Huntsville gazette., 1892-05-07
METHoDIsTS IN COUNCIL.

Opening of the QuadrenniaI Assembly of
the Methodist Episcopal Church in
Omaha-The Prominent Questions to be
Passed Upon During the Conference
The Battle of the Lay Delegates for
More Prominent observation-disclosures
zation and Preliminary Work.
OMAHA, Neb., May 2.-The quadren-
nial assembly of the Methodist Episco-
pal church, better known as the gen.
eral conference, in session in this city
has brought out the most prominent
and influential ministers and laymen of
that denomination from every state
| and territory in the union.
An increase in the number of bishops,
the time-limit controversy, the ques-
| ton of giving the colored brethren rep
reSentation on the board of bishops,
and the right of women to sit as dele
gates, are among the questions which
the conference will be called upon
| to decide, while strong MEM
orial will be presented to the
iconference asking it to enact
| such legislation as will enable pastors
to drop members who do not support
the church according to their ability,
TO elect bishops for eight years without
privilege of reelection; to remove the
amit for the pastorate; to provide for
the election of presiding elders with
out the nomination of the bishop, and
to give the cabinet of the bishop the
power of making appointments, a ma
jority of the presiding elders being suf-
ficient to determine an appointment.
| Bishop Bowman called the meeting to
| order at 9 o'clock. The session was
opened by scriptural reading by Bishop
| Newman, followed by an earnest prayer
| by Bishop Foss. Continuing the reli-
| gipus services, DIR. Lonohan, Of Balti-
ms,re. read another passage from the
Scriptures, and the congregation united
in an old Methodist hymn.
5. ID. Monroe, of Pennsylvania. was
elected secretary. and chose as his as
| sistants Manley III. Hurd, of Wyoming,
and Charles Hudson, of Indiana.
The permanent seating of delegates
was next in order. Immediately the
old trouble between the lay and minis
terial delegates came to the surface.
The lay delegates asked the conference
to seat them by themselves separate
| from the ministers, thinking by this
| means to secure greater recognition
| than they now have.
When the discussion of the question
| was Sended another misunderstanding
arose over the manner of voting. Some
wanted the laymen to vote separately
| on the question and then for the minis
| terial delegates to vote in the same
| manner. Some wanted to be put on
| record on the question and others
| wanted viva voce vote. Yea and nay
finally prevailed and resulted as fol-
lows: Laymen, yea, 105: no, 81. Minis
terial, yea, 1862; no, 135.
The conference reassembled at p.
m. at Exposition hall, where all future
sessions will be held, and attempted to
get through the task of securing seats.
This was no easy job. DIR. Shickley at
| tempted to have the motion to allow
| lay delegates to choose seats by them
selves reconsidered, and succeeded in
getting it so modified that if lay
man wanted to sit among the preach
ers he could
Inen worry WTdngle eHSueu Oh tnc
allotment of seats. A colored brother,
Rev. r. H. Gilham, of Missouri, secured
| the first seat and took the first one in
the house, am id much laughter.
At o'clock all the seats had not been
assigned, and quite number were in
sinuating that they were not getting a
| fair shake in the hat.
praise God from Whom All Blessings
Flow was sung and the delegates ad-
iourned until tomorrow.