National Republican., 1884-02-21
Opinions Of the Methodist Clergy Of the Dis
triCt About the Action Of Their Church.
The Centennial Celebration Of Method
ism in This City Next Month,
Increased and Superior Educational Facilities 10 bo
Prominent Feature Of Discussion.
Changes in tho PuIpits OF Washington,
with Other Matters of Intcrests.

Of the Baltimore annual conference Of the
M. L. church will be held in McKendreo
church, this city, beginning Wednesday,
March g." said Rev. Wilford Downs, of
Waugh chapel to q REPUBLICAN, reporter
yesterday afternoon. "Bishop X. s. Foster
will preside. This will be the most impor-
tant session ever held, from the fact that it is
the centennial Of the conference. There will
also be elected Eve ministerial delegates to
the general conference which will meet at
Philadelphia May 1, 1884. One lay delegate
from each charge In this conference will also
be elected. These laymen will constitute tho
electoral conference that will meet on Friday
morning, March z, to elect two Of their num-
ber to meet at the general conference in Phil
adelphia."
"Will the question of reuniting with tho
Methodist Protestant church come up at tho
Baltimore conference 2" asked the reporter.
NO." was the reply, "but 1t may come up at
Philadelphia. The question of revising tho
discipline will also occupy the attention OF
the Philadelphia conference, and l think 1t
will be pretty thoroughly hauled over the
Goals. You see the Baltimore conference is
not law.making body, it is only executive.
Therefore, these matters will 60 to the
Quaker City conference"
"How about the camp meeting question {"
at is hardly probable that the camp meet
ing matter will be considered" }" was the reply.
"The camp meeting people have backed down
from percentage on Sunday travel The
Washington Grove association has determined
to take no rebates"
This being the centennial year of the con-
ference" said the reporter, "how will 1t be
celebrated"
There will be o centennial meeting one
evening during the conference, at which the
venerable William B. Edwards, father of Rev.
Mr.. Edwards, of McKendree church, will
preside. Addresses replete with the history
of the church will be delivered by Rev. James
H. Brown, d. D.; J. Mckay Kelley, ID. D.,
and Rev. ]. A. McCauley, d. d. Important
steps will be taken also for the proper OBJ
servance of the centenary in the city of
Baltimore in November"
"Will the approaching sessions in this city
be spirited P' asked the reporter.
"Yes," was the reply, there will be some
radical changes in the conference. In fact,
quite q revolution Of things. The transfers
of ministers of the Washington churches
will be pretty general; Some of the congre-
cations are very much exercised about who
their pastors will be. One important ques-
tion will be the proposed female seminary on
the outskirts of Baltimore. am afraid that
question will cause some friction. The
scheme is favored by Rev. j. F. Goucher, a
very wealthy Baltimore minister, also Revs
d. II. Carroll and J. B. Van Meeter, both Of
Referring to the recent publication in an
afternoon paper Of o list Of alleged appoint.
ments in this city, Mr.. Downs said: "That
publication did an immense amount Of harm.
1t was q bad pioce of random guessing that
created undue excitement 1t cannot be
called newspaper enterprise, but needless,
reckless guessing that should not be en-
couraged. The appointments will be made
by the bishop, assisted by the corps of presid-
ing elders, and / can assure you they will
not be known beforehand"
Rev. Joseph France, pastor Of the Fourth
Street A. Il. church, said to the reporter !:
"The question of lay representation is not
debatable one. The lay delegates are sent
every four years to the annual conference,
and they then elect two delegates to 90 to
the general conference, which will meet in
Philadelphia next May, Our conference has
and will take o very decided stand against
Sunday travel and camp meetings where ex-
cursion trains are allowed to run. There is
no objection whore regular trains pass. This
Is the centennial year of the Methodist Epis-
copal church, which was organized at Balti-
more, at what was known rs the Christmas
conference Of 1884. II is also the cen.
tennial year Of the Baltimore an
ing the centennial year to raise large
amounts of money to be devoted to educa.
tional purposes. Three items to be consid-
cred at the Baltimore conference will be the
establishment Of q female seminary at Balti-
more, to increase the endowment of the
Dickinson college, and the establishment of
a centenary biblical institute in Baltimore
for the education of colored men and women
for the ministry and as teachers" In con-
clusion, Mr.. France said "There may be
some discussion affecting the NJ L. Church
South. A fraternal union now exists be-
tween the two organizations. The question
of an organic union may be brought up be-
tho ppnaral capferance at philada al NJ Ia
Rev. l.. III. Gardner, pastor of Mount Zion
VI. E. church, said: "The question of lay
representation will not be touched at the
conference. That matter has been settled,
and there is no thought ofagitating IL. There
was some talk of discussing the extension of
the pastors time at his charge, but / doubt
very much If anything will be said about it,.
The matters before the conference will be
simply the reading of reports and action on
routine matter. The conference will be held
at McKendree chapel, March 8. Bishop
Foster will preside, and it will be in session
about week. Two delegates will each be
elected by the lay and clerical conferences to
the general conference, which meets in Phila-
delphia in May next"
"How about the talked-of female col
legeT
college in Baltimore on condition that the
ladies during the conference year will raise
already been held in Baltimore and Wash
ington, and the character Of the institution
will depend upon the amount of money
raised. The NJ. L. church was organized in
Baltimore at what was called the Christmas
conference in 1884. At that time Bishop
Coke, who was sent from England by Wesley,
ordained Bishop Asbury. Asbury became
the founder bishop of the M. L, church,
and IL is proposed now to celebrate the one
hundredth anniversary during the coming
year. The membership will make memorial
offerings for educational purposes especially
for Dickinson college, at Carlisle Pa, one OF
the Oldest colleges in the United States,
which will solicit-and likely obtain-Sl00,-
600. Strenuous efforts in the same line will
be made to build and endow the female
college in Baltimore. 1t is likely that dur
ing the year historical sermons will be
preached and memorial services held
throughout the conference, with view to
create enthusiasm in church work and pro-
mote financial projects 1t is impossible to
foretell with any certainty the appointments
to be made at the coming conference. The
bishop presiding, assisted by council
of presiding elders, examines the
condition of tho churches, and makes such
appointments as in his judgment he deems
best for the interest of the charge In the
fulhllment of this work and duty he con-
suits the wishes Of the churches and minis
tiers as far as he is able, but finds 1t necessary
frequently to send TO the church man that
is not expected, and minister to q place that
he never expected to go. Very often the
result is quite satisfactory both to people and
preacher. In some instances in this city,