Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-11
ADMITTED TO THE IrINERAxCY.
Action Taken at Conference OF the
N. p. Church.

Action Taken at Conference OF the
N. r. Church.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE. April 1l.-KMeT elder was
added to the ranks of the Maryland an
nual conference of the Methodist Protest
ant Church yesterday by the ordination of
Rev. Frank s. Cain. The laying on of
hands was performed by President A. ID.
Melvin at the close of the morning service
at Lafayette Avenue Church, where the
conference is in session. Previously Rev.
7. ]. Ogburn. missionary secretary. preach
ed one of his characteristic sermons.
At Saturdays session of conference A.
A. Bieheil and ]. NJ. Dickey were given
the right hand of fellowship by the presi-
dent ard admitted to the full rights of the
itinerancy. In advising them to their
course in the ministry, President Melvin
told them it is what man can do and not
what he knows that counts In this practi-
cal age. He said the man who can talk
only is about as little use as anybody in
this world
IF you think your duty DONE" he said,
when you get up and make nice ad-
dress or sermon, you will be written down
failure. Then you will come up to con-
ference and get only a place that is made
for you, and not a place because you are
wanted in it,
While discussing the report OF the COM
mittee on literature some interesting facts
were brought out regarding the conduct
of church papers. The committee proposed,
in order to increase interest and swell the
circulation of the Methodist Protestant,
the official organ of the conference, that
each pastor appoint local reporter of
church news. One of the preachers said
there is some news that now receives too
wide circulation from mouth to ear in the
congregations. He evidently feared the re-
porters thus appointed might seize upon
these morsels of gossip and give them yet
wider publicity.
Another objection raised was the fear
that the pastors might have too much
influence over the church reporters. who
would, in consequence, devote their space
to fulsome flattery of the preachers There
were let out some secrets from executors.
by which 1T was made known that highly
complimentary articles which sometimes
appeared in the church paper emanated
from the brains of their subjects. and were
not written by friends of the praised
pastors
One preacher thought If the editor re-
fused the contribution of one of these re-
porters he would thus make an enemy Of
the paper. Discussion on the report was
resumed today. and the second Sunday in
December was appointed Good Litera-
ture Day" for sermon on that subject
and a special evening sehvice. to be ar
ranged by the editor or some one appoint
ed by him.
The pay of married pastors came in for a
large share Of discussion Saturday on the
report of a special committee appointed to
devise plan to increase the salaries of
some poorly-paid preachers. The report
recommended that 5000 be set as the mini
mum figure for married men. and called
upon the quarterly conferences to adopt
that figure.
A number of the preachers were in favor
of the increase and many laymen expressed
the: approval. Finally. however confer
800 recommitted the report for the sugges-
=, ii of 4 definite plan. as il was feared
~larterly conferences would resent the
.s-cr from the annual conference to fix
salaries at set figure.
During the debate IT was made known
that thirty charges pay their married pas
tors less than the amount ramed In the re-
port. Also it was said that $500 in some
charges, with other donations not reckoned
i'm the payment of salary, equals double
that amount in other charges.
VAN DENEER.