Evening star., 1900-02-07
Its ANNUAL ASSEMBLAGE
Seventy ty-second Session of the Maryland Con
ference N. P. Church.
The Churches in Washington to Be
Represented - Financial Show
ing-The Bible Cause.

The seyenty-second session Of the Mary
land annual conference of the Methodist
Protestant Church, of which the churches
of that denomination in this city form a
part, will be held in Westminster, Md.
commencing April 3. continuing for about
one week. 1t will be observed that
this Is the date upon which, as already
stated in The Star, the sessions of the two
great branches of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in the United States will begin in
Washington.
The conference will open under the presi-
dency of the Rev. A. D. Melvin. who Is
serving his third year in that capacity.
Whether or not Mr.. Melvin will be again
chosen to preside over the affairs of the
conference for another year is a question
which Is agitating the minds of the MEM
bers of the conference. both here and else
where. 1t has been rarely the case that
one minister has been elected to the presi-
dency of the conference for more than
three years successfully, and that term
is generally considered the limit for one
occupant to have the destinies of so many
ministers in his hands as are comprised
in the roll of membership of the Maryland
annual conference. Only once in recent
years has this rule been violated. This
was in the case of Rev. DR.. J. D. KinZer,
who is now pastor of the Georgetown NJ. p.
Church. and who served for five years.
Should President Melvin decline re-
election or should a change occur in the
presidency from any other cause, 1t is be-
lieved that either Rev F. T. Little, pastor
of Starr Church, Baltimore, Md, or Rev.
F. T. Tagg, now editor of the Methodist
Protestant. the official organ of the Metho-
dist Protestant Church in this part of the
country, will be chosen to succeed him.
Bounds of Conference.
The Maryland conference comprises the
churches of the denomination in Maryland.
of Virginia and one or two churches in the
state of New Jersey. There is no rule of
limit in regard to the number of years
minister may remain at any one charge,
and few, if any, changes in the present To-
cation of the ministers are expected. For
example. Rev. ]. w. Trout, who for several
years was pastor Of the North Carolina
Avenue Methodist Protestant Church. this
city, has for the past seven years been in
charge of the work at Elizabeth. n. j.;
Rev. L. r. Dyott has been pastor at New
ark. N. j.. for ten years: Rev. j. NJ. Sheri-
dan has been located at East Baltimore
five years, Rev. T. H. Wright at a Balti
more charge, Rev. c. X. McCaslin at Ches-
apeake. Rev. W. NJ. Poisal at Easton, Rev.
F. C. Cline at Laurel, Rev. E. A. Walfield
at Lynchburg, Va, five years each.
spectively. Besides these Rev. s. w. Coe
and Rev. G. F. Earring. at Finksburg and
Frederick. Md, have served seven years
each. while Rev. ]. w. Norris and Rev. J.
f. Meloy nave Deen pastors Tor SIX years
at Potomac and Rowlandville. Md.
spectWely. Rev. Dr. 7. H. Lewis. men,
ber of the conference, has been president
of Western Maryland College for fourteen
years. and Rev. F. T. Tagg. editor of the
Methodist Protestant eight years. The
conference has also loaned to the board
of foreign missions Rev. E. H. Van Dyke
for the past ten years. Rev. ]. s. Bowers as
pastor of St. Johns independently Church.
Baltimore, Md. for nine years. and. until
his death recently. Rev. ]. T. Murray as
agent and correspondent secretary of the
Maryland Tract Society for ten years.
Subsequent to Mr.. Murray's death Rev. W.
H. Lttsinger Of Christ Church, Baltimore,
was elected Mr.. Murray's successor, and 1t
is considered certain that he will be
LOANED" to the Tract Society for another
year at least.