The evening times., 1899-02-18
CONFERENCE OF
THE METHODIS7S
Approaching Session to Be
Held in Baltimore.
Will Choose a Successor to Rev. j.
b. Stitt, of Georgetown.
Bishop GOodseII to Preside at the
MeetIngs-PrOgram for the
Week-Early Methodism.

Week-EarIy Methodism.
Baltimore, Feb. 1S.-At the COM
ing One Hundred and Fifteenth
Session of Annual Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. which will
convene in Baltimore on March /, sue
cessor to Rev. Joseph B. Stitt, pastor of
| the Dumbarton Avenue Church. of George
town, will be chosen, the present incum
bent having served the fve-year limit.
Rev W. G. Herbert, pastor Of Caroline
Street Church, of Baltimore, with a COM
mittee of six, consisting of Rev. f. r.
HURT, Messrs. E. G. Parker A. II. Reiter,
Samuel H. Roberts, Leander Langrall, and
n. B. Williams, have made all the neces-
sary arrangements for the entertainment
of the delegates and members of the con-
ference. The interior of the church Sun
day school and classrooms have been i'm
proved and new carpets placed on the
floors
The conference will be presided over by
Bishop Daniel a. Goodsell of Chattanooga,
Tenn. who will then make his first Off
cial visit TO the conference. He was elect
ed a bishop in 1898 and is the son of a
| Methodist preacher. He is the youngest
| and the largest of Methodist Episcopal
/ bishops. No change among presiding cid
! ers is expected at this session. as none
has completed the six years he is allowed
/ 10 remain on a district, but many changes
! among the preachers are expected.
This will be the fourth meeting of the
conference in Caroline Street Church at
| Baltimore the last meeting being held
! fifty-one years ago. The first time was in
/ 1928 The programme for the entire con-
ference was completed yesterday, and is as
/ follows:
Programme of the Session.
Tuesday, February 2s.-6:4j TO 7:45 p. m.-Re-
ccption To the bishop and conference in the sun
day school room Of the church
p. m.-Anniversary of the American Metho
| dist Historical Society. Rev. Dr. John +. Couch
cr presiding. Address b. Rev. DR. :. +. Up
| ham. professor in Drew Theological Seminary,
on New England's Indebtedness to Baltimore
/ Methodism.''
Wednesday, a. m.-opening session of the
conference. with administration OF the Sacrament
OF the Lords Supper
3 p. m-An Anniversary OF the Sunday School
Union and Tract Societies, Rev. DIR. \. II. Ames,
presiding. Address by Rev. DR.. j L. Hurlbut,
corresponding secretary.
: p. m Anniversary Of the Conference Mis-
sionary Society. Rev. ". IL. Chapman, presiding.
| Address by Rev DIR. C. l.. Baldwin. recording
secretary. Music by choir OF Broadway Methodist
| Episcopal Church.
Thursday. . a. M Conference session.
p. m.-Anniversary of the Woman's Foreign
Missionary Society. Address by Rev. DR.. John
| f. Goucher.
p m.-Auniyersary Of the Freedman's Aid
and southern Educational Society. Rev. Dr. j.
| +. Wagner, presiding. Address by Rev. Dr.
| John W. Hamilton, corresponding secretary. Mu-
| sic by choir Of Caroline Street Church.
Anniversary OF the Epworth League AT Mount
| Vernon Place Church, Rev. r. l.. Wright, pre-
siding. Address by Rev. DR. + NJ Bristol.
Friday. q a. mt Conference session.
, p. injecting OF Layman'> Association at
Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church.
p. m.-Anniyersary OF the Beard oi Church
Extension, Rev. DIR. Lucien Clark, presiding. Ad-
dress by Rev. Dr. W A Spencer. corresponding
secretary. Music 10y the Monuuen; Street Church
choir.
| saturday a m.-Couierence session
p m.-Evangelical services, conducted by
members Of the conference.
s p m.-LectnIc by Rev. DR.. Lu,her T. Town
send
sunday. 3 a. m.-Confcrence Ioveieast, CON
ductud 10y Rev J. r. Wheeler
II a m.-Sennon by Bishop GoodseI.
p. m-ordination services
p. m.-Senon by Rev DR.. W. V. Kelley,
editor Methodist Review"
! Monday a. mt Conference session.
/ :. =. m.-Eyangeiical services, conducted by
/ members OF the conference.
! : p. m.-Anniyersny 81 Woman Home Ms
| sionsTy Society Address by Rev. DR.. Frank VI
! Bristol. pastor Metropolitan Church
| Tuesday. u. m.-C9nfeTence session.
The Church Organized.
| The Methodist Episcopal Church was or
| ganized at the Christmas conference held
in Baltimore in 1884. The following sum-
mary Of the work and incidents connected
| with this conference are given:
! During the sessions of this conference
! Dr. Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury wore
| gowns and bands.
DR.. Thomas Coke, Thomas Vasey. and
| Richard WhatCoat were the only elders in
I the Christmas conference: all other mem
/ bers were lay workers. This statement re-
lates to the opening OF the conference. Sub
sequently bishops, elders and deacons were
! constituted.
Arrangements were made to found
CokesbuTy College at Abingdon. Hartford
| county, at this conference. and s., 600 was
provided with which to begin work
The conference of 1884 adopted the doe
trinal standards of American Methodism.
The first missionary sent from America
was provided for at this conference
| The preachers fund was also deviso1 at
| this conference to provide for the disabii-
ties of the itinerants and their families.
The first missionary collection ever rails
ed in the Methodist Episcopal Church IVES
| taken during the Christmas conference
1884. and amounted to $50 This was sub
| sequently increased by collections in Phila-
delphia and New York to clio, or 1925
| Pennsylvania currency.
0Id-Time Charges
All church property held by the Metho-
dists in America prior to 1896 was decided
to John Wesley for the use and benefit
of the societies" At the General Confer
ence of 1896, which met in Baltimore, a
| deed of settlement for church edifices''
was devised, by which a board of trustees
should be constituted having necessary au-
thority to hold all property for the use and
benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church
At the solicitation of DR.. Thomas Coke
| the Lovely Lane Church was sold in 1885
| and the Light Street Church was built
| This edice was burned December T. 1886
/ Cokesbury College was destroyed by fire
December. 1895.
TIL schsm of James O'Kelley took place
| in Baltimore during the General Conference
of 1892
| Baltimore Town was set off as a station
| from Baltimore circuit in 1889.
The last sermon preached in the old
Light Street Church was delivered by the
| Rev. Samuel V. Blake, and the manuscript
| copy of this sermon is now in the hands of
| his son, living at Tiffin, Ohio
The Exeter Street Church was begun in
1887
The first Methodist church begun in Bal
timore was the Strawberry Alley Church