The Washington herald., 1908-05-28

Baltimore, Nd, May T.-The General
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, now meeting in this city, has
only four more days in which to COM
plete its work. II # adheres to its de-
cision to adjourn on June l. Some of the
greatest questions Of the whole session
are yet to come before it.. Beginning
with tomorrow, afternoon, sas well as
morning sessions. will be held.
The fixing Of the episcopal residences
came UP to-day. ard the anticipated pro-
tracted discussion was begun.
It Will come up again tomorrow morn
ing, and viii be finally settled upon after
both sides have had their full say. Nu-
merous changes In the plan reported by
the committee on episcopacy will be sug-
gested one of these cropped out to-
day.in the shape Of three-cornered fight
on the part Of the delegates from Los
Angeles. Detroit. and Philadelphia to have
a bishop located in one Of those cities.
Along with residences I'm Boston, Buen-
os Ayres, Buffalo, Chattanooga. Chicago.
Cincinnati. Denver. Foo Chow. China;
New Orleans New York. Oklahoma CITY.
Portland, Greg; St Louis. Omaha. St
Paul. San Francisco Washington. ID. c:
Zurich, Switzerland. and Pelzin, China.
the committee recommended that a bishop
be located IN Philadelphia. where a bfsh-
op has not been located for many years.
The report was made by Or. J. NJ Buck
ley. chairman
Contest over Residences.
After waiting for a comment to be made
no dot
the chairman, explained the reasons OF
the committee in fixing residence at
New Orleans. and then moved the adop-
tiOn OF the report. This was the signal
for the fight TO begin DR.. Alvah w. Wat
kinson, Of Los Angeles, precipitated the
discussion by moving the substitution OF
Los Angeles I'm place Of Philadelphia.
Iacn DR. Samuel Dicl0ey. of Washington
moved to substitute Detroit A hot dis
cussi0n was followed by an adjournment
without action.
The adoption OF the report Of the com
mittee on conference claimants OF III,
conference practically revolutlonlzed tn,
present system Of providing funds tC
meet the needs Of retired ministers
Two radical changes were especially
recommended by the committee. and vii
go into effect next year The first OF
these is the creation Of an annuity sys-
TEN. by which all ministers who have
been retired are TO be recompensated ac-
cording 10 their length of service. tho
amount they are to receive being equa
TO at least one-half Of the average salary
Of a minister Of the Methodist Episcopa
Church. The second change relates e
the substitution Of what in the futur,
Will be known as the "Connectiona
fund" for the present unsatisfactory
methods Of collecting money to meet al
demands. The new system provides thai
the collections from the rich and NOR,
influential churches can be used to max,
up any deficiency that may exist amone
the weaker and poorer churches.
Conference Date Is Changed.
BY an almost unanimous vote the dele
gates decided 10 change the conferenc,
constitution so that the time for meetin,
might in the future be May l, instead o
the first Wednesday IN May.
or the propositions still before the con
ference. the most prolonged debate is ex
pected to come on the matter Of amuse
ments The bishops In their quadrennia
address recommended I'm this paragraph
the words dancing. playing at games o
chance. attending theaters. horse races
circuses, dancing parties. or patronlzini
dancing schools be stricken out. and tha
these matters be left to the individua
conscience OF the young people i'm tn
church instead Of making II mandator,
that they refrain from participating f
these amusements I'm order to keep Il
good standing in the church. The com
mittee on the state Of the church, Z
which this matter was referred, has re
l.
The report was formulated on May i,
and was adopted by a vote Of 80 to 81
The argument in the committee agains
making the change and in favor Of leav
ing the amusement paragraph as Il nov
is was led by Leander w Munhall tn
noted evangelist while Rev DR.. Frank 3
Lynch, Of Philadelphia, was the principa
advocate of the change. These two me
will doubtless lead the discussion for thei
respective sides when the debate on tn
floor Of the conference takes place.