St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-05-14

i, Fla, there il every reason
to believe that It viii probably be
one OF the most spirited sessions
In the history Of the church.
While none of the six or seven
bishops OF the church attending
the convocation would admit IL.
their actions indicate that most
OF them are stili displeascd over
the eight year law that was pass
ed over their objections at the last
general conference In Chicago In
1852.
The eight year tenure law
makes II mandatory that the bish-
ops be rotated in their district as
signments every eight years.
There are seventeen districts In
the AME church and the custom
had been. until 1862 to send the
two newest bishops to the districts
in Africa and they would usually
stay there until n vacancy occur
ed in the United States or until
the Bishops council decided to
punish" one OF It's members and
exile" him to Africa.
For a number of years there
had been a growing resentment
by large section Of the lay menu
bers OF the church and pastors
against that dictatoriai and high
handed policies Of the Bishop's
council. II came to head ut the
1852 general conference when the
laymen aided by a section Of the
clergy passed the eight year law
which is intended to curb some OF
the powers OF the Bishops council
II was obvious at the spring
convocation that section Of the
bishops would like to stay In their
present districts and are going, to
conduct campaign to stay put.
None Of the preiates stated
what their intentions were but
they had their iieutenants present
who were very vocal about want
ing their bishop back"
There are a few vacancies In
the bishopric of the church and
there will undoubtedly be more
due TO retirements before the next
general convention.
A prominent lay person In the
church who did not wish to be
quoted said that there are at least
nine candidates for bishop In the
fourth district (this district.
which includes Minnesota. Ii COM
prised OF the mid-western states,)
and that the number of candidates
throughout the country would
probably be around 100.
There IL no question that q
candidate who has the blessings Of
his bishop or the Bishops Council
has lot in his favor and II APP
peared that some OF the candi-
dates for bishop attending the
convocation were seeking the en-
dorsemcnts OF the bishops present.
Most Of the candidates at the
convocation indicated that they
were opposed 10 the eight year
law and a few remained neutral
on the subject.
The great mystery Of the convo-
cation was whether or not Arch
bald Carey of Chicago. was 60
ing TO be a candidate for bishop
or not. Carey Is probably the best
known personality in the AME
church and one OF its most influ-
entail clergymen.
Carey has remained silent as TO
what his intentions are or who he
would support and II Is generally
accepted in church circles that he
could be elevated TO the bishopric
II ne desired
One Of the plums at stake at the
1856 general conference Is the
fourth district. This district is one
Of the wealthiest ones in the
church and is presided over by
Bishop George w. Baber who lives
In Detroit, who II the eight year
law Is carried out Is scheduled to
go TO another district
Mr.. Baber didn't say that he
would like to stay in the fourth
but there was lot Of campaign
ing by his followers that gave
every indication that he wasn't
going to leave without putting up
a fight to stay.
The reasoning behind the ac-
tons OF the progressive section
in the church Is that because Of
the autocratic control OF the af-
fairs Of the church by the bish-
ops. African Methodism hasn't
been able to attract enough high
calibre men and women to the