The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-05-10
THE METHODISTS.
The General Conference AccOrds the
Laity the Full Right to Vote in
Church Trials.-The Bishops Letter.
(By United Press.

Lalty the Full Right to Vote in
Church Trials.-The Bishops Letter.
[By United Press.l
ST.. LOUIS, May 9th'-The Methodist
General Conference to-day occupied the
entire session in discussing the right of
the laity to vote in all church trials. 1t
was finally decided that the laity are
entitled to vote. Several ministers
spoke quite strongly in opposition.
The Bishops Letter.
The pastoral letter is signed by all the
bishops. 1t is very lengthy, and relates
to the affairs of the church at home and
abroad. Among the more interesting
features of the letter are the following:
The conduct of the affairs of the church
during the quadrennial period has been
attended with as little difficulty as can
be expected under any system admins
tered by man With very few excep-
tions the preachers have been blameless,
nor have We to mourn many departures
from rectitude and propriety of life
among our members. Close inspection
and more vigorous application of dis
cipllne would perhaps have brought to
light offenses that have escaped publica-
ton and censure, but it may be ques-
TONED if in any age or under any condi-
tlons the church has enjoyed greater
freedom from the vices and sins that
dishonor humanity and excluded from
the kingdom of God. AS a whole the
administration has been faithful and its
results commend our system as thor
oughly effective and suited to the condi-
tions and needs of our widely extended
territory. Before referring specifically
OF the church We should take
note Of its estimated forces
and the increase made since the last
General Conference. Four years ago
there were reported in the general min
utes 4,4O6 travelling preachers, Of which
number 1886 were effective; the report
of the last year shows 1862, of which
1925 are effective, an increase of 456 in
the itinerant ranks The local ministry
has grown in the same period from s.
943 to $780, al addition of 1876 There
were, according TO the minutes of 1885,
| $50, ,645 members. The last returns give
l, 166,090, an increase of lS5, 334. The
whole number of preachers and mem
berS at present (estimated) is III, ,150,
AL addition to our force in the four
| years of 1S6, 1856
| The last General Conference directed
the college of bishops to include the for
eign missions in their plan of visitations,
and to give them, in common with the
! church at home, immediate supervision.
In compliance with this requirement
China, japan and Brazil have each been
visited twice, and Mexico annually. The
results have justified the measure.
In China, our oldest and we must con.
slider 1t our most important mission, we
are suffering for want of men.
Japan, our latest mission, has been sc
compactly and effectively organized and
has wrought so successfully that its
members feel impelled to ask that it bt
erected into an annual conference. The
thoroughness of their administration
and the reasons given in their memoria
seem to US to justify the petition w,
recommend that it be granted
1.-The missions in Mexico and Brazi
are making steady progress.
"The board of missions chosen by tn
lastGeneral Conference has by the fideli
ty, painstaking and practical wisdom
with which it has discharged its func
tions proved itself worthy of the conf
dence reposed in it.
"The work of the Women's board @
missions deserves your attention. [
China and Brazil, in Mexico and on tn
border, and in the Indian Territory, i
the schools under their care, thrOug
Bible women and by hospital work
, they have diligently ministered to tn
. wants of women and children and prt
pared the way of the Lord. Much {
the success of our regular missonar
4 service is due to their efforts, and
! many places this form of work has b,
=, come Indispensable
5 "The literary enticements OF our tin
I constitute positive threat to the NAL
e hood and womanhood of the comir
. generation. All the worst and vile
t elements of life are pushed forwal
q daily from the press in the attracti'
s guise of fiction and become the almO
K exclusive nutriment of thousands
+ young minds We are not disposed
> deny that there is much in the form
% fictitious literature not to be cOndemne
= but the largest circulation is accord'
n to the sectional, sentimental dissipatil
y salacious expression of men of CORFU
q minds and the vagaries OF the infd
thought so attired that they may su
reptitiously make their way into the i
ner sanctuaries of uncorrupted nature
and poison the fountain of their fait
:, At any cost our young people should
IL secured against this pest, and no means
security appears to us except that viii
is found in thorough Christian educ
/. ton.
" THE board of church extension
proven a valuable adjunct to the boa
n of missions in our Western territol
! and has aided in no insignificant deg1
> in conserving and building mp much
our work in the older conferences. I
church in the West, aided by be
a boards, has made gratifying progress
#. Churches, parsonages and scho
he have been built, and the institutions a
on character of our church have been ma
rt tanned and vindicated
cd 1.-THE Sunday School departm
,es shows progress in the number of scho
,tS and of officers, teachers and pupils,
an. also in the amount and quality of
a,- literature"
ng THE COLORED QUESTION