The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-02
WOMEN Want RECOGNITION
Their Demands Niil Arouse a Battle
in Methodist Conference.
ARGUMENTS OF DIRECTORS
Proceedings Of Meeting at Cleveland.
Probable Candidates for bishop.
Other Business Before the Ses.
sions Of General Conference.


church. which will be In session for one
month. was called to order In the Cen
tral armory this morning. The build
ing has been lavishly decorated for the
occasion and Is an ideal meeting place
for the conference. The delegates have
been arriving for several days and now
almost all are In the city.
The conference was called to order
at o'clock by Bishop Bowman the
oldest of the Methodist bishops. 1t was
opened with brief devotional exercises
and then roll was called and the dele
gates were recognized and seated. The
usual committees were then appointed.
There are four accredited women dele
gates to the conference and their ad-
mission will cause one Of the hottest
fights ever waged in the conference.
The woman question came up immedi-
ately after the appointment of commit
tees and the battle was commenced.
The work Of the committees will be
among the most important of the con-
ference. That on episcopacy will ham,
die the question relating to the bishops,
including that Of adding to their num-
ber for work In the home and foreign
fields. That on judiciary will handle
all questions relative to legal matters
That on itinerary will work on the
proposition to take the time limit away
and allow pastors to remain in any one
charge as long as they may do good
wrk. The work Of the committees on
revision Of the discipline and temper
ance will also be Of the utmost import
ance.
, THE NEW BISHOPS.
From three to eight bishops will be
added to the present number. Some
Of the men who are talked Of are Chan
cellor J. r. Day, president Of the Syra-
cuse university. Syracuse. N. Y, man
fully six feet three in his stocking feet.
and described as being as large mental
ly and morally as physically; Rev. DR..
4. b. Neely, Of New Jersey; Rev. DR..
Carl Cranston, Of Cincinnati; Chaplain
e. c. McCabe, the missionary secretary
of the church: Rev. DR.. ]. b. King, of
New York city; Rev. DR.. James W.
sity of Delaware, Ohio: Rev. DR.. Z. w.
Smith, editor of the Pittsburg Chris
tian Advocate; Rev. DR.. ]. r. Coucher
Of Baltimore; Rev. Frank Bristol, OF
Historical Theology in the German
Theological seminary, Atlanta. Ca, the
last named Is a colored man.
The woman question was first
broached during the roll call. When
the name of Lydia A. Trimble was
called, the opponents Of the admission
Of women made their opposition. and
moved that the name be taken from
the rolls until 1t was ascertained wheth.
er tho person named was O member OF
the conference or not.
Bishop Bowman refused to entertain
the motion on the ground that the con-
ference was not yet organized. The
announcement was greeted with ap'
,Iot he nh n M
mems caucus.
The Rev. DR.. Monroe was elected sec.
retary.
A series Of resolutions reciting the
fact that the lay delegates were not be.
ing given their full privileges and de.
manding that the lay delegates be Civ.
en- the right to choose their own mem
bers on the committees, the same as the
ministerial delegates, was adopted.
DIR. BUCKLEY'S CHALLENGE.
The woman question was precipitatet
by the Rev. DR.. Buckley, of New York
who read challenge signed by promi'
nent opponents Of woman, which gave
not be recognized, prominent among
them being the refusal Of previous con
ferences to recognize them.
1t was moved that a committee OF
eligibility be appointed to determin,
the eligibility of the four women dele
gates and that the committee repor
Monday morning.
]. b. Grow, in a fervid speech. at
tempted to amend the motion by insert
ing clause providing that the womer
should not participate in the conferenc,
until their eligibility had been decided
The amendment was defeated and tn
original motion adopted.
The committee will report Monday.
, Secretary Herbert. Of the navy, wa
present and was formally presented t,
/ the conference.