpreted, yet
tue testimony evidenced the actual occurrence
Of events III which Brother Yates was involved
that. stated npart from attending circumstances,
would seem 70 ctilntuato him; but they did not
boicve that Ia any ono Of thcse easea he was
guilty OF tntcMtonal wrong"
AN EXPLANATION DESIRED.
Tho Rey ]. @. 6toughton, who was assigned
to charge vt Sugar GroYc, was called upon 10
explain why he bud left his post and removed to
Nebraska- Mr, StonEhson answered that he bad
trlcti to do hts work fur thirty years, und no
complaint had ever been made agalnst him by
tho Church. lie complained Tint tho Bishop
and Presiding Elders had treated him in Aip-
pant manner, and had removed him, ns.ho
claimed, Without ca,,se. Ills last charge was In
the church where tho Conference Is now sitting.
and there was good opportunity Of 0nd.
lug out what was thought OF him.
It Rppcarcd that Tho PrestdiuE Elders,
with tho exception Of bis own Elder, had passed
son,o resolutions and presented then, 10 the
Nts1, Nnt -, na,kr