The Helena independent., 1892-05-12
THE METHODIST CONFERENCE.
Earnest Efforts Made tn Unite the Church
North and sauth.

N0rIh ana south.
OMAHA, May u.--Bishop Joyce presided
at the Msthodiat conference to-day. The
committee on the centennial OF the general
conference reported recommending that
special service bo held ~ centennial service
May II, and that efforts be made TO collect
facts connected with the conference OF 1892,
as tho official journal Of that conference
has been lost. A resolution was adopted to
appoint committee to meet delegates to
the Presbyterian general assembly who
pass through Omaha on the way
to Portland, Oregon. and in
vito them to visit the general conferences.
A resolution removed to havs the time
limit OF itineranoy was referred to the COM
rnittse on that subject. A resolution for
the appointments OF 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 revision Of discipline. A resolution
two branches OF the church, north and
south, was referred to tho committee on
state of the church amid applause. The
conference then took up the report of tho
commission on constitution, postponed
from yesterday, and Bishop Merrill pro-
sion at large.
Bishop Merrill said the commission was
not unit in making the report; tho report
was the opinion and conclusion of the
majority. II had reached the conclusion
that the organic lay of the church and the
constitution ef the general conference were
separate and distinct parts OF the ehurch
law. The fundamental law Of tho church
was found to be, regardless OF religion, the
general rule of the united society and tho
constitution of the general conference.
Bishop Merrill then reviewed the adoption
or tho law BY which lay delegates were ad-
mitted to the general confet tence. which
was passed at the session Of 1868.
1T is generally oenceded," said he, "that
the conference of 1872 ovsrstepped it's au-
thority in changing that part Of the disci-
pline affecting representation, which CON
ference had not authorized it to change.
The constitution really should remain AZ it
was in 1868, with the exception Of those
changes which were lawfully made" In
closing his explanation tho bishop said it
is for this conference to decide whether the
act Of tho conference Of 1879 was or was not
legal act. The commission had no right
to pass upon it.
DR.. Hammond offered an amendment to
the report to make all those acts constitu-
tional which had been supported by two
thirds vote OF the church in accord with
tho restrictive rule, but that all other parts
should not be considered part of the con-
stitution. DR.. Quoal spoke vigorously in
favor Of putting the seal Of approval upon
those things done in accordance with the
restrictive rules. but not TO approve any,
thing that had not been done with due
authority. DR.. j. II. Hamilton said this
was looking backwards. The CON
ference should look at the whole situa-
tion under the light Of the present day.
He hoped to see it take up the matter
calmly with view to agreement upon
something definite and tangible that could
be settled for all time. The conference
he thought. should also decide what was
meant by laymen. Did it mean only men,
aa DR.. Buckley said, or did it mean both
men and women? This should be made
definite BY this conference before the
women themselves got into the conference
to debate the question.
The committee on episcopacy held an
other meeting this afternoon at the First
Methodist churoh, at which the question of
changing tho episcopal residences now To-
Gated at Buffalo, Topeka, Fort Worth and
Cincinnati to other places caused
quite heated discussion. A sub
committee brought in a report favor
ing the establishment of an episcopal
residence at Detroit and Seattle, or some
other point in Washington, also in Europe
and japan. The subcommittee on the etfi-
cienoy of the bishops reported all present
bishops capable of doing their work. and in
the opinion Of the subcommittee there
should be no more bishops elected at pres
ent. After lengthy discussion the COM
mittee adjourned until Friday without
reaching q conclusion.