Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-01
THO u SANDS PRESENT
Assembling Today of the Methodist Quad
rennial Conference.
John WesIey's Bible to he Used-The
Woman Delegate Question APP
proached-RiHhts of Laymen.

CLEVELAND, OHIO, May 1.-The gavel
of the venerable Bishop Bowman fell this
morning at O'Clock, and the great quad
rennial conference of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church was urder way.
Central Armory looked beautiful indeed.
Its interior was as brilliant as the hall
of political convention, and on all sides
there was an expectancy that issues of
Importance were about to be precipitated
in the convention.
Three thousand persons were in the hall
When the meeting was called to order. On
the floor We're white men and black men,
the delegate from cold Norway and Sweden
and from tropical India and Japan. Nearly
every. country of the globe was represented.
Bishop Bowman announced that the Bible
which will be used in the services is the
one which was used by Jonn Wesley IN his
study i'll England. TINS historical treasure
WAS presented TO the conference some years
ago.
Bishop Ninde read from the book TIE
lu5d Psalm. Bishop Vincent read the hymn,
after which prayer was Offered by Blsnup
Foster. Bishop Foster prayed that personal
ambition might be stlfied and that har-
mony should rule.
The Rev. VIM Burt of Rome, Italy, fol-
lowed i'll a reading of the Scriptures, after
which Bishop Taylor oil africa fead ihe
hymn. The Rev. Dr. Upham OF Drew Theo-
logical Seminary offered prayer, when
closed the devotional services.
The Woman Delegate Question.
When the devotional exercises were over
a little furry occurred in the convention by
reason of the call on Secretary Monroe to
call the roll. 1t was thought that this
action would precipitate the contest OF the
seats for women.
When the name of Lydia A. Tumble was
announced a delegate was imme diaieiy on
his feet and made motion that inns name
be omitted until a committee determine
whether her election was legal.
For a moment il looked as if the tight
had started.
Bishop Bowman, however, refused TO en-
tertain the motion, as he declared the con-
yention was not organized.
The tumutuouS applause which followed
the ruling of the chair indicated the
strength of the woman suffrage faction oil
the delegation. This was the first skirmish,
and as the other names OF the women dele
gates were called no exception was taken
The secretary continued to call the roll
The conference decided to fill the vacancies
from the reserves and to adopt the rules Of
the last conference.
Rights of Lnymeu.
A fight over the rights of laymen on the
floor of the convention was precipitated
by Mr.. Daniels of Indiana, who took the
conventions breath away by presenting
the following resolutions:
Resolved. First that We, members of the
general conference of 1885, do hereby claim
our right to choose the committees on
which we will serve in the same manner
as the ministerial delegates have made
choice of the committees on which they
would serve any previous arrangement
Notwithstanding.
.sResolved, Second, that we hereby re-
quest the presiding bishop to lay this case
before the general conference with the
view of securing therefrom the official af
frma ton of our rights above rccited.
Resolved, Third, that copy OF these
resolutions be laid before the presiding
bishops at the opening of the first days
session of the general conference
When the tumult following the presenta-
ton of these resolutions subsidized Bishop
Bowman ruled them out of order, still
contending that the organization of the
convention had not been perfected.