The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-03
LAVAEN N)N EQUAL
10 Ministers in the Methodist
National Conference.
NO DISSENTIENT VOICE
Some of the Present Confer
ence's Tasks Specified.

Chicago, May 2.-The pulpit and the
pew share equally in the highest gov
ernmental body of the Methodist church.
Without dissenting vote the geeral
| conference at the auditorium today rati-
cd the action of the annual conference
in extending equal representation to the
larry. The provisional delegates were sd-
mitted without contest. Mrs. NJ. Y. Nc
Mahan withdrew her claim to a seat in
the conference rather than jeopardize the
status of her male colleagues. The step
taken makes the Methodist church
democratic body; the rule of the preacher
passes with the ce..tury. The episcopacy
in the church long since has been re-
stricted to a superintendent without any
authority beyond the placig of ministers
and suggestions to the general and an
nral conferences. The ministers were
more enthusiastic over the less OF their
powc~ than the laymen over their ad-
ditional power. There were Isl provisional
delegates elected to fill up the disparity
in thejr lrCIt't'Cral representation. Only
eig1ty-f1ve. however responded to the roll
call following their admission. The limit
ed lay representation gave the pew 125
votes. Four ministerial delegates were
absent. AS the roll was made UP today
there were 356 preachers and 236 laymen
on the regular list. At least fifty reserve
laymen will close some Of the breaches
in the delegations.
The book of discipline IN reference to
representation was changed to read thus:
I,-. Ialn haI SfS ~ of
layman for each annual conference ex-
cept such conferences as have more than
one ministerial delegate, which confer
ences shall each be entitled to as many
lay delegates as ministerial delegates.
"The general conference shall not allow
Of more thar one representative for every
fourteen members Of an annual confer
ence; nor Of a less number than enc for
every forty-fve; nor Of more lay dele
gates from any annual conference than
there are ministerial delegates from his
annual conference after action of two
thirds Of the numpar Vhich shall be fixed
for the ratio Of representation, such an
n lal C inference shal he 81 tied to an al
ditionai delegate for sIoh fraction; and
rrot 4 ed also, th1t nc conference shall re
denied the pIlSHG6S VI OiLC AlA4hii1NNA4SNA
and lay delegate"
The present conference is the twenty
ninth general conference Of the church
1t will last a month and is expected to
be the most important Of any conference
since the memorable one OF 1914, when the
south branch of the church severed rela-
tions with the main body over the slavery
question determined effort will be
made TO raise the ban on dancing. card
playing and theater-g going, and arguments
for the conservation Of bishops OF linz
tied Jurisdiction, the dropping of the time
limit on pastorates and the referring of
the election of conference editors. secre-
taries and book agents to the committee
governing the different societies. IT is al
so 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 entire conference every day ex-
cept on Sundays The fourteen standing
committees whose functions are analog-
Gus 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 action.
Dr. D. E. Monroe, of the Central Penn !
sylvania conference, was elected a secre- |
+arv of the conference by reclamation.