Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-04
N. P. CONFERENCE
BACKS PRESIDENT
Pledged Loyalty i'll Resolutions
Adopted at Opening
Of Session.

baltimore, Md, April A.-Nlth loyalty
to America uppernost III their minds,
and eager TO assure President Wilson
of the unqualified support in the war
program of = constituency of about lOo,o 600
people, members of the Maryland Annual
Conference of the Methodist Protestant
Church passed resolutions yesterday at
the opening session IN Broadly Church,
pledging themselves to make all necessary
sacrifices to win the war. The action was
followed by the singing of My Country
'I'is of Thee, in which the ministers and
delegates heartily joined.
The resolution was embodied IN
lengthy paper submitted BY Rev. Drs.
Norman Ward and James II. Straughn,
calling attention to the peril and responsi-
bility with whichswe are confronted, and
to the justice of our entrance INTO the
war. The paper was passed by acclama-
tion and a copy ordered sent at once to
President Wilson
Rev DR.. Luther f. Warner was re-
elected president of the conference at
the afternoon session. His vote was
practically unanimous, only a few scatter
ing votes being cast for other ministers.
Rev. James Ii. Straughn was also re-
elected conference secretary and Rev. &.
2. Nowlin. conference treasurer, with
Rev. j. a. Dudley rs conference steward.
JOINT ORDINATION.
The question of the Conference uniting
with the other two Methodist bodies,
both of which are in session In the city,
In the union ordination service IN the
Lyric on next Sunday afternoon, came up
shortly after the conference convened and
was quickly settled. II conCurTcd IN the
plans as previously arranged and pledged
itself to join the other conferences IN the
service. 1t was later learned that the
Southern Methodists had turned down the
plan ''for denominational reasons. where
upon the Methodist Protestants decided
10 Join the Methodist Episcopalians IN
the service. Bishop William F. Nc
Dowell. of the Methodist Conference, had
decided 10 stand by the former plans, so
as the matter now stands, the union
service will only be between the Methodist
Protestants and the Methodist Eplsco-
palians.
The annual report Of President Warner,
the most important matter OF business
transacted yesterday, was an appeal Tor
a broader church policy, one that would
he able TO make its influence felt beyond
the technical sphere of its own activities,
and he registered a plea for men OF sufh-
cient vision and strength TO lead the church
out of beaten paths The report Of DR.
nearly one and half hours 10 read.
He sounded a note Of warning to the
ministry OF the church TO increase their
vigilance toward getting young men for
the ministry, adding that unless the
matter WAS given serious consideration
by the members Of the conference, it
would soon be facing what he termed
a ministerial crisis.
Following the roll-call Yesterday morn
ing there was q short memorial service
after whGh the memorial roll was read by
Rev. 5. i. Cassen. The conference re-
cessed at four O'Clock in order to permit
the ministers and laymen to go TO Mount
Vernon Place Methodist Episcopal Church
to hear an address by Rev. DR.. Lynn
Harold Hough on Christianity and the
War
Last night the conference sermon
was delivered by Rev William II. Lit
singer, pastor Of Mount ROYAL Avenue
Church, after which the Sacrament OF the
Lord Supper was administered.
NJ z CoNrERENCE.
4 ringing note of patriotism was
sounded at the very beginning Of the
opening meeting OF the one hundred
and thirtv-fourth session Of the Baltimore
Annual Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. which met yesterday
in the Caroline Street Church, OF which
Rev. Rov White Is pastor. The address
OF Bishop Henderson. executive secretary
Of the Methodist War Works Com
mission. was accompanied by continual
outbursts OF approval, intermingled with
anens and halleluiahs.
The speaker demanded the InWcrv'ng
LOYALTY OF every Methodist to the federal
governments war program, requesting
the mobilization of the whole church.
with all of its resources, A. q military
force, insisting ON the vigorous suppression
OF the spy evil AZ al hazards, and the
shooting OF every spy, man or woman,
convicted. and denouncing the propaganda
of pacifsm promulgated in certain pulpits
as dangerously near t0SsedItion.
n. L. CHURCH SOUTH.
At the opening session of the Baltimore
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South at Central Church. Ed
mondson avenue and Strickcr street
Yesterday morning, 3 resolution was
adopted in which the conference decided
to participate in the prohibition services
at the Lyric tomorrow evening. II was
also deemed advisable that the conference
should not participate in the joint ordi-
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