The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-03

The Present VnIue OF the Prop
erty Held by the Denomination.
The local congregations OF the NJ z.
Church and the a. f. shurch South are
already beginning preparations for two
big conferences to be held in this city
early II April The Baltimore conferences
OF both churches will be held in this city
beginning the first week in April, and viii
continue several days. This is the first
time that the two conferences have been
held here at the same time The confer
ence OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
viii be held al the Metropolitan N. f
Church. FoUr-and-a-haIf and streets
Northwest. and win be presided over by
Bishop Holden. u will be the ll5th an
nuai session.
The meetings are expected TO be more
ihan usually interesting. as the terms OF
three presiding elders expire with the
opening Of the conference. besides which
there has chen presented TO the conference
since It's meeting last year church prop
erty aggregatiug between S30.900 aud sac
Gee in value The douatiSus we're from
Rev. ". l.. BTuen. Of this city and com
prised the furnished church building ON
Eleventh Street southeast. and a smaller
and less costly structure on the south side
Of the Anacostia River. near the suburb OF
that name. Mr. Bruen is absent from
Washington, and is not expected TO return
before the conference assemblies. but spc-
cial mention will. it is understood. BE- maze
of his liberality- and IL goes without saving
that he viii De given a vote OF thanks.
His generosity viii. 90 Is stated. enable the
people of the Twelfth Street Church who
now worship IN the new edihce TO own a
parsonage for the use Of their pastor.
The outgoing presiding elders are Rev.
DR. L. b. Wilson. OF Washington district;
Rev " =. Edwards OF East Ba3timore
district. and Rev. W NJ Ferguson. of Ball
tim0re district. Each of those named has
served for the full Term of six years aud
cannot under the law Of the church 10
reappoiuted although he can. I'M the Ju 4-
ment OF the presiding bishop. be ,Tg -
ferred
In tho case OF DR. Wilson IL is stated
that he has not only done much for tbs
upbuldiug of the district. which has been
under his charge since 1888. but iu addl-
tion. since the beginning OF the illness OF
Rev DR. stricken. pastor of Hlmline
Church. corner of Ninth and T. Streets
northwest. several months ago be mas at
tended 90 the pastoral duties of the SICK
minister Dr. Stricken Is now al a south
ern health resort and is not expected DO
return home before the opening OF the
conference. 20 which period he has been
granted leave OF absence by his cOEgrega-
ton
Under the rule of the church which.
however. is not interchangeable. the location
Il each member Of the conference for the
ensuing conference year being a matter
wholly within the province OF the presid-
ing bishop. and from which decision there
is no appeal there would be bur enc
change in the pastorates ia Wsshiugtou-
that Of Rev. a. Bielaski al Union. -wen-
tieth Street near Pennsylvania Avenue
northwest
Among the reports which will be- land
before the conference viii be those show
ing that in Washington district the NJ r.
Church has in the neighborhOod Of q G30
members. Baltimore district about 10 600:
East Baltimore district nearly N 600
Frederick district about $500. and Wesf
I Baltimore district about l0.50O members.
The total number Of Sunday schools in the
I five districts is about +25 and these have
about 800 officers and teachers. with near
| ly or quite - 900 scholars. The estimated
present value Of the church property eX-
/ elusive Of parsOuages. in Washington dis
rrict is about 81 600 GOO. in Baltimore dis
trict nearly 81 Tot. eco. East Baltimore dis
Jrict abou, $500 006: Frederick about $3.50
090 and in West Baltimore district nearly
sos 000 There are upon the conference
rolls the names OF more than 2o0 preachers
including those who are on the superSOuU-
ated lists and those iu he active m.listry
/ preside over iS2 charges.
There is in the senior EpWOrth Leagues
an aggregate OF 20 local chapters with
more than 15-0OO members, and in the
Junior Leagues about 10 chapters and
more than 520o members
The annual conference OF the Southe; e.
Methodist Church. which is the ll6th ses-
sion of the body viii be held In Mour-
Vernon Place Church. Rev. J. W Duffev
pastor. corner Of Ninth and X Streets
northwest Bishop Gambler. OF Georgia
one of the youngest bishops in the denom-
ination will preside. There viii be but
one change so far as al present anticipated
among the presiding elders and this
only because OF expiration Of term OF ser
ivce-Rev. J. ID Martin, OF Lewisburg dis
trict. who has occupied the Office for four
years. The other districts in the confer
ence are Baltimore Rev. J. A. Anderson
presiding elder East Baltimore Rev Dr.
Isaac w. Canter presiding elder; Washing
ton. Rev. j. II. Boyd. presiding eICer.
Winchester. Rev. b. W. Bond presiding ell
der Rockingham. Rev. j. z. Armstrong
presiding elder: Roanoke. Rev. d. Bush
presiding elder and Mooreheld Rev. b. F.
Ball, presiding elder.
As in the Methodist Episcopal confer
ence the presiding bishop has the authori-
10 assign any minister In the confer
ence To such church as he may deem best
for the pastor and people and changes may
occur when the appointments are made Up
during the cOhfer ICE which are entirely
Jnlooqed for at this time.
One Of the mos, important reports to be
presented, il is said, Will be that OF the
executive board 4 3r the conference of the
twentieth century thanksgiving Offering
The board is composed of Rev. l. w. Can
ter Of Baltimore Rev J. W Dufey OF
Washington. aud Mr.. George r. Hill Of
Alexandria. II was appointed at the meet1
Ing of conference last year 20 suDerintend
the collection of SCI 500 toward the offer
ing above mentioned. and. as stated. that
there might be an active directing force
between he sessions OF the board of edu-
cation, which had special charge Of the
movement.
1t is expected TIA some action will be
taken during the \conference TO render
available the bequest OF the late Miss Me-
lissa Baker of Baltimore. who willed
large and valuable property to the WO-
mans Home Missionary Society of the
conference on condition that thc latter
raise a few thousands of dollars To assist
in some missionary work in which both
Miss Baker and the society were interest
ed The conference has nearly $50 preach
ers in the active ministry nearly 80 local
ministers. about $1,000 members, nearly
200 Epworth Leagues. with almost 5000