The Sentinel=record., 1914-05-19
WON'T RELINQUISH
 VANDERBILT AS YET
CHURCH DECIDES TO HOLD ON TO WHATEVER RIGHTS IT HAS
 UNTIL COURT SPEAKS.
Shifts the Responsibility From the Board of Education to the Confer ence Commission to Deal With the Subject.


 after all the furore and debate of the last three weeks, decide upon an ab- solute and complete separation from Vanderbilt university but will con tinue to hold on to whatever rights the supreme court decided it pos sesses.
 This is the interpretation of the ac- tion of today's session of the general conferece of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in referring the major ity report adopted Saturday night back to the committee of l5, with in structions to re-draft the report so as to incorporate the supplement resolution offered by Judge N. E.. Harris.
 Under the interpretation of leaders of both factions the signing by the majority and those of the minority the supplemental legislation accom- plishes two very important things.
 It gives to the board of education the authority to reject or confirm trustees until the commission has either succeeded in the effort to de- liver the rights of the general con ference to the original patronizing conferences or failing to deliver, will represent the general conference un- til the next session in any legal pro ceeding that may be deemed neces- sary.
 This shifts from the board of edu- cation, which represents the churchs constructive educational work, the embarrassment of a law suit and places it in the hands of the confer ence commission. In the event that any of the conferences decline to ac- cept the rights which it had con veyed to the general conference, and fails to elect commissioner to CO., operate with the commission ap- pointed by the general conference the interests of the church will be held by its representatives in trust
 This seems to put an entirely new aspect on the situation and every in dication now points to the adoption of the report.
 The instruction of the general con- ference to the special committee does not necessarily call for a change in the material provisions of the ma iOrity report adopted Saturday night but simply calls for interpretations of additional provisions. the substance of which is as follows:
 First, that the patronizing confer ences of the Vanderbilt university are requestetd to elect one commls- sioner each to work in cooperation with the educational commission au- thorized and created under and by virtue of the adoption of the report of the special committee on the Van derbilt question: in the accomplish the patronizing conferences and the legal procedure necessary to enforce the same and to act for and on be- half of the patronizing conferences in the assertion of the rights to Wander bilt university.
 Second, that the general confer ence hereby commits to the general board of education, until such time as the transfer to the patronizing conferences is complete, the respOn- sible work of the confirmation of the trustees of Vanderbilt university. While the initial election of the said trustees is declared to be the duty of the board of trustees, yet the final decision in every case rests with the' church.
 Third, this general conference calls upon the representatives of the church to safeguard to the utmost the interests of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, in the Vanderbilt university in every possible way, and especially by electing as trustees those persons only who will endeavor to carry out most heartily the aims and purposes of those who founded and who labored to develop a great university for the training of our ministers in every department of which those who are charged with the training of our young men mag nifty our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, honor His church and empha- size by life and teaching His pre- eminence and leadership in all the work of life; that We call upon these, our brethren of the ministry and the laity who are charged with the exc cution of this great trust that they stoutly resist any effort that may be made from any quarter whatsoever to destroy the rights of the church Tn the control and management of Van derbi1t university