Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-29
FIRST DAY on
CONFERENCE
Bishop Declares Star Chamber Meetings
Against His YieWS-R0pOrt from
DalVille District.

TYRONE, March 2S.-The business
sessions of the Central Pennsylvania
conference of the Methodist church be-
gan today at O'Clock. Yesterday was
day of comforting on part of Bishop
Berry and his cabinet.
The conference opened this morning
with Bishop Perry presiding. y new
feature of the conference session was
introduced by the bishop when he ask
ed the members of the conference to
rise while a roll of the honored dead,
since conference had been organized,
was being called. This departure made
deep impression upon the large audi
ence present The following members
of the conference have died during the
year: Revs, Furman Adam, Robert L.
Armstrong, Amos 5. Baldwin, Craw-
ford L. Benscoter, George NJ. Larned,
DR.. s. NJ. Frost, William c. Hesser,
and John L. Leillich. The roll call
showed that with but few exceptions
all the active members of conference
were present to make their reports and
help transact the business.
Joseph f. Anderson, secretary OF the
last conference was reelected by ac-
clamation. The following transfers
were made: Isaac L. Wood, from the
New York East conference; j. l.. Al
britton, TO the Illinois conference; j.
r. VanPelt, from the Illinois confer
ence; William r. Hirons, from the
Wilmington conference; Benjamin +.
Hilibish. from the West Virginia con-
ference. The Rev. W. L. Armstrong
was elected statistician, and the Rev.
John Horning. treasurer. telegram
of sympathy was sent to the Rev.
Emery T. SwartZ, of Riverside, vino
is seriously i'll By order of the confer
ence the morning sessions will open at
8 45 O'Clock and close at II 40 o clock.
At the close of the organization OF
conference Bishop Berry expressed
great pleasure at presiding over this
meeting. He incidentally remarked
that he was somewhat embarrassed on
account of the number of personal
friends he had among the members OF
this district, as this would make the
matter of appointments all the more
difficult. He also said that notwith-
standing the fact that there were four
splendid openings this year the assign
ing of ministers would be exceptional
" hard, as there was large number
of ministers who felt that ii was time
they should be promoted He emphatic
ally declared himself in favor of the
open shop principle in reference to the
working of the cabinet. Every preach
Ell" he said. "has a right to know i'll
advance of the adjournment of con
ference where he has been assigned, so
that if it be necessary he may adjust
himself to the change. " He hit star
chamber cabinet proceedings a hard
blow.
The Rev. J. Ellis Bell, presiding
elder of the Altoona district, made a
most interesting and encouraging re-
port. During the past year there We're
2,078 conversions in that district and
Of this number l 800 have joined the
church on probation. \ new church
has been built and dedicated at Clear
field, at cost of s75, 600.
The Rev George W. Stevens, presid-
ing elder of the Harrisburg district.
who has been presiding over the Dan
vile district since the death of the
Rev Mr. Baldwin, gave good report
Of this district There have been ,00C
conversions during the year and the
missionary collection has reached Sl2,
9s5, an increase of 81, 700 over the
former year He also spoke of the ded-
ication OF the new organ at the Mil
ton church There was no session this
afternoon.