The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-18
QUARTER CENTURY,
PASSED BY THE
CONFERENCE

Unique Anniversary Ser
vice Tuesday Evening
With q. service that will go down in
the history of Methodism in North Da-
kota as suggestive of p~leasantest men,
cries. the silver anniversary confer
n Of the Methodist church in North
dakota was opened last evening with
the anniversary service. The pioneer
pastors of the church. DR.. S. A. Dan
ford of Bismarck. Rev. w. R. Morri-
son of Sheldon, Rev.C. A. Mcnamara
of Fargo, and DR.. H. P. Cooper, were
gathered together On the platform and
the service was presided over by Will
liam H. White Of Fargo. the pioneer
layman of Methodism in the state.
Rev. z. James of Rolla, another of the
early preachers in the state, gave the
prayer and Rev. S. Newlove Hamfl-
ton, read the scripture lesson. Enjoy
able musical numbers were rendered
by G A. Lampert. head of the violin
department of Wesley college conser.
vatory, who gave a violin solo. and
Miss Irma Mallory of this city, sans
a solo.
The large auditorium of the church
was we'll filled and the addresses were
greeted with an enthusiasm and in
terest that augurs we'll for the sue
cess of the conference. The sessions
of the conference will begin today
with Bishop Robert Mcintyre of st.
Paul. presiding. Bishop Mcintyre ar
rived in the city last evening. Espe-
cial interest attaches to Bishop Nc
Intyre's lecture on Friday evening,
when he will deliver his famous pop
ular address on "Buttoned-up People"
The conference will be formally OPEN
ed this morning with the conference
sermon by Rev. D. Stratford Scadeng
of L%.angdon. and the the first business
session will be held at 10 o'clock,
when organization for the work of the
conference will be effected. Over a
hundred ministers had registered in
last evening. and many more are ex-
pected on the trains today The re-
ception and entertainment committee
with j. w. Ogren at its head, accom-
plisher efficient work yesterday and
care of.
Reception Followed.
The anniversary service last evening
was followed by a reception and
luncheon rendered by the ONE of
: the church. This was thoroughly en-
joyed and proved a fitting close to an
evening that will not soon be forgot.
WI ~ - Az 1kao lS 6ooo ~
tune to be present. Rev. F. NJ. Nc
Coy presided during the preliminary
devotional services, following which
Miss lrma Mallory gave a solo. Mr..
Mccoy then briefly welcomed the Wis
I itors. calling attention to the fact that
they would be formally welcomed to
the city this morning by Mayor NJ. F.
Murphy. Mr.. Mccoy paid the mayor
a high compliment. declaring that
Grand Forks had a chief executive
who stood for law enforcement and
right living. He then introduced w.
Fl. White of Fargo, as the mar who
has seen 40 wears of Methodism in
the state, the pioneer layman.
Pioneer Laymen Presiding.
Mr.. White presided over the gather
ing, introducing the various speakers
in an interesting manner An anus
ing feature in connection with the in
production was the fact that each and
every n of the pioneers was of
Scotch-Irish descent. and the presid.
ing officer depended on DR.. Cooper.
the last speaker, to stand with him
that even the pioneer from Casselton
was of the Irish persuasion in the
matter of heredity.
Mr.. White, before introducing the
first speaker of the evening. Rev. w.
r. Morrison of Sheldon. told of the
very beginnings of Methodism In the
state. In the fall of 1870, he was in
Duluth and saw built there a little
wooden Methodist church, the first of
its denomination in the great north
west. In 1871. at Brainerd, Mr..
White attended Methodist services,
and the same year came to Fargo. In
the course Of his interesting talk, Mr..
White paid a high tribute to Bishop
Webb. Rev. James starkey. Father
Gurley and Rev. D. c. Palmetto. In
an interesting name he told of the
establishment in Fargo of a church
and in 1878 of a Sunday school. Mr..
White then introduced the first of the
pioneers. Rev. w. R. Morrison of
Sheldon.
Early Experiences.
Mr.. Morrison told of how in the
month of July. 1874. he made his way
to this section of the country, locating
charter member of the Manitoba
Methodist conference. He came to
Moorhead by rail n tool a river boat
to Winnipeg, reaching that city on
July %. At that time Winnipeg was
a city of only 5000 inhabitants. Rev.
Mr.. Morrison confessed that he had a
hard time in the Canadian northwest.
able to so through the service for the
cause to which he had given his life.
He ais said that he had kept a diary
during his life. which now filled 16
volumes. and which he intended to
tranScribe into manuscript in the fu-
ture. MIR. Morrison said that he first
came to Drayton in 1885. At tina
dist strongholds and he found hat he
had in his audiences no less than six
local preachers and found that the
task of occupying the pulpit was not
one of bliss alone.
In those early days. declared Mr..
Morrison. the preacher had to accus-
tom himself to h%ardships such as
sleeping in sod or log houses with the
calves and chickens sleeping in the
same room. He told Of his first trip
from Drayton to Hannah by horse and
buggy. Mr.. Morrison declared that in
spite of the hardships tot pioneer
days HI still felt strong and hearty
and proposed to continue the good
fight until necessity forced him to give
up. The speaker was frequently in
terrupted by applause and made an
excellent impression.
Address by Danford.
DR.. Danford"s address was unique
and highly interesting. He confessed
that he wasn't in North Dakota be-
cause he originally wanted to be here
and that although he had tried to
keep out of the ministry. he had been
literally drawn into it by the will Of
the Almighty. DR. Danford has been
in North Dakota 90 years. He told
Of how he and his wife reached Da-
kota territory In the early days. land
dirty. muddy town and the first sight
to greet them was a stuck in the
mud on what Is now Broadway. the
wheels in to the hubs n the horses