The Topeka state journal., 1900-05-02
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Many Questions of Great I'M
pOrtance Are Scheduled
For Consideration by the Meth
odist General Conference
SITTING IN CHINAGO
SITTING IN CHICAGO.
Attempt to Be Made to Raise
Ban on Dancing.
Equal Lay Representation Adop-
ted Unanimously.

Chicago, May 2.-The twenty-ninth
general conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church-the twenty-third of
the delegated congresses-began here
today. It will last month and is ex-
pected to be the most important of any
conference since the memorable one of
1914, when the south branch of the
church severed relations with the main
body over the slavery question.
The pit of the Auditorium theater was
filed with ates-from north and
south and cast and west; Warne and
Smith, from India, bronzed by the sun
of the equator; Hagan and Camphor,
from Liberia, and innumerable others,
representing Methodism in all parts of
the world. Further back in the big hall
where the conference is to be held were
the spectators and the provisional del
egates, whose fight for admission to the
conference is expected to occupy the
first days of the meeting.
The peals of the great pipe organ were
still echoing when venerable, white
haired Bishop Thomas Bowman arose
to declare the conference opened. Be
hind Bishop Bowman We're the other
bishops in the places of honor on the
stage. They, in common with the re-
mainder OF the assemblage, became
silent as the veteran bishop raised his
! hand. Briefly he called attention to the
Importance of the conference. counseled
| conservatism and the gravest consider
| alton of matters which would be
brought up, and then declared the con-
! ference open.
Bishop H w. Warren, following
! Bishop Bowman. announced the first
| hymn, which was sung with vigorous
! enthusiasm by the great audience.
/ The apostles creed, led by Bishop J.
| NJ. Thoburn, of India, was recited by
/ the audience, and then Bishop c. D.
| F'oss delivered a prayer. This was fol-
| lowed by the reading of Psalm 46 by
| Rev. H. H. LoWrey, d. D., of the North
! Carolina conference.
The Gloria" was then chanted, the
| second scripture lesson from the first
| chapter of Acts, first to fourteenth par
| agraphs, read by the Rev. Austin Grif-
| fin, of the Wyoming conference, and
| another hymn announced by Rev.
| Harry Swan of the West Texas confer
| ence.
A prayer by Rev Hilary A Goblin, of
| the Northwest Indiana conference fol-
| lowed and was succeeded by another
hymn, announced by Rev. Jacob Yunk-
| ers of the North Germany conference.
AS the last note of the hymn died
| away Bishop S. NJ. Merrill took the
| chair, the first move made in the busi-
| ness of the conference. Grave ques-
| tions confront the gathering. The lay
| delegates demand vote for vote with
the clerical representatives, and there
are 141 provisional lay delegates await
ing action by the conference.
A determined effort will be made to
l
and theater-g going, and arguments ad-
vanced for the conservation of bishops
of limited jurisdiction, the dropping of
the time limit on paStorates, and the
referring of the election of conference
editors, secretaries and book agents to
the committees governing the different
societies. 1t is also expected that some
steps may be taken looking to the re-
uniting of the south branch of the
church with the main body There will
be a general morning session OF the en-
/ tire conference every day except On
Sundays. The fourteen standing COM
mittees whose functions are analogous
to those of congressional committees
meet three times a week. seven each
day, and report to the general confer
ence such resolutions as are deemed
worthy of general discussion and ac-
ton
of the $50 delegates entitled to seats
the greater number were present this
morning.
DR.. D. S. Monroe of the central Penn
sylvania conference was elected secre
tary of the conference by acclamat1on
He called the roll of districts and dele
| gates The vote which provided To-
! equal lay representation was taken an(
the fight for the seating of 141 provis
| ional delegates begun. Their cause wa!
relieved of an embarrassment by tn'
. withdrawal of all rights to a seat o!
Mrs NJ Y McMahan of GriggSV1lle, Ill
In her communication she said she be
lieved that by Withdrawing she woul'
aid the PROFESSIONALS in securing seats
: The conference by a unanimous Vot
decided to admit equal lay representa-
: | tion to all Methodist conferences.
The announcement of the vote wa
greeted with cheers as it was victor.
) | which had been fought for a hundre'
: years.
A fight was expected over the matter
but it did not materialize. The matte
was introduced by Rev. J. M. Buckle.
of the central New York conference
Ta
=. of the last general confer rence, with tn
7 exception Of 1 and Is. This was car
! ried almost unanimously, and DI
Buckley asked for the vote on the Rocl
River conference was for equal Ia.
representation in all Methodist confer
ences annual and general The propo
sition was read, and the unanimous ap
proval followed.