New-York tribune., 1900-05-16
BALLOTING FOR BISHOPS.
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE BE-
GINS THE ELECTION OF TWO OF THE
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENTS.
tnY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBuNE.l

odist General Conference In Chicago. The entire
first floor Of the Auditorium crowded to
overflowing. and the lobbies were filled with a
struggling throng of persons as the baloting for
Bishops expected to begin. Hours of heated
debate the report of the Committee on
Epscopacy presented by DR.. Buckley. resulted
In the defeat of an amendment by Dr. Forbes
calling for the election Of four Bishops. the de-
feat Of the minority report. offered by Governor
Shaw that Bishop be elected. and the adop-
tion of the majority report of the committee.
providing for two Bishops. call for a
division of the house made on the minority
report of Governor Shaw. which resulted in the
defeat Of the latter's proposition by a vote of
40 to 224.
Cheer after cheer was given each speaker as
| the question of adopting the reports was dis
cussed. The boxes and galleries were crowded.
and when the motion TO suspend the rules and
take up the report Of the Committee on Episco-
pacy was passed. shout went up 70 the rafters
of the great hail. while women futtered their
handkerchiefs and men appauded vigorously.
REPORT ON THE EPISCOPACY.
! The report of the committee. submitted by DR..
Buckley in part as follows:
The Committee on Episcopacy respectfully
| recommends that James NJ Thoburn. Missionary
Bishop of India and Malaysia and Joseph c.
Hartzell Missionary Bishop of Africa, be classed
effective" They also recommend that the
relation of William Taylor, non-ehectlve Mis-
sionary Bishop of Africa. remain unchanged
| We also recommend the appointment OF a Bishop
from among our LOO ministers OF African
descent.
The Committee on Epscopacy having care
fully considered the subject respectfully recon-
mends that two general superintendentS be
elected by this General Conference
Governor L. NJ Shaw Of Iowa. then presented
the minority report recommending that no new
Bishops be elected, and moved that 1t be sub
stituted. 1t was signed by eighteen ministers
and twenty laymen.
PLEA FOR MORE BISHOPS.
Matthew V. Simpson. lawyer from Philadel-
phia and son Of Bishop Simpson, pleaded that
the Methodist Bishop a hard worked indi-
vidual. THE President Of the United States
himself has not such demands made upon him
as has the average Methodist Bishop" he said.
II plead for more Bishops, The burden upon
them is tremendous Don't look at this matter
in the niggardly way Of dollars and cents. Give
us the men and the Church will give the money"
Mr. Simpson followed and supported by
DR. ]. F. Thompson, Of South America who
said: While do not believe there is danger Of
depletion of our present Board in course OF the
quadrennium I believe in the appointment of
four new Bishops. We need them IN China, In
Japan and in South America.
After the majority report Of the Committee
on Episcopacy had been adopted Chairman
Joyce announced that the elections would follow
immedia ately. Bishop Bowman took the floor
and read the names of the tellers who would
have charge Of the elections.
The Conference became hushed when the an
nouncements were made, and Chairman Joyce
ordered that all persons within the bar of the
house and not connected with the Conference
withdraw The instructions for balloting were
read to the body and the election proceeded.
The ballots were collected in the hats of the
he first ballot the Conference ad-
tourned and the result of the election will be
announced at o'clock tomorrow A two-thirds
vote is required for election, and there may be
no choice on the first ballot when a second will
be taken.
BRITISH FLAG DISCUSSED.
| Dr. John Handley OF the NewJersey Confer
ence introduced a resolution early in to-days
session, directing that the British flag be dis
| played alongside the Stars and Stripes on the
stage There were loud cries of mo, no!' from
all parts of the hall. DR.. Handley insisted upon
| being heard. He said:
The missionaries of the Methodist Church in
india Africa Japan, China and other countries
have been protected by the Union Jack That
flag with our National emblem to-day stands
for the purest liberty and the highest type or
education and religion. These two flags will yet
pull down the crescent Of the Turk in Europe
and erect in It's place the Cross or Jesus christ
| The speaker said he introduced the resolution
the request or one or the delegates AIoHi
In an instant Dr. William J. Welsh, of Wyoming.
was on his feet. He said:
NV father was an Englishmen and have the
greatest sympathy for the British people; l
think IL would be wrong, however, to mingle
the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes on
this occasion. II the English flag Is displayed
the Germans and others would demand the same
recognition The Methodist Church stands for
all flags and must not discriminate IN favor
of the colors Of any one country.
The resolution was then tabled amid excite
ment.
A resolution was passed ndorsing Bishop Tho
burns twentieth century movement which pro-
| vides for raising a fund OF S2'OO,OOO for the
saving OF million souls to open the new CEN
| tury 1t authorized the appointment of COM
mittee of fifteen to devise means for putting the
| plan into effect.
| DR. KINGS NON-SECTARIAN RESOLUTION.
DR.. ]. NJ King, of New-York. presented the
| following resolution:
The Methodist Episcopal Church in 1892 by
| the action OF the General Conference was the
| first OF the Christian churches IN the Repuoc 10
| take action to demand the dissolution or the
| dangerous partnership existing between tHe
| Narfonal Government and the various churcheS
| in matters of sectarian Indian education ana OF
| sectarian charities in the District of Columbia,
and instructed the missionary societies under It's
| Endorsement and control neither 10 ask nor ac-
| cent governmental grants of money for mission
! ary or educational work among the Indians.
In rapid succession all OF the other religious
! denominations, together representing a constit-
| ueucv of fully thirty million OF the population,
| excepting only the Roman Catholics, took SINH
| lar action, thus leaving the National Govern
| ment in financial copartnership with single
| Church. ~
| The House of Representatives. for political
| reasons heard and needed this action of the