The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-05-08
MILLIONS OF METHODISTS.
Oundrennial Conference of the South
Krnncll Of I'M

Oundrennial Conference of the Southern,
Branch of the Great Wesleyan Church.
One Of the greatest religious bodies
III tho world will meet in st. Louis
May 10. Tho General Conference OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
meets quadronnially. Such has been
tho growth of the church during the
past decade that itnow stands second
among the great Protestant religious
assemblies of the world. The Gene
raj Conference of the Methodist
Church alone excels it in the number
of communicates represented and
the value ofpropcrty owned by Pro
tcstant Church authorities. The
Methodists in this country, white and
black and Of all kinds, number more
than five millions (actual communi-
cants.) Tho Methodist Episcopal
Church has nearly three million and
the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, has about one million eight
hundred thousand.
Prior to 1914 there was no division
among the American Mcthodists.
One General Conference represent
cd the whole Church. At the quad
rennial session of that conference in
New York in May, 1874, division oc
CURED, caused by the slavery agitn
ton, ending in the withdrawal of all
the delegates from the Slavcholding
States and Territories. After very
animated and long protrnctcd debate,
the final separation was arranged and
the McthodistS of the Southern States
were no longer under the samo juris-
dictiOn as those of the North and
East. The seeding delegates called
u convention Mt Louisville, which was
held i'll May, 1915, which permanently
organized the "AIcthodiSt Episcopal
Church in the South" adopted Il book
of discipline similar to that of the
old General Conference and contain
ing exactly the Same doctrinal teach
ings and the same forms and ccrcmo-
MES; IN fact, no othor difference than
| that o. jurisdiction then existed
between the two branches of Mctho
dism.
The Conference will be called tc
order at neon on the 10th day of MAY
when the scuior bishop of the church
the venerable j. G.. Keener, will rcat
a Scripture lesson and offer prayer
and then formally opon tho proceed
ings. He is ex-officio president O
the Conference, though all the bishop
will preside in the order of seniority
There are eight bishops They hol,
office during lifetime and receive ~
annual salary Of $4,000 and travelin,
expenses. Bishop j. G.. Granber'
will rank next to Bishop Kecncl
lie is a Virginian, but has made 81
Louis hisshome for several years.
The secretary will doubtless b,
| tho Row. John S. Martini, y. d., O
baltimore, who succeeded DR.. Sum
mers, and was elected at Richmond
Bishop e. II. Hendrix Of Kansa
City is the Junior bishop Of the Church
He has taken the place of the lament
ed Bishop Marvin in the estimation
Of Missouri Mcthodists. He will be
Il conspicuous, figure both in the chai,
and among the delegates. He was
president of the Central College at
Fayettc when elected bishop foul
years ago.
| The denomination has churches il
| foreign lands as we'll as in the United
| States. 1t carries on an extensive
publishing business at Nashville
Tenn, and has missionaries in China
Japan, Mexico, Brazil and several
countries. The missionary opera
tiOns are all directed from Nashville