The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-28
A CLASH OCCURRED BETWEEN
THE MINISTERIAL AND LAY
DELEGA TES.
LA|TY WANT EQUAL representation
In General Conferences-Peace Was At
Length Restored, for the Time
acknowledgement Assembly
Proceedings Yesterday.

most tumultuOuS session yet Teld. there
was a clash between the ministerial and
lay delegates and for Il time Bishop
Hurst, who was in the chair. lost all con-
troll of the assembly. \ dozen delegates
were on their feet at the same time,
shouting for recognition. calling for
rulings of the chair on points of order
that had never been heard and altogether
the scenes were more exciting than are
usually witnessed in political conven-
tons.
The contest came over the fourth sec
ton of the new constitution as reported
by the committee. When the report was
read an amendment providing for equal
representation of the laymen in the gen
eral conference was proposed. In II
moment the conference was i'll an upr0ar.
Several hot speeches We're made. The
most sensational was that of Rev. }. ID.
Craw of New Jersey. He said the lay
men were i'll control in the quarterly con-
choose their ministers, tell them what
kind of houses they must live in, tell
them what kind of clothing they must
wear and even what they must say.
The ministers loudly applaudcd.
A motion was made to table the
amendment. Bishop Hurst, who was i'll
the chair put it, and it was not carried.
Mr.. Ashley, who proposed the lmend-
ment asked for separate vote by the
ministers and laymcn.
Bishop Hurst said he was too late, as
the motion to table had already passed
Mr.. Ashley, in indignant tones. declared
! that he made the motion before the motion
to table was made.
The conference was in a state of in
! tense excitement. The lay delegates
clamored for the recognition Of Mr.. Ash
leys protest and ministerial delegates
shouted points of order and calls for the
previous question.
Henry +. Rich of California declared
that it was disgra ceful and II blow ut the
welfare of the church to stamp on the
laymen as was being done.
Scores of delegates were on their feet
all this time talking and clamOring for
recognition. Many bitter things were
said and it looked for time as if there
could be no reconciliation between the
ministry and the laymen.
Finally, however, peace was restored
by the withdrawal of the amendment
with the understanding that the whole
matter would be brought up again in Il
different form.
The election of DR.. j. c. Halzell of
Louisiana as missionary bishop for Africa
to succeed Bishop Taylor. who was re-
tired, was an incident of the morning SEES
| sion.
In the afternoon Rev. ]. G.. b. Mason.
cOlOred, of Savannah was elected CORES
ponding secretary for the Freedman's
Aid and Educational society, to succeed
DR.. Halzcll.
The conference decided to hold two SEES
sions daily until adjournment in order
! that the business might be disposed of.
| SOUTHERN PRESBITERlANS.
! Memphis. Tenn. May 25.-Thc rcgu-
lar business session of the Presbyterian
Southern general assembly was called to
order by the moderator this morning at
8 o'clock. Prayer was offered by the
venerable DR.. |. y. Wolf of Virginia
the oldest member of the assembly.
Clerk Cassell announced an overture
from the presbytery of Atlanta in re-
gard to establishing repositories for as
semblies publications. Referred.
The report of the commissioner APP
pointed to examine the records of synods
of Florida and of Virginia were read
and adopted.
The Rev. Dr. Vance, chairman of the
COMMITTEE on theological seminarieS. re-
ported that at Columbia seminary there
were twenty-seven students in attend
ance: that the receipts were not equal
to the expenses, though plan is on foot
to meet this emergency.
At Louisville there were sixty
students, of whom fifteen received the
degree of ID. ID.
At Union seminary. Virginia. there
were siXty-five students, of whom six
teen were graduated, there were 1000
volumes in the library, and that the new
buildings were about to be begun. At
the Divinity school of the Southwestern
university of GAINESVILLE there were
thirty-three students. In all the semin-
aries the report showed that there were
1S5 students.
The committee recommended that the
assembly record its approval of the work
done in the seminaries. Adopted.
The Rev. DR.. Burgett chairman of the
committee on foreign correspondence re-
ported as to a matter which had been
recOmmitted: namely, in regard to the
communication from the Pan-Presby-
terrain alliance, submitting Il plan of CO.
operation for the assembly. The report
was as follows:
The committee OH foreign correspon-
dence, to whom was referred the COM
munication from the western section of
the alliance of the reformed churches
throughout the world. holding the Pres
byterian system. respectfully report that
they have carefully considered the same
and recommend the adoption by this as
sembly of said communication. which is
as follows:
The boards and committees of home
mission church extensions. freedmen's
missions and Sabbath school books of the
American churches in the alliance of
the reformed churches, holding the
Presbyterian system, both of the United
States and Canada. recognizing with
gratitude to God their substantial unity,
both in faith and policy. do agree upon
the following principles of action for
their guidance in their work: viz:
"First-That in the work of all the
boards, us related to each other, the nm.
thority of the church is to be recognized
as final.
'Second-That there shall be no inter.
ference with churches. missions or Sab.
bath SCHOOLS at present existing. unless
by voluntary agreement between the do.
nominations directly concerned.
''Third-That no churches. missions ~.
Sabbath schools shall be established in
small communities where the field is ful.
" occupied by other Presbyterian or re-
| form churches.
,sIN