The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-02
Methodist Conference

MethOOlSt conference
Methodists all over the south are look
ing forward to the meeting of the SIX
teenth general conference of the church
which will convene at Asheville. N. c., on
Nav 4. and hold practically through the
entire month. The meetings will be heio
in the city auditorium, Asheville, ana
there will be more than 800 delegates
prccent from the various conferences be-
sides numerous other visitors
The conference will also attract mis-
sionaries and delegates from various for
eign countries. Or. j. C. Simon of Dds
bury College, Manchester. England, rep
resentative of British Methodism to the
conference. ia now in Atlanta the guest
of Methodists here, and will go from this
CITY TO Ashevlle with the North Georgia
conference delegation early next week.
In addition to the present bishops OF the
church, Bishops Gambler, Hendrix, Morri-
son, Hoss. Atkins, Key and Wilson, ana
Bishop FITZGERALD, who is on the super
ann,late list, six new bishops will be
chosen at this general conference for the
southern church. Among the possibili-
ties for these bishoprics are the Kew. j.
C. Kilgo, president of Trinity college,
North Carolina; the Rev. Collins Denny,
professor of metaphysics at vanderbilt
university; the Rev. w. F. McMurray,
secretary church extension board, LOUIS
Vile; the Rev. w. F. Tillett, dean Theo-
logical seminary, Vanderbilt university;
the Rev. W. r. Lambeth, secretary board
of missions, Nashville; the Rev. r. G.
Waterhouse, president Emory-Henry col
lege, Tennessee; the Rev. w. D. Murrah,
president Milsaps college, Mississippi; the
Rev. G. C. Rankin, editor the Texas
Christian Advocate; the Rev. James f..
Dickey, president Emory college, Oxford,
Ca, and the Rev. w. N. Ainswortn or
Georgia. 1t is generally conceded that
Georgia will get one, and possibly two'
Of these new bishops.
Among the interesting questions coming
before the conference for consideration Is
that as to whether the women in the
church shall be placed on an equality with
the men. Several thousand of the women
members Of the church have petitioned the
general conference to extend their rights
and privileges SO as to give them equality
with the male members in everything ex-
cept occupying the pulpit or becoming
bishops. What they really want Is the
right to vote in congregations and other
church meetings. There are two sides
to the question the petitioners basing
their claims on actual work done in rails
ing funds and toward the progress OF the
church, and the opponents, among whom
are said to be many women, considering
that the men have the right of leadership
by reasn Of sex, with which the women
should not interfere. 1t is expected the
question will provoke an interesting and
extended debate.
Another subject Of great interest, at
least to the ministers of the church, Is
whether or not the general conference
will see fit to place ban on the use OF
tobacco This matter has frequently been
up for consideration, but owing to the
fact that a very large number, If not a
majority, love their tobacco, nothing has
ever been done toward ordering its use
discontinued This time the Woman's
Christian Temperance union has presented
a petition to the general conference urg-
ing 1t to take action looking to prohibit.
ing the use OF tobacco by the ministers
OF the church. Whether 1t will do so or
not remains to be seen. The lay dele
gates. OF course. have voice in the mat
ter also. and they are usually liberal. So
between the lay delegates and the minis
tiers who like the weed, the latter
have a p4 " good chance to win.
There WIZ = discussion of the ques-
tion as TO ether the name of the
church should\ chansed--whether there
should be broueA bout a union between
4e northern am southern Methodist