The daily gazette., 1878-12-06
THIRD EDITION
The District conference.

journnent.
Yesterday afternoon the Wilmington
District Conference of the NJ. L. Church
continued its session in Asbury Church,
and opened with religious exercises con-
Quoted by Rev. A. ID. Davis.
Rev. A. Rittenhouse, ID. d., Of the
North Philadelphia Conference a former
pastor of st. Pauls Nj. f. Church, this
city, was formally introduced to the Con-
ference, and took seat beside the Pre-
siding Elder
The license of Robert Smith, local
preacher, was renewed.
The action of Conference in declining
to renew the license of Vincent G. Flynn,
local preacher, was reconsidered, on
motion of Mr.. J. +. Williamson, and the
license was ordered to be renewed, in
case Mr.. Flynn passed a satisfactory eX-
animation before his pastor and the most
contiguous pastor.
The same action was taken in regard
to John W. Kane, who was the only re-
manning local preacher whose license had
not been renewed
Conference then proceeded to the dis
cussion OF the question, "Shouid the Pre-
siding Elder Districts in our Conference
be less than four ?"
The discussion was opened in the af
flrmative by Rev. John France, who ia
Vored the reducton-trst, on the score of
economy. He said that during the last
Conference year the sum of SS},S was
raised for the support of preachers and
Presiding Elders in the Wilmington
conference, of which amount S5,9l9 was
for Presiding Elders. 70 reduce the
number of Presiding Elders to three
would result in saving at least 81 200 per
annum. The speaker also contended for
the reduction on the ground of eXpedi-
ency. and claimed that three Presiding
Elders could do the Conference work as
eilectually as four as il would only give
each l.. L. 30 charges to preside over
while in the Philadelphia Conference
four Presiding Elders served 220 charges
or % charges for each. The balance of
the argument endeavored TO prove that
the work of the Districts could be AS Of
tectively performed, In all respects, by
three Presiding Elders, as it is now done
by four.
DR.. RittenL ouse, being invited to
speak. declined to enter upon the merits
of the ques ton, but gave the Conference
some OF the details of his work in Phila-
delphia. He said his District was large
north Of Vine street aud between the
two rivers. He said the work was very
laborious and occupied the greater part
of his time.
Rev. A. ID. Davis thought the number
of Presiding Elder Di tricts should be
reduced TO two, as in his opinion that
number would be sutf cient for the per
formance of the District duty.
Rev, j. B. Mann spoke on the mega.
tive, sh wing the necessity of not I'M
posing 30 much work on the Presiding
Elder as churches are lost and societies
disbanded when the Pr-sdi tg Elder j,
no able to properly attend ~ his Dis
trict.
Presiding Elder Quigg, by request
spoke upon the QusStlon. He thought
that the Presiding Elders, at present,
had plenty to do. He bad been in the
pastorate for twenty years aud duriugthi,
time WAS never deemed inactive, yet h,
never then had 10 work so hard as
since he had been Pres ling Elder
He described the size of the District
bounded by Pennsylvania on the north
the canal on the South, and txtendinl
from the Delaware to the Susquebanns
rivers-and said IL cont ntained 90 churches
and ~ charges, He reviewed the work
of Presiding Elder, and held that the
Interests OF the church would not be sub
served by a reduction of the number Of
Districts.
The question was then passed, anC
Conference proceeded TO discuss tn,
question, "Should our church hcens,
women to preach and exhort ," Rev
j. B. Mann opened in the negative, de
Glazing that the licensing of women /,
preach or exhort was forbidden by tn,
Bible and that the relations of woman
to her husband, and her duty to obe'
hun would be incompatible with he
duties as preacher, as without the con
sent her husband she could not accep
heenoe to preach and exhort. ii,
claimed that nature and experience prov
ed that woman was not fitted to perform
the duties If preacher, aud that he
proper sphere was in the home circle
Jnitreuce then adjourned with tn
DoNolugy and the Benedictiun by Nj
Mann.
EVENING SESSION.
The evening session mainly comprise,
chlIdren's meeting at which interest
ing addresses were delivered be Rev i
oven Sypherd and Rev ID G. Ridgewa,
Aft@r concluding some unfinished bnsi
ness, adopting programme for tn
next meeting and passing the usual vot
OF hanks the Conference adjourned
The programme arranged Tor tue ueA
meeting is as follows
|. Tuesday evrning-Sermon bv !
l.. Thompson, alternate, l.. +. Ba
r"tt.
Disciplinary business.
.. Review II Newman Smyth's "Tl
Religious Feelings by George X. Br
tor.
4. hi. i.cussion, "Should the term
ministerial service in the NJ. T.. Churc
he extended" e. NJ. Pegg and j. .
B. Wilson.
Essay 4 Melchizedek," by W.
Avery.
D. Discussion, ''Did Paul write IL
letter to the Hebrews ?" T. B. Hunter,
Is. Quigg, IL. f, Williamson.
Z. Review of Van Osterzee's Theolo
of the New Testament, by j. II. Cal
we'll
=. Children's meeting, on Thursd
evening
NAk AZ - MI u