| OCR Text |
Show I METHODISTS ON I THE WAY HOME I General Conference at I an End. H Midnight Close of Most Re- markable Gathering in HI Church's History. Much Accomplished of Far-Eeaching Importance in the Way of Legislative Action. - OS ANGELES, Cnl., May 20. It I was after midnight when the gen-iv gen-iv cral conference of the Methodist S Episcopal church finished the Hj nnal roll call last night that brought to a close the most memorable gatlier-inp gatlier-inp In the history of the church. When the final roll call was taken last night COO of the 750 accredited delegates wero in their seats. The decision to adjourn was not ar-rived ar-rived at until late Saturday evening, and in order to finish the business be-fore be-fore the assembly It was necessary to run over Into the Sabbath in the work of calling the roll. The conference just closed has accom-pllshed accom-pllshed much for the Interest of the Methodist church, and will go down in ( hurch history as one of the most lm-portant lm-portant In the point of legislative ac- The action of the general conference :n retiring five bishops and electing eleven others probably attracted the widest attention of any other single happening; but there were many other subjects that affected the great mem-hershlp mem-hershlp of the church and which were watched with deep interest. Among these were HBl The decision to stand by the present HBl attitude of the. church on the subject HBa of prohibited amusements; tne refusal HBV to return to the time limit of pastoral HBV service; the exonerating of certain Bb theological schools of the charge of HBV heretical teachings; the unification of HBV the Methodist publishing houses; the consolidation of the boards of church benevolences; providing means of sup-port sup-port for superannuated ministers; fixing the status of superannuated bishops; creating a commission to revise the ritual of the church; continuing the commission appointed four years ago. to bring the various branches of Methodism closer together in the use of common prayer book, hymnal and catechism; a referendum of the much-discussed much-discussed question of a colored bishop, and many other'matters of smaller lm-portance. lm-portance. Today memorial sennons were preached In nearly every Protestant church In this city and In other near-by cities by bishops or ministers in at-tendance at-tendance upon the conference. The delegates will begin to leave for home tomorrow morning. |
