National Republican., 1880-03-18
MARYLAND METHODISTS.
of Ministers for the
Coming Year.
Closing Session of the Conferonce-A Debate
over the Norfolk Mission - Proposed
General Convention-The Ecumen-
ical Council-The List OF As
signmonts for the Next
Conference Year.
The MARYLAND Conference.

The seventh and last days sessions Of tho
Maryland annual conference were held yes
erday in the Ninth.street NJ. =. church.
Discussion on tho resolution to instruct tho
representatives to tho general conference TO
vote for q general convention to consider the
revision of the constitution and discipline,
was resumed and the resolution was adopted.
Rev. Thomas Mccormick, who had been APP
pointed TO arrange for a visit to President
Hayes, introduced Commissioner Morgan, who
said it would be convenient and agreeable for
the conference to pay their respects to the
President at o'clock, and offered to accom-
pany them TO the Executive Mansion. II was
agreed to visit the President at O'Clock. The
committee on missions reported that in view
OF the demand made by the Virginia Aid SO.
cicty through its agent, DR. George K. Barr, for
immediate payment of 81, GOO indebtedness on
the Norfolk church property, assumed under
certain limitations by the Home Missionary
Society of tho conference TO save said property
and perpotuatc our ecclesiastical existence in
said city, they recommended that the Norfolk
church property bo rendered to the Virginia
Aid Society to meet said claim, and that Nor
folk mission be discontinued. Mr.. Barr made
few remarks explaining the standing aud
tho facts in tho matter, aud said that lie was
unwilling to accept the Norfolk property, but
said that if the conference would tender to
him the property which lie had sold to them,
of which he knew tho full value, he would nc.
cept that Dr. Drinkhouse moved that
the board of managers of the Missionary
Society be authorized, as they arc in tho
deed of transfer, 10 mortgage The Norfolk
N operty TO cover the deed Of trust and liqui.
date the claim Of DR.. Barr.
Mr.. Button suggested that tho missionary
of Norfolk be heard in the mattar, Tying that
if the report of the Missionary Society bs
adopted it would blot out II church of long
standing-ono over which it would not be
well for the conference to lose control.
Rev. T. Il. McGrcgor, missionary at Nor
folk, speaking in regard TO tho value of the
property, stated that the new church property
was valued at about S., 900 for church purposes.
The church membership amounts to forty
frst.cluss workers. There had been two or
three conversions just before he came away,
aud a revival was talked Of among tho mem.
hers The property was worth keeping and
the church could he built up to n self support
| ing basis IN u few years DR.. ]. 7. Murray
| said that, in tho true sense OF tho word mis-.
sion, there was no nGod Of q mission in Nor.
| folk. The people were not destitute. Sell the
property and do not mortgage 1t, Mr. Button
| thought that il WAS very serious matter. He
knew that tho church at Norfolk had not PRO.
gressed as had beon desired. Their cause there
had never been very vigorous-always a
heterogeneous mass; but there is a better sub
stratum there TO day than ever before. Nor.
folk is destined to be n great city, aud they
would make great mistake when they 90
away from the centres of population. They
would make very great mistake in giving
up this work. He then offered sub.
stitute for the report of the com
mittec, which WAS followed by Good of sub.
stitutes and resolutions, and u very lengthy
and animated discussion pro and con for the
adoption Of the report Of the committees. The
matter was finally disposed of by adopting the
first recommendation and rejecting the second
The conference then took - recess, and pro-
cecded to pay their respects to President
Hayes.