The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-18

raj districts and the district stewards TO the seNof"
charges.
The presiding elders are to see that this money is
collected and transmitted to the book agents VINO
are to become its custodians, and TO make detailed
reports OF the same to the Annual Conferences
permanent fund Is also TO be created by collections,
donations and requests which is 10 be held intact
by the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
the interest of which shall be subject to the order
OF the General Conferences
l. 10 ray the expenses Of the General Conference.
2 TO pay the expenses of DELEGATIONS appointed by the
General Conference to correspondng bodies, l. .,o
10 relieve the necessities Of the superannuatsd and
those who have died In the work
GENERAL CONFERENCE EXPENSES TO m ElDr.
The report further recommends
!. That book agents New York and Cincinnati be
s "a
he he o y s
that hs bishops Be authorized to aproroa the snid
best Judgment OF their ability meet the same and notify
he sessions IN s Oh '' syn" "pp0r'0he' 70 'n0'
That ha be The n 9y Of S said
claim Tor the expenses OF its delegation.
This report called forth considerable discussion,
in which Messrs George, Of St. Louis, chairman Of
the committee Goode, ofIndana McMurray, ofCen-
trail Pennsylvania; Curry of New York East Confer
enccs, and Others participated.
Mr.. GEORGE made o conservative speech In favor
OF the report DIR. Goode thought the salaries Of
bishops should be subject to tho same contingencies
as those of presiding elders and preachers He was
opposed to the creation Of any fund for episcopal
support. Dr.. GOode 10 q thorough radical and
few days ago introduced resolution declaring that
the bishops are not distinct order from the
elders, sc.
report.
DR.. CURRY considered this movement in the
right direction. The present mode of paying the
bishops salaries ont of the product Of the Book
Concern. he commended, was both unconstitutional
and unjust. This money has been devoted to the
support OF worn-Out preachers and their families
and the widows and orphans of deceased preachers.
Besides the Book Concern is not able to bear those
burdens; and moreover, the bishops should be
brought into closer sympathy and accord with the
people than they now are. Isolation Is weakness;
close connection Is strength. lie hoped, therefore,
the report would be adopted.
LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE.
Dr. OsBoN, of New York, remarked that by so
the bishops they would diminish the amounts to be
raised for superannuated preachers. The people
are already OvertaXed with collections. SIX be-
nevolent collections are taken up annually IN the
churches. In regard to the pro rata division ne
| pastors. While the bishops receive salary OF
$4,000 the pastors receive but $1,000; but suppose
that only threequarters Of opeu gB6oSpR UonaSSef
rplssiitrf aaacency, but the pastors must go minis
theirs. The arteries of the Church already bied
az much as they can stand, and he therefore hoped
! this report would not be adopted
DR.. KITCulE, OF Illinois, cansed general laughter
by the lrsh bullo that where they collect the most
money they can get the most II be wanted good
water he would not 20 to an old well where they drew
quart every three months, but where they drew
1t by barrels daily II had been said that we have
six collections for benevolent purposes annually.
This was but one every two months--not enough to
keep the people religious. They should have such
collections semi-monthy. lie wanted all the people
to have something to do In the support OF the
bishops. He wanted those who make money out of
the publication Of religious literature TO give to this
object, as well as those who buy and read such
literature. And he hoped that by 1875 the entire
burden OF episcopal support would be taken from
the Book Concern, that its money may be dc.
voted to the widows and orphans, for whom it was
originally and religiously devoted. 1t would add
100000 TO the fund for their comfort and which
they greatly need and he hoped no man would lift
up hand to diminish the fund for their support.
The Rev. Mr.. BARNES opposed the adoption Of tho
Church.
Hon. B. r. BONNER, of st. Louis did not like the
way Mr. Barnes was handling the subject for the
laymen. He thought the latter could speak for
themselves. He read from the sixth restrictive
rule which prohibits the General Conference from
appropriatng the produce of the Book Concern or
olthc Charter Fund to any other purpose than for
the benefit of the travelling, supernumerary, super
animated and WORKOUT preachers, their wives
widows and children. For long years, he said,
| THE CHURCH HAS VIOLATED IT'S OWN CONSTITUTION
In this regard. We are not doing the honest thing
| when divert this money from the widows and
| children of our brethren who sleep in minister's
graves. His brother osbon, was mistaken when he
said the arteries are bled az much they bear
| lie believed those arteries are growing increasing
and multiplying annually, and he believed the lag
men are ready TO meet every demand for the sup
port OF the Church, and that they are not impover
/ ishing themselves ut all by what they give. This
money for the bishops support should come from
the whole Church and not from one Of its most i'm
portlnt interests. They may lnd some difficulty In
tn beginning in raising the entire amount, but
when the people understand the matter they will
give freely, and he pledged the laymen of the great
mississippi Valley to make good the deficiencies
thus imposed upon the Book Concern.
Mr. JEwETT and Dr. PERsHING also advocated the
adoption of the report. The latter remarked that If
the number OF bishops were increased TO sixteen
the highest number suggestcd-the additional cost
to the Church by the proposed plan will be but 10
TO each &c enatge lie dd not think the people would
OBJECT 70 this me more the people are educated
Rev. J. NJ. BUCKLEY favored the plan proposed.
lie looked upon the present means Of episcopal
professionalism, and Romanism has never had any
thing like it.
now THE PLAN WILL WORK.
Mr.. BREHLE took a statistical view of the mat
ter lie said that the Methodist Episcopal
Church .hl has lSoo,ooo members and that the
sxty-cight and three-quarter cents per mem
Der, and yet he heard delegates on this door
| this sum be raised to seventy-ave cents it would
! give the Church an additional $g3 $50 which would
easily support more bishops than the Church
| wants. He was surprised that any objection should
! be made TO the PLAN He hoped no one would talk
| again about TOO many collections being taken up.
/ Dr. WALDEN, OF Cincinnati favored the provision
/ suggested because IL brings the bishops nearer TO
! the people and leaves the Book Concern free to
carry out the object for which it was created
namely to give the people a pure religious litera-
ture at cheap and practical rate and also because
he believed the bishops to be travelling preachers,
and entitled TO draw on the Book Concern for any
deficiencies in their salaries, he was not opposed to
this part OF the plan.
Rev. Mr.. CowLEs called for the previous question:
which was ordered. and the report was almost
unanimously adopted.
Bishop AMEs then, on behalf Of his colleagues,
thanked the Conference for placing them in
proper pecuniaiy relation to the Church.
committee OF five to nominate General Confer
enec trustees was asked for by Or. Walden ami the
Conference then resolved Itself into
PRAYER MEETING, FOR THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT
upon the delegates In their choice Of Bishops next
Tuesday. Dr. George Peck led the d,.yotions, ana
DIS GOode, Trimble. Slicer. Foster And others