The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1916-03-31
N. T.. CONFERENCE MEETS.

The Baltimore Annual Conference OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church will
hold its l32nd session in the Foundry
Church beginning Wednesday, March
10Th, Rev. W. X, Wedderspoon, ID. b.,
pastor. Bishop Earl Cranston, ID. H.,
l.. l.. d., Resident Bishop, will preside.
This will be the last conference oven
which Bishop Cranston will preside in
an effective relation. for after the next
session of the General Conference, t.
he held ut Saratoga, N. Y, next May,
the bishop will he retired from the nc
tive service of the EpiscopAcy by reason
of the age limit Bishop CrsnstOn Is
regarded as the statesman Of the Col
lege of Bishops, and the champion of
the union of Mcthodisms While he will
be relieved of the active duties of the
Eplscopary in holding Annual Confer
enrrs. assigning preachers to their mp.
pulntmcnts and such like, yet his wis
dom IN council, his utterances upon the
platform. and his every ready pen will
still he given the church IN effectiveness
1t IL the hope Of his brethren, that be
my relieved from the routine duties OF
presiding and appointment making, h,
may give himself IN the fullest measure
of service IN speedily cllrctlng the much
desired results of the union of Method
ism
The coming session Of Conference IL
an important one from several angles OF
vision Simultaneous with the meeting
of the Annual Conference will he that
Of the Lazy Electoral Conference. This
body meets tMch -four years to elect
4. a.. Al 4 4
1t ~ composed of one representative
from each pastoral charge. and meets
nj the place of the ANNUAL Conference
ON the Friday of Conference week. Al
this meeting of the lalty. questions ci-
fectIng the Legislation OF the church hre
discussed, and petitions and memorials
of different character nrc prepared to
be presented to the General Conference.
Neither this quadrennlnl lay body nor
the annual ministerial body can make uI
change the laws Of the church. H.
most cases, where there IL to he IA con
stItutlonnl change contemplated IN the
lHws of the church, there ~ II refercn-
dun presented to each of these bodies
throughout the denomination, and II
the constitutional number of lay and
ministerial conferences recommend. and
the General Conference concurs in same,
the measure becomes law.
At the coming session Of conferences.
the questions Of Organic Union ana
bishops for Races will be- submitted for
recommendation or rejection. and they
will doubtless holdn prominent place in
the discussions of the sessions.
The one hundrcth anniversary service
Of the death of Bishop Francis Asbury
promises to be nm event Of unusual in
terest and importance, The hnnver-
4ary of this Pioneer Bishops death
promises much IN helpfulness to
strengthen the already increasing de
sire for Methodist union 1t IL the fer
vent prayer of many that the future
Methodlsm of America may be IA useful
and IN effective M when under the
guiding hand of this noble hero, We
went forth to lilt the new world to
high spiritual nttalnmcnts. 1t II an
ever increasing shame that the church
of the same origin and destiny should he
apart for reasons M unchristlan Hs
those that rent IN twain ~ many church
families. The war IL over and IN God r
name let III forget It, except to love
each other more and strive with greater
rArncstness to save the lost OF earth
The Endorsement Secretary of the
Retired Ministers Fund, hn- related th'
interests of this movement 10 the
Asbury Centennial The CUmmIpsIOn
has had medal mndr and called the
Asbury Medal II IA of bronze and on
one side has the Pioneer Bishop on horse
back, over which IL inscribed the last
words of John Wesley, "Ihc Best OF
Al ia-GUd IA With U.s.. On the other
AIDE IL statement Of the claim of the
Retired Ministers for II $lO, 900, 600 fund
President Woodrow Wilson has con
4ented to be prc-"nt at the AnnlvcrAhrl
Service ON Friday, March 3lst. and t.
deliver nm address.
There may be- u service of "A sIfnllh
character arranged to be- held AT MI
Olivet Cemetery where Nil that ~ mortn
Df Bishop A Sbury rests awaiting tn
resurrection Of tn" just Al that ger
vice 1t IL possible that Billy SUNDAY vii
speak
The election Of ministerial delegate
to the General Conference II always nj
occasion Of intense interest to tn
preachers For months before thu
annual gathering the prevailing topl
Of conversation IL who IL gong to tn
General Conference" and the spcculh
! tIOns and mental predictions are mat
tiers Of real amusement,
There seem TO be numerous and differ
ing notions M to the classof men to sem
to the General Conference. One says to
| much Oiliclhllsm represented there, an
| for ,iIaL reason no District Superlnten
dent or others holding Official position
shall go. Some think 1t II not well l
return the same men too often, Riv
others II chhnce, Nc. ANA 30 It become
n matter OF excitement ana interest t
observe the character OF ballot.
There IL always the lntenscst lhteres
in the fixIng Of the appointments an
the final assignment OF preachers l
their charges.
The uncertainty OF appointments
more in evidence since the removal q
the time limit. This action however
does not apply TO the District SuperIn
tendents. They cannot continue on on
District longer than six years. 50 tina
at the coming sessions OF Conference
only two men OF necessity must b
moved by tn" law Of the Church lhea
are Rev. j. St.Clalr Neal u. D., ana Rev
George &. Bacon D. D., HnperIntend
ent of East Baltimore and Frederic
| Districts respectively. Or Neal ha
been elected 10 the Office OF CorresponC