The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-05
Large Attendance of Young Men
Who Aspire to Become
Ministers.
PREPARING FOR EXAMINATIONS
Those Who Pass the Test Will Be
Seated in the Methodist
Conference.

PACIFIC GROVE, CAL, Sept. 4-The
summer city among the pines is fast I'LL
ing with young men, embryo ministers,
who this year meet as members OF the
Itinerants' Club, that preparatory school
to the California Conference of the Meth
odist church, and who next year will be
full.hedged members of the higher rev.
erend body. Conference week is the event
OF the year Tor large number of those
who live here and all the sessions of both
the Itinerants' Club and the conference
are largely attended.
The session to-day was held in Assembly
Hall of the Methodist Church on Light
house avenue. In the absence of Rev. w.
S. Bovard, the president, who is in the
East Rev. Q. E. Pettis, DID,, vice-presi-
dent of the club, presided. About fifty
ministers answered the rollcall at the pre-
liminary meeting yesterday and nearly
double that number attended to-day's
session. A great many more will be here
before the close of the meeting on Tues
day next. The members are all camped
in tents on Eighteenth street. Most of the
married ministers bring their families
with them. This year there are already
about $50 people domiciled in these quar-
tiers and in cottages.
Rev. Mr.. Pettis, in his preliminary ad-
dress before the members of the congrega-
ton assembled at the opening of the ses-
sion, briefly outlined the causes for this
club organization, the extent of its re-
searches, the good from such an organiza-
ton to its members and the benefit it was
to the Methodist Church. He particularly
impressed the members with the idea that
this years session was an important one.
The work would consist of discussions on
some points of vital Importance to the
ministry, the improvement of young
members OF the California Conference so
they might be ably fitted for the work al
lotted to them when this general body
convened next week. Another point on
which DR.. Pettis dwelt more particularly
was the examination classes. These,
he said, were for ministers who wish to be
admitted to the conference this year or
next, and therefore had to pass the rigid
examination required by the examining
board before admission to the general
body could be obtained.
The examination class met at P NJ to-
day and remained in executive session
until nearly P. NJ. Rev. A. II. Needham,
pastor of the M. E. Church at this place.
who is also secretary and treasurer of the
Itinerants' Club, presided.
The evening session convened at 7:30,
Rev. Mr.. Pettis in the chair. After song
service and discussion of several minor
subjects by members of the club Rev. A.
ID, Needham introduced Rev. f. F. Jewell,
who delivered popular lecture entitled
The Passionate, the Highest Calling in
the World" Assembly Hall was crowded
with people who wished to hear DR.. Jewell
in his mastery effort. He imbued all
members of the club with new life and de-
termination, and charmed his hearers
with his eloquent delivery.
Tomorrow afternoon will be devoted to
class work. In the evening Rev. J. n.
Beard, ID: will lecture on ministers
and Sociology"