The San Francisco call., 1896-09-10
NE THOD|STS MEET
At PACIFIC GROVE
Crowds Attend the Opening
of the California Con-
ference.
BISHOP F0Ss PREsIDES.
The Venerable Prelate Delivers
An Eloquent Address on
the Church.
OUR CREED Is GOOD ENOUGH
Officers Elected and Rules Adopted
Travelling Expenses Pooled-The
Women's Missionary Society.

| PAOIFIC GROVE, CAL, Sept. 9.-The
California annual conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church opened this
morning with large mum Der of ministers,
| laymen and ladies in attendance. The
Methodist church was filled with a fine
appearing and intelligent audience. The
conference will last another week.
Great interest is displayed in all depart
ments of the Christian work upon which
the conference will act. Bishop Cyrus d.
Foss presided.
At O'Clock in the morning of the open
ing day a prayer meeting was held. II
was led by Rev. William .Angwin OF
Campbells, and there was large attend
ance. The sacrament of the Lords sup
per was administered by Bishop Foss, as
sisted by the presiding elders of the con-
ference as follows, beginning at 9 o'clock
Revs. E. r. Willis, A. T. Needham, John
Kirby, John Coyle, NJ. G. Harris, f. J.
| Masters and a. ]. Gustafson. Nearly the
whole congregation partook of the sacra-
ment.
| Bishop Foss opened the session with q
short address in which he said: I'VE
lament the weakness of the church in any
particular locality, but our work as a
whole is going gloriously forward through
out the world. Thirty years ago people
laughed at Us when we gave the figures of
our strength, but since then the histo-
rians have made the facts known. The
greatest opportunity given to the church
since the days of the apostles is given to
our church to-day. So far as l know no.
body wants to change our doctrine; our
creed is good enough.
ut has been said that the Metho odist
church has been depended upon for more
genuine soundness of Christian doctrine
than any other Christian church. Our
preachers are less disturbed than those of
other doctrines, and Methodism is going
down into the next century unshaken.
Let there be nothing less than the saliva
tion of the round earth"
The Bishop claimed the credit for the
bishops of the Protestant church and the
Catholic Archbishop of Philadelphia and
for the church of the living God for the
peaceful settlement of the great street-car
strike in Philadelphia not long ago.
The work of organization was then pro-
ceeded with. Rev. Milton D. Buck of
Sacramento, who was secretary of the con-
ference last year, declined to serve again
this year. Rev. a. H. Needham, pastor
OF the Methodist church of Pacific Grove,
was elected to the position, and Rev. ]. Fl.
n. Williams of Modesto was elected assist
ant secretary. The other officers elected
were: Treasurer, Rev. Thomas Fill
ben of San Francisco; assistant treasurer
Rev. J. T. Murrish of Amador: speeiai
treasurer for the superannuated fund.
Rev. L. II. Woodward of Petaluma.
The rules OF the last conference were
temporarily adopted. Rev. F. F. Jewell
was elected railroad secretary; Rev. G.. r.
Stanley, assistant railroad secretary; Rev.
u. II. Walton, postmaster of the confer
ence; Rev. q. 2. Irons, chorister; Miss
Donna Winning, organist; Rev. George
w. Beatty of Oakland, statistical secre-
tary, who Will appoint mum Der of assist
ants. Rev. Mr.. Mccoy was appointed TO
take subscriptions for the spread of the
gospel in foreign lands.
This year the ministers will pool their
travelling expenses to and from the confer
ence. Rev. ]. d. Hammond was appointed
secretary for the pool fund and Rev. e. M,
Hill assistant
A new committee on memoirs as follows
was appointed: Revs. W. r. Gober, G. II.
Atilerbach and G. V. Anthony.
With the singing of the doxology the
session adjourned at 1890 to give the COM
mittees chance to meet and allow other
meetings to be held in the auditorium.
The anniversary Of the Woman's Home
Missionary Society of the conference was
held at 2:30 O'Clock in the afternoon. The
officers are: President, Mrs. c. w. Kinsy:
vice. president, Mrs. J. N. Beard treas.
urer, Mrs. Studley; secretary, Mrs. Robert
Mcclellan. The anniversary opened with
the singing of ''Our Country's Calling
Still" Mrs. J. N. Beard read a scripture
lesson and Mrs. Robert Bentley lead in
prayer. Mrs. Ida Hull spoke on the sub
jectof "Our Orientals."
among the Chinese of San Francisco, ad-
dressed the meeting. A little daughter of
Chan Hon Fan delivered recitation, and
Miss Yamada, superintendent of the San
Francisco Japanese home, made some
bright remarks. Mrs. Louis M. Carver,
who presided, read paper on "Doers OF
the Word, l." and Deaconesses Miss Winnie
Rich, Miss Margerita Lake ahd Miss Ade-
line Buttimer told about their mission
work. Mrs. E. r. Willis read a paper on
personal Glimpses of the Home Field" /"
which she read before the last general
conference. Mrs. H. Morton was organist.
The report of the corresponding secre-
tary, Mrs. P. G.. Buchanan, showed much
progress in every department of the home
mission work.
The Preachers Mutual Aid Society held
a meeting late in the afternoon at which
DR.. J. H. Wythe presided. This is an
association of preachers, with eighty-five
mem DerS, Wn1cn mas Deen paying $40 each
on the death of member, the sum usually
paid being $1,000. The constitution was
revised with view of enlarging the men,
bership, requiring from members under
3S years fee o; S5, 38 10 80 years 81 so and
over so years of age $40. 1t was a contest
between the young and old men in which
the young men won.
Tonight the annual missionary sermon
was delivered by Rev. w. C. Gray of
Nevada City to a crowded congregation.
Mrs. Lucy Drake Osburn of India also de-
livered an address on mission work and
native beliefs in India.
The ministers now in attendance at the
conference are:
Revs c. V. Anthony, G. o. Ash, william
Angwin, NJ. H. Alexander, ]. R. Andrews, c.
A Anderson, A. NJ. Bailey, II. c. Benson, NJ. C.
Briggs, p. 6. Buchanan, J. l.. Burchard Fl. J.
Blano, Robert Bentley, D. NJ. Birmingham J.
W. Bryant, G. w. Beatty, NJ. d. Buck, I. R.
BARLEY, J. w. Buxton, j. N Beard, F. D. Bo-
yard, G. II. Beechgood, F. K. Baker, G. w.
Beattie, II. F. Briggs, George Clifford, John
Coyle, ]. B. Chynoweth, d. w. Chilson, John
Chisholm, w. D. Crabb, w. w. Chase, S. j. Car
Pitchers Castoria.