The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-11
SAYS METHODIST
THRIVES IN ERIN
Delegate From Ireland Tells the
Conference the Church
Has Gained.

Los ANGELES, Cal, Nav 1O.-Tha
siXth days session of the general CON
ference OF the Methodist church was
mostly taken up by addresses nv fra
terhal' delegates. No business other
than the presentation of a few resolu-
IONS and their reference to commit
Tees were taken up. Rev. DR.. Waddv
MOSS, OF Didsburgh college, Mancbes-
ter Eng, came before the conference
on behalf of the English Methodist
church. He pilloried the prevalence of
mystical tendencies in the church
abroad and drew attention to the in
chnatlon of Methodist teachers and
preachers to depart from materfalistic
tenets OF idealistic doctrines.
Rev. Charles H. Crookshank. of ire
land spoke for the Methodist church in
ireland. In contradiction to the claim
that all other denominations in Ireland
nave lost steadily in membership
through the depicting effect of imni
grafton, Mr.. Crookshank asserted that
the Methodist church has gained nu-
merically.
Addresses were made by Rev DR..
William Dobbs, of Canada. and Rev.
W. c. Gilmore. of the Methodist Epis-
copal church, South, president az DIR
ham college,
Book Concern Figures.
The final report Of the book COM
mlttee shows the business transacted
by the book concerns during the past
quadrennium and the various funds
under the supervision of that commit
tee The total sales of the book cons d
Germ of New York for the past four
years were $685., 692, and of the West--t.
ern book concern for the same period
$4'65O8OO. The episcopal fund, created
TOT Ministerial support, shows a cash .
balance of $127,131, a substantial in
crease -....
The report makes only casual alIu-
sion to the important question of uni
ncauon of the publishing houses. as
the matter is fully covered in a spe-
Clal memorial in the book committee
TO the general conference, in which
fourteen members pass the proposed
plan of consolidation and five disap-
prove. ~ 81
Swarm of Memorials. .....
The chairman of the committee on
the state of the church announced
the appointment of six subcommittees
to which will be referred the various
matters coming under the Jurisdiction Of
this committee. The most important
subcommittee is that on amusements.
of which Judge p. l.. SibIey, Of Ohio,
is chairman. A great number of me-
MORALS on various subjects are now
IN the hands of the committee on state
of the church. chief among these be-
ing those dealing with the amusement
question. Thirtyfou memorials from
as many annual conferences have been
on this single subject.
Other memorials pertain to changes
in the probation time limit, the ques-
ton of brOtherhoods, ratio Of repre-
sentation in the general conference,
representation of ladies' aid societies j.
in quarterly conferences, composition
of lay electoral conferences, the so
clal problem, licensing women to
preach, selection of professors in Meth
odist institutions of learning, election
Of stewards by the membership hymns
in class meetings, ordinations of dea-
cons, entire sanctifcation and organic
union of Methodism in Japan.
Pastoral Limit Again.
Before the committee on itinerancy
there are now thirty-three memorials
and petitions from annual and quar-
terly conferences on the subject of the
pastoral limit. Many of them favor
the restoration of the limit. There is,
however, spirited opposition among the
delegates to making any change in the
present unlimited tenure on the
grounds that four years have not suf-
feed to give a thorough trial to the
plan. The subject is now in the hands
Of a subcommittee of fifteen, which will
report back to the committee on itin-
erancy with their recommendation.
Everything indicates that there will
be a vigorous contest on this question,
which is likely to be finally fought out
On the floor of the conference
The colored delegates, through Rev.
L. Hamman, of Tennessee, put them
selves on record in a strong protest
against the action Of several Los An
seles hotels and restaurants in refus-
ng to entertain cOlored delegates.
Rev. Hammond presented a resolution
eondemning the action of these places,
which was adopted by the conference.
Proposed Public School Change.
The public school question was
brought up in a resolution offered by
Rev. L. G. Haolet, of Missouri, asking
he conference to petition congress and
hat all other Protestant denominations
De asked to join in movement to Sc
cure the enactment of an amendment
% the constitution forever prohib-
ting the use of the public school fund
or sectarian school purposes"
Rev. Haolet, in speaking to this reso-
ution, said that in many instances po-
itical considerations deter men holding
public office from voicing their opinion
lpon this subject.
This great question depends for
proper solution upon the efforts of the
he said.
The resolution was referred to the
committee on the state of the church.
Rev. 7. M. Bradley, of West Vir-
ginia, asked the conference to request
he committee on episcOpacy to formu-
ate a plan by which bishops might be
to continue activity, giving
hem the right to preside at annual
church dedication serY-
ces, etc. The resolution went to the
.piscopacy committee.