The Washington times., 1894-04-07
LoANINc THEIR PASTORS.
Heated Discussion at the Ministers Meet.
ing of the Protestant Conference.

Heated Discussion at the Ministers Meet.
ing of the Protestant Conference.
The feature Of the business transacted be-
fore the meeting OF the Methodist Protestant
conference yesterday morning was centered
in that portion Of the reports submitted by
the COMMITTEES on fraternal relations regard
ing the loan of Rev. T. o. Grouse to the
Chatsworth church, Baltimore, reading as
follows: "Thnt the request OF the Chatsworth
independent church for the loan Of Rev. T. o.
Grouse be not, granted, as he cannot be
longer spared from the work Of the con-
ference"
In the discussion which followed Rev. F.
7. Little declared that it was not fair either
to the church or to DR.. Grouse for the COM
mittee to oppose his pastorate there on such
short notice, and particularly as the other
conferences have adjourned. A number Of
forcible arguments were made pro and con,
Rev. T. T. Lewis and Rev. L. W. Bates being
in favor of the report, and Revs. F. T. Little
and ]. W. Balderston opposing.
Before the vote on the original proposition
was taken Dr. Grouse rose and made an elo-
quent appeal to the conference. urging that he
be given some opportunity to complete the
work SO auspiciously started, or make some
arrangements for the termination of his rela-
tions with his congregation. The eloquence
and impassioned character OF his speech re-
suited in the adoption by large majority Of
the following resolution: ''That the request
OF the Chatsworth church for the loan Of T. o.
Grouse be granted"
Reports favoring the loans Of J. S. Bowers,
at st. Johns Independent Methodist church
at Baltimore; D. L. Greenfield, at the First
church of Pittsburgh, and F. c. Klein, ut
Trinity church. Allegheny, were adopted.
Reys. w. K Gillespie, DIR. Stitt, OF the NJ
E. church, Benjamin Stout, B. Phipps. of
Pittsburgh conference, Rice, of Baltimore NJ.
E. conference, NitstofY, Of the Lutheran
church, were introduced.
An appeal from the North Carolina Avenue
NJ. P. Church was read. asking the confer
ence to interpret the law of the discipline in
reference to the sale Of church property, to
enable them to mortgage their property to
secure funds with which to erect a new par
sonage. This appeal was referred to special
committee to formulate reply.
The committee on fraternal. relations sub
mitted report, which was taken up item by
item and adopted as whole. special COM
mittee on manual was appointed, and con-
sisted II L. W. Bates, J. 7. Murray, and r. H.
I. COUNSEL resolution introduced by II. C.
Cushing in reference to conference assess
ments was considered item by item and
adopted as q whole. Letters from Z. L.
Morris and ]. L. Killgore were referred to
the committee on superanuates; papers from
Crumpton. Tyreanna. Clayton, Stewartstown,
Frederick, and Barren Greek were referred to
the committee on home missions. and papers
from Liberty, Stewa-tstown, South Baltimore,
and Wilmington were referred to the COM
mittee on finance.
On reassembling for the afternoon session
the conference was resolved into an annual
meeting Of the Home Missions Society, with
the president, J. Z. Maloy, in the chair. Fol-
lowing the submission OF the reports Of the
secretary and treasurer the officers Of the So
ciety were elected. President, J. A. Maloy
first vice president, W. J. Neepier; second
vice president. S. B. Predway; secretary, J.
L. Ewell; treasurer. T. II. Bartlett; board OF
| elders, T. o. Grouse and s. d. Switzerland
laymen, ". J. C. Dulaney, J. n. Gilbert, T.
A. Murray, T. II. Bartlett; collectors, L. Ran
| dali and Charles W. Simpson.
The report OF the Baltimore City Church
Extension Society, recommending the erec-
| ton of a new church in the suburbs Of North
| Baltimore, was submitted. Suitable property
| can now be secured. and the society will as
| sumo moral responsibility for the payment,
! but it is required that the general conference
society become legally responsible. An amend
ment was made to authorize the Home Mis-
| sions Society to purchase property In North
| Baltimore for the erection of a new Methodist
flOttsthuI
Rev. ]. D. Kinza. the president of the
conference. offered the following resolution:
THAT We recommend the board of trustees OF
the Broadway church, in Baltimore, that
| they proceed at as early date as prac-
tieable to improve their property by tearing
| down the buildings between the church
| and parsonage and building on the
| ground one or two dwellings, and that
the board of managers of the Home
| Mission Society are hereby directed to
| cooperate with the trustees of Broadway
church in carrying out the improvements. "
After considerable discussion, expoundine
| upon the many interests to be derived from
such improvements, this resolution was
adopted.
The committee appointed to wait upon
President Cleveland reported that he would
receive the conference at O'Clock to-day.
Adjournment was made until 8 O'Clock to-
| laY.