The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-10-27
MEETING OF BISHOPS
4 MOST NOTABLE AssEMBLAGE
OF METHODIST CHIEFS.
The Active work of the Conference Be
gun NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Work to
be DOne-Big Reception This Even
ing Mt trinity N. E. Church.

The annual meeting Of the bishops
conference Of the Methodist Episcopal
church, representing membership N
the entire world OF over 100000 COM
municants, opened at Grace church in
this city yesterday afternoon at two
o'clock. It was one of the most re-
markable gatherings of church digni-
taries that this city has seen in many
years.
The meeting yesterday afternoon was
preliminary, marking out a line Of work
I for the weeks conference, appointment
I OF several COMMITTEES and other routine
work. Al number of bishops arrived az
noon and others came in the afternoon
and evening. Several of the high
church workers are staying at the New
Haven house, including Bishop John M.
Walden, of Cincinnati, the secretary OF
the conference. Bishop Walden arrived
early and set to work Immediately to
arrange some of the preliminary mat
tiers for the reception Of the members
and for the conference.
Among those now in the city are:
Charles H. Fowler, John H. Vincent,
James N. Fitzgerald, Isaac w. Joyce,
Daniel Al Goodsell, Charles g. McCaes,
Earl Cranston, David II. Moore, John
w. Hamilton, Joseph f. Berry, Henry
Spellmeyer, William f. Dowell, William
Burt and Bishop Walden.
There will be a reception given to the
bishops in Trinity church this evening
at 1880 o'clock Rev. Arthur ]. Smith
is chairman Of the committee of ar
engagements. There will be an address
Of welcome, with a response by one OF
the bishops, and music, and all who
may attend will then be introduced to
the bishops.
The services of the conference are
held with closed doors. The meetings
to-day will be at a. m. and 2 p. m.
OF the three millions and more Of mem
bers Of this church all but about 175,00C
reside in this country. This conference
will assign bishops to preside at the
spring conferences, which are held from
January to July and number over forty
( bodies.
The conference has no regular order
Of business, but its work relates to the
conferences and general administrative
work for the church.
There was no meeting Of the confer
ence last night, but d number of COM
inittees convened to prepare work tc
submit tostie conference.
An important matter of consideration
during the meetings will be a plan fol
the consolidation of some of the work
of the church in order to render the adj
mlnistration more direct and to save
expense. In the matter of the book con.
Germ it is proposed, II 1t meets with ap.
4 proval to consolidate the Eastern Book
Concern, of which Eaton & Mains, Of
+ Worcester, are the publishers, and the
Western Book Concern, of Chicago anC
ST. Louis
The senior bishop will preside ovel
the conference. The total number ol
bishops is twenty-five and only six mis-
sionary bishops.
The work of the sessions will includ;
done by the bishops during the last si1
/ months. Those who are not present a
the meeting will send reports. In add
ton reports will be read on the spiritua
and financial welfare of the church ii
/, the world. OF particular interest viii
| be the result,of the work in the Philip
/ pines and In Porto Rico.
a Bishop Walden said last night tina
, nothing that had been transacted a
yesterdays doings was in shape for TIL
j press last night, but that the results
/, arrived at would be given out to-day.