The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-09
PRocEEDrxcs IN DETAIL.
The Conference Now Ready for the
Real Work of the Meeting.

CLEVELAND, O., May s-The Methodist
General Conference has now been well start
cd IN consideration OF the mass Of import
ant business which Is before IL. The ex-
element over the woman delegate question
having passed. the general current OF in
terest on other matters Is becoming more
apparent The lay delegates are showing
their purpose to curtail, II possible. the
powers vested in the ministers and make
tee conduct OF church affairs more demo-
cratic That issue raised to-day in one
form IN committee. and will doubtless be
the cause Of more than one hot debate on
the floor of the conference. The general
committees are In session every afternoon.
and to-day was begun the consideration of
the proposition TO increase the number OF
bishops The oolored Methodists want a
bishop Of their own. and so does China. 1t
Is proposed also to tighten the labors of
the four older bishops. who were appointed
There was a small attendance OF delegates
and visitors this morning. Bishop Hurst
conducted by Rev. DR.. s. w. Thomas, Of
philadelphia.
Dr.. Alderman. of Alabama, presented reso-
buttons thanking the Mayor and City Council
Of Cleveland for the cordial manner OF their
greeting to the delegates. For all your
kind words ard loving. fraternal deeds" de-
thank you. and we will ever pray that or
you and yours the richest blessing of heaven
may con tinue TO descend, and that the al
ready splendid commercial. social, educa-
tiopal and ecclesiastical achievements OF
ioia~ city may be multiplied an hundred
No sooner had the resolutions been
adopted by a rising vote than the woman
question came up again, like Banquo's ghost.
delegates and to Bishop Hurst. Mr.. Morris
Sharp. OF OHIO. presented resolution TO ex-
cuse the women delegates in that they hare
reinquishei their seats and that their ex-
drawal- The resolution also called in their
male reserves. Dr.. Nicely, OF Philadelphia
were invited 20 remain as honored guests Of
the conference and their expenses ordered
paid. Dr. Cranston rose and asked for a
ruling by the Chair to the present status
Of women in the conference.
Bishop Hurst decided II was not a point Of
order. but was mater OF Interpretation for
hoor. Just after Mr.. Nicely began speaking
from the decision of the Chair o9}Dr. Grams
toms point. Bishop Hurst put the question
as being on the appeal of DR.. Cranston and
great confusion existed. motion TO lay the
entire matter on the table was lost by a
raised the point ONT OF order that the question
had been Improperly put, but Bishop Hurst
held that DR.. Nicely had the floor and DR..
A NOISY INCIDENT.
Bishop Hurst declined to entertain the
appeal, ard dozen men were on the
floor. shouting for recognition. Bishop
Hurst declined to recognize anyone. but
pounded with his gavel and shouted:
DIR. Nicely has The fioorr' DR.. Leonard,
DR.. Chaffee and others finally insisted
on the appeal being put. Bishop
Hurst pounded until he broke his gavel. DR..
Frysinger insisted on the appeal being put,
and in this he was Joined by the entire con-
ference. Shouts to put the appeal almost
crowned the bishops voice and the utmost
his feet and said IL ne would not be given the
right to appeal ne would resign. DR.. Nicely
made himself heard above the din and said
Hurst would not permit this and the din
continued DR.. Hurst would recognize no
Finally. forced by the conference. Bishop
Hurst said he ruled that both papers were
before the house and he would entertain the
appeal Mr.. Sharp asked TO withdraw his
90. In the midst OF intense excitement the
vote on the appeal was taken. The ruling OF
Bishop Hurst was sustained by a vote of 223
yeas TO 204 nays. AS soon as II was decided
that the papers were before the house DR..
Nicely and Mr.. Sharp both withdrew their
papers and the most violent struggle OF the
first week OF the conference was over.
DR.. J. M Kings, of New York. then pre-
sented \ resolution The document was d.
the Roman Catholic Church. and its reading
was frequently interrupted with applause. Ii
was unanimously adopted without discussion.
The resolution opposed the practice OF Sec
tartan appropriations for Indian education. II
states that this General Conference, repre-
senting the membership and constituency OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church, reitef ates its
conviction that the cure for these sectarian
and ecclesiastical aggressions Is TO be found
in the adoption OF the proposed sixteenth
lion, drafted and promulgated by the Ma
tio1al League for the Protection or American
Institutions II is directed that q record 3, o.
Secretary or the United Sta IS Senate, the
Secretary OF the House OF Representatives
and to the Secretary Of the Interior al
that the signatures of its president and Sec
rotary be signed 10 this action After the
transaction OF other routine. business the
Among the meetings OF the standing COM
mitfees this afternoon that of the commit
nee ON ~ss apans ae the pro
posed retirement of Missionary Bishop Tho
burn and the placing Of regular bishop In
his stead. On the other hand, China and
Japan asked for permanent resident bish-
ops. with full episcopal authority. The
Cleveland Methodists asked for the establish
The coiored Xethodists asked for a bishop
OF their own, and sad they had man EN-
inenty fitted for the place . They refer L
mon Theological Institute. OF Atlanta. Ga
A resolution was introduced providing tha
the senior group OF bishops be permitted &c
so arrange their work as 10 be able TO pass
the remaining years of their lives in ease anC
comfort The proposition is to provide them
with suitable salaries. In view OF their SER
vices and allow them to select their owr
places OF residence after the other and more
active bishops have divided their own work
The senior bishops were, appointed In 1872
and all OF them are well advanced in years
They are Bishops Bowman. OF st. Louis
Merrill. OF Chicago: Andrews, OF New York
and Foster. OF Boston. They object TO th'
action proposed. desiring to remain In the
harness. The committee will not make an,
recommendation until IL receives from the
bishops their view of the advisability OF in
creasing their number.
The committee on temporal economy de-
clded to submit 10 the conference a propo
sifion curtailing the powers OF the ministers
ter This is To the effect that hereafter 1
shall be understood that the congregations
and not the ministers shall choose me loca
church officers IL has been the practice u
have the class leaders appointed by the min
listers and In three-fourthS OF The churche:
the pastors make out lists OF whom the,
want for steward and trustees and they are
chosen by the members.
Rev. DR.. Moore says the four women del
egates have decided not 10 rtsurne theil
seats In the conference. though they ar
probably entitled TO them He and the othe
advocates OF women delegates feel that the.
have made long stride towards their goa
in securing the vote in favor of the consti
tutional amendment.
ering proposed new article relating to lay
delegates, the general intention being &c
make II sufficiently liberal to meet the
wishes OF the General Conference regarding