Evening journal., 1911-04-08
LAUREL GETS
CONFERENCE
Decision Is Reached After a
Lively Contest at
fredericksburg
FEW PASTORAL
CHANGES EXPECTED

FbDERALSBURG, Md, April s.
The all-absorbing topic among the
delegates to the Maryland Annual
Conference of the Methodist Protes-
tant Church yesterday, was the minis
terial appointments TO be announced
at the closing session, Tuesday night.
Following the morning session, the
Conference adjourned so that the pres
ident, the Rev. J. NJ Sheridan, could
receive the preachers and lay dele
gates and hear the instruction given
them by their respective congrega-
tions regarding the appointments to
their churches. Practically every dele
gate asked the president to send them
back the incumbent. The prevailing
sentiment here among the delegates is
that there will be few changes, but
the distribution of pastors this year
will be an unusually veXing problem.
This is because two new charges have
been added to the conference roll
Milford Del. and Patapsco Church,
Baltimore). and in addition several
preachers have announced their in
tention to retire.
This shortage of pastors in the Con-
ference has worried President Sheri-
dan, as it was undesirable to draw too
heavily from the seminery students.
Yesterday he spent some time going
over the matter with the preachers
who intended to give up active service,
and, after explaining the situation,
he prevailed upon all but one of them
TO serve one year more at least. The
only one who refused is the Rev. d..
w. Anstine, who has been in feeble
health for some time, who told the
president he feels the burden of active
pastoral work is too heavy for him.
With the exception of a lively con-
test between three churches for the
next meeting place of the Conference,
the morning session was given up to
the transaction of routine business
Preceded by a sacred concert, given by
the ministerial choir, and devotional
exercises. conducted by the Rev. J..
Earle MalOy, the session began at 9
o'clock. The report of the Aged Wo-
mans Home was first presented, and
the secretary of the Conference, w. S.
Phillips, followed with his annual re-
port, both of which were adopted.
Tribute to Mr.. HObIItzelI.
The special committee appointed to
prepare resolutions concerning the
death of Rev. S. A. Hoblitzell of Bel
air, reported a resolution which was
adopted
The Revs. J. W. Trout and H. l..
Schlincke were appointed to attend
his funeral. Before he died Mr.. Hob
litzell requested earnestly that the
Rev. T. H. Lewis attend the funeral,
and the committee recommended that
he do so. Mr.. Lewis explained that
pressure of business engagements
would prevent his attendance to his
own great sorrow and disappointment.
His name was then stricken from the
committee.
Laurel Gets Next Conference.
DR.. Lewis then suggested that the
invitation extended by the Rhode Is
land Church. Washington, and the
churches in Lynchburg, Va, and Lau-
rel. Del, for the Conference to hold its
next session there. be taken up and
acted upon. He also suggested that
the delegates from the three churches
be allowed to state their inducements.
A lively debate followed. The dele
gates from Laurel and Lynchburg
pressed ther requests with much
eagerness, on the ground that the Con-
ference had not met there for many
years. Recognizing this superior
claim the Washington delegates were
not urgent, and when the ballots we're
counted the results were Laurel, so;
Lynchburg, 46; Washington, 43. The
Rev. Avery Donovan is pastor of the
winning church, and his eloquent plea
for the Conference TO come there next
year was backed up by the electioneer-
ing of the large party from Laurel.
The report Of the committee on pull
pit supply, containing the Sunday as
signments of the various ministers.
was adopted. The Conference then
passed to the order of the day-educa-
tion and literature. The report of
the Methodist Protestant Book Con-
Germ was presented, which showed a
prosperous year.