Evening journal., 1915-03-29
Conference DRAWS
THRONC TO laurel
Bishop Cooke breaches In
spring Sermon on "The
Blessings OF Discomfort"
TRAVEL so
MILES TO THE SERVICE


Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
LAUREL. Del, March 29-Never be-
fore has Laurel had so many visitors
as during yesterday. when nearly two
thousand persons hocked to this town
by automobile and train from all /
parts of Delaware and the Eastern
shore of Maryland to attend services
incident to the Wilmington Methodist |
Episcopal Conference A few years |
ago. when Sunday trains down tho |
Delaware Railroad were unknown and |
the automobile had not won its way |
into the popular purse and favor, such |
a Sunday as that which featured Con- |
ference yesterday would have been |
impossible While hundreds came by |
train, greater portion of the visitors |
came by motor car The streets were
pocked with autos for blocks. Many
motor parties came from as far away
as Crisfeld, Md, more than fifty miles.
Aside from furnishing a convenient
mode of travel. the presence Of
scores Of automobiles attested the
prosperity of the rural sections Of
lower Delaware and the Eastern
Shore of Maryland.
Laurcl's facilities for feeding the
visitors were seriously taxed. Tho
Laurel Hotel fed all the people it
could. and was Obliged TO turn many
away at noon Boarding houses and
restaurants did the best they could,
and there was scarcely a residence in
Laurel that did not have one or more
guests over Sunday. In one house
| thirty persons were entertained at
| dinner Laurel as yet has not ad-
vancod to the paved street stage. al
| though thinking about il, but Mayor
/ W. e. Valiant had the streets deluged
| with the fire hose in the morning so
/ as to lay the dust and make travel
/ within the town more convenient
While services we're held in all the
churches in most instances visiting
Methodist ministers officiating the
most interest centerod in the worship
at Centenary Church, of which the
Rev. George c. Williams is pastor, IL
being the Conference scat. The SER
vices there started with a lOve-feast
at o'clock. in charge of the Rev.
Thomas e. Martindale, of Salisbury. a
patriarch of the Conference. This
service continued until 1870 o'clock.
when Bishop Cooke preached.
LONG before 10 o'clock the big
church was packed. but visitors per-
sisted i'm iamming in just to hear what
they could of the bishops eloquent
discourse That Bishop Cooke is one
of the ablest administrators and most
eloquent orators among the bishops
who have presided over Wilmington
Conference in many years is an opin
, ion generally expressed by perso
who have heard him during the pas
week and yesterday.
% Bishop Cooke preached an inspirin
sermon ON the subject of "'rhc Bless
ines of Discomfort" lie spoke eNactl
one hour and held the closest attcntio
, OF the congregation.
The first part Of the afternoon wa
devoted TO a memorial service. memoir
, being read as follows; OF Rev. ldchar
i In. Adams. bv Rev. v. s. Collins; o
Rev f. c. Macnichol, by Rev. J.. i
, Barrett: of Rev. /. b. Hunter, by Re,
George W. Townsend; OF Rev. j. i
, Cannon by Rev George W. Bounds; q
Rev George W. Burke by Rev. c. I
WYATT; of Mrs. Lizzie NJ. Lecates b.
s Rev. T. r. Van Dyke; of Mrs. Elizabct
Dawson By Rev. W. A. Wise; OF Mr.
I Edith Willis by Rev J. II. Gardner; q
Y Mrs. Susan V. Talbot by Rev. w.
: Cunby; of Mrs. Hester Stalling by Re'
70 +. II. Marshall.
D This was followed by an ordinatio
1 service, at which Bishop Cooke ordaine
?. Reys. Zach Wells and James \. Leec
{ as deacons, and Revs. J. A. Bucksoi
{ David J. Moore John c. b. Hopkin
$ Harry c. Shipley and d. w. Jacobs a
K elders.
n Mr. Wells was stricken with acute il
8, digestion on Saturday and for awhi
c was critically in. but under the care ,
4 physicians he recovered sufficiently ye
Il terday to attend the service. at which }
4 was ordained. He has been attcndh
q Drew Seminary and has no pastorate Z
1t present.
e At night the Board of Sunda
Schools had its anniversary, the speakl
being the Rev DR.. William s. Bovar
of the General Conference Sunday Scho
Board Bishop Cooke attended the Sc
vice while his cabinet was in scssi,
I going over some adjustments of appoin
l., ments.