The Portland daily press., 1896-05-16

put what else was possible, when it could
! neither fill time nor kill it? And here is
remarkable fact: Whereas, some years
sso the ConfeSenre would not hear
FRANCES z. Willard, holding that it's time
was too precious, it was glad on Tuesday
TO nave song and an encore from
Amanda Smith, the coiored evangelist.
Amanda's first piece was, =" In some way
or other the Lord will provide" and she
| rendered it so effectively as to evoke many
amens." Bishop Fowler was presiding,
ana, as usual, was ready with his little
Joke. ''That was no doubt very COM
fortlng for the candidates. he observed
now give us something for those who
are not candidates." and she tried to do
IT, but somehow the poor woman, from
some cause--possibly for lack of O suffi.
oient number Of sympathetic listeners
pitched her second tune too high, and
came to grief.
| 1t was to relieve the situation indicat-
| ed IN the foregoing, that the elections
were precipitated. This change is good
Tor the Conference, but bad for your COR
respondent, since 1T deprives him of the
pleasure he hadSantioipated of telling Kin
advance who would have the largest num-
| Der OF votes. But the elections, though
they begin this week, will hardly he fin
ished until late next week, for It's big
| job to fill $50 or more important offices,
each OF which pays large salary and
some of which require special qualifioa-
tons. For book agents, general secre-
tar1es and editors the average of pay is
about 81, 600 annually, not much less
| With only one or two possible exceptions
these positions will be filled Tor four
years to come by the present inoulnbants.
But there are many who, from not en-
tlrely dlsinterested motives, would like it
otherwise. very many, and hence, when
the elections are over there will DO q
chance for the Conference to elect still
another official, whose appropriate title
might be General Comforter Appro-
pos of this, the Epworth Herald had re-
Gently squib headed $50 to Cleveland
sister, which says: ga woman in Phila-
| delphia adyertises: sympathy offered
| to those who are In trouble or have met
with severe disappointment. Let the SIS
ter go to Cleveland about May 90. Many
| brethren will need her help about that
time and she would be sure 10 do a rush.
ing business. To this the writer need
only to say, to speak scripturally, that it
| is as true as the Gospel.
The only thing of consequence really
done SO far as to provide a way by which
the Wesleyan Methodism of Germany
| z, 300 members about 80 ministers and
property valued at $500, 000-may be taken
| over bodily by the Methodist Episcopal
Church in Germany. The Methodist
Church is great for taking people in. 1t
has wide door and plenty of aggressive
ness. Naturally such proposal went
| through with a whirl. The conditions
are very easy, considering what is
gained. The British Wesleyans give up
their hold upon these German Wesleyans
because the Germans desire it in the in
ferests OF larger progress. 1t is mis-
sion work, of coUrs, but the property
has an Indebtedness Of only about SIS, 600,
and the demand for support is $12, 600 the
flrst year, with an annual reduction look
ing toward selfsupport. LIST it be noted
by those who are raving about the dispo-
sition of the British Lion to keep ali it
can get Its paw on and to get it's
paw paw s,S on 49, everything in sight,
Olney have vainly tried thus far to get
concessions in Venezuela. these irrepressi-
BILE American Methodists have obtained
valuable grant from their British
brethren without even asking for 1t. The
English Wesleyans virtually, by this act
make over the whole of Germany as q
special mission field for the Methodis1n
Of the United States and the Americans
are lnagnsnlmous enough not to object.
In saying that this is all the. Conference
has DONE have fully in mind the dispo-
sltion it made of the woman question.
That was not done; only half done
Women will be eligible for undisputed
conference, by a three-fourths majority,
declare them to be SO. AS to the Status
of the four women who answered to their
names at roll call, this dignified body is
balancing itself on the fence, with consid-
era BILE doubt in the mind of the writer as
to the side on which it would drop were
it to let go. But it will not let go: it
has deliberately decided not to let 90.
This decision has withstood already ire
Inendous strain. A few were determined
by sort OF hank movement to bring the
point to an issue, and the Bishop presid-
ing seemed, by his unfortunate rulings,
to favor this movement. But the motion
was blocked, as also was the honored
Bishop, though he broke or disabled two
gavels in the effort to keep an open track.
And by the way, that storm Of Friday
last was the most violent and exciting
that has disturbed the General Confer
ence in 16 years. This much I say from
personal knowled &c.
None the less, the general public is
mistaken in surprising that this Confer
ence ever degenerates into a mob or that
the delegates ever use unparliamentary
language. Given an exciting subject,
to be considered and determined by 500
men, all of whom have views ON it, and
nearly all of whom are aching to make
q speech, aud what can be expected but
intense rivalry and occasional friction?
Inevitably there will be an appeal now
and then from the rulings Of the chair,
and il the chair shall aggravate an obvi-
ous mistake by sticking TO it, as the
best of men may, if they think they are
right, it might then be religious duty
for member to threaten resignation as
way of questionable feeling, this is all
thatshas occurred. 1t involves. nothing
disgraceful and nothing which, in the
circumstances. need occasion either sur
prise or uneasiness.
The woman debate itself was conduct
ed, as a matter of fact, in h spirit which
reflects credit upon those taking part.
Each side was after votes; hence each side
was respectful and conciliatory. Other
wise the brethren could not have come
together as they, did in that happy COM
promise which lenves them now so beau
tifully balancing themselves on the fence