Evening journal., 1907-02-01
M. P. CHURCH
CONFERENCE
DR.. Little viii Retire as
President Of the Church
Body
WILMINGTON IS AFFECTED


convene in its seventy y-ninth session
the first Wednesday in April next al
Rhode Island Avenue Methodist Pro-
testant Church, Washington. d. c. The
conference is the largest and most in
huential body In the entire denomina-
ton and embraces the churches In
Maryland, Delaware. District Of Col
umbia, with few churches in Penn
sylvania, Virginia and New Jersey.
There are two Methodist Protestant
churches in Wilmington, the First
Church, East Side, the Rev. BENJAMIN
A. Bryan. pastor and Second Church.
West Side the Rev. James e. Massey,
pastor.
Pastors are assigned to various
charges at each session. and much in
terest and speculation are being mani
tested already concerning changes as
the time for this meeting approaches.
Assignment For One Year.
The assignments Of pastors are made
for one year at a time. but the pastoral
relation by appointment may, IL de-
sired by both pastor and church, con-
tinue indefinitely However, as a rule.
many changes are made at each an
nual gathering. With the meeting next
April, the Rev. Dr. Francis 4. Little.
president Of the conference, will be at
the end OF his official term. as the
constitution of the denomination pro-
vides that no man shall be eligible to
this office for more than live consecu-
tive years, and DR. Little will have
served his fun term next April His
administration has been a very sue
cessful one. Only two other clergy
men hold the distinction OF having held
| this high office to the constitutional
limit-the Rev. Dr. j. ID. Kinzer, now
pastor OF East Baltimore station, Ball
/ timore, and the late Rev. DR.. A. D.
Melvin, who died soon after the ex-
piration of his term. It is a very ar
duous position to fill, and as one of
the ministers said: III we have a man
against whom we have any spite, ne
should just elect him president, and
he won't live long"
OF Much Interest.
While the conference is two months
off, yet the question Of the successor
to the Rev. Dr. Little is becoming one
OF much interest among the ministers
and the laymen Of that body. who will
have the matter to decide by ballot
In the Methodist Protestant Church
there is an equal number Of lay del
egates to the ministers, one layman
coming from each pastoral charge
One man, who holds a position which
gives his opinion great weight, said
recently that already there are eight
men who are being considered as the
next president, and he predicted that
the election Will be the most interest
ing ever held. The probability, how
ever, is that the real contest win b,
settled before the time for the actua
balloting comes, at the first day of th'
meeting. on April next.
The following names have been spo-
ken of as those having the best chance
to win Rev. DR.. Walter r. Graham
pastor OF the church at Easton, Nd.
who received As complimentary votes
at the last conference; Rev. J. NJ. Shef-
idan, pastor Of ST. James charge, al
Hanesvihe. Kent county. Md; Rev. ]
M. Gill. pastor Of Rhode Island Avenue
Church. Washington. d. c.. where IN,
conference meets. Dr. Graham seems
friends claim that his election is q
! foregone conclusion.
While DR.. Graham was pastor Of th'
church at Chestertown, Md, he bull
one Of the largest and most handsome
churches in the conference, and thereby
set the pace for larger churches in thI
district. He has been member of thl
conference "a years and has served iI
the itinerancy all that time without ;
single years intermissiOn. For a num-
Der of years he was secretary of tn
conference. and did a prodigiou
amount of gratutous work in that po
sition. He also was elected by his con
ference two years ago as a representa-
tive to the General Conference. He ha
always done excellent work and ha
left large properties and large an,
well-organized congregations behini
him as monuments to his efficien
work.
Speculation Rife.
Considerable speculation is rife as &
the charge TO which DR.. Little will b
assigned. Before assuming the presi
dency he was the popular pastor O
starr Memorial Methodist Protestan
Church Baltimore. Nd. where he serv
ed thirteen years consecutively. 1t
possible that he may be sent to Eastor
Md. should DIT. Graham be elevate
to the presidency, but it is rumore
that the Easton Church. in case the
cannot keep Dr. Graham will ask 70
the services OF the Rev. J. w. Kiri
now pastor Of Alnutt Memorial Churcl
Baltimore.
1t is also reported that DR.. Little wi
be assigned to either Rhode islam
; Avenue Church, Washington, wher
Rev. j. NJ. gin is pastor, or Lafayett
r Avenue Church, Baltimore. where Rev
DR.. ]. NJ. Hohner is pastor, who is ex
. pected to leave this conference.
e It is rumored that there viii be man
changes all over the conference. Anon
s these reported changes are the follow
, ing: Rev. Frank A. Holland, Salem
r Md. who once was pastor OF Secon
NJ. T. Church. Wilmington. Mir. Hol
p land married a West Wilmington VIC
+ man while serving this church.
e It is also reported that Rev Georg
r n. Stocksdale viii leave the Powellvilh
L Nd. charge. Mr.. Stocksdale also use
/ to be pastor Of Second Church, thi
e city. and also married a West VIII
2 mington lady while serving tina
church.
The Rev. a. c. Boyd. at Clayton. wi
b. leave this year. II IS rumored that b
H