The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-12-01
FLORIDA METHODIST
MINISTERS TO MEET
In Seyenty-Third Annual
Conference at OcaIa
Next Week.

dist Episcopal Church, South, vii
convene at Ocala, next Wednesday
December Gth, and is looked forwarc
to with peculiar interest by the host:
Of Wesley both in the state and out
Of it. 1t is doubtful if the, lille hand
full Of preachers who composed the
first conference held at Tallahassee in
1845, when Bishop Joshua Soule pre-
sided, looked forward to the historic
gathering with keener interest than
the 200 preachers regarding the ap-
preaching session of the conference
The Florida Conference was organic
ed in the same year that the first gen
eral conference of the Southern Meth
odist church was held.
Ocala, the splendid Brick City, is
to entertain with her usual hospital
ity, DR.. ]. NJ. Gross, our pastor
host, is one of the popular, preachers
Of the conference. The committee
on public worship, composed of DR..
Gross, Rev. F. R. Bridges, presiding
elder of the Ocala district, and R. Nc
Conathy, announce that the opening
sermon of the conference will be deliv-
cred by Rev. c. W. Mathison.
Fourth Session in Ocala.
This will be the fourth time the
Brick City has entertained the con-
ference. The 37th session was held
there December 6, 1880, with Bishop
George F. Pierce presiding. Thirteen
years later the conference met there
again on January 4, 1893, Bishop O.
P, Fitzgerald in the chair. TIE six
ty-second session met in Ocala De-
cember 7, 1905, Bishop Warren A.
Gambler presiding. The conference
was made notable by the death of Dr..
Charles A. Fullwood, who expired on
the conference floor the first day of
the session. He had made his report
with view to being placed on the
retired list, when he sank to the floor
and within ten minutes the faithful
soldier Of the cross ceased to breathe.
He was not, for God took him" 1t
was one of the most triumphant seen
rs ever witnessed at an annual con-
ference. His body was borne to the
,ity Of the dead, and that night men,
orial services We're held, the sermon
being delivered by Bishop Gambler.
It was ar occasion never to be for
gotten.
Only nine of the bishops who have
presided over the Florida conference
IRE living to-day. Our own resident
Bishop H. C. Morrison, who presided
,ver the conference five times; and
Bishops A. W. Wilson, J. S. Key, E.
2. Hendrix, James Atkins, J. C. Kill
70. and E. f. Hose one time each.
Bishop J. C. Andrews, deceased pre-
ided over the Florida conference
light times, Bishop George F. Pierce
light, Bishop w. NJ. Wightman five,
Bishop VIM. Capers four and Bishop
Galloway four.
Bishop Denny to Preside.
Bishop Collins Denny, of Rich
nond, Va, will preside over the Flor
da conference this year. This is
Bishop Denny's first experience with
he Florida conference, and he will
eceive cordial welcome to the state
nd to the conference. He is ma
i've of Virginia, and received his ed
cation in the University of Virginia,
With the intention of making the law
is profession. For several years he |
racticed law successfully in Balti- !
1ore, but he finally yielded to a call |
o preached the gospel of the Son OF |
iod. He joined the Baltimore con-
erence, and filled a number of i'm
ortant charges in the conference. He |
vas elected to a chair in Vanderbilt |
which he filled until his |
lection to the episcopacy ten years |
go. Bishop Denny is secretary Of |
he college Of Bishops, and has lately |
cen elected secretary Of the commits
ion of the unification of Methodism |
n America, for the NJ E. church,
outh. That commission meets at |
baltimore December %.
DR.. F. Pasco. at present on the su-
erannuated list of the conference.
as a remarkable record in the mat
ar of the secretaryship Of the Flori-
Ia conference. He was elected sec
etary in 1874. and has filled the
lace continuously ever since. For
v-two years of service in such CO
acitv is an unusual record.
There are % suDerannuated minis
,,., ~, tho roll These are LOVINGLY