The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-03
The Conference of the Methodists.

Inc conference OF the MeCnOolSCS.
The General Conference of the Northern
! branch Of the Methodist Church. which met
in the Metropolitan Opera House, New York,
on Tuesday, is notable gathering, and one
| that viii attract great deal of attention
1t consists Of $50 delegates, and will con
! tnue i'll session during the present month.
A General Conference is the only body
which has authority to make laws for the
Methodist Church. 1t meets once III four
years.
The Metbodists of the whole world num-
Der about 100000, and in this country
about 100000 Although those of this
country are separated into two branches
the Northern and Southern-there are no
differences between them that are OF n
serious character. They separated on the
slavery question in 1874, but as that issue
has disappeared, there does not appear to
be any great obstacle in the way
Of a reunion. During the present
conference in New York it is expected that
steps viii be taken looking to the bringing
of the two branches together 1t is not
probable, of course. that reunion can be
effected at once, but whatever Is done
towards accomplishing that object will
have the effect Of strengthening the steadily
growing sentiment in favor of it.
There is another division of the Metho-
dists, but it is one that is not likely to dis
appear very soon. 1t is that between the
white and colored adherents of the church.
The colored Methodsts seem to prefer q
separate organization, and it is probable
that the great body Of the white Methodists
are willing they should have it. A few
white Northern Methodists, doubtless, are
anxious for union between the white and
colored churches, but they are not numer-
ically strong enough to exert great deal
of influence in that direction. Even if the
Northern branch were to advise union
with the colored church the Southern
branch would not consent to it, and a
proposition, therefore, looking to the
obliteration of the color line would probably
do more harm than good.
The Methodist Church in this country
has enjoyed marvellous prosperity, and it
has made a record of which every al lerent
Of it has reason to be proud. 1t is only a
little over a century since its establishment
on American soil, but in that time it has
outstripped every other Protestant organi-
zation. Besides its membership of zoos, 900,
it has $4,000 travelling and 1900 local
preachers, and it controls $1,000 Sunday
schools, which have an average attendance
of 2, 100, ga people. 1t raises annually for
different purposes over 100000
Some very important matters will come
before the conference. One of them is the
ACCESSIBILITY of increasing the number of
bishops. There are now three vacancies and
there is a movement to elect five bishops.
There is also a strong sentiment in favor of
increasing the time which a minister may
remain in charge of a congregation.
Originally it was two years. 1t was in
creased to three, and now the proposition is
to make it four or five.
One of the important things which the
conference will do will be to make arrange
ments for conference in this country in
1891, of representatives of all the Methodist
churches in the world. The gathering will
be something like the great Ecumenical
Conference which met in London in 1881
The progress of Methodism has been rapid
| and steady, and it certainly deserves all the
prosperity which has attended it.