The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-09


II. Fowler, probably the greatest |
pulpit orator of the Methodist church, |
presiding. Incidents connected with |
the annual sessions recently in this
end of the conference have been
marked VITA peculiar features. Two
wears ago Kingston was the place OF
meeting. the venerable Bishop New
man being in charge. Before the con
Cllsion of the week he was stricken
with mortal illness and Bishop l. w.
joyce was summoned to complete the
work. Soon after. Bishop Newman
died This year. the conference To bc
held i'm West Pittston was to nav" as
it's presiding officer Bishop Nindc. ~
fow weeks ago he, too, passed away
aud Bishcp Fowler oc Buffalo, Is I"
preside ln his stead.
An odd condition contronts the
hishop and his cabinet this ycar-on"
hitherto unknown probably III the en-
tirc history of the itinerary. 1t Is thht
I'm the whole Wyoming conference, one
ul TIE largest in Mothodism, bus one
.hangc Is absolute, ar rather, two
,hanyes, as ono must almost displaca
another person. It is that OF the pre-
siding elder of the bingh3mton dis
trict, Rev. Dr. l.. G. Floyd. whose
term limit of sin years Will have eN-
rirci 70 make n place for him and
that is ore uf the fundamental rules
ct the Methodist Episcopal church
that there must ba a pulpit for every
pastor and a pastor for every pulpit
some man must be taken from mis-
present pastoratc and given the posi-
tion of presiding elder Otherwise no
change of necessity must be made.
Thnt there will be many, however, is
assured since the existence OF the
nvo-ycdr limit, the average dura
Of a pastoratc Is two and ore-eit
wears. Hitherto it was about two
and nnc-siXth years. Now that I.
ticallv no limit Is fixed, there
probability that the time will be =
less. as under the latter regulat Jns
the incipiont rcstlessness of both pas
tor and people is given more con-
sideration.
1t is probable that no changes will
lac made in this city. Both DR.. Gifllu
and DR.. Sweet have filed flre-year
torms. but as both have been unani-
mously called to remain another year,
II is understood that they will stay.
ore important change is possible In
the vicinity of Scranton, while in
Hnghamton both the Centenary and
Testershire pulpits will have new
faces. In the former church, Rev. DR..
Henry Tuckley, the brilliant New
F,nslard clergyman is to ask for
years rest. which will necessitate fill
ing his place. In Wilkes Barre, DR.. {.
T. Nogg. who is a iive-year man. has
been requested by the official board
To return. Changes will probably be
made at Forty Fort. Pa, and SAM
taria Springs, n. Y.
Because of the unwilinsness of the
Rev. DIR. Henry Tuckley to continue in
charge of the Centenary Methodist
Episcopal church on account of i'll
health. the official board of the church
has extended a call to Rev. DR.. Web
ster II, Pearce, pastor of the Franklin
Street Methodist Episcopal church,
Wilkes Barre. Pa. and ii is announced
that he will accept. Dr.. Pearce will be
officially transferred to the Centenary
church at the annual conference of the
Wyoming district. which conVcneS in
West Pittston, Pa. on April 10. The
appointing of pastors to the various
churches is done by the presiding
bishop. who this year will be Bishop
Fowler
Dir. Pearce is one Of the most sue
cessful and best known Methodist
clergymen in the Wyoming district and
in Methodism. He is a hard worker
and his record during the thirty-two
years of his ministry is one of unusual
success. He entered the ministry in
1863 and for two years otiiciated at
Three, Rivers in the Michigan confer
ence. For'the next two years he served
at Coldwater in the same conference.
He was then transferred 10 the De-
trOit conference and for two years had
charge of the Tabernacle church in De-
troit, In lSi, and 1873 he had charge
of the Court street church in Flint.
and during the next two years he was
al the First Methodist Episcopal church
at Adrian. He was then transferred
TO the East Ohio conference serving
two years at the First church, Akron.
In 1855 and 1856 he was at the First
church in Erie. Erie conference. Then
he was transferred TO the Pittsburg
conference and from 1887 to 1891 was in
charge of the Butler street church in
Pittsburg. In 1891 he was transferred
10 the Wyoming conference, in which
he now Is, and for four years was in
charge of the famous Elm Park church
In Scranton. Here it was that DR..
Pearce did so much both in religious
and financial way
At the present time the Elm Park
church in Scranton is one OF the best
known churches in the east. 1t has
large, active membership and its finan-
cial resources are unbounded. Dr.
Pearce built the first fine large edifce
during his first pastorate there. This
aI al nd i,,..
church was built, better than the first
a second time the church burned but
It was built again and now stands as
model for modern church.
Dr. Pearce remained at Scranton
four years, He then went to the
Franklin Street church. at Wilkes
Barre and there his record has been
as glorious as before. He has been
there for five years and by the with
draWal of the time limit order might
remain longer, but DR., Pearce is "a be-
lever in the itinerant system and
thinks that five years is long enough
Tor pastor to remain in charge of a
church, On this account he has ac-
cepted the call to the Centenary
church.
DR., Pearce's salary at the Franklin
street church IN Wiikes-Barre Is
$1,000 year. At the Centenary he will
receive $3.50 a year--Binghamton Re.
publican.
The revival meetings now being con-
Quoted by the drummer evangelist" >"
Rev. w. II. Williams, in the Baptist
church. Peckville, are being very
largely attended with a very deep in
fait 10 he