Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-03


lay members. women being eligible
Tor election as lay delegates In adj
dition To the delegates COMPOSING the
general conference. large number
OF members OF the general boards OF
IN" church VIII b. in attenda nee.
as vel as many visitors from variuu.
points Included in the ,rritory Of the
church
WIN Inst Fortnight.
II is prphab that this session Of
the general conference Will extend
through a It'll. more than two weeks.
Tn" presiding officers OF tn. daily
sessions VIII he tn. thirteen active
bishops. thes. presiding in the ro-
tation OF their election to the epis-
copacy. The outstanding feature OF
the opening session Of the conference
VIII 10 the quadr"nnial address Of
the college of biopsshs.taoincmfwy
tho college Of bishops
Bishop Eugene Russell Hendrix, OF
Kansas city. Mo. senior bishop. ~'ii
preside At the opening session. II the
condition III his health will permit.
and the address 81 tho bishops will he
read by Bishop James Atkins. OF
Nashville. Tenn.
rms address wil! contain. among
other things. recomm en'lations. toucn-
ing both tn" material and spiritual
Interests Of the church. Included IN
tho recommc ndations will he one
suggesting the number 81 additional
bishops To be elected az this session
Of the general conference
Would Add ~, Nnrr nI.hop.
II is probabl. that tho number
recommended VIII bc not less than
SIN. aud Tho election ot bishops Will
constitute feature uf the confer
enc" which viii not 10 exceeded i'm
interest by any other single feature
This interest will bc increased be
cause "i tho growing sentiment in
the church against the election OF
moro bishops for lifo.
This sentiment viii be expressed
in memorials from different annual
conferences. som. Of these recon-
mendinc the election OF bishops I'm
the future for a period Of four years
with the RICH, for recollection for :,
similar period at the next general
conference, and others recommending,
their election for eight years only.
without privilege Of reelection.
II is not TO be doubted that these
memorials VIII constitute the basis
OF animated and lengthy discussion
4 a
well az In the sessions Of the com
nittee on memorials In the pre-
conference published suggestions re-
ygardinc this subject the areumcn,
has been advanced that the election
"f bishops for life savors too much
81 papacy and is too far removed
from the democratic spirit Of the
american nation. other memorials
reEarding the cpiscopacy viii recon-
mend that each bishop be required TO
reside within the territory Of Tn.
episcopal district over which he is Il,
preside during the coming quadrcn-
MUM.
Membership Gnin> IG..OO1.
According /" the latest statistics
complied in this connection. The total
membership "t the Methodist Episco-
pal Church. south. is ..356.c67. show
INK net gain OF i6o.093 for the
Huadrennium from 1918 To 1872
putihG the quadrennium lust
crossed TWO important financial com
raiEh nave been conducted. the first
"i these designated as the Cen
'rhafE' as The result Of which ;he
church pledged S36al?.Is6 for mis-
si"nary and oihcr benevolent causes:
ana, la the second. which was known
as the christian Education Move.
hcht' Sl6.G"1,663 was pledged for
'"e cause OF The educational !nsti-
tutions OF the church
-imong the many important uues-
lions 10 come before the general CON
ference for consideration and action
VIII he that of the proposed change
IN the name Of the Church and thai
'"uthInS the unification of Amer
lean Me,hodism.
Since the last general conrsr.,,.
hHe bishops have passed away.
Bishop }. II. Mccoy, of Alabama.
BISHOP r.. T.. ilass. Of Oklahoma.
BISHOP j. $. Key, of Texas; Bishop
W. X. i'ambuth. of California and
BISHOP ii. {. Morrison. Of Florida.