The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-04
SOUTHERN METHODISTS ARE /
 IN SESSION IN BIRMINGH ,!.M

his place and time was nc wasted. | Prayer was offered. tws ymns were | given out and sung, cond prayer
 was offered. all by bishops on the pull pit and Dr. Figert was ready for the long roll call. It was decided imme- 1 diately that during the three weeks of work of the delegates the conference | would meet promptly at g o'clock a. nn., | hold session until 1 o'clock p. m and adjourn. The afternoon was to be | given over to committee meetings. The committees had a large amount of work laid out for them. To prevent | conflict of committee meetings pro | gram was adopted for certain com | mittees to meet on alternate days. Then | the conference listened to the able ad- dress was given great thought and care drss was given great thought and care may not be doubted. It had been pre- pared in advance. but all the bishops | did not agree with certain expressions | of it. After being given out to the newspapers, its publication was held | up awhile to give opportunity for ad- | ditional polishing.
 A vital question which will come be- fore the conference will be the old sug- gestion of "Itineracy" of the Methodist Church to be amended, the plan where by preacher can be moved at the end of year and under which he can stay at no place longer than four years. The suggestion will be that fin cities of large population the minister must not necessarily move to some other charge, but that in the pursuance of Is work he may remain longer than the allotted four years. The charge is designed to apply only to the larger cities. The change will hardly be au- thorized.
 The old system has been too suc- cessful It has been too long the pride of the church. The leaders as well as thinkers out of the church attribute much of its strength and its vitality to the '1teneracy' system which brings its ministers so close to the people and so close to the homes of the people Tn their opinion 1t gives both oppor- tunfty and training to the young man that would be lacking in another sys- tenn. Unfortunately in churches as in other institutions, dissensions arise and factions grow up. The itineracy sys- tenn prevents the minister from in any way becoming permanently identified with any faction.
 In the opinion of the leading Meth odists too many blessing have come out of the system so long the dis tinction and boast of the church for 1t to be changed.
 The PubIishing Interests.
 The management of the various pub ,ishing interests always demands care and thought from the General Con ference. It is question which every four years gives the delegates quite as much concern as any other question that comes before them. It will be quite as important at this conforencs as 1t has ever been at any previous conference. ,
 In the first place it may be attempted to abolish the subordinate conference organs In the various conference and establisns one general paper for the General oonference. The suErestIoonn bas h;,s not yet assumed definite shape, how ever. .althoush 1t has been talked os among the delegates. In all proba- blifty the conference will hear some thing of this question
 Representatives of the labor unions will appear before the Publishing Committee of the conference to ask that the extensive printing offices of nashville be- made union shops. That too, will call for discussion.
 The committee assignments for the delegates from the Alabama confer ence were made public today. They were as follows: -
 Episcopacy, Rev. A. J. Lamer; Itiner- ary, Rev. J. M. Mason; Revivals. Rev. J. s. Frazer, Publishing Interests. w. H. Sanford Education, Rev. A. L. Andrews; Missions. Rev. A. l.. An drews; Church Extension, O. sessons; Boundaries. w. H. Sanford: Temper ance, W. H. Sanford; Sunday School. J. A. wilkinson; Epworth Learue T. A. Wilkinson; Appeals. J. S. Frazer; Finance. R. o. Simpson; Calportage, C.. Sessoms
 TWO bishops will be elected at this conference. The address of the bish- ops recommended the election of two new bishops They will fill the ulaca of the two beloved and lamented lead CTS who fell since the conferenecet met Tour years ago in Dallas. Bishop J. c. Keener and Bishop R. H. Hargrove.
 The names most prominent mem toned for the succession are Rev. I J. Ttgert,'of Nashville; Rev. Seth Ward, or Texas, and Rev. Collins Denny of Vanderbilt University.
 There Is some talk that one or two of the oldest bishops will be super- annuated at this conference, but the matter Is discussed very quietly. It Is rather delicate matter with the bishops and the delegates refrain from discussing it this early in the con ference. except in confidence But the question promises to come up iater
 The conference will also be called upon to decide whether it will or will not consolidate all the young peoples societies of the Methodist church in one general body. This has already been recommended to the conference
 The address of the bishops made deep impression upon the conference The delegates passed upon 1t such praise as. The greatest paper ever read to the General Conference" "a masterly address" "A statesmanIike paper"
 Addresses of Welcome.
 The gate Of Alabama and the door of Birmingham were thrown open to delegates of the General Conference in a formal way tonight. At 8 o'clock a great congregation gathered to witness the welcoming exercises The i'm mense auditorium of, the First Metho- dist Church was filled from top to bottom and from side to side.
 Chief interest centered in the ad- dress of Governor Jelks, for the State oI Alabama, and the reply of Bishop E' R.. Hendrix for the conference
 Bishop H, c. Morrison presided Bish- op Morrison is impressive with his tall ana graceful figure. surmounted by a strong Roman face framed in silver white hair. Governor Jelks's welcom- lns address made a deep impression upon the conference. Tn his reply to the several welcoming addresses, Bish- op Hendrix devoted most of bis re- Governor '' '"e
 Governor Jelks spoke first of the great natural riches of Alabama say ing that, perhaps in no other land did the riches of nature lie so close to- Rether. 'V
 Of Alabama's strength. he snoLa Are,