The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-31
METHODIST CONFERENCE.
4 Session Devoted to Passing on
the Characters Of the
Ministers.
Many Are Called but None
Of Them Are Found
Wanting.
A Sermon by Bishop Duncan ON the
Thsughtfulness of tho Creator for
tho Created.

The session OF the Methodist Episcopal
conference south yesterday was devoted to
tho question in the book Of disciples: "Are
all the preachers blameless i'll the life and
official administration" Rev. A. G. Couey,
presiding elder, made his report Of work
done in his district. 1t showed a very en-
couraging state of affairs, One new church
was built during the year, at Townsend; n
district parsonage is nearly completed at
Deer Lodge at a cost of $4,000; and the
average increase in membership in the
church has been % per cent. His character
was passed, as was that of Rev. l.. Bran
BILE, of East Helena. Rev. l.. b. Stateler,
of tho White Hall circuit in jefferson
county, who came to Montana in 1864. and
for -four years was the only southern Meth
odist minister in the state, made
his report and his character was
also passed. Tho examination of
character will be continued to-day. Rev.
i. j. Stanley, editor of the Montana Meth
odist, made a written report from Corvallis,
where he is confined to his home with severe
burns received some days ago. He is i'm
proving steadily and will be all right in a
few weeks, but was unable to attend the
conference. His report showed an increase
of 60 per cent in the circulation. The paper
has paid all expenses and left a balance in
the treasury.
Rev. H. b. Cockrill, of Willow Greek,
preached in the afternoon, and the bishop
and presiding elders consulted on the ad-
visibility Of continuing the ministers in
their present charges or changing them
about. The appointments will be an
nounced tho last day of the conferpnes,
probably Monday.
Bishop Duncan preached at night, his
teenth verse: But | am poor and needy,
yet the Lord thinketh upon me; Thou art
my help and deliverer; make no tarrying,
oh my Lord" There were, he said, few
things more painful to a thoughtful man
than the consciousness of his own weak
ness, his own inability to realize his plans.
Some people never troubled themselves
with such thoughts; they never take an in
ventory of their " resources. Yet no
man ever truly succeeded without a careful
analysis of his own character and resources.
The bishop said hs never knew of
but one character in history
who honestly faced his destiny and
to the men who followed him, "They will
buffet and scourge and cruelty me-" Tins
agony of Calvary was ever present with him
from the beginning to the end. SIT takes a
great spirit to know his destiny and yet
take up the line OF march and meet it, said
the bishop. The speaker then paid a trib-
ute to the members of the Salvation army,
and referring to Gen. Booths Darkest
England said there was a darkest Butte
and a darkest Helena, but he thanked God
there were men and women who dared walk
their streets and alleys doing good.
yet the Lord thinketh upon me- re-
peated the bishop. eff the whole object of
the ministry were the stipend called salary,
they could make a better living at mining,
or by driving a carriage. or cooking in some
good woman's kitchen. But Ii is not all.
They arc borne up by the inspiration which
man gathers from the fact that God Is
thinking of him. 1t is not under the in
splration of a full treasury or the culture
of schools that we do our work" The
bishop here announced that he did not
despiss a rich man. lie thanked God for
the existence of rich men who knew what
to do with their money. He had never en-
We'd any man his money except for the
good he might do with it, to build churches
and establish missions. But the man with
. is million would leave it for people to
fight over, just as they were dong at Butte,
where all the v~ultures were gathering
around the fortune left by a relative.