The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-03


delegate question was greeted with cheers.
as it was a victory which had been fought
for for a hundred years. fight was ex-
pected over the matter, but IL did not ma
terialize. The matter was introduced by
Rev. j. NJ. Buckley of the Central New
York Conference He moved the adoption
Of the rules OF the last General Conference.
with the exception of l and S. This was
carried almost unanimously, and DR.. Buck
ley asked the vote on the Rock River
proposition. The proposition made at the
Rock River Conference was for equal lay
representation in all Methodist conferences,
annual and general The proposition was
read and unanimous approval followed. The
Book of Discipline in reference TO repre-
sentation at conferences was changed to
read thus:
layman for each annual conference, except
such conferences as have more than one
ministerial delegate. which conferences
shall each be entitled to as many lay dele
gates as ministerial delegates.
THE General Conference shall not allow
OF more than one lay representative for
every four members OF an annual CONFER
ence nor of a less number than one Tor
every forty-fve, nor more lay delegates
from any annual conference than there are
ministerial delegates from such annual
conference. provided, nevertheless. that
when there shall be an annual conference
a fraction of two-thirds the number which
shall be fixed for the ratio of representa-
ton, such annual conference shall be en-
fraction; and provided, also, that no con-
ference shall be denied the privilege of one
ministerial and one lay delegate.
II was the twenty-ninth General Confer
ence-the twenty-third of the delegated
congresses-which began here to-day. 1t
will last d month, and is expected TO be the
most important of any conference since the
memorable one of 1874, when the south
branch of the church severed relations with
the main body over the slavery question.
The pit of the Auditorium Theater
filed with delegates from the North and
South and East and West. The peals OF the
great pipe organ were still echoing when
venerable, white headed Bishop Thomas
Bowman arose to declare the conference
opened.
Behind Bishop Bowman were the other
bishops in the places of honor on the stage.
They, in common with the remainder of the
assemblage, became silent the veteran
bishop raised his hand. Briefly he called
attention to the Importance of the confer
ence, counseled conservatism and the
gravest consideration of matters which
would be brought up, and then declared the
conference 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. M. Thoburn, of India, was re-
cited by the audience, and then Bishop &.
d. Foss delivered a prayer. This was fol-
lowed by the reading of Psalm as by Rev.
III. Lowry. ID. D.. of the North China Con-
ference. The Gloria" was then chanted.
The second scripture lesson from the first
chapter of Acts. first to fourteenth para
graphs. read by the Rev. Austin Griffin, or
the Wyoming Conference, and another
hymn announced by Rev. Harry Swan, OF
the West Texas Conference. A prayer or
Rev. Hilary A. Goblin. of the Northwest In
diana Conference, followed, and was sue
ceeded by another hymn announced by Rev.
Jacob Yunkers. of the North Germany Con-
ference.
AS the last note of the hymn died away
Bishop s. M. Merrill took the chair, the
first move in the business of the conference
DIR. David s. Monroe. of the Central Penn
sylvania district. was elected secretary or
the conference by reclamation. He called
the roll of districts and delegates. After
the votes had been taken on the equal rep
resentation and the admission of the pro-
visional delegates proposition. the confer
ence to all intents and purposes stood ad-
journed, although no formal motion TO this
effect was offered. The cessation or the
regular business was due to the necessity
of finding seats for the provisionals-provf-
SIGNALS no longer-and as there were al
of them, IL took some time.
While the delegates were being seated
DIR. King presented plan for organizing
the standing committees on basis of one
layman and one minister from each confer
ence, thus doubling the size of each COM
mittee but giving equal representation. DIR.
Jacob b. Graw, of New Jersey, opposed the
motion, while Governor Leslie NJ. Shaw, of
Iowa. supported II, and after some debate
II was carried.
DIR. T. III. Haggerty, of st. Louis, pre-
scented the conference with a gavel made of
wood taken from three widely separated
Methodist churches, the Johns-street
Church. New York, the first Methodist
Church built in America: the McKendree
Church. Cape Girardeau. Mo-, the first
Methodist Church built west of the Mis-
sissippi. and the Union NJ. f. Church of ST.
Louis, the first Methodist Church built on
strictly union principles after the breaking
out of the civil war.
To an invitation to attend. given Admiral
Dewey and Mrs. Dewey, a note in reply
was received. The admiral said he was un-
able to attend his time in Chicago was
fully taken up with engagements made for
him and his wife by the Dewey celebration
committee.
At 2 p. m. the session was formally ended
and the delegates instructed to be in at
tendance at m. tomorrow.
A formal welcome to the visiting Meth
odsts was extended tonight by the Chi
cago members of the church at a large re-
ception held in the Auditorium, fully 5000
people being present There were four well
coming addresses. President John Farson,
of the Methodist Social Union. spoke in be-
half of that organization; then City Prose-
cutor Howard 8. Taylor, in the absence of
Mayor Harrison, spoke for the municipal
ity. Rev. j. p. Brushingham represented
the Chicago preachers meeting, and Judge
Edmund w. Burke. of the Circuit Court,
did the honors for Chicago Methodists. Re-
sponses to the welcoming speeches were
made by Bishop Merrill for the ministry
and by John E. James, OF Philadelphia, for