Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-21

! be chosen assistant secretary Is not yc
fully determined.
This ONCE was made vacant two year
ago by the resignation OF Rev. j. Z. MOT
| rIs.. ID. w, OF birmingham. and has beer
| nI,ed the mast year by Mr.. w. +. Barclay
of Nashville, by appointment OF tn
board.
Mr.. barclay IL n well-known Methodis
Iaymnn. and son-in-iaw OF Bishop Har
grove. and has proven himself valuable
assistant. and should be returned. ant
Will be AZ IL IS thought advisable to place
| a Iayman permanently In the office.
Rev. III. &. Settle, ID. D.. of Kentucky
/ is the clergyman favorably spoken o
for this Office. DR.. Settle IL a charter
member OF the board. and has resided ~
Louisville since the beginning OF the work
and Is familiar with the details or the
office.
ELECTION or BISHOPS
This body by election selects the bishop
This position is looked upon az the hisneS,
and most important gift at the ha'uS VI
the Church: at any rate. 1t confers the
most honor upon the holder. IL Is gene
rally thought however. there VIII DE no
election to the Office this session. ! ne
conference four years ago thoub"t II
advisable to add TO the College OF BISHOPS
two new members but as the member
ship has not changed In the interval anu
remains to-day as the day this acton was
taken. II will not be necessary 10 MAKE an
addition.
The laymcn. though. advance more
practical objection to an election this ses-
sion IN "the hard times" felt In the
Church as severely as in the business
world. The amount OF money raised year
w by the conference for the support OF
the cpiscopacy. and the WIDOWS ana or
phans OF deceased bishops. amounts 10
over $4,000. and should not be Increased
in this time Of financial depression. Inc
likelihood Of no election has not Iesseh'i
the interest or the number OF candldat's
for the Office. The ministers do not de-
clare themselves FOR this position as in
polltics, nor are they formally announced
bv their friends. Bishop timber H. not
scarce In the South. "The woods are full
IL might Ice Judged from the many names
heard this early in connection with the
Office. TIL more prominent ministers
spoken OF now and at other sessions are
Rev. II. y. Sledd. -. D.. of Virginia;
Rev. David Morton. ID. H.. Of kentucky:
Rev. f.. NJ. Messick ID. D.. Of Missouri;
Rev. H. c. Morrison. d. d.. OF Georgia:
Rev. ". G. Settle. d. D.. OF Kentucky:
Rev. j. c. Morris. d. D.. Of Alabama:
Rev. T.. T.. Hoss, D. D.. Of Tennessee:
Rev. J. r. Sawyer. u. D.. Of Louisiana:
Rev. W. 4. Gambler -. D., of Georgia.
ana Rev. J. H. Sears. j.. D.. of Texas.
Or. Slcdd came mar an election at the
last session Of conference. and will
be chosen this time, If an election is held.
Or. Morton was popular favorite last
session ana viii be near the top. if a
count is made DIR. Messick has received
votes at other sessions. as has Dr. Nor
rison, and both are prime faVortos to-
day. Many OF the others favOrably mem
toned now have been at other sessions,
and some have received a large vote.
QUESTION OF UNION.
The question OF organic union with the
Methodist Episcopal Church Will be con-
sdered again, but will be passed as usual
by the adoption Of resolutions Of
hrotherly love AMI fraternity Union with
the Methodist Episcopal Church is out
IF the question and impracticahle. II for
40 other reason than the size of the two
great bodies. and tn federation Of all
denominations is too young "A question 20
be considered for many years to come.
Such thing could not come to pass in
a generation or two generations. II ever.
The approach OF church unity Will be
slow and the way long and difficult.
TO CHANGE THE NAME.
An attempt will be made 10 change the
name of the church at this session. The
question has grown To be a large one. and
viii not down. The matter. however. viii
hardly take definite shape at this time.
md will not pass the conference to =
'ote Of the annual conferences as In 1866.
The name as ii stands to-day is recognized
~ all. excepting a few members in the
'order conferences and in the far West,
o have no political or geographical sig
lificancc. and should not be changed
But ii is thought by many that some>
hing should be done towards an under
tanding between the two great Methodist
'odi"s regarding the establishment Of
hurchcs and conferences in the same ter
itory, and also the union of all mission
ny efforts Of the two churches.
THE EPWORTH LEAGUE.
This part Of the work Of the Church
mong the young VIII take a more i'm
ortant place from this session \ sec
etary Will be asked for and probably
ranted, and the work made more de-
ominational-nOt lesser. as some have
better defined The name.
Is hoped by great majority of the
membership. Will not be changed but
omain as it is-The Epworth League
I the Methodist Episcopal Church. South,
nd purely Methodist.