The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN DEC 0 5 m FEB 5! 7 1984 NOV 0 9 1983 L161— O-1096 JOURNAL OF THE General Conference OF THE Methodist Episcopal Church HELD IN Cleveland, Ohio, May 1-28, 1896 EDITED BY REV. DAVID S. MONROE, D.D. Secretary of the Conference NEW YORK: EATON & MAINS CINCINNATI: CURTS & JENNINGS-' ♦ ORDER OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE. Resolved, That the Secretary of this Conference be instructed to have the Journal of this General Conference printed and bound and certified by him to be correct ; and that the printed copy so certified shall be the Official Journal of this General Conference. SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE. / hereby certify that the following pages, from J to 308, contain a correct report of the proceedings of the Twejity-second Delegated General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, M ay first to May twenty -eighth, Anno Domini eighteen hundred and ninety-six ; and that the Appendix contains cor- rect lists of Committees, Reports, and other documents referred to in said proceedings. 9±»vo0 s LIST OF DELEGATES BY CONFERENCES Elected to the General Conference of 1896. 1. Alabama. — Ministerial: George E. Ackerman. Reserve: James Williams. Lay : Asaph H. Gibbs. Reserve : Homer W. Perrin. 2. Arkansas. — Ministerial: Andrew J. Taylor. Reserve: R. W. McMaster. Lay : James H. Clendenning. Reserve : David D. Cole. 3. Austin. — Ministerial: Oscar L. Fisher. Reserve: Harvey Webb. Lay : Ebenezer B. Ailing. Reserve : Silas H. Smith. 4. Baltimore. — Ministerial : John F. Goucher, John Lanahan, Luther B. Wilson, William S. Edwards. Reserves : Henry R. Naylor, C. Herbert Richardson. Lay: William A. Leitch, Alexander Ashley. Reserves: Lewis M. Bacon, George W. F. Swartzell. 5. Bengal-Burmal!. — Ministerial: Frank W. Warne. Reserve: H. Jackson. Lay: C. J. Pritchard. Reserve : Robert Laidlaw. 6. Blue Ridge. — Ministerial : Adolphus Graybeal. Reserve: Thomas W. Brown. Lay : Henry F. Ketron. Reserve : T. Baxter White. 7. Bombay. — Ministerial: Daniel O. Fox. Reserve: Thomas S. Johnson. Lay : James Morris. Reserve : E. H. Hamilton. 8. California. — Ministerial: Arnold T. Needham, Milton D. Buck, Elbridge R. Willis, John Coyle, John Kirby. Reserves : John D. Ham- mond, Westwood W. Case. Lay : James W. Whiting, Henry French. Reserves: Walter T. Lewis, George D. Kellogg. 9. California German. — Ministerial: George Guth. Reserve: Frederick Bonn. Lay : John Furrer. Reserve : Fritz Kuchenbeiser. 10. Central Alabama. — Ministerial: Edward M. Jones. Reserve: Alfred W. McKinney. Lay : Philip P. Wright. Reserve : Washington G. Allen. 11. Central German. — Ministerial : Albert J. Nast, Jacob Roth- weiler, Joseph Kern. Reserves : John G. Schaal, John H. Horst. Lay: Jacob Haensler, Victor Wilker. Reserves: John G. Schlee, Louis Schneck. 12. Central Illinois. — Ministerial : Hyre D. Clark, Jervice G. Evans, Samuel Van Pelt, James W. Haney, Marion V. Crumbaker. Reserves: Thomas Doney, George J. Luckey. 4 List of Delegates by Conferences Zap: Charles H. Long, William H. Logan. Reserves: John S. Thompson, John Prickett. 13. Central Missouri.— Ministerial : John W. Jackson, Richard E. Gillum. Reserves : Justin H. Higgs, Jordon W. Hughes. Lay: Henry L. Billups, James H. Diggs. Reserves: James M. Arbuckle, Benjamin F« Adams. 14. Central New York —Ministerial : Carlton C. Wilbor, John C. Nichols, Edmund M. Mills, R. De Witt Munger, Theron R. Green. Reserves : Theron Cooper, James V. Benham. Lay ; Francis J. Cheney, Edwin Nottingham. Reserves : George N. Neuberry, James H. Hoskins. 15. Central Ohio.— Ministerial : Elias D. Whitlock, Josiah L. Albritton, Leroy A. Belt, Wesley G. Waters. Reserves: William G. Williams, James H. Fitzwater. Lay : Edward T. Nelson, Frank H. Tanner. Reserves : Samuel Case, John Edwards. 16. Central Pennsylvania.— Ministerial: William W. Evans, Edward J. Gray, Silas C. Swallow, David S. Monroe, Ezra H. Yocum, William M. Frysinger. Reserves : Milton K. Foster, John B. Polsgrove. Lay : Thomas H. Murray, John Patton. Reserves : John R. Rote, S. Wilson Murray. 17. Central Swedish.— Ministerial: James T. Wigren. Reserve: Martin Hess. Lay : John R. Lindgren. Reserve : Andrew B. Anderson. 18. Central Tennessee. — Ministerial : Joseph M. Carter. Reserve: William P. Banks. Lay : Philonzo D. Carr. Reserve : Thomas F. McCreary. 19. Chicago German. — Ministerial : Bartholomew LamjDert, Henry Lemcke. Reserves : Jacob Berger, Ferdinand C. Morf . Lay : Charles E. Mueller, Emil Karpowsky. Reserves: Louis Appel, Fred Ackerman. 20. Cincinnati. — Ministerial: Adna B. Leonard, Charles H. Payne, James W. Bashford, Frank G. Mitchell, Henry C. Weakley. Reserves: John Pearson, Richard H. Rust. Lay: George B. Johnson, Charles W. Bennett. Reserves: Alexander Boxwell, Phineas P. Mast. 21. Colorado. — Ministerial : Earl Cranston, Daniel L. Rader. Re- serves: Nathaniel Chamberlain, Robert A. Carmine. Lay: Zachariah X. Snyder, Joseph W. Gilluly. Reserves: John R. Robinson, Barnard L. Olds. 22. Columbia River. — Ministerial : George M. Booth, William W. Van Dusen. Reserves: Volney C. Evers, Trinity A. Towner. Lay: Isaac C. Libby, Herbert C. Clark. Reserves: John W. Riter, Samuel C. Cosgrove. 23. Delaware. — Ministerial: Henry A. Monroe, James H. Scott. Reserves : Alfred R. Shockley, Joseph R. Waters. Elected to the General Conference of 1896. 5 Lay : Benjamin O. Bird, Stanford L. Parker. Reserves : Zachariah T. Dunn, William Simmons. 24. Des Moines. — Ministerial: Emory Miller, William H. W. Reese, William E. Hamilton, DeWitt C. Franklin, William T. Smith. Reserves : William F. Bartholomew, Thomas McK. Stuart. Lay : James M. Kittleman, Leslie M. Shaw. Reserves : John Gibson, Everett A. Rea. 25. Detroit. — Ministerial: Joseph F. Berry, Camden M. Cobern, William H. Shier, John Sweet, Charles T. Allen, Edward W. Ryan, Lewis R. Fiske. Reserves : Lewis P. Davis, Arthur Edwards. Lay: George O. Robinson, Roy S. Copeland. Reserves: Arthur H. Swarthout, Myron H. French. 26. East German. — Ministerial: John C. Deininger. Reserve: Charles Reuss. Lay : Charles C. Zoller. Reserve : Egbert Winkler. 27. Bast Maine. — Ministerial: J. Frank Haley, William L. Brown. Reserves : A. Fitzroy Chase, Herbert E. Foss. Lay: Abram W. Harris, J. Fred Hall. Reserves: Everett W. Lord, Veranus C. Plummer. 28. East Ohio. — Ministerial: Darius H. Muller, Lemuel H. Stewart, Earl D. Holtz, Eugene P. Edmonds, John I. Wilson, David C. Osborne. Reserves : Tamerlane P. Marsh, Robert M. Freshwater. Lay: John A. Mansfield, Warren F. Walworth. Reserves: John M. Stull, Joseph D. Taylor. 29. East Tennessee. — Ministerial: Judson S. Hill. Reserve: Robert J. Buckner. Lay: James R. Johnson. Reserve: Andrew F. Fulton. 30. Erie. — Ministerial : Jason N. Fradenburgh , Silas H. Prather, Andrew J. Merchant, John C. Scofield, Robert S. Borland. Reserve: Francis H. Beck, Homer H. Moore. Lay : Harvey J. Gidley, Henry P. Sullivan. Reserves : Charles W. Nichols, Gordon B. Chase. 31. Florida. — Ministerial: Stephen A. Hugar. Reserve: Peter Swearingen. Lay : Robert Ayers. Reserve : Robert R. Robinson. 32. Foo-Chow. — Ministerial : Myron C. Wilcox. Reserve : William H. Lacy. Lay : Lydia A. Trimble. Reserve : Mabel C. Hartford. 33. Genesee. — Ministerial : Sandford Hunt, John E. Williams, James E. Bills, S. Abishai Morse, Henry C. Woods, Ebenezer H. Latimer. Reserves : Charles W. Winchester, Thomas J. Bissell. Ijiy: John F. Romer, Alexander M. Holden. Reserves: Richard J. Walker, C. Henry Meade, Henry H. Otis. 34. Georgia. — Ministerial : James L. Fowler. Reserve: Asbury F. Ellington. Lay: William T. Morris. Reserve: Rouse S. Egleston. 6 List of 'Delegates by Conferences 35. Holston. — Ministerial: Richard J. Cooke, James A. Ruble. Reserves : James J. Robinette, Thomas B. Russell. Lay : John W. Adams, James A. Fowler. Reserves : George A. Bailey, Charles P. Cass. 36. Idaho.— Ministerial : Charles R. Kellerman. Reserve : John S. Anderson. Lay : John D. McCully. Reserve : Junius B. Wright. 37. Illinois.— Ministerial : William K McElroy, William H. Wilder, Chris Galeener, John T. McFarland, John A. Kumler, John B. Wolfe, Horace Reed. Reserves: George E. Scrimger, William H. Webster, Alexander C. Byerly. Lay: Joseph O. Cunningham, Herbert G. Whitlock. Reserves: Leonidas H. Kerrick, Milton Johnson. 38. Indiana. — Ministerial: William R. Halstead, Henry J. Talbott, John H. Martin, Merimon S. Heavenridge, Tilghman H. Willis, Henry A. Buchtel, James A. Sargent. Reserves: Edward A. Campbell, John H. Doddridge. Lay : Benjamin F. Adams, William Newkirk. Reserves : William Freidley, Ella K. Rankin. 39. Iowa. — Ministerial : Charles L. Stafford, Thomas J. Myers, Morris Bamford, Isaac P. Teter. Reserves: James C. W. Coxe, William G. Wilson. Lay : Christopher Haw, James Harlan. Reserves: Charles P. Axtell, Dillon H. Payne. 40. Italy. — Ministerial : William Burt. Reserve : N. Walling Clark. Lay: Luigi Mando. Reserve: Pietro G. Ballerini. 41. Japan.- — Ministerial : Yoitsu Honda. Reserve : Julius Soper. Lay :. Taro Ando. Reserve : Ei ji Asada. 42. Kansas. — Ministerial : Aleric S. Embree, John A. Motter, William H. Underwood. Reserves: James W. Alderman, Robert E. McBride. Lay: James M. Miller, William Fryhofer. Reserves: Frederick D. Fuller, Robert McGinity. 43. Kentucky. — Ministerial: Daniel Stevenson, John D. Walsh. Reserves : Amon Boreing, James W. Turner. Lay : Robert T. Miller, Vincent Boreing. Reserves : Joshua P. Shaw, Laban T. McClure. 44. Lexington. — Ministerial: Edward W. S. Hammond, Joseph Courtney. Reserves : Lewis M. Hagood, George A. Sissle. Lay : Robert F. Broaddus, Isaac N. McCullough. Reserves : Lewis Robinson, Charlotte T. Eidson. 45. Liberia. — Ministerial: James H. Deputie. Reserve: William T. Hagan. Lay : Ashford L. Sims. Reserve : Wilmot E. Dennis. Elected to the General Conference of 1896. 7 46. Little Rock. — Ministerial: William O. Emory. Reserve: William R. R. Duncan. Lay : James M. Cox. Reserve : William H. Strickland. 47. Louisiana. — Ministerial: Joseph C. Hartzell, Aristides E. P. Albert, Julian F. Marshall. Reserves : Pierre Landry, Stephen Duncan. Lay : Charles C. Morse, George F. Huntley. Reserves : Joseph A. Reddix, Rene C. Metoyer. 48. Maine. — Ministerial: George D. Lindsay, Wilbur F. Berry. Reserves : David B. Holt, Everett S. Stackpole. Lay : William W. Merrill, William H. Miles. Reserves : A. W. Water- house, C. R. Drummond. 49. Mexico. — Ministerial: John W. Butler. Reserve: Pedro F. Yalderrama. Lay : Cristobal Ludlow. Reserve : George Manning. 50. Michigan. — Ministerial: Amos M. Gould, James H. Potts, James I. Buell, Patrick J. Maveety, Levi Master, Marshall M. Callen, James Hamilton. Reserves: Lambert E. Lennox, George S. Hickey. Lay: Samuel Dickie, Elvin Swarthout. Reserves: Henry A. Potter, John H. Grant. 51. Minnesota. — Ministerial : Henry C. Jennings, George H. Bridg- man, John Stafford. Reserves: Edward P. Robertson, Ezra R. Lathrop. Lay: Hascall R. Brill, Galen A. Merrill. Reserves: Charles H. Wagner, Matthew G. Norton. 52. Mississippi. — Ministerial: James M. Shumpert, Samuel A. Cowan. Reserves: Alfred D. Payne, Augustus M. Trotter. Lay : George W. Stith, Thomas J. Keys. Reserves : Milas S. Love, J. A. Robinson. 53. Missouri. — Ministerial: John H. Poland, Isaac S.Ware, Jairus J. Bentley. Reserves: Edwin B. Lytle, William B. Clayton. Lay : Charles D. Morris, William J. Gibson. Reserves: Thomas B. Valentine, Dennison D. Burch. 54. Montana. — Ministerial: Jacob Mills. Reserve: Francis A. Riggin. Lay: Fred Gamer. Reserve: John E. Rickards. 55. Nebraska. — Ministerial: Charles C. Lasby, De WittC. Hunting- ton, Isaac Crook. Reserves: Henry T. Davis, Wharton B. Alexander. Lay : John H. Mickey, Lucius O. Jones. Reserves : Bartlett O. Paine, * John Davis. 56. Newark. — Ministerial: Henry A. Buttz, Sandford Van Benscho- ten, Stephen L. Baldwin, Henry Spellmeyer, George W. Smith. Re- serves: Charles S. Ryman, Daniel R. Lowrie. Lay : William H. Murphy, Robert R. Doherty. Reserves: Henry K. Carroll, Oscar Jeffrey. 8 List of Delegates by Conferences 57. New England. — Ministerial: John W. Hamilton, Samuel F. Upham, Edward R. Thorndike, William N. Brodbeck, Edward M. Taylor, William F. Warren. Reserves: Charles F. Rice, George F. Eaton. Lay : Charles R. Magee, Albert B. F. Kinney. Reserves : William H. Hutchinson, Bradley D. Rising. 58. New England Southern.— Ministerial : Stephen O. Benton, George H. Bates, Thomas J. Everett, Micah J. Talbot. Reserves: Edward C. Bass, Daniel A. Whedon. Lay: David Gordon, Joseph E. C. Farnham. Reserves: George W. Lothrop, Jr., Robert F. Raymond. 59. New Hampshire.— Ministerial: Silas E. Quimby, Charles D. Hills, Oliver S. Baketel. Reserves: William H. Hutchin, George M. Curl. Lay : Ira Colby, Edward F. Child s. Reserves: Charles E. Foote, John Young. 60. New Jersey. — Ministerial : Jacob B. Graw, James R. Mace, George B. Wight, Joseph L. Roe, George Reed. Reserves: Thomas Hanlon, William P. C. Strickland. Lay : Clement W. Shoemaker, James F. Rusling. Reserves : William H. Skirm, Caleb H. Butterworth. 61. New York. — Ministerial: .James R. Day, Charles C. McCabe, Elias S. Osbon, James M. King, Abraham J. Palmer, Andrew Schriver. Reserves : Morris D'C. Crawford, William H. Mickle, Charles W. Millard. Lay : John E. Andrus, Albert D. Peake. Reserves : John Beattie, J. B. Foote. 62. New York East. — Ministerial : James M. Buckley, William V. - Kelley, George P. Mains, George E. Reed, Charles S. Wing, James S. Chadwick, Crandall J. North. Reserves : George Van Alstyne, John W. Beach, David G. Downey. Lay : John H. Sessions, John French. Reserves : John T. Manson, John M. Price. 63. North Carolina. — Ministerial: Elias M. Collett. Reserve: Jordan D. Chavis. Lay : Wade H. Thomas. Reserve : Willis Graves. 64. North China. — Ministerial : Hiram H. Lowry. Reserve : James H. Pyke. Lay : Julian F. Scott. 65. North Dakota. — Ministerial : David C. Plannette. Reserve : Samuel E. Ryan. Lay : John D. Wallace. Reserve : Frank P. Lynch. 66. Northern German. — Ministerial: Franz L. Nagler. Reserve: August H. Koerner. Lay : Henry Bendixen. Reserve: Charles H. Meyer. Elected to the General Conference of 1896. 9 67. Northern Minnesota. — Ministerial : Robert Forbes, James F. Chaffee, Joseph B. Hingeley. Reserves : Robert N. McKaig, William A. Shannon. Lay : Jacob F. Force, Leonidas Merritt. Reserves : Alva W. Bradley, George P. Wilson. 68. Northern New York. — Ministerial: H. Eugene Waugh, William D. Marsh, David F. Pierce, Charles J. Little, Josiah C. Darling. Reserves: Charles C. Townsend, Sidney O. Barnes. Lay: S. Mortimer Coon, Harvey E. Dingley. Reserves: William L. Turhune, Lincoln E. Rowley. 69. North Germany. — Ministerial: Carl Schell. Reserve: Gustav Hempel. Lay : Peter Rasmusen. Reserve : Henrich During. 70. North India.,— Ministerial : Edwin W. Parker, Thomas J. Scott. Reserves: John C. Butcher, Thomas Craven. Lay: Lois S. Parker, Ada C. Butcher. Reserve: Ganga Nath. 71. North Indiana. — Ministerial: Horace N. Herrick, Frank G. Browne, Augustus E. Mahin, William D. Parr, George H. Hill. Re- serves: Charles G. Hudson, Jacomiah H. Jackson. Lay : John S. Patterson, Christian B. Stemen. Reserves : James H. Dehority, William A. Thompson. 72. North Nebraska. — Ministerial: Alfred Hodgetts, John B. Maxfield. Reserves: Daniel K. Tindall, David Marquette. Lay : John D. King, Trevanyon L. Matthews. Reserves : John G. Cortelyon, John Dale. 73. North Ohio. — Ministerial: Newell S. Albright, William Kepler, William F. Whitlock, John Mitchell. Reserves: George Mather, Francis S. Hoyt. Lay: Lewis C. Laylin, John M. Naylor. Reserves: Horace Benton, Erastus E. Cunningham. 74. Northwest German.— Ministerial: Edward W. Henke. Re- serve : William Koerner. Lay : Henry A. Salzer. Reserve : George Witter. 75. Northwest India. — Ministerial: Jefferson E. Scott. Reserve: Robert Hoskins. Ijiy : William H. Daniels. Reserve : Thomas L. Ingram. 76. Northwest Indiana— Ministerial : William H. Hickman, Hil- lary A. Gobin, Allen Lewis. Reserves: Delos M. Wood, John H. Cissel. Lay: Richard S. Tennant, Abraham R. Colburn. Reserves: Thomas J. Wood, Lewellyn W. McClure. 77. Northwest Iowa. — Ministerial: John W. Walker, John B. Trimble, Robert Smylie, John W. Lothian. Reserves : William A. Black, George W. Pratt. Lay: Clarence P. Kilborne, Oscar P. Miller. Reserves: Charles E. Lane, Herman J. Klemme. 10 List of Delegates by Conferences 78. Northwest Kansas. — Ministerial : William H. Sweet, Edward W. Allen. Reserves: Fletcher D. Baker, Benjamin T. Stauber. Lay: Edward S. Chenoweth, John B. Morrison. Reserves: John Fulcomer, Edward L. Getty. 79. Northwest Nebraska. — Ministerial: Allen R. Julian. Re- serve : Oscar T. Moore. Lay : George E. Gorton. Reserve : Thomas M. Huntington. 80. Norway. — Ministerial: Andres Olsen. Reserve: Ole Olsen. Lay : Toger Pederson. Reserve: Oskar Paulsen. 81. Norwegian and Danish. — Ministerial : Nels E. Simonsen. Reserve : Carl F. Eltzholtz. Lay : Marius J. Phil. Reserve: Arrie Field. 