New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-25
A CHURCH'S GREAT GROWTH
METHODISTS PREPARING FOR THE
QUADRENNIAL SESSION OF THE
GENERAL CONFERENCE.


ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Chi
cago during the entire month of May. 1t Is the
legislative body of the Church. and this year for
the first time laymen will doubtless sit in equal
numbers with the ministers. making up an inteil-
gent and influential body OF nearly eight hundred
delegates.
In 1900 this denomination had only eight confer
ences; now IT has 147 annual organizations. The
number Of itinerant preachers then riding on horse
back through the forests, over the hills and FORD
ing the rivers 2SS: there are 1853 min
listers with IA 2S9 local preachers. century ago
there only 64.S9i lay members. white and
colored; to-day the Methodist year book, just out
gives the total membership 2.S71,949, with Sunday
school army OF three million. The number OF
churches is 1900 the probable value OF which Is
sl16275OO7 The number of parsonages is nearly
1000 the value of which is s1s,341.S11. New-YorH
State alone has in it nearly quarter of million
of members.
This Church has II is claimed, the largest re-
ligious publishing interests in the world In 1IS9
the Rev. John Dickens began in Philadelphia the
first Methodist Book Concern. He began on 500
capital borrowed from his purse. with twenty
eight reprints That borrowed capital of 5000
expanded to Of $S543, 709 81. During It's
history the Book Concern has earned, besides for
various church purposes, more than &OOo,OO The
elaborate catalogue now names three thou
sand publications In the single department OF
Sunday school periodicals alone the returns for
show the circulation of 3,2l941O full
volumes for the year.
The benevolences of the Church of compre-
hensive character. Hundreds Of men and women
from this country at work in twenty-nine or
CARNATIONS In foreign lands besides the vast home
mission work The first years receipts for this
work (1S2O 1923 o. For 1899 the receipts were
81 90O112 II The parent society has collected and
invested In mission work since its organization In
1920 almost $50 100000. This does not include the
Woman's Foreign and the Woman's Home Mis-
sonary societies, which have collected millions
more.
The Church Extension Society, with its general
offices in Philadelphia. has been at work for thirty
five years. The late Rev DR.. A. j. Kynett was its
founder and successful administrator. It has
collected since its organization S650o100 with
which 1t has built assisted II S0l churcnes. The
Freedmens Aid Society, the Sunday School Union.
the Tract Society. the Bible Society and the Educa
tional Society have received and dsbursed millions
WORK OF EDUCATION.
The educational work of the Church is by no
its least work. There are 225 educational
institutions of all grades, in which are invested
over $38 COO 600. and in which three thousand
professors teach nearly fifty thousand students
The American University, at Washington. D. C., is
the latest extensive development of this work
Friends of Ohio have subscribed $4,000 for the
Ohio Hall of Government. the Pennsylvania build
ing is TO be called the Hall Of ADMINISTRATIONS and
scrihed and other States are subscribing for their
eomPeted at cost of a6O Alter sghi years
of heroic work and magnificent faith given to this
enterprise by Bishop John F. Hurst, the light Is
breaking conservative essm ma of the assets Of
this National university is S2,IS1OVO
with many charitable INSTITUTIONS for all classes
ceve the care and supervision Of this great Church
hyye o RaGS and weekles month
lies and bmonthlies n nearly as many large cities
vocate" the Rev. DR.. James NJ: Buckley Editor,
K1 0I eads the vans All bs
religious ana edueational agencies VIII come before
fhe business sessions of the body will be held In
he
standing and special committees viii hold their
the last General Conference. composed of l22
members each. And there were nineteen special
: IMPORTANT POINTS TO COME UP.
Questions of vital Importance to the Church will
before this Conference. One of the first things
the body will do will be to provide for the adnis
sion of the provisional lay delegates Their adnis
sion is probable, but not certain. We informed
that one woman has been elected lay delegate.
but that she is being persuaded TO withdraw
S % IUHt t6 last GeneraI Co1ferene e ~
from passing upon the eligibility of women as dele
gates; the Church has taken all the constitu-
0n a sde is feared that this
gate PRESS e h9T law st
Defining the constitution of the Church Is a ques-
reed wTn & %6 Id aP0 Tits ofTn made WG1
new committee of six laymen six ministers and
three bishops will submit new report,
Many Methodists feel that ministers ought not to be
compelled TO move simply because the calendar and
people are agreed the minister ought TO stay Others
believe that it is impossible to build up great city
churches in Methodism with the hve year any
other linn 1t is said, too. that a minister can
often move with greater advantage the general
compusion Of a limit Hence many refuse to STAY
the five wears II there is an opening at the end OF
the fourth year 1t is claimed that the removal of
the limit would conduce 10 longer pastorates There
is certainly a growing opposition to the present
The question of amusements is likely to come up
again -Four years ago an enort was made to
races circuses playing at games of chance" but
the effort failed. There is sentiment against
favoring emphasizing the Wesleyan rule on the
question which says the members shall avoid
name OF the Lord Jesus 1t is not likely that The
Methodists engaging in the above named amuse-
Church
ADDRESS OF THE BISHOPS
The bishops quadrennial address. usually pre-
sented the first week of the Conference is one OF
the most important documents that will come before
the delegates, 1t will be comprehensive survey of
the state of the Church to it's doctrines disci-
pne and varied activities II VIII be carefully pre-
pared. considered and revised by all of the eighteen
bishops, so that when complete II will receive the
approval of them all This address always receives
profound attention, and is afterward printed and
CIRCULATED throughout the entire Church.
The twentieth century thankoffering OF $40 900 600
recommended by the bishops will doubtless receive
the unanimous approval Of the Conferences and
additional action will be taken TO make HI sue
cessful.
Fraternal delegates will come with greetings
from many bodies In this country and from Canada
Ireland England. New-Zealand Special sessions
will he held to hear their addresses That mart ~
the Conference about which the largest Interest IA
gathering Is the election OF bishops four agents
of the Book Concern, thirteen editors and fen cor
IL Is thought from three 10 five bishops will be
elected 20 take the places of Bishop Newman who
kelly 70 retir