The Washington herald., 1908-05-04
GATHER TO CONFER
Methodists from All Over
the World at Baltimore.
GREAT PROBLEMS OF CHURCH
Eight Hundred Delegates tn ASSEM-
BILE in Session on Wednesday.
Governors. Senator'S, and Repre-
sentatiVes Among Lay Delegates.
Church Has 100000 Members.

Baltimore. Md, May S.-Blshops, min
listers. and laymen of the Methodist
Episcopal Church are hurrying to Bal
timore from all over the world TO attend
the General Conference. which will open
Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock.
Every continent. most of the large
islands, ana practically every country
will be represented. Some of the mis-
sionary bishops and delegates were com
PEELED to leave their stations two months
ago In order to make sure of arriving
on time.
There win be. In round figures. 800
delegates One-half Of this number will
be laymen. They will represent 100000
members in this country and hundreds
of thousands in the mission fields
The bishops, who are now holding a
preliminary meeting at Harrisburg, Pa.
number twenty-four Eight of them are
missionary bishops.
The delegations vary In number, from
two TO sixteen. The ratio of representa-
ton is one ministerial delegate for each
forty-fiye ministers in the Annual Con-
ference. The laymen are entitled 10 one
delegate for each ministerial delegate.
The bishops will take turns in presid-
ing. They cannot take part in the de-
bates. but their advice is much sought
This conference promises TO be one of
the most important in the history of the
church. Problems that have been be-
fore the church many years have now
reached crisis. and viii be settled one
way or another
From historical point Of view, il IS
equally important Few people realize
that the great Methodist Church. with
its 100000 members in this country. IS
only a little over 100 years old. The
first General Conference was organized
in Baltimore in 1884 The last non
delegated conference was held here just
100 years ago. in 1898
Largest Ever Held.
The conference will be the largest ever
held. Four years ago. at Los Angeles.
Cal, there were $50 delegates. This year
there will be nearly 500, the exact figures
not yet having been compiled.
Three governors of States. one Heuten-
ant governor, two United States Sena-
tors, several congressman. and a num-
Der of judges will attend as delegates.
In addition, there will be a number of
men prominent in the business and social
world
The most interesting Of these will be
Gov. Buchtel. Of Colorado. who is also
milisteT OF the Methodist Episcopal
4
large majority. Gov Hanly. OF Indiana.
one of the foremost men in the work
of prison reform and in placing the
charitable work OF the State on a good
business basis. will come as one of the
representatives, Of the Indiana conference.
Gov Hoch. of Kansas. is a member OF
the Kansas conference delegation
From Delaware viii come Lieut.. Gov.
Parker. The Ohio conference will be
represented by Senator DoIliver. Repre-
sentative ". c. Hawley is on his way
from Oregon, and Representative John Z.
AndrUs viii represent the New York
conference Mr. Andrus is a wealthy
man, worth about $20900.G00
Judge McWhorter, of the Supreme Court
Of West Virginia, heads the delegation
from that conference. Two judges come
from Michigan. Judge P. F. Shepard, of
Bay City, and Judge F Y. Reynolds, OF
Coldwater. have the honor of represent
ing the laymen Of that section.
President May Attend.
Other meu of national fame will at
tend as visitors Vice President Fair
banks. defeated as a delegate by the
now celebrated cocktail story, IS expected.
he viii attend as many sessions of the
conference IS possible.
William Jennings Bryan is down as one
Of the conference lecturers. Senator
Beveridge viii come over from Washing
ton to preside at another OF these lee
lures. It is probable that an effort will
be made to have President Roosevelt
address the delegates.
The episcopal body is composed of
group Of the foremost churchInen of
the day. Nearly all of them are leaders
in some particular line Of Christian
work Some Of them come from the ends
OF the earth.
/. Bishop James NJ. ThOburn comes from
India and the Malaysia Islands. Southern
Asia gives as its quota Bishops Warne
Oldham, and Robinson. Bishop Harris
has as his field of work Korea ana
Japan. Bishops Hartzen and Scott labor
in South Africa, Bishop Scott is the only
negro on the board of bishops.
Bishop Luther =. Wilson and Bishop
Thomas Bowman are Baltimore men
on the board. Bishop Bowman is the
oldest in point OF service. and Bishop
Wilson one of the youngest, having
been elected at the last session.
Three prominent ChuTchmen Of other
branches of the Methodist Church will
attend as fraternal delegates. The Wes-
leyan Church of England has sent DR.
J. NJ. Goodman with greetings and good
wishes. He will sit on the platform with
the bishops and viii make a number of
addresses. Rev. DR.. James Henderson
is on his way from the Canadian Metho-
dist Church. The Methodist Episcopal
Church South is sending Rev. Dr. Collins
S. Denny with fraternal greeting to the
Northern branch.
All Ready at Lyric.
The Lyric is ready for the opening.
The bishops and fraternal delegates will
occuny the stage. The press will be
taken care Of at tables in front of the
stage. The delegates will occupy the first
floor.
Great problems VIII come up for ac-
ton this term. There will be many elo-
quent debates and feeling will run high.
The oldest in point of years will be that
of electing the presiding elders. They
are now appointed by the bishop.
The matter first came up for discussion
at the conference of 1908. 1t has been
burning question ever since. At times
it has been on the verge Of success, and
then it has fallen back.
The theater and amusement questions
viii again come up. They always cause
much discussion. This is assured by
the action of the New York conference
in asking for change in the sections OF
the discipline regarding theatergoing.