The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-08
BISHOPS SECRET.
Mysterious Visit Of Bishop
Fowler to New York Last
Night Sets Confer
ence Guessing.
WHO WILL GO TO MENDHAM ?
Elizabeth's Temperance Back
sliders Condemned-Local
Deacons Admitted.
WHO WILL GO TO MEHDHAM ?

Especial to "The Jersey City News."1
NEWARK, April ., lss3-Bishop Charles
H. Fowler presiding over the Newark an
nual conference of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church., now in session in this city,
went to New York last night in all that
rain and that Immediately after a pro-
longed session Of his cabinet. No wonder
the pastors this morning when they heard
of it,, did a great deal of guessing and
thinking. What did it all mean?
But secrets like murder will out and it
was whispered that a very wealthy man
of East Orange, one George Ferry, who
owns a summer home in Mendham, in
terested in the spiritual as well as in the
other development of that place, was
anxious for the transfer of a member OF
the New York Conference, now in session,
to the Newark Conference. The present
pastor of Mendham is Rev. r. B. Urmy,
and he lately received a call to Park
Avenue Church in the New York Con-
ference, and concerning that call, no end
of ministerial criticism was let loose.
Since Mr.. Ferry has always been a very
generous and liberal contributor to the
Newark Conference it is not surprising
that, extraordinary means were used to
secure some one suitable for Mendham.
Bishop Fowler and the presiding bishop
of the New York Conference had a talk,
but what came of it won't be known until
the appointments are made on Tuesday
when there is a surprise in store for the
good folk of Mendham.
Downstairs in the classrooms of HalSey
Street Church., where the business, SEES
sessions of the Conference are held, the
pastors this morning had another piece
of gossip to discuss. Pastors are like
other ornery people, and prone to listen
ing to what Disraeli called the 'hair-
Drained chatter of irresponsible frivolity.p
The chatter arose over a letter said te
have been sent to Presiding Elders 5. +.
Hammond of the Newark district, g. w.
Smith of Elizabeth, John KraHtz of Pater-
son and j. r. Wright of Jersey City, from
Bishop Mallalieu now presiding over the
New York Conference sessions at New
burgh. In that letter the Bishop is re-
ported to have requested that in the mis-
sionary appointments would the presiding
elders kindly previously notify Bishop
MalIalieu, who is specially interested IN
missionary work? The reason for that re-
quest was that the bishop was anxious
only to have the best and most adapted
pastors for the work. The request so oc-
cupied the pastors that they actually for
got to attend the early morning service,
and Bishop Fowler himself had TO send
out whips to bring them into the busi-
ness session.
Now. brethren, let us get down &c
business said the Bishop, as the pastors
focked in Ike boys late for school, "ane
we will have the report from the Eliza
beth district"
Presiding Elder G. w. Smith rose ane
began to recount his stewardship. Ht
created a sensation and shocked thu
brethren when in speaking of the tenn
peranee part of Miss Elizabeth's char
acter he said
1.-THE uncompromising foe of the church
is the LIQUOR saloon. In but one com
munity on the district, have we known
of instances where members have so fai
forgotten their vows as to sign appli.
cations for Reconsideration; Oh, I NEAR
SHAME interrupted a brether)-an
they were so speedily brought by the
church to account as that they acknoWl
edged their wrong-doing and promised te
reform their ways. csPraise the Lord
shouted the brother. anxious to correct
his former mistake.) I fear that eul
anarterly conference committees on tenn
perance are not as active as they should
be in promoting an intelligent interest il
this cause"
The presiding elder, after that slap at
the quarterly conferences, proceeded to
praise the Elizabeth churches, and when
he had finished, the Conference, by vote,
cons orders
Newark District-Charles H. Goodman,
Edward B. Leach, Wilbur w. Walker,
Edward M. Furman.
Jersey City-W. Rerberger.
Paterson-Howard j. Andrews, Edward
Mcmillan, Wilbert Wescott.
Elizabeth-George A. King.
One of the pleasing penalties which a
Methodist parson bears when he attends
Conference is that of listening to heads
of colleges, each of whom says his is
the best and the other fellows is the
worst; that is, of course, by implication
This morning, Conference listened with
praiseworthy equanimity to the Rev.
Wilbert P. Ferguson, Phi. d., presided
at the Centenary Collegiate institute al
Hackettstown. He praised the coed
system employed there. its locations,
buildings, courses, facilities and associ-
ates. the abilities and profundity OF
learning of its professors, and in shor'
held it I'D as the foremost seat of learning
on this or any other planet. Of course
he wanted money, only a little matter d
$50. 600. Whether he will get 1T is another
matter. The pastors are getting tired OF
the continuous, hold-up-performance al
the yearly conference Other clerical ad-
vance agents of learned institutions
within the pounds of the Conference