New-York tribune., 1902-10-30
BOARD OF BISHOPS TO MEET
INTERESTS OF METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH WILL BE CONSIDERED
AT WILMINGTON.

Wilmington Del Oct % (SpeciaD.-The regular
iaH meeting of the bishops OF the Methodlst Epis-
copaI Church began here this evening ana VIII Eist
until Monday All OF the bishops are expected to
NJ in attendance with the exception OF Bsnops
Bowman and Foster retired. Bishop Warne, who
is in India. and Bishop Hurst who has not been IN
good health for some time. In the last SIX months
the active bishops have been holding conferences
dedicatine churches helping raise church deots' at
tending conventions preaching spe iaI sermons ana
otherwise nerforrnine the duties deVolvng upon
them general superintendents IN the dehomlha-
uon. Although assigned TO certain oca'i'eS over
which they have particular JurlSdlctloh "eIe'I III
the matter OF rendering special assistance 10 the
locaI cbrr.bos +r Methodist bishops not do
cesan as are the E,niscopalian or Roman Catholic
bishops They are 'ttinerants' and can exercise
their prerogatives in any part OF the world Inc
only execution is in the case OF the missionary
bishops who have full episcopal authority Dut
who are restricted 10 the fields TO which they have
been elected bv the General Conferences. Ihus
Bishops Thoburn and Warne. or india ana Bishop
HartzeU of Africa, who are the missionary DISH
ops. do not perform the speclhe uu'ieS OF t"<,'
office while they are the United States although
they entitled 10 sit with the bishops when their
special fields are under consideration All the other
members OF this episcopal body are fuHy en-
powered general superintendents
one of the important matters TO be decided IN
the meeting beginning to-day Is the plan OF
episcopal visitation for the coming winter and
spring bishop seldom holds the same set Of
conferences two years in succession unless In case
Of an emergency. and so at each seH1-annual meet
ing there is a general shifting about Ine RECORDS
are kept in such shape that in this transfer OF
supervision from one bishop 10 another every item
OF business and every man involved Will receive
due and careful consideration. Dealing as they do
with many matters and thousands OF preachers,
everything done in the annual conferences is a
matter OF printed record and can De TeIeIIeu 'O a'
any time and by any body
In the course OF a decade one bishop, by chang-
ing from conference TO conference Will deal Win
a large number of preachers and church oIlcit!7'
many OF whom he will meet only once IN his ile
Most OF the bishops have held a large number OF
,ba co1ferences both in the United States and In
foreign fields but Bishop Walden Is perhaps the
only one OF the number who has IN the course Oh
his long service as bishop sent every Methodist
preacher to his appointment In deahhs win 1le
preachers and local churches the bishops depend
LARGELY upon the presiding elders. although they
give all sides a hearing before the appointments
are fixed In the Methodist system the preslulhs
elder is the connecting link between tbe olSn"p anu
the churches His duties are very much IKE 'hose
OF an EpiscopaIian bishop. He opens up ne"
nreschInR places attends the business interests
finds pastors for churches that may be Vseate1
during the interim between the sessions OF tne an
nuaI conference and otherwise performs the uu'es
Resi4es deciding upon the plan OF visitation the
bishops Will consider naeiTts ,ionsi interests Of
the church They must be & Prspa55sId P 5d lo eary n No
meetings. which Will oe netu ta4tS fss,,--h
vember as follows: General Committee or SHTTTh it
Extension Philadelphia November .: Genera Sns SU
mittee Of Freedmens Aid and S9utnern la-aI Mis-
tion. Troy y. Y, November lo-It' SeEeI1t STe,En1 NJ
sionary Committee. Trinity Church Albany, ~ ~
veunher l2-IS These gatherings are OF a IItss.ly I
renresentativ character. and deal with the
iniarests OF the denomination. Delegates VIII De
present at each from all over the IhssI 5,oaS3
and the bishops Will attend IN DodS. NJ EytnS Of
of Church Extension. Of which DR. j. NJ FIhs' "
Philadelphia Is the executive ofhcer handiiSs Ia
sums OF money exclusively for the ouliIlns %
churches In the United States, the FnllpPtnes tha
PORTO Rico. This society recently Iufhlsueu eLI0
money for the purchase OF valuable churcn ProP-
frtv in Manila and also furnished severaI thou-
Porto Rico besides helping many weak chutches
In the United States For thirty-tour years IL , IA
erected cn average one new church daS L,s
Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education SoSleS
Mason aud DR.. w. p Thrkield are the oInceIS
1TbIs society carries large educational W3tA
among the whites and blacks of the south. ne
rsnriv large appropriations We're made LOT w
tsriins industrial training Already $50 studenlS
under the jurisdiction OF this society are oeiHs
ta"rbt handicrafts and trained for professions -,
The missionary society Is the principal So-TdlIeu
benevolent society OF the church. DrS y b Leon
ara and II. X Carroll. OF New-Hork. are Vhe
secretaries. \ year ago ii was obliged 10 make a
reduction in the amount OF money appropriated 20
successful plans for increasing the income 70
q 54u go have been started over St0,O0 mas beeh
ratsad In special contributions in addition 10 the
large advance in collections in the churches
XII OF these organizations under the general
etIneryislon Of the bishops. who cooperate with
ne executive officers in carrying out plans Tor
raising more money. Each organization - EN-
l5rrlSsed by its prosperity, and at the conllnS
meetings the financial question will be uppermost
Wilmington Methodists have made great prep
sratiOns for the entertainment OF the hlshopS;
Several public meetings have been arranged ana
on Sunday some of them will occupy the pulpits OF
leading churches.