The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-29

sion of the ritual pertaining to the
marriage ceremony and adnliniStra-
ton of the sacrament in the Southern
Asia district; favoring the granting
of subsidy to the Mexican Christian
Advocate; referring to a commission
the unification of Methodist bodies in
Japan with power to act; faVoring the
erection of a union theological school
for all Methodist missionaries in Eu-
rope; advising that a special column
be provided in annual conference min
utes for the recording Of special mis-
sion gifts, but providing that churches
which have not come up to the regular
missions apportionments shall not
have their special gifts recorded in
said column.
New Bishops Preside.
Several Of the newly elected bishops
were given their first experience as
presiding officers over the general con-
ference at last nights and todays
sessions. Bishops Berry, Spellmeyer,
Bashford and Mcdowell presided in
turn
A report from the itinerancy COM
mittee upon the subject of an annual
conference, provoked long debate. 1t
read:
Your committee recommends that
section 2 Of paragrah 173 Of the disci-
pine be amended by adding thereto
the words: But the annual confer
ence shall have the right by a two
thirds vote to determine their number ,
that the entire section shall read: TO
form districts according to his judg-
ment but the annual conference shall
have the right by a two-thirds vote to
strengthen their number"
1t was defeated, 3O7 to 24S.
Covering CoIored Bishops.
There was reserved for the final
session one of the most significant
questions programmed for considera-
ton. 1t was the question of whether
the preachers of any other than white
races shall be eligible for the episco-
pacy. The matter came from the COM
mlttee on episcopacy, as the result of
memorials from several Southern an
nual conferences favoring the election
of colored bishops to preside as gen
eral Superintendents. Chairman J. M.
Buckley, in presenting the report of the
committee on episcopacy, characterized
the recommendation as one of the most
far-reaching in Importance. Following
was the report of the committee:
Concerning memorials requiring the
general conference to provide for the
election of bishops of African descent
who shall be assigned to the presidency
of conferences consisting wholly or chiefly
OF ministers Of African descent, respect
fully report:
That in the present state of our fun
damental law constitutional objection is
raised to the granting of the request of
said memorialists; but there having been
referred to this committee by the gen
eTal conference memorial from the Rock
River conference to change the funda-
mental law so as TO make possible the
realization Of the desire Of the memorial
lists and to accomplish other important
objects. therefore
Resolved, First. that this general con-
ference propose the following amendment
to the constitution: To strike out from
the third restrictive rule, paragraph 67,
section 3, OF the discipline of 1900, SO
that the whole paragraph shall read: THE
general conference shall not change or
alter any part or rule of our government
so as to do away with episcopacy. nor de-
Stroy the plan Of our itinerant general
superintendency, but may elect a bishop
or bishops for work among particular
races and languages or for any OF our for
eign missions, limiting their episcopal
jurisdiction to the same respectively
Resolved, Second, that IL this report
Is adopted thereafter the above propos-
cd amendment to the constitution be sub
mitted TO the general conference in order
tc ascertain whether the legal constitu-