Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-15

1908.
ence. DR.. St. Clair of Des Moines, and
DR.. w. l. Beatty, pastor of the United
Brethren church, of Muscatine, were
introduced to the council.
Rev. Frank Seeds of the Minnesota
conference, P. H. Hawk of the Virginia
conference and M. e. Reusch of the
Michigan conference, all of whom have
been transferred to the Iowa confer
ence, were introduced yesterday morn
ing.
Work Satisfactory.
John Robinson and G. C. Giller, first
year men, were passed in the work
which they have undertaken. Their
grades in the various branches were
read and approved and their respective
presiding elders spoke Kindly of the
good work they have been doing.
Synopsis of Reports.
Following is brief synopsis of the
reports of the elders presiding over
the five districts represented in the
present conference:
OttumWa District.
J. w. Lambert, presiding elder OF
the Ottumwa district, reported that
the collections for benevolent purpos'
| es in his district had been unusually
large and that the churches under his
| direction were prosperous. For mis-.
sions the contributions had been
large and for educational purposes the
results of the year had been crafty
| ing.
During the year 600 souls were con.
verified in his district. he said, many
of these being in the cities and towns
In the country districts he said that
extent because of the condition of the
roads for several weeks.
oskaoosa District.
DR.. ]. C. Willets, presiding elder OF
the Oskaloosa district. reported that
| during the year there had been coo
conversions in his division of the con.
| ference. Two hundred adults have
been baptized and seventy-fve chill
dren or infants, the latter being refer
red to by him as distressingly small
In improvements $4,000 were sepnt
during the year. With two exceptions
the salaries of last year remain the
same and an effort is being made by
the elder to secure an increase in sal
| aries.
Need Reform.
! Dr.. Willets intimated that in some
country districts under his direction
| improvements could be made in the fl
nancial interest shown by members
of the church and said:
The time is ripe to lay emphasis
upon wealth to the church of God"
keokuk District.
| DR.. G. S. Cooper, presiding elder OF
the Keokuk district, made report that
the churches under his direction al
most without exception are flourish
ing. He accredits Van Buren, county
with being the banner county for
Methodists. The county has thirty
two churches, ten pastoral
charges and nearly three thousand
| members
The report today is the last
one that DR.. Cooper will make, his
six years service as presiding elder
expiring at this conference. Conse
quently he took occasion to refer TIC
something of the work that has beer
done during the past six years. He
stated that sixteen new churches ant
nine parsonages had been built and al
most paid for.
The Danger There.
| In his district he said that one OF
the dangers to deal with is the fact
that hundreds of people are leaving
the state to go to Oklahoma, the
northwest and other parts of the Uni,
ted States, and the movement is ac.
companied by tax on the member.
ship of the churches.
Another thing that has caused
considerable trouble during the year
was the usual flood that prevailed
in the Des Moines river this spring
doing damage to at least seven towns
in his district. This condition, follow
ed by dry weather, had caused some
encouragement, but had not conflict
ed seriously with the work of the
/ church.
Muscatine District.
DIR. w. G. Thorne, presiding elder o
| the Muscatine district, reported tina
during the year $50 persons have beef
4 admitted into the church on probation
in his district, of which number ninet.
4 were reported from Kalona, fifty from
Washington and thirty-seven from
| Wellman The spirit of improvement
has been evident in the district, h,
says, and expenditures for alteration
are noted in the following churches:
1 Keota, parsonage, $1,750; other i'm
provements, $3.50.
Lone Tree, bell purchased an,
church improved extensively.
Muscatine church refrescoed, re
painted on the interior and other elat
crate Improvements.
i Also notable improvements in tn
churches at Let's, Riverside, Sweet
land, Grandview, Marengo, Williams
burg, Tiffin, West Liberty and others
making an aggregate of over $4,000.
The Largest Sunday School.
He reported that the largest Sunda
school in the Iowa conference is a
Washington, where membership c
1,030 is claimed.
For missions and other contribution
he reported that the responses fror
the people were liberal.
Burlington District.
DIR. T. ]. Myers, presiding elder c
the Burlington district, in his repol
said that the map of Methodism in th