82. Ohio. — Ministerial : David H. Moore, David Y. Murdoch, William • H. Lewis, William D. Cherington, John C. Arbuckle. Reserves: William V. Dick, William W. Davies. Lay: Morris Sharp, Jane F. Bashford. Reserves: John W. McCor- mick, Charles W. Seward. 83. Oklahoma. — Ministerial: John F. Palmer. Reserve: Lucian W. B. Long. Lay : James F. Holden. Reserve : William F. Wolfe. 84. Oregon. — Ministerial : John Parsons, George W. Gue. Reserves : John M. Denison, Thomas L. Jones. Lay: John F. Caples, Robert A. Booth. Reserves: Joseph K. Gill, Samuel Layman. 85. Philadelphia. — Ministerial: Thomas B. Neely, Samuel W. Gehrett, William M. Swindells, Samuel W. Thomas, William M. Ridg- way, Jacob S. Hughes. Reserves : William L. McDowell, Joseph R. T. Gray. Lay: John E. James, John Field. Reserves: William H. Maxwell, John D. Patterson. 86. Pittsburg— Ministerial : Charles W. Smith, Robert T. Miller, Thomas H. Woodring, Jesse F. Core. Reserves: John Conner, Asbury L. Petty. Lay: John E. Rigg, Theodore B. Noss. Reserves: Hudson Samson, Samuel L. Wood. 87. Puget Sound.— Ministerial : Thomas B. Ford, Thomas J. Massey. Reserves : Spencer S. Sulliger, George C. Wilding. Lay: Calvin S. Barlow, Rufus Willard. Reserves: Joseph W. Range, John S. Taylor. 88. Rock River.— Ministerial : Frank M. Bristol, Lewis Curts, Henry G. Jackson, Martin E. Cady, Polemus H. Swift, William A. Spencer, John W. Richards. Reserves: Herbert F. Fisk, Franklin A. Hardin, Matthew M. Parkhurst. Lay: James B. Hobbs, Nicholas G. Van Sant. Reserves: Delonas W. Potter, Charles M. Whipple. Elected to the General Conference of 1896. 11 89. St. John's -River. — Ministerial: Luther S. Rader. Reserve: James T. Lewton. Lay: Alexander W. Biddle. Reserve: Charles W. Kinne. 90. St. Louis. — Ministerial : Jesse B. Young, Enoch J. Hunt, William A. Quayle. Reserves : William J. Simmons, Oliver M. Stewart. Lay: Thomas J. Langston, William W. Kendall. Reserves: Elijah E. Johnson, Samuel H. Pye. 91. Saint Louis German. — Ministerial : William Koeneke, William Schutz, John Schlagenhauf. Reserves: Philip W. Jacoby, George B. Addicks. Lay : Herman C. Grawe, Fredrich H. A. Koch. Reserves : Jacob P. Rinkle, Henry Vosholl. 92. Savannah. — Ministerial : Madison C. B. Mason, Matthew M. Alston. Reserves : George W. Arnold, John P. Wragg. Lay: Luther J. Price, Guy H. Bowen. Reserves: John L. Bowdoin, G. L. Johnson. 93. South America. — Ministerial: Charles W. Drees. Reserve: Ira H. La Fetra. Lay : Justo Cubilo. Reserve : Nicholas Lowe. 94. South Carolina. — Ministerial: Benjamin F. Witherspoon, Joshua E. Wilson, Thomas J. Clarke. Reserves: Louis M. Dunton, Alonzo G. Townsend.' Lay : William L. Bulkley, Edward J. Sawyer. Reserves : Mark H. Gassaway, Thomas McG. Carr. 95. South Dakota. — Ministerial: William H. Jordan, Charles B. Clark. Reserves: Joshua S. Akers, Cyrus E. Hager. Loy : Reuben N. Kratz, William F. T. Bushnell. Reserves : Andrew N. Van Camp, Alice M. A. Pickler. 96. Southern California. — Ministerial: Samuel A. Thomson, Winfield S. Matthew, William A. Knighten. Reserves: George W. White, William A. Wright. Lay: William T. Randall, Joseph A. Williams. Reserves: Charles M. Parker, Francis A. Seymour. 97. Southern German. — Ministerial: Henry Dietz. Reserve: Emil C. Draeger. Lay: Charles F. Blumberg. Reserve: Jacob Martin. 98. Southern Illinois.— Ministerial: Joseph W. Van Cleve, Wil- liam Wallis, Owen H. Clark, Leonidas W. Thrall. Reserves : John W. Flint, James G. Dee. Lay: MoKondree H. Chamberlain, Harvey H. Crozier. Reserves: Thomas S. Marshall, David A. Watts. 12 List of Delegates by Conferences 99. South Germany. — Ministerial: A. Gerhard Bruns. Reserve: Ernst H. Gebhardt. Lay : Fredrich Gutekunst. Reserve : Henrich Klein. 100. South India. — Ministerial : Albert H. Baker. Reserve : George K. Gilder. Lay: John H. Stephens. Reserve: Charles J. Muller. 101. South Kansas. — Ministerial: John W. Stewart, Samuel S. Murphy, Jefferson E. Brant. Reserves : John H. Price, Hugh McBirney. Lay : George W. Bowen, James E. Hair. Reserves : John M. Dicker- son, Wiley Bollinger. 102. Southwest Kansas. — Ministerial: William J. Martindale, Granville Lowther, William H. Rose. Reserves: Emory C. Beach, George W. Howes. Lay : James Allison, Tom M. Hutto. Reserves: William C. Robinson, Ezra R. Burkholder. 103. Sweden. — Ministerial: Jacob M. Erikson, Johan E. Edman. Reserves: Johan P. Larsson, Bengt A. Carlson. Lay: Johan A. Anderson, Jacob T. Jacobeson. Reserves: August Flink, Hjalmar Soderberg. 104. Switzerland. — Ministerial: Johannes Wuhrman. Reserve: Leonhard Peter. Lay : Gideon Gisler. Reserve : Johannes Schroeder. 105. Tennessee. — Ministerial : Hillery W. Key. Reserve,; Crawford B. Wilson. Lay : David W. Byrd. Reserve : Daniel W. Fields. 106. Texas. — Ministerial: Isaiah B. Scott, Wade H. Logan, Frank Gary. Reserves: William Bartley, Edward Lee. Lay: Thomas A. Fortson, John W. Jamison. Reserves: Robert B. Smith, Simeon S. Reid. 107. Troy. — Ministerial: John H. Coleman, Homer Eaton, James H. Brown, George A. Barrett, J. E. C. Sawyer, William H. Hughes. Re- serves : John J. Noe, Thomas A. Griffin. Lay : Daniel Hayes, Charles D. Hammond. Reserves: John D. Wen- dell, Charles Gibson. 108. Upper Iowa —Ministerial : Alpha J. Kynett, J. Burleigh Albrook, William F. Barclay, William F. King, Stephen N. Fellows. Reserves : Julius A. Ward, Francis M. Coleman. Lay : Albert C. Ross, Thomas B. Taylor. Reserves : Samuel S. Troy, Elihu J. Wood. 109. Upper Mississippi. — Ministerial: Richard Sewell, Perry O- Jamison. Reserves : Benjamin H. S. Ferguson, Thomas W. Davis. Lay : Ephraim H. McKissack, Joseph H. Phillips. Reserves : Joseph W. Longstreet, Tenant Weatherly. Elected to the General Conference of 1896. 13 110. Vermont. — Ministerial: Alfred J. Hough, Joel O. Sherburn. Reserves : Wilbur S. Smithers, Leslie O. Sherburn. Lay: Zopher M. Mansur, Moses P. Perley. Reserves: H. N. Turner, George H. Blake. 111. Virginia. — Ministerial: Stephen P. Shipman. Reserve: Daniel C. Hedrick. Lay : Chester C. Gaver. Reserve : William Y. Swiggett. 112. Washington. — Ministerial : John W. E. Bowen, William H. Brooks, Isaac L. Thomas. Reserves: Edward W. S. Peck, John A. Holmes. Lay : Charles F. Vodery, Irvin G. Penn. Reserves : Isam C. Cabell, Rudolph W. Rose. 113. Western Norwegian-Danish. — Ministerial : Carl J. Lar- son. Reserve: Martin Hansen. Lay: None elected. 114. Western Swedish. — Ministerial: Oscar J. Swan. Reserve: Harold L. Linquist. Lay : Charles O. Lobeck. Reserve: John W. Israelson. 115. West German. — Ministerial : Charles Harms, Jacob Tanner. Reserves : John Demand, Charles Ott. Lay : John A. Kost, William F. Muenzenmayer. Reserves : Jacob R. Bader, Samuel J. Kleinschmidt. 116. West Nebraska. — Ministerial: Erastus Smith, Charles A. Hale. Reserves : Orlando R. Beebe, James Leonard. Lay: Jasper L. McBrien, William J. Cruzen. Reserves: Walter F. Dale, Thomas Scott. 117. West Texas. — Ministerial: Harry Swann, Moses Smith. Re- serve: Mack Henson. Lay : Greene J. Starnes, G. Reid Townsend. Reserves : Robert L. Smith, Granville R. Smith. 118. West Virginia. — Ministerial: Asbury Mick, David L. Ash, John H. Hess, David S. Hammond. Reserves : Christopher B. Graham, Charles R. Shackleford. Lay : Thomas P. Jacobs, George C. Sturgiss. Reserves : Marcellus A. Kendall, Samuel Woods. 119. West Wisconsin. — Ministerial : Samuel W. Trousdale, John Holt, William J. McKay. Reserves: Henry Goodsell, John Tresidder. Lay: William T. Jennings, Henry P. Magill. Reserves: Frank W. Hall, Fred W. Dustan. 120. Wilmington.— Ministerial : Merritt Hulburd, Alfred Smith, Louis E. Barrett, Wilbur F. Corkran. Reserves: Walter E. Avery, Vaughn S. Collins, Lay: William L. Gooding, William H.Jackson. Reserves: Thomas J. Truxton, George F. Jones. 14 Alphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. 121. Wisconsin. — Ministerial: William P. Stowe, Milton S. Terry, George H. T.rever, Ephraim L. Eaton. Reserves : Edward S. McChesney, Henry P. Haylett. Lay: William H. Stevens, Leander Ferguson. Reserves: Edgar M. Beach, Willis W. Cooper. 122. Wyoming. — Ministerial: John G. Eckman, Manley S. Hard, Austin Griffin, Levi L. Sprague, Asa J. Van Cleft. Reserves : Edwin B. Olmstead, Henry M. Crydenwise. Lay: George S. Bennett, Abram I. Decker. Reserves: William J. Welsh, William Connell. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MINISTERIAL DELEGATES ELECTED. Delegates. Conferences. 1 Ackerman, George E Alabama. 2 Albert, Aristides E. P Louisiana. 3 Albright, Newell S North Ohio. 4- Albritton, Josiah L Central Ohio. 5 Albrook, J. Burleigh Upper Iowa. 6 Allen, Charles T Detroit. 7 Allen, Edward W Northwest Kansas. 8 Alston, Matthew M Savannah. 9 Arbuckle, John C Ohio. 10 Ash, David L West Virginia. 11 Baker, Albert H South India. 12 Baketel, Oliver S New Hampshire. 13 Baldwin, Stephen L Newark. 14 Bamford, Morris Iowa. 15 Barclay, William F Upper Iowa. 16 Barrett, George A Troy. 17 Barrett, Louis E Wilmington. 18 Bashford, James W Ohio. 19 Bates, George H New England Southern. 20 Belt, Leroy A Central Ohio. 21 Bentley, Jairus J Missouri. 22 Benton, Stephen O New England Southern. 23 Berry, Joseph F Detroit. 24 Berry, Wilbur F Maine. 25 Bills, James E Genesee. 26 Booth, George M Columbia River. 27 Borland, Robert S Erie. 28 Bowen, John W. E Washington. Alphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 29 Brant, Jefferson E South Kansas. 30 Bridgman, George H Minnesota. 31 Bristol, Frank M Rock River. 32 Brodbeck, William N New England. 33 Brooks, William H Washington. 34 Brown, James H Troy. 35 Brown, William L East Maine. 36 Browne, Frank G North Indiana. 37 Bruns, A. Gebhard South Germany. 38 Buchtel, Henry A Indiana. 39 Buck, Milton D California. 40 Buckley, James M New York East. 41 Buell, James I Michigan. 42 Burt, William Italy. 43 Butler, John W Mexico. 44 Buttz, Henry A Newark. 45 Cady, Martin E Rock River. 46 Callen, Marshall M Michigan. 47 Carter, Joseph M Central Tennessee. 48 Chadwick, James S New York East. 49 Chaffee, James F Northern Minnesota. 50 Cherington, William D Ohio. 51 Clark, Charles B South Dakota. 52 Clark, Hyre D Central Illinois. 53 Clark, Owen H Southern Illinois. 54 Clark, Thomas J South Carolina. 55 Cobern, Camden M Detroit. 56 Cook, Richard J Holston. 57 Coleman, John H Troy. 58 Collett, Elias M North Carolina. 59 Core, Jesse F Pittsburg. 60 Corkran, Wilbur F Wilmington. 61 Courtney, Joseph Lexington. 62 Cowan, Samuel A Mississippi. 63 Coyle, John California. 64 Cranston, Earl Colorado. 65 Crook, Isaac Nebraska. 66 Crumbaker, Marion V Central Illinois. 67 Curts, Lewis Rock River. 68 Darling, Josiah C Northern New York. 69 Day, James R New York. 70 Deininger, John C East German. 71 Deputie, James H Liberia. 72 Dietz, Henry Southern German. 73 Drees, Charles W South America. 2 16 Alphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 74 Eaton, Ephraim L Wisconsin. 75 Eaton, Homer Troy. 76 Eckman, John GT Wyoming. 77 Edman, Johan E Sweden. 78 Edmonds, Eugene P East Ohio. 79 Edwards, William S Baltimore. 80 Embree, Aleric S Kansas. 81 Emory, William O Little Rock. 82 Erikson, Jacob M Sweden. 83 Evans, Jervice G Central Illinois. 84 Evans, William W Central Pennsylvania. 85 Everett, Thomas J New England Southern. 86 Fellows, Stephen N Upper Iowa. 87 Fisher, Oscar L Austin. 88 Fiske, Lewis R Detroit. 89 Forbes, Robert Northern Minnesota. 90 Ford, Thomas B Puget Sound. 91 Fowler, James L Georgia. 92 Fox, Daniel O Bombay. 93 Fradenburgh, Jason N Erie. 94 Franklin, De Witt C Des Moines. 95 Frysinger, William M Central Pennsylvania. 96 Galeener, Christie Illinois. 97 Gary, Frank Texas. 98 Gehrett, Samuel W Philadelphia. 99 Gillum, Richard E Central Missouri. 100 Gobin, Hillary A Northwest Indiana. 101 Goucher, John F Baltimore. 102 Gould, Amos M Michigan. 103 Graw, Jacob B New Jersey. 104 Gray, Edward J Central Pennsylvania. 105 Graybeal, Adolphus Blue Ridge. 106 Green, Theron R Central New York. 107 Griffin, Austin Wyoming. 108 Gue, George W Oregon. 109 Guth, George California German. 110 Hale, Charles A West Nebraska. 111 Haley, J. Frank East Maine. 112 Halstead, William R Indiana. 113 Hamilton, James Michigan. 114 Hamilton, John W New England. 115 Hamilton, William E Des Moines. 116 Hammond, David S West Virginia. 117 Hammond, Edward W. S Lexington. Alphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 118 Haney, James W Central Illinois. 119 Hard, Manley S Wyoming. 120 Harms, Charles West German. 121 Hartzell, Joseph C Louisiana. 122 Heavenridge, Merimon S Indiana. 123 Henke, Edward W Northwest German. 124 Herrick, Horace N North Indiana. 125 Hess, John H West Virginia. 126 Hickman, William H Northwest Indiana. 127 Hill, George H North Indiana. 128 Hill, Judson S East Tennessee. 129 Hills, Charles D New Hampshire. 130 Hingeley, Joseph B Northern Minnesota. 131 Hodgetts, Alfred North Nebraska. 132 Holt, John West Wisconsin. 133 Holtz, Earl D East Ohio. 134 Honda, Toitsu Japan. 135 Hough, Albert J Vermont. 136 Hugar, Stephen A Florida. 137 Hughes, Jacob S Philadelphia. 138 Hughes, William H Troy. 139 Hulburd, Merritt Wilmington. 140 Hunt, Enoch J St. Louis. 141 Hunt, Sandford Genesee. 142 Huntington, De Witt C Nebraska. 143 Jackson, Henry G Rock River. 144 Jackson, James W Central Missouri. 145 Jamison, Perry O Upper Mississippi. 146 Jennings, Henry C Minnesota. 147 Jones, Edwin M Central Alabama. 148 Jordan, William H South Dakota. 149 Julian, Allen R Northwest Nebraska. 150 Kellerman, Charles R Idaho. 151 Kelley, William V New York East. 152 Kepler, William North Ohio. 153 Kern, Joseph Central German. 154 Key, Hillary W Tennessee. 155 King, James M New York. 156 King, William F Upper Iowa. 157 Kirby, John California. 158 Knighton, William A Southern California. 159 Koeneke, William St. Louis German. 160 Kumler, John A Illinois. 161 Kynett, Alpha J Upper Iowa. 18 Alphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 162 Lampert, Bartholomew Chicago German. 163 Lanahan, John . . .Baltimore. 164 Larson, Carl J W. Norwegian-Danish. 165 Lasby, Charles C Nebraska. 166 Latimer, Ebenezer H Genesee. 167 Lemcke, Henry Chicago German. 168 Leonard, Adna B. . . Cincinnati. 169 Lewis, Allen Northwest Indiana. 170 Lewis, William H Ohio. 171 Lindsay, George D Maine. 172 Little, Charles J Northern New York. 173 Logan, Wade H Texas. 174 Lothian, John W Northwest Iowa. 175 Lowther, Granville Southwest Kansas. 176 Lowry, Hiram H North China. 177 Mace, James R New Jersey. 178 Mahin, Augustus E North Indiana. 179 Mains, George P New York East. 180 Marsh, William D Northern New York. 181 Marshall, Julian F Louisiana. 182 Martin, John H Indiana. 183 Martindale, William J Southwest Kansas. 184 Mason, Madison C. B .Savannah. 185 Massey, Thomas J Puget Sound. 186 Master, Levi , Michigan. 187 Matthew, Winfield S Southern California. 188 Maveety, Patrick J Michigan. 189 Maxfield, John B North Nebraska. 190 McCabe, Charles C New York. 191 McElroy, William N Illinois. 192 McFarland, John T Illinois. 193 McKay, William J West Wisconsin. 194 Merchant, Andrew J Erie. 195 Mick, Asbury West Virginia. 196 Miller, Emory Des Moines. 197 Miller, Robert T Pittsburg. 198 Mills, Edmund M Central New York. 199 Mills, Jacob Montana. 200 Mitchell, Frank G Cincinnati. 201 Mitchell, John North Ohio. 202 Monroe, David S Central Pennsylvania. 203 Monroe, Henry A Delaware. 204 Moore, David H Ohio. 205 Morse, S. Abishai Genesee. 206 Motter, John A Kansas. Alphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 207 Muller, Darius H East Ohio. 208 Munger, R. De Witt Central New York. 209 Murdoch, David Y Ohio. 210 Murphy, Samuel S South Kansas. 211 Myers, Thomas J Iowa. 212 Nagler, Franz L North Germany. 213 Nast, Albert J Central German. 214 Needham, Arnold T California. 215 Neely, Thomas B Philadelphia. 216 Nichols, John C Central New York. 21*7 North, Crandall J = New York East. 218 Olsen, Andres Norway. 219 Osbon, Elias S New York. 220 Osborne, David C East Ohio. 221 Palmer, Abraham J New York. 222 Palmer, John F Oklahoma. 223 Parker, Edwin W North India. 224 Parr, William D North Indiana. 225 Parsons, John Oregon. 226 Payne, Charles H Cincinnati. 227 Pierce, David F Northern New York. 228 P.lannette, David C North Dakota. 229 Poland, John H Missouri. 230 Potts, James H Michigan. 231 Prather, Silas H Erie. 232 Quayle, William A St. Louis. 233 Quimby, Silas E New Hampshire. 234 Rader, Daniel L Colorado. 235 Rader, Luther S St. John's River. 236 Reed, George New Jersey. 237 Reed, George E New York East. 238 Reed, Horace Illinois. 239 Rees, William H. W Des Moines. 240 Richards, John W Rock River. 241 Ridgway, William M Philadelphia. 242 Roe, Joseph L New Jersey. 243 Rose, William H , . Southwest Kansas. 244 Rothweiler, Jacob Central German. 245 Ruble, James A Holston. 246 Ryan, Edward W Detroit. 247 Sargent, James A Indiana. 248 Sawyer, J. E. C Troy. 20 Alphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 249 Schell, Carl North Germany. 250 Schlagenhauf , John St. Louis German. 251 Scofield, John C Erie. 252 Schriver, Andrew New York. 253 Schutz, William St. Louis German. 254 Scott, Isaiah B Texas. 255 Scott, James H Delaware. 