The record-union., 1896-05-29
Practically Nothing Done With the
Great Church Questions
The Report of the Committee on
Theological Seminary Control
Again Under Discussion Before the
Presbyterian General Assembly,
an Adjournment Being Taken Be-
fore the Question Was Disposed OF.

CLEVELAND, May 2S.-The twenty
seventh General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, which for
four weeks has absorbed the attention
of the religious world, is a thing of the
past. With a fall of the 'gavel in the
hand of Bishop Merrill at 1920 p. m.
the conference and its acts passed into
history.
On the great questions which have
absorbed the attention of the church
it has done practically nothing. The
question of a woman eligibility to sit
in the General Conference is exactly
as before. The constitutional revision
question has proceeded a step beyond
where it was eight years ago.
The conference straddled most ef-
fectively on the question of lay repre-
sentation- 1t adopted a disciplinary
clause providing for equal lay and cler-
ical representation in the General Con-
ference, knowing that it would not in
all probability receive the necessary
three-f fourths' vote in the annual con-
ferences. 1t was resolved to allow the
laymen the right to sit separately in the
General Conference
Bishop Joice presided over the first
part of the final session The devo-
tional exercises were conducted by Rev.
DR.. j. 3. Hysley Of Minnesota.
DR.. Mitchell, Secretary of the Com
mittee on Boundaries, presented a re-
port liking the boundaries of 123 con-
ferences and twenty mission confer
ences at home and abroad, and includ-
ing twenty-one enabling acts 1t was
adopted without debate
A second report fixing the number of
members essential to the organization
OF a new conference at thirty instead of
twenty was laid on the table
Quite a row was raised by several
members who were opposed to granting
an annual subsidy of $1,000 to the Pa
clf1c Christian Advocate of Portland.
Oregon. The item was adopted.
DR.. Hartsell, Missionary Bishop to
Africa, made brief speech. asking for
the good wishes and prayers of the del
egates for him in his new work.
At 12:3O O'Clock the final panorama
was placed on the stage by DR.. Buck
ley, who rose to move that according to
custom all further reports of COM
mlttees be laid on the table, and that the
roll be called for the presentation of
the usual vote of thanks
The closing hymn, "Laborers in the
Vineyard" was then sung. Bishop
Bowman offered the closing prayer, and
the delegates filed out
PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.
SARATOGA On. ", May 2S.-At the
opening of the General Assembly this
morning, DR.. James Mcleod obtained
the floor at the opening of the assembly
and offered resolution for the consoli-
dation of the treasury of the benevo-
lent societies, now operated under
separate treasures, at great expense.
Referred
The report of the Committee on
Theological Seminary Control being
again under discussion, Chairman
Muchomre assigned the floor to Elder
Thomas McDougall, who spoke in sup
port of the report.
DR.. Knox Of Westchester County.
New York, followed. He attacked the
clause OF the report which threatened
the suspension of the assembly of
the exercise powers conferred upon
the assembly by the compact of 1870.
The assembly adjourned with the
discussion still under way.
The subject of seminary control will
be the third order for Tomorrow