The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-15
SIX AGED BISHOPS TO Be
RETIRED BY METHOD|STS
IN GENERAL CONFERENCE
Recommendation of the Committee
on Episcopacy Probably Adopt
ed at Los Angeles.
EIGHT PLACES VACANT
Younger Men VIII Succeed Ven
cradle Leaders Who Are
Deemed Ineffective.
DIR. BUCKLEYS REPORT
And His Explanation of Con-
verSation with the White
Haired Bishop Foss.
DIR. BUCKLEYS REPORT

LOS ANGELES, Cal, May 1.-THE Meth
odist General Conference to-day, 1t is said
retired from active church work six of it's
venerable bishops. They are Edward G.
Andrews, of New York; John NJ. Walden,
of Cincinnati; John II. Vincent, of Zurich,
Switzerland; Willard f. Mallalieu, of Bos-
ton; Cyrus d. Foss, of Philadelphia, and
Stephen NJ Merrill (by request)
The ballot ON the retirement of the first
five bishops was taken at noon, and while
the result is closely guarded and will not
be made public until the tellers' report
TO the conference on Monday, 1t can be
said with assurance that the first five
bishops named will be placed on the super
animated roll. The committee on episcopacy,
whose duty il was TO consider this matter
and make recommendations to the General
Conference, did not include the name of
Bishop Foss among those to be retired. 1t
was thought that this action would result
in Bishop Fosss retention as an active
general superintendent, but ii is learned
from reliable sources that the vote in favor
or Bishop Foss's retirement was more than
two-thirds of the accredited representation
to the conference. The vote on other
bishops resulted 600 to 500 in favor of re-
tirement. The conference also accepted
the request of Senior Bishop stephen NJ.
Merrill for retirement. The action of the
conference to-day, together with two va
cancies resulting from the deaths OF
quadrennium, makes necessary the cleo
ton of eight bishops by the present con-
ference. 1t is also believed two new mis-
sionary bishops Will be chosen.
DIR. BUCKLEY'S REPORT.
DR.. Buckley's report was presented at
the moment the conference was about TO
adjourn for the day and came as a surprise
to the delegates. There were numerous at
tempts to postpone consideration by raising
parliamentary technicalities, but in every
case these failed. owing to the prompt and
decisive action taken by Bishop McCabe.
who was presiding.
DR.. Buckley after reading his report, said
those whose duty it was TO present n
port of this kind were to be pitied, but he
was doing what he had been instructed to
do by the committee He sympathized with
the aged bishops and believed that every
other delegate in the conference felt as he
did.
"But," said DR.. Buckley, while we love
them from our hearts. we love the church
better than ourselves. 1t is for the inter-
est Of the church that we take this ac-
tion. The General Conference officers,
continued Dr. Buckley, 'are never superan-
nuated. They are simply left out. If you
want TO get rid of them vote for some other
man. Not so with persons who hold a life
estate. Therefore. when a bishop reaches a
point when he is too feeble, the wisdom
and the best interests OF the church de-
msnd that he be retired. The circum-
stances now apply, and if you do not retire
these bishops at this conference you will
not retire them at any future conference,
and you have aged men in all the centers
of church activity. Having failed to take
action at this time, you will at future con-
ferences fall back on that plea of the weak
and the self-defensive-the time limit"
At this point DR.. Buckley was interrupted
by Bishop Foss, who rose from his seat
on the stage and asked whether the con-
ference would grant him permission to put
a question privately to DR.. Buckley. There
floor I.et
granted" Bishop Foss arose from his
chair the stage, and, coming TO the
with DR.. Buckley, who replied that he
would gladly listen TO the question if the
conference was willing.
The white-haired bishop and DR.. Buck
ley stood and whispered together while the
great assembly watched in absolute silence.
1t was critical moment.
Bishop Foss turned, walked slowly back
and resumed his seat. Buckley turned and
faced the audience. 'I feel he said, that
il is within the bounds of propriety that
/ should state to the conference the ques-
ton Bishop Foss asked me and the answer
/ gave him. He asked me whether legal
vote on his retirement had been taken In
the committee after he appeared before
that body and spoke in response to it's in
vitation. 1 replied in the affirmative. After
Bishop Foss had departed from the COM
mttee legal vote was taken, and by a
majority of l67 members decided to con-
Dr. Buckley's statement was taken to
mean that the committee on epscopacy
had voted for the retirement OF Bishop
FOSs
The following were recommended to be
continued as effective general superintend-
ents John w. Hamilton, David II. Moore.
Earl Cranston. G. G. McCabe, Daniel A.
Goodsell Isaac w. Joyce, James n. Fitz-
gerald, Charles II. Fowler. Henry w. War
ren and Missionary bishops Frank H.
Warne, Joseph c. Hartzell and James NJ.
Thoburn.
,rhe conferences has fixed upon Saturday.
May 2s, as the day of final adjournment.