Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-30
Arrrn.ArH OF CONFERENCE.
Marked Hospitality or the People OF cam
\bridge--The Appointments Generally Com
Niderod nfaeiory-sabbnth Observance
Report OF Committee un Thanks.

annual session of the Wilmington Con-
ference, which ended yesterday, was
one of the most pleasant and one OF the
briefest in its history. The hospitality
Of the citizens of Cambridge was
lavish. While there was considerable
wire-pulling over ministerial assign
ments, it was conducted in most In
stances in a manner not likely TO cause
i'll feeling. Among the conference mem
bers now in town, the general opinion
is that the appointments are salts
factory. Zion Church. in which the
sat, was crowded yesterday,
and the gathering paid almost as much
attention to the reading and adoption
Of the reports of the standing COM
mittees as to the announcement of the
The committee ON twentieth century
thank offering reported that it had
permanent organization by
electing the Rev. John France chair
man, the Rev. }. D. q. Hanna. d. D.,
secretary and William Salisbury treas
urer. AFTER as careful study Of the
as circumstances would per-
nit" the committee said, I'VE see
but light ahead, and are sure
that great results are to follow, IL
ard laymen will cooperate
with our secretary in his responsible
duties. To insure the largest success,
we present the following resolutions for
adoption: That we will heartily CO.
operate with the secretary in gathering
a great thank offering. and give him
an opportunity to present his cause to
all our congregations that the com
mittee shall make to the conference
q report of all gifts received, and that
this report shall be published in the
minutes, so that each charge shall
have full credit for oil amounts given !;
that the directors and editor of the
Peninsula Methodist be requested to
put its columns at the disposal of the
secretary, and to assist in every pos
sible manner in presenting the merits
of this great movement and in awaken
ing the interest and enthusiasm of the
people in its support; that the secre-
tary be made member of the COM
mittee -
The report of the committee on con-
ference claimants endowment fund in
cluded the following recommendations
"That, for speedy relief, the appor
I'LL tplliOANbAC obeli
be readjusted and made to yield 40 per
cent more than at presents; that an
endowment fund shall be built up for
the relief of conference claimants, and,
for the accomplishment Of this, some
energetic and devoted member of the
conference shall be appointed to travel
at large through the conference ter.
ritory. to devote his time, strength and
heart to the noble work of building UP
such fund; that in the prospective
twentieth century fund the stewards
endowment fund should share with the
Conference Academy"
The conference board of stewards
reported that they had received 81, no
and distributed the money to l3 sup
erannuated preachers, 10 supernumerar,
preachers and 33 widows of preachers
The board recommended that the thiro
Sunday in September DO observed Al
veterans day, The report concluded
as follows: IAN increase in apportion
ment has become an imperative neces
sity, on account Of the great increas,
in the amount of the quarterly con
ference estimates.
The committee on temperance, afte
condemuing the license system, said
I'VE Gre forced to tho conclusion tina
the weak point in our warfare aeains
the liquor traffic is that our forces ar
not united as they should be. In orde
that there may be this concert o
action, We need to Use every possible
means of instructing and informin,
our people on this subject. We deepl,
regret the failure of the effort to secure
from the recent General Assembly O.
Delaware local option for the people
of that rum cursed State. We com
mend tho members who gave thei
names, votes and influence to securing
the desired end, and condomn mos
severely all who refused to sign tn
request or, having signed it, took thei
names from the petition, thereby de
feating it. II is especially TO be re
GREETED that some of those who figure,
in this last role are members Of on
own church. Such subserviency t
the political bosses and the rum powe
is utterly unworthy of the name @
Methodist or Christian, and deserve
the contempt of all good people.
4 II of the above reports were adopted
The committee on Sabbath obser
vance presented the following report
I'VE note with painful apprehension
the disposition on the part of man
corporations, as well as individuals
ito break down tho Christian Sabbath
owe recommend that sermon ON tn
subject be preached once q year a
least, in which the preacher shall hav
the authority of the conference to con
denim everything which. in his jude
ment, is wrong.h The conference de
sired the committee to be more specific
and recommitted the report. One mem
Der suggested that Sunday newspaper
be condemned; another, Sunday crat
bling; and another, Sunday turtling
The committee amended the report b
sandwiching it with the following
"As a conference, we most positivel
protest against Sunday newspapers
saloons, concerts and theatres, ope
cigar stores, bicycle riding, boot
blacking, grabbing, turtling, railroad
trolley and steamboat traffic, camp
meetings, unnecessary visiting an
cooking, gossiping and every othe
Sabbath day violation which any men
Der of this conference can now or ma
at any future time be able to thin
of. " The amendmenr was prompt
tabled, and the original report adopted
The resolutions of thanks adopte
included the following: 1.-The pres
reporters we have always with u.
They will doubtless follow us to on
graves, for their keen eyes are lookin
for something to happen worth chron
cling wherever we go. May the
never be disappointed in finding goo
news along all the lines marked by on
itjnerant footsteps. We greet them 4
Acknowledgements, thank them for the
honest representations OF our doinG
and pray that of their lfe-wora Ii
angel scribe may at last be able
present good report. ~