Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-30
4 GREAT CHURCH CONFERENCES,


The Largest Ecclesiastical Parlianens
Of Chrissendea - Meet May 1--we.
men ~ Delegates.
From the New York Herald
The general conference OF the Methodist Episco-
pal church. which meets in the Metropolitan opera
House May ], Is the largest ecclesiastical par
naihent Oh Protestant christendOm. In 1t will be
representatives from every part Of the world also
naternal delegates from all branches OF the great
Methodist family. There Will be Chinese, japanese,
East INDIANS, Africans Mexicans, Germans,
S"eaes and Italians. 1t meets once in four years,
and continues In session about one month. Every
pursuit and position In life Is represented. 1t con-
tains many skilled SPEAKERS and expert parliament
tar1ans- Its bishops chairmen, trained in the
scnoo OF varied experience. body so large and
ueVerslned In It's constituency is bound to repre-
ent nearly every view concerning religious, moral
and social questions entertained BY the Protestant
mlnd The lay element largely represents success
IN professional and business life. 1t Is notable
that the pastoral element. thought in the minority,
Is larger than heretofore. The presiding elders
SUI dominate. The members are TO be boarded at
the expense or the church IN the principal hotels
HOW THE CONFERENCE Is COMPOSED
The general conference Is composed OF one dele
gate FOR every forty members OF each annual
conference and fraction thereof and two laymen
Ior each annual conference, except such confer
ences as have but one ministerial delegate In such
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 or each station or circuit
Inc ministerial and lay delegates deliberate and
vote together as one body, but may vote separately
eral conference has no power TO change the artI
ces OF religion, which are supposed TO be OF divine
authority, and therefore beyond the realm of
human legislation. Neither can IL abolish the
epScopacy, nor revoke or change the general rules
the general church can only do this by a final
vote OF three-ourths OF the members OF the annual
Submission a
vote Oh the general conference
THE BISHOPS.
The following are the bishops and their place Of
residence: Thos. Bowman, St Louis; Randolph s.
Foster, Boston; stephen NJ Merrill, Chicago; Ed
ward g. Andrews, Washington; Henry W. War
rem Denver; Cyrus ID. Foss, Minneapolis; Jno. F.
Hurst, Buffalo; VIM. X. Ninde, Topeka; Jno. NJ.
Walden, Chattanooga; Willard F. Mallaiien, New
Orleans; Chas Ii. Fowler San Francisco, and
ference Mathew simpson, Isaac w. Riley and VIM.
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 episcopacy are John III. Vincent,
JAS NJ. Buckley, JAS. NJ. King, Dan1 GoOdsell c.
Kynesi Earl GRAM cranst sa. Sam Uptos Peek
and j. W. Hamilton. 1t Is pretty certain that the
nve new bishops are named in this list.
Inc general conference elects two missionary
secretaries, one secretary OF sunday schools one
or church extension, one OF freedmen's aid, four
BOOK agents twelve editors, a book committee and
-
nave considerable Official patronage at their dis
posal An effort Will be made to dispOssess the
save bishops and to relegate the whole to the sew
eral boards. The expense OF renting the opera
house 5000 Is betrayed by the rental OF the priv
ate boxes The postmaster and the Western
Union Telegraph Co will establish or1ces In the
building for the accommodation Of the conference
After seating the delegates and the occupation Of
the private boxes there WIN be two thousand free
seats for the public use.
THE CONFERENCES
There are In the Methodist Episcopal Church lO3
conferences OF 1O1 conferences reported, the fol-
lowing represents the position held In the church
and In society by the delegates elects There are I6
general conference officers, annual conference
ol1cers III editors OF religious papers, all OF whom
out one edit church papers; % presidents OF and
exceptions, being Methodist Institutions: ia pre-
sluns elders, and SO pastors. The lay element Is
composer OF 1 governor, ex-governors, 1 Con- |
gresham, "a lawyers, judges. 8 editors phys-
clans, 10 bankers and brokers, Is manufacturers
% merchants, publishers, 10 real estate, II
eGacnels Farmers, mechanics, dentists, 8 In !
surance, undertaken, women and IA uncassified |
the bishops, eleven in number, are not members
OF the general conference but preside In turn
ference TO order. Bishop Fowler was elected law
delegate Dy the Dakota conference but whether
he can SIT as such will be one OF the debatable
questions. The status OF Bishop WIN, TAYLOR will
constitute one OF the most exciting Questions
which Will come before the body -Four Years ago
he was local preacher, representing, as lay-
man, an East India conference In d moment az
intense enthusiasm excited by his heroic and sue
eessiu EFFORTS In planting self-suppOrting missions
sionary bishop OF Africa. Afterward the book COM
m1ttee, upon whom devoves the payment of the
salaries Of the bishops, decided that Bishop Taylor
must receive his salary from the mission board as
he was not ull-hedged bishop. Bishop Taylor has
persstenty refused 10 receive his salary from this
missions as forbldding his receiving any money
from the missionary treasury. He CLAIMS e0uai
rank with the other bishops, and that he should be
agree with him. No debate of the session will
excite such interest that OF fixing the nosttion
OF William Taylor. HIS eventful, epic life sur
the death OF Bishop Harrington by violence at the
hands OF native Africans, makes him the most pic
turesque character In the mission field. Henry M
stanley regards him as one OF the most potent
factors in the eyangeiizaton and civilization of
africa. HIS theory Is to plant Christian families
and arts In the midst or the natives and thus DEM
onstrate to them Ocuarly the superiority OF Christ
ian civilization TO the barbarism that degrades
acclimated to equatorial Africa he proposes ls
overcome the great obstacle that has baff1ed ali
previous Efforts TO evangelize the tropical belt OF
AN EXCITING QUESTION
Another great and exciting question which will
confront the body and which viii draw out ALI its
eioquence Will be the eligibility OF women to men,
bership. Among those who Will contend for the
admission OF the I'VE feminine delegates elected
are some OF the silver clarions OF the denomination
The celebrated Miss Frances Willard was elected
by one Of the strongest conference.-the which
includes Chlcago-the "ROck River and IL allowed
TO speak on her own behalf will eectriry the audi
ence Dr. JAS. NJ. Buckley Will let loose his heayf
est artillery against the recognition OF the sisters
andeyeryb knows that his shot are steelheaded
and his gun is rtfed- He has 1.-THE courage OF his
CONNECTIONS nothing can throw him of balance
he has the ear OF the conference, and all the arpu
ments against establishing such O precedent he
Will hurl with prOd1gtOus force.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South sends
the Rev. ). A. steel, ID. D., OF Louisville, Ky as a
fraternal delegate. The subject OF organic union
VIII come up, and perhaps a commission NAV be |!
appointed 10 make overtures to the Southern
church The Rev. Wesley Guard, a brother OF the
famous pulpiteer, DR.. Thos. Guard, and whom he |
Is said 70 resemble In sacred oratory Is the rrater
nal delegate from the Irish Wesleyans. The Rev
Dr. Kelly, the sunday school secretary OF the Eng
lish WeSleyans and the Rev. Jno. ii. Vincent Of |
Great Britain will bear the brothery greetings or
the English Wesleyan church.
During the session Ddity 4dpocafs vii, he ,s
sued, edited by the Rev. w. II. Du Puy D. ID
----->0&--
The Youngest Cowboy.
HE Is ONLY SIX YEARS OLD, But MANAGES HERD