Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-07-17

Notwithstanding it is eight months dis
tant, the next annual session OF the Will
mington Methodist Episcopal Conference
already is agitating members of that body
and speculation is rife from the rocks Of
Brandywine hundred, Delaware, TO the
sands Of Accoinac county, Virginia, respect
lively, the northern and southern extremities
OF the conference territory. AT present the
agitation is confined 10 the ministers, but
in few weeks IL doubtless will affect the
laymen also. The fact that the terms Of two
presiding elders will expire at the next ses-
sion is responsible for the existing condi-
tion of affairs. According to law enacted
by the General Conference, presiding
elder cannot serve in that capacity more
than six years on the same district. There
fore, the Rev. Wilbur f. Corkran, ID. D.,
who will have been presiding elder of the
Easton district for six years, and the Rev.
Thomas y. Martindaie. ID. D., who will
have been presiding elder of the Salisbury
district or five years and fraction of u
year, must yacate those offices. Slatemakers
ere surveying the field, and suggest the Kew.
Vaughan 5. Collins, pastor of Asbury
Church, Smyrna, for the Easton district pre-
siding eldership and the Rev. Stephen NJ.
Morgan, pastor OF the Avenue Church, Mill
ford, for the Salisbury district presiding
eldership. The possibility of DR.. Corkran
exchanging with the Rev. @. S. Baker, ID.
D., presiding elder of the Dover district, is
also being discussed. DIR. Baker was ap-
pointed to the Dover district presiding elder
ship in 1898, and is entitled to serve therein
till 1901.
DIR. Corkran was admitted to the confer
ence in 1875, when he was appointed pastor
at Millsboro. His subsequent pastoral ap-
pointments have been: Harrington, 1877 !;
Barratt's Chapel, 1898; Leipsic, 1880;
Magnolia, 1882; Gumboro, 1885; Asbury,
near Crisfeld, 1SS6-o0. He was presiding
aI1 r,ft Qa1t
1897, and has been presiding elder of the
Easton district since the latter year.
DR.. Martindale was admitted to the con-
ference In 1854, when he was appointe..
pastor at Easton. His subsequent pastoral
appointments have been: Seaford, 1865;
Princess Anne, le66 Newton, 1873; Snow
Hill, 1s69-70; Port Deposit, 1918; Union
Church, Wilmington. 1S74-6; Middletown,
1879; Dover, 1Ss4-6; Salisbury, 1887 80 I;
New Castle, 1S91-93; Milford, iS94-7. He
was presiding elder of the Easton district
from 1880 till 1883, and has been presiding
elder of the Salisbury district since 1897.
Dr. Baker was admitted to the conference
in 1881, when he was appointed pastor of
Pocomoke circuit His subsequent pastoral
appointments have been Tangier, 1885 |;
Delmar, 1869; Deals Island, 1880; Asbury,
near Crisfield, l891-5; Fairmount, 1867.
He has been presiding elder of the Dover
district since 1898.
hTs SoliilS WIS huf1ltteu 10 tno COnfPr-
ence in 1883, when he was appointed pastor
at Cambridge. His subsequent pastoral ap-
pointments have been: Vienna, 1S84-5 !;
FELTON,, 1857; Scott Church, Wilmington,
1s88-90; Centreyille, Md, 1913 New Castle,
1886; Georgetown, 1887; Smyrna, 1902.
He was principal Of the Wilmington Confer
ence Academy, Dover from 1898 till 1900.
Mr.. Morgan was admitted to the confer
ence in 1887. when he was appointed pastor
at Townsend. His subsequent pastoral ap-
pointments have been: Hillsboro, 1Se0-1;
Mt. Salem Church, Wilmington, 1926;
Snow Hill, 1s97-1891; Milford, 1899.
Owing to the contests for the two presid-
ing elderships which will become vacant
then, the next session will be the most in
teresting one since 1898, when Dr. Baker
was appointed presiding elder of the Dover
district and the Rev. Robert Watt, ID. D.,
presiding elder of the Wilmington district
II will be held at Easton in March. The date
will be fixed by the Board of Bishops at its
semi-annual meeting in October, when the
bishop who is TO preside over the Whining
ton Conference will be selected. Some min
listers, who base their prediction on certain
imagined phases of the presiding eldership
contests, express the opinion that Bishop
John W. Hamilton of San Francisco will Be
chosen and Others ask why should he be as
signed to the Wilmington Conference when
Bishops Fitzgerald, Cranston and McCabe
have been in the episcopacy longer than he
ana yet nave never presided over that con-
ference. Bishop Hamilton was born at
Weston, W. Va, March 18th, 1S45. He was
graduated from Mount Union College, Ohio,
in 1865 and Boston University in 1871. He
was admitted to the Pittsburg Conference
in 1885, and subsequently became member
of the New England Conference. In 1871
he founded the Peoples Church, Boston. He
was delegate to the General Conference in
1892, when that body elected him secretary
of the Freedman's Aid and Southern Educa-
zion Society, in which position he continued
till 1900, when he was elected bishop He
was q delegate TO the third Ecumenical
Methodist Conference, which convened in
London last year. He is the author of
Memorial Of Jesse Lee" Lives of
Methodist Bishops" and Peoples Church
Pulpit" Since he became a bishop, he has
Joined heartily in the Twentieth Century
movement TO pay the debts of churches on
the Pacific coast. He has never presided
over the Wilmington Conference, but he ad-
dressed that body at Salisbury and Dover in
behalf of the Freedman's Aid and Southern
Education Society. He is fine speaker.
AS yet only one church has issued pas
toral invitation for next conference year.
Tome Memorial Church, Port Deposit,
claims this distinction. II has invited the
Rev. q. >. Mowbray, ID. D., to return as
pastor. DIR. Mowbray has been given
months vacation, which he is spending at
Ocean Grove.
HRJYIT4 Any