The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-04-10

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STANDING COMMITTEES.
The following standing committees were
announced by the president;
Unfinished Business.-A. d. Dick, w. 81.
Hartley, W. P. Parsons.
Finance. L. Mills, J. w. Gray, ]. A.
Weigand, C. L. Gibson, W. II. Silk.
Itinerancy and Orders.-S. B. Switzerland
and the faculty.
Boundaries Divers, 7. NJ. Flint,
Edward Salisbury, William Stevens, W. H.
Knox, J. Crawford Thompson, William Haw-
kins.
Pulpit Services.-W. S. Hammond, w. NJ.
Strayer, II. l.. Elderdice.
Home Missions. j. Murray, A. w. la-
ther. ]. NJ. Holmes, VIM. J. Hopper, S. j.
Green, e. ]. Hill.
Superannuates.--H. c. Cushing, ID. A.
Shermer, J. E. Maloy, S. S. Ewell, j. X.
Cation, J. o. Phillips.
Literature. S. Hammond, I. D. Val
liant, ]. T. Lasseli, 7. Fl. Wright, j. B. Thorn
as, j. C. Clendaniel.
Sabbath Schools. B. Jones, A. d. Mel
win, g. Q. Bacchus, R. B. Ferguson, j. &.
Henvis.
Temperance.-W. NJ. Strayer, W. J. D.
Lucas, j. L. Killgore, G. f. Kindly, Joshua
Cain.
Benevolent Agencies-J. R. Nichols, E.
McOregOT; JOnu II. CtiduSuHf Jas L. AOuhSf
John E. Sweet.
Fraternal Relations.-E. j. Drinkhouse, D.
l.. Greenfield, r. l.. Lewis, J. IL. Linthicum,
W. W. Smith.
Official Characters. A. Hoblitzell, j. h.
7. Ewell, j. NJ. Yingling, 7. A. Littleton, j..
A. Robinson, G. F. Earring, Edward Gille-
gan.
McGregor, j. l.. Mills.
Education.-L. W. Bates, p. S. Norris, W.
j. Neepier, Edward White, j. A. C. Kahler.
Foreign Missions.-John D. Kinzer, j. w.
Charlton, S. F. Ferguson, E. L. Williams, S.
Frank Mills.
Presidents Report. W. Bates, JShreeve,
J. NJ. Sheridan, John I. Shields, Horatio
Ball.
Sabbath 0bservance.-B. F. Benson, r. S.
Rowe, S. B. Tredway, Francis Shriver, Lucas
Alrich.
ELECTION OF SECRETARY.
Rev. 7. II. Lewis, who has held the posi-
ton for six years, declined reelection on
account of having been called to new duties
the presidency of the Western Maryland
College After three ballots Rev. W. r.
Graham was chosen.
The following elections were made-Con-
ference steward, Rev. j. W. Trout; home
missionary steward, Rev. John S. Bowers;
superannuated fund steward, Rev. c. o.
Grouse; home and foreign missionary steward
Rev. S. R. Murray; educational steward, Rev.
G. Q. Bacchus. DIR. J. L. Murray was APP
pointed chairman of the committee on litera-
ture in the place of Rev. Mr.. Hammond,
elected president.
The annual sermon was preached by Rev.
T. H. Lewis, secretary of the conference, on
"Perfecting the Church" ii Corinthians, 9Th
chapter, 7th verse.
FINANCIAL PLAN.
Rev. Thomas H. Lewis submitted report
upon the matter of improving the general
financial plan now pursued by the conference,
suggesting that all aggregate assessments ex-
cept the presidents salary be abolished; that
the president of the conference shall be paid
by each charge in the district an amount equal
to four per cent. of the salary assessed for its
pastor; every pastor shall take a collection
during the year for the incidental expenses OF
conference, and each charge should furnish a
sum equal to one seventh of the amount paid
by it to the president; that it is the bounden
duty of every Christian to give regularly, as
the Bible and our church laws require, and as
God gives ability for the support of the Gospel
ministry and the local and general interests
of the church. The amount recommended fol
the various interests aggregate 90 cents pei
member as a minimum sum, but the greai
majority of the members are able and bound
to give much more than the sum named.
Rev. ]. J. Murray said that the report wa:
very pleasant surprise to him; he never did
think much of the assessment plan. The re
port was referred to the committee on finance
to be printed for distribution.
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT.
Three ballots were taken before a choice
was had, and resulted in the election of Rev.
W. S. Hammond. Mr.. Hammond is pastor
of East Baltimore Station, formerly Mt. Leb
anon Church, where he has served for three
years. He was formerly pastor of Star NJ. P
Church, Baltimore, for five years. Mr.. Ham
mond is president of the General Conference
of the NJ. p Church, being elected to tina
position at the general conference which mel
! in Baltimore about two years ago. He ha!
never been president of the annual conference
before. Mr. Hammond is a native of Fred
erick county, Nd. He entered the conference
in 1851 and was ordained in 1858. Mr.. Ham
mond is about So years old, and is pleasant
affable man, and it is expected he will maxi
successful executive officer of the confer
ence.
THURSDAY S PROCEEDINGS.
A communication was read from Sam
Creek NJ. P Church asking that its connec
| ton with the Pipe Creek circuit be severed
and that it be identified with Union Bridge
and communication from the quarterly con
! ference of Belair circuit asking that that cir
cult be divided. Both referred to the com
mittee on boundaries.
| A communication was read from Rev, j. L
Ward. president of the Western Maryland
College, stating that his resignation as presi
dent had been accepted in January last, AM
at the close of the present term the colleg'
would be handed over to his successor, Rev
T. Fl. Lewis. The students during the pas
wear have reached the usual average. During
the lS years that the college has been unde
the jurisdiction of the NJ. P. Church there
has been an average enrolment of 11s stu
dents each year, ana an average of 81 board
ing students each year, or nearly 1000 student
| in an. The number Of graduates has beel
| l54, which this year will be increased to l69
During the Is years the gross income ha
been on an average SIS, 500. IS per year, ant
| the net income has been nearly the same, TO
during the whole period only a few Thousand
dollars has been lost by bad debts.
| In addition to the regular income, abou
/ $50, 600 has been raised and paid upon thu
| buildings, ground, furnishing, repairs, &C., o
the college, the total value of the entire prop
erty now being at a fair estimate over $35,
/ 000 Four literary societies have been or
ganized, and each of them has good collec
ton of books in its library and other useful