Milford chronicle., 1908-01-31
NE. General Conference.

d
On Nav 9Th. next, the General Conference ef
the Methodist Episcopal Church viii meet IN the
lyric Theatre, Baltimore Among it 500 dele
gates will be representatives from nearly every
country on the face of the globe. Among them
will be noted authors, orators and professional
men, Men Of eminence in other denominations
Of this and other countries will appear as fra
ternal delegates.
The General Conference is the supreme law
making body of the Methodist Episcopal Church
There are more than 100000 Methodists OF an
descriptions In the world. There about 100000
Methodist Episcopalians in the United States
The Church has 1900 ministers and more thaA
p, 600 church properties.
Many important questions OF Church poliey
will come up before the forth coming session.
Foremost of these in the popular mind B the
amusement question. Under the rules OF the
Methodist Church. its members are prohibited
from attending the theatre. dancing playing
cards going TO the circus and indulging in similar
amusements.
The members are given 20 discretion IN 1e'
matter. Tbev are not allo Wed to discriminate be
tween shakespearean play and THE Second .
Mrs Tanqueray," or Wagaran grand opera =
and .Nellie the Beautiful Cloak Model" Tho
m e is absolute '
AS matter OF fact, III Some of the churches
particularly in the large cities. the law is dead
letter. It is constantly violated and rarely, II q
ever Is anyone booked for the vocation. This. 3
fact had led 70 an agitation in recent years lts ~
repeal Of the law and the enactment in its place
OF a general rule cOndemnatory of frivolous
amusements, but not prohibiting dancing, card
playing or theatre-going specifically. The idea
is to throw the burden Of this matter on the cen
science of the individual member
Another que ton that Will be acted upon is
that with reference to the membership Of tho
General Conference itself Under the law, each
Annual Conference Of the Chrueh is entitled 10 a
re- resentatiVe IN the General Conference for each
As of its members. Each Annual Conference sends
a number Of lay delegates equal to the number OF
clerical delegates There has been lay representa-
| ton in the General Conference for more than q
third Of a century. but Rot until eight years ago
were the laity given equal representation wi h
the cl. rical delegates.
THIS action resulted in a1arge increase in tho
number Of members. The big growth Of tho
Church also tends ever TO increase the size Of the
General Conference The result is that, in the
opinion Of some, the governing body has become
unweding and lhe proposition to reduce the
membership has been made
ANY constitutional change In the Methodist
Episcopal Church must be approved by both the
| Annual Conferences and the General Conference
before becoming effective. The conferences have
been voting on tn decreased representation
proposition, but sufi lent number have not
scted to determine whether or not the movement
wi ! be successful.
The Annual Conferences have been voting on
another constitutional proposition that will be-
brous ht before the General COniers nee, and that
is the question Of appointing bishops Of different
races and languages to pres de over conferences
of those races and languages The Methodist
Church has a numhtr of negro members and
some of them have asked for bishop Of their
own color.
Nothing in a General Conference furnishes
moro excitement than the election Of the new
bishops The episcOpacy is the highest Office in
the gift Of the church 1t is a life position. Eev
ers Il the bishops Of he Church will probably
Z be isrpcr5nnuated" at his session Of the Gen
eral Conference which means making bishops
emeritus nf -f.n and relieyiug them Of active
duty some of DE- bishops have died in the lass
quadrehnium and Rely places have 20 be filed.
iI. tossiBe that IL ,otsi number may be in
-aa,ed, but iu any ss yhe7e win be several
new bishols 20 De clected Thai Of Itself viii
meau sn interesting session.
The bishops Of the Church preside over the
An1ual larfereu 'e rud the! hage Asol1te power
of appr5u ant o pastors 80 the ~epe.iye
charges il tls couf- ence They say q ~'s i1sf'
60" and he got b, and 70 tbat men X
and he eOmeth. But .he bishop are s
ouently more or les strangers io fhe Con4aehet
whose destinies theS 'o1to.. lht- eAst .le-o
some source OF infOrm1tl al i3 tna eouniuuna
in the different churches 4nl Hf.graa 11n af q
rule they get from the presto uf Hef-
Each Annual Conference y 1870
| tn hor rnfd
ministration Of the Church governHie1t EeCe
Of "a ese districts is given into the care apgeaa
ing elder who is a sort Of a superintendent 7
| ovefseef Heis appointed by the bishop
term of six years, R1d during that time Is rellef
OF the cares Of pRstOrate. 49,.
For many years there has been an agitatlou IN
the Church to have these presiding elders eeeteQ
by the Conference members themselves insteau
OF being appointed by the bishop. Some Of th2
, pastors seem 10 think that more representative
men will be chosen by this method
MANY other matters will come up before the
E General Conference. The deaeoness movement
has grown to be one OK the great proportions
and some incidental changes in the adminlHtLsi,
lion OF that branch of the Church's work vii
doubtless be advocated. The missionary Worh
Is always q subject Of debate. The quesnon o.
union with the Church South will be brougDtuP.
steps have already been taken looking 20 tli4
union and further action VIII douDless IOJohhi
The educational Institutions OF the Church WI
be investigated, aud those worthy VIII oe &c sost -
mended. There are q thousand other tnllss - -
be considered and the thirty days OF the sesAon
will be busy onea