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Show BISHOP-ELECT DAYJES1GNS Declines Place Given by Methodists. Conference Confronted by a Duty Almost Unprecedented Unprecedent-ed in Church. 1 Kegarded His Election Duo to Excitement Excite-ment Caused by Sensational Article Ar-ticle in Newspaper. Special to Tho Tribune. LOS ANGELES, Cal., May 23 The Methodist general conference, at the opening of its fourth and last week's labor, found itself con- dented In the history of the Methodist church, that of acting upon the rpslgna-tlon rpslgna-tlon of one of its bishops-elect. Rev. James R. Day, chancellor of the Syracuse Syra-cuse university, who, on last Saturday was chosen as the last of tho eight bishops elected by the present conference, confer-ence, resigned his place In the Episcopal Episco-pal board and was excused, at his request, re-quest, from further attendance upon the conference. ' Why He Resigned. Dr. Day resigned because he regards his election due to excitement occasioned occa-sioned by a sensational article in the Los Angeles Examiner falsely accusing him of striking Prof. Hardy of the University Uni-versity of Southern California during a heated argument over tho heresy question. In presenting his resignation Day said: "Saturday morning I was on my way 10 meei ur. jJucKicy. oy appointment, with a written withdrawal, which was to be absolute and final, when an incident in-cident was Introduced Into the case unexpectedly un-expectedly and painfully, of which the conference needs not be reminded. I arose to a question of privilege and, after af-ter refuting the attacks made upon me, I was compelled to request the conference confer-ence not to vote for mc. I could not allow myself to be elected by the influence in-fluence of such intense feeling as the conference wns under. It would leave my election forever under a suspicion that the results might have been different dif-ferent but for the sensational circumstances." circum-stances." Dr. Day, however, was elected In spite of his withdrawal, but, after considering con-sidering matters prayerfully, he came lo the conclusion that it was God's will that he should retain the chancellorship chancellor-ship of Syracuse university Instead of entering th Episcopacy. Missionary Bishops Chosen. Besides acting upon Bishop Day's resignation, the conference today heard the report of the tellers on the vote taken Saturday afternoon for Ihree missionary bishops, which showed the election of Dr. I, B. Scott as nn additional missionary bishop to Africa, and Dr. William F. Oldham and . Dr. John E. Robinson as additional missionary bishops In southern Afdn. Dr. C. M. Harris was selected on the ballot taken this morning to the missionary mis-sionary bishopric of Japan and Korea, a new district created by the present conference. Thursday, May 2C, wits fixed upon ns the date for tho consecration conse-cration ceremonies of the seven newly- elected general superintendents, and four missionary bishops. Four hours of today's session were devoted to special memorial service In honor of the memory of the bishops who have died during the last quad-rennlum quad-rennlum and lo the late President William Wil-liam McKinlcy. Election Is Postponed. A motion by Dr. J. M. Buckley lo proceed to ballot for a successor to Dr. J. N. Dav, resigned, was defeated, and the conference voted to postpone Indefinitely Inde-finitely the further election of generul superintendents. The action of the conference on last Saturday In excluding exclud-ing the representatives of a local newspaper news-paper from press privileges was rescinded re-scinded upon motion of Dr. Buckley, seconded by Judge C. B. Lore of Delaware. Dela-ware. The resignation of Bishop-elect Day, following closely after his election after a long contest, furnished the sensation of the conference. The Intention of Dr. Day to resign was not known to the vast body of delegates, as he had confided in only a few intlmato frlenda In tho matter. Bishop Foss, who was the presiding officer at this, morning's session, gave the first Intimation of what was to follow when he asked the conference to hear a prepared statement state-ment by Bishop-elect Day. Permission wnc nrnmntlv trrnnlofl find when Rlnhnn Day arose and walked to the presiding officer's table with a written document in his hand, there was Instant attention. atten-tion. There was a distinct sensation among tho delegates when Dr. Day finished fin-ished reading his reasons for resignation. resigna-tion. Resignation Accepted. Dr. Buckley was recognized, and, after af-ter stating that he had unsuccessfully endeavored In every way possible to Induce Bishop-elect Day to abandon his Intention to resign, snld the conference had a perfect legal right to nullify its act of election. He cited as a precedent the caso of Bishop-elect Joshua Soles, who was chosen by the general conference confer-ence of 1S20 and who resigned before being consecrated. He then moved that Bishop Day's resignation bo nceopted and tho conference adopted the motion without discussion und by a unanimous vote. Upon request of Dr. Day the conference then excused him from further fur-ther attendance upon the sessions, and he will return at once to Syracuse. Indorsed by University. A dispatch from Syracuse says: Chancellor James R. Day's uctlon in declining the honor of blahop meets with the approval of the trustees and tho faculty of Syracuse university. They have felt all- along that he would rot give up his work there and arc gratified that the university Is not to lose hlin. They were pleased with hls election as bishop, since It was, they held, a vindication in the face of unwarranted un-warranted attucka and abuse and they feared that under the circumstances he might have felt Impelled to accept the honor conferred by the conference. |