Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-06-13
THE General Conference of the


Methodist Episcopal Church, which
recently held its session IN brooklyn,
represented body of 10 less than a
million and half commandments. One
hundred and fifty years ago Methodlsm
had neither name nor place among
the institutions of the earth; now it
his the largest membership OF any
Christian ChurcIt in, Chrstiaudom not
aided by the state. In 1867 the mem
bership OF the Church was |, l+6,0Sl.
Ia 1871 it was l,42l, 1928, showing an
Increase of 275,242.. The number OF
churches III 1867 IL, l2l valued at S35,-
4S5,439 Now there are Is, 400 churches
worth 500, oil, 800. IN eight years the
church property has m ore than
doubled, such remarkable progress
demonstrates shat the cause OF religion
needs no aid tropf the state, but that
religious freedom is the safest and
best foundation for society and gov
ernmcnt.
One great event Of the General
Conference has been the election Of
the eight new Bishops. The choice
iell on Pres. Thomas Bowman, of Ash
bury University, lndianA; Rey, VIM
l. Harris, Assistant Missionary Secrc-
iary, and Conference Secretary for
many years past; Pres. II, 5. Foster,
ot Drew Theological Seminary; Rev.
Isaac ". Wiley, editor Of the Ladies
Repository; Rev. Samuel NJ. Merrill,
editor of the Western Cirttiaa Adrocate;
Rev. 4. G. Andrews, pastor Of the
Brooklyn Seventh Avenue Church;
Rev. Gilbert Haven, editor of ZtonS
Iaald and Rev. Jesse T. Peck, Of
Sy acuse, n. \. The Conference de-
cided that they should make their
homes, one each, at or near Boston,
Cincinnati, St Louis, Chicago, Allan
Ia, San Francisco, Omaha or Council
bluffs, and st. Paul. The Conference
correspondent OF the Western Adgocotc,
whose editor was one Of the elect,
writing beforehand Of the election I'M
dcr-currents says;
If all the men who think themselves
qualified, and whose friends think them
50, for the episcopal work, were to be
elected, the episcopal team would have
TO drive tandem for want Of room.
Tae workers Of the body are hoping
that the natural, but not very gracious,
agony will soon be over. | begin to
think that every candidate for General
Conference ought to be put under
oath, that he does not desire, and viii
not accept any Office in its gift. AS it
is, n few aspiraMtS cover the many
with roproach. \ better cure still
would be more frequent and profound
reflection on those Scriptures which
give the preference to others III honor.
Which reminds us how some Of our
Methodist contemporaries were great
ly agricycd with the Adcmcc, four
years ago, for suggesting that the pol
itcs Of the Conference intertcrcd with
its best work. Rev Dr. Eddy, form
err editor of the No,t,ucstcra CHRISTIAN
Adcocate. and DR., Read, the present
editor,an Bey. DR. DaShieI were elect
ed missionary secretaries. Rev. DR.,
Kynott was elected Secretary Of the
Church Extension Society. st. Louis
has been fixed upon for the next meet
ing Of Conference. The lay members
seem t. have worn their honors easily,
although they are accused Of a disno-
sition to instruct the old presiding
elders occasionally in parliamentary
usage. In occupation "a are lawyers,
10 merchants, - manufacturers, 10
bankers. ) farmcrs,4 Judges, 5 instruct
"rs, . editors and Publishers, 2 physi-
ciaaS, ! county treasurer, a postnas-
ter, butcher, an insurance agent,
pork packer, l a druggist, sur
veyor general, | a chancellor of State,
supreme judge, q United States
scnator.-A trance.