The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-03
Saturdays Proceedings of the Northwest
Conference.

Saturdays Proceedings of the Northwest
Conference.
Terre Haute Express. I'd.
After some preliminary business at the
conference yesterday, the members of the
lay conference were received and introduced
to the ministerial brethren, and President
Beale addressed the conference. He was glad
to receive the salutations of the brethren,
and recognized the need of a still closer
union between ministers and laymen. They,
as laymen, would feel more earnestly the
need OF upholding the hands of the minis
try under all circumstances, whether they
got the right men as pastors or not
Bishop Harris replied Bishop Kingsley
said that time ought to be measured by
events. Men who live now are older than
Methusaleh. The president of the lay con-
ference was the bishops former pupil,
though he felt little delicacy in stating it
as he looked upon his white head, and was
much surprised to find his former pupil in
the chair of the lay conference to-day. The
ministers were all laymen once, and
the laymen have commissioned the
preachers to their work. That is the
custom of our church. Laymen judge
Of the qualifications, endowments, gifts and
grace of the one called to the ministry. The
laity stand at the door and send the ministry
out, so they must stand at the door and re-
many Offices in the Methodist Church, and
these offices are for the benefitof the church,
not the man." The bishop, in the name of
the ministers, challenged the lay conference
to year of hard work The lay conference
accepted the challenge by rising vote, the
ministerial conference, rising also in reply,
presenting a fine array. The laymen, the
elder body in appearance, seemed to hardly
differ in dignity and grace from their cler-
ical brethren Both were at least a unit in
spirit.
The committee on education reported in
reference to Asbury University. Ninety
thousand dollars had been raised Sixty
thousand were yet required to meet
the conditions of the DePauw endowment.
If each conference should assume the inter-
est on $4,000 the amount can be insured.
The report called for such action. The re-
port was adopted. The conference roll was
called as ordered by the report A motion
to reconsider the report was lost The roll
was called and about seventy names of the
conference agreed to take shares of so each.
Several of the brethren couldn't get a clear
idea but their wives and the laymeu stepped
in and took their places. A committee was
appointed to secure enough names to COM
pete the number required (105( which were
soon secured.
After the adjournment of the conference
the Womens Home Missionary Society was
called to order The object of this society
was explained by Mrs. DIR. Rust, of Cincin-
natl. This society has essentially a mission
among the poor and neglected of our native
land-in the South, in Utah, among the
poor of the great cities. A large number OF
ladies had already been sent to these various
home fields. Some specimens of the work
from the sewing schools were exhibited.
Mrs Dunton, one of these missionaries,
addressed the conference, relating many III
cidents gathered from her field of labor,
which were listened to with great interest,
and when called upon for collection the
audience responded literally.
The missionary anniversary was also cele-
brated DIR. Aaron Wood was elected presi-
dent; w. Prettyman. vice-president; G. w.
Swtzer, secretary, and S. B. Town, treasurer.
Dr. Fowler was introduced and addressed
the meeting.