Evening journal., 1900-04-27
TREAT MEETING
OF METHODISTS.
thousands Of Them to Meet
in Chicago Next Week
RON ALL OVER THE WORLD
rOceeding Of the Body Will be Of
Vast Interest to Millions
Of People
RON ALL OVER THE WORLD

%~%NN@h'N ~
Of People
In addition to the 124 annual confer
nces distinctly represented at the Gen
ral Conference of the Methodist Epis-
|opal Church, which meets in Chicago
|ext week, there will be delegates from
|adia, China, Japan, Africa, Italy, Ger
|lany, Norway, South America, in
hort, every mission conference will
Ave one or more representatives OIL
|cial delegations will bring greetings
rom England Ireland, Canada, the
|lethodist Church South, so that the
treat body of Methodism in all parts
II the world will share in the proceed
|ngs. AS a denomination Methodism
Is the largest in the Protestant world
|ith the possible exception of the Es-
|ablished Church of England and the
|hurches affiliated Herewith. The
proceedings, therefore, of such a body
S the General Conference will be of
last interest to millions of people in
1 IL parts of the world. Every four
FEARS this conference meets, and being
he only law making body in the Meth
'Idist Episcopal Church, it has much
o occupy its time and care. This year
Tome very serious questions will be dis
ussed, if not disposed Of, a number Of
which have been pending for several
|'ears.
THE BISHOPS.
Among these is the matter Of dis
|ricting the bishops, giving each one
b special territory for four years, in
which he is to have episcopal jurisdic-
ion, experimenting such annual con-
|erences as are within its boundaries.
Under the present plan the bishops are
General superintendent, assigning the
work among themselves according to
|nethods half a century old. Hence
Bishop Fowler though residing in
Buffalo, attended to the Philadelphia
conference at its recent session, while
Bishop Foss, of Philadelphia, superin-
ended the North Indiana Conference.
As a sentiment. the idea of general SUI
|)erintendency has much to commend
t but with the present size of the Meth
|1dist Church and the vast number of
ministers to be stationed, a district
|3piscopate has many points Of advan-
|.age. Then the missionary bishop
Question will call for serious attention.
rhe present method Of foreign super
ntendency gis both expensive and un-
satisfactory. Think Of a bishop going.
for example to China, a country of
arger area than the United States and
with five times the population, and
making an episcopal tour of that ma
ion in six weeksi II is very probable
therefore. that missionary bishops will
pc chosen for such foreign fields as re-
|luire distinct episcopal service.
PRESIDING ELDERS.
An attempt may be made to change
the office Of the presiding elder, max
ing it bishonrie, and appointing one
30 each conference. AS matters now
stand the Philadelphia Conference pays
for presiding elders and bishops fully
$4,000 year, a larger amount than is
|paid to any bishop in the Protestant
Episcopal Church And yet the presid.
ling elder has no absolute authority ex.
|cept such as is delegated to him by the
bishops. Suppose that Or. Neely was
made bishop OF the philadelphia Con.
ference. or any one Of the present board
Of presiding elders. and given charge
of the conference. the probabilities are
lack of supervision. and there would
be saving Of $4,000 annually.
AS TO REMOVING THE TINE LIMIT
1t is very probable that the admission
of laymen on equal terms and mum
bers to the General Conference will re
suit in the application of more sever,
business methods to the whole plan o.
administration. Bishop Asbury has beer
dead some time. though many peopl,
do not seem to be aware Of II. TheI
the question Of removing the "tim,
limit" is certain to arouse much discus
sion. Many laymen are opposed t,
any change in this direction, but thu
reasons which they give are not quit,
satisfactory. The fact is that as mat
ters now stand the prominent laymaI
in the Methodist Church is a very i'm
portant individual. He was a truste,
or steward before the present pasto
was appointed. and he expects to re
min in that office for years to come
Every year he votes on the question o
the pastor, and once in so often he Il
on the committee to so up to confer
ence and talk over matters with tn
bishop. To remove the time limit
from the pastorate would lessen the i'm
portance Of this distinguished layman
and proportionately increase that o
the pastor. 1t is easy to see, therefore
why many OF the laymen oppose an,
change. and why many Of the pastor
earnestly desire it. But the simple fac
that relatively Methodism in the cite
is not holding it's own, and that tn
conditions are altogether different from
those Of even twenty years since. will
compel the General Conference I,
thoughtfully consider the whole stu
alton.
1t is all very well to ask for the "ol,
paths and talk about the good oil,
times" but it is much better to stril,
into new paths and secure success thar
NOPE and mourn over things whicl
cannot be recalled. AS a relic a mus
ket of revolutionary days is worth ID
weight in gold: as a shooting machin.
u is not worth the price of old iron
The fact that Jacob once used a stonl
for a pillow and had a great dream tina
night while he slept is no proof tina
stone pillows should be continued for
ever.
AMUSEMENTS