New-York tribune., 1888-03-26
NAMING THE DELEGATES.
HOLDING METHODIST CONFERENCES.

are preparing for tho grcat Congress Of tho Methodist
Episcopal Church which b to 10 held In tho Metro
poltan Opera House. In Now-York, In May. Tho
local conferences appoint tho delegates who arc TO
represent them In the General Conference, and tho
distinction of serving tho Church In this capacity Is
sought by clorgymen who have other worldly
ssp ations Tho delegate Is for tho time on an equal
ty with tho Bishop and tho chances this conferonco
Afford any talented clerical delegate for reaching tho
highest honors of tho Church not to be despsed
Most of tho conferences held earlier than usual
this spring, accea mt Of the General Conferonce'
Thoy began In January In somo parts OF tho country
and In NewYork and II. vcitity will all DO hold this
month or carly in April The clerical representation
accorded to each conference delegate to every
fifty ministers, while tho laaty restricted to two
delegates from oaoh conference. The delegates So
looted arc consequence, tho ablest and tho most
influential in tho conference. As rule, tho
presiding elders Of tho conference secure these ap
podntmonts They arc always experienced and tried
ministers who form . sort Of spiritual polloe In tho
Church. and II these arc popular, WELD influence
that f0w other ministers can compete with, but In
some instances thero s . strong friendly rivalry
among themselves. thero arc ministers In their con-
| ference well and widely known - to crowd tho
presiding elder tho contest then calls forth tho nnest
| strategy and generalship Among the laity OF tho
Church tho honor OF being delegate Is sought for
with equal interest but thero being only TWO rom
| each conference, tho competition Is narrowed
| Tho Now-York, tho New-York East and tho Newark
conferences which oenre In the city, arc among tho
largest In tho Methodist Church In each OF tho two
first mentioned thorc about 300 olorgymcn, which
entities tho conference to six delegates Tho con
ferencc rarely goes beyond 800 clergymen, as tho pol
10y Of tho Church is to limit to that number and
when It exceeds these figures to organize new ono
But tho General Conference year Is always favor
| able ono to young clergymen who wish to be ad-
mittod tho Church, their seniors arc never quito
90 particular then In examining tho quahca
tons Of candidates for preaching. Tho number OF
candidates admitted may determine an additional
delegate to tho General Conference The fact that
four or moro Bishops Of the Church arc to DO elected
this year. and that other woghty questions are to be
discussed and perhaps acted on, makes this Gcnerai
Conference ono OF exceptional interest
THREE STRONG LOCAL CONFERENCES.
In tho three local conferences mentioned there arc
probably moro distinguished and able Methodist
Churchmcn than In any other part OF tho country.
Each Of these conferences has more candidates
for Bishop which will Intensity the interest In So
IectIng the delegates The lsy delegates arc not SO
lected By the local conference, but by an electoral
college composed OF laymen, which meets at tho Same
time as the local conference Most OF tho Methodist
churches Of tho oty arc preparing to hold quarterly
meetings and some have held them, at which repro
scntaves arc selected for tho annual local confer
enccs and tho electoral colleges. These arc the
primaries OF the Church. ana go iar to"Hu uo'oi-
mining tho result at tho General Conference Ihe
Now.York Conference holds It's annual session this
yoar in Newburg beginning Wednesday, March
% Bishop Andrews will preside at this coniercnce.
There Is a strong rivalry for position on tho deiega
ton to the General Conference
The leadership Will lie between Chaplain O. G. MO
Cabo of tho Methodist Missionary Board and the Rev.
DR.. James NJ King, Of the Park Avenue Mcthoaast
Church. Both wcllknown leaders and have many
fri in he
elected Bishops by the General Conference For tho
four remaining delegates there arc dozen asplrans,
and among these tho Rev. Drs. John Mllcy, oi
Drew Theological Seminary NJ. d. G. Crawford, A. j.
Palmer, L S. Osborn Of the West Harlem Churoh'
George g. Crooks, of the Editors OF The METHOD
st Quarterly RovewD and in the northern part OF the
conference the Rev. Drs. George S. Hare, OF Pough'
keepse d. II. Gregory and j. II. Day, of Newburg;
Albert d. Vail, Of WhIte Plalns and Richard Wheat
ley, OF Cornwall. Dr. A. X. Sanford, OF tho Church
Extension Society, who has charge also OF the ar
rangemonts for the General Conference In this CITY,
and tho Rev. John Rhey Thompson are prominently
mentioned as delegates, and tho Row. Stephen Mer-
ritt Is said to DO zealously looking up his chances
eIthor as q lay clerical delegate, or both In tho
interests Of the ProhbitlOnsts, who expect to mako
q largo showing in this General Conference Tho TWO
lay delegates usually selected to represent the
respective portions Of the conference. From New
York John d. Slayback Is thought sure to be appoint
ed, he Is OF the most actiVo J." '"o
country j. NJ Cornell, of the lato J. b. Cornell,
and ex-Judge Fancher also mentioned from the
CITY, and John p IL Talman from the northern Dor
tlon Of the district
THE CONTEST IN NEw-YORK EAST.
Third ave. is the dividing line between tho Now
York and the New-York East conferences, and tho
latter Includes besides the city, largo portion Oh
Connecticut and Long Island In Its territory IL
sends a delegation large as that of tho New-York
w and the
warmer Tho New-York East Conference Will DO
held In MIddletown Conn, beginning April d, and
Bishop FOss Is to preside over 1t. Among the lay
delegates most prominently spoken of Is the Governor
of Connecticut Phlneas c. LOunsbury, who Is strong
Methodist Churchman and whose homo is In Ridge
field, and John H. Sessions, Of New-Brtain FROM
Brooklyn Judge George q. Reynolds and Henry W.
Knight president Of the Board Of Trustees Of tho
Greene Avenue Church, candidates The clerical
delegation will be led by Dr. James NJ Buckley,
Editor of "The Christian Advocate" DR.. Buckley Is
looked to as Of the new Bishops. Dr. d. A.
Goodsol secretary Of tho Methodist Board OF Ednca-
tIon, Is also Q probable delegate, and tho Rev. Drs
George L. Reid OF New Haven, and George T. Mains
Among tho presiding elders Of the conference who are
candidates are tho Row. Drs. B. N. Adams, lchabod
simmons, Nathan d. Cheney and W. II. Wardcll. Others
who are mentioned are the Rev. Dr. A. b. Hunt,
corrosp pondlng secretary OF the American Bblo 30
oaety and the Rev. Dr. J. o. Peck Of Brooklyn, who
Is said to have made more converts 10 the Chufcn
than any of its 90 900 ministers. Or. Curry was
formerly the leader I'm this conference but the POSI-
ton Is now acknowledged to have fallen to Dr. Buck
ley.
LIKELY MEN IN NEWARK CONFERENCE.
The Newark Conference meets In Hobohen at the
same time ~ tho NewYork Conference. Bishop Fowler
Will conduct It. Tho lay delegation, 1t Is thought, Will
be Chancellor Theodore Runyon. Of Newark, and
James McCce OF Palnfeld, formerly president OF the
Produce Exchange in this city. Tho Rev. Dr. James
NJ Fitzgerald, secretary of tho Methodist Missionary
society, and President Eenry A Buttz of Drew Theo-
logical Seminary. both Of whom are spoken OF for
Bishops Will be on the clerical delegation. DR.. Sol
omon Parsons tho we'll known Prohlbtonlst Of Pat
erson Rev. DR.. Alexander Craig, president OF the
Methodist Preachers Association and the kev. Dr.
James b. Faulkcs, OF Paterson, will have places on
tha a