The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-03-03
The Troy Conference.

The Times of Feb. 2Oth, has the follow
ing particulars that will be of interest to
our Methodist readers. 1t says:
The sixty-first annual session of the
Troy conference of the Methodist Episco-
pal church will be held in the Trinity
church of Albany, Rev. II. G. Farrar,
D. D., pastor, beginning Wednesday,
April 18th Although the session proper
will not begin until Wednesday, the ex-
aminations Of the under graduates o. the
conference will be held Tuesday. 1t is
seventeen years since the conference last
met at Albany, during which time the
advance of MethOdlsm has been unprec-
edented, even for that progressive de-
nomination.
Bishop l. W. Joyce, D. D., LII. D., of
Chattanooga, Tenn, will preside. This
will be Bishop Joyce's first episcopal
visit to the Troy conference, but he will
be heartily welcomed, rs his reputation
as an eloquent and talented preacher has
preceded him. The annual sermon by
the bishop will be anticipated with much
pleasure by the Methodists of Albany
and Troy. DIR. Joyce was made bishop
by the general conference of 1888.
Rev. DR.. S. A. Keen of Cleveland, the
celebrated Ohio evangelist, will conduct
special services each evening of the ses-
sion.
One of the most important questions
the conference will debate is what is
known as the New York East conference
plan for the support of superannuated
ministers. Twenty of the annual confer
ences haYe already adopted this plan,
and it is rapidly coming into favor
throughout Methodism. The plan in
brief is that each congregation in the
conference shall devote one Sunday to
presenting the needs of the superan-
nuated ministers and taking collection
for their support The proceeds, con-
sisting of these collections, the income
from the permanent fund and the divi-
dends of the Methodist book concern of
New York city, shall be divided into two
parts, seventy-fve per cent of which
shall be known as the annuity fund and
the remaining twenty-five per cent as
the necessitous fund. Superannuated
ministers and their widows, with the
children under fifteen years of age, shall
be conference claimants unless this
privilege be voluntarily relinquished.
Each superannuate shall be entitled to
an annual pension of $40 for every year
of effective service. This amount comes
out of the annuity fund. A widow is en-
titled to half the claim of her husband
and child to one-tifth the fathers.
The necessitous fund will be divided
among those conference claimants whose
,annuities are not sufficient for their &C
tual needs. This distribution is in the
hands of a competent committee. AS
the present amounts received would not
suffice for the carrying out of this plan,
each minister, superannuates excepted,
is required to pay S. annually to this
fund.
This plan has the support of some of
the most influential men in the confer
ence, and unless unexpected opposition
develops, will probably be adopted.
The most interesting acts of Metho-
dist conference are the assigning of the
pastors to the various congregations. 1t
is unique feature of the Methodist
church. In theory the bishop has SUI
preme authority in this matter, but he
is advised by his cabinet, composed of
the presiding elders. These in turn are
more or less influenced by the wishes of
the churches and the pastors. The cabi
net is at present as follows: Albany
district, J. w Eaton, Burlington, J. NJ.
Webster; Plattsburgh, George A. Bar
ret; Saratoga, Henry Graham; Troy, W.
II. Hughes. The term of presiding ell
der is six years, and as none of the
present presiding elders has occupied
the position for that length of time there
will probably be ne changes in this de-
Partment. There will, however, be an
unusually large number of changes
among the pastors. Many are just COM
pleting their first five-year term. The
general conference of 1888 made the time
limit Eve years instead of three, as for
merry. There have been some reports
of desire among the denomination for
removal of the time-limit entirely, but
however that may be in other localities
there is no desire in the Troy conference
for abolishing this time-hOnored custom
of Methodism.
Three of the Troy pastors must change
this year. They are Rev. j. II. Coleman,
d. D., of Fifth avenue. Rev. Charles
Edwards of Levings and Rev. j. w. Ben
nett of Trinity. DR.. Coleman has been
invited to 90 to Saratoga Springs and
Rev. 1. D. Van Valkenburgh of west
Troy will probably serve Fifth avenue.
G. E. Stockwell of Mecbanicville will be
Trinity's next pastor. The only changes
in the immediate vicinity of Troy are
Rev. A. IL. Eaton, whose five years at
Green Island have expired, and Rev. Mr..
Van Valkenburgh of West Troy.
In Albany Rev. G. A. S. Heath of Ash
Grove, Rev. P. L. Dow of Grace, Rev. S.
NJ. Williams of st. Luke's and Rev. DR..
II. G. Farrar of Trinity will leave their
present charges. DR.. Farrar will remain
in the city, taking st. Luke's and Rev.
w. NJ. Brundage, Phi. D., of Amsterdam
has been invited to act as the successor
of DR.. Farrar. w. L. Smith of Middle
buTgh and G. S. Robertson of West Sand
Lake have been invited to occupy the
pulpits of Ash Grove and Grace respec-
lively. The present pastor of Grace
may go to Hoosick Falls.
Numerous other changes will take
place among the prominent churches of
the conference, but it is yet too early to
say anything definite.