The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-21
Meth0dists Vote to Retain
Title Sc Long Used
THE new BISHOPS PRESIDE
Conference Adopts Measure Proposing
to Change the Name of the
Church Yet When Bishops
Vote They Veto 1t

Asheville, n. c., May 20.--Some of the
new bishops presided for the first time
since their ordination at today's sessions
OF the general conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal church, south, and eacf
presided with a grace and dignity pleas
ing to the delegates and visitors.
The debates on the question of the
change of name took up the creates
part of both the morning and Afternoon
sessions. Gray haired veterans pleaded
that the name be kept as it is Others
thought that 1t was time to do away
with sentiment and give the church
something more acceptable to the con-
gregations in the west.
The measure adopted at this morning
session to change the name of the church
to the Methodist church was vetoed at
this afternoons session by the college OF
bishops. At the afternoon session the
conference voted to change the name tc
the Methodist Episcopal church of Amer
lea and requested the bishops, as 1t is a
constitutional question, to have the an
nual conferences vote on the question
Not until the next general conference car
three-fourths vote of members of the an
nual conferences they indorse the change
It Is being predicted that the church at
large will not accept the change, ano
equally confident are the delegates who
favor the change that the conferences
will accept them.
Bishop Denny Presides
Bishop Collins Denny, one of the newly
elected members of the college of bishops
presided at today's session of the confer
ence. The usual devotional services were
conducted by DIR. ]. g. Simon, the Brit
ish Wesleyan delegate.
The committee on education nominated
the new board of education and the com
mittee on publishing interests named the
new publishing board, both of which were
elected by the conference. The name OF
Bishop E. e. Hoss was first on the
board of education
The Rev. G. Fl. Detwiler, the conference
host, was presented with a handsome
cane by the delegates and an invitation
was read by the mayor of Asheville ask
ing the conference to return four years
hence. DR.. Watkins, secretary of the
conference, asked that measure pro-
posing to pay the secretaries for their
services BIZ withdrawn and 1t was
| Considerable dlscuss,an followed
recommendation made by the committe,
on revisals. suggesting change in tn,
| baptismal service for infants, but the re
port of the committee was favorabl,
acted upon. The ritual of the church viii
contain several alterations.
| DIR. Simon, fraternal delegate from Eng
land, took farewell of the conference
Bishop ]. C. Kilgo, another of the new
bishops. took the chair Report No.. IL o
l. - a
change of the name from the Methods
Episcopal church. south. to the Methods
church. was taken from the calendar A
minority report was also submitted
which asked that the name of the church
be left unchanged.
Gray-haired veterans of years of ser
vice In the church pleaded for the reten
ton of the name under which they de-
clared the church had grown great. Sc
verely logical arguments were made by
delegates from the west. who declared
the work of their pastors In the west was
greatly hampered by the word south
attached to their church. The debate was
interrupted to hear the fraternal address
from the delegate of the Colored Method
ist Episcopal church. Rev. c.. Bonner
who among other things declared that nc
intelligent negro expected or even de-
sired social equality
After great deal of discussion. the re-
port of the majority recommending the
name be changed was advanced. This
means that this question of the name
must be submitted for ratification by a
three-fourths majority of the members
of the annual conference.
Afternoon Session
The afternoon session of the general
conference was presided over by Bishop
r. G. Waterhouse.
Bishop w. A. Gambler, secretary of the
college of bishops, read the minutes of
the session, which the bishops held i'm
mediately after adjournment of the morn
ing, stating that the college had vetoed
the measudes adopted. calling for the
change of name of the church. In ex-
planning why the bishops opposed the
measure. Bishop Gambler declared that II
would pave the way for litigation. 1t was
the first time since 1894 that the bishops
have exercised their right to veto.
The announcement that the bishops hal
vetoed the measure created little stir.
Rev. NJ. s. Campbell president of the
Carolina Lords Day Alliance OF the
limited States, briefly addressed the con-
ference. The report recommending that
$4,000 be appointed for. special. articles In
the Nashville Christian Advocate during
the next four years, was adopted.
The report of the committee on mis-
sions. co-ordinating the various depart
ments heretofore separte, was adopted. A
resolution was adopted requesting to have
annual conferences vote in 1918 whether
or not the name Of the church should be
changed to the Methodist Episcopal
church in America. An aye and nay
vote was called for, the result of which
was $50 for and GO against.
Ss
~ Will View the Comet