New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-28
METHODIST CONSTITUTION.
TO BE REVISED BY A COMMISSION IN
THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE ALSO ADOPTS A
SCHEME OF MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE
AFTER DETERMINED FIGHT BY GEN

AFTER DETERMINED FIGHT BY GEN
ERAL RUSHING AND OTHERS.
IsY TELEGRAPH TO TRIsUNE.]
CLEVELAND NAV N-The Constitution, which the
General Conference has had under discussion for
eeyeral days and which gave rise to an animated
debate last night, was referred to-day 70 COM
mission Of fifteen to be appointed by the plshops
and to consist of six ministers, six laymen ana
three bishops. The commission is to review the
work Of the commission Of 1888 and the recommen-
dations OF the present conference. to receive all
recommendations of the Committee on Lay Repre-
sentaton, together with all memorials signed by
1--WE ministers hve laymen, and to set forth the
present organic law of the Church. with such
changes as 1t may make. and print the result IN
the Church press by January l. 1892 Between
January l. 1900, and the meeting Of the next Cen
eral Conference in May Of that year. 1t is 10 re-
wise It's work in the light of criticisms and sugses-
lions made and report to the General Conference OF
1900.
The special Committee on Arbitration submitted
a report 90 the troubles in Armenia. in part as
follows:
Whereas, An exceedingly great and bitter cry
has gone up from Armenia. devastated, piilaged
and trampled under the iron heel Of armed perse-
cutors in which hundreds of our fellow-Christians
have been murdered in cold blood. or. surviving
suffered nameless outrages; be 1t
Resolved. That the General Conference Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, assembled In CeVe-
land in May 1896. does hereby petition Congress
jSR he at sas the
States to enter into negotiations with the Euro
and TO the end that such Powers or Governments
be requested. in the name of humanity and civil
stop to these atrocIous and shameful outrages.
Resolved, further, That copy OF these resoIu
diately upon their adoption. and that such copies
shall be signed by the president and secretary OF
this body.
The report was unanimously adopted.
Under the call for reports from committees sew
eral were presented and adopted including one
from the Committee on Church Extension. which
occasoned warm and extended debate. The report
which was presented by DR.. Swindells. chairman
proposed that the plan Of what Is known as the
Wisconsin Methodist Church Mutual Insurance
Company be adapted to the whole Church The
report provided for the appointment of board.
consisting of one member elected by the delegates
from each of the fourteen general conference dis
tricts, and five to be appointed by the Board Of
Bishops. The board thus constituted Is 10 appoint
a manager. Policies are to be written on church
property at the rate charged by regular insurance
companies. and premiums are to be paid as 1oi-
lows One-thrd in cash when the policy Is written
one-third by a note payable in one year, less the
pro rata share OF profits. and one-thiro py ho'e
for two years. less profits.
DR.. Swindells said that the rates Of insurance
were high in some sections as to be pracucai!y
prohibitory. The plan proposed was intended TO
give the churches adequate protection at much less
Sweet a presiding elder, said that In his district
the Lake Superior, in Wisconsin. the insurance
rates were ~ per cent, while under the mutual
plan insurance cost only one-half of per cent .
Genera Rushing of New-Jersey, characterized
the scheme proposed visionary and chimericai
If the regular companies charged high rates 1t was
because the risks great. Insurance was not
dream or speculation, but a systematized business
and the rates were made low as possible the
whole country was etrewn with wrecks OF mutual
insurance companies. The Methodist Church should
take warning by the Asbury Life Insurance COM
pany which went down some years ago ana ielt
great scandal The Church might just as well go
Insurance business. The pending scheme would con
fiict with the laws of many OF the states, Was
visionary and imperfect, and would wlnd up Win d
scandal .hou -.
A considerable minority. including number or
laymen made determined efforts 10 defeat the re-
10 strike out, amend to postpone ana 70 Jay on
the table but they were all overridden, ana the re-
mort was adopted by about two-thirds vote
Al the afternoon session the death OF meinDer
of the Conference, Or. Julian F. Scott OF North
China Conference. was announced comIit zee
was appointed TO represent the conference a' '"e
funeral service tomorrow morning.
plan for board Of examiners for eacn annual
conference and of examination or Candidates was
announced by the bishops. r. $500, 49,.
Secretary Leonard read appeal for larger con-
trbutions for the Missionary Society, especially 70
meet the debt $4,000 and the Conference adopted
II and ordered 1t to be prnto in the Church press
in the discipline concerning the trial OF ministers
andn