The Penn's Grove record., 1919-10-24
Eastern Nj. p. Conference


The Eastern Conference of the min
listers and equal number of lay mem
hers of the Methodist Protestant Church
held their annual session for a week
October 9th at Sh~ickshinny,
pa. The organization was as follows:
President, Rev. w. f. Varney, DID.
Secretary, Rev. w. E.. Pettet.
Assistant Secretary, w. S. Dunn.
Statistical Secretary, Rev. H. R.
Blackwood.
Conference Steward, Rev. c. S. Kidd.
The territory which the Conference
covers is New Jersey, Eastern Penn
svlvania and Southeastern New York
states. In this region are a few inde-
nendent Congregational Methodist
churches which were received into con-
n~ection with Eastern Conference.
The Conference adopted a resolution
expressing sympathy to President
Woodrow Wilson in his illness and
qualification at the report of physical
Improvement; also urging, if condition
permits, that he will sign the prohibit
ton enforcement bill, also ~pledging
their sincere support and appreciation.
Church Government
The characteristics of the Methodist
Protestants are that they have no pope
nor bishops. Each Church is governed
by the votes of the members. One lay
is elected by the Church members
and he has an equal vote with the min
isters on all business and as to who
becomes minister. 1t is purely democ-
racy in Church government.
MI ,,;,ie+are naaaf uaar1xr with tho
lay delegates. When the congregation
of any Church has voted for a change
of ministers there is an exchange of
ministers. By this method every
has a minister and every min
lister has a Church under democratic
government.
Church Doctrine
Democracy is a sacred word among
Americans, not only in the State, but
in the Church. In American Profess
tantism more thar forty per cent. of
the Churches AVE democracy as the
basis of their policy. If we include in
democracy. nearly all Protestant
Churches may be classed as democratic.
\ Church is a society with Christ
Cthe Spirit of God not a mar of flesh
and blood in the midst. a Church is
a of men and women inspired
and guided by the Holy Spirit that was
in Jesus of Nazareth, so called the
Christ, and is something more than a
membership in a club.
While there are diverse operations of
the same Spirit the Christian Church
is an association of Christians asso-
ciated in life and service for the adj
of the invisible spiritual
Kingdom of God on earth. Apostle sue
cession does o run down a thin
official line of priests. Apostle by de-
rivation and by New Testament usage
means simply missionary. Apostolic
succession is missionary succession. the
of that Spirit of Christ
which impels men to hand on the light.
to tell others the gospel, good news.
Ecclesiastical democracy has often
it should be the nursery of
missionary zeal. IT was true of the
of the first two centuries. The
vitality of the Pilgrim immigrants
came largely from it's missionary
character. One of the reasons given by
Bradford, of Massachusetts,
for their coming was that they had "a
great and inward zeal of laying some
good foundation. or at least to make
way t~hereunto, for the propa-
eating and advancing the Gospel of the
Kingdom of Christ in those remote
parts of the world"
Tha was the beginning of American
political Democracy.
The Appointments
District l.. Chairman, George D..
Jones. Atlantic City, Christ, c. D. Sim
kinson, DID,; Atlantic City, Trinity,
George D. Jones; Oceanville, A. r.
Reichert; Pleasantville, Mount Pleas
ant, w, E. Pettet; Pleasantville, st.
Johns, w. 1. Shoemaker; Scullville, j..
W. MINER; Steelmanville, supplied by
w. MINER; Somers Point, Chester A.
District ii. Chairman. w. D. Stultz.
B~arnesboro, w. B. Chalfant, DID,;
Bridgeton, First, w. d. Stultz; Bridge
ton, Second, S. R. Wilhelm; Friendship,
q. Walker; Glassboro, T w Smith;
L. Peterson; Melville, First.
Leesburg. under supervl-
sion of A. L. Peterson; Millville. First,
F. F. Craig; Millville, Second, A. l..
Peterson; Vineland, Samuel Blair; New
combtown, under supervision of A. l..
Peterson.
District III. Chairman, r. j. Patter-
son. Camden, Calvary, Jacob Spuril;
Camden, Memorial. supplied by Parry
Miller; Clementon. to be supplied;
H. H. Hampton; Haddonhelo
W. L. Norton; Moorestown, Ellery
Coons; New Brooklyn Circuit, A. a.
Lunning; Penns Grove, S. j. Dorion'
Point Erial and Watsontown Circuit
NJ. E. Mather; Westville, j. c. Cooy'
Runnymede, Robert Miller.
District W. Chairman, Thomas HOO
per. Allenwood, Aurice Parsells; Avon
C. r. Blades; Fair Haven, j. H. Brewer
G~lendola, NJ. H. Smith; Lake Como H.
R. Blackwood; Manasquan, Thomas
Hooper; Osbornville, to be supplleo'