The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-05
AT THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.
MethOdIsts of south Georgia Gone to
baltimore.

Rev. Dr. James o. Branch. pastor Of
Wesley Monumental Church, has gone to
Baltimore to attend the general confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South. DR.. Branch is the only Methodist
from Savannah who will be present dur
ing the conference. Mr.. S. B. Adams was
to have been lay delegate from the South
Georgia Conference, but business obliga-
tons prevented his going.
The conference will convene this morn
ing. No date has been fixed for its ad-
joprnment, as fun time win be taken for
the transaction of all the business. There
is usually a great deal TO be done by
general conference, the sessions being held
only once in four years. The law making
of the church is done by the conference,
and the leading and representative men,
lay and clerical throughout the country
and from the mission conferences abroad
are TO be met at the sessions. Forty
seven conferences send delegates TO the
general conference, making a total OF
those attending of more than 400.
The delegates from the South Georgia
Conference were elected at the last meet
ing, which was held here in December.
They are Messrs. S. B. Adams, Savannah;
John L. Day, Lumber City; NJ. c. Austin,
Waycross; b. f. Wilmington, Valdosta;
and DR.. ". P. Banks Columbus, lay; and
Revs. J. o. Branch, Savannah; c. E.
bowman, Columbus; J. b. McGehee, Tai
bottom; J. w. Hinton, Macon; and G. G.
N. MacDonel Waycross. Mr.. Adams
wired one of the alternates, Hon. N. E.
Harris of Macon, of his inability to attend
the conference, and that gentleman will
also probably represent the South Georgia
Conference. Mr.. Adams had hoped TO be
able to attend, but found at the last mo-
ment that ii would be impossible.
The delegates who attend the conference
represent more than 100000 communi-
cants of the Methodist Church. Among
those who attend are the bishops. Two or
three vacancies on the board of bishops
will be filled The conference will be pre-
sided over by the senior bishop, Rev. DIR.
J. c. Keener.
Several matters Of grave importance are
to come before the conference, among them
the consideration of the plan that win be
submitted by board of arbitration for the
better disposition of the forces of the
Methodist churches North and South. Tho
two bodies are anxious to avoid a conflict
in their work, and this can only be done
by an understanding being reached as to
what shall be considered the legitimate
territory of each. The best results have
been prevented in the past by the two
churches working in the same states and
often in the same localities This has
hampered the growth of one or the other,
and it is proposed to come to some agree
ment, in order that each church can have
its own territory.
The agreement it is desired to have
reached by the conferences of the two
churches will require some time to be con-
summated. The action that will be taken
by The general conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South. will have to be
considered by the general conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and this
will not convene for two years. The two
branches of the church have already been
at work on the question for several years.