New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-01
TO OPEN THE CONFERENCE
METHoDIsTS GATHER IN FULL FORCE
BISHOP BOWMAN WILL PRESIDE AT THE FIHSy
MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE To-DA!
THE WOMAN QUESTION TO

BISHOP BOWMAN WILL PRESIDE AT TIE FIi.s2
MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE To-DA!
THE WOMAN QUESTION TO
BE NET AT ONCE
Nearly 400 Of the delegates TO the General Con-
ference Of the Methodist Episcopal Church had
arrived in the city last evening and were quarercd
in the hotels In the neighborhood OF the Metro
politan Opera House. The Conference will con-
vene this morning at o'clock. The first hour
will be devoted to devotional services and then
tho work of the Conference will begin with tho
rollcall by the Rev. Dr. Monroe who was secrt-
tary of the last General Conference. With the
roll-call will probably come up the first great
question at issue in the Conference.-The admission
of the women who have been elected as delegates.
1t generally thought yesterday that any toaI
action on this subject will be deferred for several
days. but debate is likely to be raised at tho
outset which will bring the supporters OF the
women delegates to their feet.
The headquarters in the Opel. House were
opened yesterday morning, and General Fisk,
the Rev. Drs. Sanford, Palmer and Monroe, Bowles
Colgate and Anderson Fowler, the members OF
the committee, were busy receiving delegates, as
signing them to their hotels and arranging the
prelimnares for to-day. In the absence Of any
actual law on the subject, the committee have
virtually recognized the women delegates, assign
ing them as they arrived to the hotels with the
other delegates from their respective conferences
The absence of Miss Frances f. Willard, who is re-
garicd as the leader OF the woman movement, was
heard with much regret yesterday. She was here on
Saturday, but was obliged to return home owing
to the serious illness OF her mother and it doubt
full whether she Will be able TO return to the city
before the question has been fully determined.
MRS. NEWM AN MAY LEAD THE WOMEN
In the absence OF Miss Willard, the management
on the part of the women falls into the hands Of
Mrs. Angie T. Newman, of Nebraska, who has had
a large amount Of experience in public affairs, and
is also an effective speaker. Mrs. Newman was ths
first Of the women delegates to arrive yesterday,
and her rooms at the Oriental Hotel, opposite
the Opera House, were made 10 mt for conferences
among the delegates. The first woman delegate
whose name will be called, and the on whoI
the contest will be made, il any, is Mrs. w. d.
kippey, of Lawrence, Kansas Nearly one-third
OF the names Of the delegates Will have been
called before her name has been reached.
The Rev. DIR. John Il. Newman, well known
in New York, was among the delegates at the
Methodist Book Rooms yesterday. ie is thought
to favor the women delegates. He says that he
has talked with several eminent jurists in Wash
ington on the subject and they are Of the opinion
that the women must be seated as delegates il
their certificates regular.
One OF the means by which the question viii
be avoided, it was thought by some of the dele
gates will be an action on the part of the Bishop
in passing over the names OF the women as they
are reached and leaving 1t to the Conference as
subsequently organized to settle the question.
The supporters of this view say that the presiding
Bishop is the only member of the Conference, and
his decision II he decides to pass the names, can
not be overruled as the members do not constitute
a Conference until the roll has been called, and
they cannot vote until then: How such an action
will be met, the women declined to say last night,
but it was understood that q meeting had been
held and that they had consulted their friends, and
definite line of action had been determined upon
BISHOP BOWMAN TO PRESIDE.
Bishop Bowman the senior Bishop, will
preside to-day at the opening Of the Conference,
and the entire College of Bishops will occupy seats
on the stage. Fraternal delegates from churches
of other denominations and the secretaries Of Con,
ference will also have places on the STAGE and 4
cathedral scene will be the setting during tho
sessions After the roll has been called the adj
dress Of welcome to the delegates Will be made by
exJudge Enoch L. Fancher and the choice OF
seats will then be in order by the delegations.
The delegates are established in the different
hotels by conferences and nearly possible
such conferences as adIoln each other and the
members of which are acquainted. In the Grand
Central Hotel more than 200 delcgats are stopping
while at the Metropolitan there are nineteen con-
ferences represented, among them the New York
and the New-Yorll East Most of the officials Of
the church from Chicago St. Louis and Cincinnati
were registered at the Park Avenue. All the rooms
in the Metropolitan Opera House are secured by
the Confenerce Committee, and If these are not
sufficient to accommodate the Conference com:
mittees the Methodist churches in Forty first and
Forty third sts will also be used by them.
The reception to the Bishops and the members
Of the General Conference, rendered them by the
Methodist Social Union of NewYorll City, will be
held at the Opera House tomorrow evening. Tho
formal exercises, lasting an hour will begin at
o'clock, and will consist of an address of wei
come by 'Bowles Colgate, president oil the New.
York City Mission and Church Extension Society;
a response by Bishop Foster, and by delegate who
will be selected by the General Conference: The
organ will be presided over by Walter K johnson:
Landers band will furnish instrumental music,
and luncheon will be served by Maresi in tho
supper rooms. The most of the evening will be .
devoted to social intercourse, and, as the General
Conference has not met in this city since 1o4f
at which time the Methodist Church South y
formed from the ranks Of the slavery clement
present occasion will furnish an opportunity
New Workers TO see and hear the largest numbci
prominent Methodist clergymen and layDen ever
before assembled together. Tickets may be OBJ
tanned at the Methodist Book Concern No. sos
Broadway, or will be forwarded by mail on written
application to the secretary, +. Nj: F. Miller, No
3s Wallst. No tickets can be had at the door.