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Auditing.
Your auditing committee respectfully report
that we have examined the accounts of the Presiding Elders and
find them correct. That we find the Secretary's accounts correct
and also the accounts of the treasurer.
Frank
W. Bross, Frank A. High, G. A. Luce.
Bible.
WHEREAS. The Bible
contains the blessed gospel of the Son of God, which is the
central force of the evangelization of this world; and that in
proportion, as the Bible is circulated and read among the great
masses of the people so will vital piety and pure religion take
hold upon them and not only lift them out of sin into
righteousness, but, will bring Christ into their very hearts and
lives, and WHEREAS, The American Bible
Society is the great agency in circulating the Scriptures,
therefore, Resolved, That we, as a Conference, show our
appreciation of this society by using our influence for it. and
presenting its claims to our congregations. Signed,
R.
W. Conley, W. A. Wilson, D. C. Worts, Wm. Van Buren.
Church Extension.
To the North Nebraska Conference:
The Board of Church Extension of the Methodist
Episcopal Church makes general statement of the work of
twenty-seven years.
The organization of this work, though directed
by the General Conference of 1864, was not completed until the
latter part of 1865, and the work really began in 1866.
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From 1866 to August, 1893, the board has collected and disbursed in round numbers, (the exact figures change daily) |
$4,885,750. |
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Of this, the general fund, derived chiefly from collections. but including special gifts for frontier churches, $250 each, and mountain fund specials of $100 each, contained, for use by donations to churches |
$3,135,000 |
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The loan fund contains a permanent capital of
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$1,750,750. |
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Making the aggregate above given |
$4,885,750 |
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With this the boord (sic) has aided 8,942 churches, more than one-third of the entire number owned by our church. |
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Our Conference has shared in this work as follows: |
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The collections taken in the churches of our conference from the beginning to November 1st, 1892. the close of the fiscal year of the board have aggregated |
$ 3,558.18 |
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Those reported to the board in Philadelphia from November 1st, 1892, to date are |
80.00 |
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Cash received by Conference treasurer |
454.00 |
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Making a total of |
$ 4.092.18 |
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Churches within out- bounds have received aid up to November 1st, 1892, the close of the last church extension year, to the number of 118. |
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By donations of |
$22,925.00 |
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And loans of |
32,450.00 |
Church architecture has been greatly improved under the auspices of the board, and we earnestly advise all who contemplate building to avail themselves of the facilities which the board has to offer.
In organizing new churches and in taking titles to church property, there should be great care to conform to the laws of the State and the discipline of the church. The necessary inforniation is now accessible to all in the book on Laws and Forms for Churches, prepared by Dr. A. J. Kynett. This and the necessary blank forms can be obtained of him.
Resolved. That, 1. We congratulate the church upon the great work accomplished by our Board of Church Extension, and commend it to the enlarged liberality all of our people.
2. The fact that our country is new, that our population doubles in less than thirty years, so that within another quarter of a century we shall exceed in hundred millions of people, and that the powers of evil are intensely active, demand that the work of church extension shall be greatly enlarged in the quarter of a century to come.
3. We will not he content until, in the enlargement of this work under the direction of the General Committee and Board of Church Extension, we shall fully perform the part assigned us as a Conference.
4. In order to do this we will, in our several appointments, avail ourselves of the helps provided by the board, in Christianity in Earnest
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and Glad Tidings, and will endeavor to lead all our churches to
respond in full to the call made upon them in pursuance of the
plans of the discipline.
J.
B. Priest, C. M. Griffith, John Crews, Committee.
Camp Meeting.
Whereas, The Methodist Church is a revival
Church; was born in a revival; has progressed by revivals; and, as
we already know, and as our good Bishop Walden, has said, we would
die out but for revivals, and, Whereas, Camp-meetings are and ever
have been, by us considered an excellent help to revivals.
Resolved, That we believe in camp meetings, old-fashioned Holy
Ghost camp meetings; camp meetings in which sinners are convicted,
mourners converted, backsliders reclaimed and believers
sanctified; but not in such camp meetings as suffer the devotional
and religious element to be sandwiched and squeezed to death
between matters which are only intellectual and recreative in
their nature. Resolved. That we favor a camp meeting on every
district and recommend that each presiding elder make all
reasonable effort to have a camp meeting on his district.
Resolved, That we do not deem it best to undertake, for the
present an annual Conference camp meeting. Signed,
J.
Crews. D. K. Tindall, J. H. Johnson, A. L. Kellogg.
Current Book Accounts.
We are obliged, after due examination, to
report gross negligence on the part of many of the brethren of the
Conference in the very important matter of settling with the Book
Concern. Our conclusion is based on the fact that out of over
$3,300 of accounts brought to this Conference for collection, less
than $1,000 have been collected. We therefore recommend that the
members of the Conference exercise caution in the matter of
purchasing their supplies: that we read, mark, learn and inwardly
digest the old rule of our discipline that refers to taking up
goods without a probability of paying for them.
