The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-04
Thirty first General Assemblage
of the Methodist Church
Called to Order by Bishop Merrill
at Los Angeles.
SPEECHES CUT OUT.
Welcoming Addresses and Re-
spOnses Postponed.
Committees Get Down to Work
Without Delay.

Los Angeles, May 4.-The thirty
first general conference of the AIetho-
dist Episcopal church opened at Haz-
ards pavilion in this city today. When
Senior Bishop Stephen NJ Merrill
walked to the front of the stage and
raped for order he faced one of the
most notable gatherings of churchmen
in the history of Professionalism in
America. Seated in the auditorium
proper were 74S representatives of
Meth odism, gathered from the four
quarters of the earth, earnest in their
zeal for the good of a common cause
and eager to discuss the problems of
and to legislate for the welfare of the
church. Upon the stage We're the gov
ernor of California, the mayor of Los
Angeles, representative citizens of
southern California and leaders of
Methodism in this end of the conti-
nent, ready to extend a welcome in
behalf of the state, the city and the
church. In the galleries were expect
ant crowds of visitors and citizens.
The great building was a bower of
beauty and fragrant with the bloom
of California flowers. Fifteen thous-
and Gala lilies formed hedge e,1-
tending entirely across the front of
the broad stage and beneath these a
beautiful frieze work of smilax and
ferns reached the floor. Around the
railing of the galleries, with flags and
bunting for a background, the same
scheme of decoration had been car
ried out, the whole forming a perfect
bower of bloom, beneath which the
delegates sat. The ceiling had been
hung with immense flags, dropping in
graceful folds from the center to the
of great sunshine In the rear of
the stage an immense flag of SHIN
mering silk fell from ceiling to floor.
Bishop Merrill called the confer
ence to order in a formal manner and
opened the day with a brief prayer.
Rev. D. s. Monroe, ID. d, secretary of
the conference called the roll of dele
gates.
The entire morning session was
given up to the assignment of seats to
various delegations 1t was impos-
sible to transact any business during
the first two or three hours owing to
the confusion that prevailed.
Owing to the fact that it was i'm
possible to secure any degree of quiet
and cOmposure among the delegates
and spectators, the speeches of well
come by the governor, the mayor and
representative California MethOdists
part of the programme planned for
the opening feature, was postponed
until evening.
There viii be no afternoon session
of the convention proper, but the va
rious standing committees in which
the important work of the conference
will be done Will meet in half a dozen
different places.
There are fourteen standing com
mittees and their sessions will be al
most as interesting as the conference
itself, for it is these various bodies
that largely determine both legislation
and elections in the interest of the
= Fo, MT
pacy will have as one of the first and
most important subjects to consider
the number of new bishops to be
elected at the present conference.
Belated special trains from the east
continue to arrive The cOlored dele
gates came on a finely equipped special
train over the Southern Pacific. There
was some little annoyance and delay
experienced in securing hotel quarters
for a part of the colOred delegation.
Two of the prominent hotels refused
to admit them and at another hostel
ry they were assigned to a separate
dining room. This was distasteful to
the cOlOred church men and they left
the house to seek other quarters. All,
however, were eventually conforta bly,
housed Among the delegates were 25
women, % colored men and two native
Chinese the latter being LO Chi Ming
and Ding Managing. The former of
these two orientals is the first delegate
ever sent to the conference from North
China.
The following bishops have arrived:
Stephan NJ. Merrill. Edward G. An
drews, Henry w. Warren, Cyrus B.
Foss, John M. Waldren, William F.
Mallalieu, Charles H. Fowler John H.
Vincent Earl Cranston, Joseph w.
Hamilton, Joseph G. Hartsen. Frank
w. Warne. Daniel A. Goodsell.
Bishop Moore of China is on his way
here from San Francisco.
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