Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-15
UPPER IOWA CONFERENCE At
DUBUQUE HAS SEVERAL CUES.
rIoNs TO SETTLE.
REDUCTION OF DISTRICTS
FAVORED BY MAJORITY
Vigorous Minority Will Put Up Strong
Opposition to Suggestion
inn Contents For General Conference
osisaatss-Larss Number Of Pas
I. toraI Changes Probable.
Special to Tlmes-Republican.


Dubuque. Sept. 15.-The sixtieth
session of the Upper Iowa annual con-
ference Of the Methodist Episcopal
church began here this morning in ST.
Luke's church. Bishop Homer c.
Stuntz presiding.
Nearly every pastor of the 1873
charges of the conference were on
hand for the first service of the day,
which began promptly at $3.50 o'clock.
Bishop Stuntz conducted the devo-
tional service following which he con-
Quoted the Holy Communion assisted
by the pastor Of the local ST. Luke's
church and the six district superin-
tendents Of the conference, S. r.
Beatty, of Cedar Rapids district; w.
w. Carlton, Of the Davenport district;
A. NJ. Billingsley. of the Dubuque dis
trict; N. "A. Mershon, of the DEBORAH
district; w, G. Crowder. of the Mar
shalltown district and w. F. Spry, of
the Waterloo district
Following the impressive communion
service the business matters Of the
day were taken up w. H. Singer
land was reelected secretary; T. p.
Potter statistical secretary; T. J. Ell
wick, treasurer; NJ. ]. Locke, secretary
of committee on conference relations;
L. d. Stubs, secretary and Thomas
carson. treasurer of board of stewards;
George B. Shoemaker, annuitant secre-
.Ary, and C. W. Cleveland, conference
postmaster. DR.. j. D. Atchison and
his great church. assisted by w. NJ.
Lemen and the Grandview church.
have made ample preparations to en-
terrain the 200 preachers and the 200
laymen that will attend the confer
ence during the week. This is Dr.
Atchison's sixteenth year as pastor of
st. Luke's church Of this city and he
still proves a very popular pastor. Not
only is he a fine pastor and preacher
but most excellent musician. On
Friday evening the conference is to
be favored with the rendition of "The
Messiah" by great chorus, under the
direction of DR.. Atchison, the soloists
being the sons and daughters of for
mer or present Methodist preachers
Of the Upper Iowa conference.
Interesting Session Ahead.
The present conference session. is to
be one Of the most interesting that
has been held in years. The reduction
of the six superintendent districts
to four Is attracting a great deal of
interest majority of the members
of the conference favor the reduction.
A healthy minority are opposed to it,
Who will! represent the laymen at the
general conference to be held at Sara
toSa Springs, N. Y, next May, will be
the all-absorbing matter in the lay
mems conference held next Saturday.
The candidates thus far brought for
ward are T. ]. Robinson. of Hampton;
]. E. Marietta, Of vinton; John Lister.
Of Conrad: Attorney D. C.. Hager, Of
La Porte City; w. j. Elliott, Of Ce-
dar Rapids: r, e. Gum. of Dysart and
C. p. Colgrove, of Cedar Falls.
Those prominently mentioned among
the ministers for general conference
honors are S. E. Ellis, of Iowa City;
r. p. Shaffer, Of Anamosa: A. B. Cur
ran, of Charles City; H. D. Atchison.
OF Dubuque and E. ]. Lockwood, Of
Cedar Rapids.
Death invades Ranks.
Death has invaded the active ranks
Of the conference during the year and
removed three Of its strong men. In
April DR.. T. NJ. Evans, of Waterloo,
uperintendent of the Waterloo district
lied In the Iowa M. f. hospital at
Des Moines, as a result of an opera
Ntion. In June DR.. Slocum, of Lyons
church, Clinton, died on train near
st. Paul and in July G. H. Meyers, Of