Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-05-08
The Methodist General Conference.

ilS WSuiOulSt AGtlCt al SOflISIGIICet
The general conference of the M. E
hurch, which sits at Philadelphia this
week, will be in number of WAYS a
memorable gathering. The 40 mem
bers of it represent ninety-nine annual
conferences, Il 900 Itinerant ministers,
a membership OF nearly 1900, 900, and
an affiliated public OF twice as many
more These quadrennial sessions are
the only places where the organic law
of the church can be revised, and are
also (thOugh this has no relevancy the
only places where one can be elected q
bishop, or any other general confer
eDce pOsitiOn,' such as editor of a
Christian Advocate, missionary secreta-
ry and the like. The general confer
ence is essentially clerical body. The
conference of preachers elect the dele
gates. Lay members have no voice in
/ he matter. There are now. however,
what are called clay delegates" wko
are supposed to represent The laymen
of the church. But, as in numbers
they form only One-third of the total,
and, in a majority of cases they are
themselves preachers, the lay represent
alton is chiefly ornamental.
The electIOns this year are likely to
! be more than commonly exciting.
here will probably be chosen no less
than four bishops, perhaps six, and We
have st. Panl's authority for it that ''if
d man desire the office Of bishop he
! desireth good thing,'' a text which
! the methodist brethren fully live up to.
There is easOn to fear that the confer
ence will commit a blunder this year in
the election Of DIR. John H.. Vincent as
| bishop, choice which could be easily
carried by accIamatiOn. But to do this
would be 10 endanger his Sunday-schOol
and Chautauqua work, which no one
else can be chosen to carry on as we'll
as he does. Dr.. Vincent is greater
where he is than he would be as bishop.
Among the other probable candidates
tor this high office are several from this
vicinity among them Rev. DIR. Fowler,
DR.. Ninde, President Cummings, etc.
The Rev, Dr.. George will also stand a
show tor high position if he will take
it.
There are several important questions
of organic change which viii come up
for decision. The one which, ii it is
taiIly opened, will excite the warmest
discussion is that of ''the three years
limit AS the case stands, no preach
CT can be LETT more than three years IN
a charge. There are TWO classes inter
ested i'll extending the pastoral term.
They are the able preachers VINO dislike
to move so often. and the difficult city
churches where 1t takes a minister three
years 10 get things into working order
" hatever may be thought Of the case
OF the preacher there is no doubt bu
that methodist work is seriously ham
pered Uy 1.-The three years ruie.
There is another element in the prob
lem. it is Lhe TACT that outside or two
or three of the Ial gesC cltlEe the ENJOY
al or an able minister means removal t
another conference or his putting III
with Il weak appointment. Hence Cher
J has grown up a system OF transfers
from one Conference To another III pur
/ suit az rich appointments which ha
| stirred up IL good IL III ul bad blood.
but, tor all that, the opposition TO al
f extension of the pastoral term will b
/ very strong. 1t viii come, in part
from the old fogies, who see ruin il
: .pewed churches and settled preachers
2 but most from the rank and file OF tn
conferences themselves, for the reaso
= that new deal once in three years give
I every man the benefit OF ''revaluatio
S by the appointing power, as well as
/ better chance OF drawing prize. a
: happened last fall to young Rev. Swi1
s at Centenary church in this city. 1t
: very doubtful whether any change wi
s be made.
e In two points it is expected that thi
: conference will be as worthy of note q
2 all its predecessors. 1t will be compos
: ed of able men, of strong administrative
t ability and will go through a heav
: list OF business with decOrum and di
: patch--[Chicago News.