Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-25
but has recently been assigned to duty in

Europe.
Ali the bishops are equal, but Bishop
Bowman presides at their semi-annual
meetings by Write OF his seniority. A
bishop has no authority aside flo,n that
crystalized enactmel.s Of the general con-
ferences. A numbeg of prominent preach
ers and laymen have been urging a plan
Of episcopacy requiring each bishop to
look after given tari.cry for il term Of
four years. This gnovamcnt also includes
the quadriennial location of a bishop in
China, South America, Africa, India and
Europe, the remaining bishops 10 be sta
States 1t is clainsd that this plan will
enable each bishop to gain q more Intimate
and accurate knowledge Of his field than
he can possibly gain under tho present
system of dependence on presiding elders
and preachers.
Purely a Legislative Body,
The consolidation Of tho book concern Is
under consideration. At present the pub-
fishing interests Of the church are car
ried on by two establishments. one in
New York city and one In Cincinnati.
Branch offices and repositories are To-
Gated in the leading cities. This NOVA
ment toward consolidation also carries
with 1t the proposition to elect laymen
as agents instead of preachers.
The general conference is purely q lep
lslative body. 1t makes all the laws of
the church In general Way II corro-
spends with the national congress. Minis
tsrlai ana lay delegates are sent by the
hundred or more amt al conferences Four
years ago there were 315 preachers and lS9
laymen. This session there will proha hIv
be an increase Ministerial and lay dele
gates meet in one body and have equal
powers, although not equal in numbers.
Separate votes can be taken on Questions
before the conference IL demanded The
bishops preside in rotation one session
each. They are not allowed the privileges
of the floor Unlike some legislative boil
les the bishop cannot call a substitute to
the chair. take the floor and make a speech
no matter how much he may desire to do
So
Like Congress. most of the work Ia done
In committee. There are twelve standing
committees, viz: Episcopacy, itinerscy
boundaries; REVEALS, temporal economy
state of the church, book concern. mis-.
sions. education, church extension. Sunday
schools and tracts, freedman's aid and
work IN the south. Each member of each
delegation, beginning with the chairman,
selects a committee. and so on through the
list until the delegation Is represented ON
each committee None Of the standing
committees are appointed by the presiding
oHhcer: Each delegate will be on several
committees and each committee win have
about 100 members.
Order of business,
The names of the committees Indicate the
class Of legislation referred to them. The
portance. 1t is formed of the chairman Of
the various delegations This committee
inquiries into the character and behavior of
the bishops. The name of each bjsbon "a
called IN turn, and if any delegate has anv
complaint he presents 1t when the name is
called All recommendations relating to
the election of additional bishons and
ehahses In me episcopacy come from this
committee The committee on bounda ries
rs maj III us conclusions, but the remain
ing committees are merely for reference
Inc order Of business of the conference ia
TO- nold general session in the forenoon
committee meetings in the afternoon. and
,,,nl,, Te' saIles ana receptions to fraternal
messengers at night
Inc new armOry where the general con-
ference VIII meet Is massive stona buiId
ing in the heart of the city, and only ONE
oiock from the lake. 1t is within five min
utes or the union depot, two blocks fror,
the post Office, and, two blocks from, tha
noted public square, from which ali the
street car lines radiate Visitors who have
ATTENDED other sessions of the general CON
ference say the internal arransements NJ
lne arlnory are far superior to any place
where sessions have been previously heId
There will be ample room for the deIegntas
ana thousands of seats for visitors Annie
provision has been made for cloak rooms
waiting rooms, editorial rooms Of the Daily
AdFo2a,e, private rooms for the bishoos
etc. >e"'
The committee in charge of ARRANGEMENTS
mas secured written contract from the
hotels to entertain delegates for 81 a day
ana to make no discrimination because Of
color or nationality The committee will as
sign delegates to places of entertainment
and each hotel, Including the finest In the
city, Will have colored delegates to enter
tala' on an equal footing with whites.
ALBERT SIDNEY GREGG.