The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-21
m THE RELIGIOUS WORLD
Current Local Events in the Churches
Briefly Chr0nicled.
GENERAL METHODIST SESSION
Important Matter TO Conc Before the
Conference ut Cleveland : cosvsu-
tion Of Local Missionary Soeisties.
Change In simpson Pastorste.

Change In simpson Pastorste.
The general Methodist Episcopal con-
ference will be held at Cleveland In
about two MONTHS and IL some of the
proposed measures pass the session Will
be one of the most important In the
history of the church. The woman's
question will again come up. This Is
the issue whether or not women should
he allowed TO attend the conference as
lay delegates.
Another important question Is regard
ing the present system OF bishops.
These church dignitaries are new elect
ed for life. The salary of each bishop
Is $4,000 year and a bishop never re-
signs. Many thinkers in the church
demand that bishops shall be elected
only for a term of years. returning 10
the ministry when they have served
their usefulness in the bishopric.
Still another measure that will be
debated Is the proposition to create a
negro bishop. There are more than
100000 negro members of the church
without a single representative on the
Episcopal board. and the voice of the
There are certain ministers In the
church who want the time Of pastor
ates raised or abolished altogether. and
this question will be brought up at the
Cleveland convention In May.
Laymen have a demand. They Insist
that they should have voice in select
ing ministers in annual conference and
appointing them to their charges. Wyo-
ming conference has seven representa-
lives at thcsConference.
HISsPASToRATE NEARLY OVER.
The term OF Rev. l.. c. Floyd, d. D..
as pastor of the Simpson Methodist
Episcopal church expires OH April 1st.
DR.. Floyd has been in charge of the
church for the past five years, and as
this is the time limit of pastorate In
and Methodist church. he will be ap-
pointed to another congregation when
the Wyoming conference meets on
April lst at Binghamton. Mr.. Floyd
entered upon his duties at the Simpson
church when that body was bearing q
great burden of misfortune. a few
weeks before his advent the church
building was visited and partially de-
stroyed by fire. The congregation wor-
shipped In the basement. In Il credit
ably short time, by constant work of
the pastor and congregation. the ruins
were cleared away and in their place
the handsome church Of today was
erected The debt was at first very
large but 1t has been decreased con-
slderably until ut the present time but
81, 900 remains. This is small in con-
sideration of the $50 persons whose
names appear on the church member
ship role.
There has been a steady increase in
interes. and effectiveness in all depart
ments Of church work. Church discord
Is unknown and the members and pas
tor amicably move onward. Dr. Floyd.
as man. is noted chiefly for the
breadth OF his Christianity. He recog-
nzes the right and claims OF otOer
denominations than the Methodist
church and his pulpit has never been
made the mouth piece of bigotry. He Is
a particular friend of the respected
Rev. Father Whalen. OF st. Patrick's 9
Catholic church. and they are not un-
frequently seen together The doctor
Is nothing If not patriotic and his SER
mons are upon timely subjects. He be-
lieves in common teaching for common
people. The Simpson church will lose
valuable shepherd when DR.. L. C.
FLOYD departs.
MISSIONARY MEETING.
The Women's Foreign Missionary So
cieties of the Wyoming district, which
includes this city, will hold their semi
annual convention at Wyoming next
Wednesday. The programme to be car
ried out is as follows: Morning session
at 10 o'clock--Devotional exercises, Mrs.
]. +. Warner; greeting, Mrs w. Triebel:
response. NJ. =. Hard; incidents of the
Struggle" Mrs. j. r. Sumner: recita-
tion. Miss Cora Lloyd; How Can We
Best Help the Cauce OF the Missions
Mrs. l.. c. Murdcck; recitation, Miss
Clara Helwig; Mexico" Mrs. J. T..
Patterson. appointment of committees.
The afternoon session will be held at
o'clock with the following programmes
Devotional exercises, Mrs. w. Treble;
practical Suggestions for Missionary
Auxiliaries." Mrs. G. ID. Simpson;
"Birds Eye View of India" Mrs. s. A.
Barton: recitation, Miss II. Carhart:
--latest Messages from the Field" Mrs.
II. A. Chapin; solo. Miss Mary Will
liams; Armenia" Mrs. c. F.. Mogg.
DIR. GRIFFIN's FIRST SERMON.
Rev. DIR. Griffin. of Mt. Vernon, who
recently accepted the call of Elm Park
church, will preach his first sermon
here on Sunday. April 10. the second
Sunday following the Wyoming confer
ence In Binghamton. For the two in
Pearce's retirement. March 90, the
church board will supply the pulpit
with preachers whose identity will be
announced later.
DR.. Pearce will leave llere Wednes-
day, April ]. for the conference and
will return the following Monday and
Wednesday. Before entering upon his
new pastorate of the Franklin Street
church in Wilkes Barre he will go to
Clifton Springs for brief rest. Mrs.
Pearce and the children will go' to
Cortland. N. Y. for short visit with
relatives.
DR.. Pearce will not preach fare
well sermon or make any pulpit ref
erence to his departure.
NEW BAPTIST PASTOR.
The congregation of the Penn Avenue
Baptist church has extended a call to
Rev. NJ. II. Negus, of Owego. N. Y, to
the pastorate of the church. Rev. Neg
us preached here last Sunday at the
Penn Avenue church and the impress
sion he made was so great that there
was no opposition to him whatever. 1t
is known, however, that his congrega-
tion in Owego are opposed to his leav-
ing them, and as he is SO popular with