New-York tribune., 1900-05-02
PRICE THREE CENTS.
METHODISTS AT CHICAGO.
READY FOR OPENING QUADRENNIAL
GENERAL CONFERENCE- WILL PRO
VISIONAL DELEGATES BE
SEATEDr
my TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE

ty-thrd General Conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church at the Auditorium. II will
begin at O'Clock with devotional exercises
conducted by Bishop Thomas Bowman. and half
hour later the business session will be called
to order by Bishop S NJ Merrill. The question
of seating the provisional delegates by the adop-
tion OF constitutional amendment. which will
require a two-thirds vote viii be the first i'm
portant question This is certain TO cause a
heated debate and some predict il will take
several days to dispose Of the question. The
last of the clerical ard lay delegates arrived IN
course of the day. They came every train
and from all parts Of the country Bishop Hart
zell arrived in the afternoon from New-York.
and Bishop Thoburn is expected in time TO at
tend the opening session of the Conference
The delegates were assigned 10 their hotels by
the Reception Committee. Mrs. McMahOn. the
only woman delegate To the Conference. will be
provided with quarters at the Sherman House.
| and representatives of the provisional delegates
were anxiousy awaiting her arrival Every in
ffuence will be used have her waive her
right TO a seat in the Conference. so as not to
jeopardize the seating Of the provisional lay
delegates. The last guest at the Dewey ball had
scarcely departed after midnight. when large
force Of mechanics took possession of the Audi
torium and began removing the decorations
The dancing floor taken up and seats
stored and the big hall put In condition for the
use of the Conference. The General Conference
| Committee took possession of the hall at noOn-
| The v2rious committees were kept busy arrang-
/ Ing the final details for the opening.
Bishop CransIon and the committee in charge
| OF assigning seats to the delegates completed
| It's work at noon The choice of seats was
| decided by the drawing of lots. Under this
| rangemAnt the first choice OF seats went to the
savannah Conference. which has two delegates
| They secured seats in tEe second row from the
| stage near the centre The case against Dr.
| Jennings, agent of the Western Book Concern,
| a ~ afternoon
| when the local committee submitted a report to
| the Book Committee acquitting the publishing
| agent of the allegations made by DR.. Schell and
| others The programme for the opening session
! of the Conference is as follows:
| 9 a. m-Devotional exercises conducted by
| Bishop Thomas Bowman.
| $50 a m.-ConfererCe called 10 order by
| Bishop stephen NJ. Merrill; roIlcall and or
! ganization of the body. Opening of formal busi-
ness session.
II a m.-Readins Of the quadrennial episco-
| pal address by Bishop E @. Andrews
sion.
S p. Informal reception and welcome to
| bishops and delegates by the Methodist Social
| Union at the Auditorium John Farson presiding
PROBLEMS BEFORE THE CONFERENCE.
QUESTION OF THE TIME rIsI1T-B1sHops
TO BE CHosEN-oTHER SUBJECTS FOR
THE MONTHS DISCUSSIONS.
Chicago. May tspeciaD,-The General Confer
/ ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church the ses-
| sions of which begin here Tomorrow has especial
interest 10 AL MethoCists from fact that one OF
| the principal subjects 10 be discussed and passed
upon is the question Of removing its five year time
| limit to appointments OF ministers The days of
| the peripa5e,ic minister felt TO be over and
now that the West is becoming so we'll settled at
any rate il districts are desirable for set
uement' a great deal OF the pioneer work for
which tLe Methodist Church in particular has
] is -l-I .lqr With
! Western MethJdistS take then the position that
| the Church itself must be modified a good MANY
of its ancient FORMS which for a time were neces-
sary by reason Of the conditions existing forty and
fifty years ago. other important questions are TO
| come up, that this VIII probably be the most
| important General Conference in the history of
| the Methodist Church
Times have changed since the early days OF
| Method b., the methods and tenets of
| the CdL> 51ve scarcely been modified at all
There are sui many MelhodIsts opposed TO any
relaxation of discipline; who believe the time
limit on appointments should not be removed but
| drawn still tighter and at three years This
| will lead TO great deal of acrmony in the de
I bates. shown last week when the Chicago
. Annual Conference took I'D Of the matters
! to be discussed at The General Conference.
Briefly, the main points of interest TO be consid-
! cred
| First-The removal of the time limit on appoint
| ments
second-The removal Of the ban against card
playing. dancing and theatre-goi1-s
Chicago MethOdists say this second proposition
| will be bitterly opposed. \ strict Methodist con-
sders their rejection absolutely necessary to good
/ standing
/ Third-Lay representation. Equal representation
has been voted IN nearly all annual conferences But
l.Ut the question will come up how the dele
gates stand in the General Conference; that is
TO say, there is likely to be long wrangle the
| equal division of delegates by admitting certain
provisional lay delegates elected case the pres
ent General Conference decides equal represen-
taton. the postponng the equal division till the
1904 Conference by keeping the provisional dele
| gates. 1t is the old question the hen and the
| egg. Can delegates be delegates 10 a Conference
| before that Conference has authorized their cleo
tiOn?
| The Rock River Laymen's Association is at the
| head Of the night for equal representation. Among
/ local leaders William Deerng. Judge o. H.
! Horton. l. b. Hobbs, q. r. Swift and Judge Burke
The movement however. though started in Illinois,
has been approved Of by nearly all the Conferences
in the -three-fourths of them. any rate
Fourth-The necessity for more bishops.
| The death of one bishop and the age of Others
| make the need for blood in the Board OF
| Bishops quite apparent. Bishops are needed for
and Bishop Fowler Probably four new bishops
Fifth-Provisior for bishops OF limited jurisdic-
| tion.
Bishop Merrill the ablest man and highest judi
| cal authority in the church has a resolution 10
| present. which will provide for the election "of
bishops with limited jurisdiction for service among
| peoples of other languages or other races in the
| United states and foreign countries. Bishop Mer
riI says tha an adequate system OF episcopal su-
pervison in the fOreen missions OF the Church has
! become an imperative necessity II must be pro
Nlded ana that not a. a temporary eNpediency, out
! a. a permanent policy Either the missionary
/ episCopaCy must be better defined. lis relation
the Church at home determined and its disabilities
| reduced. II must be displaced by such adjust
4 tions it, will the demands Of the work
| al home and abroad under ali conditions OF DIFF