Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-05-05
READY FOR THE LOS
ANGELES CONFERENCE.

ANGELES CONF ERENCE.
Los ANGELES. May Nearly all
of the delegates have arrived for the
| general conference of the Methodist
| Episcopal church, which is to begin
its quadrennial session in this city a-
morrow. The delegates number at
$50 and represent the 5000 600 m
bers OF the church scattered through
out the world For the first time in
the 1870 years history of the church
women viii hold seats in the body as
delegates. This revolution is the re
suit OF action taken at the session OF
| the general conference held in Chica-
| go four years ago In addition to the
| delegates the conference has attracted
thousands of visitors from all parts of
| the United States who are Interested
in the proceedings,
| Sey eral subjects that are 10 come
up for discussion and action will rem.
| der the general conference this year
Of far more than ordinary Importance
| Among these are the proposed unifica-
| lion OF the publishing houses and con
| solidHtion of the beneyoences The
subcommittee appointed four years ago
TO take into consideration the proposal
| to unity the publishing interests has
| prepared a report in which it proposes
that the publishing interests of the
| church shall be consolidated into one
corporation. which shall consist OF one
| publishing house and three branch
| houses and five repositories The pub.
fishing house and principal place of
business shall be located in some cen
| trail place convenient for production
and distribution. The branch houses
| shall be at New York. Cincinnati, and
| Chicago, and the repositories at Pitir-
! burg San Francisco, Boston. Detroit,
| and Kansas City.
| The scheme for the consolidation Of
| lhe benevolences includes the doing
| away with the one missionary society
| which now administers missions both
at home and abroad and the organize.
| ton of separate home and foreign
mission boards, and a third organiza-
lion to have charge OF education
These proposed consultations involve
| l tremendous revolution. the outcome
| of which gives the church serious an
| xieiy Many believe them to be 81
| premely wise and that they Will re-
suit in greater efficiency and larger
| collections; others fear the reverEe
Reddjustment OF some kind, however
| Is deemed necessary and inevitable
and the present conference Is certain
to see important changes in this di-
rectIon
Among the other important matters
,hat viii in all probability come be
lore the conference Is the adoption of
4ome plan by which better provision
'ru be made for aged ministers aud
| he widows and orphans OF deceased
ministers and a change in what is
known as paragraph 24s, relating to
amuscmrnts and prohibiting members
Of the church from engaging in such
| 1musements . dancing card Paying,
theatergoing, etc, The rule has long
heen largely a tel letter and many
believe that it should he removed
from its present position and places
under the head OF advicea, a few
declare themselves in favor OF strik-
ing 1t out altogether. On the other
hand. there are many who are opposed
70 any change in the paragraph
| Discussion OF these various ques-
tons Will be followed with close and
Interested attention not only on the
part of the delegates, but on the part
of the church at large. OF still more
interest to the general public, how.
ever, will be the election OF new bish-
ops Two active bishops have died
since the last general conference and
several others may be superannuated.
The number of missionary bishops
that will be chosen is problematlcal.
The election of three new bishops for
| southern Asia has been recommended,
and In addition. Bishop Moore. who
has been in ch OF the missions in
eastern Asia ring the last four
years, adviecs thai Gree missionary
bishops be e.ecte iar that territory.
While whateye- Ion that may be
taken with reio- .nre 20 missionary
bishops viii Ia so 2 effect on the
number OF bisnJps, a. re is no doubt
that at leas .hree new bishops will
be elected ..lccessors will be chosen
for Bishop Hurst OF Washington and
Bishop Ninde OF Detroit, both recent
ly passed away, and a third vacancy,
caused by the coming retirement OF
Bishop Merrill OF Chicago. must be
filed.