The San Francisco call., 1898-09-16

ministers, and the usual joviality and hearty good fellowship that character izes all gatherings of Methodists has been emphasized since last night, as was shown upon the assembling of the conference this morning.
 The second days session of the forty sixth California annual conference was called to order by Bishop John F. Hurst, DID,, LL.D., at S:30 o'clock this morning and was opened with devo- tional exercises conducted by Rev. Dr. J. N. Beard of San Francisco. At g o'clock regular business was taken up in its usual order. After the reading of the minutes of yesterdays session w. w. Case, acting for the presiding elders, nominated the following commit tee on ministerial qualifications: H. B. Heacock, J. w. Burton, $. H. Rhoads, George Clifford, F. D. Bovard, c. H. Beechgood and R. J. Carroll, and on motion it was elected for the coming year.
 The second district of the conference, the Sacramento District, was called and full report given by its presiding elder, Robert Bentley. A prosperous condition, both spiritually and finan- cially, was to be found in the churches of his district, the report showed, and adverse circumstances Of the past year, from an agricultural and hortlcultural standpoint, made the latter point the more remarkable. Dr. Bentley espe- cially commended the beautiful church and parsonage building and improve ments that had been carried on during the past year. He also praised the pa- triotism that has been shown by his dis trict during the war with Spain, a large l1nt- of 1n church being soldiers who fought in the Philippines, while the Red Cross work of Sacramento City and it's neighboring towns was among the very best in the State The effective elders of this dis trict were called and reported their church finances.
 Dr. w. w. Case, presiding elder of the San Francisco district, one of the most important in this State-embrac- ing as it does the cities of San Fran cisco and San Jose, the universities of Stanford and College Park and the re- sorts of Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz was then called upon, and gave splen- did report of the work and condition of his territory This being territory of between 5000 and 4000 square miles, em- bracing nearly six counties, it has the largest membership of any in the con- ference and therefore can do the broad est work.
 A tribute to Rev. T. H. Sinex, DID,, of Pacific Grove, who died during the year, and who has done such magnifi- cent work for Methodism in California, was striking characteristic of this re- port. The effective elders of this dis trict were called and gave their report
 Rev. D. M. Birmingham of this dis trict was appointed professor of theol ogy in the Central Tennessee College, Nashville, Tenn, and was transferred to the New York conference. Rev. c. V. Anthony, DID,, was appointed pro- lessor of practical theology in the Stiff School of Theology at Denver, Colo, and Rev. H. F. Briggs was appointed professor of New Testament exegesis in the same school
 F. Boim, G. Guth, w. Schuldt.. l.. E. Schneider and G. Schneider, members of the California German Conference, were introduced to the conference, and on mo- tion they and all other visiting clergymep were invited to seats within ,ne bar or the conference.
 Napa district was next called and re- ported upon by s. c. Gale, D.D., presid- ing elder. This district embraces nine counties, the various charges being at difficult field of work. Dr. Gale reported year in the district. Throughout his dis trict church improvement and the in crease in Sunday school attendance are
 From Napa district D.. A Hayes was appointed professor of New Testament exegesis in the Garrett Bible Institute of Evanston. III. M. c. Briggs, D,D.. was re- appointed State Secretary of the Califor- mia Sabbath Association.
 F. J. Masters, DID,, presiding elder of the Chinese district. followed with an interesting annual report of his charge. During the past year missions have been founded at San lose San Francisco Sac.