| OCR Text |
Show AFTER T1NTHK Work Before the Annual Meeting of the Utah Mission of the M. E. Church. DISTINGUISHED VISITOKS COMING. v. 'i V. The University Project at Ogden to be Considered Eeniarkable Growth of Church in the Last Two Decades. There will be a notable gathering of ministers and church workers in this city next week. Tho occasion will be the annual meeting of the Utah mission of the Methodist Episcopal church, which meets on Wednesday, June 25th, in the Scnndanaviau M. E. church and will continue in session for about one week. Tho session will be of unusual interest inter-est as It is tho twentieth anniversary of the beginning of the Methodist work in the territory of Utah. Bislrop W. X. Wiude of Topeka, Kausas, will pros ide The entire work of tho year, both in church and educational work, will be carefully reviewed and plans will be mapped out for the work of tho coining year. It is expected that about one hundred ministers anil teachers will be present. THE UNIVERSITY PROJECT. One matter of special interest that will eome up for consideration is the university project atOirden. The foun- dation for tho first buifdiug, which will cost $00,000, has been about completed and at tho close of this conference tho corner stone will bo laid with appropriate appropri-ate ceremonies. Governor Thomas and other prominent citizens, as well as many distinguished visitors from the east will bo present. Tho Methodists of this city will on Tuesday evening give a reception to tho members of the conference iu the parlors of tho 1'irst Jr. E. church. On Wednesday morning the business sessions ses-sions begin at the Scandinavian church and will continue through tho morning morn-ing of each day.unt.il tho end. These meetings will bo open to tho publio, and all parties interested iu tho work aro invited to attend. ' DISTINGUISHED VISITOKS. On the evening of each day there will bo anniversary exercises of" tho various va-rious interests, at which addresses will bo undo by a number of leading church workers from the cast. Anioug tho distinguished dis-tinguished visitors who will be present aro Bishop Ninde, of Topeka, Kan., Kcv. C. H. Payne, D. D. LL. L.. of New York, secretary of the board of education of tho 'M. E. church, and formerly president of the Ohio Wesvlian university; Key. A. J. Kynette, I). D. LL. D., of Philadelphia, secretary of tho board of church extension, and tho Rev. Sam Small, of Atlauta. (la., the noted evangelist. It is now probablo that Rev. Mr. Small will accept tho presidency of the new university at Ogden. Mr. Small is now iu Nebraska, taking part in the prohibition campaign in that state. A SMALL BEGINNING. Tho growth of Methodism iu Utah territory has beou phenomenal. In May, 1870, Rev. G. M. Pierce, the first M. . missionary in the territory, arrived ar-rived in Salt Lake City. Tho first place regularly occupied as a mission headquarters in the territory, was an unfurnished hay loft over a livery stable sta-ble on Second South street, between Main and First East streets. This was fitted up as a church and a rental of $000 was paid for it. This modest beginning is now represented repre-sented by property iu churches, schools and really worth about one-half million mil-lion dollars. Instead of ono missionary mission-ary only, tho church has now C8 ministers minis-ters scattered throughout the territory. The oue parochial school which was at that time founded has grown until, instead in-stead of ono teacher, some forty are now required. THE CHILDREN EDUCATED. Last year there were enrolled in the M. E. schools in the torritory, between 1500 and 1000 pupils. In the twenty years of its existence, the church has had under its care, at various times, for a louger or shorter por-iod, por-iod, nearly 8,000 children. Of this number about three-fourths havo been of Mormon parentage. During the year just closing the M. E. church has received from tho east for the various departments of its work in Utah over $50,000. There are now over thirty M. E. churches aud chapels in tbe territory with a membership of over 1000 members. WORK AMONG THE SCANDINAVIANS. The M.JE. Mission among the Scandinavians Scandi-navians of thejterritory was organized eight years ago and it has become a very important branch of the work. Rev. Mr. Franklin was' the first minister minis-ter iu charge of this branch and it has made most satisfactory progress since. Thero are now eight ministers and twelve or fifteen teachers in this department de-partment of the work, under the Rev. Mr. Nelson, presidiug elder. Much of this prosperity is due to tho earnest work of Rev. Dr. 1 1 i IT, superintendent superin-tendent of the M. E. mission in. Utah. Mr. Iliff has had charge of the work for eighteen years, and for fourteen years has had his residenco in tho territory. |
