Evening journal., 1900-03-16
DOVER DISTRICT
DISSATISFIED
SeafOrd Church Has Adopted
Resolutions Tending to Remove
Presiding Elder Baker.
COMBINE AGAINST DR. WATT

PRESIDING ELDERS BAKER AMI
coRKRAN HAVE COMBINED TIC
DEFEAT REV. DIR. WATT IN THE
ELECTION FOR GENERAL CON.
FERENCE-TO REPEAL TRUSTEE
LAW.
During the several weeks previous tC
the opening Of the Wilmington NJ. e
Conference there are usually many
questions which arise to agitate the
conference delegates. as well as the
public at large.
This year the interest is even greater
than for some time, as many rimors
have been circulated concerning the
thirty-second session, which convenes
in Epworth Church on Wednesday
next, which cause expressions of opin-
ion from all sources. The latest is
the statement published in several
papers Wednesday to the effect that q
number of churches in the Dover dis.
.trict had combined to reduce the salar-
les Of its presiding elder from 81, 800 to
.sl 800
This, however. is untrue as, accord
ing to the statement Of a local Metho-
dist preacher. who is well versed in
conference matters, the dissatisfaction
is caused only by the retention of one
man, Rev. c. G. Baker.
MIR. Baker is presiding elder OF the
Dover district, and as the people of thai
district thought him incompetent foi
the office, much displeasure arose from
his appointment. For this reason Sea
ford Church, at its quarterly confer
ence, adopted resolutions requestinl
that Mr.. Bakers salary be reduced. in
the hope that it would cause him tC
become sufficiently indignant to tender
his resignation. While other churche.
in that locality have taken no actor
as yet, it is understood that they vii
combine with Seaford Church in tn,
effort to have Mr.. Baker removed.
COMBINE AGAINST WATT.
1t is further intimated that Mr.. Ba
ker and Rev. w. f. Corkran. presidin,
elder of the Easton district. viii form
combine against Presiding Elder Rob
ert Watt, of the local district, in tn
election of delegates to the Genera
lCCnference. which convenes in Chicae
during May. To this the Wilmington
] Conference sends from two to four dele
gates, usually the presiding elders, an
IL is said to be the purpose of Messrs
Baker and Corkran to defeat DR.. Wat
that they themselves may be elected.
DR.. Watt is regarded as a thoroughly
competent man for the office he holds
and, while he has not yet been publicl
announced as being'a candidate for tn
General Conference, it is highly prob
able that he will be one of the first [
be elected. He is well liked and ha
many friends, who. it is understood
will stand by him.
AS to the enactment passed by tn
General Assembly relative to the elec
tion of trustees, an effort will be mad
at the General Conference to repeal tn
church law governing the elections
Grace, followed by St. Pauls ChHrct
opened the opposition, and now Asbur
Church has adopted resolutions to com
bine with them in fighting the new Law
The church law reads that trustee
may be elected by vote of the congre
cation, or appointed by the pastor" ]
is the latter part Of the law which a
effort to repeal will be made, maxim
the election Of trustees possible only b
a vote Of the congregation.
Bishop Edward G. Andrews, of Me-
York, viii preside at the coming con
ference. He is well-known here, hay
ing presided at various conference
held in this city and on the Peninsul;