Smyrna times., 1888-05-16
The M. E. General Conference.


The feature of the session Saturday
was the presentation Of the report of
the Missionary Bishop of Africa, Rev.
William Taylor, who was greeted with
the largest audiences seen in the OPP
era House since Sunday. Shortly after
the opening services he was introduced
by Bishop Foster and was received
with loud and long continued applause.
Tall in stature, with long gray beard
he looks like an explorer, and shows by
every movement that he is a man Of
strong will and great determination of
character.
His report, which was lengthy, made
fine impression especially when he
defended his self-supportng methods
| of establishing missions, which has
created SO much opposition that the
! Conference is divided as to what will
be the best course to pursue in the
future.
The Board of Bishops have been un-
able to recognize him as one of their
number; and the Missionary Society
has not been in harmony with the pc
culiar methods adopted by him the
past four years. Hence his report has
been a subject of vital interest to the
Church at large. Several papers have
been presented during the week re
garding him and his work.
When the matter comes back to the
Conference for final action interesting
times are expected. There is consid
cradle partizan feeling manifest, and i
is prOpable that two or three days may
be spent in debate before it is finally
settled.
. The call of conferences for memorial
was resumed, and a large number o
papers were presented and referred.
f DIR. Trimble, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Memoirs, reported that Rev
: DIR. Jacob Todd would read the mem
DIR on Bishop Simpsons DR.. ]. W
e Joyce, Bishop Wiley's; DR.. w. K
Whitlock, Bishop Harris's; DR.. Josep
g Pullman, DIR. Currey's, and Rev. B
w. S. Hammond, Dr. TaylOr's.
The Missionary Society was instruC
ted to establish a mission in Alaska.
The Committee on Missions, of whic
: Dr. J. NJ. Thoburn is chairman, at il
> meeting Saturday afternoon, adopted
report recommending the formal recog
milton of deacOnesses in the Churcl
I The report provides plan for a Con
- ference Board of Management and fC
deacOnesses, as well as for their en-
i ployment singly by one or MOI
churches. The subject excited war
y discussion, which was listened to viii
" great interest, not only by the cor
~ mittee, but by considerable numb
of strangers who had dropped in
p listen at the debate
Another report recommended the @
ganizatiOn of an Annual Conference
= Central China, with the city of Kin
10 lang as its centre. The missions in Il
. valley of the Yang-tse Kiang are gro
.s ing and prospering, and it is felt tn
u the time has arrived for the formal {
:. ganization of an Annual Conference.
no In addition to this advance a thi
20 report was adopted recommending t
sV organization of a fourth Annual CO
y ference in India, and also to assul
n charge of piece of land at Upper Sa
vo dusky, Ohio, on which stands the fl
20 mission chapel ever erected by t
vi Methodist Episcopal Church.
'" The great missionary society gr
out of a work commenced at that plG
~ among the Wyandot Indians, a
" hence the property is looked upon
almost sacred, and an effort is to
q" made to repair the buildings and beG
l. tify the grounds.
los re- Most of the 45O delegates now in
NJ tendance upon the sessions of the G.
W. eral Conference occupied the vari'
pulpits of New York City and Bro'
lyn Sunday. The Conference serv
held in the Metropolitan Opera HO
at 8 o'clock was largely attended,
of thousand people at least being prese
lon Bishop Henry w. Warren, ID. D.,
~, 49, D., of Denver, Col, preached v
~ brilliant sermon upon the duty of Sc
ia G ing first the Kingdom of God and
nd righteousness.
~ A meeting in the interest of laym
tnS IN and conducted by laymen, was held
.ou Nt the same hour in the Seventee
az Street Methodist Episcopal Chul
~ Ex-Governor Cumback, of India
- presided. Addresses were delive
%'en, % by Senator Warner Miller, J. c.. Il
ont path, Judge Taylor, of Indiana,
5 az d. w. Diggs, of Dakota. Bis
alH .5I Thomas Bowman preached in
'rus evening. The Conference will be
~ balloting for Bishops Thursday.
LIZ, Monday a resolution was introdu
.5'n y asking the committee to provide
y 'Lat the balloting for bishops, so that
'I9U I9 candidate could be balloted for q
5he time. A substitute was offered to
~ a effect that the vote be taken by ord
4 ua 9 that lay delegates and ministerial
,noI G egates vote separately. This raise
Inat Inat general discussion, during which it
! ,''os 20 said that there was lobbying going
~ for the candidates, but the membersd
,ae, ,roy it, Rev. Il. T.. Wheeler, of Wincon
''0' said that he knew that combinat
n, did exist, and that it was disgr
b;s Before the speaker could so on
ritS further his time expired and he
=. his seat Ex-Governor Cumback
III Indiana, moved that the previous q
i n,9 10 ton be taken up and voted for T
anv were a number of amendments oife
os When the vote was taken everytl
that was voted down and the discus
,nt,s was closed.
,nt's -..s--
D be
ther The wheat report changes not
A Al.