The San Francisco call., 1899-09-01
BIG GATHERING
OF ME- ETHOD|STS
Annual Conference at
Pacific Grove.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PACIFIC GROVE, Aug. 31.-The an
nual California Methodist Episcopal
Conference, which opens in the Metho-
dist church in this city on September
8, promises to be one of the largest
as it is certainly the most impor-
tant-sess;on of that body that has
been held in recent years.
The attendance is to be greatly in
creased this year because OF the quad
rennial election OF delegates to the
General Conference. that is to be held
in Chicago in May, 1900, as every mem
Der deems il his duty as we'll as privl-
lege to cast his vote in choosing the
delegates, and the Importance of this
is increased this year, as it is the first
time in the history of Methodism when
lay and ministerial representation at
the General Conference is 10 be equal.
The conference will open on Wednes-
day, September 6, Bishop w. y. Ninde
presiding, and will continue its ses-
sions to the 18th at least
On the 14th, the Lay Association, an
unofficial gathering of California
Methodist laymen, will hold an all-day
session. and on the 18th the lay cleo
toral conference, the official Quadren-
NAL conference of lay delegates, VIII
meet TO elect delegates TO the General
Conference.
Rev. DR.. Filben, who has charge OF
the arrangements for entertaining the
conference visitors, is overrun with ap-
nIications for accommodations, and
saws every facility of the town will be
called into requisition TO house the un-
usual number of people.
The conference membership is nearly
400. the lay electoral conference will
bring over 200 and the lay association
in the neighborhoOd OF 500 persons
These, with the large number OF people
who attend the conference, but being
to none of teh societies, will bring the
attendance we'll up into 1900
If present rumors prove correct this
conference is to result in pretty gen
eral change among the pastors or the
more important city churches ana the
usual shake-up is expected among the
country charges. There is also be-
elder of the San Francisco district. IS
to be succeeded by DR.. j. A. b. Wilson.
now of the Howard-street Church. but
nothing definite has as yet appeared In
corroboration of this opinion.
OF course there will be night over
the delegates TO be sent to the general
conference. the great law-making body
very much in doubt. The opportunity
TO have a part in the deliberations OF
this body is a much desired honor. and
there are many among the members OF
the California conference who greatly
covet the office Of delegate. DR.. Case
and Dr.. F. c. Lee are two who have
beer. mentioned as the probable choice
of the conference.
The daily programme Of the confer
ence will include morning and evening
sessions. the afternoons to be devoted
to the anniversary celebrations Of the
various conference societies, the work
Of which forms a very material part OF
the conference business.
Bishop Ninde will arrive here on
Tues lay, the 5th, and an official recep-
ton given under the auspices OF the
Itinerants' Club of the conference will
be rendered him in the evening. The
address of welcome to the Bishop will
be delivered b. Rev. DR.. Thomas FIJI
ben, superintendent Of Pacific Grove,
and one of the most prominent mem
bers of the conference.
The conference sessions will begin at
8 a. m. on Wednesday, the 6th.