Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-31

should be no change other than to provide
that in extremely exceptional cases the term
of a pastorate may extend to ten years, and
even this is not advised except as 1t may be
demanded by a three-fourths vote Of the
quarterly conference, and the subsequent
concurrence of the bishop and three-fourths
Of his cabinet. Not only so, but the pre-
siding elder of the district must also concur;
and all these checks and guards are to
operate actively every year. So that, even
If the new plan should be introduced, it
would not at all follow that the man who
wenth back for his sixth year would continue
In undisturbed possession of his church for
the proposed limit of ten years, or that
he would necessarily be appointed for even
a seventh year.
H CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR SOCIETY.
Incidentally. the Christian Endeavor so
ciety has figured In the proceedings, and
there has been widespread misrepresentation
on this subject. The straight of it is, that
In a committee meeting DR.. Quayle Of Kan
sas City had referred, by way of Illustration,
to the action of the body of endeavorers in
proclaiming publicly that at a certain time
they would offer special prayer for Colonel
lngersoll. This action he called idiOtic. He
was Intending. to show. / think, that Chris
tian endeavorers were not necessarily per-
feet; that they had not a monopoly of the
wisdom of the serpent, spite Of their dove
like harmlessness. He did not say the
OhA VI "oo al
idiotic society, nor that all belonging to 1t
were Of that character. He simply applied
this singing epithet to the specific act of a
certain number of that body. 1t was strong
language, but what can you expect from a
Methodist preacher, when nature has or
dained that a sturdy, %unhinching personality
shall be topped off, as, in DR.. Quayle's case,
with an ample shock Of wiry and fiery hair?
Many, however. whose locks are of a diff
ferent hue altogether, think that DR.. Quayle
no Ila1 that vidal ~ n IyartSeaH ont Of tho
Cleveland Christian Endeavorers by its true
name. That is why the conference, after
hearing the Doctors statement, declined to
condemn him, and, 1t Is not In the least
surprising. nor was it discourteous, that the
conference should refuse, at the same time,
to perform such an act OF supererogation as
would necessarily have been involved In the
motion which asked it to fully endorse that
great society.
Naturally, however, there is constituencies,
and the conference proposes no action which
Is likely to remove this. 1t will mot com
nit itself to practical afiliation with the
Christian Endeavor movement, nor will IL
favor the addition to its Epworth leagues OF
the Christian Endeavor name. Where Chris
tian Endeayor societies still exist in Meth
odist churches, they will not be interfered
with. excepting as the trend toward the Ep-
worth league may cause such interference.
But the organization within the Methodist
fold of new Christian Endeavor societies
will not be encouraged, nor will II from this
time be according to discipline; the simple
reason for this advanced attitude Of the con-
ference being that the Methodist church has
now a young peoples society Of its own, and
that the opinion seems to prevail that II is
better for Methodist young people to be
strict Methodists rather than a half and
half product. This is the straight OF the
whole matter, and 1t Is written-as your
correspondent also believes II was devised
with malice toward none and with charity
for all"
CONSIDERATION OF BISHOPS.
AS l write, the conference lis concluding
that deeply impressive service at which its
new bishops were consecrated. Owing to the
action OF the day before in electing DR.. ].
@. Hartzell as a missionary bishop to Africa,
there were three candidates instead OF two.
Dr.. Hartzel Is one of the most gentlemanly
looking men In Methodism. His bushy gray
hair, not very thick uron his ample crown,
his distinguished, chop-shaped whiskers,
adorning the face Of a typical Church Of
England clergyman. and the air OF dignity
and refinement which is always about him,
make him a marked man, and will un-
doubleday be- a great help to him In the adj
ministration OF his great missionary bishop
ric. At the moment OF his election there
was a touching scene. All felt that he was
making great sacrifices and had undertaken
a great and hazardous work. He was es-
oorted to the platform by Bishop Andrews,
and all the bishops pressed forward to orer
greetings. Bishop William Taylor. his heroic
predecessor. now retired, was amongst these.
and in response to loud calls for a speech, re-
marked that he merely wished TO say