The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-12
METHODIST CONFERENCE.
IMPORTANT MATTERS JHAT CAME BE-
FORE 7HE BODY YESTERDAY.
Movement to Secure to the Bishops anS
Clergy Permanent uones-A Report on
the Constitution and Lay Members.

| the Consultation and Lay Members.
OMAHA. May 11.-Dlshop Joyce presided over
| to-day's session OF the Methodist Conference.
Dr.. Gray OF Philadelphia offered the following:
"Whereas There is q profound and wide
| spread conviction among our preachers and
| people that the efficiency OF the cpiscopacy
will he greatly increased. and the growth OF
| the Church and her institutions greatly pro-
| noted 10y the assignment OF each Bishop to a
prescribed territory for a period OF years. and.
Whereas. The general supervision Of the
| whole work by the Bishops severally is practi-
| cally impossible:
"Resolr-d. That tho Committee OF Eplsco-
| pacy shall consider and report to the General
| Conference on or before May II. upon the adj
visibility Of dividing tho territory into as
| many episcopal districts. less one. as there
are effective Bishops at the close OF this Cen
eral Conference. said districts to be COM posed
| in as far as practicable OF contiguous con-
| ferenccs.
"Rcsclced. That such divisions shall leave
| the senior Bishop without a prescribed dis
trict. that he may preside at conferences in
case OF death or disability of any Bishop. That
the Board Of bishops shall so arrange the
| work as to assign the same Bishop to the
supervision OF the same district during the
period Of four years."
This resolution was inspired by the Bishops.
as they believe in modifying the rules on itin-
eracy in order to allow tho Methodist clergy
to secure a permanent home In order to give
the ministers the same chances. Dr.. Webb Of
east Ohio offered this resolutions:
" Whereas. There are circumstances which
clearly show that the time limit in our pas
torate works seriously against its fullest use-
fulnsss: and.
Whereas. The annual appointment secures
ell needful check and safeguard to our itln-
eracy
"Eesoired. That the Conference remove tho
time limit from the pastorates for the interest
and good of the Church"
Both OF these resolutions were referred with
out debate. but. from the evident, pleasure
they gave. it is evident that they will be heard
from agaIn with q favorable report.
rortance. One Of them looked to the curtatl-
ment of membership on com mittees. the pres
ent bodies proving unwieldy. Another spoke
OF the CROWN: dtscontent among the church
quarters TO kneel at prayers. many electing To
Keep their seats. The resolution asks that
obligatory for all members. from the wealth.
est TO the hnmblest to kneei In prayer,
The lay delegates. through John Field OF
hs sa 5ha IN
ha Seen but he eder
terences are not SO favored. 1t calls attention
/ TO tina TACT tEaI lUS olEeT conferences are rep
resented in the ratio Of one lay delegate to
2d,s+l membS,s. while the new conferences ace,
have 9n9 dsieKa,s ,h;s 49, S The
died bv giving the laymen equal voice in the
Conference. rs the Methodist Church is the
Com n ttce On Equal Representation.
A smile PASSED over the Assembly when i
sours Of Il law study in Colleges to r,s
preachers knowledge OF judiciary was III
~ II ifi.a cansad c,ns dara hlo m arr;rant NV
offering q resolution asking that the Confer
ence resolve that members shall remain in
Ieuedction reyerentiy. and SO to, their dinner
decsn,!y DR.. Foster moved to lay it on tho
hastily aross and defended his resolution.
saying that US tAis was picked bocy Of men
Of the vote to the
| unruly from the decent. and amid much laugh:
| ter. 1t was announced that the unruly carried
| the day. and tho delegates will do as they
4 resolution asking that seven Bishops. lve
| tend the General Conference Of the NJ +.
| Church South and lay before 1t the action OF
s CT Ib :ng h ,h Isegss tn:
God will he increased by the organization Of
the Church north and South. was referred to a
The col'Iret delegates offered a resolution
that the co!2red members OF the church e1-
ate the rumors that the colored people are
trying TO effect Segregation and organize a
Church OF ttelr own. i MS brought I'D q de.
bate in the colorrd ranks which finally ended
in the PAPER being referred to a committed:
The Committee on Episcoracy asked and re-.
more. Bishops. Tho report of the Constitu.
tional Commissiol was then taken w. and
It. Bishop Merrill said that ono duty was to
ascertain what 6. u tt tSo organic law q the
them as one and the same thing.
Tho committee reached the conclusion that
Nh.,. aft md l,s.,-
one the organic law OF the Church. the other
the con stitut ional law Of the Conference. The
Gomsmls $40 nna defined the constitution It
Commission found soma difficulty in applying
the q 3r e, ,, Law to LIS pronsr sphere IVA
We designated the Articles Of Faith and tho
Iorated the con stitution OF the General Con-
ference as portion Of the organic law for tho
The. Church in General Convention in 1903
adopted the constitution. In IS 3. without
cnni!tense and by common consent; this was
lenGed: but in that year a discussion was
Conference TO admit lay, deleSates BY major:
ity VOTE. The GENERAL Conference Of 1872
S aHa 81 aIth 5 and power
The Blsh2P held that the action Of the Con.
cill procedure. and that 1t did something it
was not formally authorized to do. and that
something was the introduction Of the plan OF
the lay delegates. which, it was pn!awfully in
mission, however, did not take the view that
II was an unlawful assembly.
assume that 1t was the intention OF tho
Conference OF 1868 to c!oths tho Conference Of
is.2 VIII. institution, making powers in Or;
that the Conference OF 1872 did something
which II was empowered to do BY tho precad-
ing Conference, but it did not do 1t in proper
form: Wepronopnce no Illegally on tn" act
Of iST|. II you desire to do go, that is your
rlEht. Il YOU strike out that which the Con;
ference d ID IN 1872. then you are again at sea"
Hardly hal Bishop Merrill closed when at
least thirty men arose and simultaneously eH-
. Dr. Brl6geman WAS successful. but all over
nopts " o Sssegates kent Their let and
quests, DC; were Tired at the Chair. But
finally the Doctor succeeded In putting In an
amendment declaring IN snbstance that all
that mas gone through the three; foprths nro-
cess - constitution, and that which has not
gone through tina. Process Is not constitution:
striking ont the clause providing for the mum.
prly Ilr hal