GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Methodist Episcopal Church is one of the most highly organized bodies in the world. Its organization is an evolution produced by the ever-growing needs of the Church and the times. Its episcopacy was gradual in its growth. The General Conference has come to be what it is now by a slowly developing process.
When Francis Asbury first arrived in this country in 1771 there were only nine preachers in the whole Church, so there was no necessity for a General Conference. Later, when the work was extended and the men were widely scattered, the preachers met annually in groups. Thus the Annual Con ferences came to be formed. In order to have uniformity of discipline and coherence in the whole body, a General Conference became a necessity. In 1784 the Christmas Conference, as it is called, met at Baltimore. Its gathering marks the specific organization of the Church as a separate ecclesiastical body. Among the items of business of its session was the ordina tion of Thomas Coke. and Francis Asbury as general superintendents. Francis Asbury had for some years been exercising nearly all the prerogatives of a bishop of the Church. They were the choice of John Wesley, but would not consent to ordination until confirmed by the franchises of those present. Nearly 60 of the total of 81 preachers were present and voted unanimously for the ordination. The second General Conference met in 1792 and thereafter quadrennially. The first General Conferences were not delegated bodies, all ministers in full connection had the right to attend. In 1800 a restriction was made that eligibility required membership in a Conference for four years, The first delegated Conference met in 1812 and consisted of 90 members. In 1872 the laymen were introduced, two from each Conference. The first woman delegates appeared in 1888. The final step in giving laymen their rights was taken in 1900, when the number of clerical and lay delegates was made equal. In 1812 the ratio of representation was made 1 delegate to each 5 ministers; in 1816, 1 to 7; 1836, 1 to 25; 1856, 1 to 27; 1860, I to 30; 1872, 1 to 45. The Conference of 1864 declared that each Conference, no matter how small, is en titled to one delegate. Now each Conference is entitled to one clerical and one lay delegate for each 45 members. If the fraction of three fourths of 45 should remain, the Conference is entitled to another delegate. The General Conference of 1796 met in November, but be ginning with 1800 the Conference has always met in the month of May. A special session has never been called by the bishops or a ma jority of them. The ministerial and lay dele gates vote together unless a third of either the clerical or lay delegates demand a separate vote. The place of meeting is selected by the
committee of arrangements appointed at the previous General Conference. It is the sole law-making body of the Church. The Annual Conference is an administrative body only.
Delegates, how Elected.— The ministerial delegates are elected by ballot by the Annual Conference in the session just previous to the meeting of the General Conference. They also elect reserve delegates. The election of the lay delegates is more complicated. At a meet ing of the congregation of a local church all members over 21 years of age elect a delegate to the lay electoral Conference, which meets during conference week at the same place as the Annual Conference. These delegates from the local churches elect from their number the proper number of delegates to the General Con ference. They also elect two or three reserve delegates who serve in the place of deceased or absent members of the delegation.
Organization.— The organization of the Conference is highly efficient. The presiding officer is always a member of the board of bishops. In case, however, that all the bishops should be absent, the Conference would elect a president pro tern. The bishops preside in the order of seniority of election. The secre tary is elected by the body and chooses quite a large staff of assistants. The great bulk of the work is done by committees, who debate all questions referred to them and bring their conclusions to the main body, which accepts or rejects the findings of the committee. First of all is the committee of reference, com posed of five persons — two ministers, two lay men and the secretary of the Conference. There are 16 general committees to which ref erence is made. Thirteen of the committees include one clerical and one lay delegate from each Conference as members. The following are the "standing committees," as they are called: (1) Episcopacy; (2) Judiciary, con sisting of 19 members, usually men of a legal turn of mind, and including several lawyers from the lay delegates; (3) Itinerancy; (4) Boundaries; (5) Revision-19 members; (6) Temporal Economy; (7) State of the Church; (8) Book Concern; (9) Foreign Missions; (10) Home Missions and Church Extension; (11) Education; (12) Freedmen; (13) Sunday Schools; (14) Epworth League; (15) Deacon ess Work-39 members; (16) Temperance, Prohibition and Public Morals. The commit tees do not have the power to originate busi ness, only to pass upon that referred to them. Other special committees are appointed as needed. Usually the delegates vote together, but the clerical and lay delegates may vote sep arately when one-third of the delegates of either order request it.