Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-21
METHODIST PROTESrANTs,
Opening of the General Conference at Wes
minister, Md.


minister, Md.
The general conference of the Methodist
Protestant church, which began its sessions at
Westminster, Nd, yesterday. elected DR.. J. W.
Herring of Westminster president. This a
departure from custom, but is not unprece-
denied
The woman question was brought up yester-
day before the convention had organized by
MIR. a. W. Robertson, lay delegate from Pitts
burg. He offered a resolution in which he
stated that as number of annual conferences
have elected women as delegates to this general
conference, and there being conflict of opinion
as to whether women are eligible to member
bership in the body, the credentials of the dele
gates-elect be referred toa special committee Of
five, appointed by the chair, whose duty it shall
be to examine the law on this question and re-
port as soon as practicable.
This was ruled out of order by DR.. Drinkbouse,
who was then presiding, and the matter was not
again referred to during the day. But three of
the delegates have arrived.
The convention organized after brief devo-
tional exercises conducted by Rev. DR.. G. B..
McElroy of Michigan by electing DIR. E. T..
Drinkhouse. editor OF the Methodist Protestant,
Baltimore, temporary chairman. A special COM
mittee, consisting of Rev. A. s. Hammond of
Baltimore, Will A. Strickler of West Virginia
and J. b. McLucas Of Muskingum. was APP
pointed to examine the credentials of the min
isterial and 10y delegates which had not already
been certified.
The election of permanent officers was the
first business of the afternoon. Nominations
for the Office of president were declared in order
for the first time in many years. MIR. T. b.
Appleget of New Jersey nominated Dr. Herring
of Westminster. Rev. J. A. Thrapp of Mus
kingum conference moved that the nominations
be closed, but this objected to, and Rev.
Webster VI. Strayer of Bucheystown moved 'in
order to exercise our mutual rights, the nomi-
nation of our beloved brother, DR.. Lawrence W.
Bates of Baltimore who is too well know hereto
need any eulogy.'
Mr. Thomas b. Appleget editor Of the High
town (N. j. Gazette and lay delegate from New
Jersey conference was also nominated. The
vote was taken and resulted as follows: Votes
cast, 81; necessary to a choice, 46. DR.. J. w..
Herring. so; DR.. l.. W. Bates. 30; T. Il. Apple
get. Z; F. T. Tagg, 2; E. j. Drinkhouse, /; B.
T. Duggan, 1; d. s. Stephens, /.
DIR. Drlnkhouse declared DIR. Herring to have
been regularly elected and appointed DIR. q. B.
McElroy to conduct him to the chair. DR..
Drinkhouse handing his successor the gavel
with his congratulations. Dir. Herring made a
short speech in accepting the position.
The secretaries were elected Immediately after
the president. Mr.. U. s. Fleming, principal of
the public school of Grafton. W. Va. who was
elected secretary of the Adrian general confer
ence of 1888, was nominated. as was also Mr.. L..
ID. Stultz of Glassboro'. n. j.. who was the as
sistant secretary at the last conference. but
these declined. Mr. J. L. Cowan of Pittsburg.
A. W. Robertson of Pittsburg and Will Stricken
OF West Virginia were nominated. The election
resulted: Cowan, So; Robertson, Is, and Strick-
Ter. Z.
Secretary Cowan appointed ex-Secretaries
Fleming and Stultz as his assistants
After some routine business such as adopting
rules of order, order OF business and determin-
ing the subjects on which committees are to be
appointed, the conference adjourned until to-
day