Morning journal and courier., 1892-04-29


 lief to aspiring genius to ventilate il
 views, and free institutions are neve
 harmed by free discussion. We ventur
 the opinion that the Methodist Episcopt
 church is substantially about right in th
 condition in which it will present itsel
 before the conference which is now to si
 in judgment upon it. We might predict
 too, if we were anxious to shine as a pro
 phet, that the conference itself will be O
 the same opinion.
 An extraordinary interest attaches t
 the general conference from the fact tha it is the only tribunal to which the bish l ops are answerable. It is this body whicl
 elects these dignitaries, which define
 their powers, which fixes their residences
 and which passes finally upon the appeal which may be sent up from their rulings l or the protests made against anything they | may do which is felt by those in interes to be oppressive. At this conferenc. there will probably be several protests oi the kind last named and a number of ap peals. But nothing serious will bs charged, and the present Episcopal force will emerge from the ordeal awaiting them as they surely deserve to do-with nc scars. but with added honors instead. Iu the good fortune which has attended its selection of bishops, this church deserves
 
 the moral character of the men promoted there has never been raised SO much as a suspicion. Nor has it ever been suggested that any of them have been untrue to the interests of the church which has so great ly trusted them. Amongst the number now in office are some who have national reputation for scholarship, and several who in the Catholic church would be looked upon, from the exalted purity and nobility of their characters, as promising candidates for sainthood. What is more, they average we'll. With 90 much respon- sibility resting upon them it would be un- reasonable to expect any of these men to please everybody, and perhaps it would be just as unreasonable to expect that, with all the dignity and power they carry, there should be none among them who at times might not seem to be a little overbearing. But they are strong, grand men neverthe- less-the whole list-ss all their predeces- sors have been, and the church they serve is justly proud of them.
 In regard to the Episcopacy, the confer ence will have to determine a number of very perplexing questions. It is claimed that several of the present board should be placed upon the retired list. They are advanced somewhat in years and are per haps little infirm. They might still be able to meet their Episcopal engagements, but the question is whether younger men could not do the drudgery of this office better than these veterans, and whether those who have borne the burdens so long and so we'll should not now be given an honorable respite. It is not impossible that one or two may ask for such a re- lease. Not, however, with a view to abso- lute rest. This would not be either their own desire or the expectation of the con- ference; for these men are great litera- teurs, and in case they are relieved from active Episcopal work, they would still be of service to the church. Perhaps, in- deed, they could serve her more effectually in the realm of letters than on the bench of the Episcopacy.
 Another question the conference must pass upon is whether the bishops shall con tinue to alternate annually in presiding over the conferences-each bishop going the entire round of these bodies, and no bishop controlling any one conference for more than year at a time-or whether the church shall be divided into Episcopal districts, and each bishop be assigned to a group of conferences during each qusdren- nium. The latter plan, it is claimed, would not only save travelling expenses, but would make the Episcopal supervision more direct and thorough. But on the other hand the contention is that without a large increase in the Episcopal force such plan would be impracticable. Some hold that it would even be unconstitation- al, because it would be contrary, in their view, to the idea of general superinten- dency. This matter, long subject of az itation in the church, the present confer ence will be required to pass judgment upon. The last conference had it under consideration, and at one time it looked as though that unusually aggressive body was determined to make a change. Just in the nick of time, however, Bishop Merrill made so strong presentation of the practical difficulties in the way that the brethren reconsidered, and left the matter upon the same basis as before. But the demand for a change is now more widespread than ever; and it is neither impossible nor unlikely that the present conference may give effect to this demand.
 But the great question is, "Will the general conference elect any new bishops, and if any, how many and whomr The last conference added five to the Episco- pal list, besides electing & missionary bishop for India. The individuals pro- noted were Bishops Vincent Fitzgerald, Joyce, Newman, Goodsell and Thoburn. A singular fact in connection with the election of four years ago is that at diff ferent times in the contest Earl Grams ton, of Cincinnati, was in the lead of both Newman and Goodsell. Consider ing that he failed of final election, Dr. Crsnston had an astonishingly large vote, and it is safe to say that had it not been for a peculiar combination of circum- stances, such as will probably never oc- cur again, he would not have failed, but would have received the two o-thirds ma jority made necessary by that conference to an election. One of the best proofs of his superior fitness for the place is that on that occasion so many of his breth- ren cast their votes for him, and one does not need to be a prophet to foretell that, unless all signs and precedents shall fail, his name will be the first to receive favor able attention from the body now conven- ing. The only thing which could prevent his election, if any election of new bish- ops should occur, is a fact which is i'm mensely creditable to him, viz: that his superb ability as a book agent may make him indispensable as the colleague of his present efficient partner, Dr. Stowe, in the management of the Western Book concern.
 In the east Dr. c. c. McCabe looms up for Episcopal honors, and beyond the mention of these two names We forbear to go at present. 10 the writer IL 3D. pears quite probable that the Omaha con ference will conclude to leave the Episco- pal force in the same status numerically in which it finds. 1t. At the most We cannot conceive of more than one or two being added. Those who clamor for more bishops and fewer presiding elders would increase the list, if they could, by a doz- en or 80. The more moderate will ask for an increase of four. The bishops themselves will say none, and it looks far more likely than for dozen years past that in this conference the voice of the bishops, reinforced by that of the more conservative of the delegates, will carsy the day in this matter.
 That any change will be made in the Episcopal tenure is exceedingly improba- | ble. At present the bishops are elected for life, and the cry of some is, that if the term were limited to eight or a dog. | en years, the bishops would be less in- clined to air it over their brethren, and
 would be more conciliatory in their admin. istration, more gracious in their decisions, more amensble to wholesome discipline, and as a whole, more laborious and effec. tive. This is the argument. But there is
 so much to be said on the other side, and
 so much, at the proper time, will be said
 on that side, that the conference, unless il
 should turn out to be far more radical
 than such bodies usually are. is very like | ly to conclude that if the Episcopal office | is worth preserving at all it should be kept I oh