Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-05-28
METHODINTS ADJOURN
The Fourteenth Qnadrennial General
Conference l. Over.
A REVIEW OF WORK
Famous War Claim Settled, Two New
bishops Ordained, the Order Of
Deacannsssrs and Salaries
Of Bishops Fixed.

of Bishops Fixed.
Dallas. May 27--Not since iss.
when the great Methodist church OF
America divided. has there been a.
quadrennial conferences fraughi With
more importance than the oae just
closed-ihe fourteen qu-drennial con
ference of The Methodist Episcopal
church. The church annals will con
tain much history that will be read
with much interest by future genera
ton OF Methodists When this greai
body OF churchmen assembled In Dal
las a few weeks ago a question wasI
paramount which almost amounted toI
a schlsm
In 1862 the Federal forces seized the
Methodist publishing house at Nash
vile. Tenn For a quarter Of a cen
tury the church made efforts to secure
settlement Of the claim. In 1895 the
congress Of the United States voted
10 allow the Methodist Episcopal
Church. South. s2sS. 900 In full settle
ment. The agents Of the church al
lowed Zee Of siO0.SoO TO the AZ.
torney collecting the claim. aud on
this there occurred a division. Some
OF tho members OF the senate and con
gress declared that had they known
such a sum was 10 be paid 10 an at
torney they would not have voted for
the bill This caused a division. aadI
when the committee on publishing in
terests reported. IL did so In two ways
A majority report condemned the ac-
ton OF the churchs agents. but saw
no reason why the money should bel
returned. The minority fled a report
eondemnlng the methods adopted in
the collection Of the claim. and recon-
meSding its retura TO the government
4 compromise measure was finally
adopted IN which the conference cen
sured the agents q the church. but re-
iains the money. and also declines tuI
levy an assessment which would place
the slo0S00 paid the attorney to the
credit of the endowment fund Tor the
support Of superannuated preachers.
A step OF wide-reaching importance
was the authorization Of the order of
deaconesses. A hard hght was made
against the innovation. but II was
finally decided TO establish the order
The duties Of the deaconesses are sim
liar to those of the Sisters OF Charity
The church also went on record as
not being In sympathy with organized
labor. A memorial was presented ask.
ing the conference 20 appoint a com.
mission 20 assist IN the settlement oil
Tennessee and ;. b. Adams OF Sa.
yannah. Ga. spoke strongly In favor
OF the adoption OF the memorial, but
went down In defeat after some caus.
tic denunciation Of organized labor by
a number OF delegates. both clerical
and lay.
Salaries OF both bishops and con-
nectional officers were regulated. a.
Is usual. Bishops now receive S36OC
per annum and ON an average tbs
other officers are paid 5000 year.
Dr. Y. +. Hoss and DIR. A. Coke
Smith were created bishops and Bish
ops Fitzgerald. Hargrove and Gran
berry retired from active episcopa
work
Dr. J. ID. Barbee. for i6 years senior
book agent. Is retired In favor OF ]
r. Bigham. while u. NJ. Smith. junior
book agent. was reelected.
A strong effort was made 10 do away
with the publishing house. The pes
ent building is in a bad condition and
must be renewed. Besides. the branch
house al Dallas and The proposed
house az Shanghai. China. will alb
sorb 100000 al least. II was finally |
decided to continue the matter as all
present. in the hands of the boob
committee
A board OF insurance f. also pro |
vided for. the said board TO hav,
charge OF the insurance Of all church
property.