The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-26
FIFTY-THIRD SESSION
BISHOP BOWMAN PRESIDES AT
NORTH INDIANA CONFERENCE.
First Business Session I'm the Rich
mOnd NJ. e. Church-Proposed Truss
tee Changes for DePnuw.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
RICHMOND, Ind, March S.-The first
business session of the fifty-third annual
North Indiana Conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, began this morning at the
First NJ. Z. Church, this city. Bishop
Thomas Bowman, of st. Louis, pre-
siding. There was a large attend
ance of visitors and members, and
nearly all of the members answered at roll
call. AS is the custom. the regular business
was preceded by a love feast and the admin
istering of the sacrament. The singing of
the conference hymn. written by Rev. 7. c.
Neal. Of Marion, for the occasion, opened
the service. Rev. N. Gillian. of this city, Of
fered prayer. which was followed by a Scrip
ture reading by the Rev. r. d. Spellman. of
Fort Wayne Bishop Bowman spoke briefly,
but feelingly, of his fortune in once more
being permitted to preside over the confer
ence from which he had been elected to his
present position. He congratulated the men,
bers on the splendid progress the organ
ization has made since he last visited it in
1888. and also spoke of the growth and pros
perity of the whole denomination. In a
broke voice he alluded to the absence of
those faces that had been familiar to him in
his former visits to the North Indiana Con-
ANAN ~ AN A4hCAC OClOlt tullll,
and to the feeling that his own work would
soon be completed. He then called the pre-
siding elders to the altar and administered
the sacrament. The general love feast fol-
lowed. and for more than an hour the divine
service was enjoyed. This part of the ses-
sion was closed with prayer by Bishop Bow
man.
The appointment and readjustment of COM
mittees was made, and the following officers
chosen: Secretary, Rev. L. j.. Naftzger,
Richmond; assistants, Rev. L. A. Beeks, of
Hartford City; Rev. E. T. Gregg, Decatur.
and Rev. w. r. Suman, LAGRANGE; statis-
teal secretary, T. C. Neal, Marion; assist
ant, Lewis Reeves, Harlan; treasurer, Rev.
+. G. Browne. Huntingdon; assistants, c. b.
Wilcox. Albion; Rev. w. B. Freeland, Lar
will; Rev. d. H. Guild. Kokomo: Rev. ]. c..
Ferris, New Burlington; Rev. M. Z. Neither
cult, Greenfield; Rev. E. v. Westhafer,
Avilla. Rev. u. s. A. Briggs. of Claypool,
was appointed agent for The Gospel in all
Lands" and Rev. +. NJ. Stone. or Nooles-
account.
A resolution was adopted calling for the
more rigid examination of new members.
This Is made necessary from the fact that
the roll Of superannuates Is largely increas-
ing. and that the people are demanding
greater efficiency in pulpit and pastoral
"a n was dlSO UdSStQ I6QueSl-
ing the presiding bishop not to admit any
new members by transfer, the reason being
that every year Of late graduates from De-
Pauw University were refused admission be-
cause there were no charges, and this made
IL discouraging for those who took the COL
legiate course.
The Rev. w. H. Hickman, of Terre Haute.
was among the visitors to-day. He repre-
scented DePauw University, In which relation
west Indiana Conference asking for the ap-
pointment OF a committee to confer with a
committee from the other conferences in
atives on the board of trustees of ihe
church's school at Greencastle. The COM
muncation requested that the trustees be dis
North Indiana, 6, and Northwest Indiana, 6.
The Revs. J. A. Beatty. OF Ligonier; Bennett,
Of Fort Wayne; A. s: Preston. of Knights
Daniel. Of Richmond. was appointed the COM
mittee. DR.. Hickman also read a
cation from the Northwest Conference, CIV
Ing warning that they had at their last ses-
sion instructed their General Conference del
egates to ask that the conference boundaries
be so changed as to include in their territory
ence delegates from this conference were in
strueted to oppose any such change.
.d Rr; TnST 1Bs ccn,s SON of q Bishop ,Sa Thompson;
enforcement Of Sunday laws throughout the
country. Dr.. Earl Cranston, head of the
Methodist BOOK Concern at Cincinnati, was
ests of the church. He showed that in spite
OF the hard times the past four years have
preceding. He pleaded for a fuller circula-
ton Of the denominational books, and prom
ised that soon the Sunday School Advocate
ent price, and that the Classmate will be
published weekly at but a small advance In
price He announced a dividend to this con-
ference from the Book Concern or over
$3.50.
A committee on memorial to the General
Conference was appointed as follows: Revs.
j. w. Cain, Winchester: VI. Mahin, New
Castle: A. s. Preston. Knightstown: VI. II.
Mott. Nentone. and j. A Beatty, Ligonier.
Rev. j. c. Murray. ID. d., a member OF this
Cannon THEOLOGICAL Schaol. at Atlanta. Ga.