The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-06
PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL.
Resolutions and Memorials and An
nouncement of Committees.

CHICAGO. May 5.-After an hour Of &C.
tive debate among delegates to the Meth
odist General Conference to-day a COM
nittee Of fifteen was appointed to
report plan for the consolidation
of the Freedman's Aid and South
ern Educational Society and the
Church Extension Society. or either of
them. with the home department of the
Missionary Society, into one society to be
known as the Home Missionary Society of
the Methodist Episcopal Church. The
committee was instructed to report next
Friday. Rev. A. Leonard. Cincinnati Con-
ference. I'm discussing the resolution which
was introduced by him. declared the uni
ication of the societies would lessen ex-
penses and facilitate progressive work.
There were numerous other resolutions
and memorials presented, most of them
being referred to their proper committees.
H L. Thomas OF the Washington Confer
ence, introduced a resolution that the con-
ference greatly lamented the death of ID.
L. Moody, the evangelist, and prayed that
another great leader might come forth.
1t was adopted by a standing vote. DR..
J. II. Jackson, presiding elder Of the Rock
River Conference, introduced a memorial
signed by twenty laymen. providing for
important changes in the method of gov
erning deaconesses. The memorial asks
that a board of control. composed of one
bishop. two members of each annual con-
ference. two licensed deaconesses and two
laymen, be formed quadrennially by the
Board of Bishops.
A resolution recommending that in any
proposed changes of the Discipline the
rules be supplemented to require two
thirds vote of both orders present neces-
sary for adoption was referred to the
committee on the state of the church.
A resolution providing hat elections OF
bishops, secretaries, book agents and edi-
tors be held Monday, May IA, and that no
measures contemplating changes in the
Book of Discipline be considered after May
Is. were also referred to this committee
The committee was instructed to report
next Tuesday and IL the report Is In favor
of the passage of the latter resolution
the amusement question will probably
come before the conference without delay.
A memorial from DIR. w. G.. Wilson. OF
Iowa, asked that the probationary period
for new members of the church be reduced
from six to three months.
The Kankakee Conference introduced
memorial requesting that the title of
bishop" be abandoned and the word "su-
perintendent'' be subjected so as to dis
card the doctrine of prelacy. 1t also seeks
TO limit the tenure of office of bishops to
eight years instead of a life term. at
present, and provides that by a two-thirds
vote the elders of n conference may veto
The action of a bishop.
memorial which is likely TO create
spirited debate Is one from the Missouri
Conference asking for definition OF the
term 'layman" as used in the Book of Dis
ciplne. 1t embraces all phases OF the
woman question.
The standing committees of the confer
ence have been organized as follows:
Book Concern-Chairman Governor Les
lie NJ Shaw. Iowa; secretary, Charles w.
Willard. New York.
Church Observation-Disclosures, DR.. John
Field. Philadelphia; secretary, ]. c. Cox.
Iowa.
Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education
Chairman. Rev. Joseph Pullman. New
York; secretary, Reuben s. Lavingood.
Texas.
Observation-Disclosures, Rev James r.
Day, New York; secretary. Ira NJ. d. Long.
Colorado.
Sunday Schools and Tracts-Chairman
Dr. II. NJ. Hammill, Illinois: secretary, ID.
s. Payne. Iowa
Observation-Disclosures DR.. William F. Old
man. Ohio; secretary. DR.. James Nudge,
New England.
State of the Church-Chairman, ex-Gov-
ernor Robert +. Pattison. Pennsylvania;
secretary, Rev. Edward ]. Gray, Pennsyl-
vania.
Temporal Economy-Chairman Rev. ]. M.
King: secretary. Prof. Scion F. Bronson,
Illinois.
Episcopacy-chairman DR.. J. NJ. Buck