Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-07
Methodists of Upper Iowa Con
ference Told OF Growth in
One District
ANNUAL SESSION is OPENED
Four Hundred Delegates Present at
Mt. Vernon - Town Possesses Col
ege That is Alma Mater of Many
of the Ministers Bishop Lewis
Presides.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Mt. Vernon, Oct 1.-THE fifty third
session of the Upper Iowa conference
convened this morning at $3.50 o'clock,
in the Methodist church of this place.
Bishop Wilson S. Lewis, d. D., l..
L. D., presiding.
The coming of Bishop Lewis to pre-
side at this conference is especially
pleasing to the members thereof. Tho
born on a farm in New York state,
and part of his education received in
the schools there, yet he Is practic-
ally an Iowa man. He graduated from
the college here in 1889, so that his
conference is just q happy home COM
ing. CornelPs sister institution-up-
per Iowa university--gawe him the
degree of d. d. in 1897 and then in
1905 Cornell added to the honors OF
her favorite son by comforting upon
him the degree of L. l.. d. And be-
sides all this Bishop Lewis has spent
most of his active life within the
bounds of the Upper Iowa conference.
he having been the superintendent OF
schools at Center Point and Belle
Plaine. following which he was pas
tor of the Methodist church at Blairs-
town and Van Horne for three years
and then principal of Epworth semin-
airy for nine years. From then until
his election to the episcopacy last
Itch r Il,
president of Morningside college
This is the first time in the history
of Upper Iowa conference, which COW
ers fifty-two years, that a session has
been held at Mt. Vernon or at the
seat of any of her church schools.
And so to a large number OF the
members of the conference 1t is like
a happy home coming" for of the
200 members and more. over 100 of
| them are either graduates of Cor
nell or are her loyal supporters.
| Counting members of the confer
ence and their wives, visitors to the
conference, committees and other in
| terested laymen. fully 400 will be en-
tertained by the people of Mt. YER
non during the week. The local church
and community have put forth great
! efforts to entertain so large a NUM-
Der and her success is already as
sured Such task is doubly difficult
/ in view of the 700 students attending
Cornell, many of whom board and
room in the homes of the town.
| Opens With Enthusiasm.
| The conference opened this morn
| ing with an enthusiasm and spirit
| that lbespeaks a most happy and sue
cessful week for the fifty-t third session
of the conference. Prior to the roll
! call Bishop Lewis addressed the MEM
I bers of the conference. speaking feeling
lily of his former relations with many OF
those present. The communion service
] then took place which was conducted
! in an impressive manner by the
/ bishop, assisted by the pastor of the
local church. DR.. Billingsly, and the
presiding elders or district superinten-
dents Of the conference.
| The roll call of those deceased dur
| ing the past year was announced, the
! names of which We're j. w. Kynett, p
j. Leonard, j. #. Hestwood, J. r. Cam
eron and S. N. FelloWs-all of them
old time and faithful preachers of the
conference. The conference stood with
bowed heads while the names of thei1
fallen comrades were read w. III
Slingerland of Des Moines. was elected
secretary Of the conference, j. r. A
Hammer OF Epworth statistical secre-
tary, and F. H. Linn of West Branch
| treasurer.
Many Take Examination
Yesterday was "a decidedly busy day
for the young preachers of the confer
ence, large delegation of them com
ing In Monday night and Tuesday
morning to take their annual eXamina-
lions in the prescribed course of study
Young men who become Methodist
preachers are required TO take a foul
years course of study under the OIL
rection of 1.-THE older men of the con-
| ference The course is not an easy one
by any means, but compares faNorably
with the course of study an any theo-
logical school.
Between thirty and forty young men
| took the examinations yesterday, only
a small class presenting themselves fol
| the examinations I'M order to be ad-