Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-10
METHOuSTS SETTLE
TIME-LIMIT DEBATE
BY 4 COMPROMISE
Pastor May Serve the Same
Charge More Than Four
Years on Recommendation
= of the Quarterly Conference

VI lttC OuCt wy ONt'' S'@S''SS
The general conference OF the South
ern Methodist church Thursday settled
the question OF aboIishing the four-year
time limit on pastorates by adopting.
by the vote OF 155 TO 131, a compro-
mise which empowers bishops presid-
ing over annual conferences TO continue
ministers al one charge more than four
years in succession on the recommenda-
ton Of the quarterly conference. con-
CURED in by a.majority Of the presiding
elders.
The general conference, by vote OF
ITs TO 10, rejected proposal to limit
the service of presiding elders to four
years Thus, the status Of presiding
elders remaining as heretofore, they
NAV be appointed 10 serve only TOUR
successive years in one district, but
may continue as. elders for an unlimited
period, provoked districts are changed
at least every quadrennium-
Still another effort will be made at
the present session OF the conference,
however. 70 change the status OF pre-
siding elders. a resolution to limit their
service TO eight years having been pre-
scented Thursday soon after the rejec-
ton Of the proposal TO limit This
resolution was signe dby DR.. Rembert
G. Smith. Of Marietta: W. p. King. Of
Griffin; W. NJ Morrell. Of Blueheld,
". Va. and DR.. J. A Sharp. OF At
lznta
The decision TO permit pastors 70
serve one charge longer than four years,
under the restrictions named above.
came after two days Of spirited debate.
The majority committee report favored
absolute abolition of the time limit on
pastorates- The minority report favored
no change.
Under the generaiship OF Judge John
6 Gambler, Of Atlanta. who has for
several years been recognized leader
n the movement TO prevent a change
in the status OF presiding elders, the
movement TO limit their service was
blocked Judge Gambler also has been
opposed to lifting the time limit on
the service Of ministers. However. he
sssentsd Wednesday to. the compromise
and Joined with other prominent dele
gates in effecting il.
The vote Thursday came at the end
Of nearly an hour Of parliamentary
wrangied, in which the ruling Of Bishop
J. c. KiIgo, of Charlotte, y. C.. who oc-
cupied the chair, was once overruled.
On recommendation of the commit
tee on episcopacy. the conference voted
to retire from active service Bishop H
c. Morrison, Of Leesburg, Fla Bishop
R g. Waterhouse, of Emory Va, and
Bishop Z. Z Hoss. of Muscogee. Okla
TO continue the retirement of Bishop J.
= Key. CT Sherman, Texas and to as
sign Bishop J. H. Mccoy, of Birming
ham. Ala, 70 light work because of the
fact that he has recently undergone
a surgical operation
Bishop Morr5son's Last Word
Bishop Morrison. a fine figure, as
straight as an arrow and with snow
white beard and hair, stood before the
conference to deliver his last message
before formal retirement
Applause greeted him when he de-
clared that there are two distinct COS
peIs, one a gospel of blood, the other a
bIoodIess gospel which questions di-
vine inspiration, calls into question the
deity. a gospel that was Matched in
Germany"
At the conclusion of his talk the
delegates rose and cheered the vener-
able bishop.
Change in Ritual
BY a vote of I72 to IS the confer
ence decided to strike from the ritual
and apostles creed, wherever they APP
pear, the words Holy Catholic church, :"
church" An effort by DR.. Andrew
sledd to make the substitute words
Church of Cod was defeated.
Hearty Endorsement was given by the
conference TO the missionary centen-
nary movement and the findings of the
committee OF 100. which recently met
in Memphis. were adopted. The findings
call for a campaign TO raise S35,000,00O
during the next FIVE years.
The following important committee
on the constitution Of the church was
announced:
Bishop E. d. Mouzon, chairman; Min
isters A ]. Lamar. H. NJ. DuBose, F,
VI. Thomas, o. Z. Goddard and L. V.
". Darlington: Laymen John s Can
dIer, Perry s. RAIDER, J. II. Reynolds, ].
A Mccullough and H H White.
Adopt Report on Education.
The report OF the education commits
sion was adopted. calling attention 70
the proposed campaign for S13,0OO,0O0
for colleges and Of the plans OF the
educational commission TO raise $1,000
900 each for Emory and the Southern
Methodist Universities II was decid-
ed TO appoint a committee on confer
ence to map out these plans
Among greetins read was tele-
gram from the colored Methodist
church
Unanimous concurrence with the me
mortal to increase the number of .ay
delegates 70 annual conferences from
four 70 ten was reported by the COM
mittee on reyissls-
Resolutions Of sympathy were ex-
pressed for Bishop r G. WateThOuse
of Emory. Va. whose sister died Wed
nesday.
The conference adjourned after re-
iecting an amendment providing that
half Of the annual conference collections
which. heretofore. have been sent "a
the general board for apportiOnment, he
retained by the annual conference.
VIII Meet Daniels.
Bishop W. R LambUth and DR.. J. H
lakes. VINO have had in charge arrange
ments for the reception OF. Secretary OF
the Navy Josephus Daniels. who will
address the great patriotic rally in Yves
ley Memorial church Saturday night
announced that the following will Dt
CconHnned on Page ., Column Sd