Evening journal., 1913-12-22
DR.. HOFFECKER
WOULD UNITE
CONFERENCES
Urges Combine Of Wilmington
and Philadelphia Methodist
Jurisdictions
LOCAL CONFERENCE TOO
SMALL, HIS ARGUMENT

Declaring that the Wilmington Con-
ference Of the Methodist Church is too
small, that It does not present suf-
hcient opportunities to it's preachers,
and that if it covered more territory
it would be in a position to do better
work for the church and God, DR..
T. L. HOffecker district superintend-
ent, sprung a surprise this morning
at the meeting OF the Methodist
Preachers Association in Grace NJ. +.
Church when he introduced a resolu-
ton advocating the consolidation Of
the Wilmington with the Philadelphia
conference.
Several of the preachers supported
the resolutions and others opposed
them. AS the time for discussion was
very short, the resolutions were re-
ferred to a special committee cOmpos-
ed of the Revs. G. T. Anderson, +. c.
MacSorley and Vaughan S. Collins.
The committee will make its report at
the second meeting in January, when
the resolutions will be the order of the
day.
In introducing the resolutions, DR..
Hoifecker said that the Wilmington
Conference has 191 charges and the
philadelphia Conference 1926 charges.
If the conferences we're merged It
would give a total Of SIC charges. He
said that the Bishop had appointed
163 preachers for this conference and
211 in the Philadelphia Conference.
There are SLIGO members in Phila-
delphia and 40.147 members in VIII
mington Conference. He said that
with these figures the consolidated
conference would not be larger than
several others in the country, where
in some instances there are as many
. as eight and nine district superinten-
dents in one conference. lie told of
enabling acts passed at the last Gen
eral Conference allowing the Cincin-
natl and Central Ohio conferences to
merge and those of Nebraska.
lie said that one of the objections 70
a large conference was that is would be
hard to entertain delegates, but that ex.
perience had shown it was as easy tC
take care OF big crowd as it is a small
one He said tha| the ministers Of thi;
conference have not the opportunities IL
this conference that they would have
in a larger one.
"Nen ina small conference haVereachel
THUR zenith Of usefulness who would b
giron a greater field and opportuRit!
were the conferences combined said DIR
lloiIecker. There are men here toda,
who would be in prominent ehurche
were IL not for the size Of the confer
ence. 1t Is too small. IL does not pre-
sent opportunities and we have no
enough territory" lie then presented
the resolutions which are as follows:
"From the introduction Of Metho-
dism in our country down to the year
1863. the territory now included IN
the Wilmington Conference, constitu.
tel a part of the Philadelphia Confer
ence. The Wilmington Conference
began its Independent history by the
authority of the General Conference
of 1868, which passed the enabling
act
eve believe the time has come 4
combine small conferences with large
ones. This is already being done in
some parts of our country; the policy
works well and is of advantage to the
church, and for the glory of God.
eve, therefore, advocate lifting the
boundary line between the Whining
ton and Philadelphia Conferences
and merge the territories of the two
Conferences into one. We shall ther
have a Conference imperial in size
great in numbers and potential in in
fluence.
I'VE further believe that the bes
interest of our church will be serveC
Continued on Second Page.