The Globe-republican., 1900-03-22
THE SOUTHWEST KANSAS con-
FERENCE.

The southwest Kansas conference OF
the NJ E. church met at Wichita last
week and closed its labors Monday a
large attendance of ministers and lay
delegates added unusual interest the
proceedings. Laify representation in all
conferences would add to the general in
teFests OF the church. A cooperation of
clergy and Iaity would be advantageous
under all circumstances
The e1ucationaI feature is foremost in
all church work: and the financial plans
are prodigious. Money is largely needed
20 carry on the progressive work of the
church; and the plan TO raise $40. 600 600
as century fund, is being pushed vigor-
ously under the lead of Dr. Mills, secre-
tary of tile Goth century fund The
plan to take up the church indebtedness
was presented by DR.. Spencer, of Phila :
delphia, secretary of the church extension
society. About S12 ,OOO. 900 was held by
this society against the many churches :;
but many church debts bad been paid in
the year past. notably the the
church at Dodge City In Dr. Spencer's $
report it was shown that Southwest Kan
sas had made the greatest progress in
church building and membership.
The endowment of Winfield college
with a fund of 500, 900. Is plan being
strongly pushed by Rev w. H. Rose ,and
it is meeting with success.
Soule college was also under considera-
ton at the conference. The Eagle says:
..There was considerable discussion
over the Soule college at Dodge City,
which is said to have been trying TO give
itself to the conference for several years
The college was first built by the Presby
terians, who were unable to keep it go
ing 1t was then voluntarily decided to
the Metholists, but the deed contained a
revertabie clause to the effect that it
should be operated as a college, and in
case it not, to revert to the original
owners The conference Methodists re-
| fused to accept the deed on this condition
because it would interfere with the col
lege at Winfield. This time the reyerta-
BILE clause was dropped and the college
decided to the AIethodists unconditionally
and the church could not do otherwise
than to accept. The conference there
fore elected two trustees of the property !,
the Rev w. J. Martindale aud the Rev.
Geo w. Howes. and they VIII proceed
do the best they can with the property
The college building is said to be among
| the finest in the state and is worth today
| $50, ,O0O.''
A new charter was granted by the Sec
retary of State, which included the two
new trustees. There are now seven trus-
! tees, four of whom reside in Dodge City.
They are named follows: j. H. Craw-
ford, DR.. H. Whitworth, E. H Vaughan,
B. S. Williams, Dodge City, and w. w.
Munsen, Chicago.
Under these circumstances the college
will become more prosperous and it viii
have the support of the conference.
1t is within the power of the board to
| make such changes and plans that will
/ insure success and the confidence of the
people.
The great part of the work of the con-
ference is taken up in the educational, /,
/ financial and charitable interests of the
| church. To maintain SO vast an institu-
! tlon as the Methodist Episcopal church
requires money and the work of many
! boards of trustees. There is something g
more than the sustaining of the individ-
ual church; and to maintain the whole is
the part of each christian The spiritual
work of the church is not neglected when
| the educational and financial part is sus-
| t;.ined by every member of the church
Bishop Vincent, who presided over the
| conference. each morning read and com
mented on Il chapter from the book of
the Ephesians. His remarks were wise
and profound and etlifying. He said the
preachers We're the servants of the peo-
pie and the responsibility of the church
belonged to the laymen as well as to the
preachers.
The bishop condemned the practice of
abusing public men. These men do their
duty when they are sustained by the peo-
pie We must stand by principles.
Righteousness will undermine sin Iudi-
rectly we must root out evil We must
pursue a righteous course Example was
powerful.
He believed in the intellectual more
than the emotional character of our reli-
gion, but he did not condemn emotion
under reasonable bounds
The lay conference having come in ant
occupied seats with the regular confer
ence, Saturday morning, the report ot
their work brought out the question o.
the probationers and lack of spirituality
ia the church 1t was shown that no
more than seven per cent of the proba
tioners joined the church in full member