Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-05-03
The Methodist
Conference

4
| Los ANGELES, Cal, May 81 Near
~ all the delegates have arrived for
the general conference OF the Meth
odist church, which Is to begin its
quadrennial session in this city tomor,
row, The delegates number about
$50 and represent the 100000 mem.
bers of the church scattered through
ont The world. For the first tmee
N the l2o years history or the church
women will hold seats In the con.
vention ~ delegates. This reyolu.
tion Is the result Of action taken at
the session Of the general conference
held In Chicago four years ago. In
addition to the delegates the confer.
enoe has attracted thousands OF Wis.
itors from all parts Of the United
States who are interested in the pro,
ceedings.
Several subjects that are to come
up for discussion and action will ren.
der the general conference this year
af far more than ordinary Importance.
Among these are the proposed unifica.
tion of The publishing houses and
consolidation J tha enepoiencea.
The Subcommittee appointed foIr years
ago to take into consideration the pro
posal to unity The publishing interests
has prepared a report In which II pro.
poses that the publishing interests or
the church shall be consolidated into
one corporation, which shall consist
Of one publishing house and three
branch houses and Ave repositories.
The publishing house and principal
place Of business shall be located in
sons. central place convenient for
production and distribution. The
branch houses shall be at New York,
Cincinnati and Chicago. and the de-
positories at Pittsburg, San Francisco.
Boston. Detroit and Kansas city.
The scheme for the consolidation
OF the benevolences includes the do.
ing away with the one missionary SO.
ciety, which now administers missions
both at home and ab.cad and the OF.
ganization Of seperate home and for.
eign mission boards, and a third or
ganizaiion to have charge Of educa.
tion. These proposed consultations
involve d tremendous revolution, the
outcome Of which gives The church,
serious anxiety. Many believe them
" be slipremely wise and that they
win result In greater efficiency ana
larger collections; others fear the re-
verse. REIMBURSEMENT Of some kind,
however, Is deemed necessary and
and the present conference
Is certain 10 see important changes
In this direction.
Among the other important matters
that will IN all probability come be.
fore the conference Is the adoption
OF some plan by which better proyis.
ion can be made for aged ministers
and the widows and orphans 81 az.
ceased ministers, and change IN
what Is known as paragraph 24S, re-.
moved from its present position and
places under the head OF advices. A
few declare themselves in favor OF
striking 1t ont altogether. On the
other hand there are many who are
opposed to any change III the para.
graph.
Discussion Of these various ques.
tions will be followed with close and
interested attention not only on the
part Of the delegates. but on the part
OF the church III large. Or still more
interest to the general public. how.
ever. will be the election or new
bishops. Two active bishops have
died since the last general conference
and several others may be superan.
nuated. The number Of missionary
bishops that will be chosen is prob.
lematical. The election Of three new
bishops for southern Asia has been
recommended, and in addition. Bishop
Moore. who has been in charge OF the
missions in eastern Asia during the
last four years, advises that three
missionary bishops be elected for
that territory.
While whatever action may be TAX.
bishops will have some effect on the
Of bishops, there Is no doubt
that at least three new bishops Will
be elected. Successors will be chos.
en- for Bishop Hurst. Of Washington.
and Bishop Ninde. OF Detroit, both
recently passed away and a third va.
cancy, caused BY the coming retire.
ment Of Bishop Merrill, Of Chicago,
must be filled
There appears TO be no lack OF ma.
terial for new bishops. Among tbose