The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-11
Action of General Con-
 ference. RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED
District Bodies to License Local
 Preachers.
Appeal of Rev. W. w. Hicks., Who Repeatedly Kissed Member of His Flock, Formally Made
 Yesterday.

Birmingham. May 10.-(Special.)-- This was another busy day with the fifteenth General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. south. The attendance, as on previous days, was large and the strictest of attention was given by. every one. Some very important measures were .eported on, either in the shape of memorials being presented or reports from committees.
 The conference unanimously adopted resolution providing for the appoint ment of tribunal to investigate the great and terrible wrongs" reported to have transpired in the Congo River basin of Africa. It Is proposed that the tribunal be created by the powers through whose action the Congo State has it's being. and that. in view of the prominent part borne by the United States in the recognition of the Congo State. the Government should take ac- tion for the promotion of this interna- tiona1 inquiry.
 The conference decided to let the question of licensing local preachers remain under the Jurisdiction of the district conferences instead of the quar- terly meetings. A vigorous fight was made for the change, however. and the decision was not reached until the delegates had indulged in much debate.
 The appeal of the Rev. W. W. Hicks of the Holston conference, was form ally filed and submitted to the Commit tee on Appeals. It was charged that the preacher kissed young woman repeatedly, and he was suspended for six months. Although the six mo3ths have elapsed and the Tennesseean has been reinstated, he desires to be vim dicated.
 A resolution asking the conference to adopt a law requiring all young minis ters joining the ranks of preachers to take a pledge not to use tobacco. was introduced by Dr. J. A. Burrows in be- half of Mrs. F. E. wy1ie and more than a thousand women of Tennessee. The movement was started by Mrs Wylie sonls time ago and she obtained signaturesso of women from all over the State. She Is in charge of the Holston Orphanase at Greenvilie. Tenn.
 X law was adopted by the conference making it an Immortality for a member of the church to act as dispenser under a State dispensary law.
 petition signed by nearly 100 lay delegates to the conference was pre- scented today. It asks that four addi- tional bishops be elected at the pres ent meeting to look after the interests of the church at home. and that one new bishop be elected to have jurisdic- ton over foreign missionaries. This is substantially request of the lay dele gates for five additional bishops.
 The seventh days session was call- ed to order promptly at o'clock to- day by Bishop Candler. who announced that the Rev. T. S. Wade of Clarks- burg, W. Va, would conduct the de- votional exercises.
 The Rev. E. Stanford of New York. Secretary of the inter-church commit tee on federation, was introduced to the conference by Bishop Morrison.
 During his remarks he said:
 ''I am quite sure that we can &C., complish more as a united body than by working as separate bodies"
 Dr. Sanford was greeted with ap- plause when he took his seat.
 The committee on publishing inter- ests made the following report, con- cured with thelrecommendation in the episcopal address concerning the con- solidation of official papers:
 Resolved, That the number of official organs of annual conferences should be substantially reduced in order that their excellence may be increased and their influence augmented.
 conferences contiguous to each other combine In the support of one paper whenever such combination is prac- ticable."
 The following is the minority report of the publishing committee on the
  the church: we deem 1t best to leave the subject of conference organ to the rodly consideration of the several an nual conferences free from outside in- terference."
 An attempt was made to have the re- port re-committed, which action was stoutlv approved h'r W. H. Sanford and James Camori, Jr. The motion to re- commit was lost snd the reports were placed on the calendar
 Want Five Bishops.
 petition signed by many lay dele gates was presented to the conference in tho shape of a memorial asking that five bishops be elected. It was referred to the committee on episcopancy.
 Bishop E. F. Hoss read the report of the commission of federation. It fol- lows !n full, being referred to the gen eral conference committes on federal ti,n.
 To tho General Conference of the Meth
 odist Episcopal Church, South:
 Dear Fathers and Brethren--We de- sire to report that during the quadren- nium just passed we have had only one meeting with the commission of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This meeting was held in the city of Ralti- more. April 1S-19, 1908. and was in every respect harmonious and fra ternal. A full minute of it's proceed ines is hereby filled for the use of the committee on feQeFdllOn.
 It will be seen that resolution was passed by the joint commission sug- resting the formation of definite plan for the inter-chaI ge of ministers be- tween tho two churches hy the exer- else of the transfer power on the part of the bishops, under due llm'htons and restrictions
 The most important action had' now ever, was the following:
 "Resolved, That the growth or the spirit of fraternity and of practical federation in this country between the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church. South. suggests the advisability of instituting a federal council for these two church es, which, without interfering with the autonomy of the respective churches, and having no legislative functions. shall yet be invested with advisory powers in regard to worldwide mis- sions, Christian education, the evange- lization of the unchurched masses, and the charitable and brotherly adjust ment of all conflicts and misunder-