Evening star., 1901-02-09
IN THE CHI U R G H e S

One of the matters which is likely to at
tract considerable attention at the coming
session of the Baltimore conference with
which the Methodist Episcopal churches in
this city are connected will be that of the
transfers of preachers from one conference
to another. The discipline confers on the
bishop this power without restriction. The
makers of the law, having faith in the wis
dom of it's administrators, placed this au-
thority in their hands
Two important questions in this connec-
ton are to be considered One is that the
Methodist Episcopal Church is unit. The
division into conferences is simply for con-
venience of administration The other is that
in applying this principle the bishops or gem
eral superntendents. they are sometimes
called, must to a certain extent overlook
conference boundaries and take in the
church whole. If a conference is over
crowded, and claimants on its funds are
increased by the transfer system, some
times occurred in recent years, the working
of the system is believed to be at fault.
1t is urged that to transfer man into a
conference when his coming means the
forcing of some hard worker into the non
effective relation, against his will and con-
science, and if the matter were submitted
to the decision of his colleagues would be
condemned, is most assuredly harsh, if
not an unwise, administration of the law
Again, when church within the bounds of
conference has secured a transfer from
some other conference when the first min
lister named is to be changed, to bring an
other transfer in and leave the first also
there. cannot be justified in view of all the
interests involved.
The remedy suggested is simple If one is
brought In some one must go out. This
principle carried out, it Is claimed, would
relieve the bishops Of burden that it is
believed they would gladly have taken
from them.
The Christian Endeavor Societies here
and elsewhere have just entered upon the
twentyfirst year of their existence From
one society in 1881 it has increased to more
than 60.00O societies in 1901, with thous-
ands more of similar aim but called by de-
nominational names. From fifty members
1t has grown to more than three and a
half millions-from one denomination into
more than forty-and has spread from one
city to every country in the world. 1t has
gone to the sailors and the soldiers, to
prisons ana poor houses, to the deaf, dumb
and blind, to street car men and into great
factories, to the life savers the coast
and mission workers in the slums.
| In the twenty-three years since the Col
lege Young Mems Christian Association
was started, as an intercollegiate move
ment, more than 1900 young men have
been led through its influence to enter the
ministry. The American and Canadian
Students Association movement is repre-
sented by GA societies in institutions of
learning, and has between :53, 900 and 34-
600 members. Its voluntary Bible classes
number 1000 students engaged in daily
devotional study. 1t is stated that over
$1,000 persons have been converted through
its instrumentality.
During the sixteen years that the Cen
trail Union Mission Of this city has been in
existence more than 10000 evangelistic
| services have been held. At these the at
tendance was about 100000 the average
attendance being 102 The number of pro-
fessed converts is given as about II 600;
average number per year, I02; number of
persons visited by missionaries and visit
| ors about $4,000; number of persons pro-
| vided with work, food, lodgings etc, over
| 1GJ 900; average number per year 1920;
| number Of Bibles and Testaments dis
trbuted, nearly 5000; number of Bulletins
| distributed, nearly $500, 900; number of
tracts distributed, nearly 10000.
The establishment of house of studies
of the Supician Fathers in this country,
as heretofore mentioned in The Star. is
departure from the management of the
society which, has heretofore obtained, and
will permit young men who desire to be-
come members of the society to do with
out, as heretofore, going to France where
the headquarters of the society are located.
The house of studies of the society is now
at Issy a few miles from Paris. When an
American student for the priesthood wished
to join the society he sometimes made his
of ST. Sulpice, at Paris, and afterward spent
year at Issy, or, after completing his
| theological studies in this country. he
would be sent to Issy for years retreat.
| At this time the following colleges of or
| ders are affiliated with the Catholic Uni
versity; College of St. Thomas Aquinas, of
the Paulist Order; the MariSt College; Holy
Cross College of the congregation Of the
! Holy Cross; the Diocesan Seminary of St
Paul, Mimi, and the new franciscan Col
| lege.
| 1t is interesting to know how much it
| costs to maintain churches in different
| American cities. The figures which follow
| are those reported for congregational ex-
penses and contributions to missions, and
| they do not cover amounts spent by Chris
| tian people for literature, or given to hos
| pitals orphanages, education or other eff
| fort during the past year: Washington,
delphia, nearly s5O00,OO0; Chicago, nearly
s., 100000; Boston. something over 81, 2OO,-
| 600; Pittsburg. nearly 81, 1000; Baltimore,
about 81 10000; St. Louis, $500, 900: Cincin-
| natl $4,000; ST. Paul and Minneapolis
$120O0O; Cleveland. $675, 900; Detroit, nearly
| $500 900; Buffalo. nearly $4,000; Rochester,
| over 100000; Providence. $39O.000; Louis
Vile 1865 OOO Indianapolis $500 900. San
| Francisco, $320OOO; Milwaukee, SIT, 600
A missionary from China. who was re-
| Gently in Washington, remarked to a Star
| reporter that the complicated situation in
| that distant land has raised an almost
f! endless discussion over the salary of the
missionary, his manner Of life etc The
cost of living, he continued, the social re-
quirements, and the climate, are all con-
sidered in deciding the amount Of salary
to be paid 1t is intended that the salary
! shall about cover necessary living expenses.
In the torrid zone. where the clothing must
i'be light and food is easily obtained. the
rate of pay is low.
One Of the ,,aading American societies
pays $3.50 to a man stationed In Micronesia,
| $500 to one in Africa and 81 900 to every
| married couple going to Japan. This So
ciety pays little less to a married couple