The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-21

csted gathering been assembled,
within the walls of Epworth Meth
odist Church than that which filled
the edlfce this morning to attend
the opening session of the thirty
second annual meeting of the Will
mington Methodist Episcopal Con-
ference.
Even the knowledge that much OF
the morning would be taken up in
the transaction Of routine business
had no effect upon the attendance.
The solcmnity and impressivcne IS
of the Divine services, which Away $
mark the opening of the Conference
possess a strong attraction for the
lalty of the church, while the an
nual address of the presiding Bish-
op, briet though it usually is. is
another loadstone to draw them,
and the carnestness with which
they Join il the singing, reminds
one forcibly of the iGryor OF a gen
ulne love feast.
The fact that the present Confer.
cncc will act upon several matters
that may later come up bcfo &C the
General Conference, and is to elect
delegates to that body. invests the
proceedings Of the present gather
ing with peculiar interest.
While the business session did
not begin until .. 80 o'clock, dele
gates and visitors began arriving
long before that hour, and as carly
as s o o'clock the Conference Post
office, located On the lower floor Of
the church, was crowded By minis
ters, most of them from points out
side the city, and many were the
quiet conferences held relative to
legislation to bcenacted before con-
ference ad ourns. and already there
are indications that the dciibera-
tons will be of a olive" not to say
exciting character.
The four Presiding Elders of the
Conference: DR.. Robert Watt of the
Wilmington District; DR.. {. 5. Bak-
er, of the Dover District; DR.. Will
bur i. Corllran, OF the Easton Dis
tritt and DR.. Thomas e. Martin
dale, of the Salisbury District
were on time, and Bishop Andrews
who prcsidcs. was also prompt
His appearance was the signal for
general exodus to the church
auditorium and a few minutes later
the Conference was called to order.
With the fail of the gavcl hush
fell upon the gathering, which was
only broken when Bishop Andrews
announced as the Scripture lesson
Romans s. Then the familiar hym
when | Survey the Wondrous
Cross, - was sung as the opening
hymn. The Holy Sacrament was
then administered. after which the
Bishop invoked a blessing upon the
Conference and prayed that its de-
alterations might be guided by the
DIVINE wisdom, and that the ap-
pointments would be such as to
prove benefit to pastors and peo-
pie alike.
The roll was then called and
showed a large proportion OF he
members Of The Conference present
Rev. A. s. Mowbray was ele ted
sccrctaryoi the Conference. v. S,
Nov bray was elected statistical
secretary and Rev. &. A. Gris@, con-
ference treasurer. Each was al
lowed to appoint his assistants.
Committees were appointed as
follows:
Public Worship Robert Watt, +.
b. Short, James Grove, v. l.. S.
Murray, l.. $. Mace.
Education i. W. Lavtield, +. j.
Beauchamp, V. p. Northrup, S. NJ,
Morgan.
BiDle-Albert Chandler, W. W.
Sharp, E. $. SunIeld, f. Fl. Col
Inns.
Sunday School and Tract AS
bury Burke, II. B. Hunter, D. +.
Waddcll, Y. e. Hills.
Temperance w. p. Compton, ".
G. Hurst, W. l.. White, +. f. Car.
pcnter.
Missions T. a. II. O'Brien, Al.
fred Smith, ]. \. Brewington, ]. W.
Jones.
Women's Home Missionary So.
ciety-T. G. Smoot, E. w. Carswell,
e. Woodall, W. Il, Dawson.
Freedmen Aid and Southern
Education q +. Anderson, J. p.
Otis, W. S. II. Williams, w. e.
Wright.
Missionary Statistics--F. p. Har-
rls, W. B. Guthrie, II. NJ. Givan. J.
W. Tallcy, T.. E. White, J. l.. John.
son, &. X. Wessc, T.. J. Cochran.
Sabbath Observance II. Il. Tab