Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-11
THE METHODISTS.
SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFER
EgcE ON YESTERDAY.
Resolutions Looking to Fraternity Be
tween the Churches-Unifcation Of
Foreign Mission Work. &c.

Resolutions Looking to Fraternity Be-
tween the Churches-Unification Of
Foreign Mission Work. &c.
Bishop Keener at 0 A. NJ. called the
Conference to order, and requested DR..
Josephus Anderson, of Arkansas, to
conduct religious services.
Mr.. Anderson announced the 53lst
hymn
Lord, In the strength OF grace,
with glad heart and free -
which was sung by the Conference with
great spirit. He read Psalm xvii, and
led the Conference In prayer.
At the conclusion Of the reading Of
the journal Of Saturdays proceedings
Bishop Keener vacated the chair, which
was taken by Bishop Hargrove.
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
The Committee on Revisals presented
report recommending nOn-concurrence
in the petition offered by DIR. Evans, OF
Tennessee, asking that the basis for dis
tfibuting funds to the Conference claim
ants be so changed that the time of ac-
tive service Of the claimant in the itine-
rant ministry be considered in fixing the
amount Of his claim by the Joint Board
Of Finance OF bis Conference. Received.
REPORT OF BOARD OF MISSIONS.
DR.. K. A. Young, Of Nashville, Ten
nessee, general secretary Of the Board
Of Missions, presented bis report Of the
proceedings Of the Board of Missions
for the last four years. This report
shows that the Board supports 206 mis-
sionaries, 144 native preachers, and So
other native helpers. There are in the
mission fields Of the Board 80, 279 men,
bers, All Sunday-schools, 34,9S9
scholars; 3l3 church buildings and 46
rented chapeis, with 3l,l0S sittings.
The church buildings are valued at
e557 $40; other mission property at
s553,503.
CONSOLIDATION or THE CHURCHES
NORTH AND SOUTH.
Resolutions were offered which may
be regarded as another grand step to-
wards the unification Of American
Methodism. There is evidently very
strong sentiment in this Conference in
iavor of forgetting the past and throw
ing the Church in all the power of
spiritual and organic union into the fu-
ture. Many look upon the reunion Of
the Methodist Churches, North and
South, as necessary to the consumma-
tion Of perfect union Of the country,
North and South. They believe that
the cementing of these two denomins-
tions will be the final funeral rites of
the " "bloody shirt"
The resolutions are as follows:
Whereas the Methodist Episcopal Church
and the NJ Methodist Episcopal Church. South,
have common origin, a common history.
teach the same doctrines and have virtually
the same Church polity and whereas the
only end and aim OF both Churches should
be TO spread scriptural holiness over these
lanes and promote the glory OF God and
ihe salvation of men and whereas in many
places the proyisious of the Cape May Com
mission have been wholly disregaried-
therefore be II
/. ReSoircd, That this General Conference
hhall elect a commission OF seven, four OF
whom shall be laymen, who spall meet q
Ike commiesion-which the General Con-
ference Of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
10 meet In the city OF New York In 1888 In
hereby respectfully requested 10 appoint
and that this Joint commission snail be
charged with the duty OF devisinga plan OF
Methodist comfy and federation whereby
mere shall be avoided as far AS possible. the
. and folly OF two Methodisms occupying
reign fields; and II the College OF Bishops
the Methodist Episcopal Church. South.
aall approve OF the plan 80 devised, II shall
into Immediate effect.
2. ResOiced. That n committee OF five shall
eappoinIed TO meet "a similar CON mittee
rom other Methodist bodies to prepare q
common Hymnai OF Methodism.
VI. X. CHAPMAN,
w. O.. MILLER,
a. y. ASDKEwS,
A. II. MITCHELL,
ID. &. KELLEY.
Mr.. Peterson moved to refer the
resolution as to the IIymnal to the Com
mittee on Hymn Books. Agreed to.
DR.. Whitehead moved to refer the
balance to the Committee on Fraternal
Correspondence and print the resolu-
ton in the Daily AdUocate.
Mr.. McFerrin was in favor of the
reference, and thought the committee a
good one.
Mr.. Chapman, Of Missouri, was in
favor Of referring the matter to spe-
cial committee. He was in favor Of a
union of forces believed the resolu-
tion Of such importance that it should
not be thrust upon the fraternal cor
respondence. who have SO much other
work to look after.
The matter was referred to commit
tee composed of one delegate from each
Annual Conference. The committee
will be appointed by the Chair.
EXCUSED.
DR.. Bennett, of Ashland, Va, asked
to be excused from the Committee on
Fraternal Correspondence. He stated
that be had before requested not be put
on any committee, being physically un-
able TO serve. "This is the first time
for forty years that have made such a
he said, I" but the time mus;
come to US all when We must either lay
down our burdens or have them light
ened."
FOR THE ESTABLISH
MENT OF MISSION.
Mr.. Bishop, Of Texas, offered reso-
luton, the preamble Of which recites
the fraternity existing between the va
rious branches of Methodism and the
manifested during the last
twenty years by leading men and mes
sepgers Of other Methodist Churches TO
enter into closer intimacy and fellow
ship with US. in order that Methodists
should cease to build altar against
altar" 1t recommends the union Of
all the Methodist missions in China,
and Brazil into one Church,
with distinct and separate autonomy"
and "the reciprocal withdrawal Of Me-
thodist Churches from mission fields"
where other Methodist Churches are
we'll established, with ability to fully
occupy the ground.
Appended to the preamble are the
resolutions {:
!. That the time has come when steps
should be taken looking TO the establish
rnent--frst an Oriental Methodist Church:
second, a Mexican Methodist Church third.
q Brazilian Methodist Church; aud fourth.
n uegotiations for the reciprocal withdrawal
GufA a.