Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-10
THE A. M. RI CONFERENCES.
The Religious GATHERING to he Held
In This City Next Week.

The Religious Gathering to he Held
In This City Noxt Week.
Not less than four Of the bishops Of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church will, it
Is expected, be present when the seventy
ninth annual session Of the Baltimore con-
ference Of the A. n. e. Church begins its
meeting for this year at Metropolitan
Church. M street between 18th and 10th
streets northwest, next Wednesday morn
iEg.
The presiding bishop. who will also be
possessed Of the appointing power. will be
the Right Rev. w. i Gaines; but he will be
assisted by Bishops, w. B. Arnett. B. T.
Tanner and A. Grant
The proceedings vtn open with devotional
services, conducted by Bishop Gaines, and
assisted by the other three bishops above
named and by other prominent members of
the conference. After the administration of
the sacrament Of the Lords supper, Bishop
Gaines will make the usual annual address
OF the presiding bishop. and a secretary, as
slstant secretaries and treasurer for the
Dody Will be elected.
Following this there will be addresses
Of welcome by Rev. DIR. ]. H. Collett, pre-
siding elder of Potomac district, and Rev.
Dr. Jenifer, pastor Of the church in which
the conference has its meetings. The reply
to these addresses will be made by some one
to be designated by the presiding bishop.
The business of the morning session will
ScAFSAuoS Will reports OF the various pas
tors, and recess will then be taken for
lunch, which will be provided for the men,
bers OF the conference in the lecture room
of the church.
will be preached by Rev. D. g. Hill. During
the remainder of the afternoon the various
committees will hold sessions, and at night
there Will again be preaching.
Early next morning the conference will
get down to business in earnest, as it will
assemble at o'clock. The annual mission
airy sermon will be preached at pm. by
Dew. Dr. l. 3. Lee, and. at the conclusion Of
this, there will be a meeting Of the Wo-
mems Mite Missionary Society. At night
there will be general missionary rally,
when all missionary workers are expected
to meet en- masse to hear addresses from DR..
w. b. Derrick, missionary secretary, and
others
Friday, outside of the transaction of rou-
tine business, will be devoted to educational
matters, and the annual sermon before the
Educational Society will be delivered by
Rev. George w. Nicholson, BID.
Saturday. after devotional exercises there
Will. 1T Is expected, be reports submitted
from all committees.
The features for Sunday will be: At $50
am, a grand mass meeting of the Metro
politan Sunday school, on which occasion
addresses will be made by visiting ministers.
and, at IL am, when there will he the
dinat1on Of deacons and elders and preach
ing by Bishop Gaines.
Monday. after devotional exercises the
IIesiultlS elueFS Will make Cne!F reports ana
general miscellaneous business will be
transacted. At night a reception will be
given to the members of the conference by
the members of the church The rest of the
annual meeting will be devoted entirely to
the transaction of important business.
There will be no election of delegates to the
general conference which meets at Will
mington. N. c., in May, as that matter was
attended to last year.
Attempts have been made to obtain from
Bishop Gaines an inkling Of his intentions
in regard to various pastor ates here and
elsewhere. but he has invariably refused to
give any information on the subject The
pastor of the Metropolitan Church, this city,
instead of being named by the presiding
bishop is nominated by the board Of Dish-
ops, who recommend the man selected to the
presiding bisnop of the conference, VINO liz
varably confirms the choice of his col
leagues. This course is followed mainly, 1t
is said, because the church is Il sort of re-
Hgious legation of the African MethodIsts
in this city. Tt is also perhaps one of the
best organized churches among the colc-ed
people, having thirteen auxiliary depart
ments doing Christian work. Among these
are the Stewards, Stewardesses, Christian
Endeavor Societies, with the Kings Daugh-
tiers, who look after the poor and relieve
their necessities as much as possible.