Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-18

mersion, immerse him, and dip hin
down hundred fathoms il he so de
slres. II he wants water poured OF
him, why bsptize him that way. DR.
Messiek was strongly opposed to tn
report Of the committee, and wanted 4
stand by the Discipline ss tits.
Rev. Mr. Hayes, of Kentucky, said il
loyalty to Methodism and to that whicl
is now To be decided as the law Of tn
Church, be found himself compelled Il
take the side of the minority report OF
this question. He said his sid'
had been arraigned as revolution
lists wishing to change the poll
ty of the Church; that BY
their practice they are keeping out o
the Church those who wish to unitt
with the Church by refusing to immerst
them. "This," said he, sis not &
question Of this kind. The real ques
tion is, Has the Church q right to com
pei minister to perform that which ir
a religious rite be believes is not taught
in the Word Of God? Ihave never refused
to baptize by immersion, but l have
never immersed any one in all the
years of my ministry. I am not ii
favor Of compelling a minister who has
made the Scriptures q lifelong study
to subject his conduct to the dictation
Of an uniformed candidate for baptism
who has never made the matter
q subject Of study for single day. Or
what su.nority, said he, do you say thai
q minister shall immerse? Every work
of recent date emsnating from members
Of our communion takes the ground
that affusion, and not immersion, is the
scriptural mode of baptism. By wha,
authority, then, do you propose to
adopt this iron.clad law that will drive
out Of our ministry those preachers
who do not believe that scriptursl bap-
tism is administered by immersion, but
by sfusion?
DR.. McFerrin said he didn't expect
the doctrine of close communion at this
Conference. If immersion is the only
mode of baptism, why then you can't
come into the Church, and if you can't
come into the Church you can't COM
mune. 81 wonder how many Of this
| General Conference knew when baptism
was made a condition Of membership
in the Methodist Church? | won-
Ger if you know yourself, Mr..
President?" Well, it was fifty
years ago exactly, in Cincinnati, when
a memorial was introduced which
had this for its object, and before this
there never was a rule requiring people
to be baptized before being admitted
into the Church. We take the ground
that the Bible doesn'tprescribe the mode
Of baptism. 1t only requires that a
person shall be baptized in the name of
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 1t
doesn't make any difference if you only
use tablespoonful Of water.
Bishop McTyeire stated, after Dr..
McFerrin sat down, that it would leave
the public in error in regard to the
Church historically if he did not say
something about baptism previous to
1886. 1t had been asserted that pre-
vious TO that time baptism was
not, by rule Of Discipline, required
in order to gain admission into the
Church. The Bishop said from the
beginning the disciplinary definition
Of 1.-THE Church." which says the
Church is "a congregation of faithful
men in which the pure word Of God is
preached, and the sacraments duly ad-
ministered according to Christ's ordi-
nance" covered the question. There
are but two sacraments-the Lords
Supper and baptism.
Mr.. Briggs, of Texas, was tired OF
hearing Methodist preachers sneer at
immersion. He, a young man, did not
believe in that, or in any special mode
Of baptism, but he did not like to hear
such men as DR.. McFerrin, whenever
he spoke Of the subject, say something
which was not calculated to increase
the sanctity Of that mode Of baptism.
A vote was taken, and adopted the
majority report, which leaves the Dis
cipline as it is at present.
Adjourned.
ELECTION OF BISHOPS.
The election of four new bishops by
the Conference is the special order for
to- day at III o'clock. The election is
by ballot without nominations. The
last General Conference voted on the
first ballot for about eighty different
persons. The indications are that fully
fifty persons will be voted for on the
first ballot to-day. The race, however,
will, after the first ballot, be narrowed
down to a dozen or so of those leading
on the first ballot.
The most prominent names men,
toned last evening were Miller, MOrri-
son, Morton, Duncan, Key, Messick,
Young, Peterson, Wilson, Burkehead,
Harris, Sledd, Blackwell, Fitzgerald,
Bounds, Galloway, Hendrix, and Bar
Der.
1t is supposed that the election OF
other general or correctional officers
will follow Immediately upon the con-
clusion Of the election Of bishops.
These officers are Book Agent, Mis-
sionary Secretary, Secretary of the
Board OF rch-Extension, Editor OF
the Christian AdrOcate, Book Editor,
and Sunday-School Editor. These Of
ficers are considered next in Importance
to bishops. 1t is possible that all of
these officers will be changed.
The proceedings to-day promise to be
the most interesting of the whole ses-
sion.
THE BRAZILIAN MISSION.
DR.. Rambo and wife, OF Rio de ia
neiro, were before the Board Of Mis-
sions last night representing the wants
of the Mission in Brazil. DR.. Rsmbo is
q practicing dentist Of Rio and an officer
of the Methodist church in that city.
lie and his wife leave for their distant
southern home tomorrow.
Important TO Merchants and Manu-
facturers.
General j. ID. Imboden is preparing,
under the authority of the Treasury
Department OF the United States (for
publication in q separate yolume), 8