Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-03-28

STAFF Correspondence of Gazette and journal.
SMYRNA, March 20.-'rhe report of Pre-
siding Elder Alfred Smith was read at to-
days session Of Conference. 1t is as fol-
lows:
The working force in one part of the
field, at the beginning of the year now
closing was as follows: Thirty-one MEM
bers Of the Conference in active relation,
one supernumerary, one superanuate,
three probationers, II local preachers, five
of whom were supplying pastoral charges,
6,T36 members in full connection, aud
l,l34 members on probation making a
total of 1920 laborers in tl.at part Of our
Masters vineyard known as the Easton
District of the Wilmington Conference.
The year has sped quickly away, but
with almost every passing day the reaper
of death has thrust in the sickle and
claimed some one of these tolers for the
garners of the sky, Two OF our minis:
teral brethren and fully one hundred of
those faithful laymen have during the
year received their discharge from liIe's
labors and have entered i'll heavens re-
ward.
1t is fitting, however, that should make
more than p8ssinp allltson to our
brothers and co-laburers in the ministry
James A. Brindle and Nicholas Nj. Browne
Both of these brethren went away quickly.
Brother Brndle was at church anu in his
usual health on Sunday. On Monday
night he was stricken down and IN Il few
brief hours his spirit struggled into life.
Brother Browne had been for five consecu-
tive weeks engaged in revival services, and
up till half past ten O'Clock the night of
his death he sat as usual with his devoted
wife talking over the dOings of the day.
Before midnight his soul had broken away
from its earthly moorings and dropped
anchor in the harbor of eternal repose.
Although death came suddenly to both of
these servants of God, he did not find them
unprepared. Brother Brindle had laid of
the harness and was only waiting the sum
mons to come up higher.
Brother Brindle had the harness on, and
was i'll the very prime of life, aud yet he
too was on the watch tower. He left un-
mistakable evidence of the fact that he
was looking for death in some such way.
Both of these were good men full OF
faith and the Holy Ghost and it is doubt.
full il the Wilmington Conferences roll OF
crowned ones" contains the names OF
only two men who have contributed more
10 the real upbulding of our Zion on the
Peninsula than these two brethren. They
were soul winners. They were shepherds.
Suitable memories have been prepared and
will be read at the memorial services.
Financial paralysis has been upon every
one of the temporal interests of the
churches. No peaches corn crop cut short
by drouth, wheat sold below the actual
cost of producing, oysters scarce and CHEAP
and for nearly one whole month, during
the middle of the season, under ice. fhest
facts are suggestive OF the hard conditions
under which our people have this yeal
been iaboring. 10 bring the salaries and
benevolences anything like up to the higi
standard set by recent former years, ha'
meant labor and sacrifice to preachers anC
people, which heaven, alone can appre
cate and reward. / believe | can truth
fully say that the pastors of the EnStot
district have worked this past year Il!
never before. and | am sure that ! hayt
given double the time and strength to thu
temporal affairs Of the churches that
have ever given before, and yet, judging
from the latest reports that come to ni'
from the field there is grave reason to fea
that both salaries and benevolences will b
somewhat III arrears. Even some OF Oh
strongest churches have failed to reach up
portiOnment this time in churches too tina
have never in the past failed to reach til
mark. The shortage III salary is in almos
every case at those points where til
brethren can at least afford to stand il
Apportionments meagre to begin with
and then shortage of from To % pe
cent, means much to these faithful me
and their families. This shrinkage in sa
aries accounts for most of our minister.
indebtedness.
In number of instances, apportiol
ments for beneyolences have been met i
full. In few instances. even increaSe(
The result of the year along these line
has MADE certain to me one thing, namely
that in order to successfully meet AN
master the crisis through which we N
now passing, courageous and skilfu
leadership and thoroughly trained force
ase necessary. To this end we must loo
TO tie Sunday-school. | verify beieS
hot toa
~ every Sunday-school on the district that
found in the school at Middletown wuul
this year. despite the hard times, almo
double the mission. of the 500 given b
II this church, the Sunday-school pays S4O
We have other schools ON the district thi
also do splendidly for this cause, but Il
majority of them are not half mp to Il
measure of their ability. The amount a
portioned to the district for general Co
ference expenses was duly apportioned
the separate charges and has, | believe,
most cases, received attention.
lis matter of rejoicing that the spir
of revivals which so marvelously chara
terized US as people in the beginning HI
not departed from us We are still a r
vival church. God forbid that we shOu
ever cease to be! At Church Hill. kel
Island. St. MichaePs, Townsend, Cheste
town, Royal Oak, SudlersviliG and Hill
"a boro, reyivals of unusual scope and pow
vile, Greensboro Tilghman's Island, Mi
ington, Crumpton. Queenstown, OXfOr
Easton, Marydel, Bayside, Stilipond al
Rock Hall, gracious outpourings of 4
Il Holy Spirit have been witnessed, al
li@ scores OF precious souls have been save
In every charge revival fires have be
kindled, aud even where but few conv'
sions have been reported the church
have been greatly quickened. The pasft
in this glorious work have been assist
at some Of the points by evangeists.
BRIBERY AND LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
In the closing Of the worlds most {
lightened century ELECTION Bribery al
Drink Traffic still survive, That part
the Easton district, lying within I
bounds of the State of Delaware, has d
ing the year, been cursed immeasurat
by that unfathomable reasonable sin
vote buying. One of the pastors said
me, "a Spiritual paralysis has been uD
the church ever since the election. WI
wonder when men high in social a
Il official relations to the church, stoop to
level of political boodlers. know the
tempt is made to justify their cond
upon the ground that the end justilies