Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-05-13
MOST NOTABLE GATHERING
METHODIST PARLIAMENT CON-
VENED AT LOS ANGELES.
Many Problems Considered - inter-
Church Conference on Marriage and
Divorce Issues Public Appeal-Ne-
groes Organize for Politics.


The Slst general conference of the
Methodist Episcopal church opened
ut Hazards Pavilion Los Angeles,
May I, with 79S representatives OF
Methodism gathered from the four
quarters of the earth, seated in the
auditorium proper. Ii was one or
the most notable gatherings of
church men in the history of Prot
estantism in America, Among the
delegates We're % women, % colored
and two native Chinese, one of
these orlentais is the first delegate
ever sent to the conference from
North China.
The great building was n bower of
beauty and fragrance beneath which
the delegates sat. Fifteen thousand
Gala lilies formed a hedge extending
across the front of the broad stage
and beneath these n beautiful frieze
work of smilaX and ferns reached the
i floor Around the ratings of the gal
leries with flags and bunting for a
background, the same scheme of dec
Grafton had been carried out
Some delay and annoyance was
caused on account 90 two prominent 4
hotels refusing TO admit the colored I
delegation, but all were finally COM /
fortably housed.
An important feature of the pro-
ceedings of Thursday, May 5, was the
opening of the magnificent mission /
airy exhibit in the building formerly /
occupied by the Los Angeles cham
Der of commerce. The morning ses-
sion was devoted to the reading of
the quadriennial address of the board
of bishops and the afternoon to the {
receipt and reference of memorials {
from the various annual conferences.
DR.. George Elliott of Detroit pre- /
scented a memorial that the commit
tee on episcopacy consider the adyis-
ability of the election of a cOlored .
bishop He said that he believed =
hat the Methodist Episcopal church /
lad reached crisis in its relations :,
With the colored race !,
The bishops address said the pres ~
mt membership of the church was n
031,91S, an increase of 13S,025 dur !,
ng the four years. The Sunday H.
chools include an aggregate of g.. =,
24,644. The time limit in the pas a,
crate was referred TO as one of the +
matters which would claim atten- ~
ion. a recommendation was made h,
hat a new chapter of popular amuse- ~
rents be added to the discipline, adj !,
Methodsts to guard the -
piritual life and to avoid such -, ~
as have dangerous or -
tendency. The chapter ~
intended to take the place of the ,.o
resent paragraph, number PAS, which -,
,casioned much discussion at the ~
aneral conference at Chicago four -
ears ago. r3
Senior Bishop Stephen NJ. Merrill b.
Chicago presented his resignation -
the conference Friday. May 8. The y.
inference Saturday, May I, paid elo- DE- d.
tent tribute to the memory of ~ ~
'esident William Mckinley. A res ~ ~
ution presented by the Rev. ]. w. ra,
Bowen, colored, candidate for 49,
shop of Chattanooga Tenn, dwell ~
9 upon Mr.. McKinley's loyalty to ~
g church, his great service to his 90 90
untry and his worth as citizen, ~ ~
'uck a responsive chord and the ~
Inference adopted it by standing III ali
tie, the entire audience singing n aol
arer My God TO Thee, President
-, oa,,t6 a ,,'H s,,,ients .a clel
'orite themes being against any
lnge in the amusement paragraph, nv
/ in regard TO whether the pres oot'
conference shall restore the min IN III.
arial time limit of three or five vi
RS, or permit the present plan of ny
United tenure, which was adopted W. W.
the general conference four years M.
J. to continue. '''i'
he attitude of the Roman Catholic =
rich toward the public school sys-
of the United States furnished ~
subject of an exciting debate In a. !
conference Monday, May 8. While uiiu
re was a strong disposition on the We
faranca adont rasoI,tions COM pens
ting it to decided utterances on
subject, an overwhelming senti- IN
It developed against such action me
the question was finally referred me
committee from which it is I'M cisco
" ever to be reported, bility
the