Daily Republican., 1884-05-02
THE N. E. CONFERENCE.
A GATHERING OF THE Largest
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATION
IN THE UNITED STATES.

N 4 AsS - . s. .s
At9o'clock on Thursday the Gener-
al Conference of the NJ. f. church OF the
United States met at Association Hall,
Philadelphia, Bishop Bowman presld-
ing. Bishops Simpson, Andrews, roster,
Wiley, Merrill, Warren, Harris ana
Foss were present and occupied seats on
the platform. Bishop Simpson, as the
senior Bishop, called tn. Conference TO
order, but Immediately vacated the
chair for Bishop Bowman.
Three hundred and sixty-nine DELE
gates responded to their names, among
them Rev. Ram Chandra Bose, from
far. off India, who was an object OF unu-
sual interest, appearing in long white
tunic of surah silk, contrasting queerly,
, to Western eyes, with the delegates
swarthy skin and silvered hair.
DR.. b. s. Monroe, of Pennsylvania
Central Conference, was elected Secre'
tary of the Conference, the rules OF the
last General Conference were adopted
for the time and the address OF welcome
on behalf Of Philadelphia Methodlsts
was made by Rev. DR.. A. LOngacre,
who spoke felicitously. In conclusion
he introduced Governor Pattison, who
supplemented DR.. Longacre's address
with some brief remarks of his own.
Bishop Bowman responded on behalf
of the Conference, and Hon. Clinton b.
Fisk created ripple of mirth by a
witty and wholesale acceptance OF the
hospitalities vouched for, warning the
Philadelphia people that the Conference
was ready to occupy all the soft beds,
eat all the good things and enjoy all the
petting which he supposed the welcome
implied.
The Conference having reached this
lpoint in the preliminaries, Bishop Har-
ris arose, and holding small book in
:. his hand, said tnat it was the Bible
which John Wesley had always used
o in the preparation Of his sermons and
at his private devotions. 1t contained
n the initials of the founder of Methodisn
in his handwriting.
Q The historic book had been sent by
S. B. Waddy, Y. G., and member O
!: the English Parliament, to Bishop
u Simpson, to be presented to the Metho
, dist Episcopal church in America
II The book came to Mr.. Waddy through
Samuel Benson a son of Rev. JOSEPH
It Benson, the Commentator.
. A committee, of which Bishop Simpson
was made Chairman, was appointed
Q take charge of the precious volume an
o return thanks to Mr.. Waddy.
The remainder of the morning sesslo
was occupied in the drawing by lot
70 seats for the de egates. This was not a
complished with complete success, an
). when all the other delegates had bee
seated it was found that the Whining
a ton and Minnesota Conferences hs
st been forgotten. This error was in pr
h cess of correction when the Conferenc
adjourned.
Il A special session was held in II
= afternoon for the purpose of arrangll
~ the committees, but little progress ";
d made. A plan for the re-organlzatlo
h of the system of constituting the con
|, mittees, submitted by Bishop Andrew
provoked a long and at times heat'
70 controversy.
+ The debate was at its length when,
/. o'clock the conference adjourned unt
9 o'clock this morning.
II 1t is understood that the Gener
~ Book Committee, having charge OF IL
" publication interests of the church b
~ tween the sessions of the General 70
ference, will report at an early da
N This report will show that the Boz
le Concerns at New York and Cincinnati
h. since the last General Conference, ha'
sold S6,5OO,O0O worth of books al
periodicals, as follows: In 1880, 81, OF
7S3 1881, 81, 566, ,739; 1882, l,624, 81
+ +. 1883, nearly 81, ,75O, ,0OO-ag gain OF near!
y half a million dollars over the previol
10 four years. The net capital of the tW
D. publication concerns is over Sl,6OO,0o'
% and their clear profits last year ov'
y $4,000 Out of this fund the Bishop
u u are partially supported and their trave
u ing expenses paid. The cost OF tt
u several conferences-about S4O, ,0OO-al
also paid from the profits of the Boo
. Concern. and several other drafts al
made upon it. oo
=, 1t has increased its capital since 1881
= el$1,212, 1854 out of its legitimate profit
. and since that time has showed a
+ leverage annual prof; of over S59, ,00'
- an achievement it is claimed by I'll
committee without parallel. Durln
the past twelve months over 2S,OOO,0(
,, copies of official periodicals have bee
. circulated by and under the directio
% of the General Conference by the boo
, concerns and other Methodist Episcop'
" publication houses.