Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-28

be expected. there is much interest among
the members of the denomination il this
city regarding the business Of the confer
ence. and it goes without saying that
Waugh will be packed to it's utmost ca
pacity al every meeting of that body.
During the last year six of the best
known preachers of the conference passed
away. These were Revs. Levin D. Heron,
Richard Norris. j. McKendree Kelley, A. J.
Bender, H. NJ. Harmon and John j. F. Ack-
erman. OF these DIR. Kelley and DR. Har-
mon Were regarded as among the foremost
of the leaders of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in the United States.
Action of the Lnymen.
Since the meeting of the conference last
year an event has TRANSFERRED which is re-
garded as possessing great significance.
some months ago a large number of repre-
sentative laymen throughout the confer
ence met in convention in Baltimore and
formed what is known as the Laymens Or
ganization, which, beginning this year, will
assemble annually in whatever church the
conference of that year is held. The first
annual meeting of this body will take place
at Waugh Church Friday afternoon and
evening next. The object of the organiza-
ton is to secure certain changes in the
government of the church. Those compos-
ing the Laymens Organization favor equal
representation in the general conference
the introduc ton of laymen into the annual
conferences and the election of presiding
elders.
Mention has been made in The Star that
Rev DR.. r. R. Bristol, D. D., of Evanston.
u, mas been selected as the pastor of
Metropolitan Church, Washington to s-c-
coed Dr. Johnston. the present pastor, who
has accepted call to State Street Church,
Trenton, N. j., and while these changes
are regarded as certain TO take place. the
arrangements Can only be perfected ny the
Endorsement of Bishop Merrill, who for the
time being, has immediate charge of ali
matters relating to the Baltimore confer
ence. Other changes which will take place
owing to the fact that each of the ministers
named has served the allotted period of five
years in his present charge, will be the fol-
lowing: First Church, Baltimore, I. p
Frost; Wesley Chapel, Baltimore, James T.
Wilson; North Avenue. Baltimore, d. G. w.
Reid; Hereford. Baltimore county, William
Rodgers; Homecoming, Alegany county, G.
n. Afford; Ryland. Washington, 8. NJ. Hart
sock; Catonsville, Baltimore county, d. G.
Miller, and Clifton, Baltimore, r. w. H.
Weech.
The membership Rolls.
The latest published official statistics Of the
conference state that within it's jurisdiction
there were 1918 full members and / 80 pro-
bationers; that during the preceding twelve
months there were 55S deaths; that 3,2DS
children and $50 adults were baptized, and
that there We're then 422 Sunday schools.
with I .431 officers and %, 1913 scholars. There
were also Ais churches, the value OF which
amounted to S.47S.OO0. The number of
parsonages was 127 and their value s45S-
400. There was also paid during the year
for building and improving church property,
T1,933. and an Indebtedness on church
property of $25,549.
The Star has already published a sketch
of Bishop Merrill. In the discharge of his
onerous duties the bishop will have the as
sistance of cabinet, composed of Rev.
Luther B. Wilson, D. D., presiding elder of
Washington district; Rev. W. N. Ferguson,
presiding elder of Baltimore district; Rev.
William S. Edwards, D. D., presiding elder
of the East Baltimore district; Rev. Charles
w. Baldwin. presiding elder of the West
Baltimore district and Rev. J. r. Wheeler,
presiding elder Of the Frederick district.
Members of Cabinet.
DR.. Wilson is one Of the best known min
listers in Washington. He graduated at
Dickinson College, Pa, in theology in 1875,
leaving which he entered the University of
Maryland School Of Medicine and graduated
in 1877. He became a member of the Bal
timore conference the following year. since
which time he has had charge of churches
at Hancock, Md; Woodbury., Summerfield,
Jackson Square and Strawbridge, Balti-
more. being transferred from the latter in
1880 to Wesley Chapel. this city. After
serving as pastor there three years he was
in 1894. promoted to be presiding elder, in
which position he has since continued and
where he will probably remain for two
years longer, the usual term for presiding
elders. Besides being very active in the
discharge of duties which appertain to the
presiding eldership DR.. Wilson is much in
terested in the affairs of the National Anti
Saloon League. and is one of it's vice presi-
dents.
Rev. w. NJ. Ferguson began his minis
terial career in 1869 at Foundry Church,
Washington, Of which Rev. DR.. Lucien
Clark Is now pastor. His appointments
have been as follows: Hampstead, Union
Bridge, Linganore, Gainesville Winchester,
Va; West River, Baltimore circuit, Refs
terstown, North Baltimore station, Fourth
Street, now Trinity. Washington. D. c.;
South Baltimore station, from which he
was in 1894 appointed presiding elder He
is also likely to serve his full term of six
years.
Rev. DIR. Edwards entered the conference
forty-two years ago. and his father. the
eminent w. e. Edwards, D. D.. was q
member Of the same body for 1fty-eight
years. The present DR.. Edwards graduated
at the Boston University School of Theol-
ogy. and he was the first graduate Of a
Methodist theological institution to enter
the Baltimore conference. in which he was
received on trial in 1885.
Circuit Rider In Virginia.
The first two years of his ministerial life
were spent as q circuit rider in Virginia,
but in the fall of 1857. at the request of
Bishops Ames and Waugh, he was trans
ferred to the Minnesota conference, where
he was pastor of two churches in st. Paul
until 1859. when he was retransferred to
the Baltimore conference and appointed
junior preacher in Alexandria, Va. During
the ensuing nine years he held a number
of important charges, but in the spring of
1869 he was. at the request Of a church in
Williamsport, Pa, transferred to the Gem
trail Pennsylvania conference and assign
ed to station In Williamsport. There he
remained for two years. when he again
came back to- the Baltimore conference,
with which he has been connected for the