Evening star., 1915-04-07
MP. CHURCH OPENS
ANNUAL MEETING
President Bowers Hopeful of
STAINLESS Flag Flying Over
SaIoonIess Nation"
MAKES ANNUAL ADDRESS
SCORING BODY'S FINANCES
Committees to Report Tomorrow and
at Night Secretary Bryan Is
Expected to Speak.

confident that the church of tomor
row will be more Intelligent and use
full than the church of today, President
John s. Bowers OF Baltimore opened
the eighty-seventh annual Maryland
conference of the Methodist Protestant
church at the Rhode Island Avenue
church, 1st street and Rhode Island ave-
nde northwest. this morning. Fully 800
,.lergymen and lay delegates from
Maryland, Virginia. Pennsylvania. New
Jersey and the District of Columbia
are attending the conference, which Is
10 last for week. The church audi
torium was crowded this morning tc
listen to the address of DR.. Bowers
who has served as president OF Lne
conference for three terms.
The hope that "our America may
soon fly a stainless flag over a saloon
less nation" was expressedd darass IN 'as. da.
voted to the liquor question. rem
perance victories to date Dr. Bowers
characterized as the triumph achlev-
Cd in breaking the hold OF KING AGO 60
Iol on the land" He declared that the
vote in Congress during the winter
vas the greatest victory ever won Tor
lie cause, and said it made the ques-
ton national.
try Daniels and Representative Hob
on and many more who are Its
cnampions,' continued DR.. Bowers.
Already the great newspapers are ask
*: What about the temperance ques-
non as an issue in the next presiden-
[ al campaignY
Scores Business Side.
The question Of church finances
Iroved of great interest to the dele
.tes as related by DR.. Bowers:
My observation Of the financial af-
i,lrs of this conference has shown me
/ Woeful lack in the conduct of the
bJsiness side of the church in very
many places. This failure I attribute
20 the lack of method in the manage
tnent. Many charges continue in the
old methods of years ago, or gather
the pastors are forced either to bor-
row or to go in debt for their living
expenses. I think that the laity should
feel. so far as the financial affairs of
the church are concerned, that this is
their business"
DR.. Bowers advocated as stewards OF
charges only such men as may have busi-
ness ability. He pointed out that in 1901
amounted to $4,000, approximately. while
in the year Just closed they totaled $685.
900.
The president discussed the question OF
education as 1t relates to the Western
Maryland College in particular. and to
the other church institutions, and declared
that the demand for educated. well equip
ped ministers is greater than the supply
in every denomination
In other portions of his address he re-
viewed church extension work, home and
foreign missions and spoke optimistically
Of the progress of the church. The dea-
coness work. inaugurated in the Maryland
district at the conference session in 1909,
q Ia vi W r,rai
DR.. Bowers praised the spirit Of today
on the questions Of the laborer. woman
workers and children. and expressed the
belief that all these arc being helped by
The modern spirit of social uplift.
Opens Devotional Services.
DR.. J. NJ Holmes Of Harrington, Del,
morning Rev. DR.. W. NJ. Strayer, an
ex-president of the Maryland con-
ference, was on the platform and pre-
sided while DR.. Bowers delivered his
address.
Following the reading Of the role OF
clergy and lay delegates and the an
swering to the same by the delegates
memorial services for two members OF
the conference who died since the last
meeting were held. The dead rolf was
read by Rev. r. T. Tagg of Baltimore
editor OF the Methodist Protestant
Rev. J. Earle Maloy and Rev. C. W
s.anderson were the dead ministers for
whom services were held.
Lunch was served at the church fol
the delegates. and the afternoon ses.
sion convened at 2 o'clock. Late this
afternoon officers are to be elected To-
lights session will open with a serv-
ice of song by the conference choir
which is always one of the features o1
the annual gatherings. Rev A s
Beane is to deliver the sermon at s
o'clock. which will be followed by the
sacrament of the Lords supper.
Reports Due Tomorrow.
Reports Of various committees and
officers will be the business Of the ses-
sions tomorrow. and at night the fea-
ture Is to be an address by Secretary
Bryan. It is announced. Those In charge
of the conference are hoping to have
the President attend one session and
make an address. but as yet nothing
along this line.
Tho local reception committee con-
sisfs Of Rev. Louis Randall pastor OF
the Rhode Island Avenue Church
retary. and the following ministers: e
A. 6exsmith, William A. Melvin. J. W
Balderston. W. l. Hoffman, G. M Clay
ton and R w. Coo.
egates this morning revealed the fac,
that unless some provision is made t.
NIL the six or more vacancies In tn.
fdnerant roll of the church this yeal
there II bound to be q shortage of min
istertaa talent when the appointments
for the present year are made out ant
announced Tuesday night In addition
to the two members of the conferenc,
who died several have withdrawn I,
other fields and several have asked TO
superannuated relations
II 10 said that there is but one mem
oer of the seminary class at the West
minister Theological Seminary avail
able this year. Altogether. the situa tio,
- declared to be somewhat unusua
one, and the delegates eagerly awai
It's solution. II Is hoped that som
scheme may be devised whereby tn
number of young men entering the con
ference may be increased.
PLAN MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN