Morris tribune., 1892-06-01
CLOSING SESSION.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF METHOD
lSTS AT OMAHA ADJouRNS.

Many Important Subjects Considered Dur
ing the Twcnty-six Days sessioa-Ths
Question of Women Delegates Referred
to the Annual Conferences.
OMAHA, Neb., May 26.-The general
conference of the Methodist Episcopal
church came to an end at 2:20 p. M,
after session of twenty-six days. In
that time much legislation has been
cleared away and ON whole the work
of the conference has been productive of
much good. The most important ques-
tons considered during this session were
the report of the constitutional commit
tee ON the revision of the constitution
and discipline. After four days this i'm
portant matter was indefinitely post
poned and as no commission or commit
tee was appointed before adjournment,
nothing will be done toward revising
the laws of the church before the next
general conference in 1896. The next i'm
portant question which, by the way, was
Setlleu SiS lti tlS eiio SSIOAtel SoiilSlStiSO
is concerned, was equal representation
of lay and ministerial delegates. The
next important step was the women's
question which after hard fight re-
suited in a slight victory for the ladies.
A resolution requiring that in order to
constitutionally settle the matter prop
osition be referred to the annual confer
ences whereby the words ''who shall be
men only" shall follow the words clay
delegates" wherever they appear in the
plan of lay delegates. In order to in
tercept the words in that manner, three
fourths of the annual conferences must
so vote and if they SO vote then the two
thirds of the next general conference must
concur in that Interpretation. 1t will
thus be seen that the women who con-
troll a majority of the conferences will
win the day in the next general confer
ence, although they will not be able to
be seated until eight years hence.
The refusal to increase the number of
bishops or to locate residence in Eu-
rope and Japan. We're other features of
impor lance. The proposed change in
the discipline relating to amusements
died, failing to be brought before the
conference, as also did the resolution of
DR.. Hanlon asking the church to put it.
self on record in reference to it's position
in the controversy between capital and
labor. Despite the assertion of the bish-
ops that the church has no place in poll
tics, the conference adopted the report
of the committee on temperance, which
pledged to support all organizations
banded together to suppress the
liquor traffic and which was
implied to mean an Endorsement
Of the Prohibition party. Later on
a resolution declaring that the confer
ence did not construe it's adoption of the
report to bind it to any political party
passed without dissent. The church put
itself On record as favoring the worlds
fair and favoring ample appropriations
only on conditions that the gates should
be closed on Sunday and that no intoxi-
eating liquors be sold on the grounds.
It further appointed commission to
determine the advisability of participant
ng in general religious exhibit and to
engage in one if found practicable. The
5pworth league was made constitu-
ional part of the church and is now the
only recognized society of young people
n the church. A series of resolutions
the Chinese exclusion law
ind calling, upon congress to amend it
~ striking out the addition to the laws of
1882 was adopted. Committee on bound
'ries located the boundaries of the general
conference districts making the Georgia
md Philadelphia districts square, re-
moving the gerrymander of years ago.