The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-02
DELEGATES GOING
WITH MR.. BRANCH
Leave in Special Car to Attend
Methodist Conference in
Asheville.
BIG MEETING THIS YEAR
Virginia to Make Strong Effort
to Capture Convention
in 1914.
BIG MEETING THIS YEAR

annual conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, which opens n
Asheville, N. c., on Wednesday, VIII
at HAS o'clock tonight in a special
car chartered by John p. Branch. AL
though the conference only holds a SEES
sion every four years, Mr.. Branch will
urge that the next conference be held
in Richmond in 1914. The conference
and his associates from this State Will
make strong fight to have 1t return.
At the last session of the Virginia
Conference the following ministers
were named as delegates:
B. F. Lipscomb, James Cannon, Jr:..
c. Reed, r. Fl. Bennett and e. Fl. Raw
Inns. Lay delegates are John r.
Branch, T. j. Brown, w. c. Ivey, w.
H. Vincent, w. w Vicar, II. C. Barrow
and Frank Talbot.
Many Big Problems.
Among the questions that are being
discussed most in the conference or
gans and in the general organ of the
church in anticipation of the General
Conference are the episcopacy the
tation of the women OF the church, a
change in the manner of appointing
presiding elders and the order of wor-
ship
The bishops in the Methodist Epis-
copal Church are elected for life. this
having been the custom since the first
bishops We're elected in the early days
of the church. The opinion now exists
in the minds of some of the ministers
and laymen of the church that from
this time on the bishops should be
elected for only a certain number OF
years. while others favor the abolition
of the episcopacy in its present form.
Time Limit for Pastors.
There Is also strong sentiment for
the passing of a law by the General
Conference by which the presiding ell
ders of the future shall be elected by
the annual conferences, instead of be-
ing appointed by the bishop. as Is now
the case. 1t is not unlikely that the
time limit of the pastorate will be abol-
ished at this meeting. Should this he
done. such action will not affect the
meeting of the annual conferences and
the appointment of the PASTORS II is
appointed for one year at time. but
If the time limit should be removed
pastors Will not be compelled to move
to another pastorate at the end of four
years
A memorial from the Women's Board
of Home Missions will he presented to
the General Conference asking that the
rights Of the laity be granted to the
women of the church. This will be
the first time that such request has
been made to the conference, and there
is a marked and very decided diversion
of opinion among both the men and
women OF the church on this subject.
May Elect Bishops.
There are al present seven bishops
In the active service of the church..
and the opinion exists that at least six
more will be elected at the General
Conference. number of prominent
preachers of the church are already be-
ing spoken of for the episcopccy and
the election Will be an event of far
more than ordinary interest to the en-
tire church.
Among other questions of extraordi-
nary Importance 10 be determined by
the conference win be the ownership
and control of the Vanderbilt Univer-
sitv by the Methodist Episcopal Church..
South. The claim for the fun and COM
plete rights of the church in the uni
versity are being supported by Bishop
r. p Hoss, assisted by DR.. H NJ Du
Bose. The opposing view is maintained
by DR.. j. n Kirkland and DR. G. B,
Winton, both of whom are members
of the Vanderbilt board of trustees.
the former being chancellor of the
university.