Smyrna times., 1880-04-28
The Methodist General Conference.

One Of the most important religious
meetings to be held this year will be the
quadrennial session Of the Methodist Epis.
copal church, to be held in Cincinnati next
month. The body will be composed Of
delegates from eighty.nine annual confer
encss of the church in the ratio of one cer-
ical delegate for every fOrty-nine members
of the annual conferences. This will make
the general conference consist of about four
hundred and fifty members. Each annual
conference also sends one or two lay dele.
gates, but what these members do is one Of
the things that has not yet been found out.
The general conference will have some
important questions to deal with. The one
that most of the members of the church
are interested in is probably that of extend.
ing the time minister can remain at one
church, which scheme has many adherents
in the church. The matter will be thor
oughly discussed in the conference and
some decision reached. What this decision
will be can only for the present be sur.
missed. But those best posted are confident
the limit will not be very entirely removed,
and that it will be very little, if any, ex.
tended.
Another subject that will be brought up
will be the presiding elder question. There
is strong desire to change this branch of
the church government, and have the pre-.
siding elder elected by the oonferences and
not appointed by the bishop. The eastern
conferences are mainly asking for this
change, while the West seems Indifferent
as to what course Is pursued. In soms
places there is a desire to abolish the posi-
ton altogether, hut it is not at all probable
that this will be done, or even that there
will be any modification of the present
system.
| 1t is generally conceded that there will
be at least four new bishops elected by the
conference, and this number may be in
creased to six, as there are vacancies to fill
and it is thought more will be needed to
attend to the increasing duties imposed
| upon these officers of the church. There
will be no lack Of candidates for this i'm
portant office, as to be made bishop seems
to be the highest position to which Meth.
odist Clergyman aspires. OF the names
mentioned as candidates, there are two, at
least, whose election seems certain. These
are Rev. DR.. j. +. Hurst, president of Drew
theological seminary, and Rev. DR.. Cyrus D.
Foss, president of the Wesleyan university,
Aiddletown, Connecticut. There are other
prominent candidates in various portions of
the country, the West furnishing its share.
Rev. DR.. j. NJ. Walden, of Cincinnati, one
Of the book agents of the church, who
came so near being elected eight years ago,
will be supported by large number OF
friends. Rev. DIR. II. B. Ridgaway, also OF
Cincinnati, and man with few equals as a
preacher, will be prominent candidate.
DR.. II. II. Warren, of Philadelphia, who has
spent'his entire time in the itenerancy and
who has held no important position in the
church will be recommended by the eastern
conferences. Rows. c. II. Fowler, of New
York, A. J. Kynett, of Philadelphia, the
present secretary, Z. o. Haven, of Syracuse
X. NJ. Hatfield, Evanston, Illinois, E. @
Fuller, Atlanta, Dir. StrattOn, San Francisco
S. F. Upham, Boston, are all mentioned in
, connection with the vacant bishoprics, and
there are doubtless many others who will
be brought forward for the office. 1t will
be seen that some Of the very best educa
. tors of the church are mentioned. The
Methodist colleges find it hard to retair
, their presidents, who are so frequently
, chosen for the position of bishop. The
, ministers named as candidates for the
vacant places are all men worthy of th,
/, position and would add strength to th'
present Episcopal college.