256 Scott, Jefferson E Northwest India. 257 Scott, Thomas J North India. 258 Sewell, Richard Upper Mississippi. 259 Sherburn, Joel P Vermont. 260 Shier, William H Detroit. 261 Shipman, Stephen G Virginia. 262 Shumpert, James M Mississippi. 263 Simonsen, Nels E Norwegian and Danish. 264 Smith, Alfred Wilmington. 265 Smith, Charles W Pittsburg. 266 Smith, Erastus West Nebraska. 267 Smith, George W Newark. 268 Smith, Moses West Texas. 269 Smith, William T Des Moines. 270 Smylie, Robert Northwest Iowa. 271 Spellmeyer, Henry Newark. 272 Spencer, William A Rock River. 273 Sprague, Levi L Wyoming. 274 Stafford, Charles L Iowa. 275 Stafford, John Minnesota. 276 Stewart, John W South Kansas. 277 Stewart, Lemuel H East Ohio. 278 Stevenson, Daniel ..Kentucky. 279 Stowe, William P Wisconsin. 280 Swallow, Silas C Central Pennsylvania. 281 Swan, Oscar J Western Swedish. 282 Swann, Harry West Texas. 283 Sweet, John Detroit. 284 Sweet, William H Northwest Kansas. 285 Swindells, William M Philadelphia. 286 Swift, Polemus H Rock River. 287 Talbot, Micah J New England Southern. 288 Talbott, Henry J Indiana. 289 Tanner, Jacob West German. 290 Taylor, Andrew J Arkansas. 291 Taylor, Edward M New England. 292 Terry, Milton S Wisconsin. 293 Teter, Isaac P Iowa. 294 Thomas, Isaac L Washington. Aphabetical List of Ministerial Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 295 Thomas, Samuel W Philadelphia. 296 Thomson, Samuel A Southern California. 297 Thorndike, Edward R New England. 298 Thrall, Leonidas W Southern Illinois. 299 Trever, George H Wisconsin. 300 Trimble, John B Northwest Iowa. 301 Trousdale, Samuel W West Wisconsin. 302 Underwood, William H Kansas. 303 Upham, Samuel F New England. 304 Van Benschoten, Sandford Newark. 305 Van Cleft, Asa J Wyoming. 306 Van Cleve, Joseph W , Southern Illinois. 307 Van Duesen, William W Columbia River. 308 Van Pelt, Samuel Central Illinois. 309 Walker, John W Northwest Iowa. 310 Wallis, William r Southern Illinois. 311 Walsh, John D Kentucky. 312 Ware, Isaac S Missouri. 313 Warne, Frank W Bengal-Burmah. 314 Warren, William F New England. 315 Waters, Wesley G Central Ohio. 316 Waugh, H. Eugene Northern New York. 317 Weakley, Henry C Cincinnati. 318 Whitlock, Elias D Central Ohio. 319 Whitlock, William F North Ohio. 320 Wight, George B New Jersey. 321 Wigren, James T Central Swedish. 322 Wilbor, Carlton C Central New York. 323 Wilcox, Myron C Foo-Chow. 324 Wilder, William H Illinois. 325 Williams, John E Genesee. 326 Willis, Elbridge R California. 327 Willis, TilghmanH Indiana. 328 Wilson, John I East Ohio. 329 Wilson, Joshua E South Carolina. 330 Wilson, Luther B Baltimore. 331 Wing, Charles S New York East. 332 Witherspoon, Benjamin F South Carolina. 333 Wolfe, John B Illinois. 334 Woodring, Thomas H Pittsburg. 335 Woods. Henry C Genesee. 336 Wuhrman, Johannes Switzerland. 337 Yocum, Ezra H Central Pennsylvania. 338 Young, Jesse B St. Louis. 22 Alphabetical List of Lay Delegates. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF LAY DELEGATES ELECTED. Delegates. Conferences. 1 Adams, Benjamin F Indiana. 2 Adams, John W Holston. 3 Ailing, Ebenezer B Austin. 4 Allison, J ames Southwest Kansas. 5 Anderson, Johan A Sweden. 6 Ando, Taro Japan. 7 Andrus, John E New York. 8 Ashley, Alexander Baltimore. 9 Ayres, Robert Florida. 10 Barlow, Calvin S Puget Sound. 11 Bashford, Jane F Ohio. 12 Bendixen, Henry Northern German. 13 Bennett, Charles W Cincinnati. 14 Bennett, George S . . , Wyoming. 15 Biddle, Alexander W St. John's River. 16 Billups, Henry L Central Missouri. 17 Bird, Benjamin O Delaware. 18 Blumberg, Charles F South Germany. 19 Booth, Robert A Oregon. 20 Boreing, Vincent Kentucky. 21 Bowen, George W South Kansas. 22 Bowen, Guy H Savannah. 23 Brill, Hascall R Minnesota. 24 Broaddus, Robert F Lexington. 25 Bulkley, William L South Carolina. 26 Bushnell, William F. T South Dakota. 27 Butcher, Ada C North India. 28 Byrd, David W Tennessee. 29 Caples, John F Oregon. 30 Carr, Phylonzo D Central Tennessee. 31 Chamberlin, McKendree H Southern Illinois. 32 Cheney, Francis J Central New York. 33 Chenoweth, Edward S Northwest Kansas. 34 Childs, Edward F New Hampshire. 35 Clark, Herbert C Columbia River. 36 Clendenning, James H Arkansas. 37 Colbern, Abraham R Northwest Indiana. 38 Colby, Ira New Hampshire. 39 Coon, S. Mortimer Northern New York. 40 Copeland, Roy S Detroit. 41 Cox, James M Little Rock. Alphabetical List of Lay Delegates. 23 Delegates. Conferences. 42 Crozier, Harvey H Southern Illinois. 43 Cruzen, William J West Nebraska. 44 Cubilo, Justo South America. 45 Cunningham, Joseph O Illinois. 46 Daniels, William N Northwest India. 47 Decker, Abram I Wyoming. 48 Dickie, Samuel .Michigan. 49 Diggs, James H Central Missouri. 50 Dingley, Harvey E Northern New York. 51 Doherty, Robert R Newark. 52 Farnham, Joseph E. C New England Southern. 53 Ferguson, Leander Wisconsin. 54 Field, John Philadelphia. 55 Force, Jacob F Northern Minnesota. 56 Fortson, Thomas A Texas. 57 Fowler, James A Holston. 58 French, Henry California. 59 French, John New York East. 60 Fryhofer, William P Kansas. 61 Furer, John t . California German. 62 Gamer, Fred Montana. 63 Gaver, Chester C Virginia. 64 Gibbs, Asaph H Alabama. 65 Gibson, William J Missouri. 66 Gidley, Harvey J Erie. 67 Gilluly, Joseph W Colorado. 68 Gisler, Gideon Switzerland. 69 Gooding, William L Wilmington. 70 Gordon, David New England Southern. 71 Gorton, George E Northwest Nebraska. 72 Grawe, Herman C St. Louis German. 73 Gutekunst, Frederick South Germany. 74 Haensler, Jacob Central German. 75 Hair, James E South Kansas 76 Hall, J. Fred East Maine. 77 Hammond, Charles D Troy. 78 Harlan, James Iowa. 79 Harris, Abraham W East Maine. 80 Haw, Christopher. . , Iowa. 81 Hays, Daniel Troy. 82 Hobbs, James B Rock River. 83 Holden, Alexander M Genesee. 84 Holden, James F Oklahoma. 85 Huntley, George F Louisiana. 24 Alphabetical List of Lay Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 86 Hutto, Tom M Southwest Kansas. 87 Jackson, William H Wilmington. 88 Jacobs, Thomas P West Virginia. 89 Jacobson, Jacob F Sweden. 90 James, John E Philadelphia. 91 Jamison, John W Texas. 92 Jennings, William T West Wisconsin. 93 Johnson, George B Cincinnati. 94 Johnson, James R East Tennessee. 95 Jones, Lucius O Nebraska. 96 Karpowsky, Emil Chicago German. 97 Kendall, William H St. Louis. 98 Ketron, Henry F , . . .Blue Ridge. 99 Keys, Thomas J Mississippi. 100 Kilbourne, Clarence P Northwest Iowa. 101 King, John D. North Nebraska. 102 Kinney, Albert B. F New England. 103 Kittleman, James M Des Moines. 104 Koch, Frederick H. A St. Louis German. 105 Kost, John A West German. 106 Kratz, Reuben N..« South Dakota. 107 Langston, Thomas J St. Louis. 108 Layliu, Lewis C ...North Ohio. 109 Leitch, William A Baltimore. 110 Libby, Isaac C Columbia River. 111 Lindgren, John R Central Swedish. 112 Lobeck, Charles O Western Swedish. 113 Logan, William H Central Illinois. 114 Long, Charles H Central Illinois. 115 Ludlow, Cristobal Mexico. » 116 Magee, Charles R New England. 117 Magill, Henry P West Wisconsin. 118 Mando, Luigi Italy. 119 Mansfield, John A East Ohio. 120 Mansur, Zophar M Vermont. 121 Matthews, Trevanyon L North Nebraska. 122 McBrien, Jasper L West Nebraska. 123 McCullough, Isaac N Lexington. 124 McCully, John D Idaho. 125 McKissack, Ephraim H Upper Mississippi. 126 Merrill, Galen A Minnesota. 127 Merrill, William W Maine. 128 Merritt, Leonidas Northern Minnesota. 129 Mickey, John H Nebraska. Alphabetical List of Lay Delegates. 25 Delegates. Conferences. 130 Miles, William H Maine. 131 Miller, James M Kansas. 132 Miller, Oscar P Northwest Iowa. 133 Miller, Robert T Kentucky. 134 Morris, Charles D Missouri. 135 Morris, James Bombay. 136 Morris, William T Georgia. 137 Morrison, John B Northwest Kansas. 138 Morse, Charles C Louisiana. 139 Mueller, Charles E Chicago German. 140 Muenzenmayer, William T West German. 141 Murphy, William H Newark. 142 Murray, Thomas H Central Pennsylvania. 143 Naylor, John M North Ohio. 144 Nelson, Edward T Central Ohio. 145 Newkirk, William Indiana. 146 Noss, Theodore B Pittsburg. 147 Nottingham, Edwin Central New York. 148 Parker, Lois S North India. 149 Parker, Stanford L Delaware. 150 Patterson, John S North Indiana. 151 Patton, John Central Pennsylvania. 152 Peake, A. D New York. 153 Pederson, Toger Norway. 154 Penn, Irvin G Washington. 155 Perley, Moses P Vermont. 156 Phillips, Joseph H Upper Mississippi. 157 Pihl, Marius J Norwegian and Danish. 158 Price, Luther J Savannah. 159 Pritchard, C. J Bengal-Burmah. 160 Randall, William T Southern California. 161 Rasmusen, Peter North Germany. 162 Rigg, John E Pittsburg. 163 Robinson, George O Detroit. 164 Romer, John L Genesee. 165 Ross, Albert C Upper Iowa. 166 Rusling, James F New Jersey. 167 Salzer, Henry A Northwest German. 168 Sawyer, Edward J South Carolina. 169 Scott, Julian F North China. 170 Sessions, John H New York East. 171 Sharp, Morris Ohio. 172 Shaw, Leslie M Des Moines. 173 Shoemaker, Clement W New Jersey. 26 Alphabetical List of Ministerial Reserve Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 174 Sims, Ashford L Liberia. 175 Snyder, Zachariah X Colorado. 176 Starnes, Greene J "West Texas. 177 Stemen, Christian B . North Indiana. 178 Stephens, John H South India. 179 Stevens, William H Wisconsin. 180 Stith, George W Mississippi. 181 Sturgiss, George C West Virginia. 182 Sullivan, Henry P Erie. 183 Swarthout, Elvin Michigan. 184 Tanner, Frank H Central Ohio. 185 Taylor, Thomas B Upper Iowa. 186 Tennant, Richard S Northwest Indiana. 187 Thomas, Wade H North Carolina. 188 Townsend, G. Reid West Texas. 189 Trimble, Lydia A Foo-Chow. 190 Van Sant, Nicholas G Rock River. 191 Vodery, Charles F Washington. 192 Wallace, John D North Dakota. 193 Walworth, Warren F East Ohio. 194 Whiting, James W California. 195 Whitlock, Herbert G Illinois. 196 Wilker, Victor Central German. 197 Willard, Rufus S Puget Sound. 198 Williams, Joseph A Southern California. 199 Wright, Philip P Central Alabama. 200 Zoller, Charles E East German. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MINISTERIAL RESERVE DELEGATES ELECTED. Delegates. Conferences. 1 Addicks, George B St. Louis German. 2 Akers, Joshua S South Dakota. 3 Alderman, James W Kansas. 4 Alexander, Wharton B Nebraska. 5 Anderson, John S Idaho. 6 Arnold, George W Savannah. 7 Avery, Walter E Wilmington. 8 Baker, Fletcher D Northwest Kansas. 9 Banks, William P Central Tennessee. 10 Barnes, Sidney O Northern New York. Alphabetical List of Ministerial Reserve Delegates. 27 Delegates. Conferences. 11 Bartholomew, William F Des Moines. 12 Bartley, William Texas. 13 Bass, Edward C New England Southern. 14 Beach, Emory C Southwest Kansas. 15 Beach, John W New York East. 16 Beck, Francis H Erie. 17 Beebe, Orlando R West Nebraska. 18 Benham, James V Central New York. 19 Berger, Jacob Chicago German. 20 Bissell, Thomas J Genesee. 21 Black, William A Northwest Iowa. 22 Bonn, Frederick California German. 23 Boreing, Amon Kentucky. 24 Brown, Thomas W Blue Ridge. 25 Buckner, Robert J East Tennessee. 26 Butcher, John C North Indiana. 27 Byerly, Alexander C Illinois. 28 Campbell, Edward A Indiana. 29 Carlson, Bengt A Sweden. 30 Carmine, Robert A Colorado. 31 Case, Westwood W California. 32 Chamberlain, Nathaniel Colorado. 33 Chase, A. Fitzroy East Maine. 34 Chavis, Jordan D North Carolina. 35 Cissel, John H Northwest Indiana. 36 Clark, N. Walling Italy. 37 Clayton, William B Missouri. 38 Coleman, Francis M Upper Iowa. 39 Collins, Vaughan S Wilmington. 40 Conner, John Pittsburg. 41 Cooper, Theron Central New York. 42 Coxe, James C. W Iowa. 43 Craven, Thomas North India. 44 Crawford, Morris D'C New York. 45 Crydenwise, Henry M Wyoming. 46 Curl, George M New Hampshire. 47 Davies, William W Ohio. 48 Davis, Henry T Nebraska. 49 Davis, Lewis P Detroit. 50 Davis, Thomas W Upper Mississippi. 51 Dee, James G Southern Illinois. 52 Demand, John Western German. 53 Dennison, John M Oregon. 54 Dick, William V Ohio. 55 Doddridge, John H Indiana. 28 Alphabetical List of Ministerial Reserve Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 56 Doney, Thomas Central Illinois. 57 Downey, David G New York East. 58 Draeger, Emil C . Southern German. 59 Duncan, Stephen Louisiana. 60 Duncan, William R, R Little Rock. 61 Dunton, Louis M South Carolina. 62 Eaton, George F New England. 63 Edwards, Arthur Detroit. 64 Ellington, Asbury F Georgia. 65 Eltzholtz, Carl F Norwegian and Danish. 66 Evers, Volney C Columbia River. 67 Ferguson, Benjamin H. S Upper Mississippi. 68 Fisk, Herbert F Rock River. 69 Fitzwater, James H Central Ohio. 70 Flint, John W Southern Illinois. 71 Foss, Herbert E East Maine. 72 Foster, Milton K Central Pennsylvania. 73 Freshwater, Robert M East Ohio. 74 Gebhardt, Ernst H South Germany. 75 Gilder, George K South India. 76 Goodsell, Henry.... r West Wisconsin. 77 Graham, Christopher B .West Virginia. 78 Gray, Joseph R. T Philadelphia. 79 Griffin, Thomas A Troy. 80 Hagan, William T Liberia. 81 Hager, Cyrus E South Dakota. 82 Hagood, Lewis M Lexington. 83 Hammond, John D California. 84 Hanlon, Thomas New Jersey. 85 Hansen, Martin W. Norwegian-Danish. 86 Hardin, Franklin A Rock River. 87 Haylett, Henry P Wisconsin. 88 Hedrick, Daniel C Virginia. 89 Hempel, Gustave North Germany. 90 Hensen, Mack West Texas. 91 Hess, Martin Central Swedish. 92 Hickey, George S Michigan. 93 Higgs, Justin H , Central Missouri. 94 Holmes, John -A Washington. 95 Holt, David B Maine. 96 Horst, John H Central German. 97 Hoskins, Robert Northwest India. 98 Howes, George W Southwest Kansas. Alphabetical List of Ministerial Reserve Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 99 Hoyt, Francis S North Ohio. 100 Hudson, Charles G North Indiana. 101 Hughes, Jordan W Central Missouri. 102 Hutchins, William H New Hampshire. 103 Jackson, H Bengal-Burmah. 104 Jackson, Jacomiah H North Indiana. 105 Jacoby, Philip W St. Louis German. 106 Johnson, Thomas S .Bombay. 107 Jones, Thomas L Oregon. 108 Koerner, August H Northern German. 109 Koerner, William „ Northwest German. 110 Lacy, William H Foo-Chow. 111 La Fetra, Ira H South America. 112 Landry, Pierre Louisiana. 113 Larson, Johan P Sweden. 114 Lathrop, Ezra R Minnesota. 115 Lee, Edward Texas. 116 Lennox, Lambert E Michigan. 117 Leonard, James West Nebraska. 118 Lewton, James T St. John's River. 119 Linquist, Harold L Western Swedish. 120 Long, Lucian W. B Oklahoma. 121 Lowrie, Daniel R Newark. 122 Luckey, George J Central Illinois. 123 Lytle, Edwin B Missouri. 124 Marquette, David North Nebraska. 125 Marsh, Tamerlane P East Ohio. 126 Mather, George North Ohio. 127 McBirney, Hugh.\ South Kansas. 128 McBride, Robert E Kansas. 120 McChesney, Edward S Wisconsin. 130 McDowell, William L .Philadelphia. 131 McKaig, Robert N Northern Minnesota. 132 McKinney, Alfred W Central Alabama. 133 McMaster, R. W . Arkansas. 134 Mickle, William H , New York. 135 Millard, Charles W New York. 136 Moore, Homer H Erie. 137 Moore, Oscar T Northwest Nebraska. 138 Morf, Ferdinand C Chicago German. 139 Naylor, Henry R 140 Noe, John J Baltimore. Troy. 30 Alphabetical List of Ministerial Reserve Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 141 Olmstead, Edwin B Wyoming. 142 Olsen, Ole Norway. 143 Ott, Charles West German. 144 Parkhurst, Matthew M Rock River. 145 Payne, Alfred D .* Mississippi. 146 Pearson, John Cincinnati. 147 Peck, Edward W. S Washington. 148 Peter, Leonhard Switzerland. 149 Petty, Asbury L Pittsburg. 150 Polsgrove, John B Central Pennsylvania. 151 Pratt, George W Northwest Iowa. 152 Price, John H South Kansas. 153 Pyke, James H North China. 154 Reuss, Charles East German. 155 Rice, Charles F , New England. 156 Richardson, C. Herbert. Baltimore. 157 Riggin, Francis A Montana. 158 Robertson, Edward P Minnesota. 159 Robinette, James J Holston. 160 Russell, Thomas B Holston. 161 Rust, Richard H Cincinnati. 162 Ryan, Samuel E. North Dakota. 163 Ryman, Charles S .Newark. 164 Schaal, John G Central German. 165 Scrimger, George E Illinois. 166 Shackleford, Charles R West Virginia. 167 Shannon, William A Northern Minnesota. 168 Sherburn, Leslie O Vermont. 169 Shockley, Alfred R Delaware. 170 Simmons, William J St. Louis. 171 Sissle, George A Lexington. 172 Smithers, Wilbur S Vermont. 173 Soper, Julius Japan. 174 Stackpole, Everett S Maine. 175 Stauber, Benjamin T Northwest Kansas. 176 Stewart, Oliver M St. Louis. 177 Strickland, William P. C New Jersey. 178 Stuart, Thomas McK Des Moines. 179 Sulliger, Spencer S Puget Sound. 180 Swearingen, Peter Florida. 181 Tindall, Daniel K North Nebraska. 182 Townsend, Alonzo G South Carolina. 183 Townsend, Charles C Northern New York. 1 84 Tresidder, John West Wisconsin. Alphabetical List of Lay Reserve Delegates. 31 Delegates. Conferences. 185 Trotter, Augustus M Mississippi. 186 Turner, James W Kentucky. 187 Towner, Trinity A Columbia River. 188 Valderrama, Pedro F Mexico. 189 Van Alstyne, George .New York East. 190 Ward, Julius A Upper Iowa. 191 Waters, Joseph R Delaware. 192 Webb, Harvey Austin. 193 Webster, William H Illinois. 