The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-09
ONE CONF FERENCE|S IS ELIMINATED WHILE
 NEW ONE CREATED
Second Piece of Important Legislation Enacted by General Conference of
 Methodist Church
By Associated Press

Hot Springs, Ark. May S.-one an- nual conference was eliminated and a new one created in the far west by the action of the general conference Of the Methodist Episcopal church. south, In session here today. The state of Arizona was erected into a distinct conference, and the Los An geles district of what was formerly the Los Angeles conference, was made a, part of the Pacific confer enee. The Los Angeles conference thus ceases to exist. and the entire state of California with the excep- tion of the town of Needles, goes Into the Pacific conference. Needles goes to the new Arizona conference.
 In order to adopt this legislation 1t was necessary to suspend the rule which provides that a concurring re- port of a committee must remain on the calendar for 24 hours. The reeom- mendatlon became law by unani- nous vote and without discussion.
 This is the second piece of impor- tant legislation enacted by the gen. eral conference the first being the admission of the president of the Woman's Missionary society to mem- bership in local quarterly confer ence.
 Hot Debate Occurs
 One of the most heated debates of the entire conference was witnessed on the floor today on the report of the revisals committee. The majority report recommended n-concurrence in a resolution from the east Okla homa conference which provided tha. the entire membership of the church should sit in the local quarterly con- ference. which is the governing body of the local charge in Methodism. The minority report was submitted and the proponents of the change in- sisted that 1t was democratic democratic tmeik Ycmfwypshrcmfao O measure and therefore should be adopted. At the present time the rank and file of the Methodist mem bership have no voice in church gov ernment. They do not even select the stewards, Sunday school super intendents or other officers of their own congregation.
 The fight on behalf of the progress sives was led by Dr. s. H. Babcock of the East Oklahoma conference. while Rev. W. W. Scott of the North Ala Ddma COnItTenCS TtpTtscHtCd ihS conservatives, and contended for the status quo. After a spirited debate the majority report prevailed and the Legislation was defeated.
 An interesting feature of today's session was the introduction to the conference of MT. and Mrs. Naka- mura of Kobe, Japan. MT. Nakamura. who is reputed to be a millionaire in his own country, Is a distinguished layman of the Japan Methodist church. and comes to America as the official representative of this body.
 Prominent Visitors
 Among other distinguished visitors today were Hon. Asa G. Candler, of Atlanta, who recently gave a mill ton dollars to Emory university: Dr. J. R. Joy. editor of the New York Christian Advocate: and pr. David F. Downey. book editor of the M. E. church.
 A telegram was read to the con ference from Hon. Richmond Pear son Hobson, Spanish American war hero. who is now secretary of the Alcohol Educational association. Mir. Hobson desires to present the con ference with copies of his book on Alcohol and the Human Race" and the conference voted an acceptance or fUU COpleS.
 One of the resolutions of the day was recorded as presented by the War Work commission, which memorial ized congress to put chaplains on an equality with all other army offi- cers in the matter of commissions and retiring allowances. The conference favored resolution on the reduction of armaments and a smaller stand ing army, but went on record as be- ing opposed to reduction in the number of chaplains. It was argued that smaller number of soldiers did not argue a smaller number of chap lains, because the reduced army would be broken into small units and scattered. 4
 Methodism will soon have it's own mutual church insurance company, according to the terms of report submitted today by the church ex- tension bureau, which recommended Virginia conference. The memorial provides that the board of church ex- tention shall establish and operate mutual insurance company for the benefit of tho Methodist churches of the country.
 The calendar was taken up for the first time today and the conference defeated memorial from the St. Louis conference in which the com mittee on boundaries and finance non -concurred, providing that a com- mission be created to study the mat ter of pastors salaries, with a view to establishing a minimum salary for