The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-05
storm over a Resolution I'm Regard 20
Perquisites OF Bishops Who
Dedicate Churches.
REV. T. A. GooDwIN's REVIEW
THE "PARsoN's, OPINION OF An
DREws's QUADRENNIAL ADDRESS.
Prohibitionists Who AppIauded the
Bishops Reference to the Ques-
ton, and Later Were Sorry.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
CHICAGO, May 4.-Resolutions were In
troduced at to-days session of the Meth
odist Episcopal General Conference that
promise to cause heated debates before
they are finally disposed Of. The effort 10
change the Book OF Discipline so as to per-
nit greater hberality in amusements will
meet vigorous opposition. despite Bishop
Andrewss suggestion. A resolution lop-
ping off alleged perquisites OF the bishops
created a furore. but was passed after
modification. The reports OF the various
boards and committees were presented to-
day.
One Of the humors Of the conference is the
amateur prognosticator. He has a way of
foreseeing things that never come TO pass,
by species of mind-reading. suppose.
but he exploits his discovery with as much
confidence as If they were facts. The latest
of these is the discovery. through the
leading members Of the episcopal COM
mittee." that four or more bishops are TO
be retired to make place for half dozen
or more new ones, and he has given the
reasons for each. Thus bishop Merrill.
who is only seventy-four. is to be retired
on account OF age. whereas he never held
than he did the opening session. and Bish-
ops Andrews and waldron. who are even
younger, for the same reason; and Bishop
Foss on account of i'll health. though he
seems about as well as the average; but
Bishop Hurst is to be retired that he may
devote all his time to the sAnserican Uni-
versity. The joke lis that that S what Foss
has been doing about eight years, treating
his Office as bishop merely as a side issue.
attending few conferences now and then.
but living for the university. The original
scheme of this mind-reader contemplated
retiring least two other bishops that
they might devote their time wholly TO lee
turing, but there is little difference be-
tween them and others that II seemed in
vidious to name a part and not all. so the
whole scheme may fail, but the amateur
prognosticator got his work into the local
papers. all the same.
RULES EASILY FRACTURED.
One transaction yesterday illustrates the
allegation / made the other day that the
rules of the church. as set forth in the
Discipline, are merely convenient directions
for doing whatever the General Conference
wants to do, but they are no restraint If IT
wants to do otherwise than is therein pro-
vided. The conference. after admitting an
equal number of laymen, ordered that all
the standing committees. which had here
tofore been composed Of one member from
every conference, should now be composed
of one layman and one minister from each.
regardless of the rule in the Discipline
which provided that the committee on
boundaries should be composed of one from
each conference The attention OF the con-
ference was called to this discrepancy, but
the decision was In accord with my conten-
ton, though 1t was the first act In a hum
dred years that directly defied the law in
the case without the formality Of repeating
or suspending the law. The supremacy OF
the General Conference is thus vindicateG.
The great event of yesterday was the
reading Of the quadrennial address of the
bishops II was anything but dry resume
of the business of the quadrennium. and
so important in its probable influence on
the church and church work that, by
unanimous vote. II was ordered TO be pub
lished in pamphlet form for gratuitous cir
culation throughout the whole church. So
enthusiastic was DR.. Eaton. the senior
book agent at New York. that he declared
that if this should cost the concern $4,000
long to appear in the Official papers. and
too valuable to not be read by the whole
church. The Irish fraternal delegate asked
the privilege Of saying word about il, and
he said it was the best presentation OF
Methodism he had ever heard. Ii will be
read. no doubt. by more people, not by
Methodists alone, than any late production
from any source.
There were some salient points deserving
notice as bearing upon questions TO come
before the General Conference. On the
amusement question the address favored
the repeal OF the chapter amusements.
while urging the necessity of keeping con-
stantly before all processing Christians the
great Bible truth that whatsoever they do
they should do as unto the Lord; or. as ex-
pressed in the general rules. 10 avoid the
reading of such books and the taking OF
such diversions cannot be taken in the
name OF the Lord. leaving every one 20 bs
governed by his or her own conscience in
any particular case. The arguments In be-
half of this were clear and cogent. ana.
Judging from the applause II elected. the
indications are that the chapter on amuss-
ments will be eliminated or greatly modi-
fed.
THE TIME LIMIT"
The discussion OF the time limit" was
exhaustive. with the conclusion that the
limit OF five years is a failure. and that the
church should return 10 three years as the
limit or the limit should be abolished en-
tireiy. With this Endorsement the indica-
tions are that the time limit Will be re-
moved. the greatest opposition coming from
the laymen. who prefer TO set rid of an un-
time limit rather than through the mora