Smyrna times., 1886-03-10

many of the members in some sections
gained their livelihood, was the princi-
pal cause. Class-meetings are not so
we'll attended as they should be. A
serious matter affecting the morality of
people in some parts of the district Is
the great corruption in politics, the
buying and selling of votes. The
preachers of the district are making a
strong fight against this corruption in
politics. Local option prevails in much
of the territory and the clergy in those
sections where it is not are making
struggle for it. There were three
camp-meetings held on the district. 1t
was doubtful whether they were very
advantageous to religion, and unless
they can be conducted according to the
discipline they should be discontinued.
Rev. Dr. Kidder, of the educational
work, was introduced. A cOmmunica-
tiOn from Drew Seminary was read to
the Board on Education. Rev. r. II.
Adams had been requested by the
Wilmington Preachers Meeting to
place resolutions before conference to
the effect that, as there were some
church societies which would perish
without help conference donate money
for this purpose $1,000 was asked.
Referred to committee.
Rev. Mr.. Tompkins introduced a
resolution heartily approving of the
new anniversary proposed for Sunday
schools, to be held in the Autumn and
called Good Tidings Day" Referred
to a committee.
w. l.. S. Murray introduced resOlu-
tiOns adopted by the Red Ribbon Band
of Wilmington referred to the COM
mittee on temperance.
Several members of the Philadelphia
Conference were introduced, among
them Presiding Elders Swiddells,
Welsh and Crouch.
DR.. Kidder addressed the conference
on behalf OF educating young men for
/ the ministry.
DR.. Hunt spoke earnestly, and at
some length, of the grand work being
done by his society, which was an un-
denOminational association. On Thurs
day afternoon, he said, the board of
managers had decided to appropriate
nearly 100000 for foreign werk, and
that still more would be forthcoming,
as they had just begun.
Rev. A. w. Milby, presiding elder OF
Dover district, read his report and
kept his listeners continually smiling
with his quaint expressions and witty
remarks. He said: Some parts OF
my charge remind me of Ireland, as
the land is held by absentees some oil
our churches which were once strong
and prosperous are now weak, because
the owners of land here moved tc
town and the tenants are either unable
or unwilling to support the churches
He said that there had been about 60C
probatiOners during the year, a large
percentage of whom had been duly
admitted to membership" He alsC
said "Brothcr Carroll, of Leipsic
has had to fight against the stars il
their courses church at Little Creek
built for generations never to be born
heavily burdcned with debt; Leipsi,
visited rs with scourge; congrega
tions broken up; public school, l be
lieVe, for Il time abandoned, and owe
forty persons, old and young, in TIA,
space of three months carried to thei
long homes, and mourners going abou
the streets; aud Brother Carroll him
self kicked by his own horse, and for
time disabled; vet he kept right on
ward, battling neither heart no: hope
until God has poured out his spirit"
In reporting the condition of tn
Conference Academy, the presiding
elder gives the following figures
Number of teachers, s; students, ISL
graduates, 81 graduates in the min
. istry, ;; graduates, IS; value G
property. $50 600: Indebtedness. SO. 900
Continued on Third Page