New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-21
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.
GREAT METHODIST GATHERING IN THIS
CITY NEXT MAY.
On. FLOODS VIEWS OF IT--woMEN DELEGATES
THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND PoLITI-
CAL neutrality-suspicious. LIVELY DEBATES IN

MEADvILLE Penn. Jan I7.rhis place Is the home OF
tho Rev. DR.. T. L. Flood, Editor OF The Chautauqnan
He is live Methodist and hns such extended knowl-
edge of and affairs in that church that bis opinions
arc well worth recording In conversation with TIE
TRIDUNE's correspondent he discussed at length tho
prospects Of tho General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. which will assemble in New York
City the first Of May next end to which he will be del
cgate from the Erie annual conference.
The General Conference" said DR.. Flood, IS made
up OF delegates; part OF them ministers elected by
ministers, and part OF them laymen elected ny layme
Tho body will meet in New York the first OF May next
aud continue in session about a month There will be.
probably 400 delegates present. This BODY meets
every fs years aad Is the legislative body OF the
church 1t elects bishops editors of church periodicals,
secretaries OF benevolent societies and book agents 10
manage e publishing interests OF the chnrch in New
York City, at Cincinnati, Chicago ana at other places
IN fact IL legislates for the church.
There will be number Of important matters decided
in May The first is: Shall be delegates in the
General Conference Hitherto no woman has teen
elected Tor attempted to I'll this office in the history
or Methodism; bat 40 have new departure now.
Already throo four ladies have been elected TO tho
coming conference. Mrs. Van Kirk, of PittsbGrg. the
wife OF Mr. Van Kirk the bapker in that city, and Miss
Frances 4. Willard, prcsden: OF the womens Christian
Temperance Union, elected in regular order as lay
delegates. Seine say they win not be admitted but do
how they be kept cut The fact is, they are
already in, because the secretary Of the last General
Conference holds till his Is elected. lie
makes up the roll of msmbcrs from the ON papers
sent him, and he calls the roll when the Inference
opens; and since ne has power to drop a name he
call the of Miss willard Mr. Van Kirk and
all others who have been duly elected af + roll CALL so
the ladies will in aud to deprive them OF their seats
they must be put out misjadge TIE temper Of Meth
Odst preachers and laymen If these ladies not
granted all the rights and privileges OF delegate s;
though We are orewsrned that there is to be lively
skirnish in debate before the matter is settled.
TIE THREE YEARS RULE.
"Thcn there is tho rule that Meth edist
preacher at the end OF three years pastorate. IL
applies equally to the most unlettored who cannot
speak two correctly and fails to sustain him.
self year, and to the most cultured and popular
preacher whose usefulness and influence woad increase
up five years and beyond Why, look at IT, Some of
the talented and successful ministers have left the
Methodist Church in recent years because OF the limited
term. There Is DR.. Meredith, Of Brooklyn; DIR. Haynes.
OF fremont Temple, Boston, and just few days Dr.
Smith. of st. Paul. Minnesota. They able and
popular men. Dr. Smith has stun in him for a Bishop,
but he believed the rule abridged his usefulness as
preacher. have heard frequently OF late that this
question will be precipitated in May, and that
thorough discussion will follow Aud it ought to. The
time has ana the whole Methodist organization
ought be pa; the test the issue Here and there
individual churches suffering by preachers breaking
and going away aud is time that the lswmaIng body
of the church should face the question and by vote
either extend the tmo or refuse to do It.
TEMPERANCE
you ask me about the Temperance question | have
thought that the Temperance Political party prob
lem will receive any attention at ALL because personal
political action is left with the individual preacher and
member. Every voter is free. 1t is true. how
ever. that some Of the most conspicuous and able
temperance party folk have been elected delegates for
instance the Rev. Dr. d. W. G. Huntington. Of Buffalo,
who poled large vote for Secretary OF State In New
Won foll fla IA ia fhafl
and the Rev. Dr. Leonard who a candidate for Gov
OF Ohio against Governor Foraker, is delegate
1t has been thought strange that Governor Foraker
not elected lay delegate since he Is active Meth
odts but happen to know that the Governor said 1t
would be impossible for him 70 give tho tfme therefore
his nane was not before his conference. General
Clinton b. Fisk, it Is expected, will be elected when his
conference meets While these leaders OF the Temper
Political party Will be IN tue General Conference 1t
does that Methodism will be committed to that
phase of the Temperance movement 1t does mean how
ever the position taken by the church in past
will bs firmly held namely that abstinence and
prohibition as pIiuc pie should he the wachwords Of
all the people.
THE MISSIONARY BISHOP.
"There is a good deal OF talk about Bishop Taylor,
who was elected at the last General Conference a
missionary Bishop for Africa The fact is Bishop Taylor
has been sort of worlds evangelist for about twenty
five years the Pacific Coast, in India, in South
America and now in Africa We don't know much about
his work ia Africa and will not know till he comes to the
General Conference lie will probably 60 back there as
missionary Bishop and he may have some increase OF
prerogatyes and powers He is marvellous man. He
has missionaries and reached more people
with lhe Gospel by his peculiar methods than any other
one man Oh tbs EARTH His Is very peculiar one.
II he had been General in the,war. think no would
have achieved much glory as sherman or Sheridan
lie is to-day the Sherman OF Methodsm. He has not
only marched TO-. the bit has crossed 1t again and
axa1fs Orfin
They usually live on OF the country in which they labor
There was great interest taken a debate at tho last
conference in Philadelphia as 20 whether or not
Episcopal residences should be planted in India, China
and Europe The Methodist Church. you know reaches
around the globe. There viii be delegates In sew-York
IN Nay from India, China, Japan, Bulgaria, sweden,
thought by srino wise that piece OF folly 10
send American Bishops to these farof lands to make
DO understand mat 1t Is waste OF time money and
men The last move 90 elect Bishops for these distant
lands almost sJcoess IL Is thought that next May
it will succeed.
NEW BISHOPS TO BE CHOSEN
"Now. as to the election OF Bishops; the Church will
need several new Bishop Simpson, of Philadel-
pha; Bishop Wiley. OF Cincinnati, and Bishop Harris. of
NewYork City, have all died since the last election. Be-
sides the present about three disabled by
falling health All tho iniirmtes Of age To-day the
Church has Bishop in New York, philadelphia or
Baltimore TO be sure. Blsnop Andrews is in Washing
ton and Bishop Foster-n Boston and Bishop Hlrst in
BuHAiO. Pil INC idtthS NIohcH anu thc ih' hcN'S
strengthening. Tho annual conferences number over
100 and Bishops have charge OF them. and these
conferences are in al parts of the world Bishop
Warren. OF Denver. has just returned from China and
Bishop Nnde last fall from Europe, and not long
ago Bishop Fowler returned from south America. The
supervision Of the churches in all those lands is an '
mense task and IT cannot bc done half well hy men
living IN this country rs II could be 10y meu living the
ground But the and tear OF men IN tis work IN
ITS them In degree for the work they have L. do IN Tue
Is nf
There Is strong tlk OF eecnS anywhere from fcuT 70
eight Bishops In May. think there Will be not less
than four elected ana probably six or eight.
d" Who will they be Well that IS hard 70 tell. Nou
about onehalf OF the delegates elected last
fall These III the Wost and IN the south and
few in western Pcnnsy lvania aud western New Ork
The other half Will be elected between this time and the
last Of April II is Il criticism this pshcy that the
delegates elected months before the General Con
ference have the advantage Of those elected In the
snrng. and Il Is this Mise Therc Is GOOD deal OF