Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-03-08
The N. {.
CONFERENCE
Opens This Afternoon in
Atlantic City.
THE PROGRAM.
Statistics Showing the Growth
of the M. e Church in
New Jersey.

The M. E. Conference will convene
this afternoon in Atlantic City, and
it is expected that there will be an
attendance of more than 5000.
This is opening day, and in the af-
ternoon there will be an examination
in the conference course of study.
This will be followed in the evening
by the opening exercises, with the
sermon by Rev. Ketchum, of Tren-
ton. 1t will close with a reception
in the church to Bishop and Mrs.
Berry.
Wednesday will begin with the
Lords Supper, directed by Bishop
Berry, and at 10 o'clock there will be
the memorable service, conducted by
Rev. E. A. Ballard. The pentecostal
meeting opens the afternoon session
in Westminster Church, Rev. James
e. Lake presiding, and the sermon
will be by Rev. o. r. Heinz. At 8
O'Clock there will be a lecture by
Professor John Alfred Faulkner, of
Drew Seminary. Later there will be
a meeting of the New Brotherhood.
In the evening Sunday schools and
missions will be the topics.
Thursday will bring the first bust
ness session. In the afternoon there
will be the annual meeting of the
= Preachers Aid Society in the Lecture
room. Rev. Harry Farmer, Survey
Secretary of Maylasia and the Phil
ippines, will speak in the afternoon.
AT night there will be a temperance
gathering, Rev. J. Ward Gamble, we'll
known here as former pastor, pre-
siding.
Friday will be featured by the
anniversary of the Women's Home
Missionary Society, Mrs. M. E. Sny-
der presiding. In the evening there
will be an address by the Bishop and
Rev. Joseph Hingley. The morning
will be taken up with business mat
fers.
On Sunday there will be confer
ence Love Feast, morning worship
and the ordination of deacons and ell
ders. Sunday evening the Freedman's S
Aid Society will have a meeting.
Monday the chief thing of interest
on the program will be the Social
Service Commission meeting and per-
haps the announcement of appoint
ments by the cabinet. Get away day
will be on the following day. If the
appointments are not announced on
Monday, they will be given out on the
following day.
Reports Of the last session of the
conference showed that there are 342
churches of the Methodist Episcopal
denomination in the conference, rep
resenting a physical valuation of $4,-
S46,675. There were also 231 parson-
ages vita a valuation of $920,725.
The conferences churches have a
membership of 62,6S7, together with
1854 probationers, an increase of
5000 regular members and 3,005 pro-
bationers over the preceding year.
They contributed to pastoral support
during the year $304,225.
There are 357 Sunday schools in the
conference, with 1922 officers and
teachers and 1889 scholars. In ad-
dition the Epworth leagues have a
membership Of 1O,96S and the Junior
Epworth league, 9,619.
Reports as to the years of service
of the various pastors of the confer
ence show tnat Rev. Charles H. Elder,
pastor of Trinity church, Trenton, has
served in the one charge longer than
any other pastor Rer. Mr.. Elder has
been stationed at Trinity church for
the past seventeen years. The next
longest period of continued service at
one church is thirteen years.
There are 265 pastors in the con-
ference. OF this number, ITO have
served one year at their present
charges, "A, two years; 43, three
years; II, four years; 6, five years;
5. six ypears; 2, eight years; one, II
years, one Is years, and one, IL
years. Two are unassigned.