The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1900-06-09
CONFERENCE WORK,

Presiding Elder Watt Talks of the Work
of the General Conference Held at
Chicago.
The delegates from this, the Wilmington
Methodist Episcopal Conference have ar
rived home from the general Conference
held at Chicago. In speaking of the work
done DR.. Watt, Presiding Elder of this
| district said:
Perhaps the legislation in which Pen
insula Methodists are most interested was
an amendment of the Discipline, so that
where it is not contrary to the State law,
| trustees of the churches can be elected by
the congregations. One restriction, how
ever, is that only male members of the
congregation, more than twenty.one years
OF age, shall be entitled 10 vote for trustees.
There has been clamOr for the c0ngre-
cations to be permitted to choose their own
trustees, but the Discipline provided an
other method not satisfactory to the lay
men. There will be no need now for
Methodists to Try to have the legislative act
repealed, as they can exercise the night of
electing their own trustees.
Rev. Mr.. Watt also said at was a
great gathering, The impress
sion seems to have been given in the news
papers thar there was frequent disagree
ment, but there was not. It was IA conser-
vative body. Furthermore is was an in
dependent body. The delegates were
Independent men, thinking men. and there
was very little wire-puling. The dele
gates thought as they pleased, and voted
their own opinions. In gathering of 700
men, IN session two weeks, there were
many opportunities for political work, hut
the delegates when approached stated they
would vote as they thought best, and there
was very little wire-pullng.
1.-The removal of the time limit seemed
to be the most popular legstion in the
conference. Fully one-thrd more laymen
than ministers voted TO remove the limit.
Many amendments were suggested, but
| delegates wanted the limit abolished un-
qualitiedly. The amusement question
remains as il was, it having beel laid on
the table.
1.-THE time limitation for presiding elders
remains as it was, six years. There was
resolution to remove the limit, but it was
not presented. II was Thought by many
delegates that an unrestricted limit for
presiding elders would be detrimental"
DR.. Watt explained some of the changes
made by the General Conference Here
after in the annual conference sessions, the
ministers will not make an open report of
their benevolent collections, but will report
previously to the presiding elders, who will
in open session pass on the characters of
their ministers and state whether the col
lections have been given proper attention.
In the future, ministers on trial in confer
ence studies can solemnize marriage, unless
prohibited by state law Class leaders in
churches also must be approved before they
become members of the quarterly confer
ences.
Another departure arising from the con-
ference is the stationing of the bishops,
who were assigned by the committee on
episcopacy to their homes for the ensuing
four years. Heretofore the bishops gener-
ally selected their cities of residence, but
they were stationed this year, as the min
listers are in annual conference by the
bishops.