Evening star., 1898-02-25
Methodist Assembly to Convene Here
Next Week.
QUESTIONS FOR ITS DETERMINATION
Selection of Presiding Elders At
tracing Special Attention.
THE CON ERENCE ROLL

streets northeast. Rev. DIR. E. Olin FL
bridge. pastor 1t will continue in session
for about one week.
Bishop s NJ. Merrill, whose home is in
Chicago. will preside The conference is
composed of about 225 ministers, there be-
ing at present no lay members. The pas
torates over which the ministers preside
are divided into five districts, over each of
which there is presiding elder.
These districts are. respectively, Balti-
more. East Baltimore West Baltimore,
Washington and Frederick Among these
there is likely to be but one change in
presiding elder. that of Frederick, where
the elders term of six years expires with
the present conference year. by limitation.
There are but few ministers who have
served their present charges for the term
permitted under the law of the church,
and in Washington but two-Rev. Hugh
Johnston. DID. pastor of Metropolitan,
and Rev DIR. Hartsock of Ryland. The
successor to the former has already been
called. he being, heretofore stated in
The Star. Rev. DIR. Frank NJ. Bristol of
Evanston. ILL., Who will follow Dr. Hart
seek at Ryland is not known. Eor have
any steps been taken. it is believed. by
the congregation to indicate their choice
if they have one.
~ d.,
but where DIR. Hartsock will be assigned
by the presiding bishop of the conference
Is matter of uncertainty. There are sew
eral desirable churches in Baltimore whose
pulpits will be vacant after March /, but
as to whether DIR. Hartsock will go to one
of them no one here is sufficiently ac-
quainted With the purposes of Bishop Mer
rill in the matter to speak with authority.
Question of Interest.
Just how the successor TO Presiding
Elder Wheeler will be selected Is a matter
of much interest to many of the members
of the conference. 1t is contended by some
of the preachers that it is the duty of the
presiding bishop to make the appointment
withou- considering whom the preachers
Interested might prefer. while others think
that the proper way is for the conference
to elect ali the presiding elders. conceding
10 the presiding bishop the veto power.
In several conferences over which Bishop
Merrill presided during the present con-
ference year he requested the ministers to
elect their presiding elders. which was
done. and the successful candidates were
confirmed by the bishop. Wbsther he will
known
1t stated to a Star reporter by a
prominent Methodist Episcopal minister
that 1t was. in mis- opinion. hardly prob
able that Bishop Merrill would adopt this
course IN the present instance. as his ac-
ton at the Rock River and other confer
enCtS had been severely criticised. On the
other hand. however. ii is stated that the
bishop is in Il sense thI attorney general
OF the house of bishops. and his position on
the subject must be considered being
strictly within the scope of the law of the
church in the matter.
At this tine il is not anticipated that any
very important matter outside of that of
lay representation will ne brought before
The conference. Resolutions favoring this
were introduced at the session of the con-
30 CT hrr def tod
that time there mas, however. been a great
change in sentiment among the member
ship of the various NJ. T.. churches through
out the United States the subject. and
derominat ton are in favor OF such repre-
sentation-
There is not entire unanmity among the
advocates of lay representation as to what
they want some demanding equal repre-
sentation in both general and annual con-
ferences while others insist that lay rep
resentation and the election of presiding
elders ought to be secured together, and
that the time has come when a change in
the organic law OF the church to provide
for both should be made.
Roll of Members.
The following is a complete roll of the
me mbership of the conference:
Washington 6istrict-Presiding elder, Rev.
Luther B. Wilson. DID; Brookland, C. o.
Cock; Congress Heights, J. r. Cannon;
Fcrestville. W. l. Oren: Gaithersburg, W.
B. Beall: Kensington, r. y. Moore: Lam
hams. J. W. Steele; Laytonville. Z. j. Cross;
Leonardtown, II. E. r. Reck; Little Falls,
vacant: Montgomery William Harris; Piney
Grove, solomon Corr; st. Marys, Henry
Mann; Severn, II. c. Smith; Spencerville, H.
L. West; Tenleytown ard Concord, A T..
Spielman; AEacostia, C. o. Isaac; Doug
lass Memorial j. l.. Walsh; Dumbarton
Avenue. J. B. stitt; Fifteenth Street, s. r.
Murray. LaEgdon, T. j. Clark; Foundry.
Lucien Clara and G. III. Corey; New York
Avenue. w. II. Chapman; Gorsuch, w. II.
Richardson; Grace. q. V. Leech; Hamline,
W. II. Stricken, X Street Mission. ). ;.
Godfrey; Mckendree. H. X. Nayior; Met
re politan, Hugh Johnston, L. L. Townsend;
North Capitol Street. r. II. Milburn. Ry-
Land >. VI. Hartsock; St. PauPs. S. l.. Bry-
ant; Trinity. Z. ID. Huntley; Twelfth Street.
Charles T. House; Union. Alexander Bielas-
Xxi: Waugh. f. o. Eldridge; Wesley Chapel,
). Fred Heisse; Lucy Webb Hayes Deacon
ess Home and National Training Home,
y. II. Ames.
Baltimore District-Presiding elder. Will
liam VI. Ferguson: Annapolis-First Church,
L. +. Waterman: Maryland Avenue. John
Edwards; Baldwin Memorial, c. A. Jones;
Baltimore - Bennett Memorial. A. II.
Thompson: First Church. T. p. Frost;
Trinity. j. l.. Mclean; Clifford Avenue, JOS
eph Dawson; oxford. E. II. Smith: Eutaw
Street. q. c. Bacon, J. w. X. Sumwalt;
Eutaw Street Deaf Mute Mission, D. f.
hCylan. FQrd Avenue, Ezekiel RlchdrdSOn,
Madison Avende, o. A. Brown. r.. II. W.
Weech: Mount Vernon. Watkin Case;
Mount Vernon Mission, William Sheers;
Mount Vernon Place. j. L. Smith; South
Baltimore. II. 6. France: Strawbridge, f.
$. Todd: Wesley Chapel. James z. Wilson;
Woodbury.. Il. F. Clarkson: Grace. +. A.
Killman; Roland Avenue. John Harris; Ro-
land Park, l.. r. Bennett: Baltimore Cir
cult, Il. r. Devries, w @. McNeal: Calvert,
Solomon German; Curtis Bay, j. III. Wyatt;
Glyndon. Edward Hays: Hunts, j. w. Ham,
mersley, jr.; Lutherville, l.. NJ. Bennett.
Magothy and Mount Carmel II. r. Savage;
Mount Washington, T. f. Peters: Reisters-
town. wv. Smith; Smithville, r. s. Barnes;
Solomons. $. s. Wilson: South River. G. r.
Sanner D. a. Shields: Westport. L. Morgan
Chambers; West River, o. c. Marriott: j.
r. Goucher, president of the Woman':, Col
lege. member of City Station: ]. b. Van
Meeter. dean of Woman's College member
Mount Vernon Quarterly Conference; F. j.
Wagner. president Morgan College, men,
ber Roland Park Quarterly Conference; II.
H. Clark, chaplain L. 8. N, member First
Church Annapolis Quarterly Conference
East Baltimore District-Presiding elder.
Rev. DIR. W. s. Edwards; Aberdeen d. A.
Ford; Appols. w. A. Koontz; Bohemian
Mission, F. ID. Chada: Broadway, w. l..
Mcdowell; Canton Street, W. W. Barnes:
Caroline Street. W. G. Herbert. Chester
Street. w C. Bryan: East Baltimore, F.
II: Havenner; Exeter Street. II. ID. Mitch