Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-15

MEMBERSHIP INCREASED;
MANY CHURCHES BUILT
DR.. AIbrook Reports Eighteen Years Of
Successful Work in Various Dis
tricts-Death Has Dealt Kindly
With Ministers-District Boundary
Changes Again Asitated.
special to Times Republican.


Charles City, Sept. 15.-The Metho-
dist conference being held In this city
has gotten under complete headway,
Bishop Hamilton surprising the men,
bers thereof with the readiness with
which he dispatches the conference
business. The various reports Of the
district superintendents Of the
six districts Of the conference were
read today. They show marked i'm
provement along all lines. especially
along the line Of building and improv-
ing the church and parsonage proper
ty A healthy increase in the member
ship of the churches all over the con-
ference was also especially noted as
feature of the reports.
DR.. ]. B. Albrook, the retiring super
intendent of the Davenport district,
gave a great report for the years work.
and a splendid resume Of the eighteen
years Of his work in the Upper Iowa
conference, as a district officer He
showed an increase in the membership
In the Davenport district for the year.
Of 229, there being 531 conversions un-
der his leadership. He reported the
gain in the foreign missions as
amounting to 200, and a slight gain In
all Of the others. The pastors claims
have received a general advance. Three
churches have been built In his district
during the year. He reports q total
in the Improvement Of parsonage prop
erty Of $2,4S3 No debts remain on
any church property in his district
There are sixty-one Sunday schools or
q gain Of four. DR.. ]. w. Young, the
Methodist missionary statistician, says
of Dr. Albrook, that he is the only dis
trict superintendent in Methodism who
has put every class on his three dis
tricts on the class first on missions.
Tho Decorah District.
Rev. N, A. Mershon, district superin-
tendent Of the Decorah district, report
ed $4,000 in church building, and i'm
during the past year In
his district, the two leading items be-
ing the New Hampton church, built at
a cost Of $4,000, and a new parsonage
at Volga City costing $1,000. The
membership Of his district has been
200 probationers having
been taken. There has been an in
crease in the benevolent offerings OF
his district as over that of the previous
wear. The pastors salaries have been
promptly met, and DR.. Mershon proves
himself an able leader for newly ap-
pointed man.
Dubuque District.
DR.. Billingsly, superintendent OF the
Dubuque district. announces $4,000 as
expended in improvements during the
past year; 800 new members received.
and an increase Of benevolent offerings
over those of last year which speak
we'll for him as a successor to Dr. Il.
e. F1emming. He announces two Spe-
cial bequests received during the year
in his district one a gift from the late
Mrs. Moon, of Dyersville, for the sup
port Of the local church of that place,
and the other a gift from the late Levi
B. Stanger. of Hopkinton, for $500, be-
queathed to the church of that place.
A splendid advance was announced in
the Sunday school work of his district
for the past year.
MarshalItown District.
The Marshalltown district, under the
able leadership of DR.. T. e. F1emming,
has had a great year, 544 probationers
having been received, bringing about a
net increase in the membership Of the
district of 3S5 There has been S5,435
expended on improveme ents of church
buildings in the district and $1.97S on
of parsonages. He re-
ports the building Of a new church edi-
flee at W'hitten, which will cost $500,
and a new parsonage at Conrad, cost
ing $4,000 a debt Of about the total of
$3.659 having been wiped out, and the
salaries Of the preachers in his dis
trict have received a net increase Of
81, 800. Mr.. j. H. Carleton OF Iowa Falls
made during the year a gift Of $1,000 to
the Conference Claimants Fund and
Mrs. Mary Finlay, of Hampton, left
$4,000 to missionary work in India, and
$1,000 to the Conference Claimants
Fund. DR.. Flemming. as would nat
urally be expected Of him, reported a
total increase in the benevolent Offer
ings in his district.
Cedar Rapids District.
DR.. Gruwell has had a great year in
the Cedar Rapids district. He Is still
able to report a great year, and great
things accomplished. He records 1900
new members received, a healthy net
gain in the churches on his district
The improvements have been made on
nearly every church in the district,
totaling $4,000. vinton, Marion, Palo,
Ryon, Scion, Urbana taking the lead
in improvements accom- plished as a
circuit. The special enterprise Of the
year of the Cedar Rapids district has
been the organizing Of new church
society, and the building Of the ST.
James Methodist church of Cedar Rap
ids, costing $4,000; great credit for this
is due to Rev. A. B. Curran,
as we'll as to DR. Gruwell st. Paurs
Methodist church Of Cedar Rapids has
purchased new parsonage. and a
church site, costing $15,50O: subscrip-
ton for a new church edifice to the
amount OF $65.00o has been obtained;
a new parsonage at Rorfroyo hos o1so