, 1880-05-23
The Majority and Minority Reports Of
the Book Concern Com.
mites
Cause a Spirited and Heated De.
bate, Ending In Great
Disorder.
Proceedings Yesterday in the
Presbyterian General
Assembly.
Second Days Session Of the Meth
odist Protestant Con-
ference.
THE METHODIST9.

ference.
TIE METHOD1sTs.
Special Dapateh to 1ns Chicago Tribune.
CINCINNATI, May 22.-The General Confer
| ence Of the Methodist Episcopal Chuch this
| morning left its business, 50 far as action on
reports was concerned, just where 1t found
| it. Immediately after the reading of the
| journal they took up the reports from the
Committee on Book Concern relating to the
publication Of the Church papers at Atlanta,
| New Orlealls,. and Portland, Ore. The ma
| jority favored the discontinuance of that
| III Oregon, and the continuance us here
! tofore, which means with q subsidy of not
more than $4,000 year each, of those at tho
other places. The minority antagonized the
subsidy, and favored the consolidation Of the
papers at Atlanta and New Orleans, and Or
dered that all periodicals, etc., be put on
strictly paying basis. A motion to adopt the
majority report being made, substitute was
offered to adopt that of the minority. Then
came debate, lasting till II o'clock, that
was among the most able and orderly OF the
session.
The Rev. Il. T. Davis of Nebraska, was
against the majority report, because 1t was
opposed to sound business principles, and
because it was In violation Of the sixth
restrictive rule, which cannot be changed
by this Conference, as that rule declares
the proceeds Of the Book Concern shall be
used for the relief Of superannuated preaoh-
ers and the widows and orphans Of deceased
ministers.
DR.. Fuller, of Atlanta, insisted that the
proposed action was not violation of the
law, for the Book Concern was not organ
ICED merely to make morey, but to spread
religious literature. After this, if any profits
were left, they should be divided as had been
said. He argued that there was good pros
pect Of the paper at Atlanta becoming self
sustaining, but in any case it was vital to the
success Of the work Of the Church in that
region.
Ex-Gov. Stannard, of st. Louis, vas not
against tho papers as such, but only against
the Book Concern continuing to publish
them at loss. If they were needed on be-
half of the Missionary Church Extension, or
Freedmen's Aid work, let these Societies
sustain them He was utterly opposed to
the Book Concern carrying such losses.
Dr.. Goodwin, of Illinois, argued that they
should be no better to the poor and needy in
the North than they were to those in the
South. Let it be well understood that the
Central Aduoonte, published at st. Louis,
has during the last four years sunk over
S11,000 more than that at Atlanta, and S3,o
more than that at New Orleans. Will Gov,
Stannard vote fer the suspension OF the Oef-
trnl7 Are the Door whites of Southern Ili
nUis, Kansas, or Missouri to be treated better
:han the poor whites and colored people Of
the South? / receive the Western from Gin
cinn2ti six hours before the Central, and
read the one from New York the same day.
1t is not time, but adaptation, that must
decide this question. These papers
are needed badly; needed to strengthen,
o{&er o werk c e the chaF and % shod be Be-
continued at all events. Why keep st. Louis
and blot out Atlanta?
Dr.. Hitchcock, one Of the agents Of the
Book Concern In this place, made remark
which nothing but full report could do
justice, showing such vigor Of thought and
delivery that it has made many remark that
it should make his calling and election sure
f. has iSse BEEN considerapIe ali opposition to lin
sss ae Insisted d that M the repor so1s of the m s
n0rity was misleading, and calculated to
damage the Book Concern: For instance, 1t
but fails to state that it was for real estate
which, in great part, is rented, thus bringing |
u nearly enough g to pay al interest Inc
o1 ne iMo
General Conference, was nearly s1o9 oD: # !
ne pl1nciples q tne mnofl,y 9 snGu'a up pfeSa'I,
then We s49u!a stop our oweolsh ana Aoi-
Weg1an publications, Wtllch are essenllal 10
the Snccess OF our work among thGse peG;ple,
beside several otnet pn1icaatlons p III !aI'Gns
important quarters: lh1s Is noE v!1iallon
OF the slStn 1cStlicllve rug, !oi ~ W saS2
atter the BOOK concern na9 leLalneH aui
ncltnt capllal 70 cally on ld Hnslas ettGH ~ ~
shall make stcn ana such alspositih0n q us
business. tbs IS in accord WIN $Gnna s nusl,
ness prlncples, whehEo conslael " ~ tne Pn!pu1e
q tne CohcHIh atiu es ""ls ~ ~ nMr o1 Ghurch
why not let tnis department. Oh oul tinutc1l,
tor thls very purpose, pSa5 us o"n
burdens ana "a ITS s!ipuiateo ds wo5s + ,+ +,a
At IL O'Clock motion Mas mae'e = MtS !aS ae u,e
4oton to SUBSTITUTE On aG taD gs,od Iv IL, 1Sao t
allu uaAS Mete snn a , ~, eon,a u. &c .,rohahlt
votes. TINS stared SUN & scen9 ;pd lis pa9doapl5
has never before 6een "1tneSssu ~
fhg moor q tba @ehe!a1 GaneraI o'tSe GonfeT.
ri1or TO sud 1o Ine e,hoi11 Tsneaf4 nf ,oin;stnrs
ance was c0mpOSou wholly u H!!lSects' |