| Show METHODISTS IN I N CON FER Tim Methol t conference that opens nt at I Joi Lo ot Coli Cal Col tomorrow May Mn I IIa Is Ia considered 1 of or more moro than common mi They hold hid these theBe only every fourth and the tho dale Ielo represent no lens lean than three mil mu million lion souls antila lii In u this country cO alone Hut BUl apart from those these fuels thu present gathering 1 l Is the first Irot of ot the I nt ot which women ore admitted 1 us no delegated Severn Several years ago PIRO women were elected but hut It wu decided thai It II was wee necessary to nine ml the rules rulen of ot tho the denomination before they could ha hI admitted Thin Thill SH 1011 done tho present is lB to ho lie the first In lit which the fair tex ex 1 to 19 given ellen a 0 voice From Pom to twenty women lire are and otHI their Mont Jo Ie s with enthusiasm mother another feature U lo that the tho confer once lu lb composed of ot nn on equal number of at tern ond lay lity In members For a IL great Brent many runny years tim the lay Iny element of or Urn tho church fought rought In vain for tor lay loy representation at nt the confer conro conference ence Finally a 1 small representation was waB agreed to Four eor earn ago how however however ever Olor the Iho proposition wits was adopted that gives the two classes equal representation lIon tion Among the Important duties devolving ing lug upon tho the conference Is le the elec election election tion lion of ot Tub This position Is III nun onu of at tho the highest honor and responsibility III 11 tho tim Methodist church tho the the executive council of o that body hody There are nt lit only sev sov seventeen enteen active bishops hut but there are oro SOnta vacancies to 10 fill 1111 and It seem that tho the church members urn aro asking for a II larger episcopate Among topics to t ho bo dl eu c sed and I acted upon are aro The Tho liquor question rare race problems lynching And worldly pleasures There Them will be bs work enough for tor tho the delegate and nut lIlI the gathering It ItIs ItIs ItIs Is thought will vIlI last over tv n 1 month There la In one question however which ought to bo be made modo foremost In III tho the dellb deliberations orations of at such aUCh gatherings ot or religious bodies and that hint Is how hOlY unity cnn can again bo established among thu tho scattered children of ot God GoJ Tho TIm purpose of ot tho the death ot or the wIts was LS to bring about that unity and In furtherance of ot that purpose divine gifts were given to ant and divIne divIno authority conferred upon prophets teachers etc otc And I yet ot today so far from thorn there being unity UnIt among those who profess to tot fol follow tollow low tho the Crucified One Ono there are In III tho the neighborhood ot of 1000 different sects Beets and churches nil all claiming to hol l some sonie truth which others reject to their peril Unity In faith Is III tho the grunt great religious problem ot of the tIle age OIe There Is 18 strength In III unity nail and until the churches churchell have solved ol the great problem of ot obtaining strength their war against t the evils olIs ot or orthe the world will l he e desultory anti and ot of but little avail Let Iet there be unity unit In tho church and a 1 sharp dividing line be between teen tween thy the church and alit the th world Then hell the 1110 t outcome will not be uncertain |
