Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-12
CHURCHMEN MEET.
Annual Session Of the Baltimore netho-
dist Episcopal Conference.
HE BACON RESOLUTIONS.
THE
General Interest Felt I'm the Mea-
sure for Which They Provide-A
Caucus shows That Warrington
Fayors the Proposition.

BALTIMORE, Md, March n.-Bishop
Henry Warren, of Denver. Col, this
morning called to order the ll2th annual
session of the Baltimore Methodist Epis-
copal Conference. The visiting Clergy
men made their way to the old Broad
way church In the heaviest snow-storm
of the winter. They enjoyed the discom-
future of the local members and Others
who were yesterday extolling the beau
ties Of Baltimore's balmy climate.
one hundred and sixty ministers an
swered the roll-call at o'clock. Seve-
raj came In thereafter. until the fuli
membership was present. Within the
altar-rail. with Presiding-Bishop WAR
rem and his cabinet, sat Bishop Bow
man. the senior Bishop of the Church in
the United States.
"And am 1 yet alive?" was the open
ing hymn of the initial session. Aftes
Scriptural reading, the sacrament Of the
Lords Supper was celebrated by bishops,
presiding elders. and assisting minis
ters. Bishop Bowman made short ad-
dress, which was freely punctuated with
fervent amens.
Rev. DIR. John Lanahan and Rev. j..
p. Wright jointly offered a resolution
I'm relation to the abolshment of the time
limit of the itinerant system. The
object. of the resolution is to have the
general conference refer the question Of
changing the time-limit back to the an
nual conferences, for further discussion,
before takiag final action thereon. After
considerable discussion the resolution
was adopted.
The remainder Of the morning session
was devoted to electing the conference
officers and getting things In working
order for the general business TO follow.
At Y o'clock the conference took
recess until evening, when the anniver-
sary of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern
Educational Society was celebrated.
UNUSUAL INTEREST.
The conference will remain in session
until next Tuesday, and will be fraUght
with unusual interest, not only to the
three States and the District OF Column
bia. represented by delegates, but to
the country at large. There is general
interest in the Bacon resolutions. ORR
ginally offered by Rev. George c. Bacon,
of Hagerstown. These resolutions pro-
vide for the admission of laymen to the
annual conference i'm such proportion as
shall hereafter be determined, the elec-
ton of presiding elders by the annual con-
ference, and the giving OF coordinate
powers to the presiding elders In the cabi-
net.
The preachers meetings of Baltimore
and Washington have discussed the reso-
lutlons during the past year. with nearly
an even division i'm sentiment. AT
least half the conference members. 1t Is
said, do not reach the preachers, and
their votes will decide the question, as
far as the annual conference Is con-
cerned.
In addition TO the Bacon resolutions a
resolution simply favoring lay represen-
tation IN the annual conferences, which
was adopted at a conference or laymen
held last June. will be presented to the
annual and lay electoral conferences.
and will also be carried TO the general
conference These resolutions Will cause
the most animated and interesting discus
sion OF the conference work
A caucus was held last night by for
ty-four ministerial friends of the Bacon
resolutions. Washington city was well
represented, and the Indications point
to a majority OF the clergy Of that city
voting I'm favor OF the measure.
1t is said that, as the matter VIII
come up on the report Of a committee
of the last conference. II can be called
I'D at any time, thus preventing the
Bishop from shelving the resolutions un-
I'll the closing hour of the body, as Mr.
Bacon stated on the floor last March
was done by Bishop Andrews.
CHANGE IN PASToRATES.
A number OF changes will be made
I'm pastorates by reason OF the expi-
ration of time-limlts under the itinerant
system. and delegates to the general
conference, the governing body OF the
church. which will meet at Cleveland,
O.. May 9Th will be elected. Hereto
fore the Baltimore Conference, with
membership OF 300, has been represent
ed by four ministerial delegates. This
wear the conference membership has so
Increased that fifth delegate Is hkeiy
10 be chosen. Besides the ministerial
delegates two laymen will be chosen by
the lay electoral conference, which VIII
meet here next Friday.