Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-14
THE RICHMOND DIsPAToH-sArURDAY, MARCH IA, 1885,
BACON RESOLUTIONS.
They Are Discussed In The Baltimore
Conference, N. E. Church.
MADE SPECIAL ORDER ron TO-DAY
The Various Propositions That They
Standardization of Presiding
EIdcrs-Choice of Delegates to the
General Conference.

BALTIMORE, MD, March l3.-To-day
was one of great interest to Methodists,
and Broadway church reflected the local
feeling when the Methodist Episcopal
Conference was called to order. In the
front rows Of the body Of the old edifice
sat the ministerial and lay delegates;
back of them hundreds OF interested spec
tators were gathered, while the galleries
were similarly crowded
Two OF the most important subjects to
be considered by the conference were on
the programme as special orders. First
to be considered were the now famous
Bacon resolutions. which, If embodied III
the law of the Church, would enlarge
the powers of the conference and restrict
the authority Of the bishops. The second
special order was the election Of dele
gates to the General Conference, when
meets IN Cleveland o., in May.
In addition to these attractive features
OF the conference sessions, the lay con-
vention, which meets every four years
gathered together IN the lecture-room OF
the church. An animated and interesting
discussion attracted and held the atten-
ton Of as many persons as could crowd
into the hall.
Rev. George c. Bacon, the author OF the
Bacon resolutions, was the cynosure of
ali eyes as he hustled about the confer
ence hall this morning. His black eyes
danced with restless energy ms he gave
his reasons for springing his resolutions
on the Church. THE Methodist Church.
he said, needs 10 have many radical
changes I'm it's government, and this Is
only the beginning Of things In that d.
rection. Had the Church been alive 10
It's interest years ago there would have
been no cause for the separation OF the
Methodist Protestants which took away
a large body Of men who were needed.
This step with reference TO lay repre-
sentation in the annual conferences, If
taken, Will remove the radical cause for
the existence as a separate organization
Of the Methodist Protestants, and VIII
probably result in combination OF the
two, which cannot but be beneficial TO
the cause Of morality"
A modification OF the third Bacon
resolution, recommended by the commit
tee yesterday, explains It's meaning more
fully II was also recommended that
the resolutions be referred to the gene
raj conference, TO be embodied in the
law OF the Church.
The resolutions. as they were discussed
this morning, are as follows:
THAT we favor the admission OF lay
men to the annual conference In such
proportion as shall hereafter be deter
mined
THAT we favor the election OF presid-
ing elders by the annual conference.
THAT we favor making the presiding
elders the constitutional advisers Of the
Bishop. and that no appointment be
made without the concurrence Of at least
one third Of his cabinet"
For two and half hours the resolu-
lions were discussed by leading mem
bers Of the conference. They were
then laid aside. TO be again taken up
as the special order Of the day to-mor-
row. The discussion encroached upon
the time for the second special order OF
the day-the election OF delegates TO the
General Conference-and that order went
over without a time being named for its
consideration.