194 Whedon, Daniel A New England Southern. 195 White, George W Southern California. 196 Wilding, George C Puget Sound. 197 Williams, James Alabama. 198 Williams, William G Central Ohio. 199 Wilson, Crawford B Tennessee. 200 Wilson, William G Iowa. 201 Winchester, Charles W Genesee. 202 Wood, Delos M Northwest Indiana. 203 Wragg, John P Savannah. 204 Wright, William A Southern California. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF LAY RESERVE DELEGATES ELECTED. Delegates. Conferences. 1 Ackerman, Fred Chicago German. 2 Adams, Benjamin F Central Missouri. 3 Allen, Washington G Central Alabama. 4 Anderson, Andrew B Central Swedish. 5 Appel, Louis Chicago German. 6 Asada, Eiji Japan. 7 Arbuckle, James M Central Missouri. 8 Axtell, Charles P Iowa. 9 Bacon, Lewis M Baltimore. 10 Bader, Jacob R West German. 11 Bailey, George A '. . .Holston. 12 Ballerini, Pietro G Italy. 13 Beach, Edgar M Wisconsin. 14 Beattie, John New York. 15 Benton, Horace North Ohio. 10 Blake, George H Vermont. 32 Alphabetical List of Lay Reserve Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 17 Bolinger, Wiley South Kansas. 18 Bowdoin, John L Savannah. 19 Boxwell, Alexander Cincinnati. 20 Bradley, Alva W Northern Minnesota. 21 Burch, Dennison D Missouri. 22 Burkholder, Ezra R Southwest Kansas. 23 Butterworth, Caleb H New Jersey. 24 Cabell, Isam C "Washington. 25 Carr, Thomas McG South Carolina. 26 Carroll, Henry K Newark. 27 Case, Samuel Central Ohio. 28 Cass, Charles P Holston. 29 Chase, Gordon B Erie. 30 Cole, David D Arkansas. 31 Connell, William Wyoming. 32 Cooper, Willis W Wisconsin. 33 Cortelyon, John G- North Nebraska. 34 Cosgrove, Samuel C Columbia River. 35 Cunningham, Erastus E North Ohio. 36 Dale, John North Nebraska. 37 Dale, Walter F West Nebraska. 38 Davis, John Nebraska. 39 Dehority, James H North Indiana. 40 Dennis, Wilmot E Liberia. 41 Dickerson, John M South Kansas. 42 Drummond, C. R Maine. 43 Dunn, Zachariah T Delaware. 44 During, Henrich North Germany. 45 Dustan, Fred W West Wisconsin. 46 Edwards, John Central Ohio. 47 Egleston, Rouse S Georgia. 48 Eidson, Charlotte Lexington. 49 Field, Arrie Norwegian and Danish. 50 Fields, Daniel W - Tennessee. 51 Flink, August.. Sweden. 52 Foote, Charles E New Hampshire. 53 Foote, J. B New York. 54 Freidley, William Indiana. 55 French, Myron H Detroit. 56 Fulcomer, John Northwest Kansas. 57 Fuller, Frederick D Kansas. 58 Fulton, Andrew F East Tennessee. 59 Gassaway, Mark H South Carolina. Alphabetical List of Lay Reserve Delegates. 33 Delegates. Conferences. 60 Getty, Edward L Northwest Kansas. 61 Gibson, Charles Troy. 62 Gibson, John Des Moines. 63 Gill, Joseph K Oregon. 64 Grant, John H Michigan. 65 Graves, Willis North Carolina. 66 Hall, Frank W West Wisconsin. 6? Hamilton, E. H Bombay. 68 Hartford, Mabel C Foo-Chow. 69 Hoskins, James H Central New York. 70 Huntington, Thomas M Northwest Nebraska. 71 Hutchinson, William H New England. 72 Ingram, Thomas L Northwest India. 73 Israelson, John W Western Swedish. 74 Jeffrey, Oscar Newark. 75 Johnson, Elijah E St. Louis. 76 Johnson, G. L Savannah. 77 Johnson, Milton Illinois. 78 Jones, George F Wilmington. 79 Kellogg, George D California. 80 Kendall, Marcellus A West Virginia. 81 Kerrick, Leonidas H Illinois. 82 Kinne, Charles W St. John's River. 83 Klein, Henrich South Germany. 84 Kleinschmidt, Samuel J West German. 85 Klemme, Harman J Northwest Iowa. 86 Kuchenbeiser, Fritz California German. 87 Laidlaw, Robert Bengal-Burmah. 88 Lane, Charles E Northwest Iowa. 89 Layman, Samuel Oregon. 90 Lewis, Walter T California. 91 Longstreet, Joseph W Upper Mississippi. 92 Lord, Everett W East Maine. 93 Lothrop, Jr., George W New England Southern. 94 Love, Milas S Mississippi. 95 Lowe, Nicholas South America. 96 Lynch, Frank P North Dakota. 97 Manning, George Mexico. 98 Manson, John T New York East. 99 Marshall, Thomas S Southern Illinois. 100 Martin, Jacob Southern German. 101 Mast, Phineas P Cincinnati. 102 Maxwell, William H Philadelphia. 34 Alphabetical List of Lay Reserve Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 103 McClure, Laban T Kentucky. 104 McClure, Lewellyn W Northwest Indiana. 105 McCormick, John W Ohio. 106 McCreary, Thomas F Central Tennessee. 107 McGinity, Robert Kansas. 108 Meade, C. Henry Genesee. 109 Metoyer, Rene C , Louisiana. 110 Meyer, Charles H Northern German. 111 Muller, Charles J South India. 112 Murray, S. Wilson , Central Pennsylvania. 113 Nath, Gunga North India. 114 Neuberry, George N .Central New York. 115 Nicholls, Charles W Erie. 116 Norton, Matthew G Minnesota. 117 Olds, Barnard L Colorado. 118 Otis, Henry H Genesee. 119 Paine, Bartlett O Nebraska. 120 Parker, Charles M Southern California, 121 Patterson, John D Philadelphia. 122 Paulsen, Oskar Norway. 123 Payne, Dillon H Iowa. 124 Perrin, Homer W Alabama. 125 Pickler, Alice M. A South Dakota. 126 Plummer, Veranus C East Maine. 127 Potter, Delenos W Rock River. 128 Potter, Henry A Michigan. 129 Price, John M New York East. 130 Prickett, John, Central Illinois. 131 Pye, Samuel H St. Louis. 132 Range, Joseph W Puget Sound. 133 Rankin, Ella K Indiana. 134 Raymond, Robert F New England Southern. 135 Rea, Everett A Des Moines. 136 Reddix, Joseph A Louisiana. 137 Reid, Simon S Texas. 138 Rickards, John E Montana. 139 Rinkle, Jacob P St. Louis German. 140 Rising, Bradley D New England. 141 Riter, John W Columbia River. 142 Robinson, J. A Mississippi. 143 Robinson, John R Colorado. 144 Robinson, Lewis Lexington. 145 Robinson, Robert R Florida. Alphabetical List of Lay Beserve Delegates. 35 Delegates. Conferences. 146 Robinson, William C ... Southwest Kansas. 147 Rose, Rudolph W Washington. 148 Rote, John R Central Pennsylvania. 149 Rowley, Lincoln E Northern New York. 150 Samson, Hudson Pittsburg. 151 Schlee, John G Central German. 152 Schneck, Louis Central German. io3 Schroeder, Johannes Switzerland. 154 Scott, Thomas West Nebraska. 155 Seward, Charles W Ohio. 156 Seymour, Francis A Southern California. 157 Shaw, Joshua P Kentucky. 158 Simmons, William Delaware. 159 Skirm, William H New Jersey. 160 Smith, Granville R West Texas. 161 Smith, Robert B Texas. 162 Smith, Robert L West Texas. 163 Smith, Silas H Austin. 164 Soderberg, Hjalmar Sweden. 165 Strickland, William H Little Rock. 166 Stull, John M East Ohio. 167 Swarthout, Arthur H Detroit. 168 Swartzell, George W. F Baltimore. 169 Swiggett, William Y Virginia. 170 Taylor, John S Puget Sound. 171 Taylor, Joseph D East Ohio. 172 Thompson, John S Central Illinois. 173 Thompson, William A North Indiana. 174 Troy, Samuel 8..., Upper Iowa. 175 Truxton, Thomas J Wilmington. 176 Turhune, William L Northern New York. 177 Turner, H. N Vermont. 178 Valentine, Thomas B Missouri. 179 Van Camp, Andrew N South Dakota. 180 Vosholl, Henry St. Louis German. 181 Wagner, Charles H Minnesota. 182 Walker, Richard J Genesee. 183 Waterhouse, A. W Maine. 184 Watts, David A Southern Illinois. 185 Weatherly, Tenant Upper Mississippi. 186 Welsh, William J Wyoming. 187 Wendell, John A Troy. 188 Whipple, Charles M Rock River. 36 Alphabetical List of Lay Reserve Delegates. Delegates. Conferences. 189 White, T.Baxter Blue Ridge. 190 Wilson, George P Northern Minnesota. 191 Winkler, Egbert East German. 192 Witter, George. . Northwest German. 193 Wolfe, William F Oklahoma. 194 Wood, Elihu J Upper Iowa. 195 Wood, Samuel L Pittsburg. 196 Wood, Thomas J Northwest Indiana. 197 Woods, Samuel West Virginia. 198 Wright, Junius B . Idaho. 199 Young, John New Hampshire. RECAPITULATION. Ministerial Delegates 338 Lay Delegates 200 538 Ministerial Reserve Delegates 204 Lay Reserve Delegates 199 — 403 Total . 941 ADDRESS OF THE BISHOPS. Brethren Beloved, Elect of the Churches, Servants op God, Called to be Saints and Sanctified in Jesus Christ: We greet you in the name of the great Head of the Church and welcome you to this 27th quadrennial council concerning the great- est interests of earth and heaven. When the next General Con- ference shall meet we shall be entering the portals of the twentieth century. We desire to close these nineteen centuries of work for the race in a manner helpful to men and satisfactory to our Lord. There is nowhere any greater privilege. The serious responsi- bility is as great as the privilege is glorious. We recall the solemn admonitions under which many of us were ordained. "If it shall happen that the Church or any member thereof do take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence, ye know the greatness of the fault and also the fearful punishment that will ensue." We beseech you, therefore, first of all that you join us in a most earnest endeavor to secure a personal fitness to be a proper medium in this Conference, through which God can express his will con- cerning the churches ; that laying aside all unworthy ambitions we shall sincerely seek to know the mind of the Spirit, realizing that any personal advantage that is not for the good of the Church is for the damage of the individual. The words of the Master are of perpetual application, " Watch and pray, therefore, lest ye enter into temptation." It cannot be too deeply impressed upon our minds that in all ages the Church has fallen far short of the divine ideal, both in purity and power. God's thought and plans for his Church are as high above ours as the heavens are above the earth. His Scrip- tures are full of promises. His skies are full of Pentecosts. "Ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you," is the limitless divine promise. Heaven and earth are put in pledge for fulfillment. Both shall pass away sooner than one jot or tittle of his word can fail. When we look at his ideal, promise, provision, and power, at the humiliation and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the unwordable groan ings of the Holy Spirit, it seems as if provision and performance were scarcely at all related. God's ideal for his Church is that both as individuals and as a whole it be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, a pure 38 Address of the BisJiops. bride, fit for the spotless Lamb, and therefore strong enough to cope with any evil. As a Church, we have taught from the be- ginning that believers have power to become the sons of God, be made partakers of the divine nature. We have insisted on the glorious privilege and duty of all men becoming saints, of imme- diately being made perfect in love, and of gradually ripening into Christian maturity in all faculties. This doctrine was nevermore definitely stated, clearly perceived, nor consistently lived by greater numbers than now. But how lamentably the Church falls short of the divine possibility ! God is always able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think. The reason of our impotence is not in God, but in ourselves. God teaches us that we should present our souls and bodies a live sacrifice, every faculty, power, and possession devoted to his serv- ice. Our Master gave us such an example of fervor that he caused men to remember the ancient saying, " The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." Paul wrote himself down as the slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, and said we are killed all the day long. These are examples of consecration of all powers and possibilities. How few attain it! To consecrate a segment of one's faculties, a fragment of one's time, a fraction of one's property, is a keeping back of a part of the price as did Ananias, and to be shorn of power as was Peter on the day of his denial. Many consecrate all that they do consecrate to God rather than to Satan or self; but how few consecrate all of their all! God waits through cen- turies to show what he can do with perfectly and completely consecrated men. And the whole creation also waiteth for the Apocalypse of a full son of God. The infinite Christ stands in all the sad and sin-cursed ages saying to his Church concerning every weariness, want, deficiency, and hunger of the world's great multitudes, " Give ye them to eat." The multiplied bread from his creative fingers is abundant, enough and to spare; basketfuls are left over, and yet whole races get scarcely a crumb. We come into possession of his breadth of ideas, or rather his ideas come into possession of us so slowly. After ten years Peter said that he perceived of a truth that God was no respecter of persons, but desired all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel. But the Church almost lost that perception in the whole course of its history till a century ago. Then a new per- ception of the will and wish of God fell like a new Pentecost on the world. Address of the Bishops. 39 But what is now perceived is only a part of what God has put into his holy word for his Church. There is yet more light to break out of that which the Infinite has spoken. The past cen- tury has found the works of God incredibly rich in knowledge and power; the word of God is far more so to those who fit themselves to discover that richness. Work of the Bishops. As the Board of Bishops, we are happy to report to the Gen- eral Conference that by the abundant blessing of Almighty God we have been able in health and strength to do the work as- signed us. We have appointed the committees, commissions, and fraternal visitors to other Churches, as requested. We have an- nually attended the one hundred and forty-one Conferences and Mi-sions, except West China, in all parts of the world. The Conference in Mexico has been regularly attended by Bishops Foss, FitzGerald, Joyce, and Newman. South America has been visited by Bishops Newman and FitzGerald. Our nine Conferences and Missions in Europe have been superintended suc- cessively by Bishops Joyce, Vincent, Newman, and FitzGerald. Our six Conferences and Missions in China, Japan, and Korea have been visited, except West China, by Bishops Mallalieu, Foster, Ninde, and Walden. This involves a great amount of travel. But this is necessary, for we superintend the expenditure of millions of dollars; the precious unity of the Church is conserved by our semiannual meetings for the consideration of the w^ork as a whole; the results of such consideration are carried to every part of the field; the Church has general superintendents who study and compare every phase of the work, in every land; there is no need of sending out special commissions to obtain knowledge of the state of any part of our world-wide parish; our missionary money can be distributed with a real knowledge of the comparative needs of each part of the work, and all this : is obtained at a very small expense. The great law of itinerancy that pervades the entire Church is especially exemplified by the general superin- tendents. Besides, we have given much time each year to the . interests of our great benevolences, conducted a very extensive correspondence touching the interests of hundreds of preachers and churches, have held Judicial Conferences, dedicated churches, helped to save churches and colleges that were imperiled, and now and hereby submit our work to the considerate judgment of the General Conference. 40 Address of the JBishojis. Bishops Taylor and Thoburn will report on the work especially assigned to them. The Bishops have submitted to the Annual Conferences, during the quadreimium, seven propositions for changes in constitution, three of them originating in the General Conference of 1892, and four originating in as many Annual Conferences. The tabulated statement of the vote thereon will be submitted to you. It ap- pears that only one of them, namely, the proposition originating in the West Wisconsin Conference, to change the date of the meeting of the General Conference from the first day of May to the first Wednesday in May, has been recommended by three fourths of all members of the Annual Conferences present and voting, and is thus before this body for its action. In this connection the Bishops solicit the judgment of the General Conference on the question whether an Annual Confer- ence may properly originate and request the Bishops to submit in the Annual Conferences a proposition the adoption of which the said Annual Conference does not recommend by three-fourths vote of its members present and voting. The Bishops have held the opinion that this is not permissible. But the question is of sufficient gravity to warrant an authoritative statement from the General Conference. Success of the Quadrennium. We most heartily congratulate the Church on the success of the last four years. The country has been depressed. The world has been in financial straits. Vast railway systems have gone into the hands of receivers. Great corporations have been wrecked. Fortunes have disappeared like mist. Men's hearts have failed them for fear. But the Church of the living God has moved right on to certain victory. The King of kings annually makes a draft on our^ recruiting office in the Church militant for a reinforcement of the Church triumphant. This draft takes from us about 33,000 members a year. Our Church records also suffer from the enterprise of our itinerant people, thousands going into new States and Territories where their names are lost to us. But notwithstanding this our gain in lay membership in the quadrennium has been 386,000, making a total membership, in- cluding probationers, of 2,766,656. We are largely indebted under God to the fervor, zeal, fresh spiritual insight, and faith- fulness even unto death of humble men toiling in lowly fields, Address of the Bishops. 