Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-01
LAYAE| Will Fight
Will Make Vigorous Campaign For
Equal Representation in the
Methodist Conference.
Prominent Bishops Of the Church
Arrive in Chicago Church
Membership
Apparent Falling Off in Numbers
Largely Due to Revision
Of Rolls.

Chicago, May Methodist laymen
will begin their fight for admission to
the floor Of the coming general confer
ience of their church in equal numbers
with the ministerial delegates at a
mass meeting which they are to hold at
Recital Hall, Auditorium, tonight.
The general conference itself does not
open till tomorrow morning, and while
Iit is generally conceded that change
lin the rules of the church. permitting
equal representation, VII be made on
the first, or at the latest, on the second
day of he conference. the laymen real-
| ize that they have a great fight before
them TO secure increased represents
lition a the present conference by the
seating of the professionally elected dell
egates
\ 'ronicht's meeting will be called to
order by Judge o. H. Horton, chairman
ef the Laymen's Association OF the
Rock River Conference, which called
1.-the gathering, and will be attended by
ali of the lay delegates, regular and
provisional, who are in the city. 1t is
4 expected that by tonight practically
every one of the 7l5 delegates to the
4 conference will be here.
The laymen regularly elected to the
4 conferences number FOG, according to the
--latest revision of the list, while the pro-
\ Nsional delegates. for whose admisson
lssthe fight Will be made, number ISL. The
meeting tonight Will be one for general
/ discussion of the best means OF press
ling the fight, and noFcut and dried plan
will be presented. Judge Horton. speak
ling Of the meeting, said yesterdays
II expect that the discussion vii
s|sbring out the men who will lead the
4 laymen's fight on the floor of the gen
a seral conference. No one can say YET
\ who those men Will be- neither can
4 predict the method that Will be fol-
i lowed. Besides that question there vii
4 be a discussion on the seating OF lay
4 delegates. and they will decide whether
3 they wish to sit With their regular con.
4 ference delegations, or whether they
wiil ask for seats in a body by them
4 Selves
4 No word has yet come from Griggs-
! willie as TO whether Mrs. NJ. y. McAla-
han, the woman provisional delegate
4 Will force her claim to a seat In cast
,the provisional delegates are admitted
but the general understanding is that
while she says the matter rests witt
= her advisers. she is nevertheless inten
on securing her own asserted rights, NJ
I matter what complications follow.
{ One characteristic of the general con
i ference of the Methodist church is tina
4 ii is never called upon TO make change
I lin dpctrinal matters such as periodical
Is agitate many other churches. Their
I will be8no statement of the belief of tn
9 church even in minor matters or re
statement of the creed. The bushes
q THAT Will come before the conference
: entirely concerns the regulation 9
. practical conduct of the rules for tn
( administration of the church.
The arrival Of nearly all. Of the bish
: ops from Indianapolis, where they ha
y been in session, made a marked chang
h in the aspect of the Methodist gather
y ing places yesterday. These Leaders
81 some Of them like Thomas Bowman
= the senior bishop, now on the retire
: Elist. gray and bent, but still 9sprightl
and active, and other younger men
their prime, We're to be seen in the col
II. Eridors of the hotels and at the Westel
II methodist Book Concern building. III
!e secretaries of church societies and pa:
h tors from all parts of the 4conntry ga Il
n Tered around them, some Interested
g gaining support. rat least approve
~ In their candidates. for office. ar
TO others anxious 10 gain an ear for url
l. ing support in some memorial orgres
ne luton to be introduced. While the bis
ops have neither voice nor vote in u
+ general conference. they preside IN Y
ne tation al the sessions, and their reco
IN milton of a speaker is often essential
his gaining his cause.
m Despite the seeming decline in u
membership of the Methodist church
at the last year and the recent letter Of u
n bishops appointing a week for fasti,
and prayer, eyeiv bishop was Eopef
no land confident about the state OF 7
pc church. Bishop Bowman voiced Y
general feeling by saying that the d
i:cline In membership means merely III
the books of the churcn have be
q. '5squared, the names of members "
9 81 have ceased to be In touch being dro
~ ped. - He states that the decline is or
" y, Temporary and that the church will so
lie -,.--....... 1900.