Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-24
BISHOP S.
HON. JOHN MAHIN OF MuscArINE
TELLS OF WORK IN METH.
oDIsT CONFERENCE.


oDIsT CONFERENCE.
10y Hon. John Mahin, of Muscatine,
lay delegate to the general conference
OF the Methodist church,
Los Angeles, Cat, May 16.
The Methodist general conference
began the eleventh day of its session
today. 1t has adopted a resolution to
adjourn on the 18th inst. Some prob
lens at the beginning are now solved
ana most OF the others have been so
lar considered that the result can be
prognostlcated with degree of GER
talnty. 1t was settled on Saturday that
i've OF the bishops should be superan-
nuated in addition to Bishop MERRILL,
VINO voluntarily asked to be placed in
that relation. The five who were sup
eranauated by the conference without
request on their part were Bishops
Walden, Andrews, Foss, Mallilieu and
Vincent. The process was by means
OF report from the committee on epis-
copacy recommending approximation
of these bishops because of the infirmi-
ties of age. All of them are over 10.
A vote was taken by ballot on each
bishop and the result was nearly five
to one in favor of retiring them. 1t
was pathetic in the extreme to notice
the effect of this action on the venerat-
ed and much beloved bishops. 1t was
generally understood that they had
made protest before the committee
against being placed in the retired
list, each expressing the belief that he
was able for further active service. The
natural unwillingness of most men to
admit impairment of their physical and
mental faculties by the encroachm ents
of age was thus exemplified as well as
the sadness of realizing what John the
Baptist said when referring to Jesus
of Nazareth-"he must increase but l
must decrease"
ten before the election of the bishops
reported in the telegraph dispatches,
took place.)
1t is now evident that eight new
bishops must be chosen. Fifteen to
twenty eligible and suitable persons
have been named, Who will be chosen
is not easy now to say. The con-
ference has by an indirect vote indi-
Gated that it will not draw the color
line TO the extent of choosing a colored
bishop. If a colored man can be
found who, without reference to the
question of color, is prominently
qualified for the Office of bishop he
will be chosen. but not otherwise. The
policy of having missionary bishops
will probably be continued.
Public Amusements,
There is a strong tendency to take
the public amusements prohibited in
paragraph 24S. dancing, theatres, cir
cuses, etc) out of the Judicial admin
stration,' section of the discipline and
placing them among the matters of
personal conduct advised against in
the appendix to the discipline. 1t is
observable that many truly conse-
Grated ministers and laymen are in
favor of this change, not as a letting
down of the bars for such amusements
but as placing the question in its prop
er relation in the rules and regulations
and as some claim, making the attitude
of the church against improper amuse-
ments more readily understood and
more effective. The committee on the
state of the church today voted by
So to "A to make no change in para
graph 24S which would indicate that
the general conference will make no
change on the subject.
The committee on the Episcopacy
has also voted to make no change in
the time limit. In other words, the
present policy of appointing preachers
to their charges each year is to be
continued.
Proceedings Are Interesting.
The proceedings of the general con-
ference are as rule quite interesting
to the looker-on. Some of the best
speakers known to the American plat
form are among it's members. Oppor-
tunities for lengthy speeches, howev-
er. are not allowed under the ten min
ute rule, but pointed epigramatic and
otter eloquent utterances are heard in
the discussion of questions of doctrine
and discipline. The bishops preside in
turn, beginning with seniority. They
are good parliamentarians and hold
we'll in hand the contentious and
sometimes almost turbulent attempts
to secure recognition for addressing
1.-The conference. The looked-on might
on some occasions suppose there was
a lack of Chesterfeldian Difference to
say nothing of Christian courtesy, in
the yociferous struggle to take prec-
edence in this way; but, after all, it is
only brotherly strife that animates
members in the performance of duty;
and underneath it all, when a true oc-
casion comes for its display, there is
a genuine fraternal spirit The de-
bates thus far, though at times very
exciting, have occasioned no rancor-
Gus remark or bitterness of express
sion.
GRADUATES AT BLOOMFIELD.