Phoenix weekly herald. [volume] (Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Territory) 1896-1899, 1896-05-07
METHODISTS MEET.
The General Conference in SEES
sion at Cleveland.
A HARD FIGHT.
The Question Of Allowing Women
Delegates Seats Causes
More Trouble.

CLEVELAND, O, May If the i'm
mortal john Wesley, from his plsos un-
, der the shadow of the Great White
Throne, is enabled today to look dowr
, upon this earthly sphere, who shall say
that he may not, harp in hand. lead the
angelic host in q song OF praise and
thanksgiving? For from this leading
city of one OF the greatest states OF the
New World there go up today peans OF
glory and words OF supplioation from
the chosen representatives of "a mign ty
host OF Christians. developed from the
seed planted in little country hamlet
of England more than a century and a
half ago. by John Wesley and his
brother Charles, and watered by the
visit of thu two brothers SO the United
States 16O years ago this month. 1t
was venerable assem- blege that the
venerable Bishop Thomas Bowman, of
St. Louis, contron 5ed when he appeared
upon the platform of the magnificent
new armory at nine O'clock this morn
ing, and. with a touch of his gsvei, de-
clared that the twenty eighth quad
| rennisl session of the General Confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal church
was formally opened. Before him, IN
the body of the hall sat between six and
/ seven hundred of the most distinguish
| ed dlvinss and aymen OF the denomin-
alton, gathered from every state and
territory OF the Union, as we'll as from
India and CHINA, Japan and
South America, Msxico, Europe
| and Great Britain. There we're million
| aire business men and bankers, lawyers
of fame, teachers of renowu, merchant is
and manufacturers. farmers and pbysi-
clans, revivalists ard stsid philosophers,
theological writers of worldwide re
pute and representatives of nearly every
profession and branch of industry.
Many questions OF supreme impor-
lance to the denomination. and action
u pom which will be awaited with intense
interest by Methodists the world over,
will ba acted upon during the mouths
session OF the general conference. Chief
among this is the question Of admitting
women delegates. This issue has been
voted upon by ell the annual confer
ences, but the necessary three-fourths
vote has not been secured, the total
vote being 1918 for sd mission and 2, 529
against.
The women have theyetore lost by Is
votes, and change OF 10 votes would
give them seats in the conference.
Four women delegates are accredited
to the present gathering, but as the
conn ittee on credenti ala must be gov
erned by the existing rules, they can
oot be recognized to take any part in
the proceedings.
The proposition to thangs the basis
of ministerial representation from one
delegate for every forty, Eve ministers
to one for every sixty five has also been |
lost. The question OF abolishing the |
time limit is also an important one. At
present. the minister of the church can |
remain pastor OF one church for more |
than five consecutive years. This is
based on the old itinerant theory OF tie |
denomination, and it is now proposed |
to abolish the time limit. It is doubt
full, however, whether the proposition
will carry. An eff5rt viii be made to
modify the rules OF dioplne adopted by
the conference of 1872 against dancing,
csrd-playing, thsater-going, attending
cireuses and horse-reces or patronizing
dancing schools. It is contended that
these rules have barred out from the
denomination tens Of thousands of
young people who otherwise would be
glad to identify themselves with it.
Several new Bishops will be elected,
together with numerous officials iu-
Guiding book agents. society secretaries
and editors.
When the name of Lydia A. Trimble
was announced on roll C IL Delebate was
on his feet aud made 8
motion shat his name be omitted until
the convention determine whetber her
election was legal. For q minute it !
looked ss If the f2hb had started.
Bishop Bowman however refUeed to en-
terrain the motion ae be declared the
not yet organ d.
The tumultuous applause which fol-
the strength of the woman suffrage fac
tion OF the delegation. This was the
tiret skirmish ard as the other names Of
women delegates were called no excep
ton was uRde.
The secretary continued the roll call.
The conference dscidad to fill vacancies
from reserves aad to adopt the rules OF
the last conference. Tbs fight over the
rights sos laynen on the floor of tie
ton was ecipitated by Daniels
Of Indiana, who preseh ted resolutions
claiming lhe right to choose the commit
tee on which to serve in toe same man
DER as the ministerial delegates have
made the choice of Committees on which
they will serve, any previous arrange
ment notwithstanding. When the tu-
multi following the presentation of these
had sabsidsd Bishop Bow
man ruled them out Of ordar, still con
5inunR the rule thet the oopven tiou
had not been perfected.
CLEVELAND, May 2-Although the
Conference is but day old,
A good deal of uader the-surfacs LOBBY
NO and cam OaiOninu for the urnoosad