Milford chronicle., 1924-04-25
GENERAL CONFERENCE
MEETS NEXT MONTH
Will Be Biggest In Denomination S
HistOry---Membership Half Lay
And Half Ministerial.
TO DISCUSS UNIFTCATTON
Centenary Movement Is Among I'm
POrtant Matters To Be Decided
Upon At This Conference.

The General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, schedul-
ed to meet in Springfield, Massachus-
etts throughout the month of MAY.
next, will be one of the most impOr-
tant in the history of the denomina-
tiOn. There will be approximately $50
delegates from all parts of the United
States and from forty-four nations and
territories abroad. Delegates from the
foreign field elected to represent the
various national groups of Methodists
abroad number rs, among whom are
nine women. This gathering is rep
resentative of the 4,774,52O members
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
around the world and is the law-mak-
ing body of the denomination. All de-
cisions made by it are final unless re-
considered by the body itself
The delegations consist of an equal
number of ministers and laymen from
1862 annual conferences which elect
them. Their number is determined by
the membership included in the an
nual conferences.
UnificatiOn Plan to be Considered
The plan for unification with the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
which was drawn up by commissions
from the two denominations, will be
considered by the General Confer |
ence. 1t is understood that the out |
look is considered favorable by Off
cials whose opinions are of weight. 1t |
provides for the churches to be unit
ed into one church with two jurisdic-
nj fZ h.
General Conference of the Methodist
Church in May at SPRING
field, the General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
which normally meets in 1925, will
probably be called in special session
to consider the plan. Acceptance by
hat body will make the plan effective.
It is understood that large sections of
The membership of each of the two
churches are in favor of unificatiOn {
Ind consummatiOn of the efforts of the I
)ast decade are regarded as highly ]
probable through the action of the two t
General Conferences.
Whole Status of EpiscOpacy to be
Reviewed
Another question to be reviewed by
he General Conference and which
yill attract the attention of the entire
,hristian world is the status of the
piscopacy of the denomination. The
ntire system of episcopal supervision
ill be considered. 1t is impossible to
redict what turn this action would
ike but all regard it as one of the
lost weighty before the church to-
ay. The question has not been so
sviewed in the past twenty-five to E
fly years. oi
ntire Benevolent Organization to be W
Reviewed ~ ~
The entire organization of the be- d
evolent boards of the denomination ~
to be considered and the plans de- A,
lted for reorganization. Several IT
ans have been discussed in various 30
,ctiOns of the church and a commits 81
on was appointed to study the ques- M
On. The General Conference will de- bC
de whether the present ten highly CO
Iecialized boards will be combined ~
to a single general board with n
any departments, combined into a 30
mailer group of four or five, or left ~
they are. a
Church folk throughout Christen- a
m are interested in the machinery
tn which the Methodist Episcopal ro
lurch will undertake its world ser 20
ce program after the conclusion of Oh
e five year centenary expansion sal
)vement for which $7O,OOO,OOO was boi 5oi
ven, and which is the largest and NJ
)st successful benevolent enterprise
systematic giving in the history of or,
The morning devOtions 90,
d the lectures and address of the '''t
enings will be broadcasted through ~
WBZ. Extensive ex- ,; -
tits of the work of the church in all ei :
-isions will be held in conjunction I'll,
h the General Conference. oe Sit'