Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-13
RIGHTSOF THE LAITY
Bacon Resolutions Discussed at Bal
timore.
WELL-KN0WN PREACHERS SPEAK
List Of Local Delegates to the Lay
Conference.
WELL-RNOWN
SPEAK
G II U RICH EXTENS ION
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

BALTIMORE, Md, March 13-Both the
ministerial and lay bodies of the Baltimore
annual conference of the NJ. f. Church met
today at Broadway Church. Interest CEN
tered in discussion of the Bacon resolu-
tons and in the election of delegates to the
general conference from both local bodies
Majority and minority reports on the
Bacon resolutions were Sc. down for the
special order at $50 o'clock. An effort was
made to defer the election of delegates I'M
til Monday, but failed owing to the estao-
lished custom of holding the election or
Friday, which the older members of the
conference would not break
The memorial of the conference of law
men held last June also went 20 the COM
mttee having in charge the Bacon reso,u-
uons The mem orial in lorses the senti-
ments of that paper, but leaves it with the
ministers to decide
The full text of the resolutions as finally
amended IL committee is as follows:
mat we favor the admission of laymen
TO the annual conference in such proport on
Us snali hereafter be determined.
mat we favor the election of presiding
elders by the annual conference
Ihat we favor making the presiding ell
GERS the constitutional advisers of the
oisnop and that no appointment be made
wlthout the concurrence of at least one
third of his cabinet"
Owing to the lack of one member of con-
ference, that body is entitled to only four
ueIcSates to the general conference This
was anotner reason for the desire to post
pone the election until later in the session
Bishop Warren yesterday set at rest the
MINDS OF the anxious ones by stating if
the transfer was not made in time a fifth
ueleSate could be elected later
Opening the Discusxion.
Inc church was crowded this morning
when Rev. j. A. Price opened the discus-
SIGN on the Bacon resolutions by present.
ing the arguments for the majority report
He said: The majority of the committee
are not hostile to the economy of the
church. They have pride in it's success, and
DO not wish to embarrass the work. but
promote 1t. Laymen should be admitted to
the annual conferences, because thew al
ready have a place in the quarterly and
ulstr1ct conferences and in the general con-
ference. In other denominations the Ia,tv
nave vote, and IN other branches of the
Methodist Church. The laity are interest
ed in all great questions which come before
TINS BODY, and they pay the money raised
ior benevolences AS it now stands there
IS no way for the laity to express an opill-
ion on mooted questions unless they cali a
convention
MI Price characterized the present law
OF representation "non-apostolic non
Protestant non-Methodis1 and No. ,ori
can
"A change is needed in the selection of
presiding elders,'' he said now the most
unpopular office in the church We elect
go eHda.n .1iiHg else why not elect presiding
elders! We are not under a monarchy II
Methodist ministers cannot be trusted with
sucn an election, who can be? Let the nre
SONG elders be elected fer a term of wears
anu an annual expression of confidence
TAKEN The conference has rights TO he
recognized, and it is not necessary to 90
outside OF the Baltimore conference to find
.ne neeu OF change. In times past no re-
spect mas been paid to the voice of confer
ence. We ought to have greater movers
IMAM are given today
Rev S II. Cummings. the blind preacher.
maze the opening speech for the minority.
1htHousn no one was appointed to represent
their views In an allegorical composition
ne reviewed the opposition to the "Epis-
eopai machlne, as he characterized it,
Rev. Hugh JOhnstOn's Views.
Rev. Hugh Johnston of Washington cold
ne was not satisfied with either report and
would at the proper time offer a substitute
embracing approval of lay representation
III the annual conferences. He claimed that
the resolutions would take away in piece
meal the Episcopal powers which could not
besremoved as a whole.
Inc chief executive he said, 'is AL
ways conceded the right to choose his own
ADVISERS. 1t seems you are on the wrong
track, barking up the wrong tree. If
Grange is wanted why not have a ouadren-
ma ma, eieGllon OF bishops? Election of pre-
siuiiis elders would open the door for bar
gaming. 1t would not remedy the evils
pu. give greater ones by raising discord
me third item IS unconstitutional If
,''oiu give a donble episcopacy. You com
pIaIh OF the power of the bishops vet
fold" po"iS hity
Rev. NJ. F. B. Rice of Washington said.
oh,,nah IS heed OF 4 modification in the
minds of the bishops as to their mower in
the pcl1ty of the church. 1t must he nm
derstood system should exist for the sake
tenn" oA =" sSs-
Rev. ]. c. Nicholson denied that cons;i-
tutlonal power was given the bishops'
CABINET. He quoted john Wesley as first
assuming the whole power of appoint
by his successors at the head of the church
Rev. A. j. Gill said there never had been
and never will be perfect Ieace in the
church under the present government. 1t
flicting with American principles. Powers
OF bishops jar OH the sense of American
manhood and liberty. They are wrong in
principle if lot in exercise. Such powers
ought not be in the hands of the best men
under the sun. He paid Bishop Warren a
compliment by saying the friends of the
episcopacy had made a point by sending
such fascinating and charming man as
Near the close of the morning session the
discussion was suspended to allow the
presentation of the report Of the Preach
ers Society b5 Summerfield Bacon
An effort was made to postpone the reso-
buttons to give way to the election of gen.
eral conference delegates, but the motion
failed.
The Lay Conference.
The laymen's conference was a long
while getting to work. One hundred and
fifteen delegates were present when J. S.
Rawlings called the assembly to order.
James e. Ingram was elected president.
Alexander Ashley of Washington opened
with reference to the needs in the church
to bring it's business methods up to date
The morning session was taken I'd with
discussion of how the Endorsement of the
Nicotine Mouufmngszo