The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-04-26
THE NIETHODIsTs.
Annual Conference at Farmiugton.
SECOND DAY.

SECOND DAY
PENNINGTON, April "a.
The Conference convened at o'clock this
morning.
The opening religious exercises were con-
Quoted by Bishop Stephen M. Merrill, who
read the both chapter of Isaiah and the Sd
chapter of LIST Corinthians. The 3s0th hymn
was sung, and the Sacrament of the Lords
Supper was administered by the Bishop, as.
sisted by the Elders, to 100 COMMITMENTS
The roll of conference was called and e re-
sponded to their names.
G. j. Clark was elected Secretary.
Geo. q. Andrews, A. w. Pottle and W. s.
Jones were elected Assistant Secretaries.
The standing committees were appointed as
follows:
On Public Worship, e. Martin, chairman.
| Education, S. Allen,
Temperance, j. r. Day, +"
Church Extension, A. S. Ladd, "
Freedman's Aid, D. B. Randall, &c
Memoirs, @. Fuller,
| Conference Relations, s. Allen, I"
| Pastoral Address, S. f. Wether-
bee,
Bible Cause L. II. Bean, ="
| Stewards, S. f. Wetherbee, 3"
Rev. DR.. Hunt, Corresponding Secretary of
WIG AhiCitOaa olOiO oooiC0yt Woo iAbiOuuCCu
and addressed the Conference in the interest of
his work.
The third question of the minutes was taken
up, Who remain ON Trial?
The characters of Merritt G. Pendexter and
Fred G. Rogers were passed and their relations
were continued.
In response to the seventh question, David
Pratt and Geo. D. Lindsay were elected to
Elders orders.
Alvah Cook was continued deacon of the
second class.
Bepj. f. Pease was passed to the list of
effective elders, having been previou sly or
dained
Under the sixth question the characters of
Geo. G. Andrews, Sylvester Hooper and Chas
W. Bradlee were passed. The latter was con-
tinued deacon of the first class.
The secretaries were appointed committee
to publish the minutes.
-Four members passed from the church mill.
tant to the church triumphant during the past
year, viz: j. Fairbanks, r. f. French, J. Arm
strong, N. Hobart.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At Up. n. large congregation assembled to
llStou W tu6 Sbull-C6ubouuldl ScEmUu Wy -. d.
Randall, one of the veteran members of the
Conference.
E. Robinson amour ced the 491st hymn and
read the 5lst chapter of Isaiah. G. W. Morse
read the 9th chap. of ID Corinthians and G.
Fuller offere prayer.
The preacher took for his text, LIST Samuel,
7th chapter, 18th verse.
The sermon was full of interest to those who
are in any way identified with the history and
progress of Methodism in Maine After Civ
ing an account of his conversion and call to
the ministry, he spoke of the session of the
Conference of 50 years ago, when he joined it,
having been transferred from sister confer
ence. Only five of the seventy who were mem
bers of the Conference that year still live, and
the speaker is the only one who, at the present
time, sustains an effective relation to the Con-
ference.
He paid an affectionate tribute to Bishop
Hedding, of precious memory, and to the many
noble men who have accomplished their work
and been called to their reward, since he en-
tered the body. He referred to the moral revo-
lutions that have occurred, the progress and
triumph of the aati-SIavery cause, the rapid
Increase OF the temperance sentiment, the
remarkable discoveries that have rewarded
scientific research, and the spread of scriptural
h0llneSS IN all parts or our land.
He criticised sharply the action of those
churches who embarrass the appointing power
by their negotiations.
From the commencement to the close of his
discourse he held the undivided attention of his
audience, who will always gratefully remember
his words of wisdom and his affectonate
counsel
At the conclusion of the sermon, A. s. Ladd
stepped upon the platform and presented Mr..
Randall with sum of money which had been
contributed by his numerous friends in the
Conference.
EVENING. SESSION.
At7k O clock meeting was held in the in
terest of the Domestic Missionary Society. S.
Allen, d. D. presided, G. Munger assisted in
the opening exercises. The I'd Psalm was read
and prayer offered by I. Lucs. DIR. Allen
BRIEFLY explained the purposes of the society,
and introduced Parker Jaques, Presiding Elder
of Portland District, who spoke earnestly and
eloquently of the necessities of the poorer
churches within the bounds of the conference.
E. Martin, Presiding Elder of the Lewiston
District, followed, and in an exceedingly inter-
esting manner described the condition of the
work in portions of his field, which fully Illus
CrateS the Necessity OF Inc DOMESTIC miss l0nary
work.
l. Luce of Saccarappa spoke of the oneness
of Methodism and the spirit which should per-
wade the entire body. We ought in our great
centers to feel that we have common interest
with those who are at the remote extremes
J. R. Day of Portland, urged the impor-
lance of the work of the church in country
towns and villages. If, as has been asserted,
Maine is famous for raising men who go to all
parts of the nation to occupy important posi-
tions it is very important that they should 90
out converted men, that they should go not
only with strong and cultivated intellects, but
with right hearts and proper moral culture.
O. q. Gone congratulated the conference on
He has long advocated and nravsd for 6Uc tbst
which he now sees accomplished.
DR. A. S. Hunt of New York made the clos
ing speech, presenting with remarkable force
and pertnence the underlying principles of our
missionary work.