Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-29
M. E. CONFERENCE
TO OPEN MAY |
Twenty seventh Quadrennial
Sessions Will Be Held in
Saratoga Springs

On the morning. of May there will
convene in Saratoga Springs. New
York, the twenty delegated
quadrennial session of the General
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. This delegated body of over
eight hundred ministers and laymen
in equal numbers 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 one
hundred and thirty-three annual con-
ferences, the annual conference be-
ing the working unit of Methodism.
These delegates are elected on a basis
of one ministerial delegate for every
forty-five, or fraction not less than
tWo-thirds of forty-fiVe, ministerial
members in any given annual confer
ence, the number of lay delegates al
ways being the same for each confer
ence as its ministerial delegates. Lay
men were first admitted to the Gen
eral 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 con-
ferences have met delegates have
been elected.
The first General Conference of
American Methodism was held in Bal
timore, Md, 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 address
is now accepted as the official declar-
alton of the church on important theo-
logical, administrative. and social
problems. At the General Conference
held in New York city in 1914, the
agitation over slave-holding became
so acute as to result in plans for sepa-
ration between that section of the
church in the North and the section in
the South. The Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, was organized in Louis
Vile, KY, May /, 1S45.
MethodiSm began in America with
the arrival of Philip Embury and Bar
bara Heck, Irish immigrants. who
were enthusiastic in the propaganda
of their faith. John Wesley, who was
the founder of Methodism in England,
remained at the head of American
Methodism until the Revolutionary
War severed relationships between
the preachers with the exception of
Francis Asbury returned across the
sea, whereupon, September /. 1884.
John Wesley ordained DIR. Thomas
Coke TO be superintendent or bishop of
the Methodist societies of the United
States of America. There are now
twenty bishops and seven missionary
bishops serving the Methodist Episco-
pal Church throughout the world. The
former are elected by General Confer
ence and located for periods of four
years each in cities which are desig-
mated Episcopal residences. The lat
ter are elected by General Conference
for continuous service in specific
fields.
TIL" Methodist Episcopal Church
was organized at Baltimore. Md, at
the so-called Christmas conference
December "a, 1884, TO January 2, 1885.
At that time there We're 104 preach
ers and $4,000 communicates. There
are now over 5000 preachers and
4.033,123 members. In the early days
of the Methodist Church the salary of
preacher was S64. If married he
received the similar amount for his
wife, with SIG for each child under E
and S22 for each child between 6
and II.
Among the important matters that
will come before the General Confer
ence at Saratoga Springs are the ques-
tions concerning organic union with
the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, which has been under discus
sion with both of these important
branches of Methodism for some time:
the question whether the church shall
elect bishops for races and languages;
the election of bishops to take the
place of those who have died during
the last four years and those who will
retire from active service automatic
ally by reason of this session being
nearest to their seventy birth
day; the election of editors for the
church press, which includes the
Methodist Review, the numerous
weekly Christian Advocates. the Ep-
worth Herald, and the Sunday school
publications of the church; the cleo
ton of corresponding secretaries ror
uch church boards as the Board of
Foreign Missions, the Board of Home
Missions and Church Extension, the
Freedmens Aid Society, the Board of
Education, the Board of Sunday
Schools, etc; the election of publish
ing agents Administrative heads) of
The Methodist Book Concern, etc.