The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1910-05-04
THE METHODIST
MEET AT ASHEVlLIE
Quadrennial General Conference Be
gins To-day Mr.. FeatherstOne
Is Delegate,


During the three weeks beginning
today-Alay 4-Asheville is to have
the honor of entertaining the uuadren-
MAJ general conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal church, South. the
meeting being the first ever held by
that body i'm North Carolina. 1t will
De the 10th quadrennial session of the
' general conference and from present
indications it is likely to be one of the
most interesting and important meet
ings in the history of the church.
The official delegates from South
Carolina to the conferences:
Clerical-E. o. Watson, .Jno. O. Will
son. j. w. Daniel, r. E. Stackhouse.
Nj. b. Kelley, L. F. Beatty.
Lay-C, G. Featherstone. G.. w.
Grubcr, III. f. Williams, b. c. Gregg,
Geo h. Hodges Henry Nelson Snyder.
More than 1000 delegates and visit
CTS Will be in Ashevlle today 20 at
tend the gathering and it is expect
ed the number will be more than dou-
pied before the end of the week. From
st. Louis, Louisville, Memphis, Balti-
more, Birmingham, Atlanta. Jackson
Vllle New Orleans and from the chief
cities of Texas special trains will ar
rive almost hourly with large delega-
tions
The choice of new bishops is the
staple topic OF discussion among the
delegates now in the city. Six mem
bers of the episopacy have passed
away since the last quadrennial con-
ference so that it will be necessary to
elect at least that number of new
bishops. This number may be in
creased if it is decided to superannu-
ate several Of the present bishops on
account of age.
While there are no active candi-
dates, strictly speaking. all of those
who are regarded as possibilities have
their following of friends and admir-
erS who are urging their claims to
election. Among the many who are
mentioned as the possible choices of
the conference are DR.. Nj. f. McMur-
ray OF Louisville. secretary of the
church extension board: DR.. G.. w.
BYRD of Dallas. editor of the Texas
Christian Advocate; Dr. w. B. Murray
or Jackson, Miss, president of Mil
brook college; DR.. j. G.. tilgo of Dur
ham. n. c.. president of Trinity col
lege; DR.. w. n. AinSworth, president
of Georgia Wesleyan college; DR.. r..
c. Waterhouse, president of Emory
and Henry college; DR.. w. f. Tillett
and DR.. Collins Denny of Vanderbilt
university; DR.. DuBose of Nashville
general secretary of the Epworth
league: DR.. Gross Alexander Of Nash
Vile. editor of the Methodist Review.
and DR.. G. Nj. Bishop of Missouri.
In addition to the election OF new
bishops there is n large amount of
business of a legislative character to
be discussed and acted upon at the
conference. Among the leading ques-
tions on the agenda are those relating
to the episcopacy. the time limit OF
the pastorate. lay representation of
the women of the church. q change i'm
the manner of appointing presiding
elders and the order Of worship.
The demand for a more democratic
form in the church government will
come to a head in the presentation of
a number of resolutions Various re-
strictions upon the bishops, to pre-
vent the exercise of arbitrary power"
will be proposed. A limited instead OF
a life incumbency for the bishops is
suggested, while another proposal is
for the adoption of the "recall system