The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-15
Two BISHOPS are Retired
Conference Decides That They Arc
Non.Effcctiyc.
4 MOST REMARKABLE REPORT
bishops Thomas w. B,wm,a and Ram
doirh =. Foster Retired by the VI. L.
Conference II impressive Scene.
Plea for Cc!prca Members.

Mailaleu in the chair 1t was decided
that diplomas from Methodist schools
be accented in lieu Of the conference
course Of study from the candidates for
the ministry.
The reports 0f the committee on Epis-
cop@uy were presented by Rev. DR..
Buckley.
kCpUr; No / recommended the retire
ment Of rhc senior bishop, Thomas W.
BoWmarl, and OF Bishop Randolph 5.
Foster, ON account of non-eT1ectiveness.
y most Impressive scene followed the
, .eading oI tiG report, Bishop Foster
arose, and amid the almost breathless
silence, said that he wished to relieve
the conference from any delicacy III
acting as their judgments dictated. lie
asked permission Il retire. Bishop
Bowman also asked t. be retired "as |
have Just aincd' he said, 'tnat | am
non effective
Bishop George H. Blidgeman onered
Substitute which provided that Bish-
up Eowman and Bishop Foster be not
retired, ana that the board of bishops
lie asked to give them light work. Or.
Bridgenan said that the report of the
cDmmittes was unhind. who are
thsse men that Or, Buckley and his
committee propose TO say to the church,
10 Lruther churches, and to the world,
that they are non-eff tive? They are
those who have done mast for Method
ism, The majority re '3rt would be eX
cGeumRly hurtiu, 10 the church Rev.
Di. Lanahan Of Baltimore, said: There
Is IA great deal Of honey in the report.
I The honey, however, is Il very good way
tn smooth the way the committee aimed
at There are things that have been
! lett out OF tG,s discussion that had
better be said | think, sir. that the
! y,t
tee have been unparalleled in the his
I tory of the church Fur the honor Of
I the church, I hone II may never occur
| again.
DANGERS OF SECRET SESSIONS.
This committee has been in secret
session. 1t was a meeting for eXecu-
tion. | think that one of the dangers
! Of Our chui Ch today is in keeping secret
| what ought to be published What was
/ to be said about these great men? Have
they been guilty of any improperly"
/ The committee said in the presence OF
! visitors that they wished TO say things
| that should not he made public. | will
| ask the chairman of the committee on
/ E.piscopacy to say whether ii is true or
! not
Or. Buckley was given permission
+-te-reply to Dr, Lanahan. He said:
Our report was vo,ed for by all of
| our committee of l}0 save five members.
:, ,These brethren, il they are not retired,
! are 0fIicial residents OF the great Epis-
copal cities. We called these secret
meetings thai we might question these
beloved bishops when not surrounded
hy ever thirsty reporters and persons
totally incompetent to judge the great
principles cf Methodism. In the inter-
est oi the Episcopal board beseech you
to adopt the majority report"
DR.. BuCkloy's speech was delivered
in = very earnest manner, During the
debate much difficulty was had by
EishCp Mallaleu in keeping the dele
sates from applauding, He said tina,
the matter under discussion was a
delicate one, and he hoped that the con
ference would refrain from applause
AT last antil this particular matter
was disposed Of.
The substitute was tabled and the
report adopted retiring Bishops Bow.
man and Foster. DR.. Buckley read re-
port No. from the committee on Epis.
cCnacy. 1t said that in the selection OF
bishops there should be no discrilnina.
ton on account Of race and that the
time has now come to elct bishop OF
African descent.
Rev. DIR. Wilson. of Baltimore, of
fcrCd the following as substitute fol
the report: THAT in the selection OF
bishops the delegates should be un
trammeled. and therefore the race OF
nationality Of a bishon is not a proper
subject for legislation"
FLEA FOR COLORED MEMBERS.
Wade II. Thomas. colored of Nortl
Carolina, said: Including the cighteel
bishops. there are forty-four genera
conference officers. and Of these tn
2630 coo colored msmbers have only on
representative. Is that justice?"
Rev. Madison G. r. Mason. of Savan
nah. who is one OF the leaders of South
ern Methodism. said he hoped that ther
would he nothing done to drive tn
white bishops out of the SOUTH but q
the same dine he thought the time ma
come to elect 4 colO!ed bishop.
The previous question was ordere
, ald the substitute tabled. The com
mttee report was then passed.
Dr. Buckley read report No. 3 fror
, the committee on Epis iscopacy. which de
> clared that there should be three NOR
biehonS selected.
Rev. John y. Walsh, of Kentuck,
= moved TO amend the report by addin
/ another hisEC., niCviding one OF thos
selected in col0rcd
Ut. l.!'tlc moved as Il substitute tina
the number of bishops to be elected b
two.
Dir. Bristol, Of Chicago. moved I
! amend by declaring that there shoul
= be no more bishops elected. He sal
that the bishops had little work to do.
The previous question was ordered
Dr. Buckley was given the floor an
k said:
: Most sf the bishops are old and n,
= liable 20 die or become incompetent {
e any time. Therefore, hope that yo
S will add at least two bishops to til
= board"
d The report was amended by maxim
h the number of bishops to be elected tw
n instead Of three. The report was the
t adopted. The two new bishops will |
d elected tomorrow morning.
G DR.. Broadbeck, of the committee c
education, submitted report to the @
n feet that in the cases Of candidates f,
d ministerial orders, the certificates
: examinations by professors of theolo,
!. lcal scminaries Ike accepted by the COZ
i ference. This would have the effect
making candidates eligible to deacon
orders after two years In the schoo
without the additional conferen,
n course. Adopted.
y The action of the conference in redu
:, ing the number of bishops to be elect,
n in looked upon in some quarters as
t. means of getting rid Of the veXed que
u tion of colored bishop. They may $
l. cure one on two minor conference q
- ficers but whether they will be satisfi,
:" with the shadow, instead OF the su
stance of their desire remains for Il
future to disclose.
,e stone Mnsons strike
VI .Pittsburg, Pa, May l4--Seven hundr
G. stone masons IN Pitisbirg went on stri
&c today for an advance IN wages of from