Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-05-26

The general conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church now in session at Omaha
has considered a number OF issues Of great
interest, and its proceedings are being care
fully watched by the public in general
The conference has decided against Chinese
exclusion in this country as likely to i'm
peril the cause of lives of missionaries in
China and has spoken in vigorous language
against this measure. Equally emphatic is
the position taken with reference
to the public schools, as shown
by the adoption of two resolu-
tions upon this subject. The
first urged an amendment to the constitu-
ton of the United States, providing for the
protection of the public schools against
religious and sectarian entertainments of all
and any kind whatever, and that the atti-
tude which religious bodies may sustain to
the public school be clearly defined. The
second resolution declared that the appro-
priation of money by the national govern
ment for ecclesiastical education was out of
harmony with the principles Of the consti-
tuition, and that the churches should refuse
to receive money from the government for
the education of the Indians. DR.. James
NJ King, who offered these resolutions, es-
pecially deprecated the granting of govern
Inent aid to church schools among the In
dians, and urged that the whole contract
system lie as rapidly as possible wiped out.
1t is significant that both these resolutions
were unanimously and enthusiastically
| adopted.
Ia, /. lo,l
are those concerning the eligibility OF
women TO certain positions and the subject
Of dancing, y resolution asking that
women be admitted to full participation in
the doings of the general mission committee
was referred without discussion, but its
introduction brings to the front the
woman question discussion OF
which is sure to enliven the
proceedings of the convention at an early
time. luasmuch as women do large share
Of the church work, it would seem to be fair
TO give them voice in the management of
some OF the church interests, but the com,
lnittee may discover objections to this.
The question OF mixing terpsichorear
! gGyety with piety was called up by a me.
mortal from the Troy conference, of which
the burlington district forms no unimport,
ant part. Tho memorial petitions the en-,
eral conference to expunge from the discip
line section PAP, relating to amusements, or,
at least, asks that it be modified so thai
dancing may be permissible. The memorial
Is signed by Rev. William W. Foster Joe
W. Eaton, William II. Hughes, John W
Thompson, Z. r. Stevens, L. w. Sawyer,
and several others, all of New York. 1t i:
stated that Bishop Foster Of Boston, ap,
proves the movement aud has given it hi:
official sanction, and viii no doubt advocate
it's adoption. The memorial is now
in tho hands of the committee on discipline,
to whom it was referred and the report oil
the committee win be looked for with nc
little interest The propricty of dancing
has come to be largely question of sur.
roGadinGs and associations aud it is not un-
likely that the general conference may LOOK
upon it in this light.
TIE attitude Of this great denomination
on the above and other questions to be con