Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-05-09
THE METH0DISTS.
Seventh Days Proceedings Of the Con.
ference Of The Northern Church
The Western Book Concern.
The Journal of the Proceedings Of the
Last General COnference-A Special
Committee TO Investigate

BALTIMORE, May S.-The Methods
Episcopal conference resumed its ses
sion this morning, Bishop Foster pre-
siding.
DR.. Hitchcock, senior agent of th,
book concern at Cincinnati, rose to
question Of privilege, and inquired VIII!
and through whom the paper presented
by DR.: Lanahan 10 reference to thu
Western book concern had been made
public.
Secretary Rev: Mr.. Woodruff dis
claimed any kno oWledge of the matter
and DR.. Hitchcock said the memOris
presented by DR.. LsnRhan, charging In
soivency Of the Western book concern,
was untrue in its allegations.
Amos Shinkle and DR.. Walker, junior
agent OF the Western book concern,
ear1estly protested against the state
ments made in the memorial, and the
later offered resolution that the COM
mittee on the book concern report, at
the earliest moment, upon the financial
condition Of the Western Methodist
book concern. He said: 1--WE want tn 8
for the protection Of our interest in the
west. The time has come when the con-
ference shall protect OUT interests"
DR.. Lanshan said that the scene he
had witnessed this morning reminded
him of a scene witnessed In New York
when he was in q room locked up with
fifteen msD, and he felt as if he would
be torn in pieces because he had charged
that the New York book concern had
besn robbed. He had heard the same
cry then ss to misrepres entstion.
Dr.. Lanahan began to re 3d the state
ment showing the annual losses Of the
book concern for several years, when
Mr.. M'QueaI raised the point of order
that the statement wss not geTma4e to
the question before the conference.-the
resolution offered by Dr.. Wslker-and
the chair ruled that the point Of order
was well taken. Finally motion pre-
vailed to permit Dr.. LaDahsn to con-
tinue.
He said to get at the facts it was only
necessary to psss resolution to require
a certain letter to be brC ught here from
New York that had been thrown aside.
For fiji en- years the Methodist church
had baen cheated and sWlnuled by q
fA'ss exhibit. He had here checks to the
amount of one hundred and fly thou
said dollars stolen from the Methodist
book concern. Dr. LIE nahan held up to
full view what seemed to be packages ol
checks No such array of indignation
az wss attempted this morning will
smother ths truth. He was not smut up
in q room now as in New York, and
while the investigation was going on
there wo9 another matter that might be
Investigated. There was a document
tWo-thirds Of which had been left out OF
the journal OF proceedings OF the last
conference which should have been in
serted, and this might be investigated
Dr.. Wslksr's resolution was then
adopted.
DR.. Nelson said the memorial compli-
mented the New York book concern, fol
which commitment he f by no means
obliged, anu req lied and then denied
its statements and allegations.
Bishop Harris said that he was secre-
tary ofthe last conference for two-thirds
of the session, when he resigned, and
DR.. Woodruff, secretary of the present
conference, was his successor, and to-
gether they edited the jo1Inal Of the pro
ceediugs Of tLe last conference, and
they supposed they had discharged that
duty faithfully. In view of the state
ment thus duplicating him in emitting
some pe It of the proceedings, he Fixed
the appointment of 81 2clp, commits
sion to investigate the charge and report
the facts. He denied peremtOnlly,
squsrely and fully, any omission Of the
records from the Journal of proceedings.
Woodruff disci1imed any omission.
If such thing had occurred it was not
within his knowledge.
Dr. Lsnshan was proceeding with the
statement n regard TO the reDort Of the
examination made by j. A. Gum, when
the chair ruled it not ia order.
Bishop HaTjs'5 motion for a special
committee wss then placed with an
amendment authorizing DR.. Lsnahsn
to appear btf II the committee.
VIM. Rec, q. Z. Birdaway, G. Alt
man, JsP. S9aton and J. B Weaver were
appointed as lha committee.
Fratern&l d legates and Others from
Canada were introduced, and the del9'
gates will be f.. mally received to-mor'
row. Memorials vera presented and re-
ferred, and the conference adjourned.