The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-30
Mount Pleasant Host for the Eighth
Time to Ministers and Lay
men Of Iowa Con-
sregations.
KEoKUK REPRESENTED
Program Will be Long One Extend.
ing Through Next Monday
Appointments on the
Last Day.

Rev. r. C. Edwards, pastor of the
Trinity M. e. church of this city, has
gone to Mount Pleasant to attend
the meeting Of the Iowa conference
of the Methodist Episcopal church
The program extends through next
Monday. On the final day Of the
meeting, the announcement of church
appointments will be made From
Mount Pleasant comes the following
dispatch. telling of the big church
meeting:
All Mt Pleasant is, on the qui vive
as it plays the host to the members
OF the Iowa conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal church, both minis
terial and lay. Preparations have
been made for the accommodation Of
not less than $50 visitors. The $50
members of the conference, their
wives and the lay delegates win per-
faps bring the total above that num-
Der. Practically every home in the
city, irrespective OF denomination,
has been offered for the accommoda-
ton Of the members Of the confer
ence While the actual conference
sessions did not begin until yester-
day the examination OF the young
ministers was started Monday.
This will make the eighth time
since the organization of the Iowa
conference n-1S44 that Mt Pleasant
has been chosen as the annual meet
ing place. This is a record and is
probably due largely to the fact that
Mt. Pleasant is the home Of the con-
ference university, Iowa Wesleyan.
Mt. Pleasant was first chosen in 1S47
with Bishop Waugh president. The
dates since then with the presiding
bishops are as follows:
1S56-Bishop James.
1S65-Bishop James.
1S71-Bishop Ames.
18S5-Bishop Ninde.
1S93-Bishop Mallalieau.
1S99-Bishop McCabe.
1916-Bishop Mcconnell.
The Mt. Pleasant church is perhaps
the Oldest in the conference. There is
still standing In the east part OF
town an old double room log cabin,
now covered with weather boarding
and occupied by a colored family,
which is said to be the first Metho-
dist church in Iowa. At any rate, the
Mt. Pleasant church dates back to
1895 when John H. Rueble preached
his first sermon at the home of Pres
ley Sauders, pioneer resident Of the
regularly appointed by an annual
conference to an Iowa circuit, the
first to marry in Iowa and the first
to die within its borders. Rueble's
successor was d. G. Cartwright. He
was appointed by Peter Cartwright.
then presiding elder of the Quincy
district. During his passionate the
first class was formed at Mt. Pleas
ant, probably in 1886. The Mt. Pleas
ant charge has always been strong.
Its membership at 2 the last confer
ence was 769. an increase of 1853 since
the beginning of the pastorate OF
Thomas Osborn in 1913
The Iowa conference Is composed
of about eighteen counties in the
southeastern part of the state. There
are $50 ministers both active and re-
tired. There are 800 churches valued
at S1,S0O,0OO, 1873 parsonages valued
at s31s,000: 292 Sunday schools with
1855 pupils and $4,000 church mem
beers. These churches contributed
last year for the pastors salaries and
various benevolent purposes $550,0O0.
There is great interest always in
the pastoral appointments for the
following year. These are usually
read the Monday of the final day Of
the conference which will come this
year on September A. Interest Is
tense this year as 1t seems to be
rumored there will be more than the
usual number of changes,
One of the most important features
OF the conference will be the Iowa
Wesleyan banquet and educational
anniversary which will be held Fri
day evening. President Edwin A..
Schell will preside while the address
will be made by DIR. A. w. Harris,
secretary of the board of education.
Electric signs have practically re-