Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-19
SECOND DAYS WORK
Of the Universalist General Conven-
ton in Session in This City.
NO MORE BIENNIAL CONGRESSES
Instead Conferences viii Be Held
in Different Sections.
REPORT OF COMMITTEES.

REPORT OF COMMITTEES.
Inc second days sessions of the Unit
versalist general convention began this
morning at the Church OF Our Father.
corner of 18th and streets. The program
for the day includes three meetings. AZ
the one this evening a number OF important
addresses will be made The others wer.
devoted almost entirely to the consideration
OF the business Of the Universalist Church
body.
The session this morning began as usual
with prayer and praise service, which
was conducted by Rev. w. S. Milburn OF
Baltimore Several matters vital 70 the
welfare Of the church were acted upou
during the morning order. These came up
In the form OF a series of reconmenda lions
from the committee on official reports. TO
"hlch committee are referred all the re-
ports that come UP before the convention.
Perhaps the most important matter of the
morning was the conclusion of the conven-
ton to give up the system that now pre-
walls in the Universalist Church of holding
a biennial congress. In it's stead they de-
cided to hold two or more, probably four.
conferences In different sections OF tins
country.
peSe scnetne OF church govern
ment IN TINS denomination includes the
hoioine OF biennial convention, like the
one now in session in this city. This is the
highest legislative body of the church-like
the general assembly Of the PRESBYTERIAN
Church During the intervening years q
congress is held. not for legislative pur-
poses, but for the development OF the moral
spiritual and Intellectual welfare Of the
church. Owing TO the question OF expense
ana time involved in reaching one point
which Is, of course. remote and difficut OF
access for many of the members. this con-
gress has never seemed ass largely at
tended or successful as Il ought to be. For
some time past the church has been con-
sidering the advisabiiity OF substituting for
this one general gathering four or more
conferences in different sections of the
country. This proposed change was formu-
lated by the board Of trustees. and was ia
vorably acted upon by the convention this
morning.
Lively Incident.
The morning session began with q devo-
tionai service. and after reading the roll
call and disposing Of some preliminary mat
tiers the regular business Of the day was
taken up. There was q rather lively incident
between the chairman and Rev. Mr.. Shinn.
the first that has broken into the regular
routine of the convention.
The question at issue arose directly after
the roll call. when Mr.. Shinn arose and
moved that Mr.. s. B. Mcwhorter OF West
Virginia be admitted as q delegate TO the
convention. President Netcah ruled the mo-
ton out of order. as this was business that
should go through the usual channel-the
committee on elections.
But the committee refuses to act said
.arhe committee can be called TO account
IL they have not done what they should.
but this does not properly come before the
But Mr.. McWhorter was turned back on
the mere shadow Of q technically ana 1
request the opportunity OF making . or0
explanation"
Mr.. Shinn was given two minutes to make
his explanation, In the course OF which ne
outlined the methods by which the gentle
man had been chosen to represent his par
ish in this convention. Apparently Lnefe
was some irregularity, but this. MI. Shinn
explained would all be cleared up as soon
as possible. There wss some question as TO
regularly received into the fellowship.
The matter was left in this condition
while a report was heard from the COM
m:ttee on elections. which had been IN ses.
The report included q Recommendation that
Mr. Mcwhorter be granted the privileges OF
the floor as a guest, but not a. q regularly
accredited delesate; He would NOT oe a. A.
vitation OF the chairman.
This report again gave rise TO some niue
discussion as to the status OF sninnston
parish from which the much discussed gen
tIeman came. During the course OF the ar
gument Dr. Capen. president OF Tufts Col
iege, Massachusetts, and chairman OF the
fellowship COMMITTEES. exP,ainea t n,,,L,, sne
" rested on the other one. whether or not
this parish had been received into full fell
lowship, and this was question that n
81
Papers had been received In the case OF the
gentleman from West Virginia purporting
to be signed by a gentleman who represent
ed Missouri on the moor OF thus oody ana NV
ed in Galesburg, Ill
The report of the committee on elections
was divided into two parts. one including
the case OF Mr.. McWhorter. and the other
including the balance of the report Both
were adopted, and the gentleman was CIV
en- a seat with the understanding that this
would I'm no wise prejudice his claims 70 fun
membership in the congress. The conven-
ton then passed on to the consideration OF
the report from the committee on official
reports, presented by the chairman. Rev.
MIR. Gibbs.
OMcial Reports.
The first clause Of the report recommsnd-
ed the adoption OF the reports OF the board
Of trustees and OF the treasurer. The
second clause recommended that under the
auspices of the board Of trustees the bien-
NAL congress be abandoned and that its
place be taken by four or more conferences
to be held at such times and places - the
board might think best This clause was
recognized as one OF considerable import
and a number of the delegates were given
an opportunity to express their views as
to the desirabiiity of the proposition before
Il was acted upon The Recommendation
was amended SO as to read two or more
conferences. In the discretion OF the board
of trustees" The Recommendation. as
amended, was unanimously adopted.
The third recommendation was that the
Sunday schools under the convention be
asked to make a regular contribution for
missionary purposes. This was carried
The fourth referred to the pushing of the
church into new and unoccupied helds. es-
pecially in the west Carried The fifth
recommended the continuance of the mis-
sionary work in Japan. Carried The sixth
recommended that no change be made In
the methods Of apportioning aid to theo-
logical students. Carried. The seventh re-
ferred to the treatment of the scholarship
funds of the church; the eighth involved
consideration Of a plan for raising funds
for missionary purposes. in line with the
plan of graduated contributions suggested
by the board of trustees. This latter clause
was adopted and the seventh was laid upon
the table, pending its consideration.
Questions Of Finances.