Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-05-22
General Conference Superiutendents.

by death, superinduccd by overwork /,
as has been that of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the United States
during the past four years. Indeed,
half of the effective bishops who pre-
sided at the General Conference four
years ago have gone to their blissful
reward There arc FIVE out of nine
remaining, four Of whom only are
effective, and they are nearing the al.
lotted time of mans probation on the
earth Bishop Thomas Morris, the
senior Bishop Of the Methodist Church,
has been superannuated .hese many
years, but by Outstanding once strong
and vigorous constitution he is able to
travel from bis Ohio home to the East
and be present at the General Confer
ence now in session in Brooklyn. He
is in the seventy.oigh.h year OF his
life, the fifty-sixth of his ministry and
the thirty-sixtb Of his episcopate. lie
entered the Ohio Conference in 1915,
when that State was the "Great Vest
aud nearly all beyond was unknown
territory. He performed yeoman's
service for the Church in that region
when such men OF indomitablc courago
and perseverance, and fne physical
constitution were needed TO plant
1 Methodism in the New World. Last
Sunday, April 2S, he completed his
seventy eighth year, and as he looks
back over the progress which his
Church and bis country have made
during his conscious lifetime his heart
naturally swells with satisfaction and.
gratitude TO God, who has spared him
so long. Though advanced in years
the Bishopisby no means an "old fogy."
lie has kept pace with the march Of
human progress, and no man TO day
rejoiccs more than he in the develop.
menls of the last few years. Bishop
Morris was in his time a fluent preach-
er, a ready writer and laborious
pastor. His crown is awaiting him
over tho river.
Bishop L. S James, though not the
Oldest in years, is now the senior cffec.
tive Superintendent of the Church.
He has just passed the sixty fifth year
of his age, the forty.second of bis min.
istry and the twenty eighth of his
bishopric. lie joined the Phiadel-
phia Conference in 1880, and was
chosen to the episcopal Office by the
General Conference which met in this
city in lS44-the year in which the
Methodist Church divided on the sla-
very question. lie has lived to see
that bone of contention ground TO
powder and made an agent TO over
throw the fabric which itself raised -
He has been in labors abundant ever
since, and last year he ira; clled over
twenty-five thousand miles to meet
Annual Conferences. When il is re-
| mcmbcred that there are scventy.two
conferences in the United States and
but -four bishops to meet them it will
DO seen that their yoke is not easy nor
their burden light one. As a preacher
Bishop James ranks high. On subjects
vital TO Mcthodsm, such as missions,
church extension and itineracy, in
which he is deeply interested, he bo-
comes eloquent, and his musical voice
when warmed up gives him power
over an audience which comparatively
few ministers possess. He is an adj
mirabe executive officer and is greatly
beloved by his ministerial brethren. =
His home is in this city.
Bishop Levi Scott is in the seven
tieth year of his age. the forty. sixth
of his ministry and twentieth Of his
episcopale. During those twenty years
be has failed to meet but three of tho
conferences assigned TO him, and those
failures were caused by sickness last
year. He entered the Philadelphia
Conference in 1896 His home is in
Delaware, where his presence in the
community is felt as the genial sun
shine after shower on the new mown
grass. Bishop Scott was elected 10
this Office at a time when be was Book
Agent in the Methodist publishing
house in this city and the present
agent, DR.. Carlton, was elected to that
position tho same year, and has re-
manned in it ever since. Tho gentlo-
ness and gcniaiiy of Bishop Scott's
nature arc very manifest in all his
sermons and uiterances. His chief
desire is to spend and be spent in the
service of Christ and of the Church of
his choice. He is in rather feeble health
al present.
Bishop E. r. Ames is now little
over sixty.six years of age, having
been born March 80, 1906. He en-.
tered the Illinois Conference in 1880,
and was elected to the episcopal office
in 1852 by the General Conference,
which met in Boston. lie has a fine
physical frame and looks young and
, active enough for work for many
years yet in his Masters cause Tho
Bishop has in him the elements of
success in almost any line Of business
be might pursue. A vein of quiet
humor underlies bis mental conslitu-
tion, and he uses a little OF il once and
again TO rcliovc the tedum of debate
among his brethren. He is, however,
by some considered to be little too
imperious at times in ruling upon i'm
/ portant matters which have agitated
the Church. But no one has doubted
that he has acted most conscientiously
He is a very pleasing, though not a
very brilliant preacher but is n good
executive officer aud laborious workc
in the Church
+ Bishop Matthew Simpson lacks
I; abouta month Of being sixty.one years
of age. lie was born juno 10, 1911,
and is tho youngest of the bishops -
He joined tho Pittsburgh Conference
, in 1888 and was made bishop by the
General Conference of 1852. As a
preacher it is doubtful whether hc has
any superior in tho Methodist Episco-
pal Church in the United States. His
eloquencc is of that kind which draws
the community and cnchains them,
and it is easier for the Bishop to keep
together and entertain and instrt u Il
congregation OF two thousand pci-ons
for Two hours than il would be ios our
average ministers 10 keen and cnter.