Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-26
Methodist General Conference
Adopts Plans For Consolida-
ton Into Three Groups
LONG DEBATE OVER THE ACTION
The Respective Groups Are to Be
Known as the Foreign Missionary
Home Missionary, and Educational
Secretaries of the Benevolences
Opposed to the Consolidation.

Los Angeles, May 26.--The present
general conference in spite CT its initial
promise to the contrary will assurediy
be regarded as the most revolutionary
of recent years. After a protracted
and spirited debate, covering the better
part of two whole sessions, the confer
ence adopted plan for consolidating
the benevolences of the church into
three groups. These groups are re-
spectively the foreign missionary. the
home missionary and the educational.
The foreign missionary, as its name
implies deals with evangelistic and ed,
ucational effort in foreign fields. The
home missionary includes what was the
work of the church extension society.
and the educational group includes not
only the work of the board OF educa-
ton but also the work of the Freed
mems Aid and Southern Education So
ciety. and of the Sunday School Union
and Tract Society
The church has for years been agitat-
ing for a better grouping or benefoleht
interests The temper OF this gehefai
conference was largely in favor OF IL
hut II is questionable whether any one
thought so radical measure as the one
proposed could possibly be- adopted II
NAV be that the discussion was respon-
sible.
As was natural, the secretaries OF the
beneyolences involved were opposed 10
consolidation. One of them urged Win
"a. tsNy NNY.lIs0
great cogency that the soeietles were
proyidentfal development IN tHe
church. but the fact that they We're
secretaries. 40 far from giving thelf
words weight, only produced the M
nression that they We're contenalng pot
a personal perquisite.
,rhe adoption of the plan, however
vii, not interfere with the secre'ais-
shins as they now stand, Tor the report
expressly provides COMMISSION "
make adjustments during the coming
ouadrenniunl.
T., tbe assignment OF tie bishops an
attamnt was made to debate some OF
tho recommendations OF tie committee.
1ha conference decided, however, that
q debate on SO personal a. subject would
ba in bad taste The rec Commentator
of the committee was therefore ADOPTED
without change. The assignments arc
as follows:
Chicago $1,000. Aisitop -
New York. rhsiiop o"'S,
Boston ................H isHop Soosise'i
-pbilade,pllia ...........R Bishop McCape
washington ...... Bishop Cranston
Cincinnati .... Bishop Spellmeyer
Buffalo ......... Bishop Berry
ST Louis. Bishop Fitzgerald
Denver Bishop Warren
Chattanooga .......... Bishop Wilson
Minneapolis ........... Bishop Joyce
Portland Bishop Moore
San Francisco. Bishop Hamilton
Shanghai Bishop Bashford
Zurich (Switzerland1. 49,. bishop Burt
Ruenos Ayfes. Bishop Nicely
Another surprise was the promptness
with which the report recommending
the unif,cation OF publishing interests
was adopted The report was read and
was followed by a bries explanation
from the chairman of tie committees,
and without another wori the vote was
taken and the plan adopted. 1t was
only when the chair had declared the
action complete that the conference
realized that so great an interest had
heen disposed of without a word of
controversy.
Epworth League ma. tiers excited
some interest. and tina, part of the
committees report recommending the
revival of the office of general secretary
elected some debate The sentiment OF
the conference was at the beginning ia :
vorable and the recommendation was
adopted.