Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-10

of which took the vote. In the New
York east district there are 10 churches,
81 Of which took the vote. In the New
York district there are "a churches, So
of which took the vote. The New Haven
district has 81 churches, II of which
took the vote. The churches which
failed to vote were in every case among
the smallest in the conference The re-
suit of the vote was 1893 for admitting
women, and 1919 against the proposal.
Sufficient interest was not taken in
the question in all parts of the country
to bring out thoroughly representative
vote. great many churches refrained
altogether from passing on it, while sew
eral conferences failed to report what
action, if any, they had taken. 1t is in
teresting, however, to note that the re-
turns from 337 presiding elders districts
show $4,000 votes in favor of the
women TO 109,033 against, the majority
being 73,24S. The total vote cast was
only 291, 3l4 out of 1881 1874 members
reported. On the basis that the member
ship Of the entire church was $500, 900,
1t was estimated that at least 100000
would be entitled to vote under the con-
dition of being 81 years of age or over.
Applying the same proportion to the
membership of the districts above men
toned, it will be seen that the vote
brought out was very small.
The leader of the advocates of the adj
mission of women is Miss Frances i.
Willard of the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union. The opposition is led
by the Rev. DIR. James Nj. Buckley of
the Christian Advocate
The other question referred to as likely
to cause another split in the church is
one which the colored members of tile
denomination have been agitating for
some time. They want representation
OF a kind different from that which the
women arc demanding. They argue
that their numbers entitle them to secre-
taryships and similar offices in the great
societies of the church. They also de-
clare that one of their number ought to
be honored with an election to the
Episcopacy. There is no likelihood that
their appeal will be favorably answered
by the conference and there is there
fore, danger that they will withdraw
from the church, and either go into one
of the many Methodist denominations
for colored people, where they will not
~ ~ SUN % oubpietiHutC pOaltlOu do
now, or form a new church for them
selves.
The next question of importance that
the General Conference will have to
take up is that concerning the Episco-
pacy. In some quarters there is a
conviction that there should be an in
crease in the number of bishops, and
there may be an election Of additional
bishops, as some of the aspirants are
likely to push the matter very strenu-
ousiy in the conviction that their
chances of election will not be as good
four years hence.
Another mooted question concerning
the Episcopacy is that of the abolition
of the presiding elderships and the
establishment of diocesan bishops, as in
the Protestant Episcopal church. Then
there is talk also of making the presid-
ing elderships elective, and of limiting
the term of office of the bishops, who
are now elected for life
There is only one missionary society
in the Methodist Episcopal church. It
is possible that the General Conference
will be asked TO divide il into two
home and foreign.