The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-10-02
OUR METHODIST BRETHREN
The General Conference 10 Meet in Rich
mOnd in MAY.

speaking OF tins important coming TO
gether OF the representatives of the NJ. T.
| church South, the Richmond State SAYS,
The General Conference of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church South composed oi
clerical and lay delegates in equal mum
berS. representing thirty-nlne annual con
ferences, and about one million of Meth
odlsts, Will meet IN Richmond the ist oi
May, 1886. The entire delegation Will
number over 800, and will he in session
from twenty TO thirty days This body
meets oneesln four years, and is presided
over by the Bishops OF the Church, now
five IN number, four having died since the
last General Conference met i'll Nashville
in May, 1882. Bishop McTyeire, of Nash
vile, Is the senior bishop since the death
OF Bishop Pierce, of Georgia.
While the Church has five different con
ferences viz, Church, Quarterly, Dis
trIct, Annual and General-the last named
Is the only one having Legislative powers.
This delegated body makes, alters or
amends all the laws and rules by which
the Church is governed. There are some
rules the General conference cannot alter,
however without the consent of the an
nual conferences. The body has in charge
the mission work in foreign fields. 1t Sc
lects the agents of the Publishing House
at Nashville, book editor, editors of the
connectlona! papers, secretary and treas
urer of the Board of Missions, and other
officers connected with the general work
1t also elects the bishops OF the Church.
The delegates to this body are elected by
the annual conferences at their annual
sessions, beginning in August of each year
and ending in March.
The approaching session in this city will
IN all probability, be one of unusual inter
est, having before it as it will many pro
positions for reform and improvement in
the various departments of Church work,
and all pressed by their respective advo-
Gates. Men of ability, rs they usually
are, will make the debates of this large
body of strong men unusually attractive.
One of the chief points OF interest during
the session will be the election of some
four or five or, it may be, more bishops.
This is done without nomination, every
delegate making his own selection, and
voting for the person that he thinks will
best fill this high, holy and important
office. There is always much speculation
among Methodists and their friends as
these elections are coming on. 1t may
be that there is a little religious ''wlre-
pulling, but of this we are not well IN
formed. We are told that excitement
sometimes run hlgh, and We cannot Won
der at this, for these men, good as we be
lieve them to be, are but mortals. All men
become excited when their feelings become
involved.
Mach speculation is already in the ali
concerning this very important question
to this large class of Christian people.
Men have their favoriteS, and will natur-
ally desire to see them promoted, and they
do see, or think they see, reasons for their
choice. The reporter is not familiar
enough with the differ mt parts of this
Christian communion to form any correct
judgment of the opinions of its parts, but
we can state what is talked of i'll this lati-
tude. We are very sure that episcopal
lightning cannot strike all of even the few
we shall name: it may strike some of the
following: DR.. Z. r. Hendrex, of Missouri;
DR.. X. y. Young, DR.. O. p. Fitzgerald,
and Dr. D. c. Kelly, of Tennessee; Drs
Wilson and Burkhead, of North Carolina;
DR.. Samuel Rogers, of Maryland; DR.. Hin
ton, of Georgia; Dr. Haygood who was
elected from this State last session, de
clined ordination. Drs. W. W. Bennett,
X. n. Sledd, and Rev P. A. Peterson are
spoken of from this State. This list might
be greatly enlarged, but this is sample
of the class-tried and true men-but as
the MethOdists say, ''They do not know
that there is bishop timber in all of these.
1t is needless to say that the people Of
Richmond will welcome the conference,
and the various Christian communions
will vie with each other in making the
delegates feel at home"