The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-12
Conference Elects Clerical and Lay
Delegates and Receives Presid-
ing Elders Reports.
DISTRICTS ARE PRosPERING
CONDITION OF THE CHURCH is GOOD
EVERYWHERE IN STATE.
Ministers Raise Purse of $62 for an
Unfortunate BrOtheI-Meeting
of Laymen.

The Indiana Conference did many things
yesterday that are important to the church.
Four of the seven delegates to the General
Conference in California next May were Sc
Iected and the remainder will be elected to-
day. The voting for these men was spirited,
and. in fact, partook somewhat of the ele-
ments of political convention. 1t might
be said that there was ''wire pulling" Some
of the more enthusiastic friends of some
of the candidates fixed up mimeograph bal
lots and one of these States was success
full. 1t is asserted that the candidates them
selves were not aware of this action. which
was resented by some of the ministers.
1--WE never seen this done i'm Methodist
conference before said one minister y
1t is considered a high honor by min
lister or layman to be sent TO a General
Conference. 1t is this body that makes all
the laws for the Methodist Church. Voters
meet in convention, fix up ''slates" and re-
sort to all sorts of schemes to send their
favorites as delegates to the national con-
vention While the Methodist preachers
will not get down to ward politics. to
get their friends on the list of delegates to
a general conference, they will do some
tall hustling While the preachers were
trying to select delegates yesterday the lay
men were at Roberts Park Church fixing up
a similar list of delegates and alternates.
They were successful in getting 1t through.
Miss A. NJ. Hay,nan, of Moore's Hill, en-
Joys the distinction of being the first
woman selected delegate to the General
Conference. 1t is only within the last few
years that the church has made it possi-
BILE for women to go as lay delegates. Four
years ago seven were sent on this mission
and all were unseated. The body sat that
year with one woman present. She had
come all the way from India as delegate
and did not arrive until after the women
had been driven out. There wasn't man
in the conference who had the courage to
move tnat she be told of the unseating of
the others and she stayed. The laymen took
decisive action on the questions of card
playing theater-going and dancing and in
structed their delegates to be against any
movement that is friendly to these vices.
BISHOP JOYCE BUSY.
Bishop Joyce is spending every minute of
the time he can spare away from the con-
ference with his cabinet at Roberts Park
Church. There are many matters that
demand his attention. Chief among these
is the assignment of preachers for the year.
With his presiding elders he is daily work.
ing out this problem. Late last night a
light brightly shone through one of the
windows of Roberts Park and told that
the bishops cabinet was yet sitting The
matter OF appointments is one of the knot
tiest problems with which the bishop has
TO wrestle. Being just man he strives
TO do the best he can by every man. Not
withstanding, there are necessarily disap-
pointments. 1t was at the Methodist con-
ference that the Rev. Theron Ware of
whom Harold Frederick wrote, got his first
bitter disappointment 1t is told in the
''Damnation of Theron Ware that his
heart sank within him when the bishop
read his assignment. Ii was the gentle
pressure of his young wife's hand and her
tear-stained face and bravely spoken words,
Never mind. Theron, We can get along
that recalled him 10 himself and made him
beat down the hot resentment that ragged
within him. Looking out over the great
body of Methodist preachers that assembled
Yesterday one only saw quiet resignation
and Willingness to do right I'm the calm
faces of these God-fearins men There
was nothing TO indicate the hopes and
fears that must be rife I'm the breasts of
many. As one man said. "a mans assign