The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-14
.HERESY CHARGES SENT
BACK TO A COMMITTEE
Methodist Conference Unwilling to
Act Hastily-New Rules Are
Carefully Framed.
SUPERANNUATES STATUS

LOS ANGELES, Cal, May 1S.-The
Methodist General Conference can now be
fairly launched upon the work of legislat-
ing in the interests of the church at large
Two matters of much Importance affecting
the administrative work of the church were
disposed of at to-day's session. One was
the rather delicate duty of the episcopacy
committee in fixing the status and relation
ship of superannuated bishops to the
church. and the other a rule reported by
the board of church extension and adopted
by the conference. depriving certain con-
gregations owning churches costing more
than $4,000 of the right to apply TO that
board for financial assistance. These two
matters. together with the completion Of
the rules of order, exhausted the entire
session.
The special order of the day was the re-
port of Missionary Bishop Frank W.
Warne. of India, but on the request of DR.. j.
NJ. Buckley, chairman of the committee on
episcopacy, the rules were suspended in
order to permit consideration of the two
matters mentioned, and Bishop Warne's
report was made the special order for 9
o'clock tomorrow.
DR.. Buckley's report on superannuated
bishops occasoned the most animated and
interesting discussion thus far developed in
the General Conference. 1t brought to the
fore some of the dominant figures of the
conference, and the delegates were enter
tanned by the clear reasoning and eloquent
expressions of some of it's best orators.
The charges of heresy made by DR.. Mum
hall and others against the Garrett Biblical
Institute and the Boston School of Theolo-
@f snn
members of the committee on education
and to be the absorbing topic among the
conference delegates. The subcommittee OF
fVe having in charge the investigation CT
this important matter has made a report
to the full committee, but the attacks of
DR.. Munhall and other supporters of heresy
charges were so spirited that the committee
voted not to accept the report, but to re-
submit 1t with instructions to give the mat
ter more careful and thorough considera-
ton.
The first taste of stirring debate partici-
pated in by the conspicuous figures of the
conference was given the delegates when
the report of the episcopacy committee on
the matter of retiring bishops and liking
their subsequent relations TO the church
was taken up. The paragraph that pro-
voked discussions reads as follows:
"A superannuated general superintcnd-
ent Is relieved from the obligation to travel
through his connection at large and may
choose the place of his residence. He shall
not be assigned 10 the presidency OF an
nual conferences nor make appointments,
but, if requested by a bishop presiding.
he may take the chair temporarily in a
general annual conference and, at the
request of the bishop presiding in the
nual conference, he may ordain candidates
previously elected to orders
DR.. A. B. Leonard offered amendment
to strike out all after the word residence
and substitute. HE may perform temporar-
ily upon invitation of general super
intendent any function that belongs to a
general superintendent, except make APP
pointments
This amendment was supported by Judges
Lohr and Warnock. lay delegates, and Drs.
Leonard and Lyttle.
Two speeches only were made In favor OF
the adoption of the report as presented by
DR.. Buckley, president of the episcopacy
committee. They were by DR.. ]. n. Buck
lev and DR.. T. Is. Nicely. The vote was
practically unanimous in favor of its adop-
ton of the report.
The Rev A G.. Kynett, of Philadelphia,
presented a report church extension
which contained a change of great i'm
portance of the more wealthy congrega-
TONS 1t takes away the right of the
board of church extension to assist
churches costing more than $4,000, but
gives the board the right to make especial
recommendations in certain cases. This
change was adopted by the conference.