41 often hungry and cold, enduring hardships known only to them- selves and God. We congratulate the Church that it is so virile and produc- tive, that its spirit is so intense, that there are never wanting candidates for ministers and missionaries. In response to the Lord's call, " Whom shall I send ? " we get the word, " Here am I send me," more frequently than we have the means of sending. We find our Conferences more and more crowded every year. One reason for this abundance and excellence of ministerial candidates is that we have in our colleges and schools an army of 43,322 students. Of this army there has been a gain of over 1,000 the past year and a steady increase for twelve years. The Sunday schools of the churches numbered in 1895 30,259, a gain of 2,766 in the quadrennium. The number of teachers and scholars is 2,938,305, a gain in the past four years of 280,858. The total number of conversions reported in the Sunday schools in four years is 533,486. May the time soon come when all God's children over the whole earth shall be taught the things of the Lord ! The quadrennium has abundantly demonstrated that the Church is divinely appointed to evangelize the world. Christ's mission was to. give his life for the forgiveness of sins. And the great mission of the Church is the proclamation of that fact to every creature. Missions are the soul of the Church, one of the chief reasons for its continuance on earth. We find the methods that are most owned of heaven for this work are those that were prac- ticed by the Son of God. His methods were healing of the body, teaching of the mind, and the impartation of his Spirit, by dwelling personally among and in men. Our analogous meth- ods are hospitals, schools, and preaching for the conversion of men by the power of God. This power is as present to save as when Christ was on the earth. It saves as quickly now as in the case of the Philippian jailer, as thoroughly as in the case of Paul. Missionaries are often delighted to find in their heathen converts a simplicity of faith, a spiritual insight, and a heroism in enduring persecution that must undeniably have been given of God. The conversion of India is both more thorough and more rapid than was the conversion of Europe. There is a power turning the world upside down that cannot be expressed in the language of civilization and secularism. Besides preaching the Gospel in fif- teen languages in the United States, our beloved Church has 150,000 communicants and as many adherents outside the coun- 42 Address of the Bishops. try; 40,000 students in training schools, and 150,000 in Sunday schools. During the quadrennium we have been able to send out but fifteen more American missionaries, but the native or- dained missionaries have increased fifty per cent, the unordained forty per cent, and the self-support sixty per cent. We could double our foreign membership in the next four years if we had the money to send the teachers. We make no estimate of time, but after a more perfect consecration of believers, a deeper ex- perimental study of the laws of spirit forces, we shall be ready to join in the song of the redeemed in heaven, " The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Financial Growth. A few material facts deserve statement. During this time of financial depression we have not only kept good and preserved our $113,000,000 worth of church and parsonage property, but we have gained $1 1,600,000 more. In pastoral support the gain has been over $500,000. This has not been so much a gain to individual pastors, but a gain in consequence of 1,400 more pas- tors in the growing field. The income of the Missionary treasury from the contributions of the people through the Conferences in 1891 was $1,078,541 ; the gain on that in 1892 was $41,355; in 1893, $20,916; in 1894,%9,645; the loss in 1895 was $5,551, leaving a total gain of gifts to this cause in the quadrennium of $65,356. The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society and the Woman's Home Missionary Society are among the best outcomes of the Christianity of our century. They are the spirit of Christ em- bodying and organizing itself for the noblest work. The income for the quadrennium for the first has been $1,143,797, a gain in the amount given every year over what was given in 1891, amounting in all to $88,957. The Woman's Home Missionary Society had an income last year of cash, $126,690, and of supplies, $55,363, a total of $786,= 265 for the quadrennium. As a result of new organizations and greater efficiency of old ones we are giving for missionary purposes $932,000 a year more than we were twelve years ago. The Deaconess Work in its ideals of service of all sorts to the needy of all sorts is a close imitation of the work of our blessed Lord, who " went about Address of the JB is hops. 43 doing good." No Church can be lacking in love to God and man when the loftiest and best life gladly consecrates itself to the service of the lowliest and worst. The Methodist Episcopal Church has 51 deaconess homes, hos- pitals, and orphanages, of which 15 are in foreign lands. There are 574 deaconesses, of whom 90 are in our foreign work; 100 are trained nurses. The organization has $641,850 worth of property, which has been mostly given during the past quadrennium,, Dur- ing the past year the deaconesses, who work without salary, have made 262,416 calls, held 11,060 religious meetings, and helped to care for 6,209 sick people either in hospitals or their own homes. Church Extension. The Board of Church Extension is organized on the principle that the strong ought to bear the burdens of the weak. During thirty years it has administered nearly $5,500,000, aiding about 10,000 churches. Besides the aid given outright it has a. fund of nearly $1,000,000, which is constantly loaned to churches at a low rate of interest, to be soon returned and loaned out again and again to help other churches. Feeedmen's Aid. The Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society is of the greatest service to the Negroes and whites in the South. It has been in existence for thirty years, and during that time has ex- pended $4,000,000 in establishing and sustaining institutions of Christian learning in the South. It has taught industry and let- ters, trades and learned professions. Ttaere has not been a time in the past thirty years, and we judge will not be in many a year to come, when we can withdraw our aid from these people who suffer so many disabilities. Every interest of needy humanity and every consideration of national safety demand that we should continue this work. A nation cannot be fully trained and edu- cated in one century. "We settle the Negro problem by the simple assertion that there is no problem. There are certain millions of American-born citizens and brothers whose rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness must be maintained at any cost, leaving the question of personal association where it is left with other races — to the personal preferences of each individual. Book Concern. In the midst of the severe stringency of the times, and the pros- tration of nearly all kinds of business, our Book Concern, besides 44 Address of the Bishops. the necessary additions to its permanent capital, has gone on pay- ing its dividends, from actual business done, amounting to $460,- 000, for the aid of necessitous cases among our effective preachers, whose salaries are deficient, and to assist in supporting our vet- erans, worn out in the service, and their widows and orphans. Thus it is evident that the Church of God, dependent on the free gifts of the people, is the most substantial, most firmly founded, and best supported business establishment in this coun- try. Harmony in Doctrine. We congratulate the Church that within the past four years, as in all its previous history, there has come into it no division of sentiment with regard to its fundamental doctrines. This does not imply lack of thought. It implies that the truth has been rightly apprehended, that it authenticates itself to the mind and heart and employs all its adherents in rapid progress. Whatever discussions and rendings of the Church might have come into missions in foreign lands, where abstruse doctrines were made too prominent, our missions have most happily escaped. The fundamental truth of Christianity is the affirmation, " God is love," and they that dwell in love dwell in God and God in them. The sunrise of our Methodist day was not in the studies of Lincoln College, not in the Holy Club, not in the fastings nor in the prayers and labors for the poor and imprisoned, but m Wesley himself, when his heart was "strangely warmed.'' Love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is the mainspring of the uni- verse. Let this fact be fundamental in any man's experience and he can follow his individual inclinations with perfect liberty. Let love be basal and there is no fear of a man's going far astray. The working out of this truth in the lives of men must be a blessing. Hence out of Methodist hearts " strangely warmed " have come some of the greatest movements of our day. And many more will come. Out of Methodist hearts " strangely warmed " with a thorough comprehension of the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ can come a thousand rendings of the veil of sectarian and racial narrowness, a thousand open visions into the mind of God, a thousand new agencies for the spread of his truth. Our great* anxiety is to care for and intensify the spiritual life of the Church. We know that all our sufficiency is of God. Address of the Bishops. 45 Without him we can do nothing. How to increase his abiding and control in the living heart must be our constant study. That brings in a new realm of power. That and that alone makes one Peter at Pentecost mightier than all the hosts of civil and mili- tary power at Jerusalem. That and that alone makes common men able to turn the world upside down. That and that alone can make our Church anything more than one ordinary organization among a thousand others, one argument among a thousand opinions. That -and that alone can make it a great agency of God for conquering this world for Chriat. Epworth League. Among the great agencies for the increase of spiritual life we cannot speak too highly of the Epworth League. In it are en- rolled 1,350,000 of our young people organized into over 21,000 chapters. They are turning away from amusements of a perni- cious character, which are always the peril of advancing wealth and consequent idleness, and are facing earnest and intelligent work to bring this world to Christ. This vast army of young peo- ple is being trained by appropriate courses of reading, by 100,000 copies of the Epworth Herald issued weekly, by taking part in religious and social assemblies, and by personal work in the De- partment of Mercy and Help, to become active, intelligent, and devoted members of our own Church. We especially commend the attendance of these young people on the public preaching serv- ices, because no devotion to any single department, however ex- cellent, can be as productive of a well-rounded Christian charac- ter as attendance on all the means of grace. We are impressed with the importance of mcouraging our pastors and young .people to establish and maintain Epworth Leagues rather than other societies, in order that they may have the benefit of our literature and be trained to be loyal and intel- ligent Methodists. City Evangelization. Another cheering evidence of the right direction of the spir- itual power of the Church is seen in the wider and more intense interest in city evangelization. The separate organizations in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Baltimore, Cincin- nati, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, and a half dozen other cities have associated together in the National City Evangelization Union. 46 Address of the Bisho2ys. These thirty different organizations report $175,000 as raised in a single year. They reinvigorate churches from which the former members have moved away, select new sites, open Sunday schools and missions, and give to undeveloped Christian forces an ample field of work. They have spiritual life enough to at- tack the worst places and attempt the most difficult things for Christ. There are centers of crime and sinks of iniquity so wicked that the average church does not touch them. Think of a square mile of a city that has 1,000 saloons, nearly 800 brothels, where 3,000 girls live in these vestibules of hell that have no backward swinging door, to whom in their average life of four years no hand reaches sympathy and help, but to whom many a hand offers absinthe, delirium, and death. Few churches have fastings and prayer enough to be able to cast out such kinds of devils. The problem of our cities is the problem of our na- tional existence. To deal successfully with this is to save our national life. There is no power but the power of God unto sal- vation that can do it. A Larger Faith. Not only do we recognize many signs of advancing spiritual life in our own Church, but with "devout thanksgiving to Almighty God we recognize that the trend of all the Churches and of the thought of our age is in the direction of a larger and intenser faith. There have been godless theories in science, a fashion of despair in poetry, agnostic tendencies in philosophy, assumptions that the intellect is superior to religious sentiment, assertions that science and faith are forever sundered, criticisms of the word of God that were destructive of belief ; we have had scoffers willingly igno- rant, saying on many a platform, Where is the promise of God's coming, and the evidence of his working in the world ? But, thank God, that midnight is passed. The aurora of a better day gleams in our sky. All those malign influences have done their worst, but the word of God still standeth sure. The period of destruction has been, the period of construction has begun. There never was a time when in the ranks of science itself there were not seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal. In every department there is now a return to faith, a clearer recog- nition of psychic forces and of a necessity for thinking that God upholdeth all material things by the word of his power. And now even " science walks with humble feet to seek the God that faith has found." Address of the Bishops 0 47 Christian Unity. We devoutly thank God with you that we are in the most friendly relations with all other Churches. We believe that the intense longing of the heart of Christ as expressed in his great high-priestly prayer, " That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us," is being fulfilled. Our message of love means oneness of spirit. Though there are differences of operation, it is the same God who worketh all in all. We neither want other Churches to accept our episcopate, nor surrender anything of their own. We are not talk- ing about unity, because we are not conscious of any diversity of Christian purpose. We say to any Church that goes back to Christ and reproduces the early Church, in its faith, in its ordi- nances and life, " Your heart is as my heart, give me your hand." We have always practiced these four great elements of Christian unity : 1. A recognition and acceptance of the members of every evan- gelical Church on the presentation of letters of membership, and a commendation of our own members to other Churches. 2. A cordial welcome of members of other Churches to the Holy Communion of their Lord as administered by us, and a glad going to the communion of our Lord as administered by them. 3. A free and cordial exchange of pulpits. 