Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-05-20
GENERAL CONFERENCE
OF the Methodist Episcopal Church Of
the United States.
The Woman Question Cause OF Much
Dehate-rhe Colored Members Want -
Coiored Bishop-God in the Con-
stitution-Othcr Matters

urday session of the Methodist confer
ence Rev. Mr.. Lowthers. OF Kansas, in
troduced resolution asking that all
Methodists be asked to abstain from
using tobacco and that no Sunday
school teachers or Epworth league
presidents or other officers be elected
who used tobacco. Referred to COM
mittee on temperance.
resolution and petieion opposing
the proposed amendment TO the United
States constitution putting God in the
constitution was referred to the COM
mittee on church and state. 1t pro-
vided that the words Trusting In AL
mighty Cod should be inserted after
the word ''Posterity' in the preamble
of the constitution.
A communication from the Method
list church, south, was read by Secre-
tary Monroe, stating that n committee
had been appointed To- confer with the
Methodist church looking to fedora
ton OF the two churches IL was re-
ferred TO the board of bishops.
The women are daily gaining
supporters Saturday large number
of lay delegates who had previously
voted against the constitutional amend
ment giving the women admission to
the conference changed their votes and
voted yea. The change was greeted
with applause.
CLEVELAND, O., May is.-The Metho-
dist general conference put itself on
record again on the race question Mon
day morning by adopting resolution
introduced by Rev. DIR. II. A. Monroe,
Of Delaware, indorsing the treatment
that Cleveland hotels have accorded to
all delegates, regardless of color, and
demanding that wherever il is decided
to hold the conference in the future a
guarantee Se obtained of equal treat
meut.
a resolution was referred announcing
that the Methodist church recognized
no color or caste, and stating that il
the conference elected Negro bishop
Il was not TO bc considered class legis-
lation. A request for the holding of
the next general conference at Sara
toga Springs was received.
Chairman y. III. Moore, OF the south
ern education and freedmen's aid com
mittec, reported "A resolution stating
that IL was the sense OF the conference
that the name of the society be not
changed.
After considerable debate the report
was adopted.
The committee on fraternal union of
the Methodist churches which was APP
pointed four years ago was requested
to report at once. The fact that the
standing committees have not reported
yet almost brought the conference to
stop. There was no business to
be transacted, and a recess was
taken. During the recess Rev. Dr. j.
H. Graw, of New Jersey, and Rev. DIR.
Lanahan, of Baltimore, Matched up "A
scheme to have the elections occur this
week. Accordingly, DR. Graw moved
to reconsider the vote OF last week by
which May Is was fixed as election day
Rev. DIR. Nj. Buckley, of New York.
said he thought that next Sunday would
be better spent by the delegates IL the
elections were held this week He
held that the delegates would election
Ger on Sunday IL the elections were
held on Monday. 1t was decided to
commence the elections on Thursday.
CLEVELAND, o., May I3.-Bishop
Fowler, of Topeka, Kan. presided at
the session of the Methodist general
conference Tuesday morning. a reso-
luton asking for the appointment of a
constitutional committee TO revise the
constitution OF the church was intro
duced. 1t provides for a committee to
meet at Chicago, which is to formulate
n constitution which will meet the
worldwide scope of the church. Re-
ferred 10 the committee on constitution
Amanda Smith, the famous colored
revivalist of the church, was intro
duccd. and was received with hearty APP
plause. She sang The Lord Will Pro-
vide" and being again called to the
platform, Bishop Fowler said: "She
has just sung for one of the candidates
She will now sing one for the rest
Of u.s." which she proceeded TO do,
though not till after the shouts Of
laughter caused by the bishops re-
marks had died away.
There is relatively little change in
the conference situation so far as the
candidates for the episcopacy are con-
cerned. The probability of the election
of DIR. Hamilton and DIR. jackson seems
TO grow apace, and there arc many
who would be willing TO vote Rev.
DIR. $. +. Upham, of the New Eng
land conference, into one Of the chairs
The anniversary OF the Methodist
board of church extension was held
Tuesday night DIR. w a. Spencer,
one of the secretaries of the board. told
OF the growth OF the society since its
foundation 81 years ago
He said all debts had been paid Off
and over $3.50, 600 have been raised
and paid out FOR the purpose OF church
extension. More than 10000 churches
have been built and other thousands
aided by the society.
CLEVELAND, o.. May 14.-The Meth
odist conference was opened Wcdnes-
day with Bishop Vincent in the chair
The devotional services were conducted
by Rev. r.. T.. Gillum, a colored minis
ter from central Missouri.
The first resolution offered denounced
in the strongest terms the Armenian
outrages and massacres. and referred
90 the apathy of the Christian govern
ments OF Europe and America. II
closed by calling on congress 20 pass n
joint resolution authorizing the presi-
dent 20 enter into negotiations with
the European powers most directly in
tercstcd, with the view OF interfering
and preventing further nassacres The
resolution also provided that a copy Of
the resolutions be sent 20 both houses