New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-01
, voDu SUNDAY S92-TWENTY EIiT fA'r"'

al tho things to be criticised i'm MethOdism are
81 small account compared with the features
IN If deserving of admiration and praise AS
= roligio,s impulse it is one Of the most power
ful factors in American life. which no lntelli-
cont man whether Methodist or not can afford
70 IGNORE And it is especially strong with the
nlain peopo. who are as yet untouched by the
d;lottantcism of intellectual doubt or the fine
sn,n sophisms of hybrid culture.
A number of interesting denominational ques-
tions will come mp before the present Oohi.'
encc but it is not likely that any radical ac'ioh
will he taken in regard to them vi ,ncse
oucstions that of admitting women as deie-
ratos to the General Conference has enllstcd
Tho m,st attention during the last four years
Tbouob il has not received the requisite three
r,rrtbs vote of the Annual Conferences, 1t has
devclopcd n great deal Of strength, especially
in tho West and its advocates will have
good majority in the Conference. Though 'hiS
will not enable them to carry the measure II
will encourage them to further efforts In 'he
meanwhile. the attitude Of the members on
this question will more or less influence their
attitude on other questions. There are r'lmors'
for instance. that DR.. J. NJ Buckley, the
doughty opponent OF women, may De o"S'co
from the cditorship of "Thc Christian Advo-
cate of this city. and some " woman man
elected in his place. 1t is even whispered that
Miss Frances f. Willard will be nominated for
ne Office by the Western Nlcthodists. Then
the old question Of giving the laty an equal
r,prcsenta All with the ministers will come
49,, rs well as the question OF clectlng more
bishops. and incidentally Of electing colored
h,shop. Resolutions will also be introduced
70 give the bishops diocesan jurisdiction and
70 limit their term Of Office to four years
II will be seen that these and other similar
matters which will come up for discussion are
all questions Of internal economy. They re-
late solely to the working efficiency OF the
ecclesiastical organization and naturally and
inevitably. therefore, good men in the Church
differ i'm their views concerning them. Meth
odism has no such fundamental questions to
settle as those concerning the Bible and the
Creed which are now agitating the Presby-
terrain Church. rs ministers have not meddcd
much with the spcculatonS raised by modern
biblical criticism and they appear IT, have
found the Creed Of their Church comprehensive
enough TO include all variations of individual
opinion. The truth is, Mcth0dism does not run
10 speculative theology. The impress of in
tense and concrete practically which it re-
cciycd from thc master hand of John Wesley it
still retains in very large measure. lis lead
erS spend little time sitting on The watch
towers looking for " trends or " movements
They are mostly down in the trenches doing
pioneer practical work and rs n result the
burning questions" that confront them relate
almost entirely to details of practical admins
tration. While such questions may not appeal
powerfully T. the Imagination. their right solu-
ton j. most important To the welfare of the
Church and McthodistS have no reason to
apologize for the month which they will take
in talking them over and voting on them.