The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-26


vote against it, or should come to tic
the measure would fail. Happily, though
this result was obviated, the final vote
which makes it possible for Methods
ministers to remain five years in one
charge, and after being absent five yearl
to 20 back to the same charge for anoth
or fiye-year term.-one OF the very great
est innovations Methodism has allowed
in half Il Notwithstanding: Laymer
for, So; against, IS; ministers for, 2Os
against, GO.
THE ELECTION FOR BISHOPS.
The election of Bishops which pro
ceeded Concurrently with this mighty
struggle to extend the pastoral limit, was
itself such u struggle asthe church never
beheld before, and was witnessed, too,
by vast audience whose interest could
scarcely have been excelled by even
that ola Roman audience looking down
upon life and death struggle OF gladia-
tors. What made the contest so long
and severe was the new rule, which re-
quired two.thirds majority to elect.
The opening devotions OF the day on
which the elections began, strange as it
may seem, were tinged with humor.
Sixteen years ago Bishop Foster, then
only plain minister, made the opening
prayer on election day, and he prayed
SO fervently for the Lord to give them
God-made instead OF man-nade Bishops,
that the conference concluded he must
be a God.made Bishop himself, and,
with seven other good men and true,
elected him. DR.. 0lmstead, OF the Wy
oming conference, led the devotiOns this
time, and DIR. Hunter, of Illinois, who,
n few days before, had denounced COM
binations for the Episcopacy, was so
anxious to pray over the election that
he got down on his knees when the
Scripture lesson began and kept down
till the last amen was said DR.. Ohm
stead prayed not only for those to be
elected, but for those who would be dis
appointed He was very anxious, he
said, that these should not lose all hope,
for, as he told them in his address to the
throne Of grace. "they might still be
saved, might do little good in the
world, and might get to heaven even,
though they were not elected to the
Episcopacy."
TILE FIVE ARE CHOSEN.
S;That there were many who would
have to get along as best they could on
consultations of the description so kindly
thrown out in this opening prayer, was
made evident by the first ballot, for,
while only five Bishops were asked for,
no less than eighty were voted for.
Two hundred and nincty-six being
necessary to choice no one was elected
on this ballot, nor did any one get in on
the next, though the next did put the
leaders considerably forward, by so much,
OF course wedding out those who had
started weak. This ballot made it evil
dent that the contest would rest with
Vincent, FitzGerald, Newman, Goodseii,
Joyce, CranstOn, Payne and Buttz, and
the next ballot put in Vincent and Fitz-
Gerald, the former getting 81 votes and
the latter 80, leaving the others little
changed us to their relative positions.
There was no election on the fourth
ballot, but DR.. Joyce led, and DR.. Buttz
dropped down so much as to be out ofthe
race, the fifth ballot putting DR.. Joyce
in by vote of 1926, the largest any
Bishop ever received.
There were now two more Bishops to
elect, and the balloting went on without
result, the contest narrowing down until
it was virtually between Drs. Newman,
Goodsell and Cranston. 1t was not until
the fourteenth ballot on Thursday that
the fourth Bishop was elected. DR.. John
z. Newman, OF Washington, D. G., re-
ceiving 800 out OF 43S votes cast.
On the sixteenth ballot DR.. Goodscti
was the choice, receiving 800 votes out
of 400 cast. All the Bishops elected are
grand good men and their choice will be
ratified enthusiastically by the church
at large. H.T.