The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-05-08
THE BELLICOSEL
Demanding Their Rights In the
M. E. Conference.
SEVERAL OUTBREAKS OCCURRED.
the Women Delegate Question >tiii I'm
der Debate and May BE Voted ON To-
day or ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS District
Conference and Committee Proceedings

CLEVELAND. MAY 6.-The debate on
the eligibility of women as delegates
continues in the NJ. Z. conference, and
so far as the speakers are concerned,
there is no evidence of desire to bring
the discussion to a close. Some OF the
laymen are anxious to terminate the
contest, and il Is probable that Il vote
will be reached either today or tomor-
row.
There has been a slight outcropplng
of the feeling between the clergy and
lavmen, III which the latter took the
Initiative. c. w. Bennett of Cincin-
natl presented n resolution providing
for the appointments of a special COM
mittee, which viii pass on all commune
cations from the laymen. This commit
tee was TO consist of one minister and
one layman from each district. After
a good deal of debate, in whic Rev. DIR.
Shier of Detroit expressed the regret
that any feeling existed between clergy
and laity, the resolution was adopted.
An effort was made by DIR. James of
Philadelphia to make the committee
consist of 10 members, who Were to be
appointed by the bishop. The lay dele
gates couldn't stand this and Mr.. Ben
nett 5 resolution went through.
The deck was then cleared for action
and the woman question was again pre-
cipitated President Daniel Stevenson
of Union college, Kentucky, started the
fight by criticiZing the action of the
bishops in deciding against the action OF
the women in 1888. Rev. q. Nicely led
the fight against the women. He held
the question TO be one of law purely.
He took up the question of the Bible ar
gument and said 1t was time the Bible
said men and women are one in Christ.
but not in the general conference. he
held that in the chnrch the status of
women is different from that of men.
The question, he said. is a constitutional
one. and no one is to be admitted unless
specifically mentioned.
The delegates were thoroughly
aroused and feeling ran high. Judge
Caples of Oregon, ex-senator Harlan of
Montana, Dr. Buckley of New York,
DIR. Leonard of Cincinnati, Rev. DIR.
Harris of Maine. Rev. DIR. James
Chaffey of Minneapolis. Rev. DIR. J. w.
Hamilton, DIR. J. Il. Day of Syracuse.
DIR. Emory Miller of Iowa and several
other men prominent III the counsels of
the church spoke upon the question be-
fore the house.
The lay delegates have met and heard
reports from their committee of 10, ap-
pointed to consider the question of eX-
tending the term of pastOrate One re-
| port. signed by General Rushing of New
| Jersey, recommended that i'll exceptional
| cases ministers might be continued III
| their paStOrates indefinitely. \ second
| opposed any change in the rule regard
| ing the time limit, stating as reason
| that very often ministers remained toe
| long in churches. An amendment was
offered by delegate providing for al
extension of time by a three fourth,
vote of all adult members of the church
at quarterly conference and the recon-
mendatiOn of a majority of the preSid
ing elders of the district. Both of th'
reports and the amendment also were
| tabled.
| \ resolution recommending that thI
period of probation be changed from siI
months to three months was also tabled
\ Delaware man asked for the adop
ton of a resolution requesting the con
ference to shut off debate on the woman
question today, giving as his reaso,
that the ministers were using the de
bate merely as an opportunity TO SHOW
their oratorical ability. The meeting
considered that this would be discour
| teouS and refused to consider the reSo
luton.
/ The Seventh district conference
which includes Michigan, Indiana an
| the Lexington conference of Kentucky
| met and adopted a resolution declarin
that the rights of church member
should be recognized in choosing repr,
sentatives The discussion was alon
the line that the present mode of pr,
ceedure was not democratic. appOintin
power being too generally vested III th
| ministry.