The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-22
NEARING A
 SETTLEMENT Compromise on War
 Claims Matter. M'MuRRAy's SUBSTITUTE
MAmended Form It Is Adopt q by Conference.
Decided That Only One Bishop VIII
 8s Dallotsd for at . Time. Report of Epworth League committss

Dallas. Texas. May n.-The issus which
 has been regarded as the paramount con- tention in the sessions of the general con ference of the Methodist Episcopal
 Church south since the assembling of that
 body in Dallas. May 2. appears to be near its final step to settlement. The
 minority report of the Publishing Com
 uaittee on the war claims has been re-
 5ected by the general conference and to- day what is known as the McMurray substitute was. in an amended form. adopted in its stead. Changes even in the compromise measure are still possi- ble. but the indications are that they will not materially alter the spirit. The prin- cipal provisions of the McMurray sub stItute are mild censure of any agent of the church who may have used im- proper methods when the war dlaim was pending; ratihss the former action of the college of bishops in their offer to the Senate to return the entire sum of the war claim if that body so voted; makes this action of the bishops the legal ac-
 skt3 l0k tAC 8S4EI al SOAACh ChSS VAA tiAS Methodist Episcopal Church.
 This latter provision Is embodied in what is known as the Jordan amendment which created debate last night and dur ing this mornings session. Very few of the delegates seemed perfectly satisfied with the wording of the Jordan amend rnent and after the amendment and the McMurry paper. as a whole. had been adopted today. a special committee was authorized to be appointed by the bishop presiding. whose duty 1t shall be to re- wise and make more perfect and clear the provisions of the entire document. It was stated in explanation of the neees- eity for the creation of the Committed that the paper had been drafted hastiiy. contained many errors in grammar. nome contfadictorv proyitions and nixnts be susceptible of misconstruction because of these defects., ig5
 Before adjournment today Bishop Hen drix who presides tomorrow. informed the press that he expected the special committee of five to give the matter care ful revision and report early tomorrow morning.
 Until the recommendations or changes to be made by the special committee are before the general conference, 1t is in- possible to state for a, certainty just what position the war claim is in, in its final stages. No radical change in the spirit of the paper adopted to day Is expected: but extended debate may possibly be pre- cipitated in tommorw's consideration of the matter.
 Both delegates and visitors were slow fin assembling today and there were many vacant seats in the aupditorium when Dr. Kenny of the Pacific Conference opened the morning devotional exercises. After AZ &tu minutes. Bishop Galloway took the chair.
 A motion to adopt the McMurray sub stitute was made. Professor Jordan whose compromise amendment was adopt ed last night rose with new resolutions. They changed slightly the verbiage and the meaning of the matter adopted last night. They were read but not offered.
 A motion to lay the whole of the Mo- Murray substitute, the Jordan resolution and all on the table was defeated by a big ma jority.
 A motion to adopt the McMurray resolu- tion was made and its verbiage was read again. The pending question was ordered and carried by large majority.
 There were statements from all. parts of the house that the substitute was not worded dramatically. Dr. Godbey moved that committe of five to correct errors, etc. be appointed and the motion carried.
 pr. c. c. Rankin arose to question of personal privilege. He said the sub stitute adopted did not suit him. but as a loyal Methodist he bowed to the will of the majority.
 A motion to reconsider the vote by which the substitute was adopted was laid on the table and the conference pro. ceeded to listen to the reading of the routine reports from the committees.
 Bishop Galloway appointed the follow ing committee to correct inaccuracies In the McMurray papers. J. D. Godbey of Arkansas; T. W. Jordan. Tennessee; Paul Whitehead, Virginia; W S. McMurray. Missouri; G. B. Winton, Monterey, Mexico.
 Report No. 1 of the Committee on Ep- worth League was read. It Is lengthy document and was taken up seriatim ana passed. The most important change in the report was one making 1t possible ior a layman to be chosen general secretary | of the order. Formerly iaymen were Ineligible.
 Efforts to have the minority report or the publishing house committee on the war claim matter printed in pamphlet form as an oficial act of the General was defeated. Bishop Isaac Lane of Jackson. Tenn, fraternal mes | senger from the Colored Methodist Epis- ] cOpal OnufCu III AuSIlCds OShNctCu d II n | ternal address.
 Bishop Galloway said the conference | had been glad to hear from Bishop Lane. | He had known Bishop Lane long and well and that he was one of the worthiest of his race.
 Reports from, the Committee on Boun- | daries and Temperance were read and re- terred' |
 Aside from, the war claim question, the | matter which engrossed the most earnets | attention was report No. of the. Com | mittee on Missions. Many minor changes | for present discipline were included in | the report There was one, however, of | much importance to the mission branch | of the church. It provided for decrease In the number of secretaries. so as to bet ter concentrate the work in that depart nent. It recommended the election by the | General Conference of one general secre- | ary and the election by the Mission | Board of an assistant secretary. these to pS the only secretaries in the Mission Board.
 Another important change was slthat of