El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-05

ScHSTdl CODlcE-
ence OF the Methodist Episcopal
church, south, will meet today
in Asheville. N c., and will continue
its sessions through the remainder of
the month. This conference. composed
OF lay and ministerial delegates elected
by the 18th annual conferences. is the
supreme authority in the church. The
Methodist Episcopal church, south, has
1,850,000 members, and is the second
largest of the 10 Methodist bodies in
the United States. The Methodist Epis-
coPal church, or northern branch, has
100000 members.
Divides Territory.
These two major Methodist churches
divide. after a fashion. the territory of
the United States. The southern branch
has the southern states and also
large following in the west and along
the Pacific coast. The two churches
overlap each other in many places, but
the movement for federation has pro-
gressed to such an extent that there is
now a considerable measure of cOopera-
ton between the two bodies Since
the separa ton in 1874 some few diff
ferences in details OF church polity and
government have sprung up, but there
is no difference in faith and no essen
tial difference in practice. Several years
ago the two churches adopted a con-
mon hymnal and ritual, If one may
give that name to the severely simple
Methodistical order OF worship
Unite On Mission Work.
There is entire coopera ton between
the two churches with respect TO for
eign mission fields, and in the Orient
this cooperation has reached the stage
Of actual union One OF the most i'm
portant measures which will be con-
sidered at this meeting of the confer
ence will be the report of the joint
commission on federation of the two
great Methodist churches Organic and
complete union is not now contemplate
ed. but federation and complete CO.
opera ton soon will be attained
Thirty-eight of the As annual con-
ferences in this church are fully or
ganized and independent church bodies.
subject only to the authority of the
general conference as exercised
through the college of bishops The
other 10 annual conferenres are mission
conferences which are under the pater
nal care OF all the church. One of
these is German mission in Texas,
there are two in Brazil. one in Japan.
one in Korea, one in China one in
Cuba. and three IN Mexico For the
benefit of those who >e not familiar
with Methodist nomenclature, il may
be said that the phrase. Annual Con-
ference means not only the annual
meeting OF preachers and lay delegates,
but also the organized body in GER
tain prescribed territory. and even that
territory itself
Considers Changes
Many important and some revolu-
tionary measures will be considered a
this session OF the general conference
There IS n movement in the west in IA
vor Of eliminating the word south
from the official name OF the church
body. Several annual conferences sup
part this movement. and II will be seri-
o1siy considered
Another party in the church advo-
Gates the abolition of the title of bishop
and substituting therefor the office of
superintendent at the same time re-
ducinG the tenure of office from life
service TO a term of eight years Metho-
dist bishops have great deal of epis-
copai mower. but the nature OF their
office is purely political and not relig-
ious The bishops are not higher or
DIR of the ministry. and they have no
diocesan Jurisdiction or power They
are in no way comparable to the bish-
ops of the Roman Catholic or the Pro
testant Episcopal churches
May Abolish Offices.
Otner changes in church policy which
will be considered include the proposal
TO abolish the time limit which now
precludes the service of a pastor OF one
church extending more than four con-
secutive wears; the abolition of the Of
flee of presiding elder: the election or
presiding elders or district superintend-
ents BY a vote of the annual conference
and giving them a voice in the appoint
ment of pastors Some OF these
changes already have been adopted IN
the Methodist Episcopal church At
present the bishop presiding over an
annual conference appoints the pastors
of each church each year, and there is
TO appeal from his decision. The advo-
cafes Of these changes are mostly west
ern Methodists-
Vanderbilt to Be Considered.
One of the most important matters
which will come before the conference
relates to the management of Wander
biIt university. This university is To-
Gated at Nashville, Tenn. and Is the
LARGEST educational institution of south
ern Nethodism. The question will come
I'D in the form of memorials from sew
eraI annual conferences asking the
general conference Ito take such con-
elusive action as will fully and finally
assure TO the church the ownership ana