New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-02
METHODISTS IN COUNCIL.
THE TWENTY-FIRsT QUADREYNLAL
BEGINNING A SESSION THAT WILL LAST a
MONTH. !!
A REMARKABLE pELIBERATIvE B0DY-How II ~
CONSTITUTED AND HOW II w0RKs-TH1
QUESTION OF WOMEN DELEGATES
ATTACKED-A RELIC OF
JOHN WESLEY.
JOHN WESLEY.

CONSTITUTED AND HOW II wCRKs-TH1
QUESTION OF WOMEN DELEGATES
ATTAcKED-A RELIC OF
JOHN WESLEY.
For the first time in its history the Metro>
politan Opera House yesterday echoed to the
music Of church hymns and the deliberations of
q religious assembly. The twenty-frst quad
rcnnial General Conference began its sessions
which are expected to continue through the greater
part Of May. The Methodists pride themselves
not little on the excellence Of their organic law
and the practical character OF their church polity.
They are in the habit Of relating, with good
deal Of pride, that oncc upon q time Daniel
Webster, or some other eminent turist. took down
from high shelf the tiny book OF Discipline
which governs their Church, and said it was tho
best law book in his library. Whether tho story
is canonical or not is not to be discovered from
the handy records OF o newspaper Office, but that
their chief dcliberative body has remarkable
faculty for getting down to work was certainly
shown by the proceedings of the two sessions
held yesterday. 1t was confronted with question
Of much Importance, not only to the Church as
such but as regards social philosophy; . question
involving constitutional Interpretation. short
season of divine worship and the performances
of purely clerical duty by the secretary were all
that permitted to stand between the call
to order and an attack of that question. Even
an address Of welcome on behalf of the members
of the Church In this city and vicinity-a pleasant
courtesy which Is not ignored even by political
conventions, q rule-had to wait until all tho
preliminary steps looking to the early determine
ton of that question had been taken. The taking Of
these steps was the most significant feature OF
the session; the debate called out was lively,
and served to indicate who will lead In tho
championship of the cause Of female represents
captain the opposing forces. The main purpose
of all speakers in yesterdays tilt to secure
a speedy presentation of the for adiudica-
tion by the Conference. To the spectators the
debate furnished pleasant opportunity to study
the temper and methods of the Conference There
was little or parliamentary fencing, and un-
wavering earnestness was paired with unfailing
good humor. Yet it must have struck everybody
that such disposition to get to work at kDotty
points indicative of the vast amount Of energy
stored up in the body 1t is evidently not only
an energetic but q cear-headed and representative
body. There are about 100000 members in
the Church for which the Conference is assembled
to legislate, and the delegates represent nearly
oil the professions, trades and occupations fol-
lowed by the members In the list Of delegates
sent by the annual conferences to the secretary
of the last General Conference, who was again
elected to the same office yesterday, there are
2S1 ministers and 175 laymen. who represent
Ill annual conferences. An analysis of the list
shows that 129 Of the ministers presiding
elders superintendents Of districts in the various
annual conferenccs). l02 pastors in active SERVICE
eleven editors, generally OF organs Of the Church,
under the control Of the General Conferenccl
nineteen presidents, deans, officers and agents Of
edu atonal institutions, three missionaries, fvo
persons connected with the publishing interests Of
,l.o xl..
and thirteen officers of Church societies Among
the laymen there are twenty-seven lawyers,
thirty four merchants, twelve bankers, thirteen
teachers, ten manufacturers, nine dealers in real
estate, four insurance men, six farmers four
judges, two presidents of universities, one rail-
road president, six physicians, two capitalists,
one Governor Governor Lounsbury, Of Connects
cut, one National Bank examiner, one publisher,
one author one County Auditor one Congress-
man, one civil engineer, one State Dairy and Food
Commissioner, one contractor, one lecturer"
the Hon. William Cumback, ex-Lieutenant-Gov.
ernor Of Indiana, one meat packer, one mill
superintendent, one confessed stock broker John
d. Slayback, representing New-York, of course),
one clerk of the Signal Service, one upholsterer,
one keeper of the National Cemetery, one UNDER
taker, one mason, one dentist one photographer.
one retired sea-captain, one notary public, one
The delegates who concerned with education
represent the conferences that sent them, not
che universities colleges and seminaries with which
they are connected The list of these institutions
is formidable one, however and deserves a place
here, as helping to an understanding of the char
acter Of the men composing the body. 1t is as
follows: Leicester Seminary, Rust University,
German Wallace College, Syracuse University, Ohio
Wesleyan University, Wlliamsport Dickinson
Seminary Denver University, Dakota University.
Albion College, Goodman University Martin In
stitute Germany Lawrence University, Grant
Memorial University, De Pauw University, Wes-
leyan University, ELwa-Gukko Toxic, Japan,
Hamline University, Nebraska Wesleyan Universi-
ty, Drew Theological Seminary Baldwin Uni.
versity, Clark University and Maclay College.
few other facts will help to convey an idea
Of the comprehensiveness Of the religious work
over which the General Conference keeps guard.
Twelve foreign conferences In India, China, Japan.
Italy, Liberia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Ger.
many, Switzerland and Mexico send delegates, be-
sides seven German and Swedish conference
In the United States. delegate from Norway
comes with a story Of having dedicated church
in the Gath degree Of north latitude and the sing
ing Of hymns Of praise around the monument
which perpetuates the memory Of St. Olaf.
The machinery of the Conference was started
easily and ran as smoothly as II 1t had had
weeks oilng. From the boxes and the balcony
several hundred men and women looked on and
raised their voices in the hymns. Tho great
diapason tones in the music, however, came from
the delegates on the main floor and mighty tones
they were Two Bishops, Foster and Walden, in
the opening services read portions of the Sacred
Scriptures from Bible which once belonged to
John Wesley, and was used by him in his study.
Eour nfad IN tbn
Methodist Episcopal Church through Bishop Simp-
son by Samuel DanNs Waddle, Queens Counsel,
of the Temple London. 1t was used to open the
Conference of 1884, which met in Philadelphia,
and has been placed in the custody of the Bishops
OF the Church TO be used hereafter In the openinR