The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-09-26
REPORTS FROM THE DISTRICT
SHOW AN INCREASE IN CHURCH
MEMBERSHIP; IS ENCOURAGING
Rev. G. A. Cahoon Told Meiho-
dist Episcopal Conference That
Mankato Territory Congrega-
lions Have Grown SplendidIy
Election of Officers Was Held
This Morning; v lal Ser
mon BY Rev. y : ,iIbie.

0 - wy" 'D'0'
Election of for the Meth.
odist Episcoy - ferenee was held
at the oper 1siness session this
$, K roll call of the
ministers Us Z conference was call
ed and an opportunity was given for
the district superintendent to make
any reports against their character
Every mans character was reported
to be good.
Bishop Quayle is presiding over
the sessions and his wit and humor are
creating great deal Of merri-
ment and good fellowship among
the people attending the sessions.
In his introductory talk this morn
ing he said that he believed in
and JOY and remarked
that there is whole lot Of religious
pouting which is taken for piety.
The officers who were elected to
serve during the convention were:
secretary, e. c. Teachout; assistants
to the secretary, l. B. Wood, M. G.
Shuman, E. H. Goodell and G. G.
Lee; treasurer, w. c. Lee; assist
ants to the treasurer, B. G. Russell,
w. II. Stone, John Hall, e. G.
Reineke and Fl. A. Carlin; statistician,
c.. E. Meade; assistants to the
statistician, J.. w. Meattam, E. D.
Hickman and Bruce Campbell;
postmaster, E. C. Meade; cores
pondent for The Northwestern
Advocate, F. NJ. Rule. -....
Reports Handed In.
The report of the Marshall and
Mankato districts were given this
morning by the district superintend-
ents. Rev. G.. A. Cahoon, the Man
kato district superintendent, reported
that 412 new members had been
taken into the church during the
year, making d total membership in
the district. of 1913 members In the
Sunday schools there is an enroll
ment of 4754 with an average
attendance of 5000; in the Epworth
league an enrolment of $50 with an
average attendance OF 430. He re-
ported, however, that several church
es in his district had failed to meet
the requirement of the church in
setting aside the proper proportion
of money for the support of super
animated ministers. The conference
has law requiring each church to
pay an amount toward this fun6
which is a certain proportion of the
minister's salary. Some of the
churches have declined to do this
and have simply taken collections
for the purpose. Bishop Quayle
emphasized the Importance of i'm
pressing upon the individual churches
the fact that this method of paying
the superannuated ministers salaries
was not suggestion but a church
law.
In the reports Of the individual
churches it was found that the Cen
tenary church in Mankato had had
the most successful year in its his
tory and that forty-eight new men,
bers had been received unto the
church.
The Marshall District.
Rev. A. Cone, superintendent of
the Marshall district, reported prog
ress in his district and particularly
in the way of systematic giving. He
mentioned the fact that throughout
his entire district the churches in
general are making an effort to pro-
vide for the social life of the young
people by establishing church par
lors, and he reported many inn
provements on the church property,
About 400 new members have been
received into his district during the
year.
Rev. Henry G. Bible preached the
conference memorial sermon and his
own semi-centennial anniversary SER
mon. His text was "whereunto Am
a Preacher" and held before his
audience the life and work of the
Apostle Paul as an example for mod
ern preachers. He dwelt upon the
fact that Paul was called to the
ministry and that he obeyed the call
with courage, devotion and perfect
conservation. Rev. Bible believes
that no man should enter the min
istry until he feels sure that he is
called for that work, and he says no
man will be called without having
a definite knowledge of the call.
Gods call comes to his chosen mes
sengers in some mysterious way" he
said, "And the Lord shall preserve
me from every evil and shall de.
liver me to His kingdom"
Intrusted With Message.
paul was entrusted with mes
sage and God was with him during
his entire ministry. He kept His
promise, 10 1 am with you always
even unto the ends of the earth.
The world needs at the present time
a new confidence in the power of
God"
Rev. Bilbie described his own en-
Continued on Page Two.