The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-05-31
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE
Rev. T, E, Sharp Writes Of the Work
Accomplished by the Law-Making
Body of His Church,

written Specially for This Paper by Rev. T.
f.. sharp. of the Columbia Methodist
Church.
The general conference of the M. Il.
church, South, which meets once In four
years and is the only law making body in
the church, convened in the beautiful
city of Memphis, Tennessee, May 8, and
concluded its work May 81, 1894. This
conference will go down in history as one
OF the most notable ever held by that
church, by reason of the number OF for
ward steps taken. II was n progressive
body, nothing obsolete was held sacred.
There was manifcstly n disposition to
adjust the machinery OF the church to the
demands OF the age. You will note l say
machinery. There was no word or
thought Of any change Of doctrine. 1t is
not my purpose to pass n culogy upon the
Methodist church, but simply to give your
readers n few facts that will be Of general
interest.
HrSi. The church took strong grounds
on the temperance question. She de-
clarrd herself to I've absolutely y prohibit
ton church. hut not y prohibition party
chup,h. She enacted a law making II an
ottcpcc under the head Of immortality for
n mrmNcr ~ Sign \ petition for y dram
shop, rent a building for that purpose or
Sign = saloon Keepers bond or in any way
encourage the olNutuG II y saloon shop,
Snooad. rhcrr Was organized \ general
eoArd VI ciuraiicu ard a~sCrretAry elected
who shAl, give his ep,irN INK to the
educational utepst 6i the church. The
church has lY institutions - learning.
rhe>J Are 10 he correlated and We are to
have - system ~ education. In the
iuture our institutions are required 10 do
tine worA their names signify, an academy
must not I've called a college, nor y college
a university, etc. 1t is also designed to
makt strong the institutions We now
have. They are to be thoroughly equipped
and endowed. New institutions are not to
be established without the advic, and
consent OF the board OF education.
Third. The Epworth League was made
an organized part OF the church. The
League is placed upon the same footing AS
the sunday school. 1t will have its own
general board, a weekly paper published
II ! ~ Nv CONFERENCE
elected one OF the most brilliant men in
the church, i. e. DIR. s. A. Steel. editor at a
salary OF 1850 per year.
Fourth. The authority to license young
preachers was transformed from the
quarterly conference to the district con
ference. This was done in order to raise
the standard OF our ministry. Hitherto
| tho prartarIv cpnfarapnn nj tho ahurch 10
which the applicant belonged and which
was often composed Of the personal
friends ana relatives of the applicant
would license him out of consideration
for their friendship for him or his rela-
tiyes. Now the applicant must attend
his examination before a committee of
the district conference who are removed
from local influences and who 'have
instructions to recommend no man whose
gifts and graces do not really entitle him
to license.
The evangelistic question was left I'M
changed. A pastor is at liberty to engage
an ~evangelist's services if he chooses.
The sentiment OF the conference was over
whelmingly against organic union with
nv Niui,h ~ ~
time, but a committee was appointed en-
powered to treat with any Methodist body
looking to federation. This, | think, in
the near future will be accomplished,
Then we will no longer witness the un-
christian scene OF two churches OF the
same faith and order trying to occupy the
same territory and each too feeble to
~lprDmnIiSl the work demanded.
The time limit for the pastorate wa,
unchanged. Methods, ministers car
remain four years, which is as long as tn,
average minister in any other church
does remain in charge of the same church
The disposition to place younger men
in the place Of the very old men whC
held important connections position.
was manifested in the election OF DIR. Jno
j. Tigert, book editor in place OF DIR
W. p. Harrison, DIR. Kirkland, Sunday
school editor in place OF Drs. Cunning
ham, and the election of Drs. Morrison
and Lambeth, missionary secretaries In
place OF DIR. John. 1t was sad to Sc,
these venerable men retire, but it wal
thought the work demanded more youth
ful men. No new bishop was elected
The ratio OF representation in the genera
conference was changed from 1 TO 81
to l to As ministers. This was don be
cause OF the rapid increase of members
The church now has nearly 100000
These are a few OF the items which
are OF general interest. The body wa
exceedingly progressive, the sentimen
that has hitherto declined to change
method because it las old had no chanc'
to stay the progressive spirit OF thi
body. 1t rejected nothing because it wa
new and retained nothing simply becaus
it was old. II. Il. SHARP.