Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-05
MITIGATION VOTE
BY METHOD|STS IS
SET FOR 5 0 CLOCK
Minority Substitute Plan
Beaten After Debate
Friday Morning

MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM nj, Cndl-
.<tsnooga, Tenn, July 4.-(By the AS
! ISOLATED Press.) 1.-The special confer
Seace of the Methodist Episcopal
church, south, will begin voting at
p. m. today on acceptance of the
plan for organic union with the
northern branch of the denomination.
This decision was reached shortly
before adjournment for lunch after
several hours of debate on a motion
that minority report of the unifica-
ton commission opposing union I'M
der the plan advanced be adopted as
a substitute for the majority re-
port recommending acceptance.
With this motion disposed of, 6
vote on acceptance of the majority
report was to follow. The confer
ence recessed at 1880 p. M, until
o'clock.
Success Of Plan FOreseen
Many delegates believed today that
before nightfall the conference would
have adopted the plan for unificatlon
of the southern church with the
Methodist Episcopal church and
would have ordered its action sub
mitted to the annual conference for
ratification. The unification plan
with recommendation that it be
adopted, wass submitted to the con-
ference yesterday after the defeat OF
a resolution proposing a substitute
general conference next May on the
ground that doubt as to the legality
of the present gathering had arisen.
The submission of the unification
plan in the form of a report by the
majority of the commissioners of the
southern church who, with a similar
commission of the northern branch
devised it. was followed by a minority
report presented by Bishop Collins
Denny, of Richmond Va. Bishop
Denny. Judge j. M. Rogers, of Sa-
vannan, Ga. and the Rev. DIR. j. Il.
Leggett, three Of the southern COM
missioners, declined to approve the
unification plan proposed and in the
minority report outlined their rea-
sons for so acting.
Bishop J. NJ. Moore, Of Dallas,
who called the conference to order
declared today was an important
one in the calendar of the country
and suggested that the assemblage
should stand and sing America"
After the conclusion of the song
Bishop Moore relinquished the chair
to Bishop William Fletcher McMur-
ry, of Louisville, Ky.
Bishop Richardson Present
Bishop E. G.. Richardson, of At
1anta, of the Methodist Episcopal
church, who is visitor in Chatta-
nooga, was invited to the platform
and introduced to the conference.
Bishop Richardson expressed the
hope that the two churches would
be united into one body.
DIR. A. c.. Millar, Little Rock
Ark, was the first speaker on the
motion to adopt the minority uni
fication report as substitute. He
opposed the motion.
DR.. G. G. Selecman, president of
Southern Methodist university, Dali
AoS, iO-NuSt PiCStdOQ Luz QilillCdllOH
The speaker was interrupted by APP
pIause repeatedly as he drove home
Naafts in favor of union.
ORA. ]. Lamar, of Nashville,
Tenn, delegate from the north Ala
hama conference, one of the sponsors
OF the resolution which proposed a
substitute general conference next
May on the ground that the legality
of the conference was doubtful and
which was defeated yesterday, next
mounted the speakers stand. DIR.
Lamar explained that he heartily
favored ratification but was opposed
to it under the present plan because
he believed it is defective, danger
Gus and unwise for the southern
church."
Bishop Denny's Report
] The minority report was prepared
by Bishop Denny and required sew
eral hours to read. Delegates OPP
posed to the particular plan of union
offered declared ii one of the most
masterful state papers they had ever
heard while spokesman for the unfit.
cation forces who launched and at
tack upon it when it was moved that
1t be adopted as substitute for the
Is
pealed to every known prejudice
against union of the two churches.
Under the rules of the church
bishops have no voice in the confer.
ences unless a majority of the dele
gates vote to extend them an invita-
ton. Such an invitation has not
been extended at this conference and
it was learned last night that the
bishops had gentlemen's agree
ment not to speak. DR.. George r.
Stuart of Birmingham. who attack
ed the minority report in scathing
terms characterized it as the most
carefully prepared speech, camou'
flaged and delivered in the form of
a report, that he had ever listened
to. The report reviewed Methodist
church history from the time the
church was organized in 1884 to the
present day, told of various at
tenpts at union after the rupture
nf TIT