We also recommend that a Committee composed of
one from each district be appointed to assist the Book Agents
during the coming Conference year in collecting the outstanding
accounts, with a view to an entire clearing up of our present
individual indebtedness. We further recommend that the Book
Committee at its next meeting, endeavor to devise some plan
whereby each Conference will be especially interested in the close
collection of the accounts within its borders. Signed,
T.
C. Webster, J. H. Wilcox, N. A. Martin, J. H. Frazer.
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The committee finds that no District
Conference is held on the Omaha District. A correct record is kept
of the District Conferences of the other Districts.
E.
Eggleston.
Education.
Whereas, Our Church has always considered
Christian Education among the very important departments of its
work. Believing that the highest type of Christian manliness and
power can only be produced by the best cultivation of heart and
brain, and, Whereas, Nebraska with her 40,000 Methodists affords
such splendid fields for the exercise of our noblest aspirations
and best endeavors in this broad field, in the conquest of the
world for Christ. Resolved, That we greatly rejoice in the
existence and usefulness of our Nebraska Wesleyan University. We
humbly thank God for the good work done in the past and pledge
ourselves to stand firm for her highest interests in the future.
The Unification plan in principle, meets the demands of our
educational interests in Nebraska, and has our full confidence and
support. We recommend, however, that article six in the Plan of
Agreement shall be changed by substituting the term three for that
of two, so that the article shall read: "When any three of the
Annual Conferences shall authorize the University Board of
Trustees to do so, the said Board of Trustees, acting as as a
Joint Commission, may if they so elect, make such changes in the
Plan of Agreement and articles of incorporation as shall be
proposed and endorsed by any three of said Annual Conferences,"
etc. etc., and we hereby call the attention of the other Nebraska
Annual Conferences to the necessity of such change. It is with
deep regret that we part with our Chancellor, that hero in the
work of the Master, Dr. Charles F. Creighton, The magnificent
buildings at University Plrce (sic) will continue to be a monument
to his wisdom, zeal and untiring efforts in the work of Christian
education, and wherever he may go, our prayers for God's choicest
blessings upon himself and his efforts in the Redeemer's Kingdom
shall follow him as the willing sacrifice of fraternal and loving
hearts. But while we part from one we love it is with great
pleasure that we here record our high appreciation of the wisdom
of our Board of Trustees in their selection of Rev. Isaac Crook D.
D., of California to the Chancellorship of our school. His
scholarship and work of the past are a splendid introduction to
his present field of labor, We accord to Dr. Crook our confidence,
esteem and brotherly love, bidding him welcome to our state, our
school and our homes, with the most earnest desire to be helpful
to him in his arduous task.
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We also congratulate the Board of Trustees on
their excellent judgment in the selection of J. W. Jennings, D.
D., as financial agent. A man who has met with eminent success in
every financial enterprise undertaken for the church in the past
ten years is surely the right man in the right place at a time of
great need. And the committee on education request, that the
Presiding bishop appoint Rev. J. W. Jennings financial agent of
the Nebraska Wesleyan University. And as pastors, we pledge
ourselves to aid him in his efforts for our School by opening his
way, in our charges and helping to carry out his plans and methods
or work, as Nebraska Wesleyan University belongs to every
Methodist in the State, and we are in favor of one great strong
lift by every man, woman and child in the State, until $40,000
shall be raised and endowment lots sold when we can make tuition
free and thus compete, we believe, with any school in the State
for merit and inexpensiveness. We are aware that many of our young
people who ought to have the advantages of academic schools are
not receiving such training. It is a matter of record, as shown by
the catalogues of many schools that from 70 to 90 per cent. of
their students come from a radious (sic) of fifty to sixty miles,
which strongly argues that schools create their own atmospheres
and that the planting of numerous seminaries at proper distances
apart, as is demonstrated by our schools in Iowa, is the most
successful method of reaching the multitudes of young people who
ought to be trained in our church schools. We therefore believe it
to be the duty of our Conference, as soon as suitable opportunity
and locations are offered, to locate one or more seminaries, which
shall become feeders to the University. But in no case could we
consent to the opening of a school until the property is free from
incumbrances and sufficient producing endowment raised to support
two or more teachers. Under this head your committee very
earnestly calls attention to the following: Whereas, a school was
located and maintained by this Conference at Central City. for the
space of six years, during which time a very creditable number of
students was in attendance, and, Whereas, said school became
financially embarrassed, passed out of the hands of this
Conference and now is the property of Bro. James Stephen, and,
Whereas, Bro. Stephen proposes to convey to the University Board
of Trustees for the North Nebraska Conference the buildings and
ten acres of ground for campus, in fee simple. together with a 50
per cent. interest in all the lots that may hereafter be sold up
to the number of twelve hundred, therefore, Resolved, That we
request the University Board of Trustees to seriously consider his
proposition, and consider whether within the next two or three
years, it will not be practicable to raise sufficient endowment so
that the school can be opened according to and in harmony with our
plan of unitication and the rules of the Board of Trustees.
