Evening journal., 1914-05-18
want to give it to the newspapers !

I want to give it to the newspapers
can"
The chairman, the Rev G. T. Alder
son. ruled that the paper, as soon as
presented to the meeting, belonged
to the meeting. but when Mr. Cooke
was asked by the meeting for the
paper, he gave it to representative
of THE EVENING JOURNAL.
Dr. George Edward Reed moved
] that the paper be received for discus
sion. and the motion was carried, and
it was decided to discuss the paper
| seriantim.
The Rev Vaughan s. Collins said
/ he wanted to enter his protest against
i the statements in the paper.
81 do not for q moment believe
/ said DR.. Collins, that the general
conferences have been sinuing
AGAINST the church or against Meth
] odism He assailed the preamble oi
/ the paper as not being true.
Dr. Reed declared that the pre-
amble should not be considered until
the members took up the body Of the
paper and got at its real substance.
The meeting decided that this was
the proper course.
Mr.. Cook then gave a brief out
line Of the allegations in the paper.
He said the General Conference had
violated the constitution of the
Church in retiring bishops and super
| intendents, which was prohibited. and
that it devoted too much time to
politics. which time could be spent
on actual business of the church. He
said he believed in politics. thought
] tn fol N hIrf
that as played by the Conference
should be done away with.
District Superintendent Hofecker
defended the action of the conference
in the retirement of officers He
said there was no provision for the
retirement of officers in the constitu-
ton of the United States and yet
justices of the Supreme Court and
other high officers are retired. He
said it was a question of policy, that
the bishop was an officer of the
church, which was decided in 1874,
and it was purely policy that when
they became old that the church
should retire them and secure young
er men to carry on its work In an
efficient manner.
Dr. Reed said that the constitu
tion of the United States did not pro-
hibit the retirement of officers and
that with such officers as judges, the
retirement is voluntary with them.
DR.. Hoifeckcr said he would like to
know a better way to select man to
carry out the work of the church than
for men to get together and discuss
others for the place and finally TO de
eide upon the man best fitted. at is
nothing but common sense" he said.
DR.. Reed Defends Paper
Il think the point made by Mr. Cooke
is well taken,' said Dr. Reed. 1--WE
know that the game of politics is play
ed Everybody knows that men come
to the conferences determined to elect
certain men. They bargain and trade
that is precisely how it is played. The
methods adopted at some conferences
would disgrace any political convention
1t is simply damnable."
Dr. Reed also told a story of attend.
ing conference on the way over to the
hotel. meeting a politician with great
experience with political regulations
DIR. Reed stopped him and told him that
il he wanted to see something to 90 {,
the conference. The politician replied
that he had already been there an,
had never seen anything like it.
As the different paragraphs of tn
paper were read. Mr.. Anderson callel
for them as indictments"
The Rev. W. L. $. Murray, who ha,
been TO a number of general conference
a. delegate, was the next speaker
'lf / am under indictment, ! desir
TO plead not guilty" he said. Dr. Muir
ray declared that he had no recollec
tion of having an improper appeal T.
made TO him at a general conferenc,
and while he had heard men talk anon
themselves he had never seen anythin
improper done.
The Rev. Adam Stengle. retired, sal
that personally he could plead not gui
", but that he could not plead not gu
ty for the conferences that he attended
Il will 90 TO my grave believing h
said. that one bishop would never haN
e been elected ii political methods had nc
r been employed. DR.. Stcngle recalled tf
; trading of votes at this conference an
II said that some of the white delegat,
i desiring certain man TO be electe
made deal TO elect a colored man I
is another office for the colored delegate
a. votes. After the white man was electc
In they refused To support the colored mai
lo Some one in the room recalled that sue
in a state of affairs occurred at Baltimol
r also
10 With a few more remarks the meetin
TO adjourned without formal action ben