The Washington herald., 1908-04-02

siohary Soctety ana Otner service
With every indication Of a successful
meeting. the Baltimore annual conference
of the Methodist Episcopal Church con
vened in its 124th session at o'clock yes
terday morning in Hamline Methodist
Episcopal Church. Ninth and P streets
northwest.
Nearly 300 ministers were present, and
all were enthusiastic over prospects. Ex.
pressions Of commendation at the able
manner in which arrangements for the
conference had been made were heard or
all sides.
The conference was organized and COM
mittees appointed at a business meeting
lasting from . o'clock in the morning un-
til after noon. At this meeting resolu-
tons in favor Of prohibition in the Dis
trict. and a Sunday rest law. were unani-
mously passed.
Following the completion of the routine
work Of the conference. memorial services
were held for departed brothers. whose
faces had been familiar at conferences
for many years.
Reports on Years Work.
After the recess for luncheon, the church
was turhed over 10 the members OF the
Women's Home Missionary Society. At
the annual anniversary service Of this
oody, the reports for the year were read
and addresses made on the work accom-
plished
AT o'clock Rev W. F. Sheridan, Of
Baltimore, held evangelistic services and
delivered an address.
The anniversary observance Of the for
eign missions took place al 7:S0 o'clock.
Rev. j. F. GoUcher presiding An ad-
dress was made by Rev. Dr. A. B. Leo
nard, general secretary Of the Foreign
Missionary Society. Special music was
given by the Hamline Quartet choir.
Delegates 10 the general conference to
be held in Baltimore IN May will be Sc
lected on Saturday. Much interest Is
SHOWN as to who will be chosen 10 repre-
sent the i've districts at this important
meeting.
An Afternoon Session.
An anniversary OF the Womans Home
Missionary Society Of the Methodist Epis-
eopal Church was held in the main audi
torium OF the church. beginning al 2:So
o'clock. Mrs. W. G. Mcdowell. president.
presided
She told Of the work Of the society for
the last year, and made special reference
10 the work at Mountainsville. W. Va.
saying the work had grown in leaps and
bounds, and that the best example Of this
was the work in Mountainsville where
number Of employees The members OF
the society, she said, had paid much at
tention TO the factory hands, and the
large number Of conversions among the
people more than repaid them for their
efforts.
The anniversary exercises opened with
the hymn. From All That Dwell Below
the Skies" followed by a Bible lesson by
Mrs John Nef- Mrs. Wilbur p Thirkield.
wife Of President Thirkield, Of Howard
University. offered prayer. Mrs. d. Olin
beech and Mrs. Charles 3. Bayley sang a
duet A brief review Of the years work
showing that the society had made mark
ed progress. was read by Mrs c. L.
Roach, corresponding secretary.
Mrs. May Cummisky Bliss. Of Detroit,
Mich. delivered an address on rs Amer
lea worth saving?" She told of the great
evils endangering the life Of the nation.
and suggested remedies. The Woman's
Home Missionary Society has been
largely instrumental in the uplifting of
tee countless immigrants in America. she
said. and in this way was doing practi-
cally the same work as the Foreign Mis-
sionary Society. Mrs Bliss added:
Dangers that Threaten.
As We 20 on day BE- day in Cur respective walks
Of life. We hardly stop to think Of the dangers that
are threatening TO have wonderful influence on our
glorious nation. We read and hear Of the beauti-
ful side OF American life bat we neither see nor
hear of The black side. There are great number
Of evils ea-ing az the heart Of this country Among
the greatest Of these evils is immigration. The
country r. overr1n with men Of all nations. most
y the scum Of the earth. We deceive olrselves
when he think these degraded people do not play
an important part IN CIR government and the man
agement of the country
The slums of great cities are veritable lasf holes
a writhing. vriggling mass Of degraded swearing
iliterate men and women. These settlements are
disgrace 10 a nation.
s'mo day God win reach down into this mass and
make for his temple a window that viii os1tshire
those he has made Of US who have had better ad
vantaGes and healthier surroundings.
Washington Is the most beautiful CITY IN the United
States yet Il has its Sums has all large cities
Of the nation. Home missionary york in this cs+v
has had a telling effect. ard to-day the slurns =
Washington are in much more improved condition
than number Of years ago. In the northwest sec.
tiCn Of this city about fifteen years ago there was
settlement Of foreigners. mostly Poles The men IN
the settlement we're an organized hand Of rlfians
thugs and thieves
The church people saw the conditions and estab-
lished mission in the midst Of the settlement
The mothers. wives and children occasionally at
tended the services. only TO be kicked and beaten
when they returned home by hquor-crazed men
There Is another evil that is threatening the vel
fare Of the United States Il IS Mcr7nonisIn. Such
an institution the Mormon church is a disgrace
70 the Christian Church and decent womanhood
The anniversary OF the WOman's Home
Missionary Society was followed by evan
gelistic services conducted by Rev. w. F.
Sheridan. d. D.. pastor Of Mt Vernon
Church, Baltimore.
DIR. Sheridan's Address.
DR.. Sheridan said:
! think number Of young men in this country
are having presented TO them a rather faulty con-
oeptien Of what the ministry Of to-day really Is
This opinion was greatly strengthened when I
learned that number Of prominent ministers
whom know. agreed with me
] was requested 10 write an article about The
ministry and the church, 70 be distributed among
the large universities of this country with a view
of inducing young men % enter into the Christian
ted OF labor declined 20 write the article Tho
men who would have been inducod hv ,,- 80.