The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-14

the election will come the settlement OF the
time-lmit question. ana there VIII Psopno.y ,,og,
important business at to-days session hAs
the adoption of a resolution changing tne
time OF the meeting OF the General Confer
ence from the lst OF May 10 the first
Wednesday in May. There was much oIa-
torical sparring among the delegates, out lne
best OF spirit prevailed throughout the ses-
The conference was opened to-day with
Bishop Vincent in the chair; Inc oeso-
r. E. Gillum, a colored minister from CEN
trail Missouri. The first resolution onered
denounced in the strongest terms a the raes-aad I
TO the apathy of the Christian governments
OF Europe and America. Ii closed by call
authorizing the President to enter into ne
gotiations with the European powers most
directly interested with the view or inter
fering and preventing further massacres.
II was referred 70 the committee on state
Of the church without discussion
The proposition TO change the time OF
holding the General Conference from May
l TO the first Wednesday in May aroused
discussion on the point OF constltuuonality
OF the action Ihree.rourtns OF S ine annuas a. was
approved by more than two-thirds OF the
general conference. DR.. Leonard led the
tood ooi s @ xess to IL nays The
next General Conference WILL therefore,
meet on the first Wednesday in May, 1900.
A proposition was presented by Kew. Il;
R. Fisk. OF Detroit, to hold the General
Conference each six years. Inc reasons
gave and mere woud save time as under the
present arrangement $40 men are out OF
church work four weeks. or an aggregate
1t would reduce the anxiety incidental to
elections. would give a more satisfactory
test of officers elected. would save criti-
cisms and give a longer time In which 10
test the changes in discipline and would
insure greater stability and permanency.
1t was referred to committee on state or
the church.
Chaplain c. c. Mccabe presented con-
sttutional amendment which forbids any
missionary society from appropriating any
sum in excess Of the income of the year
previous. This was TO call a halt on the
appropriations which have been made in
excess of the income.
A eulogistic resolution regarding the work
of missionaries was the first document pre-
sented after the recess. 1t set Tuesday.
missionaries. deaconnesses. etc., are to be
presented TO the conference. a motion to
refer to the committee on state OK the
was motion to lay on the table. The
resolution was then adopted.
Great interest was manifested when the
committee on ep.scopacy was called. DIR.
Buckley reported that the committee was
unable to report at present on the num-
| ber of bishops, but he promised TO do so
| the first thing tomorrow morning.
A report in which change was proposed
| in the matter of baptism caused pro-
| longed debate. The proposition was to the
| effect that those who were sprinkled in
| infancy could, If desired, be Immersed when
| they grew older. This was opposed by DR..
was a determination against infant bap-
| tism, and after prolonged discussion the
report of the committee was recommitted.
The committee on book concern made an
| adverse report on the recommendation TO
| establish a Methodist daily paper; 1t also
that that the NV Western. Northwestern and Gem en-.
| tral Christian Advocate be consolidated in
to one paper for the Mississippi valley The
| report authorized the book concern to pub
| lish certain books and periodicals of the
Methodist Church in the Spanish language.
| After announcements had been made the
| conference adjourned.
The committee on episcopacy decided to-
| day to recommend to the conference that
Bishops Bowman and Foster be declared
noneffectve, which is equivalent 10 retire.
| ment, and that three new bishops be elect
| ed. 1t was practically decided to take the
| Africa, but his speech to the committee in
| duced it to defer action. All three bishops
were in the hands of the General Confer
| ence and satisfied that whatever the confer
| ence might do would be the will of God.
culiar relation to the work in Africa and the
| success he had achieved in raising money
for it. some of the efforts in this direction
| eighty years o,d; Bishop Foster, seventy-siy.
and Bishop Taylor, seventy-five, and the
nne aho b oi Ssn,deS "a
| recommend that one of the new bishops be
| man of African descent. The candidate of
the colored delegates is Rev. Dr.. Bowen. of
Cannon Theological Institute. 1t was also
| decided to recommend the continuance of
| the missionary conferences in Africa and
| India and to have two conferences Instead
/ OF one.
The committee on itineracy viii recon-
mend that In rare cases the five-year limit
| the congregation to the quarterly confer
| ence, where 1t must have three-fourths
votes after which Ii must receive the vote or
| majority OF the cabinet Of presiding elders.
I including that of the presiding elder having
| charge of the church. and then the bishop
| must consent This may be done year after
sibie pastorate ten years. The iaity claims
| that 1t will defeat this plan tomorrow. A
minority committee asking for the abolish
ment Of the time limit. will be submitted to
| the conference and will probably be support
| ed by the laity.
The committee on consolidation of benevo-
| lences approved the proposed union OF the
| Tract dnd Missionary societies, but opposed
| the combining of the Board of Education
and the Freedman's Aid Society
The revisal committee ordered that there
| be presented to the conference tomorrow a
| rule requiring that one of the first questions
asked in examining candidates for licenses
| as local preachers must be that regarding
| the use of tobacco, so framed that promise
| to wholly abstain will be necessary. The
| proposition TO substitute the term general
| church for holy catholic church in the Dis
cipline was defeated.
The committee on state OF the church de-
| cided in favor of adhering 10 the present
| method of eiecting officers and editors in
| General Conference.
| The amusement committee refused TO ap-
prove any of the changes proposed regarding
| amusementS.
The plan of establishing funds for super
/ ANIMATED ministers in quarterly conference
| is being considered by the temporal economy
| committee.
| The temperance committee is in the m.ds,
| of hot fight on a long series Of resolutions,
/ which thosew no oppose them declare would
| tie the church to the Prohibition party.
American Tract Society.
| NEW YORK, May 13.--At the annual meet
| ing of the American Tract Society to-day
| motion was adopted reconsiderng the actor
| OF the special committee in June 1857. in
| combining the business and benevolent de.
partments of the society. The union OF the
| two departments was dissolved by an almos
| unanimous vote. General o. o. Howard was
| elected president OF the society and the Rev
r. S. Macarthur. Of New York. was chosen
| vice president.
The report OF financial secretary George
| L. Shearer showed receipts OF $50, 253, dis.
| bursements. $iS250; cash balance, $212 0e0
| DR.. Shearer supplemented his statistical re.
port by stating that the sales for the fisca
| year jus. ended were less by per cent. thar
| they were the previous year. This deprecia
| ton was attributed TO the agencies in Chi
cago and San Francisco.
A. NJ. f. Bishops Elected.
WILMINGTON, N. c.. May 13.-wIllian
B. Derrick. OF New York city, James IL
Armstrong. of Washington. ID. c.. and Jas
| NJ Fmbrv of PhiIadelphia were elected