The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-05-20
NOT A FEATHERLOST.
The Methodist Episcopaoy Did Not
Have it's Wings Clipped.
THE BISHOPS CARRY EVERYTHING
Before Thom..Thclr powcr.-Nothing
Goes When They Oppose IL. lscriew
ofthc Work oft1c General Confer.
cncc Up to tho ~prcscnt..Tho Colorcd
Question.
corrapOndtnce NNe Mteltatneet.

ossarily so in tho results, for some
thing, might have pleased US better
they been ordered differently. But
from the standpoint OF a prophet every.
thing is 10 our liking, because every.
thing 10 as we f%orcwarned your realtors
1t would be. There Is to be no limita-
tion Of the tenure Of the %episcopacy, no
di,tricting Of the bishops, no man
elected to tho episcopal office on tho
sole ground OF color, and no now bishops
Of any description, excepting, possibly,
at tho last moment, a misaionary bishop
for Europe. Thoro were many who
said that tho episcopacy would emerge
from this conference with Its wings
badly clipped. So fur, however, It has
not lost a feather, but II anything II has
gained in both dignity and strength.
These Methodist bishops seem 10
carry everything before them. Theo.
retically they are tho creatures Of the
general conference, and arc entirely
subject to its control. But such Ia
their Influence, and so unboundod the
confidence Of the church in their intes.
rity and wisdom, that practically. in
many respects, the gonoral conference
Ia their creature. They have carried
every point SO far. Wishing the lay.
men to have moro power, they favored
tho setting Of thi, order apart from the
ministers, and tho thing was done.
The proposition to limit their preroga-
tives in tho appointment OF the Judi.
ciary committee went to the table with.
out so much rs the lift, on their part, OF
alittlc fpger against it. This was an
unsought trouble to that silent innu-
cnce which the bishops necessarily
wiela by virtue OF their position and
character.
BISHOPS POWER.
But in some other matters their in
fluenee has not been a silent ono by
any means. Everybody was aware Of
their opposition to tho districting
scheme, and there were surely none
who did not know that they were de-
cidedly opposed both to the idea OF a
colored bishop and to the elevation
into f%ull.iledged episcopal dignity Of
those previously elected as missionary
bishops. It is not claimed that these
measures were defeated solely because
OF episcopal opposition to them. We
simply note the bishops opposition in
connection with their defeat as an illus.
tration OF the fact that things in this
conference'ar are turning out in accord
ancc with episcopal predictions. So
in regard to the abstract proposition to
elect new bishops. The present incum-
bents OF this high office, being consult
ed upon this point, said emphatically,
"Don't do, tive are sufficient OF our
selves for this work" Such was their
opinion, and such has been. or will be-,
.he deliberate conclusion OF the body
which sits in final judgment upon these
matters.
Ofcourse in all these cases the action
Of this conference has been chiefly
moulded, not by the wishes OF the bish-
ops, but by other considerations. In
regard to VIM. Taylor, the missionary
bishop for Africa, the feeling is quite
general since he made his report, that
grand as he is in n missionary capacity,
he is still, after all, hardly the mar to
be made a general superintendent of
the whole work, with authority CO.
equal to that OF the bishops who pre-
side overthe conferences in the United
States. The fact is that Taylor is seen
to the best advantage when the church
thinks OF him as a grand old hero away
of in the wiids OF his great circuit in
Africa. AT long range he is so sublime
4 personality that tho brethren in
stinctively throw up their hats for him.
But a nearer view brings into such
strong light his numerous eccentrici-
ties, that their enthusiasm cools off
somewhat. This has certainly been the
case since his appearance on the scene
Of the present conference. A few
months ago the prophets would have
Tagered their last button that this BODY
would make him every inch a bis
60 far as a regular election could do
sucha lob--whereas now hardlyany one
is thinking of such q thing.
SELF ANNEXATION.
1t should DO noted here. as a rare in
stance OF self-abucsation, that a full
episcopal election is not desired either
by Bishop Taylor or Bishop Thoburn.
Both those men have said emphatical-
ly that they prefer to remain rs they
are. And furthermore, it is the wish OF
their constituents that they shall SO re-a
main. Bishop Thoburn is great enough
to be a bishop anywhere. In his case
the closer tho scrutiny the better the
opinion. In his intellectual parts he
compares wcil with any man on the
Episcopal bench, whilo in zeal, and
true Christlincss OF spirit o is the peer,
perhaps, OF any minister OF tho ago.
II he wanted the full power conferred
by a regular episcopal election, he
could easily get it. But both no and tho
Methodists OF India have asked only to
be. let alone. The brethren of that
great empire want Thoburn for their su-
perintendent and they want him Just
aslho is. Both he and thoy are after re-
suits, not after honors. and their work
being purely OF q missionary character,
they arc properly OF the opinion that it
"A be most successfully managed by
one who is simply a missionary bishop.
The movement 10 district the bishops
met its defeat in tho episcopal commit
tee in part as a concession to sentiment,
and partly because Of the difficulty OF
adjusting tho work to such q plan. A
few thought that q change OF this kind
could not DO made legally till the annual
conferences had endorsed it, and some
held that for the same bishop to provide
in the same district four years in II c
cession would DO inimical 10 the preach
ers. AS it is, il a bishop is unduly hard
on any of tho brethren in the making
Of the appointments there is hope that
the next bishop who comes aroundw sill
redress the alleged wrong. But under
tha p1op rrooosoj = ,h;, ba .ro,tl