Smyrna times., 1894-03-28

wednesday evening the usual SER
/ Vices IN the interests Of conference
claiments were read. Rev. Il. H. Will
liams presided. The services were
largely attended and an address was
made by the Rev. J.. Benson Hamilton.
Wednesday afternoon the anniver-
| sary Of the Historical Society was held
and this evening the Church Extension
anniversary.
THURSDAY.
Conference convened at 8 o'clock the
Rev. n. M. Browne presiding. The
Rev. J. W. Easley was substituted for
the Rev. Adam Stengle oh the COM
mlttee on ministerial qualifications and
the Rev. j. Quigg was added to that
committee.
A memorial service was made the
order of the for ] / o'clock.
Many communications were pre-
sented and referred.
The 18th question was taken up and
the character of the Rev. L. E. Barrett.
presiding elder of Wilmington district
was passed, after which he read his
annual report.
REPORT OF WILMINGTON DISTRICT,
He said that none of the preachers
on the district had died during the
year, but affection and bereavement had
entered some of the parsOnages. Over
1900 conversions had occurred in Will
mington and nearly 700 on the district
outside of Wilmington.
Never in the history of the confer.
ence had the district been compelled to
face such severe financial difficulties as
1t had during the past year. But, not
Wlthstandlng all the adverse circum.
stances and surroundings, the preachers
and people struggled to be true to God
and the enterprise of the church, and
are not ashamed of tie record thew
have made.
1t is not surprising that we fall be.
hind the figures of last year. The sur
prise is that the deficit is not greater.
| Our preachers have left nothing un.
done and if they have failed it was
from lack of money. He compliment
ted the EpwOrth League and referred
to the temperance works. He stated
that arrangements are being made look
ing to the securing of "a home for
deacOnessess.
The character of the pastors OF Will
mingtOn district was passed, after
which the ministers reported their col
lectiOns for mission and conference
claiments.
Addresses were delivered by the Rev.
Drs. Spencer and Kelley.
REPORT OF EAsTON DISTRICT.
The character of the Rev. Alfred
Smith, presiding elder of Easton dis
trict, was passed, after which he read
his annual report of which the follow.
ing is a synopsis:
During the past conference year 40
laborers have been doing the work on
Easton district. Death had not entered
the homes of any of these laborers and
the health of the preachers and their
1apllies had been preserved to a re-
markable degree. Two churches had
been built. The one at ST. Paul's, on
Cecilton circuit, was begun under the
pastorate of the Rev. T. A. H. O'Brien
more than year ago and has been com
pleted under the faithful and diligent
labors of the Rev. D. II. COrkran. 1t
is beautiful frame church and cost
nearly $4,000, all of which has been
paid. The other new church is at Bet
terton, on Still Pond charge, and is
under the pastoral care of the Rev. J.
ID. Kemp. 1t cost about $500, all of
which has been paid. The debt on the
church at st. Micheal's has been re-
duced from 81 900 to 800. The long
standing debt of $500 on the church at
CordOva has been wiped out. Exten-
sive repairs have been made to the
churches at Pomona, Marydel, Odessa,
Massey's, Salem and Church Hill cir
cult and Bolingbrook on Trappe cir
cult. Pianos have been put in the Sun.
day-schOol rooms at Middletown and
Odessa. The Rev. Frank Fletcher has
again distinguished himself as a par.
sonage builder. At Kent Island the
old parsonage has been made new at a
cost of $1400.
From present indications the salaries
Of the preachers will be more in ar
rears than heretofore. This is due. no
doubt, In some measure, to the hard f.
nanclal conditions under which we are
laboring. Undoubtedly the reports
will show that the benevolences in some
places have suffered. This, however,
is not due to failure on the preachers
to diligently and faithfully push this
matter. The preachers never before
worked so hard to get beneVolences.
Centreville, Oxford ,Tilghmon's Island.
Cheswold, Smyrna Circuit. Galena and
Middletown have exceeded their ap.
portionment for benevolences. Towns.
end, Odessa. Marydel, Smyrna, Cecil,
ton, st. Michael's, Still Pond ,Curmpton.
Hillsborough, Easton, Talbot and Mil.
ilngton have met their apportiOnment
In full and Marydel circuit is entitled
TO the credit of the largest increase
along all lines. The increase for mis-
siOns Is sc per cent. over last year and
the increase in other collections is 100
per cent. The pastors who report q