The sun., 1901-03-16
READY FOR
CONF FERENCE
Methodist Ministers Rushing Pre-
parations After Hurried Change.
NO CONF AJT WITH DOVER
Latter nted the Gathering
but Yields to Grace Church.
Preachers in Conference
Quarter Century.

The pastors and laymen of the Meth
odist Episcopal Churches of this city,
are rushing preparations for the annual
conference which convenes in Grace
Church next Tuesday evening, ana
which was transferred from Seaford to
Wilmington, on account of number
Of cases Of varioloid existing in the
former town. The conference enter
tainment committee recently appointed
which consists of Presiding Elder Watt,
and all the Methodist Episcopal pastors
in this city, held meeting i'll Union M.
IL. Church yesterday afternoon, to dis
c,ss plans for entertaining the out-of-
town delegates. Each pastor will ap-
point special committee to canvass
his congregation for homes for the dele
gates while i'll this city. Many members
Of the conference and friends of the same
who reside in this city, have already in
formed their pastors that they will
entertain the visitors. The full list of
homes for the delegates will not be pub
lished until the first of the week, and
The visitors will report in Grace Church
when they will be assigned to homes.
Contrary TO reports the decision to
have the session of conference held at
Grace Church this city, next week, will
not result III friction between the vii.
mington and Dover districts. The fol-
lowing telegram was received yesterday
morning by Presiding Elder Robert
Watt, ID. ID, of the Wilmington district
from the Rev. Q. S. Baker, ID. d., of
Dover, presiding elder Of the Dover dis
trict, i'll which Seaford, where it was
proposed to hold the session, is located:
Dover, March 15.-Itev. Robert Watt,
ID. d., presiding elder Wilmington dis
trict: Dover invited and wanted Con
ference, but in view of the newspaper
publications, yields to Grace Church"
On account of the removal of the
time limit, it is expected that there will
he many pastoral changes at the coming
session of conference.
In this city, however, the Rev. Il. b.
Short has been invited to return to
Epworth Church; the Rev. William Writ
King, ID. d., to Grace; the Rev. w. q.
Avery, ID. ID, to Harrison Street; the
paul's; the Rev. Il. p. Harris, to Scott,
and the Rev. G. A. Grise, to Union.
A number of other pastors throughout
the conference have also received calls
from their present charges to return
next conference year.
At the coming session of the Whining
ton Conferences, the Rev. b. Il. Price
will celebrate the 65th anniversary of
his admission to the ministry; the Rev.
/. ii. Haynes. his 5Sth: the Rev. j. W.
Hammersley, his 50tll the Rev. J. b.
Merritt. G. A. Phoebus, II. w. Todd
d. d.. and W. NJ. Warner, their 4Sth !;
The Rev. John France, his 45th the
Rev. Il. Il. Talbot, his 44th; the Rev. S.
J. Morris, w. w. ltt,lman, A. 4. Scott
and III. 5. Thompson, their 43d; the
Revs. {. Il. Sheppard and j. Il. Van
Rurkalo, their 42d; the Rev. J. O..
Sypherd. his 41st the Rev c. S. Con
away, his 39th; the Rev. L. Il. Martin
dale. ID. d.. his 37th: the Revs. c. w
Burke and James Carroll. their 36th:
th. Revs. James Esgate and IL. E.
White, their 35th; the Rev. J. ID. Rigg,
his 34th; the Revs. q. Fosnocht, W. r.
McFarlane. G. w. Prettyman. ID. D.,
ana j. S. Wickline, their 33d the Revs.
Edward Davis, Il. b. Hunter, II. FL.
Miller and +. III. Rawlins, their 32d;
the 1,evs. ]. A. 4Arters and Adam Stengle
their S1st; the Revs. w. J. Du Halfway,
/. III. Harding, l.. w. Layfield, w. T.. S.
Murray, ID. d.. Il. II. Nelson, ]. w.
Poole and w. Il. Tomkinson, their 30th;
the RevS. X. III. Adams. u. d., J. d.
Kemp, J. +. Otis and G. w. Wilcox,
their 18th; the Rev. w. NJ. Green, L. 9.
MacSolley and Robert Roe their 2Sth,
ind the Revs. Il. Il. Barrett, ID. D.. w.
l.. +. Bowen, Albert Chandler. J. NJ.
Collins, Wilbur II. Cochran. ID. d., Il. G.
Macnchol, ID. d., 4. A. III. O'Brien, d.
D.. Il. II. Terry and q. w. Wilcox,
their 25th. The other members Of the
conference have been the ministry less
than 25 years.