The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-05-23
Gen eFal Conference OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church.


occupied by Bishop James
Resolutions were offered b. the
Rev. j ". Talley. of Alabama. that
the General Conference be composed
of an equal number of ministers and
ilaymen. Referred. By the Rev Mr.
Cogshall. of Michigan, to organize
District Appellate Courts for the trial
of appeals, Referred
The Committee on the Seamen's
Friend Society submitted their report,
recommending the continued cooper
alton of the " e. Church with the
Society and its branches. Adopted
The report Of the Committee on
revivals was read, recommending that
the discipline be so amended as 80
make laymen eligible to election as
book agents
A minority report on the same sub
ject was read adverse to such change
Of discipline
After considerable discussion, the
report Of the Committee on Episco-
pacy was read, being adverse to the
election of missionary bishops The
report was adopted.
On recommendation of the Com
mittee that no additional bishops
should be elected at this time, was
also adopted, the result being greeted
with applause.
The Committee on Book Concerns
reported against the revival of the
National Magazine, or the establish
ment of any similar periodical; also,
against reducing the number of
Church papers Tabled and ordered
to be printed
Rev. g. D. Carrow, of Philadel-
phia, wished to instruct the Commit
tee on Book Concerns to consider and
report on the expadienoy OF elevating
the character and increasing the efi-
cheney Of official newspapers. Re
terred.
Rev. D. Brown, of Washington
Conference, (colcred.) offered a reso-
luton against receiving any of the
delegates Of Tennessee, Of the Afri-
can III. 4. Church, as Bishops. Re-
ferred.
Bishop Morris, Senior Superintend-
ent, was excused from active service,
except so far as his health may allow,
Bishop Baker, Of New Hampshire.
was allowed also to do only such work,
during next term, as his impaired
health may permit.
The report of the Committee on
Sunday Schools was read. 1t recon-
mended an increase Of books adapted
to Sunday School purposes; the con-
tinuance Of the Sunday School Jour
nal In its present form, and the adj
mission of life members of the Society
to meetings Of the Board Of Man
ayers.
DR.. Haven, Chairman Of the Com
mittee on Lay Delegations, presented
and read a report OF the petitioners
for the adoption of some plan Of Lay
representation They number, up to
this time, 25,509. Eleven Confer
ences have expressed their unquaii-
fed approval of the principle. Twenty
have expressed a readiness to grant
it upon the demand Of the people.
Other Conferences have expressed no
decided views on the subject. The
General Conference has twice voted
in favor of the principle. Once it
| had been submitted to the popular
vote and had failed by small minori
ty, the vote having been taken amid the
excitement of the late war, when the
people generally were too much con
cerned about the preservation Of Ma
tionai life to give the subject much
attention.
Those who memoriaiiZe the Gen
eral Conference on this subject be-
[ lieve that the highest judicatory of
the Church Is called to consider the
questions in which the laity are
/ equally Interested with the clergy and
/ equally entitled to have a voice. They
] ] IL IL L ]
1 mission to the councils of the Church
/ for the purpose of changing It's polity,
/ destroying its itInerancy or under
mining its episc0paey, but claim to
have as deep and genuine affection
( for the Church a. the ministry, and
as deep an interest In Its welfare,
The report then considered the OBJ
/ jeetiOns to the proposed change, Whlc b
are:
First. Being that it was unconsti-
tuti0nai. This objection was shown
TO be wholly untenable.
Second-The objection that the in
huence of the ministry, az a dIvlnely
called body, would be weakened, was
also shown, by an elaborate argument
TO be weak and inconclusIye.
Third-The objection that there
exists no necessity for such change
every one must decide for himself.
The Committee, after careful con
sideratiCn, recommended the adop
ton of measures, and submitted {
plan providing for the admission ot
one layman into the General Confer
ences from each annual Conference
and providing for the admission o.
not more than thirty laymeu to each
-.annnal Cnnfaranca. which was Or