St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-25
The METHODIST FOLD.
A Great Methodistical Coun-
Gil Shortly to Be at
Omaha.
Delegates On the Way From
All Parts Of the
World.
Church Rules to Be Over
hauled and Important Of
fees Filled.
Proposition to Relax the Or
der Against Dancing and
Card Playing.

A great Methodist council is to be
held at Omaha, Neb., beginning May l
and continuing through that month.
Delegates are already OH their way from
India, Germany. Italy. Scandinavia.
Africa and South America, and wherev-
er the Methodist Episcopal church has
a conference or mission field. The
general conference is the only legisla-
tive body of the church.
The Methodists have peculiar affin-
ity for ruts. With them every gather
Ing is a conference. The quarterly
conference is the governing body of the
local church. The district conference
represents a group of churches, or
presiding elders district. The an
nual conference. presided over
by bishop, and then the eccumenical
conference, which includes all Method
ism. The general conference legiSlateS
for the Methodist Episcopal church
only. 1t is the only body to which the
bishops are amenable for their official
acts and conduct. There are now six
teen regular bishops and two mission
airy bishops -Shoburn, of India, and
Taylor, of Africa. There will probably
be two or more new bishops elected at
Omaha. Several names have already
been mentioned for that highest honor
of the church-F. M. Bristol. ID. D., the
eloquent pastor of Chcago;. J.
w. Hamilton, of Boston. and j.
G. HartZell, of. New Orleans.
The editors of all the church
most important is that of New York, of
which DR.. Buckley is editor. Miss
Frances Willard received large vote
for that position last general confer
ence, and would be formidable can
didate now if she should enter the field
actively as candidate. Rev. ii. Jen-
nngs, OF Red Wing, has been spoken
of as good material for one editor of the
Chicago paper, the Northwestern
Christian Advocate. The missionary
secretaries are to be elected. Chaplain
McCabe has been SO successful in rails
ing missionary money that he will be
retained. The agents tor these immense
publishing houses are also elected.
This is another place i'll which the
Methodists get into rut. They use
the word concern as freely, but with
less appropriateness than conference"
There is the New York book concern
and the Western book concern" and
50 UIl. w udG q IldIilO lOl buC SlSdtCoU
religious publishing institution in the
world, with repositories all around the
globe. The organic law OF the church
also comes in for revision or amend
ment. A petition is being largely
signed through the church TO have the
rules Oh dancing and card playing made
advisory, instead of compulsory, which
seems to he sensible move.
The general conference is delegated
body composed of ministers and laymen
and meets once in four years. Judge
II. r. Brill is the lay representative
from this city, and Hon. Henry Beemer,
of Minneapolis, will look after the in
terests of that city DR.. j. f. Chaffee,
G. H. Bridgeman, William Mckinley and
Ii. G. Jenning are the ministerial dele
gates. These men will have large in
tiuence in shaping the future policy of
this greatest Protestant body in Amer
lea.
Sometimes the.members of this body
are accused of ecclesiastical politics or
wire pulling. With SO many desirable
places open it would be more than hui
man if there was not little strife some
times between brethren, but this only
adds to the general interest. The GLOBE
will endedvor to keep its readers posted
upon all matters of interest connected
with the great gathering.