Milford chronicle., 1924-03-28
TO NAME DELEGATES TO
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Both Ministerial And Lay Delegates
Will Be Elected At Present
Session Of M. E. Church.
MAY DISCUSS MODERNISM
Examinations OF Wilmington Con-
ference Candidates Began On
Monday Night.

Examinations of candidates for the
ministry and those in the various
courses of study of the Wilmington M.
r. Conference began in Harrison M.
E. Church, Wilmington on Monday at
o'clock.
The examinations, conducted by the
board of examiners of which the Rev.
E. w. Mcdowell is registrar, continu-
ed until Wednesday evening. Confer
ence opened its sessions Wednesday
morning, with Bishop William +. Nc
DOwell presiding.
The territory of the Wilmington
Conference embraces all of the Del
marvia peninsula and two pastoral
charges on the South side of the
Chesapeake Bay, in Virginia. It con-
tains 271 churches and 204 preachers
besides supplies and local preachers.
AS it will be quadrennial session,
both ministerial and lay delegates will
be chosen to represent the conference
in the General Conference which will
convene in May in Springfield, Mass.
The coming General Conference
gives to this session of the Whining
ton Conference more than ordinary
Importance. The General Conference
is the only legislative or law making
body in the church. 1t is also the Su-
preme Court of the church.
1t is a large body, representing a
world wide constituency, numbering
nearly 100000 members; $4,000 min
listers, itinerant and local; $50 district |
superintendents and AZ bishops, in
missionary and retired bish-
ops.
The church is organized into 134
annual conferences, and these are ar
ranged into 3S episcopal areas, each
Of which is presided over by a bishop.
The coming General Conference
will be composed of about $50 dele
gates, nearly twice as large numeri-
;ally as our National House of Repre-
sentatives, ministerials and lay dele
gates in equal numbers. The ratio of
is one ministerial del
egate for every As members of an an
lual conference, and each by electOr-
i conference, meeting at the same
1me, will elect an equal number of ,
ay delegates, regardless of the num- :
,er of church members within the :
Dounds of the annual conference. In +
ach case the delegates are elected by !
he whole conference. There is no law
equiring them to be chosen accord
ng to district lines, though in this
such custom prevails
mong the laymen. =
The work of the Methodist EpiscO-
al Church along all lines is of great
roportion, involving an annual out
~ of about $15,O0O,OOO, for mission o
nd benevolent work alone, beside
lany more millions for education, il
Osp1tals and other good works, the Il
eport of which money constitutes a
considerable part of the conference P
rogram. O
Naturally such a gathering of near N
one thousand representative per-
)ns from almost every country in the
orid will have diversified interests,
pinions, claims, sometimes even con-
letting, which will give rise to much
even surpassed by
Ongress.
Among the many such questions are
e following: Limitation of the bish-
D term of office; restoration Of the
me limit to the pastOrate; restora-
DA VI IuS t4luS 4lQlL 10 LQe district
Iperintendency and the election of
e district superintendent by the an in
laI conference, and revision and re-
Oration of the various board in order er
reduce'expenses and to simplify the
1rk and promote efficiency. sr
Then, too, it is probable that there
~ be a discussion of fundamental n,
n" and modernism" This will ~
me up during the consideration Of
church publications especially as
lated to the ministerial course Of 81
ldy and Sunday school literature. Pr
AS the General Conference legis-
es for the whole church, these th
estions, Of course, will concern the in
lmingtOn Conference, and may
cit some lively debates, both in the SD
nisterial and lay conferences. And of
" may also have some bearing in
ection of delegates to the General tb,
inference. The Wilmington Confer tn,
ce is entitled to eight delegates,
If ministerial and four laymen- -
! an interesting question is, "Who ~ ~
j be elected?" sp'
we