Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-02
CHANGES IN. CHURCH
Last nay Of Methodist General Con-
ference Busy One.
PRESIDING ELDERS ABOLISHED
These Officials Are to Be Known a.
District Superintendents.
NEW TRIAL FOR MITCHELL
New York Professor is Wrongly Con-
vioted Of Heresy.
PROBATION RULE AMENDED
Persons to BE Admitted TO Church
when Recommended by omcials
with Approval OF the
Pastor.
PROBATION RULE AMEEDEl

BALTIMORE. Nd, June 1.-The last
and what IN all probability. will be the most
arduous day Of the Methodist Episcopal
general conferences was begun today, with
a large calendar Of reports for consider
stion At the morning meeting resolutions
were passed looking TO the amalgamation
Of all national Sabbath day alliances in
this country: providing for the appointment
Of a committee Of arrangements for the
celebration in 1919 Of the silver jubilee
Of the founding Of the Methodist Episco-
pal missions in Corea and endorsing the
Iaymen's missionary movement under way
m all the evangelical protestant denomi-
nations, and recommending the appoint
rnent Of q commission of isymen to visit
those fields.
The tlne-henored title presiding elder"
was abolished BY the adoption OF a minority
report from the revision committee recon-
mending that the name be changed to dis
triet superintendent by vote OF S22 ayes
TO 40 noes
The general conference confirmed the re-
port OF the Judiciary committees sustaining
the appeal Of Prof Hlnckley G. Mitchell.
who was In effect declared hereto by the
Central Nsw York conference. A committee
Of the Central New Yorw conference in
vestisated the charges, reported Prof. Nit
chen guilty and the report was adopted by
the conference without, II IL said, giving
the accused man an opportunity to defend
himself From this action OF the confer
6nce Prof. Mitchell appealed to the judiciary
COMMITTEES OF the general conference. the
report OF which sustained him on points of
law. upon which only. the judiciary COM
mIttee IS competent to pass.
Change In Heresy Trials.
REPORTS and other business were rushed
through the conference at both morning
AMI afternoon sessions with the greatest
dispatch. There was little discussion OF
most OF the questions, In this way large
amount Of matter of routine character
pertaining 10 the government Of the church
was disposed Of Some OF the more inn
portant measures. however. had TO run the
fire OF debate before being acted upon.
One OF these pertained to heresy trials.
Herea fter me ehfSrerence decided Methods;
Episcopai bishops viii be relieved of the
duty Of passing upon charges Of heresy
which may be laid against professors n,
theological serncnaries These complaints
II they come 10 the bishops will in the fu-
ture be turned over to the annual confer
ence OF which the accused is a member. Il
he be minister. and II a layman, TO tho
pastor OF the church TO which he belongs
In the past when charges Of this character
have been preferred against preacher tht
bishops have had to pass upon their valid
ity and afterward as presidents Of confer
snces to sit at their trials, an act which th'
judiciary committee declared to be uncon
Btitutional.
Probation system Changed.
A report which received careful consider
atino before It finally was adopted was on'
doing away with the six months probation
system. Under the new rule persons may b
received into the church as 500 mas the!
are recommended by the official board o.
the ciass leaders and stewards meeting
, with the approval Of the pastor. While do
! hnR away with the old method 1t also allow
s,%for q period OF probation Of any length tina
may be deemed necessary.