4. A practical cooperation with other Churches in all Christian work. We know no rivalry, except such as one army corps feels for another to do the quickest, bravest, and most effectual work against the common foe. Our ideal is not organic union of Churches, but fraternal union of spirit. And this we believe to be the only unity known to the apostolic and post-apostolic Churches. While we rejoice in these blessed fraternal relations with all Churches of Christ, we especially appreciate and reciprocate all evidences of Christian fellowship and cooperation from our sister Methodist Churches throughout the world. Continual Approval of Our Polity. We congratulate you and the Church you represent that our peculiar polity has received another four years' indorsement as God's plan for the working of the Methodist Episcopal Church. As we strive to find out the wishes both of the churches and of tbe preachers, as we endeavor to take these two interested parties 4 4S Address of the Bishops. into our councils, it seems to us that both are more trustful of the system and its administration than ever before. In over 50,000 appointments during the quadrennium the cases of friction and discontent have been extremely few. Both preachers and people have been loyal to the itinerant system and cooperative there- with. The people recognize that the system of regular annual appoinf • ments gives them a stated pastor all the time without long intervals of anxious seeking after supplies, and that it economizes the re- sources of the Church by obviating the necessity of one church bidding against another to offer a man a higher call than the place he now fills. The preachers recognize the fact that it gives them regular work, and a salary without anxiety, during the whole period of their effective strength. And both churches and pastors see that in these regular and necessitated changes the able and young ministers have facilities to rise to positions of greater usefulness. We do not recommend any material change in the time limit, or in the mode of making appointments ; but suggest that your wisdom might provide some method by which, under ample safe- guards, the pastoral term might be extended to meet very rare cases of manifest and grave emergency. And we do earnestly pray that our itinerant system, so venerable in its history, so il- lustrious for unparalleled success, so dear to millions who have been saved under its operations, and so manifestly owned of God for the conversion of the world, may not be subjected to sub- versive utterances from platform or press, nor be handed over while yet so virile and strong to the dissecting tables of doctors who are not yet wise from experience nor philosophy, but that it may be held by you in grateful reverence and handed down in unimpaired efficiency till God's Church militant be merged into the Church triumphant. Quarterly Conferences. From observation and trustworthy information the question is pressed upon us whether the time has not come for considering the possibility and expediency of substituting our Quarterly Con- ferences by Local Conferences, to meet semiannually, in which the presiding elder can be more generally present than is possible in quarterly meetings. The frequent meetings of these bodies in the absence of the responsible presiding officers is not conducive to harmonious and consistent administration, nor does it tend to Address of the Bishops. 40 -elevate the views of the people with regard to the value of the services of that officer in the Church. Much of the business of the Quarterly Conference has already been transferred to the Official Boards and the District Conferences, and its composition has undergone such changes that it is no longer fitted for the most important duties with which it is charged. With its mixed mem- bership, consisting of men and women, old and young, it is unbe- coming that it should act as a court for the trial of accused local preachers, and it is equally unsuitable for acting as an appellate court for hearing all classes of appeals of private members. In our judgment a better tribunal for both these purposes can be easily constituted. Let the Local Conference of each circuit and station, whether it meet quarterly or semiannually, at its first session select two or more men, to be known as triers, and authorize the presiding elder to summon a suitable number of these from any part of his district, to convene when needed to try local preachers or to hear appeals from private members. We commend the sub- ject to your attention, but leave the details to your wisdom. District Conferences. The District Conference has not been as serviceable as was ex- pected when provision was made for it in 1872. This provision differed from other features of our polity in that it left the adop- tion and continuation of this Conference optional with each dis- trict. Its general introduction seems to have been hindered by the transfer to it of so many functions of the Quarterly Confer- ence, and by the fact that it meets only in part the demand for a Conference in which the laity in each pastoral charge may be fully represented. Were the disciplinary provision for the Dis- trict Conference so modified as to include a larger representation from the laity, and give prominence to the consideration of Church matters within the district and of our general and connectional work, we judge that its meetings, one or two each Conference year, would soon come to be largely attended by its ministerial and lay members. Such a Conference would promote all local and general interests of our Church and strengthen its connectional spirit. With this larger presence of the office bearers of the dis- trict, this Conference would also give the bishops, so far as other duties would allow, a desirable and welcome opportunity to meet with the laity as the Annual Conference does to meet with the traveling preachers. We commend the matter to your careful consideration. 50 Address of the Bishops, Conference Studies. The conditions of admitting preachers to our Conferences are- based on a state of things that existed many years ago, when cir- cumstances were very different. Our whole system has been based on gifts, graces, and usefulness developed by a course of study pursued amid the difficulties of regular work by junior preachers under a senior. As a regular drill in practical work it could not be easily surpassed. But it is not now practicable to so relate junior and senior preachers, and the course of study is much bet- ter pursued in our colleges and theological seminaries. Besides, nearly all candidates for the ministry while pursuing their theo- logical studies preach under the drill and criticism of the pro- fessors and the presiding elder. We believe the time has fully come when the Church should recognize in the conditions to ad- mission on trial to our Conferences the preparation gained in the theological schools. The Church has already advanced one step in this direction by ordaining as deacons those who have been local preachers, have been students for two years in one of our regular theological seminaries, and have completed the first two years of the Conference Course of Study. We now recommend that the Church take one more step in advance and enact that any student shall be credited on the Conference Course of Study with examinations in any of the books of the first two years of the Conference Course which any theological school, whose professors are nominated or confirmed by the bishops, shall certify that he has satisfactorily passed. Colleges and universities everywhere accept certificates of proficiency from comparatively unknown academies and high schools. Methodist Conferences should accept certificates of their own schools. Let the Conferences continue to examine rigidly in all matters of doctrine and discipline, but in literary work accept the certificates of institutions so well able to judge. Aid for Necessitous Cases. While we indorse and gladly further every provision for the aid of our worn-out preachers, their widows and orphans, w r e sug- gest that the principle of fixing their claim on the basis of years of service, rather than on the basis of pressing and imminent need, is not promotive of the divine charity which prompts the giving, and tends to defeat our cherished purpose of helping those who have been worn out in the service. We think the matter of payments according to years in the Conference should be left to the Mutual Address of the Bishops. 51 Aid Societies, which naturally consider the number of payments made. Constitutional Commission. Among the matters requiring your careful consideration is the report of the Constitutional Commission referred to this General Conference by that of 1892. This commission was ordered by the General Conference of 1888, to consist of seven ministers, seven laymen, and three general superintendents, to " define and •determine the Constitution of the General Conference, to state of whom it shall be composed, and by what method it shall be or- ganized, to declare what shall be the powers thereof, and in what manner they shall be exercised, and to provide the process by which the Constitution, or any part thereof, shall be amended, and report to the General Conference of 1892." That report was made, and after a careful consideration of a part of it the General Conference of 1892 adopted a resolution declaring that certain specified paragraphs of the Discipline have " the nature and force of a Constitution." It did not, however, take up for immediate action the new form for an amended Constitution pre- sented by the commission. We commend that form to your early and careful consideration, believing that its adoption by a two- thirds vote of this General Conference, after such amendments as you may think wise, and by a three-fourths vote of the An- nual Conferences, would in many ways be a great advantage to the Church. Amusements. A spiritual Church must always be opposed to amusements that are dissipating rather than recreative. To all such pleasures the Church must oppose itself* or dwindle as a spiritual force. Churches do not perish by sacrifices or self-denial. Persecution from without often makes them flourish within. But Churches have perished by indulgence in what seemed to be at first inno- cent delights, but grew at length into destructive habits. There are amusements that deaden all spiritual life, leave one without a sense of power with God, cause men to lose their first love, and leave them only a name to live while they are dead. With an intense and ever-growing aversion to all that deteriorates the spiritual life of the Church, we lift up a voice of warning against the increasing prevalence of amusements that are deleterious to •our spiritual power. The constant and rigid adherence to the principle which is embodied in our General Rules, a part of the fundamental law of the Church, which requires us to avoid " tak- 52 Address of the Bishops. ing such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus," cannot be too earnestly insisted upon, and should be en- forced by the godly example of all spiritually-minded people. We sincerely desire that the- action of this General Conference may be such as to awaken the conscience of the whole Church to the perils rising from inconsiderate indulgences in harmful pleas- ures. The press of the Church should speak out on this subject, and the ministers should lay down the law of the Church, the teaching of Scripture, and the sad illustrations of history till the whole Church shall be sensitively alive on the subject. Intoxicants. The Church has no new word to utter nor ne w position to take in regard to those seductive but deadly poisons that blight and destroy all that is great and holy in human life. The accursed influence of intoxicating drinks and drugs on every interest of man, the family, social life, politics, and religion, is earthly, sensual, and devil-possessed. By the power of heredity it lays on children to the third or fourth generation the curse of physical deterioration, deficiency, and idiocy. It hurries men into insanity with dread- ful rapidity. The ideal legislation, the enactment of which is to be constantly sought, for the utter destruction of this monstrous crime, is total prohibition. And while we are seeking the enactment and en- forcement of this ideal legislation we must seek to annihilate this archenemy by every available weapon. Any law that shuts the saloon on Sunday, or on election day, keeps it a certain distance from a church or school, that restricts the places where or the classes to whom this fiery death may be sold, should be executed to the full. The position of our Church in regard to political parties is clearly stated in the Bishops' Address of 1892, thus: "With re- gard to politics, the attitude of our Church is strenuously non- partisan and nonsectional. It acknowledges no allegiance to any political creed or association. It urges all its members who have the right to vote to discharge that duty; but it leaves every voter absolutely free from ecclesiastical interference to determine for himself for whom his ballot shall be cast. The right of suffrage, or the franchise, we regard as a great and responsible trust, which should in all cases, ecclesiastical and civil, be exercised conscientiously, but in absolute personal freedom. When moral issues are before the public our people are invariably found on. Address of the Bishops. 53 the side of the highest standard; but even then they choose their own party affiliations, and refuse to be dictated to as to the mat- ter of their votes." We recommend that this General Conference make an earnest appeal to the government of the United States to so adjust its internal revenue laws as not to seem to legalize the traffic in ardent spirits in sections of the Union where prohibitory laws exist. A popular government should not aid in forcing an in- famous traffic on unwilling people. We are glad that awakened public sentiment has made it re- spectable to decline to drink, and to urge others to refrain, glad that great railroads and factories have concluded that men can- not be trusted with material interests and precious human lives who are addicted to intoxicating drink, glad that life insurance companies and mutual benefit societies have learned that all drinkers of intoxicants are deteriorated risks, and especially glad that the closing of the saloon on the Lord's Day has been effected in the great city of New York. Disciplinary Changes. The duties assigned to the bishops in connection with the in- terpretation and administration of the law of the Church have brought to their notice many minor defects in our Discipline to which we respectfully ask the attention of the General Confer- ence. We find that in some cases the provisions of the law are contradictory; that in other cases the law is ambiguous or other- wise wanting in clearness; that a number of established, ap- proved, and important usages among us, usages involving the exercise of authority, have no explicit warrant of law ; that ad- ministrators are often perplexed for the lack of due provision for conditions that should have been foreseen by the law; and that in not a few cases the statement of the law, though not likely to mislead, is awkward and imperfect. The committee appointed by the General Conference of 1892 to revise the Discipline w^as wisely restricted by that body to changes in the arrangement and language of the law. Thus it could not deal with its sub- stance in any degree. We therefore beg leave to submit to the General Conference in another paper a number of proposed changes, none of them in any degree affecting the general policy of the Church, some of them of comparatively small importance, but all of them, as we believe, leading to an improved body of law for the Church. These proposed changes are grouped in 54 Address of the Bishops. such a way as to be readily referred to appropriate committees of your body. Education. Among the greatest victories in the Methodist Episcopal Church have been those achieved in the field of education. Insisting on a Gospel that teaches a loftiness of ideals for man which has else- where found no higher expression, and intimately relating the attainment of those ideals to human endeavor, the Church was logically compelled to give every one of its members the best possible means of development. Hence it has founded schools by the hundred, sometimes more than could be maintained, just as God's overflowing exuberance of life makes a thousand seeds for every one that grows. No one of these schools has ever lived in vain. We owe very much of our present greatness to our oldest university, founded by Wilbur Fisk. In this connection we would express our distinct approval of the work of the University Senate. The American University. The American University, located in Washington, D. C, came before the Church four years ago as an applicant for its indorse- ment in the proposed work of furnishing postgraduate and pro- fessional instruction. The General Conference of 1892 indorsed this proposition, approved the Board of Trustees, and commended the proposed University to the favor of the Church. The officers of the institution report in assets $1,040,000, consisting Of real estate, reliable subscriptions, and funds in bank. In view of the opening of the immense scientific collection, by act of Congress, to all students for special investigation, and in view of the grow- ing popular appreciation of the necessity of a central Protestant University in the national capital, we heartily commend to the prayers, the sympathies, and the generous gifts of our people the American University, which by its charter and its pledges is at once emphatically American and Christian. The Woman's College in Baltimore deserves especial mention for its uniqueness, completeness, and for affording opportunity for any of our people who prefer the education of young women in schools exclusively for their own sex to acquire a complete college education under the best of religious influences. We are glad to call attention to the contribution which the Chautauqua system has made to the intellectual and spiritual life of our own people, and of many beyond our bounds. The system Address of the Bishops. 