Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-25
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Proposal to Increase Mission
ary Labors.
UNION ON MITTEE
INTERESTING REPORT LOOKED
FOR BY SATURDAY.
Communication Received From Ma
tional Federation of Churches-Old-
est Minister in Country Present..

proposition to increase missionary
work in the foreign field and interest in
foreign missions among the members of
the church at home occupied nearly the en-
tire session of the general conference of
the Methodist Protestant Church in the
United States at the North Carolina Ave-
nue. NJ. p. Church this morning. After a
prolonged debate the report of the commit
tee was adopted, providing for radical
changes In present methods.
The church union committee of fifteen
members has held several meetings snce
1t was appointed yesterday afternoon. IT
appears to be probable that it will make
no report for several days. Many look for
d report Saturday.
DR.. Mills Chairman.
Rev Dr. J. L. Mills of Maryland has been
elected chairman of this committee and
A L. Reynolds of Ohio secretary.
The feeling is current that favorable ac-
ton on the proposition in regard to union
with the Congrega tional and United Breth-
rem churches will be taken by the committee
and also by the conference, but there is
much hesitancy in speaking of the propo-
sition of union received from the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. Rev. DR.. Weekley
of the United Brethren Church. who ad-
dressed this conference yesterday, said to
a Star reporter that personally he did not
believe anything would come from the over
lures between the two Methodist denomina-
tions. 1.-The ideas of local autonomy and
of bishopry are too DIVERSE he said.
The union committee was given permits
sion this morning to retire and meet at any
time 1t desired. meeting was held In
the Trinity M. E. Church, corner of 9Th
and C streets southeast. at 1 pm. today.
This committee will have the hardest work
of the conference.
Working for Harmony.
A communication from the National Fed
Grafton of Churches, headquarters In New
York city, was received this morning. This
organization seeks to have all denomina-
lions work tremendously and asks for the
cooperation of the Methodist Protestant
general conference. A committee will re-
port on the matter later.
The opening devotional exercises this
morning were conducted by Rev. DR.. S. B.
Tredway of Maryland. AS soon as the min
utes of yesterdays sessions were read and
corrected the regular order of business was
taken UP.
The committee on foreign missions made
a partial report, recommending, as stated,
a radical change in the management of the
foreign mission work of the church. 1t
was proposed to continue the present board
of five members and add to 1t a representa-
tive from every conference of 1900 men,
bers or more This would make the board
consist of thirty members, it was stated.
II was dlSO piOpOScu lIdl the eilidTS eu
board meet annually oftener. II so de-
sired.
This plan was called catchy" but i'm
practical, by many delegates who opposed
the adoption of the report. 1t was urged
by its supporters that 1t would tend to
diffuse interest in foreign missions among
the conferences.
Rev. DR.. Thomas H. Lewis. president OF
the Western Maryland College, a member
of the present board. spoke strongly in
favor of adoption, saying, among other
things, that no better proposition had been
proposed, and 1t was time to do something
to increase the mission work.
The report was finally adopted by large
majority.
Rev. s. B. Switzerland Of Maryland, the
oldest minister in the Methodist Protestant
Church. was presented to the conference
He is a member of the body, but was COM
PEELED to leave the city today.
recess until pm. was taken shortly
after II o'clock.
Report on Ministerial Education.
At the session yesterday afternoon the
report of the secretary of the board of
ministerial education, Rev. ]. c. Berrien,
was heard. 1t was very optimistic, show
Ing that the permanent fund Of the board
had increased considerably and Its money
had been we'll invested. The total receipts
for the last quadrennium were $21 972 81
and the amount of the permanent fund at
present S46OO. The report was referred
to a committee.
The request from the Methodist Episcopal
Church to the conference, presented by Rev.
DIR. Little of Maryland, for joint commit
tee to consider the question of union be-
tween the Methodist Episcopal and Metho-
/ dist Protestant denominations was referred
yesterday to the committee on church
union.
Marriage of Divorces.
The conference unanimously adopted the
report submitted by its special committee
on moral reform, embracing a statement
that the denomination had for years for
hidden the union in marriage OF divorced
persons who had violated their marriage
vows. and therefore viewed with especial
favor the proposition contained in the in
ter-church conference communication look
Ing to uniform national and state lesisla-
ton on the subject of marriage and d.
Norce. The report also provided for a COM
nlttee or three to meet with the fourteen
other denominations to further this end
A platform meeting was held in the
church in the evening. the general subject
or the addresses being missions The
speakers were Rev. 7. g. Osburn. Rev r
T. Tyson. Rev. H. II. Price, Miss Kuhns
Miss Forest and Rev. N. G. Murphy Sew