Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-27

conference with the approval of the
general conference"
80 Article " and VIII of the
Plan provide for a large and UNI
wieldy super general conference,
overshadowing the jurisdictional
conferences, which conferences are
required to meet at the same time
and place as the super general con-
ference.
Text of Articles and 8
These articles are as follows:
article IV-The general confer,
ence and the jurisdictional confer.
ences shall be composed of the same
delegates. Said delegates shall be
elected by and from the annual con
ferences, provided said general and
jurisdictional conferences shall have
not more than one ministerial dele
gate for every forty-five members
of each annual conference and not
less than one ministerial delegate
for every one hundred and twenty
members of each annual conference
and an equal number of lay dele
gates, chosen according to the regu
1ations of each of the two jurisdic-
tons; but for a fraction of two
thirds or more of the number fixeo
by the general conference as the
ratio of representation an annual
conference shall be entitled to an adj
ditional ministerial and an additional
lay delegate, and provided further
that each annual conference shall
be entitled to at least one minis
terial and one lay delegate
Article VIII-Each jurisdiction
shall have jurisdictional confer
ence, possessing the full powers of
the general conference of the church
now constituting said jurisdiction
except such powers as are herein
vested in the general conference or,
which may hereafter from time to
time be legally delegated to the gen
eral conference by the jurisdictional
conferences.
tFEach jurisdictional conference
shall meet quadrennially where the
general conference is to assemble
and Immediately prior to its assemb
ling and when desirable may meet
during the session of the general con
ference and may meet at such other
times and places as it. may deter
mine
"(5}. Article V is as follows:
Every vote in the general con
ference shall be by jurisdictions and
shall require the accepted majority
vote of each jurisdiction to be eff
fective.
Danger of Domination Seen
"This article will lead to irritating
deadlOcks or dangerous domination
of the delegates from the south by
10 !,
most probably bringing on at diff
ferent stages of the proceedings both
deadlocks and domination by the
northern majority.
1T will be observed also that in
counting the vote in the general con
ference each side OF the house must
be counted according to the accept
ed majority vote of each iurisdic.
ton in order to be effective This
is most awkward device, which
also shows the difference in policy
of the two churches that are erro-
neously said to be essentially one.
This brief parag graph is charged with
irritating and inflammatory proceed
ings and dangerous consequences.
"(6). Section 2 of Article V, which
defines somewhat the power and au-
thority of the general conference,
contains these two items with re
gard to what it may do:
l. Define and fix the conditions,
privileges, and duties of church mem
bership.
2. Define and fix the qualifica
tons and duties of eluers, deacons.
local preachers, eXhorters, and dea-
cOnesses.'
These two matters are of supreme
importance. the first touching the
conditions, privileges, and duties of
church members. and the second the
qualifications and duties of the min
istry.
Can any one doubt that the dele
gates from the north would urge that
their present conditions of member
ship should remain unchanged, and
that their ordinations of women
should not be revoked And would
not men Of radical mind in our own
church join hands with the northern
delegates to impose these things on
the church Of the southern iurisdic-
ton?
Super General Conference
20. Section 4 of Article V reads
as follows:
To define and fix the powers,
duties, and privileges of the epis-
copacy; to tx the number of bishops
to be elected by the respective juris-
dlctlcnal conferences and to provide
in harmony with the historic practice
or Episcopal Methodism for their
conservation as bishops of the whole
church.
1t will ben oted that TO the super.
general conference is given the pow
er to define and fix the powers, du-
les, and privileges of the episcopacy
which was the very subject about
which the division of 1874 come TO
pass.
Again, the super general confer
ence. If the plan" is adopted, is au-
thorized TO fix the number of bish.
ops to be elected by the respective
Jurlsdictional conferences and to
provide, in harmony with the his
toric practice of Episcopal Method
ism. for their conservation as bish.
ops of the whole church.
1T might be possible for either
jurisdiction to want more. or Jess,
bishops for itself than the other
would approve In that case. the
southern jurisdiction could do moth
Ing in the matter of its wishes and
needs without the consent or the
northern jurisdiction, and vice versa
Negro Bishops
''tSl Moreover, it will be observed
, that the negro bishops now in the
church north. and any who may be
elected in the future, are to be
! bishops of the Who'll echurch'
This is made further manifest by
Article VI, which is as follows:
The bishops of the two church
es as at present constituted shall be
the bishops of the united church
without further action.
Immediately after the union
shall have been consummated the
bishops shall meet and organize as
one hnG,. and shall \ ,.rarrn fn- Ing