The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-30
THE METHoDISTS
The Fifty-Seventh Annual Confer
ence.
THIRD DAYS PROCEEDINGS.

Conference met at $50 a. m, Bishop Peel
in the chair. The opening devotional exercise
were conducted by VIM. HI. Foster
telegram was received from John Allen O
Pennington announcing the death of his wife,
The third question was taken up-"Who re
main on Trial9"
Joseph H. Snow was continued and Charles
M. Comstock was discontinued at his own re
quest.
resolution with reference TO Sunday schoo
teaching suggested by the Woman's N. c. T
Union was presented and referred to the com
mttee on Temperance.
The thirteenth question was taken up ant
the characters of G.. d. Holmes, G. l., Bur
bank, e. s. Stackpole, W. +. Marshall and M
E. King passed, and they were advanced TO the
second class
Merritt c. Pendexter and Fred G. Roger,
were elected to Elders orders
The memorial service was made the order O
the day for Saturday at 1890 a. m.
Augusta was fixed upon as the seat of the
next Conference.
Aaron III. Whitman and Samuel T. Record
local preachers, were elected to Elders orders.
Revs. Geo. Whitaker of the N. E. Confer.
ence, DR.. Lowry of the Cincinnati Conference
A. H. Wright of the St. Lawrence Street
church, were introduced to the Conference
Rev. Geo. Whitaker addressed the Confer
ence in behalf of the New England Educa-
tional Society and the N. E. Methodist Histor-
ical Society.
j. Albert Corey and Edwin W. Simons, can
didates fof admission to the Conference, were
called forward and addressed by the Bishop,
who propoanded to them the usual disciplinary
questions.
The following is a very brief report of the
Bishops address. which was one of great in
forest and much enjoyed by the large congre-
CATION assembled to hear it,
1t becomes my duty to ask you several i'm
portant questions concerning Christian exper-
fence. You will observe that the church at
taches special importance to these questions,
concerning conversion, justification and the be-
| ginning OF specification. Others may teach
| that regeneration and entire sanctification are
one, put the M. u. church has never occupied
an equiyocal position on this question. The
idea of going on to perfection implies that
there is a completeness in sanctification that
may and ought to be attained. And the church
expects you to seek this attainment.
We are to be perfect IN loUe, and that is the
| point toward which we ask you if you are ad-
vanc;ng. Entire specification is aifund ame ntal
and organic principle of our theology. We do
| not claim that our terms or definitions are fun
damental, but the thing itself is
Millions before the throne may not have &C {.
cepted our Technology, but the fact remains
that they have 'washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb"
But our method OF teaching the doctrine is
clear and explicit, and is fundamental in our
ministry; and it is expected that you will never
| overlook sneak diSnarapippiv of ha ctrip
of entire specification.
While this is true it is not to be so separated
from our system as to constitute the only theme
OF our preaching. We have to deal with sim
brought up to this high standard of Christian
attainment; but they are to be led ON and up
from the first principles of the gospel to the
completeness of its experience. To preach al
ways ON this subject is likely to result in the
loss OF hearers. Keep it in its place, and its
place is the very center of the gospel system.
You must preach it earnestly, sincerely and
., that you may preach it from experience.
Do not leave the preaching of this doctrine to
those irresponsible parties who go about to pro-
claim it, and whose spirit and manner tend to
draw away the hearts of the people from their
pastors. Get perfect love in your hearts and
live it and you will have no disposition to quar-
rel about it.
Trying to fit ourselves to receive this bless
ing, or to prevail upon God to impart it to US,
is vain A we'll informed Wesleyan Methodist
ought not to struggle long for it. As it is by
faith, why not now? 1t is giving ourselves up
to Jesus to be completely saved by Him.
The ministry is sufficient to engage the en-
| tire attention OF any man, and he who gives
himself to this work should give himself Who'll
" to this work Some one asked me if a
Methodist minister ought to run for Congress.
thoughtfully replied, eyes, yes, when it is
perfectly evident that he is fit for nothing
else.''
Be true to the doctrines of your church To
claim the ability to improve or set aside these
clearly defined doctrines may be compliment
to your individuality but it will be a sorry
compliment to your brains Those who have
attempted to do this, instead of becoming
broadly popular as they expected have be-
come broadly useless.
Before you rush into print with your inn
provements Of our discipline, would advise
you to talk little while with some one who
knows great deal more than you do, and you
will lind that this ground has all been gone
over and settled. Don't try to tear down the
system that made you what your are.
BE punctual. Any man can be whore he
ought to be on time if he tries
With reference to the mending of our rules
leave that to green members of the General
Conference, who usually come up with their
pockets full OF amendments to the discipline
only to find that these matters have all been
discussed and disposed of long ago. I believe
in progress, but progress on the track.
We have orders from the Master to go, and
go we must and go we will. We are to preach
the Gospel whether the people want us and
Will pay US or not 1t is very mean in the peo-
pie to starve us, but they must have the gospel
and our system gives it to them. And we are
looking to cur theological schools to give US
heroic men who are willing to do the work of
the Master on our frontiers; and brethren, if
your presiding elder is looking for some fine
appointment for you, that has been built up
by the faithful and sacrificing labor of others,
just tell him to stop that nonsense AS sons in
the gospel get the spirit of the Fathers, who
toiled hard and sacrificed much for Christ's
cause.
Use your mornings for diligent study and do
not feel obliged to be very gracious to that
class of people who carelessly intrude upon the
morning hours Of the preacher.
The candidates were then admitted and E.
W. Simons was elected to Deacon's orders
Milton S. Vail. missionary to Japan and
member of this conference, was elected to FL
der's orders.
The Bishop announced the transfer of A.
MeKeown, DID,, to this conference
AFTERNOON.
The afternoon was devoted to the anniver-
saries of the Preachers Aid and the Domestic
Missionary Societies.
John Collins presided, M. G. Pendexter con-
Quoted the devotional exercises; G. J. Clark,
Treasurer Of the P A. Society, made brief
statement of its financial condition and pros
poets.
Very spirited and interesting addresses were
delivered by Revs. c. Munger, Perry Chan
dler aud Geo. Whitaker.
EVENING.
The illness of Chaplain McCabe, who was
advertised to speak on church extension. rem
dered change in the programme necessary,
and DR.. A. Lowry delivered his very interest
ing lecture on the "Hstory of the doctrine of
holiness" The audience, which filled the
church in every part, was entertained and
profted by this able address.
Chaplain McCabe is expected today, and will
probably speak on his favorite theme Sunday
evening, though it canno. be stated with GER
tainty.
Following are abstracts of the reports of the
Presiding Elders of the Conference:
PORTLAND DISTRICT.
Presiding Elder Jaques, in his report of the
Portland district recognises with gratitude the
courtesy and kindess he has received from pas
tors and people. His salary for the four wears
in which he has held his Office has been paid
in full, with a surplus, the small deficiency at
some points having been more than made up
by the overpayment at Others AS now consti-
int tba rin ayokr Il,