The Washington times., 1895-03-29

W as Ihs SnpJecl-laIniSteFs flaceu on the
supsrannustsd List-Rsport of the Elu-
cational Boari-ssrmon in the Evening.
The statistics of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church for the Washington district,
as read by Rev. R. smithson at the meet
ing of tie conference yesterday, morning,
show that within the past year there have
been 7GG acoessions 10 the membership on
professions OF faith.
Sixty four were received into Mount
Vernon Church, which has contributed
81 200 in missions. the amount assessed
being S2Ss. Epworth Church has increased
its membership by fifteen. Presiding Elder
Hutchinson. of the Baltimore conference,
reported / 1878 additional members for
the year. and contributions OF $23 $50 for
all purposes.
Presiding Elder Bush, of tie Winchester
district, reported collections slow and hard
as a result OF umavorablc business condi-
tons: the religious condition III that con-
ference is satisfactory.
PRESENTED OTHECONFERENCE
Bishop Cranberry presided over the con
ference, the rel igious exercises being opened
10y the Rev. J. Lester Shipley. of Warren
ton, Va. There was quite number of
the local pastors of churches OF diff
ferent denominations in attendance, and
who were presented tOthe conference. The
roll OF the conference was called and the
reports on character were all favorable.
Rev. Messrs. Hank, Bote!er and Hop
6ius were al their request placed on the
superannuatad list. DR.. II. c. Morrison, OF
the board OF missions OF the church, urged
an appropriation for a conference secre-
tary, new office, for each cOnfer renee.
Dr MORRISON also spoke OF the progress
ufmlSsiOnaTy work in Mexico, Japan, China,
Africa, Brazil and Eastern lands.
Dr. W W. Smith presented the work
OF the Educational Board of the church,
showing that il maintains 179 schools
and colleges, an investment of So ,O23,-
042. Dr. q. T. Smith, OF Georgia, called
the attention OF tie conference to several
publications of which he is the agent.
SELECTION OF THE DEACoNs.
The deacons OF the year were determined
to be Messrs. Robert L. Fultz, Alfred b
Sites, William H Marsh, John c. Hawk,
Charles NJ. Sarver, A G Hamill ana James
H. Wells.
AT the request of the venerable Rev. w. g.
Eggleston, his petition to be- relieved of pas
toral charge at Middletown, Va, was re-
ferred to the committee on conference iela-
tions. The Rev. Mr. Eggleston spoke elo-
quently and touchingly OF his labors in this
charge. An address was delivered by he
Rev. J. Z. Gilbert, secretary OF the National
Society of Religious Education, inviting
tie members OF the conference to attend the
session OF the Southern Biblical Assembly
which VIII be held at Asheville, n. c., in
July and August.
The following committees were an
nounced by the Bishop:
On collections, Revs. j /. Williams, L. r.
Jones, W w Watts, and Messrs. ii II. Stev-
ems, =. V. ID. Conway aud A. L. johnson.
On church insurance, A .B. Bonde. j. S.
Kagey, p. II. Whisner, H. p. Hamill, A. +.
HuddIeston, John r. Andrew and W. S.
Embrey.
The conference received with thanks from
Mr B. IL. Warner, president of the Board OF
Trade, several hundred copies OF the hand-
book Of Washington.
Mount Vernon Church has not often had
so large congregation as gathered there
last night for the religious services and TO
hear the Rev NJ. Il. Chapman. of the Balti-
more conference. Nearly all the members
OF the conference were present and a great
mass of people in the auditorium and gal
leries On the rOstrum with the Rev. Mr..
Chapman were Rev /. w. Canter, pastor of
the church, and Revs. c. W. Cooke, and
$. L. Cox. ID. d.
REV MR.. CHAPMAN'S SERMON.
The opening prayer was by the Rev Mr..
Cooke. The singing was by the excellent
choir OF the church.
The discourse was based on the text from
Isaiah, Fear thou not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed. for / am YOUR God"
This was treated as a promise OF God OF
the strength and stability, not only OF HIS
kingdom, but of the Christian religion.
The materialistic and atheistic popular
tendencies of the era of st. Paul. and
which he SO stenly rebuked We're re-
peatud in later ages as history repeats it,
self There are materiaiiSts now who main
tain the supremacy of the law of nature as
sufficient TO account for natural phenomena
and to direct them. But to the uns1alievers
God is 10 better than brute creature who
wonld leave the care of its offspring 10
chance, and caring nothing for the beings
il had endowed with life.
The god of the materialist is tantamount
to no god at all They hold that the idea
OF prayer TO God is inconsistent with the
revelations of science From this point
the speaker went on to show that the
hand Of God was traceable in all the
spheres ia which natural scientists and
all the materialist philosophers work,
from the beginning Of things, and that His
laws were suniCient to explain everything.
That He would keep the promises Of the
prophet to mankind, ana that their sal
walton lay in obedience TO His viii, and
faith iR His power and laws.