55 sprung from our Methodist ministry and laity. It has quickened and stimulated many to a higher and broader range of reading and study, has inspired many of its students to seek a collegiate education, keep science and religion and all knowledge in most harmonious relations, and from its central fire has kindled many ■other fires throughout this and other lands. We trust that the Chautauqua system will always and everywhere combine an un- questioned loyalty to Christ with an open mind for all the revela- tion of God in his own word and works. God sees no perfect individual nor perfect service of him that does not include both mind and heart. He does not want his Church nor his heaven an asylum for feeble-minded children. Our system requiring that a sermon be preached on education every year, and a collection taken in both church and Sunday school for the aid of schools and students, makes it possible that every determined person who exercises his free will in that direc- tion may acquire a liberal education. But for the proper and needed development of our schools we need at least 81,000,000 in gifts every year. Relation to Property. t The .Church must always antagonize the tendency in human nature to assert and maintain that all of the earth it can seize by honest labor or bloody violence and hold by any means, fair or foul, is its own. Men call their lands by their own names To defend their possessions they organize armies and shed much blood. How different are God's ideas ! He asserts himself to be the creator, upholder, and owner of all things. The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. All the silver and gold is his, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. Man is a tenant at will, a steward for a limited time, a lessee of the world's mines of force and value for the development of both the mine and the man, a partner working together with God in the field and the forces he has provided. God never surrenders his claim to a seventh of the time he has given, nor to a percentage of the values he has made possible. In his sight men must have a moral as well as a legal right to property in order to possess it. It is the emptiest of delusions to think we can accept Christ as Saviour and not obey him as King. These claims are as old as time and values, and as absolute as any other law. He enforced them in Eden, and when he set apart a nation to show forth once more the ibilities of man in partnership with God, he reenacted 56 Address of the Bishops. the old law for a seventh of the time, and not for one tithe merely, but several of all gain in property. These were not new laws made for the Jews, but old laws made for man. They were not abrogated when the Church in Judea was enlarged to univer- sality. For Christ, speaking of tithing such things as mint, anise, and cummin, said, "These things ought ye to have done." To get and to keep is not the supreme law of Christian society, but to get and give. Christ set the peerless example of giving all his things, all his life, all of himself. And in his early Church, in the flush and glory of Pentecostal baptism no man counted aught that he possessed as his own, but as God's, to be held, managed, multiplied, or surrendered, according to the plans of God, imma- nently abiding in this world. The Church has yet to learn that national prosperity, business success, and rich personal experience depend largely on a just ac- counting of material things, strictly rendering unto God the things that are God's. Will a man rob God and hope for pros- perity and best success? A just accounting for one tenth merely is enough to open the windows of heaven for the pouring out of unreceivable deluges of blessing. After that giving begins and rises to any measure that is promoted by our abounding love. And giving in our measure brings giving back m God's measure, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For God having given us his Son shall also with him freely give us all things. This doctrine of partnership with God in daily business once learned and thoroughly practiced would give his Church all the necessary sinews of war to push the battle through all the gates of sin and Satan in this world. The most vivid imagination fails to picture the realities of church building, of missionaries outgo- ing to every land, of educational institutions for the uplifting of the whole race, of relief to the poor, and of great tides of spirit- ual joy in the hearts of believers if any one Church would respond to God's ideas for his cooperation with his children. One of our most broad-minded, statesmanlike laymen has said, " Give me the money needed and I will make New York a Christian city in twenty years." We are glad in this connection to notice a growing recognition among our people of the fact that some phases of God's work are among man's legitimate heirs. Many a man needs his funds to carry on his business during life, but dying, needs them no more. If he has been liberal in life he can work in this world after he Address of the Hishops. 57 has left it more than while in it. The endowment of a single chair for educational purposes keeps a trained, cultured, pious man teaching the best things through all the centuries in the name and by the agency of him that endows. The outcome of a whole life can thus be funded into Christian work at its close. Probably not one tenth of one per cent of those who make wills remember the causes that ought to be dearer to them than life. The proportion might be profitably reversed. Christian Citizenship. It is doubtless true that Christians seek a better country, even a heavenly. But it is now the supreme duty of every man to make the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. Once it was supposed that a patriot was a warrior in the field, ready to die for his country. But men and women can be as patriotic in the quiet walks of everyday Christian life as in the fierce excitements of doubtful battle. The time has come when every Christian should assume the duties and bear the burdens and responsibilities of true citizenship. This world belongs to Christ. He made it, upholds it, owns it, and will judge it. His purpose in this world is not merely the regen- eration of the individual. He also desires the regeneration of the State. The State is as truly divine as the Church. Nay, the State is the designed outcome of the perfected Church. A man may be as much a missionary of God in the politics of America as in the forests of Africa. Every man owes it to God and his country to be possessed of a sound, unbribable manhood, of a personal righteousness, and a perpetual, persistent, aggressive activity, to bring honesty into all dealings, justice between man and man, and purity into politics. We count it among the auspicious signs of the time that Christian men are able to forego the allurements of gain and even of ease, and descend into the arena of political life. Never has better work been done for clean municipal administration than in recent campaigns from one side of the continent to the other. It has not been done in the interest of any party nor through any party, but for the sake of decency and right. Let the pulpit make manhood eminent, a desire to save one's country supreme, and that intensest force will find its own way of working. Men must be willing to serve on juries, work on committees, for the public welfare, put their standing and property in peril, and defy the vilification of a corrupt press in daring to enforce laws unpopular with those 38 Address of the Bishops. who feel the halter draw. For the country must be saved by the victories of peace no less than by those of war. There are certain things in this country so outrageous that every Church that ever holds a great gathering should utter ringing protests against them. Divorce has* been made so easy in some States that all the sacred interests of the home are put in peril. The Churches should demand and secure one national law to cover all States alike. But no follower of Him who is the Redeemer of all mankind can limit his view to any one country. We see in Armenia such atrocities as we never deemed possible of execution in this age. We are no more appalled at the ravage, rapine, and murder of a hundred thousand by the Turks than at the apathy and inaction of the so-called civilized nations. Through our whole history and national polity we have kept aloof from European and Asian com- plications. But we believe that the whole diplomatic and moral power of our government should be put forth to bring these gi- gantic wrongs to a sudden end. Arbitration. For the settlement of disputes between different organizations of men, between money-capital and labor-capital and between the different nations of the earth, we believe that the spirit of our Saviour as set forth by our Church demands that the great prin- ciple of arbitration shall be tried to its utmost, and that the vast majority of disputes can be happily settled in that way. The* United States has already set an example to the world by deco- rously submitting to arbitration nearly fifty occasions of differ- ences with other nations. Capital and Labor. In the progress of our liberties and the widening of our de- velopment we have come upon perils unknown in the earlier periods of our history. Classes are arrayed against each other with mutual misunderstandings. A ripple has come upon our shores from the far-off tidal wave of the French Revolution de- claring that all property is theft; that men may be as much en- slaved by laws as by force, deprived of their rights by trusts and combines as by arms. In these misunderstandings, and, it may be, great wrongs, the Church must not be silent. It is her very nature to defend and care for the poor. Like her Master, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon her to preach the Gospel to Address of the Bishojis. 59 the poor. Peculiarly is this true of our Church. It began its ministry to the wretched prisoners in Britain, continued it among the poor colliers, has always sought the sorrowing, wretched, wandering, and lost. It has never pandered to the rich, nor been silent at injustice. In this seething discussion concerning the rights of property we think these positions are grounded on justice and right : 1. Every man has a right to acquire property by the legitimate means of activity, foresight, invention, and inheritance. 2. No man has a right to use his possessions to oppress his fel- low-men. 3. Every man has a right to the profit of his own labor. In that respect he is a capitalist. 4. No man has a right to use his labor to oppress his fellow- men. 5. Every free man has a right to refuse to work for another. 6. No man has a right to prevent another from working when and for whom he will. 7. Every man is accountable to God for the use of his time, labor, and their outcome — wealth. All these fundamental principles of progress and personal de- velopment should be plainly taught by the pulpit. If the spirit of Christ be accepted and practiced by the Church all unjust dis- tributions of property therein will be remedied. This is a Chris- tian communism which reaches the hand of sympathy and help from above downward, rather than a hand of violence and mur- der from below upward. The equality that Christianity teaches is accomplished by raising the lowly to the highest places, even the heavenlies; not by dragging the lofty down. If managers of business requiring various sorts of labor would take, whenever practical, the individual workingmen into partner- ship by establishing a scheme of profit-sharing for all who are en- gaged in productive labor, then all occasion for carelessness, waste- fulness, strikes, violence, and heart-burnings would be avoided. Hundreds of great concerns go on successfully year after year by adopting God's fundamental law of social unity and success. A general statement has been made that sixty-one per cent of employers belong to the Church, and only four per cent of the employees. If this were true it would be partly accounted for by the fact that a large proportion of the laborers have but recentlv come to our land. But we gladly affirm that no such disparity of percentages of employers and employed obtains in our Church. 60 Address of the Bishojis. There are thousands of workingmen who do most effective work to bring their workmates to the Church and to Christ. The Methodists in the armies of England have long been recognized as a very potent factor of the organization. And Methodists in the mines, factories, shops, and on farms of the United States are a most effective agency for the nation's good. Downtown Churches. In this connection we desire to assert our firm conviction that Methodism in our cities should be slow to abandon what are called downtown populations because of changes from native to foreign, and rich to poor. The greater the change the more need of our remaining. Combine the plants, if need be; adapt them and the services to the new surroundings, but remain and save the people. The old-time fires of revivals will burn if there is sufficient warmth in Christian hearts to kindle them. God has adapted his Gospel to the hearts he has made. If we fail, it is because our methods are not Methodistic, or our unbelief forbids the many mighty works. To accomplish this requires devotion of time and faculties to the essential ends of the kingdom. The evils of our social state cannot be permanently relieved, much less remedied, by any abundance of donations, however liberal. Beside these, sympathy, souls are demanded. Even Christ could not save the world v by gifts. He could easily have made them infinite. But he had to give himself. He founded a new order of hand-to-hand, heart-to- heart contact with lepers of all sorts, which, if perpetuated in the lives of his followers, will heal all the running sores of the world. That is what we are for. To achieve this end mainly we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. The best our lives are good for is to be funded into the purposes into which Christ funded his. If we are wise, devoted, and faithful, we shall see the knowledge of our God cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. For God is faithful. He has on record promises not yet fulfilled, for Pentecosts not yet descended. The Spirit is not yet poured out in that way upon all flesh. God is always doing more than we ask or even think. His movements go forward not only by regular progress merely, but also by sudden bounds. For long dark hours of the night there is not a hint of the morning. But finally some watcher on the hilltops sees them lighted like gigantic altar fires. Some watcher of the skies sees them begin to glow, Address of the Bishops. 61 and suddenly the sun is seen by all. We have been in a long, cold winter. For months there has been no hint of its ending. But our journey hither has been amid the victories of reviving life. We are now here saying the winter is over and gone and the time of the singing of birds is come. The seasons of waiting seem long, but hidden processes are going forward and the com- ing of the day and of the springtime is sudden. We have no measure of spiritual dynamics, no measure of God's time. What seems to be a thousand years' work he does in a day. Pray for the morning. Signs of Encouragement. Let us cheer our faith by noting a few morning stars. First. God has lately set forward in nearly every part of the earth, like that marvelous movement of the middle of the eighteenth century in which Methodism was born, a new interest in saving the lowest and worst of men. Once more colliers' faces are washed white by their own tears. Once more publicans and harlots press into the kingdom of heaven before the spiritually proud. The submerged classes are emergent. Second. To this new movement the Churches are not hostile, but helpful. Converts are singing for joy where once was only spiritual dearth. Money is freely given. A study of the varied charities of the American people has a fascination for noble minds. The Church has put away its old interpretation of the words of Christ that made him say, "I will come again at some distant appearing," and now reads as Christ said, in the present tense, "I come." The absence is but for three days, then I come personally, potentially, and plenarily and receive you unto myself. I come presently and continuously to abide in my Church. I am with you always. We have revised our version. We are re- vising our vision of duty. So the Church of Christ to-day, moved by his Spirit, actually comes and abides in sections of cities as bad as a lost world. As gladly as Christ left heaven for earth, so gladly are some of our best Christians leaving every pleasant surrounding for those most repulsive. There are university and social settlements established in the worst places, to investigate and improve physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual conditions of the congested districts of cities by applying practical Chris- tianity as taught and illustrated by Christ. There is never any lack of volunteers where there is suitable leadership. The num- ber of these workers is a surprise. One must be in the work to measure its magnitude. 