The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-15
THE ST: PAUL GLOBE. SUNDAY. May Is. 1go4..
SIX METHODIST
BISHOPS ARE OUT
General Conference RetIres Six
Venerable Leaders of the
Church.

Los ANGELES, Cal, May 1.-THE
Methodist general conference today. it
is said, retired from active church
work six of its venerable bishops. They
are Edward G. Andrews, of New York;
John M. Walden, of Cincinnati; John
H. Vincent, of Zurich, Switzerland;
Willard F. Mallalieu, Of Boston; Cyrus
d. Foss, of Philadelphia, and Stephen
M. Merrill.
The ballot on the retirement Of these
bishops was taken at noon, and, while
the result is closely guarded and will
not be made public until the teller's
report to the conference on Monday. it
can be said with assurance that the
five bishops named will be placed on
the superannuated roll. The commit
tee on episcopacy, whose duty it was to
consider this matter and make recon-
mendation to the general conference.
did not include the name of Bishon
Foss among those to be retired. 1t
was thought that this action would re-
suit in Bishop Foss' retention as an
active general superintendent, but ii is
learned from reliable sources that the
vote In favor of Bishop Foss' retire
ment was more than two-thirds of the
accredited representation to the con-
ference. The vote on other bishops re-
suited 900 to 500 in favor of retire
ment. The conference also accepted
the request of Senior Bishop Stephen
M. Merrill for retirement.
Eight Bishops to Be Elected.
The action of the conference today,
together with two vacancies, resulting
from the deaths of Bishops Ninde and
Hurst during the last quadrennium,
makes necessary the election of eight
bishops by the present conference It
is also believed two new missionary
bishops will be chosen. The election
may be held Wednesday
The committee on episcopacy in its
report recommended the following to
be continued as effective general SUI
perintendents: John w. Hamilton,
David H. Moore, Earl Cranston, C. G.
McCabe, Daniel A. GoodSelI, Isaac w
Joyce, James N. Fitzgerald, Charles H
Fowler, Henry w. Warren, and Mis-
sionary Bishops Frank w. Warne, Jo-
seph G. Hartsell and James N. Tho
burn.
DR.. Buckley's committee report was
presented at the moment the confer
enee was about to adjourn for the day
and came as a surprise to the dele
gates. There were numerous attempts
to postpone consideration by raising
parliamentary technicalities. but in
prompt and decisive action taken by
Bishop McCabe, who was presiding
DR.. Buckley, after reading his report,
said he whose duty it was to present
report Of this kind was to be pitied,
but he was doing what he had been
instructed by the committee. He sym
pathized with the aged bishops and
believed that every other delegate in
the conference felt as he did
But" said DR. Buckley 'fwhiIe we
love them from our hearts, we love the
church better than ourselves. 1t is for
the interest of the church that we take
this action"
"The general conference officers"
continued DR.. Buckley "are never SUI
perannuated. They are simply left out.
II you want to get rid of them. vote
for some other man. Not so with per-
sons who hold life estate. Therefore,
when a bishop reaches point when he
is too feeble, the wisdom and the best
interests of the church demand that
he be retired
1.-THE circumstances now apply, ard
if you do not retire these bishops at
this conference, you will not retire
them at any future conference, and you
will have aged men in all the centers
of church activity. Having failed to
take action at this time, you will at
future conferences fall back on that
the time limit"
Critical Moment.
At this point DR.. Buckley was inter
rupted by Bishop Foss, who rose from
his seat on the stage and asked
whether the conference would grant
him permission to put q question pri-
vately to DR.. Buckley. There were
cries from the floor Of Let it be
granted" Bishop Foss rose from his
chair on the stage, and, coming to
the edge OF the platform, whispered
moment with DR.. Buckley, who replied
that he would gladly listen to the
question If the conference was willing.
The white haired bishop and DR..
Buckley stood and whispered together
while the great assembly watched In
silence. 1t was critical moment.
Bishop Foss resumed his seat. Buck
ley turned and faced the audience.
II feel" he said, that 1t is within
the bounds of propriety that 1 should
state to the conference the question
Bishop Foss asked me and the answer
I gave him. He asked me whether a
legal vote on his retirement had been
taken in the committee after he had
appeared before that body and spoke
in response to its invitation. replied
in the affirmative. After Bishop Foss
had departed from the committee
legal vote was taken, and by major
ity of 1877 members decided to continue
his name"
DR.. Buckley's statement was taken
to mean that the committee on episco-
pacy had voted for the retirement OF
Bishop FosS.
When the ballots had been collected
by the tellers and put into the hands
of the secretary, Bishop McCabe de-
clared the conference adjourned for
the day.
Agitatinq Pastoral Limit.
While the report OF the committee
on episcopacy on the subject of re-
storing the pastoral time limit will be
against any disturbance of the present
unlimited tenure, 1t is reasonably Ger
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