Evening journal., 1914-03-26
Milford people
AWAIT conference
M. P. Church Pastor Has
Made Every Arrangement
for Entertaining Visitors
PRESBYTERIANS OFFER
CHURCH TO BRETHREN

Special TO THE EVENING JOURNAL.
MILFORD, Del. March 26. Milford,
tor the weel, beginning Wednesday next,
April will be the mecca towards
which The eyes OF all members OF the
Methodist Protestant Church viii be-
turned, when the eighty-siNth session of
the Maiyland Annual Conference con
Ncnes here. Already most of the plans
lor the conference have been completed.
and homes have been secured for the
large number of ministers and laymen
delegates who will attend The Rev l..
a. Bennett, pastor of the First Mctho-
dist Protestant Church of Milford, where
the conference win be held. has been,
working hard in conjunction with his
various committees and reports that but
very little of Che detail work is yet
TO be done. lie reports that he has Sc
cured and accepted the offer Iom the
Presbyterian Church authorities to use
/ the commodious rooms and class rooms
in that church for the work of some 0t
his committees, and that as a result
each committee is now assured of ample
room. and unlimited time in which TO at
tend to its Individual work. Upon their
lmri,al in Milford ON Wednesday next
the delegates will be met at the station
and assigned TO their homes for the
week.
Probably the most important matter
OF business which will come before the
conference will bc the much talked oi
union with the United Brethren Church,
and hard fight is expected. The Mary
land Conference, unlike the most OF the
other conferences in the east, has not
as vet signihcd its intention OF effect
ling q union with this denomination, and
liz is we'll known that there Is much OPP
position 10 H. SO far as can be learned,
lit is an even guess as TO which side D.
the stronger in the controversy. The
conference is not expected TO make
many changes among the ministers,
most of them having been made last
wear. when The conference convened az
lLvnchhure. Va. II IL pointed out how
lever. that some OF the larger churches
lhave had their pastors for as laeg per.
liods as twelve years and that II would
mot be- surprising TO hear OF change
among this class of churches at the lasl
minute. II custom Is followed, Dr. John
s. Bowers will he reelected president ol
the conference Tor the ensuing year, II
being the custom 90 give the president q
dVe-vear term Dr. Bowers has already
served three wears He Is very popuial
amonp both ministers and laymcn, an'
being exceptionally well vcrsed in par
iancutarv usagcs has been able TO con
duct the duties OF his Office with honor
both TO himself and his denomination
Int is understood that a number OF MN
listers also will ask TO be relieved OF al
lappoiutment for the next year that the
may regain their failing health
Milford. Il will be remembered, wa
the scene Of one of the largest ~
vivals of religion ever seen In lowe
d Delaware in the fall and winter
l9IO-I911. and this was brought abou
= by the active efforts of the he'
- Louis A. Bennett In the fall OF l9l
p he came TO Milford, set up smal
tent on a vacant lot on East From
street, South Milford, and commence
to hold open air meetings. From th
; very first his efforts were rewarded
: and within a few weeks it was fOun
= that the tent was far too small L
G accommodate the large crowd OF per
sons who attended. Not to be dis
7 mayed. he at once interested his con
Il verts in building a Tabernacle" an
set to work to construct a temporar
/ structure in which to hold their meet
ings. Most of the work on the churc
Y was done by mechanics who ha
u shown an interest in his work, an
. was donated TO the cause. The entir
structure was built within few days
Again he started into the busines
: of creating interest in his undertai
: ing and in starting an agitation for
: large church structure. Within
= few nights after the Tabernacle
Il had been completed he was agai
. confronted with the fact that IN
structure was too small. Almoi
.. nightly converts were added TO th
Il list Of members, as high as thiri
4 protesting Christianity in one ever
,, ing, and before the winter was ov'
he had over 500 converts to h
= credit During all of this time q
y agitation for a new structure ha
= been kept in mind and early in 49,
y work was started on the new ediii'
=, at the corner of Front and Frankl
u streets. A whirlwind campaign W;
i. started to raise funds with which
- erect the building.
~ On May u, 1912. the new chur'
was dedicated, the affair drawn
9 hundreds Of persons to witness u
r. ceremony and most of the mon'