Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-27

ada IN the last Ecumsnical. and who IL
chosen 20 preach the opening sermon at
the body about to convene, says
vsyv nyoperly; "This conference can
not be for tho discussion OF dsttrinal an,
fcrences. for Methodisn has no doctrinal
ii fsrences." The nearest approach 70
split on doctrinal greunds WAS IN 1850.
when the Free Methodist Church WAS or;
cAniged. This organization WAS ensctsd
az Pekn, Now York. by number OF MIN
,.tsrs who had bees expelled from ths
Gsn,sse Conference OF the Methodist
rnl.copsl Church because they had In
sisted more strenuously than wisely upon
tho doctrine Of cntiro sanctiacation. pc
s,des civinS special prom Rence to TINS
tenet, tha FREQ Nethodists mako
.pecialty OF plain dressing. and they are
likewise yerv pronounced in their opposi-
ton TO secret societies. Their general tu-
prrlntendent has stated recently that no
person who belongs 10 asccrct society OF
uses tobacco. or wears ieveiry OF o'ner
fashionable ornaments, is permitted to DO
como member o~this Church. The same
authority puts the present strength 81 the
Church at 20 conferences. 100 preachers
and ii, 1861 members.
ANorssa oFrsboor.
Avery influential bod, of Methodist" u
that known a. the Methodist Protestant
Church. This ia another cfshoot from
the Methodist Episcopal tree. the diyiu,hs
cans. in th!. casa bong desire 10 us-
pen.c with prssiding elders ana 10 in'Io.
ducs laymsr into tho conferences. hcre
,r,in whistler wisely or not. there ~ere
eIpulslons from thu parent oVe s5o
and the expelled members IN i1 hv
organized this new BODY. Wnon' "a
ths wav, has had succenini an.
t"' T''.Li. c,r..r Tbs Methodist
proie.tant Church commenced WITH aoo4.
esh,v ministers and 5000 NON oero. ~
now ha.2 ass ministers and q menoefshls
- 1HIlG. Another OF the numerous
brauche. OF American Mcthodism - ths
Ws.l.van Methodist Connection, wpich
VA, orsaniz.d ~ Utica. =. T.. IN lot5'
Tho chief issue in this cass vas ha,eIS'
though the Wesleyans opposed secict 70
cie,ies and, w'ro intoleF'qt 81 e .I.r.rv
wss shol,.hsd this Church enjoyd
con,iderable prosperity. but after the VA
about orc hundred Of IL ministers anu
I,,c. number OF i.s members went bhct
- Tho fold OF the Methodist LpiscVlaI
Church. and since then the organization
10, lnnsui.hed. Its commandments ..
present number twenty thousand ana IL
reports six hundred ministers. besInos
those there are III this country thrco e.n'i
Methodist Churches. ono called no 4 iiiti-
two Methodist Church, modelled aItcr tnc
ebnrch nf TINT nnnc in Great Drlilan; one
Known as tho Congregational Nethouls,
Church. whose operations are c1hhncu
chi.fv 10 a fsv States IN tho South, anu
another. which ~ called the lndspencent
N,thnd,,t Church. 1neso bodies are al
.m.ll. thsy make little progress. and their
,ror,, are confined within a limited area.
ono Church will bs represented IN this
conference which some may think Goes
NOT belong thers-the United Brethren III
Christ.
Via. ha, given some Of the Metho-
dist brethren an awful twlnse OF disap-
monument n connection with this great
Worlt'. Conference of representative
,I.,hodists IS that il appears probable 80
far that no woman viii be allowed 10
take part in IL. This is rot certain abso-
lately, for the delegations. OWLS to posi-
bio vacancies at tho last moment. Will
not be finally fixed until tho body shall
have been organ zed. 1t IL probable how
over. and. TO some, this discrimination
against the fair slsterhood- Just when so
fierce fight 10 being made for their admls-
zion TO the General Conference " the
Methodist Episcopal ChurcR-is regarded
as at once Al unfair allotment anu poi,oh-
tous omen. To think. too, that tue Com.
mission Of thu Church just named should
have declined IS cject TO membership IN
this body ,uch 0 Alstingulshed sister as
Miss Frances i. Willard. even after
she had been nominated for this
honor 10y so distinguished all assem-
bly, as the Rock River Annual Con
ference. which eIsbrac,s the city of oul
prospective Worlds F%r! Such, however,
!, the fact. and there 10 so much ieellng
about 1t IN some quarters that We may c1
pcct woman, lovely womau,' TO be more
rea,lv in the conference bv this fact of hel
ricid exclusion than though che had beer
admitted quietly 10 take her seat on al
equal footing with the lords of creation.