Evening journal., 1892-05-03
ONE CENT
THE METHODISTS MEET
Opening Of the Big Conference
at Omaha.
IAYMEE RECEIVE SEPARATE SEATS

They Wish to Get Out from Under Too
Strong Ministerial Influence and Sue
! oeed In Their Attempt After q Spirited
Debate a whole Day Long.
OMAHA, May s--The twenty fourth quad
rennial conference OF the Methodist Episco-
pal church was called 70 order at Boyd's
Opera house. Bishop Bowman and DR.. S.
Monroe were elected permanent secretaries.
The entire morning session was devoted TO
discussion Of the proposition to seat the
lay delegates separate from the clergy.
During the discussion DR.. John Lanahan
said be wished TO congratulate the laymen
upon the demand He believed that the
laymen would have more influence and
power in the conference by being seated
separately
The Appearance Of Antagonism.
Mr., Sinke, of Kentucky, vigorously COM
bated the idea Of separate seating. II do
not congratulate the laymen upon this de-
mand for separate seating said Mr.. Sinkle.
~ know that we had the meetings the
other night and n out Of about 100 laymen
voted for the separate seating They
WAnAcu lnt anu tut hodNH ntlhNttu-
Some thought they should be called sheep
and lambs want to plead for the lambs.
want the laymen and ministers seated to-
gether. / want the advice of the ministers,
and want the ministers 70 get advice occa-
sionally from the laymen II we are seated
separately il will have the appearance Of
antagonism."
Lost Their Individuality.
lay delegate, said that they were glad TO do
honor 60 the ministers, but they wanted to
be- seated by themselves for the influence il
would give In the conference. They had
lost their individuality heretofore, as nine
teen laymen had been interpersed between
over 900 ministers One advantage the pro-
posed order Of things would give would be
the possibility Of comforting together. They
merely wanted 10 be placed on an equality
with the ministers.
y Mr.. Field, Of Pennsylvania, said that there
was no thought Of arousing antagonism be-
tween the laymen and the ministers. The
desire was 20 create closer union by placing
the laymen where they could do the most
for the interests they represented.
DR.. J. M. Buckley, of New York city,
| then took the floor. He said the object OF
\ giving laymen representation In the con-
ference was to secure the assistance of the
laymen In the framing Of the laws Of the
church. Had the laymen been given fair
chance 90 exercise equal power with the
ministersl DR.. Buckley thought not He
! recounted the history OF the conference
legislation upon the subject, and held that
the laymen had been handicapped by fail
ing TO get a separate vote in the conference
when they bad demsndsa !.
The Layin8n Victorious. -~ssS
'Nine-tenths Of the laymen," said DR..
Buckley, "attend but one general confer.
ence, but the ministerial delegates usually
! 90 TO conference after conference, and the
bishops who preside know them The bish-
ops are not acquainted with the laymen,
I and when they arise on the floor Of the con-
ference along with half dozen ministers,
what is the resultl
"Ihe presiding officer usually recognizes
some ministerial delegate, and the layman
sits down
DR.. Lewis c. Curtis, OF Chicago said that
It was simply a question Of privilege for the
laymen and not OF compulsion. II they
wanted TO sit by themselves the ministers
could not do less than 10 grant their re-
! quest.
After long wrangle the conference de-
cided TO allow lay delegates who 80 desired
to select seats separate from the ministerial
delegates