The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-29

Advance Items Concerning h
Fourteenth Q-uadrennfaI Confer
>nee Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.

Yhe fourteenth general conference or
the Methodist Episcopal church, south,
will meet in Dallas, Tex, on Wednes-
aay. May {. and will probably continue
in session throughout h entire month.
This marks the one hundred and seven
tv-tbird year since the name "Metho-
dist" was given the Brothers Wesley
and other young men of the Holy
Club" at oxford, and the one hundred
and eighteenth year Of the organization
OF the Methodist Episcopal church in
America. and the ffty-sixth year Of the
Methodist Episcopal church, south,
And this last year will ever be mem
orable as the year OF the twentieth
century educational movement, and the
collection Of 1900. 900 for educational
purposes.
This conference represents one OF the
largest, wealthicst and most agrees
sive denominations in the south, n
meets Fundamentally in May, and Is
of the college of bishops and
delegates elected from the forty-seven
annual conferences and missions. Min
listers and laymen are equal in number,
and nave an eIudl soICe LII NOlc Ou
all questions that may come before the
body.
The last session was held in Balti-
more, and the session preceding that in
Memphis, and before that in st. Louis,
and preceding that in Richmond, and
Louisville is already in the field to Sc
cure the conference in 1906. 1t is no
small matter for q city to have such
a gathering, fol- it brings together not
only the three hundred elected dele
gates and bishops, but also hundreds
of visitors. lay and clerical, from all
over the land and from all parts OF
the missionary field.
The church will be represented in
the coming session by eleven bishops
Keener, Wilson, CRANBERRY, Hargrove,
Duncan, Galloway, Hendrix, Key, Fitz-
gerald, Candler and Morrison-and w
undred and eighty-two delegates.
This represents a church membership
of 1,520, 900, which is swelled to over s.
coo, 900 if the families of those who are
m is included. This also repre-
sents 1000 travelling and local preach
ers, 16, 900 church and Sunday-school
buildings, ~parsonages, schools, colleges,
universities, hospitals, asylums, and
other church property, all over the
south and west, to the value of more
than $25, 000, 00o.
The opening exercises are TO be con-
Quoted by the venerable Bishop John
Christian Keener, D.. D., of New Or
leans, If he is able to be present; other
wise, by Bishop Alpheus Waters Will
son, of Baltimore, and other members
of the College of Bishops will preside
from day to day, in order of seniority.
Bishop Keener, the senior bishop Of
the church. was born in Baltimore,
February Z, 1919, in which city he was
reared, converted and received into
the church. He was educated at Yves
feyan university, licensed to preach in
1913, and shortly after went south and
was received in the Alabama confer
ence. For many years he served as
pastor, presiding elder, teacher and edi-
tor. and was elevated to the episcopacy
in 1870. He is now in his eighty-fourth
year, his ~ifty-nInth year as a minister,
thrfty-Second year as a bishop and
twelfth yea as the senior bishop.
The General Conference is the high
est council of the church, and is the
supreme governing authority. 1t is a
legislative. judicial and elective body,
and its functions are to enact laws,
levy taxes, appropriate money, make
whatever changes in Dolity, or rules,
or methods it may see fit. 1t is to the
church what congress is to the nation,
Its authority, however, is not absolute.
being limited By specified restrictions,
or certain constitutional provisions.
Known as the six Restrictive Rules
which rules are in reality the cOnsti-
tuition OF the church.
This body has Jurisdiction over the
bishops and correctional officers
boards of the church, and is the last
court of appeal on all church and doc
trinal questions that may arise between
church and pastors, and conferences
@rl f-ID~-
the board of trustees, which board is
Incorporated n holds in trust the
property of the church and receives all
donations, requests, devises and
grants. This body appoints. the Book
Committee and elects the managers of
the Book Concern at Nashville. and
the editors OF the Church Quarterly
and Christian Advocate, at Nashville,
INT others church papers throughout
the Connection.
The publishing interests of the church
are a center of interest at this time,
and a new book agent must be elected
since the Rev. j. d. Barbee, d. D., has
resigned. Mr.. D. NJ Smith, the assis- |
tant book agent, will be returned. The
church owns d great publishing plant
at Nashville and large stores at other
places for the sale Of books.
The board of missions is appointed
by h conference, and the two secre- |
taries are elected. This is one of the
important interests of the church, and
large sums OF money are given to its
support by the annual conferences. In
1866 the General Conference created two |
ooards-foreign and domestic-but in
1870 discontinued the foreign board and
placed all under the care aud control
OF n board. IL is thought an effort
VIII be made TO again separate the |
BOARD into W. branches, foreign ani |
nome. 1t is claimed it will be fairer to |
both to let each stand on its own me-. !
It's, and fairer to the contributor also
TO give him the privilege OF putting his |
money where ne chooses. Whether this
DIVISION is made or not, the Rev. ". |
X Lambuth, D. D., and the Rev. w. !
Pritchett, D., the present secretaries. |
VIII De retained There is some talk of
making DR.. Lambuth missionary bisb- |
OPP OF Japan, China and Korea. In this
event DR.. Prltchett will be returned
n body also appoints the
ScnOOi board and elects +ba $780, 4