Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-05-23
METHODISTS PLAN TO UNITE CHURCHES
  Would Merge Three Under Name of M. +. Church
 in America.
ELECT MORE OFFICERS
Dr. ". ". Person Selected as Missions ary Secretary. and pr. F. $. Parker Secretary Epworih
 League Board.

Oklahoma City, Okla, May 22-A perceptble falling off in attendance due to the departure of many attcnd- ants for their homes, marked today's session of the conference of the M. E. Church, South. There is al evil dent desire 10 complete the work of the conference in time for prompt adjournment next Monday afternoon.
 At the conclusion of the usual morning devotons, Bishop Collins Denny, presiding officer for the day, announced the appointment of Rev. W. M. Ainsworth as fraternal dele- gate to the Methodist church in Canada. which holds it's conference
 in August.
 Nominations for various committees were presented to the conference and adopted. For the board of missions for the ensuing Quadrennium confer ence Rev. Pepper of Memphis vas made president, with Bishop Lam beth vice president Miss Belle Ben nett was elected president of the Women's Missionary council.
 Nominations for members of the Epworth League board, presented by the committee on Epworth league, were adopted as follows: J. w.. Shackleford, P. B. Kern, Ivan L. Holt. E. o. Harbin, Gus w. Thomas on and R. M. Roddie.
 Increase Bishops Allowance
 The election of connectional off cers of the conference was finished by the election of Dr. F. s. Parker, secretary of the Epworth league board and Stonewall Anderson, sec rotary of the board of education.
 A resolution providing for allow ing superannuated bishops who have served 32 years and have attained the age of 80 years, three-fourths o1 the salary of an active bishop, was introduced and referred to the coM- mittee On episcopacy. This was de- 1 signed to increase the allowance of 1 Bishop Wilson, just retired.
 A resolution providing for the com mission on charters and titles of church property to investigate the adyisability of relocating the Nash vile Publishing house was adoptea &nUrcn | JElllcdtlOns
 The report of the committee on church relations on unification of the Methodist Episcopal church
 South, and the, Protestant Methodist Episcopal church was called up as a special order. The plan provides for the merging of the three churches
 under the name of the Methodist Episcopal church in America, to have one faith. one ritual and one genera
 conference and four jurisdictional conferences for th3 four geographical 1 divisions. It provides that the col ored members of the three churches and such other colored denominations desiring shall unite and have one ol
 the jurisdctiona1 conferences. This
 report is the result of deliberations of a joint commission appointed O. federation. The committee states thai the plans outlined are tentative but nevertheless contain the basic prln- ciples of genuine organic union. Il regards unificatiol as feasible and desirable and endorses the plan and continues the commission with au- thority to work out the details oi the tentative plan. It recommends that the colored Methodists establish an inderendent organization to hold frateraal relations with the united church.
 Dr. Frank M. Thomas of Kentucky secretary of the federation, made an | eloauent speech in behalf of the re- port. This and the speech Of Bishop Hoss made by request of the con- ference. created much enthusiasm. | The report was adopted by unanl- nous rising vote.
 Pension Missionary Secretary. The tellers announced the result of the second and third ballots for missionary secretary. Dr. w. w. Pinson received 121 votes, w. M. Ainsworth, 100; N. L.. Linebough, 3f. On the third ballot Pinson received 134: Ainsworth, 119; Linebaugh, 19, the rest scattering. The fourth bal lot was taken.
 The committee on eposcopacy re- ported it had fixed the salaries Of bishops at s4,S00 per year, superan- nuated bishops at $2,4OO and widows of bishops at $1,000.
 The result of ,the fourth ballot for missionary secretary resulted: Pin l son, 159; Ainsworth, 11S, and pr. | Pinson was declared reelected. | McMurray Reelected. I A ballot for secretary of church l extension was linen. ordered. This | ballot resulted in the reelection of Dr. w. F. McMurray, he receiving | 199 or PTS votes cast. The others | were scattering.
 The ballot for general secretary of 1 the Epworth league board and editor of the Epworth Era was ordered. The first ballot resulted in on election, Dr. Fitzgerald Parker having receiv- 1 ed 132 of the PIG votes cast, not enoneh to elect. The other votes were scattering.
 The call of the calendar was re- 1 sumed aud renort No. 1 of the com l mittee on publishing interests recon mending a more efficient plan for in creasing the usefulness Of the co7- l ference napers and enlarging their l circulations was read and. adopted. Why not demand the best? Coca Cola bottled in Pine Bluff. W