Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-05-07
NEWS FOR MerHoD,srs.
It~us ~ interest Touching 'sm Ghurcn Sss'
tistlcs aud hur~h .ovsr"m~ns.

~
CLEVELAND. O.. May A-Methodists
are tired OF collections-not OF the
but OF The number. There
are six or seven church funds, each OF
which has a separate set OF officers
The brethren, who foot the bills, want
less confusion and more economy
They want one collection and one or.
ganization to administer their oenevo'
lences. This is not a new complaint,
but this general conference has taken
the first step in an effor, to consolidate
its various missionary and other benev'
client funds The conference de-
termined to appoint a committee 70
devise a plan for the CONSOLE
dation of the church's benevolences,
one minister and one lavman to De
chosen BY each Of the IA general as
tricts and the 10Th member to be APP
pointed by the bishops. The address
Of the bishops was read by bishop
Warren and required two hours in Its
delivery. 1t was silent on the adlnis.
sion OF women and on the demand OF
the laymen for equal representation.
1t opposed the removal OF the time
limit on pastorates except IN rare
eases. and insisted on the rule against
frivolous amusements
The address shows that the church
has membership Of s,7g6,656, a gain
of $3.50, 1000 in four years. The Sunday
schools last year numbered sO,s'2,
gain in four years OF a76 and the
teachers and pupils numbered 2,9aS,aSo'
gain Of sso,no0 The conversions in
the Sunday schools in four years were
So, 436. The church has added VII, 6oo'-
600 worth Of property to the Sll3,ooo''
600 owned in 1892 The gain In pas
toral support has been s5oo'ooo' partly
because Of l.4On more pastors. The
missionary funds show substantial
uains. The church has 81 deaconess'
homes, hospitals and orphanaves, OF
which is are in foreign lands.
There are 574 deaconesses, OF
whom 20 are in foreign work. One
hundred are trained nurses. The or
canization has S64l, $50 worth OF prop
erty, which has been mostly given dur
inc the last four years The Epwortt
league has sl,ooO chapels, with l.aSo,
600 members. On this subject the ad
dress saws. ave are impressed will
the Importance Of encouraging oul
pastors and young people to establish
and maintain Epworth leagues rattle
than other societies in order That the.
NAV have the benefit of our literatur
and te trained to be loyal and intelll
gent Methodists. y
The bishops propose assemi-annua
conference to take the place OF tn
quarterly. They suggest court 10
the trial Of charges against minister
by each local conference OF clrcn
e.ec in! trial judges TO be memoefs
that court. This is 10 avoid the ob1e
,. ton of trying cases before mike
bodies, of old and young, male and =
male The bishops recommend TN
students Of the theological schools WI
? apply for admission to the minlst'
: shall be credited with studies pursue
in school. They suggest providing I
! superannuated ministers and the
9 families according to their need
IS stead Of the length OF service. In
y are opposed to removing the Ian OF :
q church from dancing, card playinga
= theater-going. They favor total pl
9 hibition and want the United Stat
70 to refuse government licenses in pl
70 hibition states The various demon
.. national schools are Endorsed. The
. dress declares for national divor
G. law. denounces the Armenian afro
'e ties, favors arbitration in labor and
international disputes, and urges pro
sharing.