Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-02
METHODISTS At CLEVELAND
Qusdriennial Conference Meets, with Bishop
Bowman Presiding,
INTERESTING TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
Two Incidents Mt the Opening Meet
ing Indicate That the Gather
ing Is Likely to Prove nm
ENcntTul Ono.

CLEVELAND, o., May 1.-The gavcl OF
the venerable Bishop Bowman fell this
morning at 9 o'clock and the great quad
riennial conference Of tho Methodist Epis-
copal church was under way. Central ar
mory looked beautiful indeed. Its interior
was brilliant and on all sides there was
an expectancy that issues Of Importance
were about to be preCipitated in the con-
vention.
Three thousand people were in the hall
when the meeting was called to order On
the floor were white men and black men,
the delegate from cold Norway and Sweden
and from tropical India and Japan. Nearly
every country on the globe was repre-
sented
Bishop Bowman announced that the bible
which will be used in the service is the one
which was used by John Wesley in his study
| in England. This historical treasure was
presented to the conference some years ago.
Bishop Ninde read from this book the One
Hundred and Third psalm. Bishop Vincent
read the hymn, after which prayer was Of
fered by Bishop Foster. Bishop Foster
prayed that personal ambition might
be stfed and that harmony should rule.
Rev William Burt of Rome, Italy, fol-
lowed in a reading of the scriptures, after
which Bishop Taylor of Africa read the
hymn. Rev. DR.. Upham of Drew Theologi-
cal seminary offered prayer, which closed
the devotions.
When the devotional exercises were over
little furry occurred in the convention
by reason of the bishops request of Secre-
tary Monroe to call the roll. 1t was thought
that this action would precipitate the contest
of the seats for women. When the name of
Lydia A. Timble was announced dele
gate was Immediately on his feet with mo-
tion that this name be omitted until the con-
ference had determined whether her election
was legal. For a moment it looked as If the
! fight had started. Bishop Bowman, how
ever, refused to entertain the motion. as he
declared the convention not organized.
The tumultuous applause which followed the
ruling of the chair indicated the strength
| Of the woman suffrage faction in the con-
! ference.
| This was the first skirmish and as the
| other names of women were called no eX-
| ception was taken.
The conference decided to fill the vacan-
| cies from the reserves and to adopt the
! rules Of the last conference.
| RIGHTS OF LAYMEN.
! fight over the rights of laymen on the
| floor Of the convention was precptated by
Mr.. Logan of Indiana, who took the con-
ventions breath away by presenting the
following resolutions:
Resolved First That we, members of the
! general conference of 1896. do hereby claim
| the right to choose the committees on which
we will serve in the same manner as the
ministerial delegates have made choice of the
| committees which they will serve, any
previous arrangement notwithstanding.
| Resolved, Second, That we hereby reque st
the presiding bishop to lay this case before
| the conference with view Of securing there
! from the official affirmation of our rights as
| above reCited.
! Resolved. Third, That copy of these reso-
I,tttN Inil hArn, tho IL.
the opening Of the first days session OF the
| general conference"
When the tumult following the presonta-
| tion of these resolutions subsided Bishop
Bowman ruled them out Of order, still con-
| tending that the organization of the conven-
tion hal not been perfected.
| The actual fight for the admission of
women delegates was precipitated when Mr..
Planet of North Dakota moved that a COM
nittee on credentials be appointed This
( brought DR.. Bucker, the old-time enemy of
| the women, to the front, who challenged
| the rights of women to seats in the con-
vention. scene of widest confusion fol-
| lowed, in which Bishop Bowman threw up
| his hands In despair and exclaimed Are we
| In congress or are we in a Methodist con-
! ference? Good Lord brethren, can we not
stop this hooting and bowling? The Lord
| help us."
The question was finally disposed of by
| referring all questions Of eligibility to a
special committee consisting of twenty eight
| members. The committee is made up of
| two delegates from each conference district
| and is being selected this afternoon The
| committee will report Monday, and in the
| meantime the women will be allowed seats
! In the convention. The convention adjourned
| at l o'clock to reconvene tomorrow morn
| ing.
Rev Mr.. John Tanahan of Baltimore au-
thor of the book The Frauds of the Meth
| odst Book Concern" is here and may ask
| the conference for personal vindication He
/ claims that twenty-five years ago he discov-
! Book Concern and brought out correction
| of the evils, that strong effort was made
by men high in authority in the church to
! keep the affair secret, and that because he
| would not consent to this he was prosecuted
| and even expelled from the church. though
| finally reinstated.
In the afternoon district conferences were
| held and members Of the committee of
| thirty-one were appointed. OF the fourteen
| district conferences seven declared uncondi-
| tionally for seating the women delegates
| and two others give one delegate each to the
| same cause. Thie makes a vote of II to IL
| in the committee in favor of seatingthe
! women. The committee chosen includes the
| following: Rev. j. w. Hamilton of Boston,
! l.. w. Shaw of Denison Ia; Rev. DIR. J. II.
| Chaffee of Minnesota, w. Il. T. Bushnell of
| Aberdeen, S. D.; Rev. DR.. William Cranston
| of Colorado, L. NJ Jones OF Nebraska Rev.
! j. w. Stewart of Kansas, T. J. Langston of
| ST. Louis DR. d. G. Townsend Of Texas, Rev.
| Dr. W. A. Knighten of California, and Judge
| John f.. Caples OF Portland, Ore.