The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-02
WOMEN AND LAYMEN
PROMISE TO MAKE WORK FOR THE
METHODIST CONFERENCE.
Both Figured I'm the Opening Proceed
ings Of the Quadrenninl Meeting
at Cleveland Yesterday
RULING BY BISHOP BOWMAN
THAT TEMPORARILY GAVE FOUR
WOMEN SEATS IN THE HALL.
Preachers Astonished at the Presump-
ton of Laymcn in Demanding
Greater Rights IN the Conference.
SCENES AT THE RECEPTIONS
MAI. MKINLEY's CLERICAL BOOMERS
AT WOItlx LAST NIGHT.
------
The Ohioan's Name Greeted with Tu-
multuOus applause - Credentials
Committee In Favor of Women.
Preachers AstoniKhed at the Presump-
ton of Lay men in Demanding
Greater Rights IN the Conference.
SCENES AT THE RECEPTIONS
MAJ. MKINLEY's CLERICAL BOOMERS
AT WOltlx LAST NIGHT.
The Ohioan's Name Greeted with Tu-
multuOus applause Credentials
Committee in Favor of Women.
snecial to the India anapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
CLEVELAND, o., May 1.-The quadrennial
conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church has begun its thirty-day session. 1t
began the work OF organization to-day, and
the proceedings, though brief, were long
enough to show that several questions will
worry the good bishops. preachers and lay
men who constitute the high court Of Meth
odism. Four women occupied seats in the
hall. and the question that is worrying many
tonight is. will they be put out?' DIR.
Buckley and his followers think they will,
but there is a host of delegates who think
otherwise.
The formal reception Of the conference to-
night Was an occasion of much interest, all
of the speeches being of high order, but
none created such unbounded enthusiasm as
that made by the Congregational minister
who. In the name of the city churches other
than the Methodists. welcomed the General
Conference, being in no sense sparing of su-
perlatives in speaking of Methodism and her
achievements. By bit Of adrotness he
managed to mention the name Of Governor
Mckinley, if by accident, but 1 verify be-
lieve he did 1t on purpose. to see how it
would take. The result must have been sat.
satisfactory to him, for 1t was received with
such shouts of applause to render 1t quite
impossible to proceed for some time. The
preachers rose almost in body to wave
hats and handkerchiefs, in manner that
would have done credit to a Republican
convention, and but little less demonstrative
Was the greeting of an allusion to the COM
ing women, surely coming in the near flu
ture, which was made by one of the preach
ers in his address.
PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHES.
The battle of to-day began last night by
several significant skirmishes, the most i'm
portant OF which was hastily-called caucus
of the lay delegates at the First Methodist
Church. While the Indiana delegation was
holding love feast at the American, as no.
ticed in last nights dispatches, about a hun
dred laymen from all parts of the country
were consulting as to matters that especially
affect the laity. The significance Of the
meeting was seen less in what was said than
in the way it was said and in what it pro-
posed to do than in anything done. From
beginning to finish there was an air of de-
hance and purpose never before seen in any
meeting of the laymen in America. The
first In point Of time, but quite secondary in
Importance, was resolution to sit in body
in the meetings Of the conference. The dis
cussion of this motion developed a very de-
cided purpose not to submit to one form of
disrespect under which the laymen have
heretofore labored. When sitting with their
respective delegations 1t has been quite COM
mon for the presiding officer to recognize the
minister rather than the layman who wished
to speak next, possibly more because he had
a better acquaintance with the minister than
with the layman than because he desired to
cut Off the layman. BY this arrangement
they are prepared to demand turn about
when any question of special interest is up
But the most important measure in its
possible results was resolution to demand a
better recognition on the important commit
tees. Hitherto it has been the custom to rec
ognize the minister who received the largest
number OF votes as member of the episcopal
committee, thus making that committee
wholly OF ministerial and as a rule to con-
tain all or nearly all the probable cand,-
dates for the episcopacy. giving color no
lated to the election of more bishops What
Will come OF this remains TO be seen, but
taken tar IN connection with the the animus of
Will be more laymen on that and other i'm
portant committees than formerly. other
matters were considered, eliminating in a
resolution to meet again soon and to proceed
to a permanent organization of the laymen
who have many grievances to manage.
THE WOMAN QUESTION.
Another skirmish line was in the interest
Of the women. 1t was called primarily by
the pro-women men, but the antis dropped
in in force and they were generally invited
to take part in the discussion, as there was
no intention to spring any surprise upon
them. They accepted the invitation and said
their pieces; the import of all reminds one
of the plea for mercy of a man who had
murdered his mother; he did hope the court
in fixing the penalty would remember that
he was an orphan. These antis did hope
the pros would have respect to the conscien-
tious convictions that the women could not
come in under the constitution. OF course
the pros had no convictions that the antis
ought to respect
Another caucus was that held by the
bishops. This was strictly private and out
siders had no inkling as to the object until
this morning when the roll was being called,
when It's most probable purpose seemed to
crop out. When the name of the first wom-
an was called an anti jumped up and chal-
lenged her right, whereupon Bishop Bow
man most gently, but firmly, sat down on
the challenge, silencing opposition for the
present.
know that we have quorum-can't enter
tain any motion now," and the roll call
just as any others. Then came the tug of
war. that was to get her out. Nothing
daunted. however, Dr.. Buckley rose to a
privilege OF getting her out. But will he?
Did any man ever succeed in scheme of
that kind? / trust not. But he got a COM
mittee appointed which viii report later on.
but meanwhile she is in. and that shows
a vast advance since 1885. Then her name
was not called and she was recorded as
out, and she was kept out Somebody has
learned something within eight years So
the storm that was predicted concerning the
women seems TO have been postponed at
least I'll next Monday, when II now seems
that IL will be a zephyr instead of cyclone.
One feature of the committee is a mark
OF progress. Instead of its being appointed
by the bishops as Is usual the conference
ordered the Committee should be Composed
OF one minister and one layman from each
OF the fourteen General Conference districts,
districts. respectively. From the tone OF the
conference to-day II Is not difficult to pre-
dict that there Will be two reports. the
majority being largely in favor Of the only