The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-03
WOMEN AS CHURCH WORKERS.
THE METHODIST CONFERENCE TO
ADMIT FEMALE DELEGATES.

The Question 10 BE Fought Out on
the Floor OF the Conference Mon
day-The Committee 10 Pass on
Their Eligibility stands II to II In
Their Favor-Many Recommended
lions in the Episcopal Address.
Cleveland, O., May 2-The four women
who have been elected as delegates TO the
general conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal church and their supporters
claim 10 have gained a substantial victory.
and the indications now are that when
the question is fought out on the floor of
the conference on Monday the women VIII
come out with flying colors
The fourteen district conferences have
held meetings and selected committeeman
to represent their respective districts on
the committee, which will report on the
eligibility OF women 10 the conference.
The result was a complete victory for the
women, the committee now standing II to
II in favor Of the unconditional admission
of women.
Rev. DR.. ]. NJ. Buckley of New York
| city, the leader Of the opposition to the
admission of women, was selected from
| the Second district and he will lead the
| opposition on the floor Of the conference.
! From the Eighth district the clerical rep
| resentative is Rev Dr. A G. Kynett of
Philadelphia, one Of the leaders of the wo-
mems side.
The committee will make a majority and
minority report on Monday and then the
most exciting session of the conference
/ viii be held. Almost all other questions
have been lost sight of, and the business
/ OF the conference Will ne unlmpOrtant un-
I till the woman question is settled.
| Bishop Foster of Boston called the gem
eral conference TO order this morning..
| The Rev. Dr. Parker of Indiana led the
/ devotional exercises He showed his pref
erence Tor the cause of women by pray
| Ing that God might bless the men ana
| women who take part in this general
/ conference.
| Bishop Foster said that the order of the
| body must be preserved and TO that enc
4 he called upon the delegates to assist him
/ in maintaining order.
| 1t was carried that the Epworth League
| committee consist of one delegate from
/ each annual conference, and that the
/ members Of this committee be chosen ia
| the same way as the standing commit
| tees are chosen. The judiciary commit
| tee will be chosen by the bishops
! The conference argued for a long time
| over the appointment of a committee on
! constitution. The motion as amended by
/ DR.. H. c. Payne of the Cincinnati con
| ference was adopted, providing for tn.
| appointment of committee of thirty-one
! on constitution, two members to be selcc:-
| cd from each general conference dis
! trct and three at large.
Bishop Henry W. Warren of Denver read
| the episcopal address 1t contained many
! recommendations. The address conpra +
! ulated the church upon its advancement
! but said there was much work yet TO
! be done. The growth of the church dur
! ing the past four years has been $50 600
souls, and the Methodist church is now
| the greatest In numbers in the world
! save the Baptist and Catholic churches
| Including proba toners there are now i'm
i the church 2f66,656 persons. The Sunday
! schools have gained during the four years
] past 4oO,26o. The WOmen's Foreign Mis-
/ Sionary Society and the Woman's Home
Missionary Society are very prosperous.
! Inc DlsnOp dld not recommend any ma
| terial chance in the time limit or in the
| mode OF making appointments. but suc-
| gested that wisdom might provide some
method by which. under suitable safe
| guards, the pastoral term might be ex-
tended to meet very rare cases of emer-
/ gency.
This was direct blow at those who are
laboring to extend %le pastoral term, and
| II was greeted with wild cheering by the
delegates.
on the amusement question. the ad-
| dress said that the church was opposed
10 all pleasures that are dissipating rather
than recreative Churches have perish
ed by indulgence in what seemed to be
at FIRST innocent delights"
The report says that the church is op-
posed to intoxicants and urges the United
! States government to so adjust its laws
| as not to seem TO legalize the Equor traf-
| nc IN states where there is prohibition
| The subjects Of arbitration and capital
and labor were treated in skiliful man
| ner.
Downtown churches were commended
| and the report sad Methodists should be
slow TO abandon them. 1t was recon-
| mended that conferences recognize Metho-
| dist schools by accepting diplomas from
| them
The report closed by saying that from
! all the world came Signs of encoura 3 e.
mont and that It was surely marching on
to ultimate victory
The conference accepted the report.
The committee on eligibility of women
| held protracted and heated discussion
/ mr.
| Buckley Of New York, it viii be remem-
| bered, had challenged the right of women
| to hold seats and the committee decided
! Ivy a vote Of % to II not TO sustain DR.
Buckley's challenge and admit the women
! under compromise conditions. by which
| women, who have been elected to sit as
! delegates VIII be allowed to vote and take
part in the proceedings without admitting
the