Connecticut western news., 1898-04-07
THE NEW YORK CONFERENCE.

An Interesting Letter from the Rev J. H. Lane, of GayIordsvilIe, Former Pastor of the M. E. Church at Ca- naan.
 Editor Beckley:
 A few lines from the Conference may be of interest to some of your readers As this is the 99th session it will soon be of full age, as history measures time. The growth in these years may be stated in figures thus: In 1900 we had 8S preachers and 6,363 members. Now we have 292 preachers and 54. 631 mem bers-snd during that time, in 1S4S. the New York East Conferencs was taken of which now numbers moro than the New York; and in 1882 large part of the Troy Conference was separated from the New York. which now numbers nearly as many preachers and members as the mother Conference, yet still there is embraced within the bounds of the Conference one half of the former New York city, Westchester, Putnam, Duchess and part of Colum bis, Orange, Ulster. Greene. Delaware, Sullivan and & part of Schoharie counties in the state of New York, part of Litchfeld coun- tY in Conn, ,and Berkshire in Mass. rep resented by 42S churches aud 222 par sonages. It is divided into four dis tricts, each having 8 presiding elder who travels through the districts, and has the oversight of pastors and church. es.
 One part of the conference work is to hear reports from the presiding elder and pastors of their work during the year, and to arrange for the churches and pastors another year. While the changes of pastors are frequent there Is never time when pastor is without e church, or a church without pastor. except in some instances of making such changes, for few Sabbaths It also has charge of the great Evangelistic in- terests of the Church, as missions. Sun day schools, bible and tract cause, as we'll as the educational interest.
 The circuit system, which prevailed for 50 years, is now nearly abandoned, and charges have taken the place of circuits.
 Every year some of the preachers are put on the retired list; others are trans- fsrred to the church triumphant. But there stands at the door of the Confer ence every year larger number of the young men just entering on the work of the ministry, ready to take their places. This year class of 13 were received on tria, and 19 were ordained.
 In connection with the Conference we have an order of Deaconess, 12 of whom were ordained this year. With the growth of Methodism has come the auxilariss as the Epworth League Dea- coness, the one to gather in the young people and train them for religious ser vice in the church, the other to look after and minister to the wants of the unfortunate and suffering among the masses. The city Evangelization is also claiming the special attention of the Conference. The dawn of the twentieth century will reveal new and improved methods for church work, the same bible truths tut applied in way adapted to the growth and spread of civilization among the nations.
 We have had present Bishop Hsrtzell, just returned from Africa, and Bishop Joice, just returned from China. The world wide commission of Wesley. the founder of Methodism, is being carried out by the church in its greater work of preaching the gospel to all people.
 The Conference will adjourn on Tuesday. The appointments you may perhaps receive in time for this weeks paper. Sincerely Yours, J. H. LANE. Metropolitan Temple, New York city,
 April 4. 1898.
 SOME APPOINTMENTS.
 The complete list of appointments has not been received by the NEWS at the hour of going to press, but the changes made in the Poughkeepsie District and the names of the new min isters are as follows:
 Aford-James Douglass
 Chatham-D M'Cartney Clayerack-to be supplied
 Copake-J s Trodernnick
 Elizsville-J H Lane Fishkill-enthe Hu1son-T Lamont
 Gsylordsville-to be supplied
 Johnsville-to be supplied
 Lakeville-Jesse Alderman Lenox-E s Potter
 Lithgow-to be supplied
 North Egremont-C T Cooper
 North Goshen and South Norfolk-to be supplied.
 North Highland-to be supplied
 Pine Plains-to be supplied
 Pleasant Valley-J P Taylor
 Poughkeepsie; Trinity-F Beale
 Red Hook-P N Chase
 Rhinebeck-S F White
 Rhinebeck and Hiliside-J B Cross
 Spsncertown-G E Kerr Stockport-C H Grubb
 Tivoli-W R Evans
 Wsppingers Falls-David Phillips
 West Stockbridge-to be supplied
 Among the changes from one district to another are: F. D. Abrams from Lakeville, Conn, to Stamford, N. I.
 A CARD.
 We, the undersigned. do hereby agree to refund the money on a 50-cent bottle of