Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1897 — Northwest M. E. Conference. [ARTICLE]

Northwest M. E. Conference.

Elaborate preparations are being made for the entertainment of the northwest Indiana conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, which meets in forty sixth annual session in Lebanon, Sept. 7th, and continues through Sept. 14th. Dr. H. A. Tucker, pastor of the Lebanon M. E. church, and a committee of competent workers have the preliminary arrangements well in hand. Ample arrangements have been made for the entertainments! a large crowd. Dr. Tucker estimates that the attendance will not be less than 500. The fact that Dr. J. G. Campbell, the conference railroad secretary, has not been able to secure reduced railroad rates, may cut down the attendance somewhat. The northwest conference includes about thirty counties in the north and west part of the state. The number of ministerial members of the confer-

ence is 214, divided as follows: Superannuates, 26;fsupernumeraries, 7: effective elders, 109: effective deacons, 18; probationers, 19; candidates for admission, 11; supplies, 24. The total number of members and probationers in the conference is 40,337, while the membership of the Sunday schools is 41,855. This year the interest is increased on account of the large number of vacancies made in the leading pulpits of the district. Among them are the First church of Terre Haute, First church of South Bend, St. Paul’s of Lafayette, College avenue of Greencastle, and the Crawfordsville and the Frankfort churches. Three presiding elders will also be appointed.