The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-23

couple OF resolutions enough hcresy 10 make each IN
dvidual close communion hair the denominat'onai
head stand on end. They asserted that II man has
been redeemed and his forgiven he has right to
SIT at the Lords table whether he been sprinked
or immersed. There certainly hopo II we are to
be liberal that What the Baptsts will come TO al
last il they begin with that OF charity, which
embraces all who ove the Lord, dare not ven-
ture 10 predict Just think OF loving man who has
been only sprnklcd. while have gone down into
exactly weight gallons Of water.
Until your faith affords as strong evidence as your
senses you will fall short OF what your sight II Is
safer and walk by itn than by sight, for sight
is your sight, but faith is Gods sight
The ecccntricity OF the moral word In our Ian
guaee Is quite alarming Hereafter, II you please, we
shall let Wright write rite right and then, perhaps We
shall be able 10 read title clear
lazy man, either in the Church out, gets very
little sympathy. And yet lazness and luck some
times quantity conjonod for heard tho other day
that the why man who had tumbled from
roof into the and had hurt himself that
he lazy that he coudnt fall fast enough to inue
himself
There is very curious suggestion in the query OF the
little girl who told that Mr. Smith, neighbor, had
got the nomination. 'Got the nomination. How terri
Bile. Mother do people die of ts" For the
swer We are referred to tho who have been 'Shp
wrecked on the sands OF time"
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE.
One week hence the General Conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church OF tho United States win
assemble IN quadrennial session in BALTIMORE. The
delegates with reduced representation this year.
win number 500. and will represent constituency OF
1850, 900 church members and twice that number Of
nominal adherents in this country and fraterna dele
gates from other bodies OF Mcthodss this and other
lands The sessions Of the General Conference seldom
occupy less time than mouth, and frequently they
overrun that period leaving OF their business
unfinished at the flna, adjournment Tho Academy OF
Music has been hired and prepared for the Of the
Conference and the people Of Baltimore have gener-
ously opened their homes TO entertain the delegates
Four years ago. when the General Conference met in
Brooklyn. n " they adjourned to meet in ST. Louis,
May /, 1870 But tho depression OF business and tho
grasshopper plague have impoverished the few and
feeble Mcthodis.s Of that region that they could
entertain the Conference for a month without very
greatly increasing their burdens and Gripping Their
energies The Methodsts of Baltimore who four years
ago aDxious that the Conference should mecwth
thcm in this case camc promptly to the rescue of their
Western brethren and renewed their invitation and
annual conference after another has accepted It,
and tom week there will DO hustle and stir
that city such has not witnessed for many years
As preparation Tor that gathering the Bishops have
recommended that Friday be observed throughout
the churches day OF fasting and prayer for Gods
special blessing upon the Conferences that He VIII
graciousy guide and assist the delegates in all their
iberations and bring them to wise and just conclusions
on all questions that may como before them. Some or
these questions OF very great importance to the
Church at large. They include the
FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS MErnoDIsx;
the number OF bishops and their support; the
character duties aud tenure their Office and their
proper care when old ago cnfeebles them and unfit
them tor active work; the number and method OF
elccting the presiding elders sub-bishops OF the
Church and the OF their support; the tnerant
system; the probationary system; the Sunday school
department. its conduct and relation to the Church.
The ritual Of Methodsm and the cxpcnsvencss OF the
machinery OF this form OF Christianity, viii up
Tor hearing before thus General Conference.
At the close OF the last General Conference the
Methodist Episcopal Church bad thirteen bishops.
One, the senior Bishop, Norris has died since, and
years and pastoral work lie has been orsy.sx years
in the ministry ana twenty -iour In the cpiscopatc.
The last General Conference assigned the bishops
separate districts for the purpose OF residence only
They make out their own plan Of visitation the
nual conferences 10 suit themselves heretofore.
But the locating or them designed 10 pre-
vent tho tendency, very apparent among bishops
aud presbyters TO settle the Atlantic scaboard
leave the rest OF the country In measure uncarcd
Tor. There has since grown up among the churches q
provincial idea which would connc each bishop TO his
district province. This, however. Will hardly
find with the General Conference would SUBJ
vert the tinerant system To which tho bishops we'll
the prcsbyters required to adhere Previous
1872 the bishops were supported by tho profits OF the
Book Concern this city, but the last General Con-
ference threw this burden the Church largo
about $40 900 additional per annum with the proviso
that the Book Concern should make up Deficiencies
These aggregate than half OF tho entire
needed and II the episcopacy should be increased this
OF such large OF from tho business OF the
Concern viii very seriously interfere with It's useful
Tt.o Tar
bishops OF their nationality and tongue and the colorcd
Methodists want than two OF their race
cral Conference and were denled ana they will be-
without doubt, by this Conference also. newspaper
controversy has been wagcd during the past year con-
corning the bishops orders tenure OF Office
As deacons and elders they received each orina
tons and the point in dispute whether the third
Is necessary to the authority or fitness OF their epsco
pal Office seeing that they thereto elected by the
votes oil the General Conference
THE PRRLATICAL PARTY
insist that tho cpiscopacy third and higher order
Church than the others, and therefore demands
separate form or ordination or conservation The |
presbytcral radical party insist that the election
gives them all the honor, authority and dignity that
their office has or needs, and that they simply
elders like the OF the clerical body, only that
the time beng they chosen TO the
Of the Church. This party would rotate the office |
innrmty of age other cause. became disqualified
for active service II would send HIM back Con-
ference from whence he was taken to be supported
that body instead OF by the Church ut large This
will be thrust upon the General which
meets in Baltimore noxt week, and will need set
Element
The presiding elder system comes In Importance
ncxt TO the cpscopacy, and viii probably excite much
interest and controversy There 4z3 those
sub-bshops IN the Methodist Episcopal Church. and
their Office takes them away from the pastoral work
and makes their support burden on all the churches
reducing BY SO much-as some pastors think--thcir
salaries The cost Of the cldershp Is from i've eight
cents per member Two priucipal notifications OF |
this system demanded. One would en-.
largo tue districts and reduce the nulnpcr OF |
presiding elders. thereby giving them better support
and the people greater ability pay The other would
reduce the and greatly tho number Of dis
tricts that presiding elder could retain pastoral
charge 81 church and receive his support thcrcro,
and al the time exercise supervision
over churches in his vicinity With these third pro-
position connected-namely, 10 elect the presiding
elders annual conference instead Of having them
appointed by the Bishop rs they are now This propo
ston Is based on tho idea that the bishops appoint
favorics TO those positions. and over the |
church who are often tho least esteemed among their