The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-25
Attempt TO XIII an Obsolete Rule That
Forbids Wearing of Gold Jewell
ry and Costly Apparel.
A DEAD LETTER FOR YEARS
But 1T AND OTHERS AS LIFELEss
STILL AMONG CHURCH LAWS.
Hoggish Lay Dclegntes-The Mission
ary Ficids-Afrfca q Sink Hole for
Good Methodist Money.

sedate old people. who are not looking for
anything funny I'm a Methodist Episcopal
General Conference. cannot help seeing
them, and making note OF them. For In
stance. the other day the General Confer
e1ce was called TO standstIll 10 listen TO q
memorial from some crank TO the effect that
the general rules~be amended as TO strike
out all that forbids the wearing Of gold and
costly apparel. a once lively entity, which
has been dead so long that its lifeless re-
mains had ceased TO emit any unpleasant
odor for generation or more. The funny
feature of this was the gravity with which
Ii was considered and the solemnity with
which 1t was resolved TO carefully preserve
those remains among its healthy and Its
moribund companions. II Is, therefore. Just
as unlawful for Methoo.st TO put on god
and costly apparel as IL is 70 dance or 60 4
theaters or get drunk. TIE memorial was
laid on the tale and the rule stands as IL
stood a hundred years ago when not one
Methodist in a thousand could get piece OF
gold or OF costly apparel II he or she had
wanted It. The rule got in its work every
where hundred years ago. and later by
keeping out OF the church thousands OF
wealthy people. just as its younger sister
the rule against amusements-is now do
ing. but IL died of heart failure many years
ago.
Another really funny thing was COM
Paint. which prominent preacher Of the
New York East Conference made against
two of the bishops. 1t happened once that
this brother had a call to a Boston pulpit
and asked a transfer accordingly. but one
of those hitches which frequently happen
in such casces. intervened. and the brother
was left without an appointment: and he
banned the bishops. not the Boston church.
which had reconsidered its can. The commit
tees easily exculpated the bishops. The
funny part was that the brother thought
his case such a hardship that the General
Conference ought to censure somebody.
whereas the whole trouble was that the Bos-
ton church called another man before he
could take possession.
WICKED LAyMEN.
Still another funny thing related TO our
so-called lay representation. At one OF their
love feasts it leaked out that from ten to
twenty per cent. of the laymen are habit
ually absent On personal business. without
res:gning and allowing their alternafes 70
be seated, and that not one-half OF the lay
men will have stayed the whole session. Most
of them knew at the beginning that they
could not or would not remain. and many
had contracted in advance TO leave the con-
ference and allow their alternates 10 share
the pleasures Of junket and q good time.
with expenses paid, and not the remofest
thought OF taking any intelligent part in
the business. One brother said: II don't
know anything about what ought or ought
not TO be done. just watch the bell-wether
and follow where he leads" This is funny.
nv xro 1,o hnI NJ al fh<<~&
and their very restricted power made them
Of any value at best
The discussion yesterday on missionary
bishops was one OF the ablest discussions
yet had in the General Conference. indicat-
ing a wide difference Of opinion on a ques-
ton Of policy merely. Those familiar with
the wants OF such mission fields as Ind.z,
Japan, Corea and Africa believed that the
constant presence Of a grand supervis.-x
head would be wise, while others. equally
intent on the best thing. thought shax for
the present. at least, India should be con-
tent with her one bishop (Thoourn), and
southeastern Asa could be better served
by a protracted visit from one Of the geil-
erai superinfendents. as Is now provided TOR
in the proposed two years episcopal vs5.t1-
close as to giving INDIA another b:snop and
one TO China and Japan ana one 10 Sou.1
America The case was complicated BY me
eminent fitness as to readily designate h.in
as the man for the place, those most like.y
to be chosen not quite measuring up TO the
course, this was not urged IN the debate.
but those iamfiar with sne facts SO UNDER
Tae Conditions OF the African missions are
so different from those Of the other missions
named that IL was resolved TO elect mis-
sionary. AZ a man even apProxlimsse.y "a ~. 1s
a work to be coveted by place seekers, AMI
ri is tonight open question as 20 who u
shall be. SO far as the quiet ,n o. TINS ;,, seo,
the election of to-morrow, the tone aas been
quite different from that which prevailed =
week ago Then = yas aazfr friendly ore rss'y a5y
men 50 equally jualified that no one thought
of claiming pre-eminence for any one or
fed?
The conditions are at best peculiar. Tue
natives are mostly pagans. but Estie above
the intellectual status OF the animals around
them. Though we have had a mission In
Liberia for more than sixty years. we have
only about 1900 members, and most OF these
are descendants OF former slaves In Ameri-
ca that were coionized In Africa before the
war. more 10 get rid or free negroes than
20 Chrfsfianize Africa, while the so-called
mission work on the Congo Is absolutely
almost nothing at an. II Is painful for ne
TO write these truths. but knowledge q
this is necessary 90 a proper understanding
of the situation. and no good can come Of
concealing them. The tact Is. the whole
truth concerning this enterprise has never
been toid perhaps II never VIII be: perhaps
Bishop Taylor He Is one OF the grande5r
characters OF this age. He has been abrn-
daat IN labors. and there Is no telling until
the books are opened over yonder what great
good he has done. but the naked trutl y
there Is little on the Congo 10 show for all
the thousands and tens OF thousands thai
nave been spent on his so-cailed self-Sopp0-t-
ing mission. IL was incidentally intimaled In
the debate by one In position 10 know
that ne intends 10 go 10 Africa TO look after
his personal interests there. whether he goes
officially or not. and the question before tne
General Conference Is how I'd conserve the
By him and his corporation or association
A second Thoburn could save something. ~
ne saved mucn from the wreck TayI0r left
behind In India. but where II the man, That
has been the burden Of serious talk all this
day By those who are in the secret of the
real situation. for Il must be admitted that
the great majority of the conferences de}e-
gates are IN biissfui ignorance of the real
The assent TO what hide wro<s a shls
painful sub1ec< two weeks $50 0oo ben
general among thoce No kDox (ne 49,
s. e sss sssss'sy Ssss 'ss & ss ss,ss ss 60 1s -;
.<,<. s. IS -. s s.