Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-25
CONFERENCES OF THE CHURCH
Bishop William Taylor Causes a Sem
satiOn at Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA, May 24.-At the twenty
first days session Of the Methodist Gen
eral Conference the fraternal address of
was presented.
Rev. J. H. Caldwell, of Wilmington, OBJ
tanned a suspension Of the rules in order
to present a resolution. In reaching the
objective portion of his paper, Rev. Cald-
well read the preamble as follows:
WHEREAS, Rev. William Taylor, d. D.,
who was elected by vote OF more than two
thirds Of the members of the General Confer
ence, and then solemnly cOnsecrated mission
ary Bishop for Africa, has been invited to
occupy a seat on the platform with the other
Bishops consecrated at the same time and by
the same ceremony, but declined to accept
the invitation, we are therefore constrained
to feel Il painful sense of the peculIarity Of the
position which he occupies in this body. 1t is
a singular position, eccentric, anomalous, and
unlike anything that has ever occurred IN 100
years Of our history"
At this juncture Rev. II. Olin moved
that the regular order be taken up, and
by an overwhelming vote the reverend
gentleman from Wilmington was ruled
out of order. That part of the resolution
which he was not permitted to finish has
for its object the removal of limitation to
the Episcopal jurisdiction of Bishop Tay-
lor as Missionary Bishop of Africa"
and the placing of that Bishop on an
equal footing with other Bishops.
An animated discussion followed on the
report of the committee on lay representa-
tion, in the annual conference. The re-
port provides for lay representation in the
annual conference on basis of one lay
man for every six pastoral charges or pre-
siding elders district, and one for every
portion of two-thirds to be chosen by the
district stewards meetings, laymen to be
entitled to equal rights with ministers,
except to vote for ministerial dele
gates to the General Conference on
the admission of ministers to the annual
conference or on the character of minis
ters. After an extended debate a vote
was taken on the adoption of the report,
and it was Overwhelmingly defeated.
Another report from the Committee on
Lay Representation was also of general
interest. 1t provided for an equalization
of ofministerial andlay representation to the
General Conference by reducing minis
terial representation from one in every
fOrty-hve clergymen to one in every sixty,
and allowing one lay delegate to every
ministerial delegate. The debate on the
subject was general. Rev. j. Nj. Buckley
moved to refer the whole matter of lay
and ministerial representation to a special
commission. The motion was carried bV
a vote of III to IA.
The report Of the committee on the sub
ject Of the entertainment of delegates to
the General Conference of 1888 was next
presented. II provided for the appoint
ment of commission of seven to make
all arrangements for the next conference,
which it was suggested should be held in
the Peoples Church at Boston or
wherever else majority of the commits
sion should decide.
Rev. Mr.. Buckley favored the report ex-
cepting that portion fixing upon Boston
as the next place of holding the next
General Conference. The conference
only meets every four years, and he was
of the opinion that it should convene in
each large city but once in every half
century. 1t met thirty-twO years ago in
Boston, therefore some other place should
be favored in 1888.
Rev. j. w. Hamilton, pastor of the Peo-
Pies Church, Boston, extended to the con-
ference hearty invitation to meet there
at its next session.
Rev. G. t. Hare, OF New York. moved
that the invitation be accepted. This was
laid on the table. The report was then
adopted by vote of III to 105, and the
conference adjourned.