The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-20
GENERAL CONFERENCE.
The Question of Eleoting q Col.
Ored Bishop.
Animated Discussion.--Gen
Rusiness--NOtes and Personals.

Bishop Harris was the presiding officer to day,
and Rev. Mr.. Evans. of the Central Pennsylvania
Conference, conducted the devotional exercises OF
the morning.
A fter the reading of the journal the rules were
suspended for the purpose of adopting resolu-
ton requiring all papers to be presented to the
Conference to be placed IN the boxes on the stage
without having the Conference called.
The Bishops directed to nominate the
Boards OF Directors for the various benevolent in
sttutions
made the special order for next Monday at 10
O'Clock.
The rules were again suspended, and Report
No OF the Committee Oh F.eedmen's Aid and
southern Work was read. 1t recommended that
the control and organization of the Society re-
man unchanged and that the Society hei eater
be directed to give aid to the schools for white chill
dren. when this could be done without injury to
the coloTed schools.
DR.. Spence offered substitute for the second
part Ct the report, which provided that the schools
the Churcb and that m M at least 25 per cent Of the
money expended by the Freedmans AID Society
be spent for the benefit of the white scaooIs
This substitute was laid on the table.
Dr. Hunter and Rev. Mr.. Key spoke against the
latter part of the original report Rev. Mr.. War
rem spoke in its favor. but before the matter was
settled the time arrived for taking up the report
OF the Committee on Episcopacy, and TINS report
was read, together with IA minority report
The majority report stated that the church was
In need of TWO colored Bishops and recommended
that at least co1ored shop be elected by the
present Conference This report was voted for by
thirty-si members
The minority report signed by thirty -one mem
bers of the Committee recommended that no col
ored shop be elected by the Conference This
conclusion the report states had been reacheu
after considering the subject in all its bearings
and after examining all the petitions upon the
question.
DIR. Smart was the first to speak upon the report:
Bishop and maintained that there were colored
men capable of holding the position: that the
had been an honor 10 the Church; that there were
colored Conferences which would require the en-
tlTe attention Of one Bishop; that II eaiopea men a.
Conference they were good enough to SIT with
the Bishops, and that i was an objection urged
against the Church by the colored people because
there was no colored Bishop.
AT least a dozen persons rose to speak, when
DR.. Wheeler was given the floor and moved
that the minority report be substituted for the re-
port OF the majority. motion vas Immediately
made to lay this substitute on the table, but 1T
was not recognized and DIR. Wheeler was given
permission to speak upon his motion. He argued
that the Conference had already elected as many
Bishops as the work demanded and that there was
no more reason for electing a colored Bishop than
there of electing German for the German
Conferences or for electing Bishop for every race
and nationality.
Dr.. Wentworth stated that already one more
Bishop had been elected than the Episcopal
Board recommended, and the subject of increas-
ing the Board of Bishops was strongly opposed.
To elect colored Bishop at this time would be to
elect him simply because he was colOred. The
work thai colored Biskor would dc was already
being done much better than it could be done by
Rev. Mr.. Lewis (colored) stated that at the time
of the election of bishops ne voted for one of their
own number but his candidate was defeated, and
he was now ready to submit TO the decision OF the
Con ference.
when in 1874. Bishop Andrews was asked to dis
pose of his slaves il he wished to retain his Of
fice ana the threat was made by the representa-
tives of slave holding States In General Confer
ence assembled that they would secede from the
church. thus taking with them 5oe, ,0cO or 600. 600
members. the church met the threat by continu
ing the demand. ~,
They went and the Church has lived Now, if
the eelored portion OF the Church make threat
warming by the position of the Chur h in ls44.
peciaily when he moved an indefinite postpone
ment of the whole question. The yeas and nays
When the call reached Dr. Bayles' name he
asked to be excused from voting unless he could
explain his reason. His request to explain was
denied and motion t. excuse him voted down
by large majoIity.
Dr.. Hare Made similar request for himself and
when permission to give his reasons was denied
appealed from the decision of the Chair. The
Chair was sustained and Dr. Hare voted.
The vote res ss in fa favor Of indefinitely
The Conference then voted TO adjourn, and
after notices were given, the doxology was sung
and the benediction pronounced by DR.. Bennett
NOTES.
The attendance this m orning was large.
The newly elected Bishops took their seats on
the platform this morning.
The addresses on the coiored Bishop question
were nearly all written out
The discussion on the election of a colored
Bishop was long and interesting one.
The Pacific Christian Acvocate, published at
Oregon, will be discontinued as a
church paper
The Committee on Boundaries, after q long dis
cussion yesterday afternoon, decided to take two
districts from the General Conference and attach
them to the Central New York Conference.
Rev. w. NJ. K. NJ Elfresh, presiding elder of the
Dauville Illinois District Rev. w. H. Reed of the
Illinois Conference; Rev. C. E. Felton, d. D. of
St Louis, and Rev. H. Baker, formerly of Coving-
ion, are ameng the visitors
lNARNl.R AllE ND GII II u II NN,l