The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-24
CONFERENCE SESSION.
Bishop Fowler in Charge, ana q
Large Attendance.


Large Attendance.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
HARTFORD CITY. Ind. March 23.-The
work of the fifty-fifth session of the M. E.
Conference is well under way, the regular
session opening to-day with Bishop Fowler
presiding. The conference committee began
work yesterday with the examination of the
various classes for admission and advance
ment in the conference relation. All day
long the handsome M. E. Church, where the
sessions are being held, was crowded. AL
though it has been continual downponr of
rain from the onset the attendance at con-
ference is the largest in the history of the
conference Rev. Frank G. Brown assist
ant editor of the Western Christian Advo-
cate is chairman of the board of examiners.
The probationers examined for advance
ment numbered thirty-two. Several of
these however, have just closed their four
years of probationary work, and were adj
nitted into full connection and ordained to-
day by Bishop Fowler. They are II. e.
Sweitzer E. E. Wright D. d. Smith, c. e.
Hollopeter. S. C. Heston, r. j. Wade, c. A.
Rowland, +. N. Sandpiper, Edgar L. Jones,
D. /. Hover, E. M. Foster, c.. w. Shoemak-
err, A. J. Durzee G. II. Kemp David Wells,
Z. Tripper f. F. NaftZger, G. w. Coons,
j. o. Campbell I. r. Goodwin, j. L. Ham
mond, L. c. Poor, j. Bigham, j. 0. Suites
man, C. ]. Graves, w. J.. Lewis, II. M.
Strong, S. P. Shafer, L. p. Pfeifer, A. A.
Stockdale, A. L. Brandenberg and w. ID.
Trout. OF the examination committee,
Chauncey King is register, and B. S. Hollo-
peter treasurer. esft 10 f99gs
Last night was observed by the confer
ence as Epworth League anniversary. Rev.
Joseph F. Berry, editor of the Epworth
Herald, addressed large audience at the
M. e. Church. and Rev. c. W. Smith deliv-
cred an impressing Grafton at the Presby
terrain Church The organization of the
Epworth League was begun in 1889, at
Cleveland, o., by representatives of five So
ceties of young people. 1t is the youngest
department of M. e. denominational work,
but the most important Ihere are now in
the Methodist Episcopal Church alone 1900
regular chapters and nearly 5000 junior
chapters, with a total of fully l,6oO,OOO men,
bers.
Methodsm was introduced into Indiana
in 1904, when the illustrious Peter Cart
Wright 9 peg IN tne
for Indiana was not established till 1892, the
preaching places having been included up
to that time in the old Western, the Ohio,
the Missouri and the Illinois conference.
AS the work grew the State was divided
in 1874 into the Indiana and the North In
QitIld CONFERENCE, the ldllCA lllNluuiIfS lHS
territory lying north of the National road.
The first session of this conference was
held in Fort Wayne in October. 944. In 1852
the territory was again divided, and the
Northwest Indiana Conference was organ
lied Since that time this conference has
ter of the State Until 1868 a section of
Marion county. including part of the city
of Indianapolis. belonged to this confer
ence, but the General Conference of that
year changed the boundary line so as to
take away a bit of territory. The leading
cities near the west and south lines of the
conference are Mishawaka, Logansport Pc
ru, .Kokomo, Upton, Noblesville, Greenfield,
Knightstown and Richmond. When the
conference was organized in 1874. including
the entire north half of the State, it had
los travelling preachers and q ,S43 members.
it had 2es trayeli ling preachers and 20 go
members. The Az churches of the confer
ence are distributed into lS9 pastoral
charges, embracing six presiding elders
districts. Formerly there were eight dis
tricts. but the tendency OF the times is evil