The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-01

LAST DAY OF THE sEssIoN-cLosISa ADDRESS
By BISHOP JAMES.

BALTIMORE, Md. May 81, 1875
The Conference assembled at nine o'clock, Bishop
Mcrrell presiding. The report OF the Committee on
Sunday Schools snd Tracts read and adopted Tho
report OF the Committee the State OF the Church.
recommending the appointment OF commission Of
two Bishops four ministers and three laymen, to make
suitable provision Tor holding Ecumcncal Council
was adopted
Report No / OF tho Committee on boundaries, in
regard to the organization and division OF conferences
considered and adopted 1t places very stringent
restrictions upon the division OF onlerenccs exccps
upon the full OF the conferences and churches
Interested.
report and recommend aton from the committee
on The Metropolitan Washington ctyl church, That
the bishops be authorized 10 appoint financial agent
who shall DO clothed with penary power to raise
funds necessary TO pay oil tho debts hanging over the
Metropolitan church." which debts, the committee
stale amount $50. 0o0 led to considerable debate
DR.. Hatfield opposed the proposition, saying that
there was no reason why special agent should be ap
pointed to beg Tor this church. II had no peculiar
claim on the Church al large 70 pay OH ITS debts.
DR.. Newman. Judge Cooley and General J. Is.
Weaver spoke III favor OF the report and Recommended
ton, which were finally adopted
A resolution adopted 10 send the annual Confer
ence proposition 10 change the second restrictive
rule paragraph "a Of the Dscipne) prescribing repre-
sentaon in the general Conference by liking tho mini
ministerial representation III not less than one Tor
every ninety nine members Of annual conference,
The present minimum ministerial representation is
not less Than one Tor every iorty-hve members. No
change is pi olosed IN lay representation.
The report Of the special committee TO consider ana
submit 10 the Confer ga code OF ecclesiastical
Jurisprudence and procedure" was taken IN Tho
code rs reported by the committee, which consists OF
William II. Hunter, OF Central Illinois; H. d. T. Craw
ford or New York; George y. Clark, OF Troy; S.sB.
Ransom, OF Newark D. r. Mitchell, OF south kansas;
Luke Hitchcock, OF Cincinnati; W. s. Prcntiss, Of
Illinois, and John w. Ray Of indianapolis, OF
six articles divided into nty sections Section
tho judicial power OF Methodist Episcopal Church
parish court tor each pastoral charge district
court within the bounds Of each presiding elders DIS
trict; conference court within the bounds of each
annual conference; court OF appeals, and one su
preme ecclesiastical court and defines the constitution
and powers OF each court.
: The bishops were authorized TO appoint commits
sion OF i've consider the code and report to the next
general conference.
II was now O'Clock, and motion to adjourn sine
die made and carried.
Bishop James then briefly congratulated the delegates
on their harmonious session and acknowledged the
kindness and courtesy extended to the Bishop while
presiding their He incuIcated the
slant cultivation OF Christian spirit among all men,
Ders OF the Church and daily Christian lie, and
cluded by invoking Gods blessing each. The
grogatlon r0se ana sung
Blcst be the tie that binds
Bishop James led in prayer and the Doxology
sung Bishop Scott pronounced the bcnedlctlon, and
the Centennial General Conference OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church In 1876 was ended.