The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-07
CHURCH CONSIDERS
VANDERBILT CASE
Situation Caused by Supreme
Court Decision Referred to
Committee of Fifteen.
BISHOPS STATE ATTITUDE
Opening Session of Quadrennial
Conference of Methodist Church
at Oklahoma City.
BISHOPS STATE ATTITUDE


uation caused by the recent decision
of the Supreme Court of Tennessee re-
moving Vanderbilt University from the
direct jurisdiction OF Methodist Epis-
copal Church. South.
This action was taken at the open
ina. session to-dat of the seventeenth
u,iadr.nnial conference OF the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, South, atter
the College of bishops. In Nh address
read By Bishop W. ~ Chandler. oil AT
lantt, Ga. expressed the OPINION 'ha'
in view of the decision of the court
"lcnvin., 10 the church only mere
shadow OF connection with the uniEcr-
sitv" the church would not be just-
ncd "in any further attempts TO d-
rect Its affairs or assume rcsDonsi-
bilitY for 1t"
Tho committee Will probbaly be
named by Bishop a. w. Wilson. Of
Baltimore. senior bishop. Tomorrow.
The resolution providing for the ap-
pointmcnt OF tho committee was in
troduccd by Rcv. J. II. Lamar, OF Ala
baina.
LAY REPRESENTATION
EQUAL WITH CLERICAL
Departing from tho usual custom.
the conference adopted rcsolu-
tion to-day making equal the
rninisterial and lay representation
on the various standing committees
Heretofore, several committce. espc-
ciallv the committee on epscopacy
were composed entirely of clerical
delegates
The necessary Encouragement Of
committees disnrranged the days pro-
gram, and the reading OF the report
OF the bishops on the constitution of
the church was deferred until to-mor-
row.
Delegates from thirty y-seven annual
conferences and more than 1000 Wis
Y,f IaI EcSSiOnS of the
general conference, which will be in
session three weeks.
Bishop Wilson presided to-day.
Each of the other twelve bishops will
preside during the conference In the
order OF their seniority.
Tonight addresses OF welcome were
responded TO by Bishop Hendrix. of
Kansas City.
BISHOPS REVIEW WORK.
OF THE PAST -FOUR YEARS
the address OF the bishops or gem
eral supcrintcnients of tho Method
ist Episcopal Church, South. contain
Ing IL review of the work of the past
four years and recommendations IS to
changes in laws. practices and other
matter affecting tho church was the
centre of interest at the opening of
the conference here to-day.
While the address reviewed tho re-
organization of the missionary de-
zion on the question OF federation with
the Methodist Episcopal Church and
discussed the question or "laity rights"
Tor women, special attention was given
t" the bishops position In regard to
Vanderbilt University at Nashville.
After several years OF litigation tho
Tennessee Supreme Court recently de-
cidcd tho church through its bishops.
did not control the school.
Tie bishops reviewed the action of
the last general conference and other
church action In the matter. The pro-
posed gift OF S1.c00,O00 to Vanderbilt
by Andrew Carnegie was vetoed by the
bishops, IL was pointed out, because II
proposed the segregation OF the mcdi-
cal department and its control by a
board unknown to the charter, and
expressed sentiments offensive to the
self-respect of the church"
The decree of the court leaves to
the church IA mere shadow OF connec-
ton with tho university" declared the
address. which in our opinion does
not tnstify the church In any attemDt
to direct the affairs OF the institution
or assume any responsibility for IL.
We are thus deprived Of what we
honestly believed to be our own. In
deed the ownership of the university
by the church was never questioned
for more than thirty years by any
one.
Inc ADDRESS or the bishops to the
last general conference expressed tho
universal sentiment of all concerned
when Vanderbilt University was called
our Vanderbilt ours In morals and
in law
NOT HOUND TO AGREE
THAT CHURCH GETS JUSTICE
After referring to the appointment
of the commissioners to Investigate
the Vanderbilt subject, and the ac
Of fI,ais H..
tho address continues:
The board OF trust nlso. after re-
ceiVing the report. thanked the COM
mission in formal resolutions and de-
clared that the trustees recognized
and rejoiced in the ownership Of the
church in tho university, and We were
assured that the resolutions OF the
board were intended to be a full and
explicit acceptance of the report in
the sense OF the terms in which it was
conveyed to them.
But as law-abiding citizens we bow
to the decision of the court This, how
ever. does not mean that we are bound
TO agree that the church has received
justice in what has been done and
decided. All the actions of the church
In asserting Its ownership I'm Wander
biie University has been characterized
by scrupulous conscientiousness: and
It's methods of procedure have been
open. honest and straightforward.
1--WE don't presume to Indicate to
you what course you should pursue to
repair the loss which has been inflicted
on the church. That Is for the wisdom
of tho general conference to determine.
We venture to express the opinion
that our people Will promptly supply
whatever means you may Judge neces-
snry. That is respectfully recon-
mended that the whole matter be re-
ferred to II select committee to report
what should be DONE"
During the four-year period now
ended, 1t was pointed out, the increa 90
in church membership was III 1897: tho
Increase In profits from the church
publishing houses at Nashville, Tenn.
Dallas. Texas. and Richmond. was
$116,760.S7.
On educational interests the ad
dresa showed there are eighty-seyon