The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-01

OMAHA, Neb., May 26.-"Blest Be the
Tie That Binds" was the hymn sung at the
opening of the last day of the methodist
episcopal conference this morning. Bishop
Fitzgerald was in the chair. Bishop Tay-
lor has been and is very much averse to
taking his salary out of the missionary
funds. He holds that this will cripple
the work in Africa if taken as an indica-
ton that the missionary society is obliged
TO support the missionary bishops.
The committee on the state of the
church reported in favor of the appoint
ment of a commission consisting of three
bishops, three ministers and three laymen
10 consider the ACCESSIBILITY OF the organic
union of all the methodist churches in the
United States. The report was adopted.
Endorsements asked for the Rocky Noun
tain Advocate of Denver and the Nebraska
Christian AdUocate of Omaha were re-
corded but stirred up hot fight
Dr. Buckley made q vehement speech,
In which he declared it unfair for certain
localities TO be permitted to support
private papers with the general confer
.snce Endorsement, and. at the same time,
10 receive s propOrtionate share OF the
funds distributed by the official papers.
Dr. Maxfied of Omaha charged that
some of the high officials in the confer
snce, who had been elected by the unan-
lrnous vote of the conference, were abusing
their high position by striking blow at
the brethren OF Omaha, who had been the
willing servants Of the conference for a
whole month. He declared that an effort
l.. . - - . h
Omaha paper.
An effort was made by the book COM
Inittee to make it more difficult for the
Independent church papers to get the in
dorsement of the annual conferences. DIR.
Earl Cranston made vigorous speech in
favor of taking better care OF official
papers.
1t was clean fight between the friends
of the official papers and the INDEPENDENT
= papers. The former wanted it made nee
essary for private church papers to get the
Endorsement of two annual conferences
before they could have an editor elected
By an annual conference. This PROPOSE
ton was vigorously combatted by the
friends of the private papers. The whole
question was finally laid on the table.
Editor Moore and the Women.
DR.. D. H. Moore made adesperate effort
TO get the woman question before the con-
ference He moved that the rules be sus-
pended to take up the discussion of the
admission OF women into the general con-
ference. The motion to suspend the rules
requires a two-thirds vote. 1t failed to
carry. The galleries were filed with women
who appeared to be very much disap-
pointed. The woman question had to
wait the regular order.
H. 20 81
privilege. he announced that Nebraska
minister had contributed 81 900 to the
deacOns' cause and another, g very wealthy
man. had authorized him to say that he
would contribute 81 100000 for missions
during his life. This statement was re-
eeived with applause.
The committee on missions then brought
In a ret hot report on the attitude OF the
church with relation to polvgamy 1t de-
clares that the church should under no
circumstances admit any one who has not
entirely abandoned the practice OF polyg-
amy. Adopted.
On motion of DR.. Bristol the conference
congratulated the L. s. congress upon the
action taken a few DAYS ago bv which the
S5,000,000 appropriation to the worlds tair
was conditioned upon the proposition that
no intoxicating liquors shall be sold on
the grounds.
A Talk About 'Laymen."
Now at last the woman question got into
the conference. The judiciary committee
reported that the word "laymen" in the
discipline did not mean both sexes, but
that it had reference TO men only. The
committee did not mean 70 take the
ground that women should not be ad-
mitted, but simply that the word lay
men" as it was placed in the discipline
years ago, did not include women.
DR.. ID. III. Moore, the women s champion,
got the floor and offered a substitute, de-
elaring that the plan of lay delegation was
not a constitutional question but il might
pc decided by the action of the general
conference and, therefore, that the gen
Sral conference might decide the right 10
admit women to the general conference
without constitutional change. He held
further that the word 'laymen" did mean
women as well as men. The term might
have-been applied only to men at the time
the words were adopted, but by justice and
Fight the term oughtto be applied to both
men and women.
Or. KyDett did not agree with the re-
port. He held that the word "laymen"
| meant both men and women.
DR.. Hamilton offered a substitute pro-
viding that the annual conferences should
vote upon the proposition to make the
| word ''laymen" mean men only and, in
case the proposition was not carried by a
two-thirds, vote then the word ''laymen'
should thereafter mean both men and
women. This was great hit. It was re-
reiyed with hearty applause.
DIR. BuckIey's Views
Dr. J. NJ. Buckley rolled ont vigorous
speech, going to show that the word clay
men" never had meant women" He
held also that the church had never been
ordained by the methodist church. He
wanted the women to come in early if they
came at all. Drs. Hamilton and Moore,
he said, were trying TO get the women into
the conference by a trick. If this effort
succeeded it would place a stain upon the
record of the men who presented such a
scheme and would be a questionable right
granted TO the women. There was great
applause at the close OF his speech, min
gled with cries of mo. No" by the friends
OF the women.
Dr. Field of Philadelphia held that the
admission of women WOuld drive the