Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-03-14
THE CONFERENCE.
ITS NINErY.slxrn ANNUAL sEssion.

AAA~ AAA0eOsASoA 0OSA0eJ N010Ob0IIOo-Vbs
gaDixati0n OF the Conferenos-rne
Work Of the Week.
The Philadelphia conference OF the
Methodist church, of which the
96th annual session is now being held in
the Lancaster court house, is not
the oldest of the 1Ol conferences
in the United States-where Methodism
has its greatest strength. That proud
distinction belongs to the Baltimore con-
ference BY several years. For though to
Barbara Heck and Philip Embury is duo
the credit Of the first church organization
in New York, whose centenary was cele-
brated in 1868, it was upon that memor.
able Christmas eve of 1854 that tho great
conference was begun which Or
gsnized the Methodists of America
as separate fold into the one flock of
Christ" OF the eighty one American
preachers, nearly sixty represent, most
of them young. Here Coke took his seat
as superintendent and here, taking to
himself presbyters, he consecrated Francis
Asbury as superintendent for America
here eleven or more persons were elected
elders, and all of them who we're present
were consecrated here Asbury, who re-
fused to receive the Office OF superintend-
ent at the will of Wesley alone, was
unanimously elected bishop or superin-
tendent by the suffrages of the whole
body of Methodist ministers through the
continent, assembled in general confer
ence )" and here Coke, obeying the direc.
tions Of Wesley, took to himself at least
the canonical number of prasbyters, and
ordained him, Francis Asbury, as ga
superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal
oh rot Sv~
sermon delivered on that day and publish
ed at the time, Coke asserts his own
right to exercise the episcopal Office"
and defines the title of superintendent as
the equivalent of bishop"
Tho Philadelphis Conference.
As claimed by the speakers at the cele-
bration last evening, however. in many
respects the Philadelphia conference is
preemineat. Within it's bounds as early as
1767 was held Methodist service by
Capt. Webb, and even before that an
audience had been bespoken for him
by DR.. Wrangle, Swedish mis-
sionary, who being acquainted with Wes-
ley's writings, had left word upon his
departure that if any of Wesley's preach
ers visited the city the people should 90 to
hear him. This conference is one of the
original six and the mother of many of the
later ones. In wealth, influence, the
character of its charges, the amount of its
missionary collections, the learning and
might of its ministry, it commands the
respect and admiration of the whole
church. The reverend bishop resident
within it's limits is the senior of his rank
and the pride of Methodism III this country
and abroad. Some idea of its territorial
extent and divisions. and of its work and
influence may be gathered from the follow.
ing abstract of the
work of tho Past Year.
The work in the past year has been ar
ranged in four districts, viz, the north,
northwest, west and south Philadelphia.
The North Philadelphia-Rev. Jacob
M. HinsoD, presiding elder. The district
is bounded on the south by Race street /;
on the west by Fifth street, North Penn
sylvania railroad, Lehigh and Nesquehon-
ing valleys on the north by the north
lines of Carbon and Monroe counties on
the east by the Delaware river. There
are Ga charges in the district 1O7 preach
ing places, 95 of which are churches.
Value of church property March, 1882
Churches. value, $773, 62O; parsonages, "a;
value, s73, 300 aggregate, $S46, ,920; Sun
day schools, 1903; officers and teachers,
2, 1853 scholars. 19,057.
Northwest-Rev. w. Swindells, presid.
ing elder. The district embraces "a charges
in Philadelphia, Is in Montgomery county,
12 in Schuylkill county, S in Berks county,
5 in Chester, in Bucks cOunty-in all g.
charges in the district; 70 preaching places,
76 of which are churches. Value of church
property-Churches, S916, 7SS parsonages,
25; value, $105, 200 total, $1,Osl 1888.
Sunday schools, IS. Officers and teachers,
8, 1888. Scholars, 16, 7S2. -
West-Rev. Jacob Dickarson, presiding
elder, includes that portion of the city of
Philadeaphia lying on the west side of
north, to Race street on the south, includ-
ing Western church, excepting Trinity ;
all of West Philadelphia, except Paschall-
vile, and the churches along the line of
the Pennsylvania railroad to Mt. JOY /:
the churches on the Northern Central rail.
road to the northern boundary of our con-
ference the Lebanon Valley railroad
from Reading to Harrisburg the an
pointments of the 8. s. T. road in Ire
mont, Pine Grove, etc., and also the ap-
pointments on the Waynesburg R. r.
There are 81 charges. on the district 80
preaching places, 70 of which are churches.
Value Of church property churches
value, $3.50, Oh !; parsonages, 20 value,
$99, $50 aggregate Sunday-schoOls, 70
officers and teachers, 1895 !; scholars, 13,
525.
South-Rev. John s. j. Mcconnell,
presiding elder. The district embraces
all that part of the city of Philadelphia
south of Race street, between the Della.
ware and Schuylkill rivers Except West.
ern church), and the territory of our con-
ference along the line of the following
railroads The Philadelphia, Wilmington
& Baltimore, the Baltimore Central. the
Philadelphia & West Chester, the Pome-
roy s. state line, the Peach Bottom, the
Columbia & Port Deposit, the Lancaster
g. Quarryville and that part of the Penn
sylvania railroad along the Susquehanna
river between Columbia and Steelton. Il
includes 81 pastoral charges, representing
81 churches. Value of church property
churches value, $1,084, 900 parsorages'
(26) value, 500, 200 ; aggregate, 81, 1884,
200. Sunday schools. 81 {; officers and
teachers, 1854, and scholars, 14,004.
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Tho Anniversary of the Organization Uele.
bratod Last Evening.
The anniversary of the Historical society
of the N. E. church took place in the Duke
street church last evening. The body OF
the church was entirely filed and large
numbers occupied seats in the galleries.
Tn tho o,rAiouoo mara vnonv ;ok: -