Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-04-04
METHODISTS IN CONFERENCE.
An Invitation to the White House Creates
Breeze,

In
An Invitation to the White House Creates
Breeze,
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 80
The Wesley an Female Institute
was to have been discussed at to
days session of the Baltimore
Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South. but
consideration was postponed till
Tomorrow.
Rev. S. G. Ferguson, of Fred
ericksburg, Va, conducted the
devotional exercises.
A report in the nature Of an
overture from the M. E. Church,
North, suggesting that the two
great branches Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church joins hands
in temperance work, was received
and referred to the Temperance
committee.
The overture suggested the
appointment of a committee of
seven by the Northern conting-
ent to meet a similar committee
from the religious bodies in the
State Of Maryland, and that these
committees shall issue a call for a
convention of the Christian peo-
pie of the State in the interest
of the suppression of the liquor
traffic.
The report was signed by
Messrs. A. J. Gill, J. G. Nichol-
son, R. NJ. Moore, J. F. Heisie,
T. P. Frost, W. G. Cassard and
G. G. Bacon.
Bishop Hurst. of the American
University, was introduced and
made d short speech, assuring the
conference that it had the sym
pathy of the entire Northern
church.
Two ministers were introduced
into the order of the elders, name
ly, E. B. Ordick and T. B. Atkins.
The even tenor Of the transac-
ton Of business was disturbed by
an unexpected incident.
The question had come up Of
accepting an invitation to the
White House, the President hav-
ing, through Secretary Thurber,
signified that il would be his pleas
ure to receive the members Of
the conference, their wives and
daughters, at l o'clock to-mor-
row.
Rev. ]. P. Hyde had made the
announcement and the conven-
ton was on the point of voting
to accept the invitation, when
Rev. John w. Tongue rose and
asked to be heard. He objected
to going to the White House to
pay their respects to the Presi-
dent. Although he expressed
himself in clear and strong words
it did not appear that Mr.. Tongue
had anything personal against
Mr.. Cleveland, but he urged that
it would be no disrespect to the
President if the conference
should refuse to go to see him.
He reminded the audience that
consistency was a jewel, and that
when the conference met in
Washington in 1875 during Pre-
sident Grants administrator the
only time before this the con-
ference had met here, by deli
berate vote they had refused to
go and pay their respects to
Gen. Grant.
Mr.. Tongue paid an eloquent
tribute las a Southern man to
the soil and the manner born,
speaking to Southern men, to
the character of Gen. Grant,
whose magnanimity to our great
captain, Robert E. Lee, will
ever hold his name bright and
dear to the South" Buv if the
conference would not go to see
Gen. Grant why should it go to
see Mr.. Cleveland? It might be
said circumstances altered cases,
but they never altered principles.
Ii the conference was so care
full not to seem to go into politics
in 1875, why should it now be so
quick to depart from it's chosen
path?
Almost before Mr.. Tongue had
resumed his seat half a dozen
members were UP and crying for
Reorganization, and the entire con
ference was shouting question. .
Rev. R. S. Ferguson, Of Freder-
icksburg, Va, shouted, Il was
in the Confederate army, but ]
regret Brother Tongues making
that speech Mr.. Hyde anc
Mr.. Armstrong both made
speeches vigorously criticising
Mr.. Tongues utterance.
The invitation was accepted
by a rising vote.
| DIR. William Hotchkiss,
ST. LOUIS, March 29.--Dr. Will
liam H0fohlxicc o1Io~ol 70 lo~x~