Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-15
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Sessions Held Today in Metro
politan A. M. E. Church.
MUCH BUSINESS DONE
REPORTS FROM VARIOUS
CHARGES SHOW GOOD RESULTS.
Traternal Greetings Extended by the
Baltimore Conference A. M. E.
Chureh-Business Transacted.
MUCH BUSINESS DONE

The session this morning OF the eighty
seventh Baltimore annual meeting of the
African Methodist Episcopal ministers
orened with devotional exercises in The
Metropolitan A. NJ. f. Church at $50
o'clock. The exercises were in charge of
Rev. John ]. Jenifer. DID, and Rev. Joseph
Gwynn. The minutes of the sessions of
yesterday were read and approved. The
morning was devoted to the receipt or re-
ports from the various charges In the con-
ference. all of which made an excellent
showing and told of the affairs of the vail
Gus churches being in very good condition.
At the close of the reading of the reports
Bishop Lee congratulated the various
clergy in charge of the churches connected
with the Baltimore conference.
Just before the conference adjourned for
lunch a fraterna1 delegation from the coll
. o:ed Methodist Episcopal Church, composed
of Rev. NJ. w. Clair. chairman. and Revs.
W. IT. Harris. B. IT. Perkins and C. G. Cum
Minis, were introduced. The Rev. NJ w.
Clair delivered an address, in which he
said, in part:
I'VE have been appointed by the Balti-
more conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church to bring fraternal greetings to the
Baltimore conference of the African Meth
odist Episcopal Church. We are all inter-
ested in the same cause. We are striving
after the same ideals and we are trying
to reach the same goal. Therefore 1t gives
us pleasure to be with you this morning
and to assure you Of our kindly feelings
and friendliness toward all bodies of men
as well as to all single men who are work.
ing earnestly and zealously In the cause OF
Christ"
Bishops Response.
Bishop Lee responded to the address of
DIR. Clair and thanked him for the kindly
greetings OF the Methodist Episcopal con-
ference. He assured the members of the
delegation that the fraternal greetings were
appreciated and trusted that the two bodies
working to the same end would ever get
along tremendously together.
At l o'clock the members of the confer
ence adjourned to the rooms of the Sun
day school for lunch which is being serv-
ed during the conference by committee
representing all the A. M. E. churches in
the District of Columbia under the direc-
ton of Mrs. C. Wilkinson and Emanuel
Murray.
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon, when the
sessions were resumed. the committees on
general conference travelling and sustena-
ton funds. the committee on Bible cause
temperance and state of the church made
their reports.
The session at 1880 o'clock tonight will be
one OF great interest to the members of the
conference and will be open to the general
public. 1t will consist of addresses on the
Anniversary of Education" by President
Hawkins of Kittrege College, secretary of
the Educational Society of the A. M E.
Church: Prof. Keeling, editor of the A. NJ
b. Review of Philadelphia. who will talk OF
the power of education to uplift a people;
DR.. George F. Woodrow of Payne Theo-
logical Seminary, Wherefore Ohio who
will talk of an educated ministry; Prof
Kelly-Miller of Howard University, who
will talk of a liberal education for the
masses.
Bishop Lee will preside and time will be
given the delegates to discuss tba various
papers.
Addresses of Welcome.
The session of the conference last night
was devoted to several addresses of vel
come. Those who extended the welcome
were: Commissioner H. B. F. Macfarland,
representing mot alone the national cap
ital, but the Christian spirit of the nation"
Rev Walter II. Brooks. representing the
Baptist Ministers Union. District of Co
lumbia; Rev. Edward Everett Hale, chap
lain of the United States Senate represent
ing all the churches of every creed in
America, and DIR. X. s. Rives of the WASH
irgton City Ministerial Union which en-
braces in Its membership all the colored
ministers of the District Of Columbia other
than those of the Baptist Union.
responses were made by Rev. 1T Jeni-
fer, presiding elder. on behalf of the Afri-
can Methodist Episcopal Church, and by
Rev. Geo. w. Nicholson. ID. D., on behalf of
n
educa ton
The choir of Metropolitan A. NJ E. Church
rendered several anthems. and there were
solos by Mrs. Blackburn of Des Moines,
Iowa, and by one of the ministers of the
conference. after which the presiding Off
Ger. Bishop b. f. Lee, ID. D., LII. D., an
nounced that he had planned the program
for the night session TO consider especially
the question OF education. especially as it
applied to the negro. but that as DR.. Scott,
the pastor. and his church had so kindly
arranged for formal addresses of welcome
on the part OF the executive government of
the national capital and certain Christian
bodies represented in the District of Column
bia, he would consent that the session be
devoted to speeches of welcome and appro-
pirate responses. He yielded the chair to
Rev. @. ]. w. Scott DID. the pastor, who
presided throughout the session.
Mr.. Netherlands Address
Commissioner Macfariand. after compli-
menting the race on its musical talent. as
so ably demonstrated a recent evening in
the rendition of "Hiawatha." as well as by
the singing of the Metropolitan Church
choir. referred briefly to the advancement
of the race along religious and educational
lines. He gave warm greetings to the Bal
timore conference and expressed the desire
that the time might yet come when the
suburbs of Baltimore should be included
within the corporate limits of the District
of Columbia. He referred to the recent
Baltimore fire and the keen and sympathe-
tic interest felt by the citizens of the Dis
trict in the welfare of all the citizens of
Baltimore.
He said, in part: when Baltimore's
hour OF need came in February and she
stretched out her hands to US that Sab
bath morning our fire engines were in her
burning district and at work within forty
minutes after the call came. That brought
us very close together: that strengthened
the ties between us. There Is nothing like
helpfulness-mutual heipfulness to bring
cities and communities and people together
and | glad to recognize tonight the
bravery. the nobility. the indomitable spirit
Baltimore has shown In getting upon her
feet In facing her loss. in conquering her
difficulties without any further assistance
from the outside world other than she had
10 have that day in order to put out the
fire
Chaplain Hale of the United States Sem
ate depicted the progress the negro in this
country has made and the large work
which the African Methodist Episcopal
Church has done In educating. moralizing
and inspiring colored men and women to-
ward the highest citizenship.
The people who have God Almighty to
be their ally" he said. ARE going to sue
coed. Omnipoteuce is very strong re-
course to fall back upon. especially when
one is striving for the right and toward
higher and hAftar things