New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-20
METHODIST CONFERENCE
MEETS HERE NEXT WEEK
Bishop Earl Cranston VIII Preside Over Gathering III
Park Avenue Church-Radical Changes IN
Denomination Talked Of

Methodists Of New York are demand.
ing radical changes in mRnagement Oh
their church affairs, and basing 'hell
demands upon statement, mace ~
them, that New York Methodism Is not
holding its own. Their annual CON
ference meets next week in the farS
Avenue Church, Eighty-sixth street am
Park Avenue. Laymen. women, DooA
committee and other organizations
have sessions. Only ministers SIT IN
the conference session itself.
Bishop Luther b. Wilson. resident
bishop here, is Ill at a sanatorlum at
| Clifton Springs. and has been there LOT
n fortnight. IL is claimed by ms
friends that the New York climate docs
not agree with him. and that some ell
forts are TO be made year hence
when the general conference meets, 10
have him transferred 10 Washington
and new bishop assigned mere
Bishop Earl Cranston, resident IN
Washington. retires on age next yen
I The same bishop is TO preside over inc
forthcoming New York conference next
week. u.u.,.,
Carl II. Fowler, son OF a Methodist
bishop and prominent Methodist ieaaoF
of New York, has just issued state
ment concerning Methodist conditions
from the point Of view OF layman'
lie says In part:
"Our churches are being crowded out
of the downtown districts; they are
being hard pressed in the uptown as
tricts. They are scarcely holding Ihelr
own in numbers. finances or IN prop
erty. Year by year IT Is more diincuit
for them TO reach the masses more
difficult TO gain new members and hoid
old ones, more difficult for them simply
TO keep alive. Yet the city around
them is growing in every way. mere
is hardly a Methodist church In New
York that Is financially strong enough
or that would be willing to give the
money necessary 70 purchase present
properties if they had not been handed
down to them from preceding gem
Grafton.
"The high cost Of church member
shin deters many from membership
and from business point OF view TINS
high cost is in part due to the TACT
that churches are kept closed and are
unproduc' We about nine-tenths OF the
time"
MIR. Fowler advocates for Meth
odists of New York few strong cen
tres. and these not churches OF the
present type, but business blocks the
rentals from which will help support
Gospel work lie mentions the John
Street Church as one possible site, and
Park Avenue, where the conference
meets. for another. He would have
others on the West Side and IN Har-
lem, even in The Bronx.
There is prejudice against our pres
ent type of churches. They are telt
not TO be fulfilling their purpose
Methodism in America loses $4,000 per-
sons q wear from removals. People 60
i from one city to another and fan TO
/ carry their membership with them.
/ They are lost for good. There shor d
/ be some system Of central control Tor
properties
The New York City Society and the
/ METROPOLITAN Methodist Federation
will, il ia understood. ask the ap-
preaching conference and all Methodist
/ conferences having jurisdiction in New
York to name a committee to take into
consideration Methodist conditions and
needs. One proposition Is so TO change
boundaries that metropolitan New l orh
I shall be in one conference. Another rs
to have one controlling neau, not oul5
/ for guidance, but, when need be. with
power TO act Another plan is for
greater supervision by law Of Meth
odist properties, including trustees.
1t is reported that the Madison Ave
nue. Church desires the Rev. DR.. Worth
NJ. Tippy, of Cleveland, for its vacant
pulpit. The matter is said to have beer
proposed TO him, without definite an
swer as yet.
The Rev. DR.. George c. Fort, of Han
son Place Church, Brooklyn, one Of the
large Methodist centres, will 90 to the
First Church, Jamaica, and be succeed
ed by the Rev. William Kidd, OF Meri-
den. Conn. The Rev. DR.. c. w. Flint, oil
/ New York Avenue Church, Brooklyn
has accepted election as president OF
/ Wesleyan College, Winnipeg, and there
are rumors about various men being
slated for his place. New York Avenue
Church has above one thousand mem
bers.
Concerning Methodist prospects out
side of New York City Mr.. Fowler con
cludes his statement by mention Of the
| fact that last year American Methodism
grew in numbers faster than the popu-
/ iation, its figures heading all other
+ Protestant bodies