The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-22
METHODIST YOUNG PEOPLE
Controlo of the Epworth League Discussed
BY the Quadrennial Conference.
Drs. Hartzell and Hamilton Elected Secre-
taries of the Preedmen's Aid Society-Dr.
Briggs and the General Assembly.

lam Swlndels led the devotions. Speeches
on reports OF committees were limited to
five minutes. Bishop Andrews announced
that DR.. A. j. Kynett and DR.. w. A. Spencer
had been elected secretaries of the Church
Extension Society. A report from the conf
mittee on the Freedmen's Aid Society re-
commended the election of two secretaries
for the Freedmen's Aid Society instead of
one as heretofore. 1t was generally be-
lieved that DIR. Hartzelps chances for re-
election were in q critical condition.. and
that his friends saw the only sure
way TO save him was to have two score
taries. Instantly there was pandemonium.
Fifty men wanted simultaneously TO make
nominations. DR.. j. c. Hsrtzell. DR.. G. w.
Gray. Dr.. j. w. Hamilton. DR.. 6. NJ. Grand
ison. Rev. G. b. Mason and several others
were nominated. The cOlored men were
for Grandson. and for the second man
they were divided between DR.. j. T.. Hart
cell and Dr. j. w. Hamilton. After twenty
minutes of excitement the ballot was
Hartzell. 275; DR.. J. w. Hamilton. 237; DR..
q. w. Gray. 215; DR.. Z. NJ. Grandson, 1913;
Rev. NJ. G. Mason. IL. Drs. Hartzell and
Hamilton were declared elected.
The report upon the Epworth League
was taken up. 1t stated that the Epworth
League had at present 1000 local leagues.
with 400. 0U0 members. The report presents
an amendment to the Discipline providing
of the league. This amendment provided
for q board of control, consisting of fifteen
members. one of whom shall be q bishop.
10 also provides that the local league shall
be under the supervision and guidance of
the annual conferences with which they
are connected. The amendment also pro-
vides for the publication of the Epworth
Herald as the official organ. The execu-
tive office of the league is located at Chi
cago.
Dr.. j. f. Berry, editor of the Epworth
Herald, spoke briefly upon the adoption of
the proposed amendment. He said it pro-
vided that no young peoples society should
be disturbed by the amendment. When
the young people of q Methodist church
had a different organization this amend
nient wOuld not compel them to disband
aud organize an Epworth League. It was
hoped that the Methodist young people
League by organizing local branches OF the
league. rather than continuing In other
young peoples societies. But the amend
ment did not propose to be dictatorial to
she young people with regard to the mat
ter.
DR.. Nicely spoke upon the amendment.
He favored the plan of making the amend
ment an appendix to the Discipline rather
than to put itlin as a part of the Discipline.
The report was adopted seriatum. The
name of the organization was made 1.-The
Epworth League of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church." Several sharp discussions
took place over certain words or the Sec
tions. DR.. Eaton, of Detroit. moved an
amendment providing for the reOrganiza-
ton of Y. p. ). G. 4. aud other societies
connected with the Methodist Church,
making EpwOrth Leagues of them.
Dr.. Pullman. of New York. pleaded for
the Christian Endeavor societies. He held
that there were nearly two hundred thou
sand young people In the Methodist Church
~hn halonn rad m tho X0unn paoniafa Snefafv
of Christian Endeavor. He urged that the
conference deal gently and kindly with the
members of this society. They were
loyal. enthusiastic and intensely Christian.
1t would be wise to extend the hand of fell
lowship to them rather than to drive them
from their church by rlgId rules with re-
gard to the organization of the Epworth
Leagues.
Tue proposed amendment to the Disci-
pline was worded finally SO as to allow
young peoples societies not already or
iganiZed as Epworth Leagues to come in as
Epworth Leagues If they so desired.
certain section chan ged SO as to leave the
election of an editor of the EpwOrth Herald
In the hands of the board of control, rather
than to throw the election into the General
of o general secretary especially for the
league. He wanted the secretary of the
Eunday-school Union and Tract Society to
be the secretary of the Epworth League as
well.
Rev. Berry. DIR. Queal and others spoke
eloquently against this. They wanted the
Epworth League TO have q full and COM
petent equipment of officers separate and
apart from all other auxiliary departments.
Rev. DR.. Hays, of Tennessee. cOlored. here
arose to a question OF privilege and severe.
ly criticised Rev. Charles Parkhurst. ID. d..
editor of lions Herald. for what he deemed
offensive comment on the colored delegates
In that paper. The article complained of
touched upon the alleged overwhelming
propensity of the colOred brethren to
speech-making. A lively discussion fol.
lowed and DR.. Parkhurst explained that
he had written the article without lnten.
tion TO offend any one.
Then the conference settled down to the
consideration of the EpwOrth League re-
port again. III was decided to allow the
board of control to elect the secretary of
ference elect the editor of the Epworth
Herald. A long wrang took place over
the attitude the presiding elders and other
officers of the annual conference should as
sumo toward the young peoples societies
of Christian Endeavor and other young
peoples societies in the church not belong
ing to the Epworth League. 1t was finally
decided that all young peoples societies
connected with the church.. whether Ep-
worth League or not, should come under
the jurisdiction of a presiding elder.
The committees announcements were then
made anu the conference adjourned for the
uUl. Su1Qd1-ocuOO cxtICisoS WcIc uclu III
the afternoon, In which eminent speakers
and q great many children took part.
The matter of locating the conference
for 1926 is just now attracting a good deal
of attention. indianapolis and Cleveland
seem TO be the leading aspirants for the
honor of having the conference location.
1t is expected now that the conference will
adjourn next Thursday.
The Briggs Deresy Case.
PORTLAND. Ore. May 21.-There was no
session of the Genera Presby terrain Assem-
bly, to-day. Early this morning an ex-
cursion party left on a trip up the Column
bia river to the Cascades.
The judicial committee. before which the
Briggs case is to come and upon whose
finding and recommendations the assembly
will be called TO act. is by no means unan-
imous n apparently cannot be brought
to unite IN its findings. There will, it 10
said. certainly be q minority report and ,t
will be N favor OF the appellants in the
case. A member of the minority states
that not only Is the committee not likely
TO agree In Its finding but it is likely to be
quite discOrdant IN it's ions.
The question at present to be considered "a
not the merits of the case, but the tech
nicalIties involved. Prominent delegates
contend that the only question to
whether an appeal 10 In order.
TO prescribe the mode of procedure. The
member mentioned above went on to eriti-
else the work of the moderator in appoint
ing such b committee as he did. He said the