The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-23
Contest at Methodist Conference
for Eldership Ottawa District.
A Political Feature Which Is
Attracting Attention.
KELLY A CANDIDATE
Veteran Minister Seeks the Much
Sought Position.
Rev. s. s. Murphy and Rev. J. d.
Smith Understood to Want 1t.

lola, March 23.-The ministers of the
Methodist conference are greatly inter-
ested In knowing who the successor to
the Rev. C T. Durbarrow, presiding
elder OF the Ottawa district, is to be.
Rev Durbarrow has served six years as
presiding elder, which is the limit of
She term Somebody must be selected
by the bishop to succeed him, and just
now the question that is agitatfng the
minds Of the ministers, and adding zest
% the proceedings Of the conference, is
who the successor to Rev. Mr.. DurbOr-
raw wiz be- There are a number of as
pirants. for 1t is regarded as a signal
distinction and honor to be presiding
elder, to say nothing of the enlarged
affords.
The leading candidates are Rev. Ber-
nard Kelly Of Comeyville, and the Rev.
J. D. Smith, financial agent of Baker
university It Is understood also that
Rev. S. S Murphy of the lola church.
would ike to be presiding elder. but his
chances are not thought TO be so good
as he has only been pastor Of the lola
church for one year, and the cengrega-
ton here want him to return. They
want him to complete his work here.
and it seems likely in view of this fact
that his candidacy viii not be received
with such favor as the candidacy of
Rev. Mr.. Kelly and the candidacy OF
Rev. Mr. Smith. In the matter of Sc
1ectIng a presiding elder. the bishop US
uafy consults with the ministers to a
considerable extent, and ii is under
stood that the straws which show the
way the wind is blowing are pointing
toward the Rev Bernard Kelly as the
probable successful candidate, although
Rev. Mr.. Smiths chances are by no
means regarded as hopeless.
1t is probable that Rev. Mr.. Durbor-
raw, who has made a splendid presid
ing elder will be sent to Pittsburg by
the conference, although OF this is a
mere speculation, an Is, in fact every
thing relating to the action of the cabi-
,,f old
crecy is maintained in regard to all the
appointments until the last day of the
session, when they are read in open
There VIII be no change in the other
presiding elders in this conference, as
none of them as yet has served the
full six years.
Bascom Robbins, who has been
treasurer Of the conference for eleven
years, nominated Harry C Case for
treasurer, and on his motion was
Tiff, and as financial secretaries J. w
Sapp, E H Knepp, w P Horton, and
J.. r Hankins-
E A Durham was reelected Stats
J. Rhodes, B. E,,sCaEgay. y C. w
Spencer and P B. ,Knepp- were made
assistants. stto~ -
o. U. McProud was reelected post
master. and will see that the men,
bers Of the conference receive their
mail regularly, as in the past.
On motion of H J. Co1er, special
committee was appointed for the pur-
pose of promoting the worlds evan
gelization. One member was appoint
ed from each presiding elders dis
trict. as follows; A. r. Maclean, H J
Coker, H W. Chance, NJ. r. Nolls-
worth. One member Of the committee
was also appointed at large, and this
place went to c. r. Rice.
A special committee was appointed
to assist Jennings & Graham, of the
Methodist Book Concern. This COM
mittee is composed of F. A Leak,
Harmon Allen. d. M. Campbell, and
A. W. Way
The reports of the presiding elders
of the various districts were read and
heartily applauded- The general tone
of the reports was encouraging and
disclosed the fact that the cause of