The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-05-13
METHODISTS IN CONFERENCE.
Proceedings of the Twenty-fourth Quad
renniaI Conference of the Methodist
Church at Omaha. Neb.

the Methodist church met at Omaha on May 2
| with all the bishops of America, representa-
| tiyes from every conference in the United
| States and many from abroad present The
meeting of this conference every four years is
q great event in the history of the church and it
usually remains in session several weeks. A
| bishop presides each day, and the conference is
/ composed OF the bishops and clerical and lay
delegates. This body legislates for the entire
church and its proceedings are of unusual inter-
| est The conference was called TO order on the
first day by Bishop Bowman, who presided for
| the day DR.. David s. Monroe was chosen sec
rotary. The proceedings were entirely prelim-
mary, the status of lay delegates only being
| discussed.
THE second days session Of the Quadrenn
| conference May 81 was presided over by Bish-
| op Merrell- Soon after the journal was read a
| dispute arose over the seating of delegates.
Some of the seats that had been set aside for
| the lay delegates who'wished 10 be seated apart
from the ministers. had been taken by minis
terial delegates and q heated discussion arose
over the question of compelling the ministers
TO Yacate. This discussion caused the pos tpone-
ment of the Quadrennial address by Bishop
Foster. At the afternoon session Bishop Foss
presided and the report Of the commission on
constitution was heard Among other things
suggested by the commission was q
change in the arrangement of the
discipline No material change
was recommended in the rules or in the word
ing of the discipline, but the commission
thought the book could be arranged TO much
better advantage The report also recon-
mends that no annual conference should be
organized with less than thirty travelling min
listers and that the concurrent vote of three
fourths of the delegates OF all the annual con-
ferences be sufficient to authorize the general
conference TO make changes in the organic law
of the church, committee consisting OF one
from each annual conference was appointed on
temperance and the overthrow of the liquor
traffic, and a committee Of equal size was ap-
pointed on the Epworth league.
AT the morning session OF the Methodist con-
ference on the 4th Bishop Warren presided
Bishop Foster delivered the quadrennial ad-
dress. After referring TO the fact that during
the past Quadrennial none of the bishops had
died or had suffered permanent disability, he
reviewed the work in foreign lands, showing
that it was in excellent condition all over the
world. No schsms. no dissensions had appe lred
in the past four years Since the last general
conference fully 4i2,0 C members have been add
ed, greater growth. than has ever been known
in the history of the church. The total number
of COMMITMENTS is now ,292,6 i4 The churches
have increased 26i in number with an increased
valuation of sls,321,32l. Contributions to all
missionary societies have increased S33I,lS
The address recommends higher education in
the ministry; dscountenances the continuation
of foreign languages and customs in the COun-
try: deprecates the legislation by congress TO
exclude the Chinese, and declares that the union
of the church north and south is drifting closer
together. Upon the admission of women TO the
general conference. the result WIS given as fol-
lows: Laity-For 235. GjS against I63, s43: min
isterial-For. 500, against, 49A The report
gave an exhaustive review of every branch of
the church work and recommended that great
care be exercised in procuring ministers
BISHOP WALDEN presided at the session of
the Methodist quadrennial conference on the
5th Immediately after the ending Of the de-
votional exercises the reports of the western
book agents and the board of trustees were re-
ceived. DR. Moore, of Cincinnati, offered
resolution asking for n committee Of fifteen on
judiciary TO consider all appeals and laws DIR.
Moore asked that the committee he appointed
by the conference instead of by the bishops. He
made the point that it is not good law for a
court of appeals 10 be appointed by body
whose acts are 10 be reviewed. DR.. Moores
action caused a sensation and sharply con-
tested fight was the result DIR. Buckley al
legged that the position of Dr. Moore was falla-
cious and defended the present manner Of ap-
pointing the committee. Dr. Pullman, of New
York, emphasized DR.. Moores points I'VE are
often accused. he said, ''of being under the gov
eminent of hierarchy, or arts tocratlc govern
ment and we must do something to disabuse the
public mind Of such accusations" DR.. Pull
man said that the church instead of ruling
itself vas ruled by n set of officers. In the ll3
members of the Episcopal board are but twenty
one pastors and four laymen and the others
draw salaries rs officers of the church These
eight eight consist of presiding elders, book
agents and others, non-presiding officers, or
over ninety per cent OF the board DR. Leon
ard. of Nebraska, further supported DIR.
Moore's substitute. He considered the dele.
gates the peers of the bishops After further
debate the resolution WIS amended TO meet OBJ
jectionS y motion for the appointment of
special COMMITTEES OF one clergyman and one
layman from each district and three Ia men nj
large to consider the equality of representation
in the conference was adopted.
IN the Methodist conference on the 9th Bishop
Mallaleu presided. The order of the dag was
the report of Bishop Thohurn, Of India AID
Malay Asia. The Methods: church. he said.
was teaching and preaching the gospel in India
and Malay Asia in thirteen different languages.
Bishop Thoburn's report gave n detailed ac-
count Of the work done in the three annual con-
fcrcnces the district conferences and the WON
ans conference in India. II stated that the
work in IndiI was in excellent condition but
the need was great The working force from
America had fallen OF some, but the work had
continued 10 grow. The membership had in
creased nearly 20 90 during the Guadrennial.
TIE Methodist Sunday schools of India now
have Il membership OF over 5000, an in ,rcaSC
Of 1900 during the four years past In the dar
schools the church hal 5000 native pupils CT
India. People by thousands were giving up
their idols and the native ministry was rapidly
increasing both in numbers ana efficiency. The
report warmly recommended the work of
women in the missions OF India. The Chinese
question was then debated at some length and
the discussion at TINES became quite warm.
Dr. Edwards, of Chicago. said it was political
measure. The bill. he added, was sop TO the
steerages now unloading OF Battery park, New
York. IT was rushed through democratic
house, passed by our noble senators and signed
by our well nigh unimpeachable president sole
" for political effect. DIR. Payne. of Cincinnati.
said the church should show that il was not
controlled by any partisan bias and that no po-
liticel party manages IL. He believed the con-
ference should show that il does not approve
such political measures. DR.. Leonard de-
nOunced the president and congress and said
that the Chinese had the same right here as any
other foreigners. He believed this confer
ence should take action In no uncertain
tone in relation to It. DR.. Buckley de-
nOunced all reference TO politics. saying that
the man who would try TO build up one party or
tear down another in this conference is nothing
but demagogue. Finally the matter was re-
ferred to a special committee. The afternoon
was given up TO committee work.
Missing From Topeka.
TOPEKA, Kan. May CIV. II. Myers,
a Topeka man, ~ years old, of German
descent. is missing from his home in
this city, and has not been seen since 10
o'clock Sunday night. when he was Wis