Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-05-01
BIC CONFERENCE
OF METHOD|STS
All Nations and Tongues
to be Represented
at Minneapolis

minneapolis, Minn., april 3c.--All
preparations are completed for the
General Conference OF the Methodist
Episcopal church which .ceins hero
tomorrow its twenty-sixtu quadren-
NAL session as delegated body
Throngs OF delegates and visitors TO
the conference are arriving In the
city. vi nations. races AMI tongues
are represented among the visitors
From Europe, Asia, Africa and South
America have come men bringing
greetings 10 the conference either as
delegates or fraternai visitors Today
the various committees were busy
completing the ARRANGEMENTS for the
gathering or putting the final touch
es TO the reports that they Will pre-
scat To the conference bishop II. W
Warren OF Denver. the senior bishop
In point OF service, will preside at
the opening service tomorrow.
The delegates are looking forward
to the most interesting and import
ant conference the church has held In
years, During the three or four weeks
that the sessions will continue a vast
amount OF routine business will be
transacted. ,oli bishops will he retired
atu ~ ''-sas, .'''as's 'ti'.ri~nl ,,,," va
rioUs proposals calling for radical re-
forms In the methods OF church ad-
ministration will be considered and
acted upon.
The overshadoVing question 10
come before the conference will be
the modification OF the Episcopal
form of government Within the past
two wears the question has been de-
bated at the annual conferences and
by IA hymcn's association. Briefly
stated the Insurgents" ask Tor iorr
radical changes The abolition of the
office of district superintendent,
formerly presiding cldcr, as now on
stitut"d tho election Of bishops IN
Sufficient number 10 allow each
bishop IN have term ot resident Of
flee, about forr years. in district,
restoration of the pastoral time limit,
and rules Tor regulating the transfer
OF members
The clereymcu and laymen Who
want a modification OF the cpisco-
pacy point out that the conditions
that required the organization of rhc
present system. which In the past nee
been most efficient. no longer exist
New conditions require the church
leaders or bishops. 20 b. familiar
with the problems of the various con-
ference districts. SO az 10 counsel IL
,lorrNmcu and initiate methods q
work Nearly all of the church lead
ors concede that there is some fpW-
dalton Tor this arrumont bon favor ot
the proposed changes 81 thr sane
timo, g. is pointed out the General
Conference is very conservative
body and it is likely thot very Few
pf iA" proposed forms viii Doc ndup'.
Iri
Another subject oD Vh.1 tinru Pei
ID diversity Of sentiment Is whether
there shall he % supreme court 90
~ 'h0d.rm o. pointed p tha' o.
De- lncoueuous FER thc General Con
frruce io be- both q leeislb'lyc aud
Judicial body A commission has
been working on me constitution of
me proposed judicial iflhunnl since
thn General Conference four yoara
lhfo The commission viii report r.
plan for me proposed court 90 boz.
iernfai thf church Law, the member.
lfhin 0f tie iflhunal ~ consist ~ three
bishops sis ministers nnd fN laF.
mu while fho report ~ this oom-
mission gin he placed before tho
General Conference n Il believed
doulHfil n action a. this ilms VIII
hI thfen to rfrnie hnrh a court
Tho church fHle against iauclH
niisn fine lheniers. PLAYING cards and
indHlrlng lu various other forms of
lamusemoni will uFain he brought 20
lnni Nill dorhilef prrrlrliato the
rHal spirited Die Hssion
Thr Hr0 90 he probably i0uf
lhI.Hans elected io 900 vacancies. A.
lfhHHf H fhia lhe General Confer.
enfr huf ihe I8Fef 10 increase tho
Iuumhrf of nee bishops Hs drWm,