The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-09-26
LAYMEN IN SESSION.
Delegates to the General Con
ference Elected This Morning.
w. X. MILLER DEFEATED.

1lufSdy AFTERNOON, NtE lhili'S w = y -
The conference was called to order by j.
L, Sponpler. of this city, who nominated
Silas J. Williams, of Alliance Tor tenn
porary chairman. Mr.. Williams was
elected.
Frank A. Arter, Of Cleveland, was
chosen temporary secretary. A motion
was made to effect a permanent organlza-
tion by making the temporary othcers
permanent. A question us TO the legal
ity of the motion was raised by so ne of
the delegates, and some time was con-
sumed in argument. The chairman,
however decided the motion legal, and
put the question, which was carried.
After more discussion and the reading of
the discipline of the church, 1t was finally
decided that It would be- necessary to re-
elect officers on Friday.
The conference ordered the appoint
ment Of a committee, consisting OF one
delegate from each district which should
act as a committee on credentials. The
committee was ordered To be prepared To
report at 9 o'clock this morning.
Frank A. After, of Cleveland, then
opened the discussion, should the time
limit be extended or abolished
He spoke in favor of the extension or
abolition Of the time limit. He said the
old saying, If you destroy the time limit,
you destroy itineracy, is false For forty
years, after the organization OF the
church, there was no time limit.
The speaker declared that much time
was lost by preachers getting acquainted
in new fields He praised the politics of
the South, saying the reason 1t continued
so strong in politics was because the old
statesmen who had proved themselves
Trustworthy, were retained in office.
Such should be the way In the church. If
man is found to be in the right place,
he should be allowed to remain there.
Why should
THE TICK OF A CLOCK
or page of an almanac be considered a
reason for the removal of % ministerS 1t
used to be said that the bishop and prov
idence made the appointments but nova
days providence has very little to do with
1t. When the clock says 20 the pastor
must go, even when he Is doing good
work, simply because we possess time
limit"
The address was an able one and fOrci-
bly, presented Mr. Artcrs side of the argu
ment. A committee of one from each dis
trict was appointed, after the address, to
meet a similar committee from the min
isterial confers nee, to arrange for joint
meeting of the conferences.
Hon. J. NJ. Stull, of Warren, was then
introduced and spoke on the opposite side
of the question. His main argument was,
"I.et well enough alone He said that
from three consecrated men, the MethO-
dist church had grown till it now num-
bered five million. The present system
has given this increase; let us beware
how we tamper with 1t. He closed with
a magnificent appeal to stand by the old
system.
OPPOSED TO 4 CHANGE.
The following resolution, offered by
Alfred Whitaker, of Bedford, was then
unanimously adopted.
Resolved, BY the Lay Electoral confer
ence of the East Ohio conference OF the
NJ, +. church, in session at Canton, o.,
September 10, 1885, That we instruct our
delegates to the general conference to
meet in Cleveland, May, 1896, to vote
against the removal Of the time limit, or
any extension of the same
The discussion, "ShOuld the members
of the quarterly conference be elected by
the people, or as at present, by the quar-
terly conference, on the nomination of
the pastorY" was then opened by Hon. j.
d. Taylor, of Cambridge. He ably advO-
Gated the present system, declaring there
were ambitious people everywhere, and If
the people once secured power to elect the
quarterly conference, the interests of the
church would be forgotten in the
SCRAMBLE FOR OFFICE.
He denied that the present system was
not republican, saying the president of
this country appoints more people an
nually than any king on the face of the
earth.
He closed by declaring the appointive
power Of the quarterly conference was the
regulator TO the power Of the bishop and
presiding elder and by abiuring the dele
gates to stand by the old system.
DR.. T. Clark Miller, of Massillon then
read an essay on the subject, which ad-
mirably supported the speech of Hon. j.
ID. Taylor, and well deserved the hearty
applause 1t received.
As the hour was late, 1t was decided
to adjourn and convene this morning to re-
sumo the argument. Rev. Walker, of
Liverpool, pronounced the benediction,
and the meeting was dismissed.
This Mornings Session.
The lay electoral conference was called
to order this morning at $3.50 o'clock by
Chairman 5. J. Williams Of Alliance |
The meeting was opened with singing
"Stand up for Jesus, followed by prayer |
II
Business was then commenced by max !
Ing the temporary officers and commit !
tees permanent, Judge Mansfield, of |
Steubenville, was elected vice president.
The committee on credentials reported |
the number Of accredited delegates TO be !
as follows; Akron, district, 90, Barnes. !
Vile district, 10; Cambrdo district, 13 ;
Cleveland district, 27; Canton district,
81; New Philadelphia district, lS; Steu-
benville district, 10; Youngstown district, !
10; total l43. Six more delegates after
wards came in, making the total 149.
The delegations were arranged in groups,
and the election Of national delegates pro-
ceeded with. Nominations were called
for by districts For Akron district, AL
fred Whitaker nominated John NJ. Stull,
of Warren. Barnesyille district had no
candidate For Cambride district, j. G.
Beoket nominated Judge j. D. Taylor, of
Cam bridge. For Canton district, Judge
Wells, of New Lisbon, nominated W. X.
Miller, OF this city. For Cleveland dis
trict, @. 5. McKirn nominated w. II.
Walworth, OF Cleveland. Delegate Catin,
of CoshoCton, for New Philadelphia dis
trict, seconded j. NJ. Stulls nomination.
For the Steubenyille district ID. M.
Brouder nominated Judge John A. Mans
field, Of Steubenville. Youngstown dis
trict had no candidate and the election