The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-05-13
The Methodist General Conference.

The General Conference of the M. E. Church
| South, which met in Richmond, Va, on Wed
nesday, the 18th day of May, is very important
religious gathering. The conference meets
1 only every four years, and will probably lasi
| for from three to four weeks.
| The General Conference is the chief legisla-
| tive body of large church, scattered over a
vast domain. 1t is in reality the Congress OF
the church, having supreme power in forming
| and maintaining the church polity. 1t is com.
| posed of delegates selected by each of the an
nual conferences in proportion to til cir MEM
bership The conference comprises 1862 mem
bers, divided equally into clerical and lay rep
reseniatives, which is five more than were in
the last General conference There 55
clerical delegates III the present General Con-
ference who were in the General Conference
Of 1889. and 80 lay delegates who were at Nash
Vile in 1882 Che remainder are all new mem
bers.
States reach from Maryland to the republic OF
Mexico, and from Florida to Washington Ter
ritory.
There are two other conferences, one partly
in Texas and partly in Mexico, and the other
entirely in Mexico, with headquarters at the
City of Mexico, making forty conferences in all
in the Southern Methodist Church.
The membership of the church, according to
the last report, received only few days since,
is nearly one million persons 1t has increased
to this from 100000 persons in 1865. Besides,
there is mission work among the Indians and
Borders Borders and in Mexico and in Brazil and China.
The General Conference represents the
church. 1t employees nearly 300 missionaries
and expends in the maintenance of missions
and the performance of mission work some
500 600 annually. Its church extension board.
with headquarters at Nashville has been or
expended about $I50,0OO and assisted $50
churches. The publishing operations are con-
Quoted at Nashville, where the largest printing
house is situated and operated by the church.
1t is interested in large number of education
al enterprises, the largest of which is Wander
bit University.
The conference is charged with the duty of
electing all the general officers, and will prob
ably elect four or five new bishops, who hold
their office for life, three general secretaries
and editors of the various organs of the church,
besides filling the various boards, the member
ship of all which will be revised.
The present bishops are McTyere, senior
bishop. Keener, Granbery, Hargrove and VIII
has one bishop, (Wilson.) it is not likely that
any of the new bishops will come from this
Conference brings before the church the ques-
ton as to who will be the next bishops. The
mater is usually discussed in the various re-
ligious journals of the church as to who are
best suited for this important ecclesiastical
office; some contend that they should come
directly from the pastorate, and others argue
from correctional officers. such as editors of
religious papers,, college presidents, &c. Bish-
ops Paine and Pierce were college presidents,
and Bishop Doggett was an editor. The bishops
preside over The conference in turn. They
have the privilege of the floor, but rarely avail
themselves Oft. The secretary of the confer
ence, an important officer, is elected after it
meets in regular session. and is not necessarily
Of that body. DR.. Jno; S. Martin. than whom a
better selection could not have been made,
was elected secretary of the present session at
its opening on Wednesday.
TIE whole,work Of the church in it's various |
departments will be reviewed at the confer.
ence, and plans devised for future operations. |
The Discipline of the church will be gone over
and can be revised if the body SO wish The
project before the last conference as to change
of name from the Methodist Church South to
the Methodist, Church of America has been
overwhelmingly defeated in the annual confer !
ences, and the matter will probably not be |
brought up again.
All of the various interests of the church will |
come up, but the feeling seems to be generally |
conservative, and there is not likel to be any |
radical changes.
The relations with the Northern Church are |
said to be most cordial, and fraternal delegates
from that body will be among their number,
and fraternal delegates will be appointed to |
the next General Conference of the M. r. |
Church, known among Southern Methodists as |
the Northern Church.
The delegates e-ected at the present session |
of the Baltimore Conference NJ. E. Church |
South, held at Staunton, to the General Con-
ference are: Clerical, J.. S. Martin, Samuel |
Rodgers, j. s: Gardner, Rumsey Smithson, P.
II. Wisner, S. K, Cox: lay, Hon. Frank Here
ford L. J. Magruder,.J. b. Wilson, ]. H. H. Fig
gat. ]. P. Eouck E. B. Prettyman.