Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-03-06
METHODIST CONFERENCE
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS SEs.
SION--CENTENARY Address
ny j. b. PRICE.

, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS sEA
SION-CENTENARY ADDRESS
nYJ. n. PRICE.
ID
Conference resumed proceedings at
, clock Wednesday afternoon with j
B b. Quigg presiding. j. K Smith Q
Mount Salem church read part Of tn
llSth Psalm, followed by singing tn
hymn commencing, "Oh, for Thou
sand Tongues to Sing" Prayer wa
then offered by Mr.. Smith, after which
the various pastors handed in their All
nual reports OF membership. baptisms
Sunday schools, etc, which were Offered
TO the Committee on Statistics.
Isaac Wood, candidate for adm!s'
sion, was introduced to the members.
AT 40 O'Clock the Centenary address
was delivered by b. +. Price. Of Kent
Island. he spoke Of the introduction
OF Methodlsm into America, and OF Its
growth, the trials and difficulties 1t en-
conntered, especially during the Revo-
iution' During that time the Metho-
dists were mostly without the sacra-
menff, az the ministers of their own
church had not the power to All.
minister, and those OF other denomina-
tons had AZ general thing left their
pulpits.
, ln l7S4 DR.. Coke was sent to this
country by Mr.. Wesley to release the
charch In America from all obligation
70 the churcl III England, and shortly
alter MS arrival be met Francis Asbury
az barretts chapel In November. 1854.
mr.. fr,ce spoke OF the wonderful in
crease OF Methodism within the past
hundred years, and said that when the
nrst Conference was held there were only
ABOUT l4,0OO persons belonging to the
church, whlle now there are over
3,oOO,OOO. The first American Metho-
DIST preacher was William Walters,
VINO was born in Maryland.
In the course OF his remarks he took
occasion to condemn the efforts of some
congregations to obtain certain preach
ers, ana equally condemned the en-
deavors OF some ministers to b sent to
seiect appointments. he said that such
course would eventually break up the
itlnerancy, and destroy the strength Of
Methodisn.
he said that In all Its history Metho-
dism had always proved the friend Of
education, and had used the press TO
spread knowledge among the people,
he dweit on the government of the
Methodist church. The definition
gwen IN the Disc'pllDs A.church may
DO accepted, nancy "a company of per.
sons having The form and seeking the
power OF godliness among whom, The
pure word OF God is preached and the
sacraments duly administered" In
regard to ministerial authority, the
Methodist church holds to the validity
OF Presbyterial ordination, that Is in
point OF order. Presbyters and Bishops
are the same, the difference consisting
in the fact that the latter is an officepre-
dicative of the order of the former just
as the chief magistrate of the country
as q citizen, is Of no higher order than
other men.
Mr.. Price also spoke Of the deacons
and their peculiar functions in the
church, and said that it was in harmo-
ny with scripture example to have
class of ministers lower in grade to
elders, although such class is not en-
joined.
In the organization of the Methodist
Episcopal church there are many points
of interest. among which are two of
special coincidence and of high signif-
canoe First, it was on Christmas day
the conference met, by which the work
was done, and the second particular is,
that it was accomplished in the era of
National peace.
The colonies had revolted against the
tyranny of Great Britain, and had de-
clared their independence, and formed
themselves into sovereign States. So it |
was when Christ entered upon his mis- |
sion nineteen centuries ago it was an
era Of peace j; Rome had conquered and |
the nations under her
sway, and the Temple of Janus closed
81 token that military strife was sus.
pended in the Empire
At that time the Prince of Peace was
born, and angels chanted to Shepherds
IN The plains and to listening humanity
Peace on earth and good will towards
man,"
The mission of the Methodist Episco-
,al church il to carry forward I
throughout the world the triumnh Of |
,eaee.
In the ORIGIN of Methodism variopsi
we're represented, namely:
english. Welsh. Scotch. Irish Germans.
French and others and sucb /. tho L
resent membersbip Of the church the
arious tribes of the earth ara found
, her connection. from Epworth to
lew York. fiom Canada to Australia.
ew and Camille in Metbodist love, u
,asts sing hozanahs to our Lord.
Mr.. PRICE Continued at come Ienoth
nd he said that In 1890 the Methodists
Enoland celahrated tha Cantenorv ~
a fonnaation in 1sG6 the Amar;csn
Iethodists ce,ehrated ito intr,dnot;on
IS 1851 % tho % Mayba;st "aH no~ W, Al .nis year .h;
10 n1'n ;ii iIo oonhsot eotouisSs .I ~ over tnls
II" Will ooioui"'o Uno oonConaTy u ct