The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-29
WORK BEING RUSHED
LOS ANGELES CONFERENCE PRE- FARES FOR ADJOURNMENT.
Seemingly Less Desire on the Part of the Delegates to Engage in Long Debates--Heresy
 Question Disposed Of.

the Delegates to Engage in
 k Long Debates--Heresy
 Question Disposed Of.
 Los Angeles, Cal. May 2s.-The Methodist General Conference rushed through a vast amount of business to- day during its three sessions, and when. Adjournment was taken late tonight, had cleared the field of all important subjects. As the time for adjournment approaches, there Is less desire on the part of the delegates to enter into pro- longed debate and many left for their homes tonight. So numerous, indeed. have been the departures that the con- vention is likely to find itself without a quorum on Monday. Unless some thing important comes up on that day. it is not probable that this point will be urged.
 The heresy question, which had been held up by many as thing on which there would be prolonged and heated debate, proved to be a very small mat ter after all. It was dismissed with a report brought in by the Committee on Education, the conference adopting It's recommendations without ripple of excitement. There was no debate ex- cept a brief speech by Dr. Munhall. who is credited with being the leader of the forces opposed to the so-called higher criticism in the theological colleges. Dr. Munhall merely gave his opposition to Bible criticism and declared himself favorable to the report as presented.
 The recommendations of the Conn mitfee on Education on tlHe pafticuiar point were that tzl tlse q senrs Of stiss ficient proof in the fachltses of certain universitiess these instituti 1t be sN~ onerated on all charges of h4fesy. The report recommended also since thete is some unrest and disposition to fear that heresy will develop, the directors should exercise care in the selection of instructions, appointing none con- corning whose soundness of doctrine there is any question. Professors were cautioned to instruct their students to preach none but established doctrines. The report was passed by q large vote.
 Chairman Miller of the Conference Commission, which looks after tho finances of the General Conference, made report today. showing a deficit of about $12,000. His report showed collections, including the $25,000 raised in the city of Los Angeles. of $116,000. and bills paid and outstanding to the amount Sof $126,000. In addition he says there was unaudited bills amounting to s2,000, which would bring the deficiency up to $12.000.
 A motion was made to the effect that the amount of the deficiency be borrow- ed from the book concern. To this proposition were strong protests from Drs. Eaton and Maines, New York pub fishing agents, who said that If this money were lent there would be little chance of ever getting it back, as has been the case before. After consider able talk, the motion was adopted and the book concern must lend the Confer ence Commission enough to make up the deficiency in its funds. The mo- tion, however, was finally amended so as to instruct the Presiding Elders of the various conference districts that are in arrears to make good their de- fciency in order that the book con cern may be reimbursed.
 There was reserved for the final ses- sion of the conference the question of whether the preachers of any other than white races shall be eligible for the episcopacy. The matter came from the committee on episcopacy as the re- suit of memorials from several annual conferences favorlng the election of coIored bishops to preside ns general superintendents, Chairman J. H.. Buckley in presenting the report of the committee on episcopacy on this sub | feet characterized the recommendation
  portance. Following was the report of the Committee:
 | "Concernlng memorials from the Tennessee. East Tennessee, North Car olina, South Carolina, Florida. Missis- 1 sIppi, Texas and Lexington conferences requesting the general conference to provide for the election of bishops of l African descent who shall be assigned l to the presidency of conferences con 1 ohf af f.Ne l of African descent, respectfully report:
 ."rhat in the present state Of our l Fundamental law a constitutional ob- l lection is raised to the granting of the yenuest of said memorialists; but there having been referred to this commit fee bv the general conference a memo | rial from the Rock River conference to change the fundamentar law so as to make possible the realization of the de- sire of the memorialists and to accom- nlish other important objects, there l fore:
 ,o,forence propose the following oTaerdment to the constitution: To str,Le out from the third restrictive rnIe paragraph CT. section of the | Discipline of 1sV0 so that the whole paragraph shall read;
 | "The General Conference shall not change or alter any part or rule of our | government so as to do away with episcopacy nor destroy the plan of our itinerant general superintendeney, but may elect a bishop or bishops for work among particular races and languages, or for any of our foreign missions, linn ting their episcopal Jurisdiction to tho same respectively.
 "Resolved, second. That if this re- mort is adopted, thereafter the above proposed amendment to the constitu- ] tion be submitted to the General Con- ference in order to ascertain whether