The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-06-04
M, P. GENERAL CONFERENCE.
Sixteenth Quadrennial Session Meets
in Westminster.

Some discussion was brought about by the
report of the temperance committee. IL con-
tanned resolutions stating: we insist upon
total abstinence for the individual and con-
stitutonal prohibition for the State. We re-
duire all our pastors to use unfermented wine
in the sacrament OF the Lord supper. IhaI
apv minister who makes, sells or signs Pc
tition for license to sell, uses or gives to
others to use as a beverage any spirituous or
malt liquors is guilty of immortality, and shall
he dealt with accordingly. That Christian
men should so use their suffrage to secure
constitutional prohibition for the State and
nation. That we protest against the sale OF
intoxicating drinks in any form or under any
pretext at the Columbian Exhibition, and that
we call upon all our Legislatures, both state
and national, to pass such laws as will protect
humanity from the sale, TRANSFORMATION, ex-
portation and importation of all intoxicants
as a beverage"
DIR. T. H. Lewis opposed the plan of requir-
ing unfermented wine to be used in the Sac
rament because Of inconvenience that may
arise. He suggested that pastors be recon
mended to use unfermented wine. This propo-
sition was rejected. The report was not strong
enough for Mr.. Appleget, and he wanted the
words 'the entire suppression OF the liquor
traffic" inserted wherever constitutional pro
hibiton occurred. This was done. Then 1t
was still too weak for Mr.. Miller, of Nebraska,
and he wanted the words ''or votes IN the
clause, declaring that he who makes, sells or
signs a petition for license is guilty of an i'm
morality. Mr. Miller said that the man who
votes for license or liquor is as guilty as the
man who deals it out, and ought to be
so considered DR.. Flood, of Indiana, said
that as a citizen of the United States he would
vote as he pleased and the Methodist Protes-
tant Church was not big enoug Oh to prevent him
from doing so. He opposed Mr. Mlller's
amendment, as did DIR. Lewis and several
others. The convention was in prohibition
mood, however, and the motion carried, and
the report was adopted as a whole;
The resolution offered several days ago by
Rev. Frank T. Little. of Starr Church, Balti-
more, and Rev. DR.. d. S. Stephens, of Pitts
burg, providing for the incorporation of the
General Conference under the laws of Mary
land, the selection of board of trustees, con-
sisting of eight ministers and seven laymen,
who are to secure articles of Incorporation as
soon as possible, was favorably reported by
the judiciary con. mittee. This committe said
that it was a wise and proper step, and recon-
meuded the appointment of a committee OF
two ministers and layman to take steps to
obtain such incorporation. President Herring
appointed the committee as follows: Rev. w.
S. Hammond Rev. w. l.. Wells and Mr.. ii.
NJ. Myers.
Also the following board of trustees: DIR.
]. w. Herring, j. D. Kinzer, f. 7. Little, j.
T. Murray, W. NJ. Strayer, Joshua Miles, j.
I. Lassell II. Burrough, of Maryland; DR.. D.
S. Stephens, J. w. Thompson, of Ohio; H. NJ.
Reeves, Pittsburg; VIM. D. Wilson, Illinois;
S. S. Stanton, Indiana; w. A. Barnett, of
North Carolina and Theodore Cochen, of New
York.
The conference adopted new financial plan
for the churches As substitute for the first
and second items of the disciplinary article
regarding the duties of stewards, the commit
tee proposed that as soon as possible after the
rise of the annual conferences the official
boards of the individual churches shall fix the
pastors salary and current expenses OF the
year and apportion this amount among the
church members according to their ability or
willingness to pay. Account shall be kept OF
each members payments, which are to made
weekly in stations and monthly on circuits.
The stewards are to be required to furnish
each member with financial statement
monthly in stations and quarterly on circuits,
showing the condition of his or her apportion
ment
The report OF the Committee on Revision
took up the morning session. Several slight
revisions in the discipline were made and
adopted.
In case of vacancy in the editorship of either
of the official organs, a resolution was adopt
ed empowering the respective Directories to
fill the vacancies.
Rev.C. W. Stephenson, of Michigan, offered
Il resolution to amend section OF the dlsci-
pine under head of trustees" by adding
that nothing shall be so construed as to give
the trustees any right to infringe upon the
rights of the pulpit in preaching the gospel or
general church work. Rev. W. NJ. Strayer,
in short but pointed speech, offered sub
stitute to add to the item provided the trus
tees shall not deny the use of the church TO
any branch of christian work recognized by
the several conferences" The substitute was
adopted.
The resolution recommending that Presi-
| dents OF Christian Endeavor Societies be made
members OF the quarterly conferences was
recommitted aud afterward taken up and
amended by sending overtures to the various
annual conferences.
An inquiry from DR.. L. j. Drinkhouse re-
vealed the fact that no reply had been re-
ceiyed from the fraternal message sent to the
General Conference of the NJ. E. Church.
The Secretaries of the General Conference
were appointed a committee to publish jour
nails of the conference session.
The Committee on Fraternal Relations in
troduced to the Conference Rev. L. +. Col
bourne, of Lynchburg, Va, recently appoint.
ed Missionary Secretary, who thanked the
body for the honor conferred upon him.
The question of the meeting of the next
General Conference was then discussed. Rev.
W. G. Veal, of Fort Worth, Texas, made
strong speech in favor of that place. DR.. D.
! s. Stephens and Mrs. st. John made appeals
for Kansas City.
Rev. w. NJ. Strayer favored the Kansas in
vitation on the grounds that some of the body
were yet afraid of the women and would like
the Conference to meet there so that they can
get better acquainted with them.
Rev. j. T. Howell, President of the Ala
bama Conference, sent an urgent communl-
cation from Montgomery, requesting the next
| Conference to meet in that city.
| On motion of Rev. j. f. Dyer the vote was
taken by ballot and resulted as follows: Kan
sas City, 40; Montgomery, %; Fort Worth,
| 10.
The committee on thanks, Messrs. W. II.
Bentley and Z. T. Molyneaux, submitted a
paper expressing the gratitude of the confer
enee to the people Of Westminster, to the
pastor, Rev. A. D. Melvin, and the trustees
ofthe church, to the Baltimore and Westmins-
ter newspapers, to DR.. Herring, president of
the conference, to Secretaries Cowan, Elem
ing and Stultz, to the railroad companies and
to Willard Melvin, j. D. Grant, Jr., and
Edgar Hollen, conference pages.
The consideration of the report of the COM
mittee on revision of the articles Of faith was
postponed to the next general conference.
Owing to the failure of number of annual
conferences to send in their journals the com
plete statistical reports were not made.
Thirty.six out of forty. seven conferences re-
ported 1907 itinerant ministers, 989 unsta
toned ministers and preachers, ID, 1874 mem.
bels, 3S2 probatoners, 2,084 churches 400
parsonages and church property valued at
1914, 399.
Maryland Conference reported $50 itinerant
ministers, 6S unstationed ministers and
preachers, Is, S61 members, 1,434 probation
ers. 257 churches, 76 parsonages, and church
property valued at 81, 055, $3.50.
Rev. I. B. Graham, of Ohio, and r. I.
Pickens, of North Carolina, were elected as
fraternal messengers to the next meeting Of
the Primitive Methodist Conference at Day
ton, Ohio.
Rev. B. f. Duggan, of Tennessee, and DR..
| w NJ Davis IF Mississinni were elected