The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-05-02
METHODIsTS IN GENERAL CONFERENCE.
New York's Big opera House Put to
a New Use.
Composition and Powers of the Con-
ference Now in Session.
Union With the Southern Church a
Question to be Considered.

NEW YORK, May 1.-The General Confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church
opened its session this morning in the Metro
politan Opera House, New York. sLong be-
fore the appointed hour the vast auditorium
commenced to fill up with ministerial dele
gates The bishops occupied seats on the
stage The galleries were crowded, and the
boxes were occupied with the wives and
friends of the delegates. The proceedings
were opened with prayer, singing. and read
ing of the Scriptures. Bishop Bowan pre-
sided.
The General Conference is composed OF
one delegate for every forty-five members, of
each annual conference and fraction thereof,
and two laymen for each annual conference,
except tsuch conferences as have but one
ministerial delegate, in such case to one lay
delegate. The laymen elect their delegates
at an electoral conference held on the third
day of the session of the annual conference.
which is composed of one layman elected by
each quarterly conference of each station or
circuit. The ministerial and lay delegates
deliberate and vote as one body, but may
vote separately on the call of one-third OF
either class. The General Conference has
no power to change the articles of religion,
which are supposed to be of divine authori-
ty, and therefore beyond the realm of human
legislation. Neither can it abolish the Epls,,
copacy, nor revoke or change the general
rules. The general church can only do this
by final vote of three-fourths OF the MEM
bers of the annual conferences, upon SUP,
mission by two thirds vote of the General
Since the last general conference, Matthew
Simpson, Isaac W. Wiley, and William L.
Harris have died, and the vacancies are to be
supplied and probably two others elected at
this General Conference.
Those most prominently named for the
Episeopacy are, John III. Vincent, James M
Buckley, James M. King, Daniel Goodsell,
c. C. McCabe, Henry Buttz. J. N. Fitzgerr-
aid, A. j. Kynett, Earl Cranston,, sam. +.
Upton, j. 0. Peck and j. w. Hamilton.
1t is pretty certain that the i've new DISH
ops are named in this list.
The General Conference elects two mis-
sionary secretaries, one secretary OF Sunday
freedmen's aid, four book agents, twelve ed
itors, book committee and boards for the
various correctional interests, which nave
considerable official patronage at their dlspo-
sal. An effort will be made to dispossess the
General Conference OF all power to elect ON
to the several boards. The expense OF rent
ing the opera house, $1,000, is betrayed by
the rental of the private boxes.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
sends the Rev. S. A. Steel, d. D., of Louis
vile, KY, as fraternal delegate. The sub
iect Of organic union will come up, and per-
haps a commission may be appointed to
make overtures to the Southern Church.
The Rev. Wesley Guard, a brother of the
famous pulpiteer, DR.. Thomas Guard, and
whom he is said to resemble in sacred orato-
ry, lis the fraternal delegate from the Irish
Mesleyans. The Rev. DIR. Kelly, the Sunday
School secretary of the English Wesleyans.
and the Rev. John II. Vincent of Great Bri-
tain, will bear the brotherly greetings of the
English Wesleyan church.