Morning journal and courier., 1892-05-09

I
 formers-remain silent, we may well be-
 ieve, out of pure charity.
 | Alter all, though, the discussions are in-
 tensely interesting, and perhaps they are
 no less su to one who has had long experi-
 ence in listening to them, and in whose
 ears the voices of these great orators are
 familiar as household songs, than to those | who hear them for the first time. Every day in this conference we sit under the
 spell of debaters who are probably not | surpassed in any religious assembly in the
 world. They speak often, but they al | ways speak well, and, fortunately. the
 rules are such that they never speak long
 at time. Dr. L. 0. Queal, of New York, | would be hard to beat anywhere when sound logic and convincing force are in de- | mand. The best constitutional lawyer in
 the conference. leaving eishop Merrill out
 of the account, is Dr. T. B. Nicely, of Phil | adelphia. For the clesrness, the accuracy,
 the conciseness and the readiness of his | flow of speech, together with that perfect
 mastery of every occasion and every sub ject for which he is so justly famed, Dr.
 J. M. Buckley, the great Methodist editor,
 is without peer.
 But the noblest Roman of them all is the courtly, susvs, genial, big bodied, big
 brained and large hearted John Lanahsn, | of Baltimore, who may really be said to
 have been the life and soul of every gene
 ral conference for tsenty years. He al-
 ways speaks to the point, and one of the points he often makes is the call for the previous question. He has become known
 indeed as Previous Question Lanahan; al- though at this conference he is being hus- tied for first place in this matter by two Illinois men, Dr. Curtz and Dr. McElroy, and thus is the star of general conference popularity, like that other star we have heard of a few times, taking its course westward.
 Great, however, as is the interest in the conference itself, the real interest for many is in the Hobbies and in the hotels. Here the delegates are seen in the enjoy tronomic diversions for which the Metho- dist clergy have been famous from time immemorial. Here, too, one may easily pick up the current gossip in regard to men and measures. Some will have 1t that there is any amount of wire-pulling and trolling going on. But this is mistake. There are plenty of willing Bar kiss. and hardly any one is SO poorly off as not to have a friend or two to stand sponsor for him. But to aver that men are scheming to get office, or to say that there is anything wicked in a good man speaking good word for another good man, is a monstrous perversion of things which in themselves are natural and harm less.
 It is still uncertain whether any bishops will be elected, but there is no uncertain sound in the many voices which say there ought to be. The delegates from Europe want bishop located in Germany, and Bishop Walden endorses their demand, and shows by an able argument how great ly an Episcopal residence would help the work in that continent. China likewise puts in a claim. She asks two things from the conference. First, that it shall say definitely whether a man who has two wives eau be received as 8 member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and secondly that it shall send her full hedged bishop -ss the request says "not bishop for China" which means not 8 missionary bishop, 'but bishop in China" It is de- msDded, too, by large numbers of the del full Episcopal authority be given to Bishop Thoburn, of India, and Bishop Taylor, of Africa; that, in other words, these men shall cease to be simply missionary bish- ops and be given coordinate jurisdiction and authority with the rest of the Episco- pal dignitaries. And withal-as many think-there ought to be st least four men added to the Episcopal force at home.
 Thus there is a strong call for help in this direction, and in case the bars are let down there are plenty of men to choose from. On the first ballot four years ago votes were cast for more than eighty. though only five could be elected And what makes the situation so appalling to the would-be prophet is that most of these eighty are still in the field, with many possible endorsements. We should think, however, that of all the guesses ventured that is the most likely to be full
 filled which puts the number of new bish ops at three-if any-and which goes on to say that of these three one will be book agent, one missionary secretary and one a pastor. Of course the book agent is Dr Cranston. The missionary secretary may be either Dr. Leonard or pr. McCsbe, and the pastor,- there's the rub. But if current talk amongst influential men goes for anything, it is not unlikely that the pastor who will be promoted is Rev. William Mast Brodbsck, who went east from Cincinnati six years ago, and who has made such q marvellous impression in New England that the New England con- ference, which is full of able and deserv- ing men, has sent him here as one of the most honored of its delegates.
 Still. with Dr. J. w. Hamilton, of the same conference, and Dr. J. M. King, of New York, and Dr. Frank Bristol, of Chicago, and Dr. c. H. Payne, of Ohio, T. J- 1A Slt
 Advocate, and a host of other good men and true all being urged by numerous friends for Episcopal honors, who can tell what will happen. There is certain ly no lack of men for the places; the only trouble is that the places may not be open.
 It must be notsd in closing that the | Episcopal situation is complicated some what-perhaps without ofense one may s, lnl tla | of SO many that & oolored bishop be ! elected. Long ago the Methodist Episco- pal church south set up its colored mem bers for themselves. That is, it organ | ized them into 8 church of their own.
 But this body, which has been the spe- | cial friend of that race and has spent | millions of dollars upon them since the war, has felt thus far that it could best | continue its guardianship over them by
 keeping them in regular fellowship with
 itself. Occasionally, too. it has honored
 them with some general conference of flee. Thus far, however, since the death
 of the colored bishop in Liberia, it has seen fit to keep them at arms length | from Episcopal honors, and the prevail | ing sentiment has been that long time must elapse before its policy in this mat | ter could be judiciously changed. Still
 there have always been a few even among l WnlES htluOulsls WHO nave nclu aQ-
 vsnced views on this subject, and recent ly the ranks of these radicals have been
 considerably augmented. On the part of l the colored delegates the demand for
 black bishop is by no means unanimous.
 but it is made very urgently by most of
 them, and the conference will have to
 consider it. Four years SEQ the candi-
 date of the colored section was Dr. E.
 w. s. Peck, and forty two votes were cast
 for him In this conference several men
 of that race are likely to be brought for
 ward. Dr. Peck is still 6 possibility in
 case 8 colored bishop should be elected;
 but Dr. Albert, of New Orleans, Dr. Hs-
 good, of Kentucky, Dr. Hammond, also of
 Kentucky, and Dr. Bowen, of Washing
 ton, are also being canvased for the place,
 and 1t would perhaps be quite safe to pre-
 dict that, in the contingency named, one
 out of the five men here mentioned will
 walk off with the prize. The probabii-
 ties are, however, that the mountain will
 labor on this subject, ss it has done on
 other occasions, without bringing forth
 anything. H. T. | SIMPLE.
 Beauty-This is @ nice, simple little bon
 net; don't you think SO. Johnt The beast | Ii fa aip ss