Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1907-03-07
WEEK AFTER NEXT
NJ. e. CONFERENCE,

Red Bank, N. J., March 2.-Bishop
Warren will open the list session of
the New Jersey Annual Conference of
Methodist Episcopal Church, in this
city, on Wednesday morning, March
l3' The preliminary sermon will be
preached on the evening before by the
Rev. DR.. O. M.Grifin, of Asbury
Park. All the sessions will be held
in the First Church, of which the Rev.
DIR. Alfred Wagg is pastor.
Business sessions will be presided
over by the Bishop. and about 300
ministers will be in attendance. Ses-
sions will continue seven days, and
matters of vital Importance to the
Methodist churches of the southern
half of New Jersey will be discussed.
All the great benevolent enterprises
OF the church will be represented by
members of the boards, who will ex-
plain the plan of work and tell of the
progress that these societies have
made.
Doctor Shaw, of New Brunswick.
will preach the annual missionary
sermon, while the annual address to
the Epworth Leagues will be delivered
by the Rev. DR.. F. Clair Baldwin. of
Orange.
This conference embraces 347
churches, the membership of which
last year was 81, 889, and 356 Sunday
schools, with 1862 officers and teach
ers and 56, 900 scholars. But when tt e
statistics for this year have been com
piled they will show a considerable
increase in these figures, as some new
churches have been organized. and al.
most all the churches have been
visited with revival that has re-
suited in adding many members.
Among the churches that have had
the largest ingathering are State
Street, Union, Broadway, Tabernacle
and First Church, Camden; Central
and Firt Churches, Trenton st. Paul,
Atlantic City; St. Luke's, Long
Branch; Mays Landing and West
Vile.
Five of the members of the confer
enoe died this year: The Rev. Thomas
H. Hall, of Hurffville; the Rev. John
H. Boswell, Bridgeton; the Rev
Thomas A. Farley, Thorofare; the
Rev. Albert Mathews, Vineland, and
the Rev. A. M. Lake, West Point
Pleasant. The first three OF these
were engaged in the active work,
while the last two had retired.
MIR. Boswell's death makes a va
cancy in the office of statistical sec
rotary, which he held many years,
While there are several candidates for
the position, it is expected that the
honor will go to the Rev. John r.
Mason, of Collingwood. Mr.. Mason
has beer an assistant to Mr.. Boswell.
Great Interest centres in the ap-
points of the preachers for the ensuing
year. Those who know 1.-THE situation
best declare that this work will be
the most trying for many years. But
Bishop Warren will be assisted in this
work by cabinet of presiding elders,
who have given much thought aud at
tention to this matter.
1t will be necessary to appoint a
successor to the Rev. DR.. W. P. Davis,
presiding elder of the Trenton Dis
trict, whose term will expire with
this conference. That change may
necessitate many others. AS yet there
is no definite information as to where
DR.. Davis will be sent, and it is only
problematical as TO who his successor
will be. The number of candidates
for the position is legion
Those most prominently mentioned
are the Rev. S. M. VsnSant, of Gem
trail Church. Trenton the Rev. DR.. J..
Morgan Read. of First Church, Tren-
ton; the Rev. DR.. John Handley, of
st. Luke's Long Branch; the Rev.
Marshall Owens, of Centenary, Gam
den; the Rev. DR.. Alfred Wagg, of
First Church, Red Bank, and the Rev.
DR.. j. G. Reed, of Broadway Church,
Salem.
There will be msnychanges made at
this conference, and the following al g
possibilities The Rev. DR.. Marshall,
of Ocean Grove, to First Church,
Millville; Rev. George Harris, of AS
bury Church, Camden, to Trinity,
Bridgeton; Rev J. W. Lee, of
Kaighn avenue, Camden, to Asbury,
Camden; Rev. Dr. Handley, of St.
Luke's, Long Branch, to Vineland !:
Rev. DIR. Frye, of St. Paul's, Trenton
to FIRST Church, Atlantic City; Rev.
Samuel Sargent, of Haddonfield, to
Clayton; Rev. O. FitzGeorge, of
Beverly, to Moorestown.
Other churches will change pastors,
but many have not indicated their
wish in the matter. Among the prob
able changes are Wiley, Bethany.
Eight Street and Trinity, in Camden
Firtt Church, New Brunswick; St.
Luke's. Long Branch; Broad Street,
Rnrlin0E0n Pouorlu Da,,, As