The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-14
THE UNITED
BRETHREN,
Their QuadrenniaI Conference at
Toledo, Iowa.
THE MISSIONARY BOARD MEETS
AND HEARS REPORTS OF WORK
IN FOUR CONTINENTAL PRO
POSED REDUCTION IN THE
y NUMBER OF CONFERENCES WILL
BEoaE OF THE SUBJECTS TAKEN
UPSsnFIcE OF PRESIDING Ell.
DEB NAY BE ABOLISHED.

edcisSEowig May 10. The missionary
board ofsthe United Brethren Church
met to-day with Bishop Weaver presid
ina' preliminary to the meating of the
quadrennial general conferences of the
church. 'N0
Rev. II, Barkmeycr, delegate f,om
Germany, introduced to the board i. Fl.
Caulker, native African convert. who
saio that 1t could be no greater JOY to
hansen TO find the north pole than for
MN 70 be present at this meeting. He
SAID gospel alone will save his people.
Messls Castle and Bartmeres were ar
pointed to prepare an answer to letter
from the woman's board, now in session
ut Lisbon, Iowa.
lev. Or Mckee reported that receipts
Tor the last year were 500, $50 and TO? the
last TOUR years, 1881, 66S. OF the amount
expended III four years S71, 073 went to
Africa. $10,0S0 to Germany, 81, $50 to ia.
pan and S2,410 to Canada The araount
pald Tor home missions was $74, 800
Prot. IL. b. Portner and his wife. re-
turned missionaries from Africa, were in.
trodIced to the hoard. They are under
appointment this fall.
Dr. Carter reported concerning the
Chlckamauga conference of coiored
preachers. An interesting report was
read by Corresponding Secretary Bell,
showing the growth of the work under
the care of the board. He said the board
has twelve native missionaries Mt worLsin
Japan.
The conference is composed of POP dele
gates. or this number 145 are ministers
and 62 laymen. The ministers include
i've bishops, 40 presiding elders, fifty-one
pastors and the others are presidents of
colleges, professors, secretaries ,srtagents.
OF the lny delegates eight are Women.
four Years. ago women were admitted TO
the General Conference for the first time
Two OF That sex were then members. OF
the ministers fifty one were never mem.
bers of the General Conference before.
Fifty.one of the lay delegates were not
members Of the General Conference four
years ago, the first conference which adj
mitted them TO membership. Thus, about
one-haif the members of the present gath
ering are without experience in General
Conference legislation.
Among the questions of Importance
that Will be discussed is THAI OF reducing
the number of annual conferences. 1t is
said that with fewer aud stronger confer
enccs and with conferences within State
lines. better results could he realized.
The argument is Tor greater compactness
of organization and management in order
to secure greater economy in the use of
men and money, with increased efficiency
of administration.
Another question that will come up for
discussion is the abolshing or modifying
of the office of presiding elder. 1t is said
by many that the presiding eldership is
drifting into Observation-Disclosures that in
more than half of the pastoral charges the
trustees and official boards manage the
financial interests without any regard to
the presiding elder, and that the quar-
terly conference has lost the interest it
had in times past. Many OF the pastors
and people are averse to much outside
clIperviSiOp