Evening star., 1895-02-19
THEBALTIMORE CONFERENCE
An Important Methodist Body Soon to Con-
Vene.
Few Changes to BE Made In This Dis.
tFfct-The Deaconess
Homes.


the Baltimore annual conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. In the pro-
ceedtngs Of which more than 250OOO citi-
zens of the District Of Columbia, Mary
land and West Virginia are directly inter-
ested. will begin in the Mount Vernon
Place NJ. E. Church, Baltimore, Wednes-
day. March g. and the sessions will con-
tinue for about one week.
Three members, who had not missed
session for more than half a century, have
passed away since the conference met last
year. These are: Rev. DR.. Thomas Mey-
ers, who was for many years agent Of the
Maryland Bible Society; Rev. John w. Cor
relius. who, as pastor, had served many
of the most important appointments in the
conference, and Rev. w. T. .. GLENN, who
after having filled many leading pastor
ates, took a supernumerary relation a few
years ago. The latter was an especially
able minister and up to the period when he
was attacked with his fatal illness a few
months ago, was, despite the fact that he
was eighty years of age, time Of life when
most mems mental powers are supposed to
be declining, welcome visitor at every
place where he had formerly been station
ed as a minister.
The conference will be presided over by
Bishop E. G. Andrews, formerly resident
of Washington, but now living in New
York city.
But Few Changes.
So far as is known there will be but few
changes in the location of any Of the min
listers of the Baltimore conference during
the ensuing conference year, there being
a rule that a minister may remain five
years over one charge. Two of the preach
crs in Washington, Revs. A e. Gibson, D.
D.. and Joel Brown. will have served the
full limit when the conference meets. and
fhax, xr-in ho cd tn 9TH ohlrchQS
Revs. ]. D. Still, now at Mt. Savage, Nd,
and Joseph P. Wilson at Great Falls, Nd,
ere in the same category.
The active membership of the conference
is 219 ministers, who are stationed on the
western shore Of Maryland, the District OF
Columbia, in Frederick county, Virginia,
and Grant, Mineral and Berkeley counties,
West Virginia. Connected with the con-
ference and recognizing its authority are
also IA local preachers and 1900 male and
female communicates OF the various
churches. There are also AL Sunday schools,
with 1851 officers and teachers and 5000
scholars. The real property of the confer
ence consists of 39S churches. valued at
s., 33334 $50, and 124 parsonages, valued at
ABS. $50. each beyond all Indebtedness.
The Deaconess Homes.
One of the most interesting questions
likely to come before the conference dur
ing its session is that relating to Deacon
ess' Homes" one Of which, styled the
Lucy Webb Hayes Deaconess Home" to
which is attached q Bible and training
school, and the Sibley Hospital, is located
in Washington. 1t is among the most pros
porous Of the Deaconess Homes in the
world. having thirty deaconesses and pro-
bationers, and property valued at $4,000.
Rev. DIR. A. H. Ames is the superintendent.
Deaconess work in the Methodist Episco-
pal Church began in Germany, where it
was largely patterned after that Of the
Lutheran Church. In America the work
was first organized at Chicago in 1887, and
was recognized and legalized by the general
conference Of 1888. During December Of
that year the second home was organized
at Cincinnati, Ohio and since that time
the growth Of the movement has been rapid.
esses have been specially employed, are
house-to-house visitation. in which they are
usually associated with a pastor. In the
performance Of this duty they cali on the
sick and probationers. children and others
needing oversight; nursing, through which
q large number of persons who would
otherwise suffer are provided with care
free of expense. One of the homes alone
has sent out nurses to care for more than
q thousand sick poor at their homes, and
these visits were in many cases accompa-
ing, while in a number Of instances deacon
esses have willingly given their services in
hospitals, whose officers were not connect
ed with the movement; work in kindergar-
tens and kitchen gardens, among poor chill
dren; service in industrial schools Of all
kinds; prison and police station work, and
work In orphanages, a deaconess orphanage
having been established in Chicago as
auxiliary to the home there.