The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-03
Yesterdays Proceedings in Detail


To the Western Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA May 2-The General Confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church re-
assembled this morning, with Bishop Foster in
the chair
The action of the conference yesterday in
placing conditions on the appointment of the
standing committees was reconsidered-yeas 81,
nays 141.
After debate a vote was taken on the following
section, and it was lost:
As heretofore, the several delegates shall nom
mate their members of the central committees, but
with the following conditions No delegate shall be
appointed on more than two, except as hereinafter
provided which two committees shall meet on alter
nate days. Each delegation shall appoint
Der of the committee on boundaries, but when the
delegation consists of but two memcers Zone minis
terial and one layl its member of the committee
boundaries may also be appointed to two other
mittees and may be permanently excused from at
tendance.
Rev. R. Newton Young and Sylvester White
head, of the British Wesleyan Conference, were
introduced to the conference.
Rev. DR. A j. Kynett, of Upper Iowa Confer
ence. offered the following substitute for
the third section
The several delegations shall nominate their mem
bers OF the committees but when delegation consists of
less than six members, such delegation may be repre-
sented on any committee by giving notice. the day
when the committees are formed, of the of the
delegate to be enrolled as a member.
The Rev. James R. Mills of East Ohio Con-
ference, offered a substitute which was adopted,
to the effect that each conference be entitled to
one member of the committee on boundaries,
and each delegation may nominate a member on
each committee, provided they may decline to
nominate if they choose
A resolution offered by Rev. Leroy A. Belt, of
Central Ohio Conference, was adopted, request
ing the bishops to appoint one of their number
permanent chairman of the committee on
boundaries. 0-
A Judiciary committee of thirteen was ordered
to be appointed, one from each conference dis
trict and one at large.
A committee of five was ordered on expenses
of delegates, and committee of thirteen on
American Bible Society. Recess.
When the conference reassembled Bishop
Wiley took the chair
Rev. Dr. Henry C. Benson, of California Con-
ference, conducted devotional exercises
Rev. Dr. A. B. Leonard, D. D., of Cincinnati
Conference, moved that committee be ap-
pointed on temperance and prohibition of the
liquor traffic.
Rev. Dr. VIM. H. DIN, of Wyoming Confer
ence, moved that it be called the committee on
temperance and constitutional prohibition He
expected the conference to say as much as they
mean. 1t is the question of all questions with
which the people have to do. The time has come
to stop tnkering, and go to the root of things.
The motion of Rev. DR.. DIN was adopted.
A resolution was agreed to that the committee
shall be composed of twelve ministers and
Rev. DR.. A. j. Kynnett of Upper Iowa Con-
ference, moved that organization of commit
tees be made the special order of the day for to-
morrow morning
Rev. Thee L. Flood, of Erie Conference,
moved to lay DR.. Kynretts motion on the table.
Lost-yeas l54, nays H.
The conference then approved the nominations
of the various delegations for the committee on
eplscopacy, and adjourned.
NOTES OF THE CONFERENCE.
old-fashioned love feast, to be held on Sunday at
3 P. NJ in the old Union Church, on Fourth
street, below Arch. The General Conference of
1864 was held in this church, and many Of the
delegates to that conference are delegates TO this
The love-feast will be held by them. Four of
the delegates in 1864 are bishops and as
every bishop of the Methodist Church is in the
city, they will doubtless be present. All the
delegates to the conference are invited and
many members of the historic Union Church in
this city and neighborhood will also be present
Rev. Anders Olsen, the ministerial delegate
from Norway, said yesterday; ''The Methodist
Church in my country consists of twenty eight
societies and about 5000 members, with over
300 practitioners. Besides these there are many
adherents This number may seem small, but
it should be remembered that the Lutheran
Church is the state church, and hateverything
possible is done to discourage work The
points of difference between the Lutheran and
Methodist creeds are not wide, but the Lutheran
preachers eXaggerate them and denounce us as
heretics. Moreover the Methodists are mostly
of the middle class of Norwegian society, and it
is from their class that most of the emigrants to
the United States are drawn. Very many of
the Norwegian emigrants are Methodsts. Only
forty years ago we were not allowed to hold pub
lie meetings at
The afternoons will be chiefly devoted to the
meetings of the standing committees, the pro-
ceedings of which will in many cases be as i'm
portant as those of the main body. These com
mittees which are thirteen In number, will com
prise about one hundred delegates. There are
three of prime importance-the committee on
episcopacy which controls the work of the
bishops and will doubtless be influential in the
choice of new members to be elected to episcopal
orders; the committee itneracy, to which
are referred all matters relating to the work of
the annual conferences presiding elders and
pastoral terms, and the Judiciary committee,
which has jurisdiction over matters involving
ecclesiastical legislation and exercises the func
tions of an appellate court
Conspicuous among the laymen are General
Clinton B. Fisk, of Seabrght. N. j.; Amos
Shinkle of Covington, KY; Clement Studebaker,
of Indiana, and Governor Roberts, of Liberia.
From the Southern Conferences come quite
number of colored delegates, both clerical and
lay.
For the first time the smallest of Methodist
Churches, the Evangelical Methodist Church of
France and Switzerland, will have place in the
General Conference amongstth representatives
of foreign countries. Pastor j. p. Cook, who
has already arrived in this country, is not UNI
known, for he visited the United States once be-
fore, eighteen years ago Whilst he has an
English name he is French born, and a gradu-
ate of the University of France He has been
president of the French Conference. and is now
missionary agent of the London and Paris Sun
day school unions for the French speaking coun-
tries of the old continent