New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-04
GROWTH OF METHODISM
ALMOST A HUNDREDFoID IN HUN
DRFn YEARS-ADDREss OF THE
BISHOPS AT CHICAGO
CONFERENCE.
~ -rrrcr.rH 70 TIE rRINrNE.l
CONFERENCE.

r-,t,,.o Nav 2-Thst the Methodist EpisCo-
nai Church has grown and hour1anen IKE
branch in the last hundred years OF It's activity
IN The Tinted States impressed upon the
General Conference at its second DAY 5 session
=, r. .u5itpri,,rn to-day The Episcopal Ad
dress read by Bishop Edward G Andrews sec
-e-arv of the Board Of Bishops. showed tnat
.~or, hodv Of sfxty-one thousand members the
Denomination has grown one Of SIX million
members since 1900. and while the population
~ the country has increased fourteenfold the
denomination has grown ninety-sevenfold- This
seemed 70 disprove clearly the assertions re
Gently made regarding the great campaign for
the salvation Of souls. Since the General Con-
ference Of 1895 the growth has been per cent.
one hundred and FIVE thousand new members,
including prohationers being added. Meantime,
henevoIences have increased especially for edu-
cstionaI work. and the religious convictions OF
the Church have remained unchanged
The removal OF the time limit Of appointments
vas recommended by the Bishops. unless II is
decided - return II the three-year limit. When
this recommendation was read the Conference
zpplauded heartily. II is now believed that the
time limit. one Of the peculiar features of the
roity az the Methodist Episcopal Church. Is
doomed. There IS no desire to return rule
limiting the stay OF a preacher in charge to
three years. and. with the Bishops favoring it's
removal. the time limit probably will be abol-
shed and no longer will the Methodist Church
b. the church II itinerant clergymen. except as
changes are deemed necessary from year 70
year
TOO often the doernatist and the charlatan
are one and the same" said the address advs-
ing ministers not 70 take part in controversies
between capital and labor and TO avoid harmful
ex-cathedra discussions Of social questions
Warning was given also against making the
Methodist 9 church for the rich against the
poor. The saloon was pronounced a greater evil
than slavery The miserable miscarriage Of
the Anti-Canteen law" was condemned. arous-
ing applause and the Chautauqua salute
on the amusement question the Bishops de-
clared there danger in prohibition Of arnuse
r1ent. and advised following wesey's principle.
forbidding such amusements cannot be used
in the name Of the Lord Jesus" Warnings in
the Discipline against certain diversions are de-
sired by the Bishops
BISHOPS ADDRESS PRAISED.
Eleven o'clock was set the time for hear
ing the Address Of the Bishops formulated a.:
the meeting IN Indianapolis last week The ad-
dress. consisting this time Of nearly fifteen
thousand words was one Of the features Of the
General Conference, and heard with IN
usual attention and applause. II the long
est Episcopal Address ever presented, and was
pronounced by the Rev. James Robertson OF the
Irish Conference. from the platform The
finest utterance OF ecclesiastical craftsmanship
ever issued Bishop Warren relieved Bishop
Andrews Of the duties Of the presiding officer
for part Of the session. and introduced the Rev
Thomas Allen. Of the Wesleyan Conference. in
England and the Rev. Mr.. Robertson, who were
the platform
A committee Of fifteen was announced by
Bishop Merrill. with Or. = D. Hammond as
chairman 81 the committee to consider the case
C1la r2u%- Law delegate
Nev-Jersey Conference. whose admission was
challenged The committee excused, and
began IT'S deliberations At noon II reported
Nh Butterworth as eligible and duly elected,
and he received his seat
Bv rising vote the Conference adopted a
resolution OF sympathy with Bishop Randolph
< Foster OF Boston. who. because OF feeble
health is unable 70 he present A telegram was
Eenr 70 Bishop Foster by Secretary Monroe. con-
veying the good wishes Of the brethren
Reports Of probable retirement Of some Of
the Bishops are rife the floor Of the Confer
ence and have been throughout the Methodist
Church the last few months To-day none OF
the Bishops were willing to discuss the subject
a. length. and all are in ignorance Of the action
that is likely 10 be taken by the Committee on
the Episcopacy when it meets Usually the
General Conference does not retire Bishop
from active service unless he himself requests
81 but four years ago at Cleveland two were
placed N the retired list This time no Bishop
mas requested that he be relieved from active
service. far as is known
BISHOPS WHO MAY BE RETIRED
IN regard 70 Bishop Merrill II is urged that
his advanced ag-he is seventy-1ve years old
would make his retirement advisable. He GER
tainIy is considered having earned rest after
mis- activity IN the Episcopacy for rwenty-eight
years. Bishop Andrews. who has been in this
high office the same number Of years as the
resident Chicago Bishop. also has attained to a
soodly old age BESIDES Bishops Merrill and
Andrews. Bishop Bowman. already retired, and
Bishop Foster are the only still living Of
the eight elevated 70 the Episcopacy in 1872 at
ne Conference IN Brooklyn. Bishop John F.
Hurst who was elected in 1880, is TO be retired
that he may devote all his time to the National
University al Washington, IL is rumored When
seen to-day, however, Bishop Hurst said he did
not know that the Committee on the Episcopacy
intended act in regard to him
DR.. Fsvcert, Of Chicago. promises TO take the
ton OF the Book Of Discipline referring 10
anusenents. He has prepared the following
memorial which he will have presented 10 the
Conference at the proper time:
Let all that part Of Paragraph PAS relating
n arnuseuents De stricken from the para
graph. and in connection with Section B Of Par
sgraph 1913 let the following be added: And II
shall the duty Of the pastors receiving
mem hers into the Church TO earnestly counsel
and advise them against all worldly pleasures
and practices calculated in any way 10 destroy
their spiritual growth and usefulness, such as
dancing. playing at games Of chance. attending
psrroniztng dancing rooms