Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-24
NEW CHURCH'S CORNERSTONE
Laid by Methodists In Attendance at
Conference of the Omaha
District.

The feature of the second days session
OF the district conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal church was the laying Of the
cornerstone of the Monmouth Park Metho-
dist church, which took place at IL yoster-
day morning. The funeral of the late Rev.
James Haynes caused a Encouragement Of
the program. The presiding elder, DR.. j.
W. Jennings, and the pastors Of the Omaha
churches attended the funeral, so the man
agement Of the laying of the cornerstone
OF the church was placed in the hands Of
Rev. A. A. Luce, the pastor.
A large number Of the members Of the
conference went to the grounds where the
services were held, and Mr.. Luce, oficiat-
ing. read the ritualistic service. Addresses
were made by DR.. Claudius B.. Spencer OF
Kansas City and DR.. II. c. jennings OF CHI
cago. Then followed the formal laying Of
the stone. In the stone was placed a box
containing the names Of the pastor and the
oficial board of the church and copies OF
The religious papers of the current date.
The new church will be a frame building
on the site of the one destroyed by the
storm a few weeks ago. 1t will have a
heating capacity Of about 300 and will cost
$4,000.
Al the session Of the conference previous
to the laying OF the cornerstone the char
scters Of John Dale, Thomas w. Miller and
A. r. Wightman, deacons, were passed, and
the following licentiates had their charac-
ters passed and licenses renewed; Scion
Ayres. John H. Bexton, william f. Butts,
Harley II. Bishop, Lorenzo r. Coy, john A.
Dorcester, A. s. Grigcreit, John A. Holmes,
Albert Rose, August F. Shafer, Eldon ].
Smith and Arthur Hazleton.
Upon the invitation OF the pastor Of the
church at Gretna 1t was decided to hold
the next conference OF the district at that
place.
A committee consisting OF Jabez Charles
william Esplen and G. w. McGregor was
appointed to adopt resolutions on the death
Of Rev. William slothower, late a member
Of the district conference.
Presiding Elders Report.
The conference opened at the Seward
Street Methodist church yesterday Afternoon
and after organization and the appointment
Of various committees DR.. ]. W. Jennings
presiding elder Of the district, presented
his annual report. This report showed tina
there are twenty-seven pastors assigned L
work in the district, every charge beinl
filled; that there has been an increase o
1000 In the salary allowance OF pastors IL
the district; that the financial relations be
tween the pastors and the churches ar
very satisfactory. The report showed esti
mated receipts for missions OF 1900, a
Increase of ISL over last year. but still $40
below the apportionment; amount paid o.
church debt. s 2 1900; value Of Improvement
$500; paid on improvements. $4,000; deb
on churches and church property, $685. oO
value Of churches and church property
SSI6, 900: gain In value since last year, IS,
900: number OF charges. forty-eight; mum
Der OF conversions reported during tn
year, 4os; total number of members an
practitioners April /. ana. a gain Of 2sl
average attendance each Sunday, 4,S0C
number Of Sunday schools, thirty-nine; al
tendance, 5,444. a gain OF 554; number
chapters of Epworth league, twsnty-eigh'
enrolment. 1875; Junior league enrollmen
sac.
After the report of the presiding eide
was received the pastors present to n
number OF twenty -4ade reports as to the
charges. showing good spiritual and hnai
cial conditions.
At the evening session Claudius B.. Spei
Ger. d. D.. OF Kansas City. editor Of n
Central Christian Advocate, preached a SCI
mon. his theme being Holiness. CT Chrh
tian Perfection" The speaker said tn
holiness is an obligation upon Gods Peep
and that this supreme doctrine of faith. tn
command OF God, should be easy to asce
tain aud easy TO inherit. Oftentimes q
multiplicity Of words has csst darkuess up
the subject. There should be some simp
pathway to that condition.
The second session OF the conference W
open this morning at $3.50 o'clock. COME