The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-03
4OODE[EGATESTO ATTEND METHODIST
 GENERAL MEETING
Many Important Matters to Come Up and Conference Expected to Last Three
 Weeks
By Associated Press

Hot Springs, May 2.--The nine teenth quadrennial session of the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. South. which will convene hero tomorrow, will be com posed of about 400 delegates. equally divided between ministers and lay men, elected by the 4s annual con- ferepces of the s9ith. Many matters Of importance to southern Method- ism will come before the conference. which Is expected to continue about three weeks.
 The general conference Is compos- ed of one clerical member for every 4S members of each annual confer ence and an equal number of lay members-wemen being eligible for membership in the general confer ence as lay delegates In addition to members of the conference now in the city to attend the sessions, mem bers of the general boards of the church and visitors from many sec tions are arriving for the opening session.
 Bishops to Preside
 The fourteen bishops of the church will be the presiding officers at the daily sessions in order of their cleo tlon to the episcopacy Bishop Eu- gene Russell Hendrix of Kansas City, senior bishop, will preside at tbe opening session if his health will permit. The address of the bishops will be read by Bishop James Atkins of Nashville. This address will con tain among other things recommen- dations touching both the material and spiritual interests of the church. including suggestion for the elec- ton of number of additional blsh- ops at this session of the conference.
 Delegates already here report a growing sentiment against the elec- tion of any more bishops for life. and number of memorials from various annual conferences touching on this subject will be presented. Some of these recommend the election of bish- ops for four years with the right of reelection for another four years. Others advocate an eight year term without the privilege of reelection.
 other Important Matters
 Among other important matters expected to be considered at this ses- sion of the general conference will hC proposal to make cnanBe III the name of the church and one touching the unification of American Methodism.
 According to latest available sta- tistics, the total membership of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. Is now 2,358.067, net gain of 162,os3 for the Quadrennium just ending.
 During the last four years two im- portant financial campaigns were conducted by the church. The first of these, designated as the "cente- nary campaign" resulted In ob- taining pledges for sS6,9l9,166 for missionary and other benevolent causes. The second, known as the Christian education movement, brought in s16.6s7.6s9 in pledges for the educational institutions main- tained by southern Methodists.
 During the four years that have passed since the last meeting of the general conference five bishops have passed to their reward-Bishop, J. H. Mccoy of Alabama, Bishop E.. E. floss of Oklahoma. both of whom died in 1919; Bishop J. s. Key of Texas, who died in 1920; Bishop W. R. Lambuth of California and Bishop Fl. c. Morrison of Florida, who died in 1921. Business of the conference will be suspended at some time dur ing the sessions here when tributes will be paid to these leaders of the church.