New-York tribune., 1900-05-09
LAY DELEGATES LEFT OUT.
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE.
WHICH SEATED THEM IN IT, DECIDES
TO STILL EXCLUDE THEM FROM
ANNUAL CONFERENCES
by TELEGRAPH TO TEE TRIBUNE. ]

ANNUAL CONFERENCES.
rBr TELEGRAPH TEE TRrBUSEl
Chicago May s.-Lay representation in Meth
odist annual conferences received a setback al
-o-dav's meeting in the Auditorium. While
-etrogressive steps were taken in regard to the
admission Of lay delegates 70 the General Con-
ference. the ministers did not go further in the
same line but put q provision IN their commit
tee report on constitution that viii still prevent
Law representation in the annual conferences.
Bishop Warren presented the report Of the
special commission appointed at the General
Conference four years ago TO revise the organic
law of the Church. Of which the question Of lay
representation was the feature. No change was
commended in the report in Article 3. which
reads as follows: The travelling preachers shall
he organized by the General Conference into
annual conferences the sessions Of which they
are required 10 attend"
This article has always served 70 exclude lay
men from a voice in the annual conferences Of
the Church. The report precipitated hot de-
hate Dr. c. J. Little. president OF the Garrett
Biblical Institute. obtained the floor and de-
clared the effect OF accepting this would be 10
prevent the admission OF laynen to the annual
conferences except by making a constitutional
change by three-fourths vote.
Dr. Buckley next got the floor and said
Every word Dr. Little has uttered is absolute
truth But IL should be understood that il is
held hy The best authorities that under the con-
sri-uriOn II IS impossible % invest the Ia yrnen
with powers in the annual conferences. I would
lay over this article and have z small commit
tee 70 consider The s-riecr and reDor- = ir vo,1Id
be desira bic 10 have the constitution changed TO
admit the layr11en TO the annual conferences I
move thai a committee Of seven consider this
article.
MOTION TO ADMIT LAYAIEN DEFEATED
Dr. A 3 Leonard brought before the body
the whole subject by offering as substitute a
motion that the article should read that the
annual conferences shall be composed of equal
numbers of travelling preachers and layrnen. as
hereinafter provided" etc but this was TOO
'p-evious.' evidently for Il was laid on the
table and Dr.. Buckley's motion remained and
-he debate continued.
Layr1en were heard next and two Of them
Mr. Locke. Of Maine, and Jacob +. Graw Of
New-Jersey-argued against adding still further
70 the privileges Of the Iairy. NJ. Locke said
The Iaynen could wait, and Mr.. Graw declared
there was nothing for a laynan TO do in an
annual conference. Chief Justice Charles B.
Lore Of Delaware also opposed admitting the
lsymen. DR.. Rucdey's motion was then put 10
2 vote and lost. and the article was adopted.
Governor Shaw made an effort 10 keep the
haU rolling. and introduced q motion TO recon
sider the question. After a number Of remarks
from various parts Of the house the motion was
defeated by al overwhelming vote
The next subject for discussion was an attcrnpt
- cUr down the size OF the General Conferences
nv giving each annual conference one delegate
FOR ninety ministers. instead OF rorty-fve
Amendments were offered making the ratio sixty
and sevenry-fve. but all were laid on the table
and the Conference adopted Article OF Part II
relating the General Conference and leaving
rhe representation at ministerial delegate
for each fOrIy-five mem bers OF an annual con-
ference. as at present. Other sections were de-
min "a
delegates qualifications, and aI adjournment
section I Of Article ? had been reached
ORGANIC Law OF THE CHURCH
The Commission on the Organic Law OF the
Church was appointed by the General Confer
~rce y 1895. and held its last meeting on Janu-
ary 4 il New-York. with Bishop Henry w
Warren II the chair. The report formulated al
that tine is published IN the General Conference
handbook, circulated last week Consequently
there was no great interest n the reading Of the
document, which took Secretary Monroe about
half al hour before the recess. The report con-
rains the draft Of the existing organic law the
Church and recommendations for its nodifca-
ton. Il defines the powers OF officers and con-
ferences and. n short, is & compilation Of the
articles Of the Methodist Church's constitution,
az gathered by the members OF the committee.
Presentation OF the report the order for 10
o'clock today. The members OF the Commission
m Organic Law are Bishop {. h Fowler, Buf-
faI0- Bishop H. ". Warren. Denver; the Rev.
Or. J. NJ Buckley. New-York: the Rev. Dr. H.
a Goblin, CIreenCastle. Ind: the Rev. DR.. w.
Il Shier. Detroit; the Rev Dr.. c. ". Smith,
Pittsburg: the Rev. DR.. s. F. Cpharn, Madison.
y. J.: the Rev. DR. ". T. Warren. Boston; Z. L.
Dc0hins, Morristown, y J.: Ex-Governor r z.
Pattison. Philadelphia, and ". r. Warnock.
T-1ana- Ohio.
There IS no change n principle said the ven
cradle Bishop Merrill al recess The new con-
Eriru-ion conforms TO many late and modern
uSaEes. and many things hitherto obscure and
uncertain are now made more explicit There tS
nothing radical or surprising, but a great deal OF
work is made easier for the pastors, the bishops
and the conferences"
chief Justice Charles B Lore. OF the Della
ware Conference. a laynan, said: The annual
corferences are not legislative bodies. We do
not want 70 be mere fgureheads in the annual
sessions where there Is nothing for 20 do.
We are well satisfied with admission 10 the
general conferences, where all the legislation Is
enacted"
ELECTIONS NEXT WEEK.
Ex-Governor Robert Z. Pattison OF PennsyI-
vania presented report from the Committee on
the state Of the Church, fixing & date for elect
-n= bishops editors and other officers Of the
Church and setting a tine for final adjourn
Ulenr The report as adopted recommended that
-re elections be made the order OF the day for
taken up II the same order as they were held at
rho lasr General Conference. II was voted
mat rhe General Conference adjourn finally on
May -
The German Methodlsrs Of Chicago arranged
reception 70 the German delegates 70 the Cen
e~aI Conference al the First Methodist Episco-
Pal Church tonight. Besides a programme OF
music number Of addresses were made and q
general reception was held
Temperance was brought before the General
Conference before the Commission the Or