Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-24


there were 100 Sunday.schools; now we
have ia, an increase of q. The value of
parsonages then was $4,000; value now.
S63 100. Value of churches then. S2i2, 600.
now. $2S6, 235.
"Alore than these material things is the
membership increase. In 1857 there were
reported Of full members, 1869; the next
year a careful pruning Of orr records
caused more than 800 names TO disappear
from the list. We have filled these more
than 500 vacancies and report 1894, an in
crease Of l,b3l TO the full membership.
This year our conversions number
1876 against l,S0s. with ,552 probationers
now reported. During the quintennium
I91l probationers have been reported and
603T for the previous period. making an
increase in these live years of 81 per cent
These are results which, through the
divine mercy, my co-laborers have been
able to attain unto on Dover district. The
cases have been few and far between where
we have not seen eye to eye in united
endeavor to lift this part OF the world to
higher being and to holier doing,
II have been held to this Peninsula by
ties of sentiment, the strongest that
can bind man to the land of his birth.
The eighth generation in Sussex county
and the seventh born then through q
period of 200 years, when in Milton / am
within 10 miles of the graves of seven gen.
erations of my ancestors. love this land
as it has seemed to me as no other man
could love it, and l have desired no
better country. il has appeared to me
that it my work was of any use to The
church, owed it to the land OF my birth.
Larger salaried opportunities have not
been withheld from me in these last six
years. My unvarying reply has been,
Will never leave this conference for place.
If the church shall ever need my services
in field OF greater sacrifice there, it may
be, will so to occupy, but no easy place
or gilt-edged salary has ever been serious
temptation to me. When have thought
of the men born on this soil, who have
come to great usefulness in the church
elsewhere, could not but feel that had
they remained. here this would long since
have become the very garden of the Lord,
and an inspiration to the whole church.
Il know this territory and appreciate
its possibilities and forecast its future as
think no other living man either does or
can, and how ami / Strengthened until it
come to pass. The boom is being lost from
the great west and will more and more dis
appear as the desirable land is taken up
Where in all this world is there such sec
ton us this alluvial offspring from the
womb of the ocean, cnressed upon her
'osNtii htit NliAbltNGA ny liG chesapeake
and Delaware arms of the sea. A great
population will find it and the hospitable
shore that asylumed Asbury in time of
danger. The church of his nurture
must prepare to enfold them in the arms
OF her charity that she may bring them to
glory. We must get ready for the oncom-
ing million and how can this be done so
eiiectually as by taking and training and
holding the present population and garri-
lnniute wit IA a,
our debts unto the past are TO be paid to
the future. The men are in their graves
who cleared the forests, made the roads
and planted the trees the fruit of which is
ours to enjoy. We owe to posterity both
principal and interest for what we have
received. The priceless legacy of q great
Methodism has come into our hands. We
owe it To God, TO ourselves and to the
world to transmit it improved and adorned
as bride for her husband. To simply hold
intact the achievements of the past is to
dry rot'
The report concluded as follows:
And now in conclusion, | thank God
for the victories of this year. asked Him to
yindicate the policy persued by giving sue
cess to His own cause and He has answered
from heaven by the fire of holy revival,
bringing an increased number OF CONVEX
sions and with substantial advances along
the other lines Of legitimate endeavor. The
one great all-absorbing consideration, and
to which all else is but contributory is the
sanctification of the church and the up
lifting of the world.
81 have stood upon the deck of ship,
bearing away upon her course with the
wind aft and following sea, when dark
portentous cloud arose from the horizon,
blackening the heavens and shading the
sea. have heard the sharp order Call all
hands, followed by others to shorten sail
and make the ship snug for the storm. ]
have been there when every agency of
nature-cold, wind, storm and sea-have
grappled for the life of the vessels crew
and the destruction of her voyage. have
been there when the sun, renewing his
battle, sunk into the cloud until it soft
ened and blazed with light and glory.
May the clouds and darkness round about
us yield in like manner to the influence of
the sun OF Righteousness until all hearts
and voices shall sing Unto Him that hath
loved lis and washed us from our sins in
His own blood and hath made us kings
and priests unto God and His Father, unto
him be glory and dominion for ever and
ever
DOVER DISTRICT COLLECTIONS.
After their character had been passed
the pastors of Dover district reported the
following collections: