Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-17

PHILApELrHIA. Nav IA. Is8.

IhILADELPHIA, May II, 1854.
To The Editor of the Ksnne5ee Journal:
The general conference of the N. E.
church, consisting of clerical and lay dele
gates, met in Philadelphia on the first day of
May. The present year completes one hun
dred since the organization of the Methodist
church in this country. The first church was
erected in Baltimore in 1874, or soon after,
and now the various branches of the Metbo-
dist church number ZOO, 900 members. This
year is regarded As the centenary, and is to be
so celebrated
The present conference meets in the hall
Of the Young Mems Christian Association.
The hall is we'll fitted by the members. Spec
tasors are accommodated in the galleries. 1
arrived here yesterday forenoon, and found
the conference holding memorial services in
memory Of Bishops Scott, Beck and E. 0.
Haven, who have died within the past four
years. The afternoon was occupied with
committee meetings. The Association Hall
Is very fine building, and has rooms for a
library and reading. for prayer meetings, and
the various purposes of the Association.
The evening meeting was held in the Acad-
c"y VI Slu5lI, . udkuiuctnt u6ii III dupQl-
theatre shape. fitted and ornamented in splen-
did style. The circles of seats rise by gentle
gradstions from the platform, while there are
ample rows Of seats in the rear of the platform
for the choir and others. There are also
three ranges of fine galleries. The occasion
OF the evening was the twentieth ami, ersarv
of the church Extension Society. Since its
organization this society has collected about
two and half millions of dollars, of which
over halt million constitutes loan fund,
300, 900 of which has been loaned and the
loans repaid into the fund. The society has
aided by gift or loan about 1850 churches. A
few years ago it assisted in building one
church day, but the past year about one and
half each day.
Bishop Harris presided for the evening, the
president, Bishop Simpson, being in feeble
health. Rev. Mr.. Tasker, the first president
of the society. S5 wears old, was on the plat
form. DR.. Kynett and Chaplain McCabe are
the secretaries. A choir of about 100 led the
singing, and the whole great audience partic-
ipated. The number present was from 5000
to 5000. The hymns sung were those com
mencing 'Jesus shall reign where'er the
sun, ""Soldiers of the cross, arise, ""Awake
awake, our festal day is drawing NIGH" and
Church of God, whose conquering banners
float along the glorious years." While this
vast audience was filling the immense hall
with the great volume of glorious sacred song,
it did not seem as though Ingersol's prophecy
that Christianity is dying out, was within
some number Of ages of fulfillment.
DR.. Kynett gave history of the church
Extension Society and what it has done. His
speech was clear and effective. Bishop Foss
followed in a most compact and logical por-
trayal of the church aud what it has done and
will do for the world. 1t was one of the most
forcible and solid statements of facts and
principles ever heard DIR. Buckley and
Gen. Fisk made eloquent and pithv speeches.
The chairman then introduced Chaplain
McCabe. and as he said ''let him loose upon
the audience. 1t was already about 10 o'clock,
but the chaplain set his mark at u collection
of $50, 900, in addition to $4,000 already
offered by the venerable Rev. J. G. Miller OF
Nebraska. Probably no one present believed
it could be done, but the gifts and subscrip-
tions poured in, in sums from 81 to $1,000,
until the amount was reached, and about
$1,000 over. Nearly all the audience remained
until III. meeting cl ,sed at nearly midnight,
with S5l 900 added to the funds of the church
Extension Society. the chorus, "Glory,
Hallelujah," was sung and repeated with
enthusiasm, and new hymn was sung in
conclusion. with the chorus, "We're building
two day" II. X. b.