The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-30

mantle sted by aietnouAJ,s OF the
svu4nern churen. an the quaarenaAli
: CferS.af Conference which meets al
As.se lle, \. -, neat "Wednesday, with
forty s1snt- annnai- conferences repre-
sontcd ny lay and minigtsilal acle-
sateu Nanny matters of vital moment
K the ohurch arc on the oochet Tor
characterization ana IL lie expected taa.
! the stsslors o. tine confersneG viii DC
Z pt,1nal.
/ According ~ their present plans,
the \ irsiDiI delc GATH n will itaNe Tor
AsneNilie Mon0ay night in oraer 70
be on hand In plenty CT time tor open
ing OF conference.
Mlniater,al and lay delegates from
this State are Roy. Is. J.. Lipscumn,
itey. r. If. Rawlingi, Rev. w. Asoury
Christian, Richmond; Rev. James
Cannon, Jr., Rev. James e. Feed.
Blackstone; Rev II. r. Bennett,
Lynehburg; Rev. w. j. Young, Dan
Vile. Messrs. John p. Branch, Rich
nord: w. ~. Vicar, Norfolk; H. H.
barrow FarmvilIe, Il. J. Rarnan,
Newport News; w X. Vincent, Cap
ron; W. c. 1yey, Lynchburg: Frank
Talbot Danville,
At least six bishops Will probably
be elected at the approaching con.
terence and this subject is one ef par
ticulariy widespread interest The
conference is not limited to the num-
Der Of bishops but Ii is understood that
this number will be selected making
an active mem bershtp OF twelve.
Il Two May Retire.
IT is said to be more than prob
able, however. that Bishop J. S. KY
and Blahop \. W. Wilson may ask
for superannuate relations. Bishop
: NJ tson@s -pr0battu arrty7n TT rfIfs CON
nection. it IL said, will depend entire
- upon the condition of his health
when the confeSence meets, 1t may
be that the conference, fully appre-
ciating his splendid judicial mind ana
his advice in passing upon discussions
and Interpreting church law. Will re-
tain him on the active list and recon-
| mond that the College of Bishops re-
lieve him of much oi the routine work
OF the Office Should this be done ana
Bishop Key retire, Ii would reduce the
mem bership OF the college 10 ten. tus,
enough 10 meet all demands of the
church. There is undoubtedly a strong
element that favors moro than ten
active bishops and il Is practicable
certain that this particular question is
going TO preGipitate much discussion.
AS to who the new bishops viii he
is question fraught with much con
! lecture and probability. 1t is pre-
dicted by Mr.. J. ~. Clark. Of Nash
willie. one of the lost posted men in
the denomination, as sure thing,
however. that they will Toe selected
from the following list:
- prs W. +. Tiliett. Tennessee ",
Il l.amtuth, Tennessee; Collins
Denny. Virginia; ! {, Kilgn North
Carolina. W Il. Murrah, Mississippi:
w. r. McMarray. Kentucky; James
Cannon. Jr,, Virginia: Fl. NJ, Dubose,
Mississippi; Gross Alexander. Ken
lucky; $. II Wainwright, Missouri;
u 7
house, Of Virginia. Frank y. Parker,
Louisiana; J. II. Mccoy. Alabama.
Abolish Passionate limit.
Another question of vital interest
which the conference will tackle is
the proposed adjustment of the four
year pastorate limit. Methodist minis
ters of Richmond have already ex-
pressed themselves as opposed - this
change but in many quarters "a con
trary opinion in favor of the change is
held.
Writing in the Nashville Banner,
: Mr., Clark has this to say on the sub
ject;
"Cne thing which has excited Ua-
usual interest. especially IN the fan
Southern conferences and conferences
containing within their bounds large
cities where much institutional WORK
is necessary, is the removal Of the
torate- and conventional officers, This
is a much mooted question and hiss
it's opponents as veil rs its advocates
among the leaders. The Views eS-
pressed depend largely upon locality
, and previous training. The older mer
| who hasS been brought up under ths
! four-year rule stili entertain lot oi
sentiment about 1t, which precludes
from their View the advantage Of it'
I obliteration. As rule. the men en-
gagged In large city work and the
| younger element are found in favoi
of its abolition. The Fundamental
principle which these contend for Ia tt
remove the limit absolutely. for thi'
does not mean that a preacher can
not DO removed any time for cause 81
for inefficiency or whenever the bes
interest OF the church jgstifies, bu
they contend that arbitrary remova
at the end of four years Is wrong Ii
principle"
Spiritual Conditions.
Discussing spiritual conditions OF
, the church. the same writer says:
Thousands of loyal Methodists IL
! tho South would like to see the confer
. enoe take hold of the spiritual eondi-
ton of the church and re-etnphasize
the evangelistio platform in the Meth
| odist economy. For years the Meth.
, odists have led ali denominations IN
entering new territory and gaining
new recruits from the outside world
but to a great extent. so declared by
some of the students of the church
it is a deplorabie fact that the edge
has been taken out of the eyenEellEtit
I Enthusiasm. Many are looking for
some action from the General Confer
ence which will rosuTciiafe the evan
gelistic endeavor IN the ra:9Hs az the
settled pastorate. for its absence has
led to means which haze induced a
good deal Of temporary or sairface
work, the disastrous etttsf'as ef which
can only be offset by Enno thorough
methods. Surely the n h. Ca.rch
with all its breadth anr3 cprnrrehen-
siveness ought 10 prepare 1:ien for do
Ing work that %es 50 proriaent in
the apostolic church ard the church
in Wesley's day.
Supervision tsf Missions.
The increasing work in foreign
fields has created an urgent demand
for bishop 10 have special super
vision over this work, ana ii Is ex-
peeted that demand will be made
upon the General Conference TO se-
y iect a man for this work--the i6ca be-
ing that enc -hisheg sAeHia he aesig