Evening journal., 1915-04-08
DIR. ]. 5. BOWERS
AGAIN IS HONORED
Reelected Head OF the
Maryland Conference
for Fourth Time
IS CHOSEN BY
A LARGE VOTE

WASHINGTON, April S.-By an al
most unanimous vote, the Rev. DR..
John S. Bowers was reelected presi-
dent of the Maryland Conference OF
the Methodist Protestant Church here
yesterday. BY this action. the Confer
ence set at rest an opinion which has
obtained among some of the ministers
for some time that there was three
year limit to the term of presidency.
and that because of this. President
Bowers would retire automatically.
President Bowers received 100 out
of a possible 219 votes cast by the
ministers and lay delegates. The Rev
James II. Straughn was reelected
conference secretary. unanimously
lie named as his assistants G.. /. Hum
phreys, j. l.. Nichols and ]. r. Gaar.
J. r. Wright was elected conference
steward, and the Rev. c. p. Nowlin,
conference treasurer. The Rev. +. r..
Little. the Rev. w. r. Graham and the
Rev. j. NJ. Sheridan were elected the
ministerial members of the district
standing committee, and TIP. Fisher,
W. G.. Baker and 4. A. Murray. the lay
members. For the committee on ap-
peals. the Rev. J. l.. Mills, the Rev.
J. ". Kirk and the Rev. A. w. Mather
were chosen the ministerial and A. X.
Lewis, II. X. Muller and DR.. e. b.
Fenby, the lay members.
The report of President Bowers occu-
pied most of the morning session. II
was a voluminous affair and dealt in
detail with every phase of the Confer
ence work. IL was read by DIR. Bowers
after the opening devotional exercises
which were conducted by the Rev. JOIN
| NJ. Holmes, pastor OF the church al
Harrington, Del. The report showed
wonderful progress along the entire lin,
of activity, and President Bowers inter
spcrscd its reading with the prediction
that the church is approaching a perioC
Of unprecedented success and religion,
activity. In speaking of the vast in
roads that the churches have made il
the liquor traffic during the past year
he ventured the assertion that the churci
is almost in sight of "a stainless flas
flying over a saloonless nation" Thi
statement was received with loud ap
plause. He commended the action o
Secretary of the Navy Daniels and o
/ w hNNnAnAANf lAWU0Wl lhI llt UAIL iiil
have taken in this work.
Among the most important recon-
mendations included in the report wa
one for a more hearty cooperation il
the work OF the Deaconess' Home am
the work OF the deaconesses. He sai
that unless the church gets back of thi
project it will have to be discontinued
and added that il this became nece.
sary, the church would be deprived d
one of its greatest means of lookin
after the physical and spiritual welfal
of its members. He strongly urged th
Conference 10 take the matter up dun
ing the present session and to MAX
some definite provision for it's continr
ance.
With reference 10 the finances o
the church, he spoke rather pessimis
tically, declaring that the entir,
church is in need of a better system
of finances. He cited instances o.
success that had been the result o.
the use Of the duplex envelope sys
TEN, and advised its adoption. n,
spoke optimistically of the church ex
tension work, five new churches anC
several new parsOnages having beer
NpAAhAN'OA hhiAnE hhi year anu q
number of others in the course o
erection. More than 1000 conversion.
were reported at the revival meetings
during the year. OF these nearly 300
have united with the Methodist Pro
testant Church. He referred par
ticularly TO the manner in which tn,
salaries of the pastors have been in
creased in the last 13 years. In 1870
the total in salaries paid to the pas
tors was $4,000. while last year tn
sum of $4,000 was paid for the SAM
service. and the increase during las
year was $4,000 This fact he referre,
to with much pride and said he wa
doing all in his power TO have th'
ministers salaries increased to al
amount commensurate with the ser
vice they have 10 perform.
The Rev. DIR. +. T. Tagg, of Baltimor
conducted the memorial service. Tine m,
moirs included the name of the Re-
Charles Walter Sanderson, minister
who died during the Conference yea
and also the wives of three Of the mir
isters: Mrs. Peter Light Wilson Mr.
/ James l.. Straughn and Mrs. c. f. NJ
Cullough. The class to be ordained O
, Sunday will not be large. There al
nine members of this years graduatin
: class i'm the Westminster Theologici
Seminary. of which the Rev. DR.. II.
Elderdicc is president, but only ono I
these comes TO the Maryland Conferen'
the other eight going TO the other Coz
: fercnces of the denomination.
At night the Conference sermon va