The age-herald., 1898-05-06
TIE QUADR|ENN|AL SESSION Of General Conference of M. E.
 Church, South. ADDRESS OF THE BISHOP Was the Principal Feature of the Meeting Bishop Keener Asked to Be Re-
 eyed of His Duties.

Baltimore, May 5-At the quadrennia1 session of the general conference of the M. D. church, south, which began this morning, the features were the address of bishops and the request of Bishop John c. Keensr, of New Orleans, the senior bishop to be relieved of his duties. Bishop eener called the conference to order. Op- ening exercises followed. The Rev. pr. J. H. Tigert, of Nashville, was elected sec retary and he appointed the following as- sistants: Cross Alexander, of Louisville; A. r. Watkins, Mississippi; J. McF. Bar kus, Texas, and W. T. Mcclure, Missouri. The rules of the last conference were adopted. The following appointed pages: J. c. Hutchison, D. w. Davidson, H. B. Whaling, c. w. Carr, Edward Stewart. Routine business was transacted and Bishop Keener was succeeded as chairman by Bishop Wilson, of Baltimore. The ad : dress of bishops was read by Bishop liar grove, of Nashville, and then came the surprise of the day in the request of Bishop Keener to be relieved of his duties. Bishop Keener said in part:
 ''The time has come for me to speak of matters personal to myself. I have had the honor of being an itinerant minister for ffty-six years, and for half of that time have been one of your general superinten- dents. My age and infirmities demand some relief, both for myself and the church and I respectfully refer the matter of my future services to your godly. judgment. In this city. in 1884, I thank God he heard my cry, that he forgave my sins and called me into the ministry in the far south. There l have been permitted to labor, building up the church.
 Bishop Keeners voice broke a number of times, and members of the conference were in tears. Bishop Galloway responded. He paid a high tribute to the retiring bish- op on behalf of his colleagues The resig- nation was referred to the committee on episcopacy. In the address of the bishops the death of Bishop Haygood was mention- ed, and this recommendation was made as to the election of additional members of the episcopacy:
 "We think, under all the conditions, that work of administrations can be efficiently done for the next quadrennial by the cleo tion of two additional bishops at this ses- sion of the conference"
 The statistical tables show the net in- crease in itinerant preachers for the four years to be 502 and members 123.221. The present number of itinerant preachers is 55S9, local preachers 5,6S5; total il, ,674. The total number of members is 1,47S. 431. The value of the church property is $35,00 0O0OO, an increase in four years of $2.000,000.
 "We have 141SS Sunday schools with 104 135 teachers and S51 4S5 pupils. This is an increase of s25 schools, S,459 teachers and S6,2Ul pupils. Inere are 4oo EpWOrtn leagues with 126,594 members. The church has seventy-six educational institutions, with one thousand teachers, 16000 pupils, property worth $4.651,S50 and endowments amounting to $2S9,695.
 In the foreign mission field there has been net gain of 2,177 members, 1,141 Sunday school attendants, 1,225 Epworth Leaguers, IS church buildings and 19 parsonages. In self-support, a net gain of $11,656 is re- DOrted. Our mission property is worth $S98, ITO. On the mission debt of $120,1A the church has paid $117,559. The amount paid to missions in the four years is $2, ,067 ,955. S3.
 As to lay delegates, the following was said .'Is not the vital relations of the lay delegates of a district conference to those selected for the annual and general con- ference a sufficient reason to fix a uniform principle and method for their direction in all the annual conferences"
 The subject of union between nonthern and southern branches of the church was spoken of as follows: "The commission of federation provided for at our last session met similar one from the Methodist Eps- copal church, north in Washington, Jan uary last, in joint session, which proved harmonious and was characterized by courtesy and hearty good will. A report wil lbe made on the subject"