New-York tribune., 1908-05-08
BISHOPS ADDRESS READ
Methodist General Conference Hears
ImpOrtant Recommendations.
(By Telegraph TO The Tribune.

Baltimore May THE feature of to-day $ ses
sions of the General Conference OF the Methoh'
Episcopal Church the reading of the eplseopa'
address by Bishop D. l.. Goodsell of Boston ihiS
address, always important, discussed TINS une ma
ters of unusual moment. Although the part i
tive To the Iiquor question evoked the sreaee''
amount of enthusiasm, its most important
tences were those embracing the recoil"ehoat t ~,
OF the bishops touching Paragraph ESQ .,
Church Discipline. which is the paragraph reia..
a. .,..uson,o,+. The address recommends thdI
from this paraaraph certain words. indicated pu'
not quoted, in the address, be stricheh o
exact words are dancing, playing at e"
chance attending theatres, horse races III
danc,ps narties or patronizlng dancing schoo''
This recommendation Of important ehsion - -
loved Immediately by the declaration OF the olshoP
that crave Injustice will be done IL 'noii e
recommendation is interpreted as e''
of early opposition to worldly afhuSe',i - t
il Is, indeed, return 10 tio pf
words of John wesley. ...-,or+
- ,,odi,+s outcome OF the bishops treatment
Of the uauor question was the adoptlon oi 80
Iution favorable to thu iittleheid int -, -
sbinn,ent bill now before Congress winch reso ,
,,o g. +o he laid before Speaker cannon ol ln7
House of Representatives by comnnt'ee u
row. ,.-,,r
Before the reading of the ADDRESS was 80 49,
message OF greeting and congratuiauoh i'm. 10
General Conference was ordered seilt ~ ~ a.
,,,,,anIs pible Society at Philadelphia "tlich W
dv begins the first centennial of its existence
T2is,oD GoodseIl of Boston. then took the Io''' ~
and commenced the delivery of the aooress-
The address of the Bishop. after recalling NeheIa
Conferences hitherto held in this city. and
events Of the Church which had baltimore lo' mo"
oanss notes q gain in the number of comrnurcaii''
during the past four years Of 2ts'So'' 'ie ei'0
gain during all similar periods for sAteeh
The membership in the United States IS no" D.
noe oso Other figures show the number OF ministers
;n tho annual conferences mot including local
nraacbersl to be a353 an increase OF LIN: suoJect
to appointment as pastors on trlat ana HI 1
membership, 15.722: local preachers serving DIS p
tors 44sa The total pastoral army nuloeio
2n1s1 These. according to the address. preacn 'is
cosneI in 1870 languages and dialects. The ADDRESS
continues: - -,
Relative 70 Investigation Of charges of heresy by
the bishops, the address says;
,ibors " ought not to be charged with any functions
of investigation. these being foTesa srre tbat the
functions OF preliminary nvestigatie in these f6s
should be confined to the annual colIeieioV' "
body which has lawful jurisdiction
:. T., doo1ared that the Church has not yet
reached unanimnity touching the removal OF 'he
time limit from the pastorate on tne SupJeo'
tha hrot rhoOd address recommends 'he1C '0
conference recognize a brotherhood OF the Meth
,;+ 1-rjsconal Church and provide for the in
cornora ton of the brotherhood In the economy VI
the local Church. As to amusements anu 'he p00N
of discipline, the address says:
moved by profound fohTs'e1r tFe Subject IL Of
IN f aSaii t,InaITents in relation the spirit and
po15rt of spiritual life We regret that the gen
diminish still firmly hold that ~ tRey yTiness @Tf
tagonistic vital piety promoting oi T3e Icon
aIo ot 9hat Psragraph 24S be stricken out. but
that it be amended by striking OUT lnS IeTe
partial list of worldly amusernells Iou =; 10 60 snnh
iaaWing as the ground for church trlal IN case So
80, bsco,ncs necessary that portion Of the para
srspb = ar reading: Taking such amuseInents as are
enc oncy or dsobedence to the order and discipline
of the Church.
Satisfaction is expressed that there has been pre-
vented "the re-establishment of the canteen anu
+bs >ou,jpp again of the nations hand by direct
,articra ton in the Of liquor. As te divorce
the address says:
The consecutive poyga1ny permitted 6y me az -
ir coi,nfrv II continues to undermine family Ire
and to hrea K ND helpless and warning lacuoIs
that which God means shan oe & al1e +;on is beins
n1iickened on this subject and that the oeInahu
FOR uniform divorce laws Increases
Reports of the various boards and the speoial
commissions appointed by the last General Con-
ference were made through the General CONFER
once handbook Among them were the report OF
the publishing agents of the Methodist BOOK Con-
carn the Board Of Church Extension, the board OF
Home Missions and Church Extension and the
Sunday school department
The LIQUOR question came before the BODY, thls
time in the form of resolution offered by Gov
ernor Hanly OF Indiana, chairman OF the temper
anca committee. demanding that Congress enact
the Ittlefeld interstate liquor shipment DILL no"
! nendfnp in the Judiciary Committee. for the pro-
tecon of those states in which the traffic in intox
cants is wholly in part inhibited. A COMMITTEES
beaded nv Governor Hauly appointed to wait
on Speaker Cannon and present the resolution TO