El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-10
A Movement to Have More
Bishops Revise the
Bible-News of Church
the World Over.

The Laymen's association, part OF
the annual Methodist conference of New
York, unofficial but composed Of inf1u-
entail men, takes the lead in proposing
to American Methodism four radical
things. all four of them going TO the
very foundations of Methodist polity.
The four propositions are:
1. Abolish the office of district SUI
perintendent, or as it is better known
presiding elder. This office has existed
in American Methodism since 1854.
2 Elect general superintendent,
commonly called bishops, in sufficient
numbers to enable comparatively small
districts each to have its own, and
locate each bishop for a period Of at
least four years in one field. Some
favor their permanent location
8. Give laymen membership in the
annual conference. Equal representa-
ton is not asked. Laymen are now
members of the general body, the quad
rennial general conference, and so even
are women. if any happen to be elected
But annual conferences have always
been limited to ministers
T. Restore the pastoral time limit,
making a uniform period of five years,
and prohibiting absolutely the transfer
of ministers who command high SAL
aries and prominent pulpits in all cases
where under similar circumstances, the
small salaried minister, supplying the
inconspicuous pulpit, might not be
. transferred.
New York Methodist Laymen declare
that there is unrest throughout Meth
odism on all four of these matters.
At present there are II effective gen
era1 superintendent in the Methodist
church North-12 bishops as the pub
lie knows them. They itinerate, hold
ing conference as they themselves
make up a schedule, and perhaps get
ting back to a conference a second time
in two years, five years, may be never.
Laymen charge that bishops under such
system cannot know local needs, and
that their leadership among the rank
and file of the membership amounts
practically to nothing at all. The do
cesar bishops, after the manner of Ro-
man Catholic and Protestant Episcopal
practice, is favored very generally, it is
said If such plan De adopted fully
$50 bishops would have TO be chosen.
Negotiations are on between Metho-
dists, North and South, and Methodlsts
Protestant to unite and make one big
body. of American Methojists. A COM
mittee representing all three bodies
meets in Chattanooga soon.
To Revise Bible.
The Rev Father Heating, q well
known English scholar. says in his
appeal for revision that two radical
improvements are needed in the Eng
Hsh Catholic bible One is the text He
says the meaning is often obscure, and
words are frequently employed that
have lest completely their one time
meaning. The English bible is based
on the Vulgate, and the Vulgate is itself
under revision. The other is the print
ing and the general makeup of the
book. Father Heating declares THAI
other works, even fiction, have been
done in the best paper and binding
while the Word of God is put up. in
continental Europe as in England In
about as dull and unattra ctive form as
can well be imagined
hundred and fifty years ago the
shortcomings of the English Catholic
bible We're recognized. Some attempts
were made to improve the New Tesla
ment at that time, especially under
DlShip ChalOner leader in I,ondon @ +