The San Francisco call., 1896-05-09
Quite a Storm Caused by the
Introduction of a Resolution
to Pay Their Expenses.
PROGRESS OF MISSIONARY WORK
Encouraging Reports Made in Refer.
ence to Africa, india and
Asia.

CLEVELAND, OHIO. May s. = The
meeting of the General Conference of the
Methodist church this morning was ex-
citing. Morris Sharp of Ohio opened up
the woman question by offering resolu-
ton providing that as the women dele
gates elected to this conference had relin-
quished their seats that their expenses be
paid, and that their male reserves, ii any,
be called.
Rev. DR.. Leonard made fervid speech
against the passage of the resolution.
These women, it has been decided" he
said, ''are legal members of this body, and
as such their expenses must be paid with
out any resolution. l hope the conference
will vote this resolution down."
Great excitement prevailed and many
delegates struggled to get the floor. An
attempt to lay the resolution on the table
was defeated.
Rev. DR.. Neeley of Philadelphia offered
a substitute for the resolution asking that
the women delegates who had claimed the
right OF admission to the conference come
TO the floor as visitors and that their ex-
penses be paid by the committee.
Then followed the greatest excitement
of the conference. Everybody was ex.
parts of the house were vainly trying to
get the floor. During the confusion both
resolutions were Withdrawn and the Incl
dent closed.
Bishop Taylor, the missionary Bishop
from Africa, delivered his report. In part
he said:
''An ask for Africa is that in our mis-.
sionary work we do for the blacks what we
would do for the whites. In regardEto our
work in Africa l will say that if this con-
ference shall decide that the time has come
10 put al the African missions under the
control of the missionary society shall
make no objection; only make your deci.
sion on the subject decisive"
Bishop Thoburn of India and Asia read
his report. He said:
"In general terms we have abundant
reason TO thank God for our prosperity
during the last four years. We have
gained two annual conferences and eleven
presiding elder districts. We now have
twenty-four district conferences; our
preachers now speak sixteen languages,
three more than four years ago, and by
the end of the century they may be
expected to preach in twenty languages.
-Four years ago our total number of con-
verts was $4,000 souls, now it is over
100000. We now have 2249 Sunday-schools
and 1855 scholars, an increase of S73
schools and q, 712 pupils. The Epworth
League has made its first appearance
among US since my last report and We now
have 134 leagues and 6555 members. We
have over 200 natives studying for the
ministry"
After the long wrangle all reference to
the debate on the woman question was
ordered stricken from the record.
Friday, May 15, was set apart for Mem
orial day.. Resolutions were adopted
commencing the action of Congress in
cutting off aid from sectarian schools. A
resolution asking the Government to grant
belligerent rights to the Cubans was
referred without debate to the committee
on the state of the church. The confer
ence then adjourned.
The evening session at the armory was
devoted to the educational universities of
the Methodist church. The laymen also
held meeting, the purpose of which was
to devise means to cut down the authority
of the Bishops and ministers. There were
sixty-two delegates out of the 200 in the
conference present. They wrangled all
the evening, but arrived at no definite
conclusion.