The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-05-18

law obstruct legislation, though they ex-
hibit their skill in debate.
The laymen were anxious to have a
rule passed that would give them the
advantage in putting the clerical dele
gates on record, but by separate vote
of orders they failed. The lay vote for
this change of rule was 113 and clerical
AZ; total 161. But 216 clerical delegates
and 81 lay voted against, and the motion
was lost, and the clerics scored a big
point.
Among the pleasant incidents of the
session was the marriage of the Oldest
delegate, DR.. John L. Smith of Valpa-
raise, Ind, who has passed his eightieth
milestone, but who is as vigorous as
most men of 60. The bride is probably
so years of age and is sprightly and
handsome, and no one wonders why the
veteran minister has chosen such a COM
panion for the closing years Of busy
and successful life. The venerable
groom is as gallant and as happy as if
only coming out Of this teens.
The committee on the Worlds Co.
lumbar Exposition reported, and the
report was adopted. 1t sets forth the
Christian character OF the discoveries OF
America and of the founders of this Re-
public. 1t recounts the expressed opin-
ions of the fathers of the nation, and OF
Abraham Lincoln. and other such men.
The following resolutions in substance
were unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That TO open the gates OF the
exposition on the Sabbath would be to
afilict $500 900 Methodists and 10000, 900
adherents, and would shock the moral SEN
timents of all civilized nations and violate
the law of God.
Resolved. That Congress should condition
all appropriations upon the written agree
ment that the gates shall be closed on the
Sa bbath.
The action OF the general conference
has been telegraphed to both houses OF
Congress and to the President and to
the officers of the Worlds Columbian
Exposition. While the conference is
heartily in favor OF the exposition it is
heartily opposed to its opening on the
Lords day, and the utterance of the
highest and most influential body in the
Methodist Church will powerfully affect
the entire denomination, and will have
much to do with the exhibits and the at
tendance upon the exposition.
The great debate of the conference
upon changing the constitution of the
church was carried on at almost in
terminable length, extending over sew
eral days, but always with lively in
terest. The main question was the right
of representation of laymen. The final
action was regarded as a victory for
those who held that the plan of lay rep
resentation is not part of the consti-
tuition, but il was not satisfactory to the
committee, because there were many
other things in the report that they
wished to have discussed.
DIR. J. M. King, of New York, lead
ing candidate for the episcopacy, offered
a resolution for proposed amendment
to the Constitution OF the United States.
1t relates TO the protection of the public
schools in the United States against re-
ligious encroachments and to define the
attitude of the churches with relation to
the schools. DR.. King spoke earnestly
in behalf of the resolution. He wanted
the conference to indorse the bill which
has been prepared upon the subject Of
the complete enforcement OF church and
state. The passage OF this bill would
save the public schools from sectarian
influence, he said, and would remove q
great deal Of politics from the churches.
The resolution was adopted. 4