Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-05-10
BISHOPS TAKEN 70 TASK.
The Laity Would Limit Their
emoluments.
SHARP CRITICISMS WERE MADE
They Are Charged with Refusing Their
Services Where Needed and blamed
for Lack OF Increase In Members
Committees Appointed.


ference began in the Auditorium with
devotions led by the Rev. Fayette l..
Thompson. The prayer of the day
was by the presiding bishop. The song
service was led by the Rev. II. J.
Cozlne, percentor of the conference.
The business session began with
Bishop ]. NJ. Walden presiding. The
calling of the roll of conferences was
resumed. Questions were brought up
and debated on the floor.
In the afternoon committee meetings
were held as follows: Book Concern
at Studebaker building; missions,
audience room of First Methodist
church; education, audience room Of
Wabash Avenue Methodist church;
church extension, lecture room of First
church; Sunday schools. 81 Washing
ton street; Freedmen's Aid, Wabash
Avenue church.
The conference dropped suddenly
into the midst of the stirring questions
that are to come before 1t, when,
among the memorials presented there
came from Clayton w. Wilson of Iowa
resolution denying to bishops and
other general conference officers some
of the emoluments they have been re-
ceiving in their Offices. The question
came to debate and final settlement on
the floor, and the resolution was al
most unanimously adopted. The bish-
ops, who have no voice in the confer
ence debates, sat on the platform and
heard in silence criticisms and defenses
of themselves as the delegates dis
cussd the issue. The resolution as
| finally adopted was as follows: Re
| solved, That no bishop or general
| conference officer should receive any
services in the dedication and reopen
ing OF churches. attending commence
ments of our educational institutions,
and such other like services as he may
render the church" Upon this ques-
ton the house divided, the majority
being in favor of placing this safe
guard over the highest officers Of
the church. Those who objected took
the ground that it was an uncalled-for
reflection on the bishops and officers.
Criticisms of the bishops did not be-
come personal. but ministers in the au-
dience testified that they could not get
the services of bishop in their con-
ferences because of the miscellaneous
duties which occupied the bishop. Mr..
Wilson included In his motion also a
| provision that the book committee
should compensate the officers of the
church literally. This part was soon
withdrawn and the discussion was on
the other point DR.. J. NJ Buckley OF
New York was the first speaker. He
said: For bishop to refuse call to
attend church dedication unless he is
paid a certain sum | declare before
high heaven and in the presence Of
this great conference is a prostitution
of a most high calling" DR.. Buckley,
as editor of the New York Christian
Advocate, is conference officer" He
explained that he did not expect per-
quisites. He said that there were hon.
est perquisites. and upon hearing the
word honest repeated ironically he
turned upon the speaker and insisted
that in the ministerial profession there
are honest perquisites. He then dis
cussed marriage fees.
Ira S. Locke of Portland, Me-, made
one Of the most radical speeches. I'm
twenty-five years." he said. there has
been a bishop in our conference just
four times, outside of attendance at
| animal cOnfaranne- Whv q ra ua =, ~
increasing in numbers? Because our
bishops have miscellaneous duties" j.
II. Potts, editor of the Michigan Chris
tian Advocate, an Independent Meth
odist paper, said he had recently been
severely criticised by one of the bish-
ops for allowing a letter to appear in
his paper calling attention to this state
of affairs. He had letters, he said
showing that the editors of the official
papers had refused to print such crit
iclsms. Excitement during this dis
cussion reached the highest point man
ifested so far in the conference. There
were speakers who said it was known
that the bishops had received emolu-
ments. From the bishops standpoint
nothing was heard after the session
was over. Bishop Merrill then ex-
pressed himself in an interview as fol.
lows: THE expenses OF the bishops in
travelling to dedications and com
mencements at denominational col.
leges should be paid out of the general
church treasury. BY this plan weaker
churches and organizations would have
no cause to complain that they are
neglected by the general superintend-
ents. The small church needs the
help OF the bishop in its dedication
more than a larger one. Extra fees
that may have had have hardly more
than balanced extra expenses"
Presiding Elder Frank Hardin OF the
Rock River conference took the posi-
ton that the bishops and book agents
are not the real sinners. The minis.
tiers, he said, who offer these "bribes'
, TO the bishops and officers should be
/ looked after.
The condition of the official papers
of the church will be thoroughly i'll
vestigated by a committee appointed
in the morning at the general session
; The conference expressed itself on the
Sunday question by adopting iesolu
ttion recognizing with gratitude the
action of the president of the United
States in directing tllt American ex
hibits at the Paris exposition be closed
on Sunday. The investigation into tho
condition of theological seminaries un'
doubtedly will bring out a fight be.
tween the conservatives and Irogres
sives. centered about Prof. II. c
Mitchell of Boston university, who ii