The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-04
TIE BIG Y. F. CONFERENCE
IT WILL BE HELD IN NEW YORK
IN MAY.

I
VIII Clasp Hands ia the Metropolis.
Brief sketches of Distinguished Metho-
dists-Purposes OF the Convention.
On the first day of May next the general
! conference OF the Methodist Episcopal
/ church will convene in New York Dele
/ gates from all over the world will be in
attendance, and many men famous for
/ wisdom and eloquence viii be among the
number Norway, Sweden, Germany.
| Switzerland, India, China. Japan. and the
continent Of Africa will all be represented
/ The general conference Is held once every
| four years. the last one having convened
at Philadelphia in 1884 There will be
between 400 aud 500 delegates present,
beside "a host Of visitors, and the question
was AT first 10 find place large enough TO
accommodate the throBg The MetrOpoli-
/ tan opera house was finally chosen. and
I this, Il is expected, will furnish ample
room. The session will undoubtedly con-
tnuc through the entire month of May
as many questions Of a welyhty nature
are 10 be- discussed
Foremost among these will be the ciec-
ton of ne@ bishops 20 Gll the vacancies
left boy the deaths Of Bishops Simpson,
Harris and Wiley II IS probable also
that several new cp.Sc0plcics viii be ere
ated Some Of the present bishops are
advanced in year,. and need assistance IN
their arduous iabors. Beside this. the
question will probably arise as 20 the oX-
pediency Of establishing resident cpIsc0-
pacies i'm Europe India, China and Japan.
The colored Methodists viii urge their
old plea for bishop Of their own race.
but they viii De met by the usual over
whelming resistance. As the Methodist
church is organized, no one bishop has
priority over another, excepting ia point
Of age None have especial jurisdiction
over any particular territory. The world
is their field, and they go abou; from
country to country in turn, supervising
the conferences and establishing harmony
in the church For this reason 10 is eX-
pected that the proposition 70 establish
foreign episcopacics viii meet with con
siderable opposition
At the last general conference q mis-
s.Onary bishop was given tO Africa. but DO
was an innovation not likely tO be re-
peated He is the only missionary bishop
in the Methodist Episcopal chU.ch and
does not hold the same rank as hi, broth
ors If Europe, India, China and Japan
are voted ep.scOpaCies. the holders Will be
endowed with the same authority as our
own bishops Before the election II
bishops, however, the conference will
listen 10 reports regarding The condition
of the church from every part ot the
world committees Will be appointed.
questions Of church discipline will be adj
justed and new general measures sug
gested. In the last TWO or three confer
ences DR. Daniel Curry was looked upon
rs the leading spirit. His death leaves
the field open 10 "a number OF able men.
The man best adapted 10 fill the position
is said 10 be Dr. James VI Buckley. the
editor Of The Christian Advocate He Is
still ion the prime of life As q skilled de
batter he has few equals. for he possesses
one Of those clear logical minds which
can grasp subject in all Us ramitcatiOu-
almost by instinct He has been 20 lead
iug member of the general conferences OF
1872 1876. lss0and 1884 HIS father was
q Methodist preacher who gave Dis son
all the advantages Of education that lay
in his power At first he was seut 90 the
Pennington seminary. but his education
was completed at Wesleyan college, Cons
ncCticut After bis graduation De studied
theology for some time. until ho WAS re-
celyed ON trial at the New Hampshire
conference lie az once took rank as AN
eloquent preacher After making trip
20 Europe in 1868 he resumed hi. minis
tcrial lab0rs and rose rapidly into prom
iuence His fame as writer l- known