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We are gratified with the present general
financial showing of the condition of our school, is presented by
Prof. Ellenwood from the records of the Board of Trustees in June.
But the fact that our net liabilities in June, 1893, are $3,020
greater than in June, 1892, which increase is largely for current
expenses warns us of the stern necessity of it much larger income
or a curtailment of expenses, or both.
Dr. Charles H. Payne has called our attention to
the fact that our general Board of Education has aided eleven
students from within the bounds of our Conference the last year to
the amount of $379, while our collections have only reached
$231.58. We therefore recommend that Children's Day be observed by
all our Sunday Schools according to the Discipline and our
pastor's make greater efforts to aid the Board of Education in its
work. Resolved, That we rejoice in the excellent and easy
facilities at the disposal of our young preachers for obtaining a
thorough theological training and recommend them to attend some
one of our theological schools at their earliest convenience. We
recommend the following Conference visitors: To Garrett Biblical
Institute, J. W. Miller, C. M. Griffith; De Pauw School of
Theology, J. W. Jennings, T. C. Clendening; Iliff School of
Theology, J. W. Robinson, N. A. Martin; for trustees of Nebraska
Wesleyan University to fill vacancies made by expiration of time,
John D. King of Wayne, and J. W. Robinson of Central City. We
recommend as officers of our Conference Educational Society, Wm.
Gorst, president; H. A. Barton, vice president; J. B. Priest,
secretary; C. M. Griffith, treasurer. Signed,
J.
W. Robinson, A. Hodgetts, G. H. Main. Wm. Gorst.
Epworth League.
Whereas. We see in the Epworth League one of
the most important instrumentalities which our great church is
using for the glory of God and the emancipation of our race, and
view with great satisfaction its wonderful growth into an army
over 666,000 strong, and Whereas, We believe it may become a
prominent factor in the success of every pastor, therefore,
Resolved, First, that we earnestly urge its adoption and use by
every charge in this Conference. Second, That inasmuch as it is
proven that the League has only to be given a fair opportunity to
demonstrate its power and efficiency upon our circuits and smaller
charges, we therefore discard the too-much prevalent idea that
only the cities and towns derive benefit from its use, and do
hereby ask every Pastor to give the Epworth League a trial. Third,
That we recommend the emphacising of the work of the Christian
Department in every League: of making the League a revival of
old-time Methodist usages, such as kneeling in prayer, the use of
Methodist hymnology, and to this end especially commend the
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use of a course of reading for each League, covering the
history and polity of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fourth, That
we would remember that the discipline makes obligatory the
Presiding Elders District League, and would again assert our
loyality to the State League. Fifth. That among the agencies for
the care and training of Methodist children, we recognize the
Junior League as one of the most potent and useful. And we
recommend, and do pray, that its power and usefulness be, not a
matter of indifference to the brethren, but that as an
instrumentality it may be more than ever before. Sixh, That we
commend the Epworth Herald to every League, family and individual.
as a bright, usefill and helpful paper. Signed,
J.
T. Knuckey, G. It. McAdam.
Episcopal Fund.
Whereas, This Conference raises, practically
about one third of its apportionment for "The Episcopal Fund,"
apparently losing sight of paragraph 280 of our Discipline, which
says: "The amount apportioned to each Pastoral Charge for the
support of the Bishops shall be a pro rata claim with that of the
Pastors and Presiding Elder; and no Pastor Or Presiding Elder,
shall be entitled to his allowance except to the extent to which
the claims of the Bishop are also met by the Charge or District
with which such Pastor and Presiding Elder are connected. And it
shall be the duty of the Annual Conferences to see that the
amounts apportioned to the different Pastoral Charges for the
support of the Bishops are raised and forwarded quarterly, when
practicable, of the Treasurer of the Episcopal Fund."
Therefore,
Resolved, That we recommend the reading of this
Paragraph in the 1st quar. Conf. held in every Charge, and that an
earnest effort be made to carry out the letter and spirit of these
clear instructions
Signed, W.
K. Beans, J. B. Leedom.
Freedman's Aid and Southern Education.
In looking over the work of this society we
are convinced that a thorough understanding of its history will
satisfy the most incredulous that it has an imperative right to a
hearty support. The amount paid to the society at this Conference
is $340; a decrease from last year of $54. Our apportionment for
the year now before us is $684. We recommend that the preachers
secure the printed service prepared by the Society, and sent free
of cost upon application, and hold a special meeting upon all the
charges, and by all means secure the full amount apportioned.
Signed,
H.
A. Barton, H. C. Myers, J. H. Wilcox.
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Missions.
Without disparagement of any other connectional interest we recognize the Missionary Society as the oldest and greatest of all on societies. We rejoice in its evangelizing agency, as demonstrated in the multitudes that are embracing Christianity in India; in the increasing progress made in China, and in other foreign fields, and in the valuable aid given to our work at home. We especially recognize
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