The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-21
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF
 THE OOLORED M. E. CHURCH
Eleventh Session to Held at Topeka, Kan--Short Sketch of Organization and Progress
 of the Church.
BY BISHOP $. H. PHlLLips. D. D.

South, resolved that when two or more annual conferences shall be formed, let
 our Bishops advise and assist them Tn
 organizing a separate Generl Confer ence Jurisdiction for themselves, If they so desire, and the Bishops deem 1t expe-
 dient, in accordance with the doctrine
 and discipline of our church, and pear ing the same relation to the General
 Conference as the annual conferences
 bear to each other
 The required number of conferences
 having been formed. the first General Conference, constructive, institution al session, met by appointment in Jack
 son, Tenn. December, 1870. Bishop Paine of the Southern Methodist Church presided. He was assisted In the work or organization by Revs. A. l.. F. Green. Samuel Watson. Thomas Taylor ana others. The new organization was ef- fected with eight annual conferences, about 60.000 or 70.000 members, and
 two Bishops. w H. Miles of Ken-
 lucky and Richard Vanderhorst of South Carolina were the fortunate men. Bishop Miles served the church twenty
 two years: Bishop Vanderhorst only
 eighteen months
 Since their election the church has had the following elections; Revs. J. A, Bebee, L. H. Holsey and Isaac Lane, Ek. treii in 1894, and c. H. Phillips. in 1902. J. A.. Bebee. after. serving the church twenty-nine years as a Bishop. died in June 1902. leaving the church with five Bishops.
 The denomination now has twenty sis annual conferences, against eight at It's organization. Then we had 60,oo0 or 70.000 members. now we have little over 100000. We began our church lift without publishing house. official pa per, or schools Now we have each of the first two and seven of the latter The development of the church is no' only seen in what has been said. but 1t will appear also in the further fact that the first General Conference had only forty members. while the eleventh session will be composed of 230 dele gates.
 Three More Conferences. It looks now as if the conference might organize at least three more an- nual conferences: one more in Geor- gia, Mississippi and Alabama, respec- lively. The question that is uppermost in the minds of the delegates is the question whether there will be an ad- ditional Bishop or Bishops elected. For reasons which are generally known this has been the most lively question in all our general conferences since lS90 One reason is: There are some who never -concede that the church has need to elect more Bishops. AS far as am able 10 understand. public sen- timent I have arrived at the conclusion that the church is calling for the cleo tion of one or two more men to the Episcopal office.
 Just as the Congress of the United States is creature of all the States and when it acts sub-voce, un- der the voice of the people," so the general conference is a creature of the annual conference and when 1t acts it is supposed to act sub-voce and this execute the will of the peo- pie If this principle obtains. as in all likelihood it will there will sure- ly be an election. The church has a number of men who, in my humble opinion, would make good bishops. Among those who are being mentioned in connection with this office are the following: R. T. Brown, Editor Chris tian Index, official organ of the church, Jackson. Tenn; N. F. Haygood, pastor Trinity Church, Augusta, Ga.; E. W. Moseley, ex-Secretary of Missions and President Church Extension Board, Jackson, Tenn; M. F. Jamison, ex- Ed itor Christian Index and ex-Secretary Church Extension Society, Leigh. Tex; J. H. Anderson, ex-Book Agent, Jack son, Tenn; H. s. Doyle, pastor at Shreveport, La; R.4S s. Stout, Secretary of Church Extension, Little Rock. Ark. and several others.
 May Be Removed.
 The Publishing House which has long been located in Jackson, Tenn, may in all probability be removed to some larger commercial center where the publishing plant can come in closer touch with the light and blaze of sim liar institutions; catch their commer- cial spirit, learn their methods and enjoy their advantages over less fa- vored city; and where the denomina- tion itself can occupy a more promi- nent place in the public eye.
 If the plant should be removed from it's present site 1t would likely De 10 cated in Nashville or Memphis.
 The Bishop question and the remov- ing of the publishing house; the cleo ton of general officers; the consider ation of the idea of creating central university that can better represent our growing and expanding Method ism than any school we now have ln operation; the debate that will follow many recommendations of the Bishops the revising of the book of discipline; the retrenchment idea of abolishing the Church Extension and Epworth League Departments; and the raising of the general funds from 35 cents to 50 cents per member are. some of the questions that will make the To- peka General Conference one of the most interesting in the history of the church.