The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-13
MOST IMPORTANT WORK REFoRE
THE NJ. e. CONFERENCE, IN
SESSION IN CHICAGO
YOUNG MEN TO THE FRONT
Northwest Delegates Make Records
Minnesota and Dakota Leading
Work Done I'm For
eign Lands.

| changes are foreshadowed already. The
| independence with which the members as
| sert their views upon every subject is
most amusing. For instance. in speak
/ ing to the question of the consolidation
! OF some of the different branches of the
! churches, interest in which the dIsburse-
ments of great amounts of money is in
volved, and large salaries are being paid
| Dr. Buckley, of New York, said:
There is always great deal of I'M
classified opposition to every measure in
which is affected the heads of the great
| departments, men who state in fine and
/ pleasant language their argument that is
not easy to understand, saying one thing
! and meaning something else Therefore,
! leave thef mans argument and find out
! how he feels
| In a conference like this is where one
will witness the true spirit of indepen-
! dence. 1t is a self-asserting body of
men. When a man shows his mettle.
| whether he be young or old. he is ad-
mired, as in the case this week. of a
young member from Illinois, who with
clear voice asked permission of the chair
/ to oppose a resolution offered by DR..
Buckley. Instantly the great auditorium
resounded with applause. The young
man presented his argument in a master
ly shape, and for time it was thought
that this bright young delegate would
/
who had taken the floor in the last gen
eral conference 571 times by actual
count
The bishops are not allowed to take
part in debate They simply preside put
motions, and decide points of order
Sunday, May g. was given up to the
conference The pastors of the different
churches who did not surrender their
pulpits preached on 'Methodism" Rev.
r. A. White, of the Stewart Avenue Uni
versalist church. paid a fine tribute to
the Methodist church. These are his
words:
Anyone who attended the great Audi
forum meetings of the Methodist confer
ence did not need to be a Methodist or a
believer in the Methodist theology to feel
the inspiration and significance of this
great representative gathering. Next to
Catholicism the Methodist church stands
In numbers and zeal the greatest religious
factor in our American life
beginning with a handful of Oxford
students century and half ago, led by
John Wesley, Methodism has wrought
| nightly and in many ways for a Chris
tan civilization, both in America and
across the sea.
First, Methodism has contributed much
to the return of Protestant Christianity
to the simplicity and enthusiasm of the
early apostolic church
Secondly, the liberal world cannot for
get that Methodism was the great re-
ligious organization to break away from
| Calvinistic theology. For the hideous
doctrine of predestination, a disgrace to
| human nature, a dishonor to God, Yves
| ley substituted the doctrine of mans free
agency.
Thirdly, Methodism contributed and
still contributes to democracy In re-
ligion. Without subscribing to Its theol-
! = 70 he frn fTnTl
mistakes and errors, nevertheless all men,
and no less the liberal church, must hon
or the Methodist church for its history
and congratulate 1t upon it's present
achievements and future prospects"
TRIBUTE TO METHODISM.
Rev. DR.. Frank Gunsolus of the Central
Music hall. reserved seats for visiting dele
gates and friends while he preached ser
mon on "Methodism." 1t was probably
the most beautiful tribute paid by any
one of the city pastors to the Methodist
church. In his discourse he said, concern
ing the unrest of religious thinking and
the breaking away of some from the
school of orthodoxy:
1.-THE tendency of the present day is
back to strong truth. Young men of the
great Methodist church, crossing the
! bridge in the direction of liberalism, let
me call out to you, Haiti We are coming
your way
Some of our Minnesota pastors occupied
prominent pulpits here yesterday. Dr.
! Forbes. of Duluth, was the guest of the
! Second Baptist hcurch, one of the largest
| in the city The verdict of the congrega-
ton was that they had never heard a
| greater sermon.
Many of the bishops will be retired this
year Foss, Ninde and Merrill are getting
too far along in life to continue their
work with vigor. The flower OF their day
! Of usefulnes has long since passed. The
! two former especially are growing weak
| and feeble.
| Great men they all have been, and. in
! view of this, the general conference TIM
! idly and with much feeling approaches
| the question of their approximation. 1t
| seems a fact that the older and more fee
| BILE a man becomes the more he wants to
"hang on or cling to an occupation.
! There is not man in the ministry TO-DAY
| that could think of holding a pulpit at
! their age and in their condition Oh me.
| And they as chief superintendent OF
| the church, would not appoint their pnysl-
cal equals to a pastorate Ihen' why
should they not set the example by step
ping out and giving the burdensome Of
| fee of a bishop to younger men? There Is
a disposition to ask them to retire AL
ready in the committee on episcopacy a
resolution has been passed changing the
word in the discipline "non-effective, ap-
| plying only to bishops to superannuate,
to be in harmony with the law and spirit
! of the church.
NEW BISHOPS.
| A prominent member of the missionary
! committee todav offered the prognoSuca-