The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-12
THE METHODIsTS.
Yesterdays Proceedings of the General Con
ference at Omaha.

Yesterdays Proceedings Of the General Con
ference at Omaha.
OMAHA, May 11.-Bishop Joyce presided
at the Methodist conference today. The
committee on centennial of the general con-
ference reported, recommending that a
special service be held as the centennial
service on May II; that efforts be made to
collect the facts connected with the con-
ference Of 1892, as the official journal of
that conference was lost.
A resolution was adopted to appoint a
committee TO meet the delegates to the
Presbyterian general assembly, who pass
through Omaha Oh their way to Portland
o., and invite them to visit the general
conference.
A resolution to relieve the general con-
ference OF the appointment of official edi-
tors Of the seCTetarys auxiliary Depart
ments, superintendent Of book concern,
etc, by Yesting the authority Of appoint
ment on the different boards, was referred
to the committee on temporal economy.
q resolution calling on the committee On
episcOpacy to consider the advisabillty of
districting the whole church territory into
as many districts as there are bishops, ex-
cept senior bishops and assign to each
prescribed district Tor four years, was re-
ferred 20 the committee on episcOpacy.
A resolution seeking to have the time
limit of itineraney removed was referred
to the committee on that subject.
Mr.. Shinkle of Kentucky offered q reso-
luton calling on persons having funds in
their possession 10 assist in defIayiug the
conference EXPENSES and produce the same
instantly. 1t was adopted.
A resolution for the appointment of q
committee to revise the opening chapter Of
the discipline, which treats OF the origin
and history OF the church, was referred TO
the committee on the revision Of tue dis
cipline.
| A resolution was introduced declaring
that the missionary funds were not prop
erly distributed; the conferences thai paid
most were not treated fairly in the distrib-
ution Referred.
J A resolution calling for earnest efforts to
unite the two branches of the Methodist
church in the North and the South, was
referred to the committee on the state Of
the church, amid applause.
The conference then took up the report
Of the commission on constitution, post
poned from yesterday, and Bishop Merrill
proceeded 70 explain the work Of the COM
mission at length.
Bishop Merrill said the commission was
not unit in making the report. The re-
port was the opinion and conclusion of the
majority 1t reached the conclusion that
the organic law OF the Cnurcn anu cOuStltu-
ton of the general conference were sepa-
rate and distinct parts of the church law.
The fundamental law Of the church was
found TO be, regardless Of religion, a gen
eral rule of united society and the eonsti-
ton of the general conferences.
REVIEWED THE LAW.
Bishop Merrill then reviewed the adop-
ton of law by which lay delegates were
admitted to the general conference, which
passed at the session Of '6S. ut is gen.
orally conceded" said he, ''that the con-
ference of ~ overstepped it's authority in
changing that part Of the discipline effect
ing the representation which the confer
ence mad not authorized it to change The
constitution really should remain as it was
in 1865, with the exception of those
changes which were lawfully made"
! In closing his explanation, the bishop
said that it was for this conference to de-
eide whether the act OF the conference of
~ was or was not legal act. The CON-
mission had no right to pass upon it.
OFFERED AN AMENDMENT.
DIR. Hammond offered an amennment to
the report tc make all those acts constitu-
tionsl which had been supported by q two
Thirds vote of the church, in accord with