Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-05-12
METHoDlsIs IN CONFERENCE.
Proceedings of the Twenty-fourth Quad
rennfal Conference of the Methodist

of the Twenty-fourth Quad
rennial Conference of the Methodist
Church at Omaha, Neb.
THE twenty fourth Quadrennial conference Of
the Methodist church met at Omaha on May
with all the bishops of America, representa-
tives from every conference in the United
States and many from abroad present The
meeting of this conference every four years is
great event In the history of the church and it
usually remains in session several weeks A
bishop presides each day, and the conference is
composed of the bishops and clerical and lay
delegates. This body legislates for the entire
church and its proceedings are OF unusual inter
est The conference was called to order on the
first day by Bishop Bowman, who presided for
the day. DR.. David S. Monroe was chosen sec
rotary. The proceedings were entirely prelim-
mary, the status OF lay delegates only being
discussed
THE second days session Of the quadre nniai
conference (May 81 was presided over by Bish-
op MerreL Soon after the journal was read a
dispute arose over the seating of delegates.
Some of the seats that had been set aside for
the lay delegates, who'wished to be seated apart
from the ministers. had been taken by minis
terial delegates and heated discussion arose
over the question of compelling the ministers
to vacate This discussion caused the postpone
ment of the Quadrennial address by Bishop
Foster. At the afternoon session Bishop Foss
presided and the report OF the commission on
constitution was heard Among other things
suggested by the commission was a
change in the arrangement of the
was recommended in the rules or in the word
ing of the discipline, but the commission
thought the book could be arranged to much
better advantage. The report also recon-
mends that no annual conference should be
organized with less than thirty travelling min
listers and that the concurrent vote of three
fourths of the delegates OF all the annual con-
ferences be sufficient to authorize the general
conference to make changes in the organic law
of the church committee consisting of one
from each annual conference was appointed ON
temperance and the overthrow OF the liquor
traffic, and committee of equal size was ap-
pointed on the Epworth league
AT the morning session of the Methodist con-
ference on the 4th Bishop Warren presided
Bishop Foster delivered the Quadrennial adj
dress. After referring to the fact that during
the past Quadrennial none of the bishops had
died or had suffered permanent disability, he
reviewed the work in foreign lands, showing
that it was in excellent condition all over the
world No schismS no dissensions had appeared
in the past four years Since the last general
conference fully ~, 900 memb ers have been add
ed, a greater growth. than has ever been known
in the history of the church. The total number
of communicates is now ,292, 614 The churches
have increased 264 in number with an increased
valuation of SIS, 321, 321. Contributions to all
missionary societies have increased 1884, l35.
The address recommends higher education in
the ministry; discountenances the continuation
OF foreign languages and customs in the coun-
try: deprecateS the legislation by congress TO
exclude the Chinese, and declares that the union
of the church north and south is drifting closer
together. Upon the admission of women to the
general conference the result was given as fol-
lows: Laity-For 235, 66S, against, 1873. s43 min
isterial-For, $500, against, 1914 The report
gave an exhaustive review of every branch of
the church Work and recommended that great
care be exercised in procuring ministers
BISHOP WALDEN presided at the session OF
the Methodist Quadrennial conference the
5th. Immediately after the ending Of the de-
votional exercises the reports of the western
hrO rants and he M frllS w 70
ceived Dr. Moore, of Cincinnati, offered a
resolution asking for q committee of fifteen on
| Judiciary to consider all appeals and laws Dr..
Moore asked that the committee be appointed
| by the conference instead of by the bishops. He
made the point that it is not good law for q
| court of appeals to be appointed by q body
whose acts are to be reviewed DR.. Mooreis
| action caused sensation and q Sharply con-
| tested fight was the result. Dr.. Buckley al
| legged that the position of DR.. Moore was faila-
| cious and defended the present manner of ap-
| pointing the committee. Dr. Pullman, of New
| York, emphasized DR.. Moore'S points I'VE are
often accused he said ''of being under the gov
| eminent of a hierarchy, or aristocrat1c govern
ment, and we must do something to disabuse the
| public mind of such accusations DR.. Pull
man said that the church instead of ruling
itself was ruled by set of officers In the I13
members of the Episcopal board are but twenty
one pastors and four layEen and the others
| draw salaries officers OF the church These
| Lightweight consist OF presiding elders, book
agents and others, non-preSiding officers, OF
j over ninety per cent of the board DR. Leon
! ard, of Nebraska further supported DR..
| Moore's substitute. He considered the dele,
| gates the peers of the bishops After further
| debate the resolution was amended to meet OBJ
| jections. A motion for the appointment of a
! special COMMITTEES of one clergyman and one
! 1aynan from each district and three Ia men a,
large 10 consider the equality of represen tatior
! in the conference was adopted
IN the Methodist conference on the 9th Bishop
Mallalieu presided. The order of the day was
! Malay Asia. The Methodist church, he said
| was teaching and preaching the gospel in India
and Malay Asia in thirteen different languages
| Bishop Thoburn'S report gave detailed &C
| count of the work done in the three annual con
ferenccs the district conferences and the WON
i ans conference in India. It stated that the
| work in India in excellent condition, but
| the need was great The working force from
| America had fallen off some, but the work had
| continued to grow. The membership had in
| creased nearly 80 900 during the quadrennial
The Methodist Sunday schools OF India now
| have membership of over $1,000 an increase
| of Is, GOO during the four years past In the dav
| schools the church had 5000 native pupils OF
India People by thousands were giving VI
| their idols and the native ministry was rapidly
| increasing both in numbers and efficiency. The
report warmly recommended the work OF
women in the missions of India. The Chinese
question was then debated at some length and
| the discussion at times became quite warm
| DR.. Edwards, OF Chicago, said it was politica
| measure The bill, he added, was sop to the
! steerageS unloading at Battery park, New
| York. It was rushed through a democratic
| house. passed by noble senators and signel
by our well nigh unimpeachable president sole
~ for political effect Dr. Payne of Cincinna ii
| said the church should show that it was no
controlled by any partisan bias and that no Pc
/ litical party manages it. He believed the con
| ference should show that it does not approve
| such political measures DR.. Leonard de
| nounced the president and congress and sait
| that the Chinese had the same right here as an!
| other foreigners. He believed this confer
| ence should take action in no uncertain
tone in relation to it. DR.. Buckley de
| nounced all reference to politics. saying tina
the man who would try TO build up one party o
tear down another in this conference is nothiri
but demagogue- Finally the matter was re
ferred a special committee The Afternoon
was given up to committee work.
Missing Prom Topeka.
TOPEKA, Kan. May CIV H. Myers
a Topeka man. ~ years old. of German
descent, is missing from his home il
this city, and has not been seen since II
o'clock Sunday night. when he was Wis
tied by reighbor, Elmer Hannso1.