Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-24
METHODISTS ARE
TO MEET IN EAST
Eight Hundred Ministers and Laymen
to Attend Conference at Saratoga
Springs in May.
ILL DISCUSS LEGISLATION
Question Concerning Organic Union
With the Church South is to be
Considered Then.

On the morning of May l there will
convene in Saratoga Springs, New
York, the 9th delegated quadrennial
session of the general conference of
the Methodist Episcopal church. This
delegated body of over eight hundred
ministers and laymen in equal num-
bers meets every four years to review
the work of the church and to revise
and add to its legislation. The general
conference is made up of delegates
from the 1853 annual conferences, the
annual conference being the working
unit of Methodism. These delegates
are elected on basis of one minister
ial delegate for every 45, or fraction
not less than two-thirds of As, minis
terial members in any given annual
conference, the number OF lay dele
gates always being the same for each
conference as its ministerial delegates
Laymen were first admitted to the
general conference in 1872, and in
1900 women were acknowledged as
lay members. These lay delegates are
elected at a meeting of one represen-
tative from each local church in each
annual conference territory. For the
past twelve months, as the annual
conferences have met, delegates have
been elected.
The first general conference of
American Methodism was held in
Baltimore, Maryland, in 1892, at which
all preachers in full membership OF
an annual conference were eligible
The first delegated general conference
was held in New York city, May 1-22
| 1872. At this conference the first
Episcopal address, an utterance which
| has become Of increasing Importance
was delivered. This Episcopal adj
dress is now accepted as the officia1
declaration Of the church on import
ant theological, administrative, ant
social problems. At the general con
ference held in New York city in 1874
the agitation over slave-holding be
came so acute as to result in plan!
for separation between that section o
the church in the north and the sec
ton in the south. The Methods
Episcopal church, south, was organ
lied in Louisville, Ky, May l, 1S45.
Methodism began in America will
the arrival of Philip Embury ant
Barbara Heck Irish immigrants, whit
were enthusiastic in the propaganda
of their faith. John Wesley, who wa
the founder of Methodism in England
remained at the head of the Ameri
can Methodism until the Revolution
airy war severed relationships between
England and the United States. al
of the preachers with the exception O
Francis Asbury returned across the
sea, whereupon, Sept. /, 1884, Johr
Wesley ordained DR.. Thomas Coke Il
be superintendent or bishop of the
Methodist societies of the United
States of America. There are now q
bishops and seven missionary bishops
serving the Methodist Episcopa
church throughout the world TIL,
former are elected by general confer
ence and located for periods of fou
years each in cities which are desig
mated Episcopal residences. The lat
ter are elected by general conference
for continuous service in specifi
fields.
Important Matters Up.
The Methodist Episcopal church wa
organized at Baltimore, Md, at tn
so-called Christmas conference, Dec
"a, 1884, to Jan 2, 1855 At that tim
There were 104 preachers and 1900
communicates. There are now owe
$4,000 preachers and 4,033,123 mem
bers. In the early days of the Metho
dist church the salary of preache
was $64. If married, he received tn
similar amount for his wife, with 81
for each child under and $22 TO
each child between 6 and II.
= Among the important matters tina
will come before the general confer
ence at Saratoga Springs are III
questions concerning organic unIo
with the Methodist Episcopal churcl
south. which has been under discus
sion with both OF these importar
branches of Nethodism 70 som
time; thu question whether tie churc
shall elect bishops for races and lar
guages; the election of bishops to TAX
the place of those who have died dun
ing the last four years and those VIII
| will retire from active service auto
| matically by reason Of this session b.
| ing nearest to their I'D birthday; tn
| election Of editors for the churc
| press, which includes the Method,
| Review, the numerous weekly Chris
ian Advocates, the Epworth Heral
and the Sunday school publications
the church; the election of CORE
| ponding secretaries for such churt
boards as the board of foreign mi
sions, the board of home missions a,
| church extension, the Freedmen's A
society. the board of education, d
board of Sunday schools, etc: Il
election Of publishing agents (admi
lstratlve headsl of the Method
Book concern, etc.