62 Address of the Bishops. Not only to the lowest, but to the highest, is Christ visibly set forth. Not only does he come to needy sinners weak and wounded, but he comes to the best and widest thought of the world. All men have now made the discovery by criticism and philosophy that the dying thief made by faith, " This man has done nothing amiss." The sinlessness of our spotless Lamb is now conceded by all philosophies. He now occupies the thought of the world as never before. New lives of the Christ are written every year. His Spirit fills all lines of thought, till history is written to record not the ravages of some petty king in a province, but the enduring triumphs of the Conqueror who draws all men unto himself. In so large a character partial views must necessarily be taken by men too small to grasp his plans and feel his ineffable holi- ness. Even of such men as Napoleon new lives must be written every quarter of a century. The angle of vision from which most men see Christ to-day is that of tender humanity. It is a humanitarian age. Christ's feeding the hungry, his kindly help- fulness to the sick, his tenderness to little children, his forgiving love to weeping women, fill the thought and turn the whole world to Christly ministries of tenderness and love. But hereafter we shall come to see that, whatever honors Christ may bear as Creator and King, he is not glorified until he comes- to die for the world. Now is the Son of man glorified. Before the world was he was set apart as the one immortal who would achieve death for others. And the highest honor shouted to him in heaven is, "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us unto. God by thy blood." The greatest idea for the soul's enlargement, the great motive for work in saving the world, is, Christ loved me and gave himself for me; gave not merely his things, his glories,, but himself for me. We are great as we see the meaning of Cal- vary. He can draw all men only by being lifted up. The world will come to see this when human thoughts grow large enough. Abhorrence of sin will be measured by the cost of redemption therefrom. Men will become great as they are holy, godlike as they labor for the most men, and for more than world-wide interests. Then shall national diplomacies not per- tain merely to little islands, but to universal brotherhood. For the measure of the new and higher values no mention shall be made of coral or of pearls. These riches cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir. Only deeds of love and lives of sacrifice can be legal tender to redeem a brother. We shall see that the Address of the Bishops. 63 movements of the ages and the splendid developments of men are. simply to bring in each epochal hour in order that the Son of man may be glorified. Greatest power shall not be in physical forces, but we shall break into realms of power where for the upholding of worlds, a word shall be sufficient. "We shall cease to regard the Gospel of Christ as a theory, a system of doctrine, a pardon office, a bestowal of joy, a means of getting to heaven, and regard it as Paul did, as a power — a power of God in indi- vidual lives, for purity of self, and work for others unto salva- tion, present and eternal. Then shall the Church, redeemed, not by corruptible things as silver and gold, but by the precious blood of Christ, go joyfully and triumphantly to the accomplish- ment of the great commission given to it by the Master in the hour of his ascension, " to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." There is not only a command given, but sufficient power provided. Endued with this power the Church will go victoriously marching down the blossoming ages singing with new meaning the old pasan, "All hail the power of Jesus' name! " Thomas Bowman, J. M. Walden, R. S. Foster, W. F. Mallalietj, S. M. Merrill, C. H. Fowler, E. G. Andrews, J. H. Vincent, H. W. Warren, J. N*. FitzGerald, C. D. Foss, I. W. Joyce, J. F. Hurst, J. P. Newman, W. X. Ninde, D. A. Goodsell. 5 64 Rules of Order. \ RULES OF ORDER. 1. The Conference shall meet at 8:30 o'clock a. m. and adjourn at 12:30 o'clock p. m., but may alter the time of meeting and adjourn- ment at its discretion. A recess of ten minutes shall be taken at 10:30 o'clock. 2. The President shall take the chair precisely at the hour to which the Conference stood adjourned, and cause the same to be opened by the reading of the Scriptures, singing, and prayer, and on the appearance of a quorum shall have the Journal of the pre- ceding session read and approved, and the business of the Con- ference shall proceed in the following order, namely: 1. The roll of Conferences shall be called in alphabetical order for the presentation of appeals, resolutions, and miscellaneous business, for immediate consideration. All memorials and all resolutions and miscellaneous papers not presented for immediate consideration shall be placed in the hands of the Secretary with- out announcement. The person introducing a proposition under this call may speak to it if it be seconded; after which a motion to refer if made shall be entertained and be decided without debate. 2. Reports, first of the standing and then of the select com- mittees; provided, always, that each call severally shall have been completed before either preceding one shall be repeated. 3. The President shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Conference, and in case of such appeal the question shall be taken without debate, except that the President may state the grounds of his decision, and the appellant may state the grounds of his appeal. 4. The President shall appoint all committees, unless otherwise especially ordered by the Conference. 5. On assigning the floor to any member of the Conference the President shall distinctly announce the name of the member to whom it is assigned and the Annual Conference he represents. 6. Resolutions shall be written and presented in duplicate by the mover, and all the motions shall be reduced to writing if the President, Secretary, or any member requests it. V. When a motion is made and seconded, or a resolution intro- duced and seconded, or a report presented and read by the Secre- tary, or stated by the President, it shall be deemed in possession Rules of Order. 65 of the Conference; but any motion or resolution may be with- drawn by the mover at any time before amendment or decision. 8. The motions to adjourn, to suspend the rules, to lay on the table, to take from the table, and the call for the previous ques- tion shall be taken without debate. 9. No new motion or resolution shall be entertained until the one under consideration has been disposed of, which may be. done by adoption or rejection, unless one of the following motions should intervene, which shall have precedence in the order in which they are placed, namely: (1) To fix the time to which the Conference shall adjourn. (2) To adjourn. (3) To take a recess. (4) To lay on the table. (5) For the previous question. (6) To postpone to a given time. (7) To refer. (8) Substitute. (9) Amendment. (10) To postpone indefinitely. The motion for the previous question cannot be laid on the table. - Only one amendment to an amendment shall be in order, but then it shall be in order to move a substitute for the main ques- tion and one amendment to the substitute, and if a substitute is accepted it shall replace the original proposition. In voting, the Conference shall pursue the following order, namely: The main question shall first be perfected by voting on the amend- ments proposed to the main question, and then the Conference shall vote upon the substitute and its amendment. 10. When any member is about to speak in debate, or to de- liver any matter to the Conference, he shall arise and respect- fully address the President, but shall not proceed until recognized by him, and the member must address the chair from his place. 11. No member shall be interrupted when speaking except by the President, to call him to order when he departs from the question, or uses personalities or disrespectful language ; but any member may call the attention of the President to the subject when he deems a speaker out of order, and any member may ex- plain when he thinks himself misrepresented. 12. When a member desires to speak to a question of privilege he shall briefly state the question; but it shall not be in order 66 Rules of Order. for him to proceed until the President shall have decided it a privileged question. 13. No person shall speak more than twice on the same ques- tion, nor more than ten minutes at one time, without leave of the Conference; nor shall any person speak more than once until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken. Provided, however, that a committee making a report shall, through its chairman, or one of its members selected by the committee or its chairman, in all cases be entitled to ten minutes to close the debate, either to oppose the motion to lay the report on the table, or, this permission not having been used, to close the debate on the motion to adopt. The committee shall not be deprived of its right to close the debate even after the previous question has been ordered. 14. When any motion or resolution shall have been acted upon by the Conference, it shall be in order for any member who voted with the prevailing side to move a reconsideration; but a motion to reconsider a nondebatable motion shall be decided without debate. 15. No member shall absent himself from the sessions of the Conference without leave, unless he is sick or unable to attend. 16. No member shall be allowed to vote on any question who is not within the bar at the time when such question shall be put by the President, except by leave of the Conference, when such member has been necessarily absent. 1 7. Every member who is w T ithin the bar at the time a ques- tion is put shall vote, unless the Conference, for special reasons, excuses* him. 18. No resolution altering or rescinding any part of the Disci- pline shall be adopted until it shall have been in possession of the Conference at least one day, and shall have been printed in the Daily Christian Advocate, except amendments to the report of a committee when under consideration for adoption. 19. It shall be in order for any member to call for the yeas and nays on any question before the Conference, and if the call be sustained by one hundred members present the vote thereon shall be taken by ayes and noes. If not sustained, members voting in the minority, if the number voting in said minority is less than one hundred, may have their votes recorded by name. 20. It shall be in order to move that the question be taken without further debate on any measure pending, except in cases in which character is involved, and if sustained by a vote of two Rales of Order. 67 thirds, the question shall be taken; nevertheless, it shall be in order under this rule to move to recommit, to divide, or to lay on the table after the previous question has been ordered. 21. The motion to adjourn shall be taken without debate, and shall always be in order, except (1) when a member has the floor; (2) when a question is actually put, or a vote is being taken; (3) when the question is pending on sustaining the demand for the previous question; (4) when the previous question has been called and sustained, and action under it is still pending; and (5) when a motion to adjourn has been negatived, and no business debate has intervened. 22. Members presenting memorials, petitions, and other papers for reference, shall prepare the paper by writing in a plain hand on the back of it the following items, in the following order, namely: (1) Name of the member presenting the paper. (2) Conference to which he belongs. (3) Conference, member, or church whence it comes. (4) Subject to which it relates. (5) First name on the petition. (6) Number of other petitioners. (V) The committee to which he desires it referred. All resolutions and papers thus presented shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Conference, in triplicate, and by him sent to the committee according to indorsement, and announced in the Journal of the day. 23. When any member shall move the reference of any portion of the Journal of any Annual Conference to any committee he shall at the same time furnish a copy of the portion he wishes referred, prepared as already provided in the case of memorials. 24. All resolutions contemplating verbal alterations of the Discipline shall state the language of the paragraph and line to be altered, and also the language to be substituted. 25. All committees proposing changes of the Discipline shall not only recite the paragraph and line to be amended, but also the paragraph as amended. 26. All written motions, reports, and communications to the Conference shall be passed to the Secretary, to be by him read to the Conference. 27. All committees shall furnish duplicates of their reports. 28. A call for a vote by orders shall be made and seconded by members of the same order. 29. When voting by orders the separation shall be merely in 68 Rules of Order. regard to the taking, announcing, deciding, and recording the vote of each order on the question on which the separate vote is demanded. Any incidental matter bearing upon such vote shall be decided by the Conference acting as one body. In taking a vote by orders it shall be by a count vote, first of the order call- ing for the separate vote and then of the other, but either order may call for the ayes and noes by one fourth of its members, and if the call is sustained, the names of the delegates, first of the order calling and then of the other, shall be called, and each mem- ber shall answer aye or no. 30. Where a subject-matter has been received by the Confer- ence, and referred to a committee, and a report thereon has been made to the Conference, it shall not be in order for another com- mittee to consider the same subject, or for the Conference to en- tertain a report from another committee on the said subject; but when any committee shall ascertain that a subject which has been referred to it has also been referred to another committee, it shall have permanent charge of said subject. 31. All demonstrations of approval or disapproval during the progress of debate shall be deemed a breach of order. 32. No person shall stand in the open spaces in the room. 33. The ushers shall keep the aisles and spaces within the bar of the Conference clear for their proper use, and none but dele- gates shall be admitted within the inclosure constituting the bar of the Conference, except by ticket issued by the Chairman of the Commission of the General Conference. 34. These rules shall not be suspended except by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting. CONFERENCE OFFICERS. PRESIDING BISHOPS. Thomas Bowman, Randolph S. Foster, Stephen M. Merrill, Edward G-. Andrews, Henry W. Warren, Cyras D. Foss, John F. Hurst, William X. Hinde, John M. Walden, Willard F. Mallalieu, Charles H. Fowler, John H. Yincent, James H. FitzG-erald, Isaac W. Joyce, John P. lewman, Daniel A. G-oodsell, Charles C. McCabe, Earl Cranston. MISSIONARY BISHOPS. William Taylor, - - - - Africa. James M. Thohurn, - - - India. Joseph C. Hartzell, - - - - Africa. SECRETARY. DaYid S. Monroe. ASSISTANT Manley S. Hard, Edmund S. Mills, Stephen 0. Benton, Samuel W. G-ehrett, Isaiah B. Scott, William Kepler, SECRETARIES. Frank G-. Mitchell, Charles L; Stafford, Milton D. Buck, Rohert R. Doherty, Charles E. Mueller, Joseph B. Hingeley. JOURNAL OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1896, MONDAY MORNING, MAY 1. The Twenty-second Delegated General Confer- ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church convened in the Armory building, in the city of Cleveland, O., on the first day of May, eighteen hundred and ninety- six. Bishops present.- Thomas Bowman, Randolph S. Foster, Stephen M. Merrill, Edward G. Andrews, Henry W. Warren, Cyrus D. Foss, John F. Hurst, William X. Ninde, John M. Walden, Willard F. Mallalieu, Charles H. Fowler, John H. Vincent, James X. FitzGerald, Isaac W. Joyce, John P. Newman, and Daniel A. Goodsell. At 9 o'clock a. m. the Conference was called to order by Bishop Thomas Bowman. Bishop W. X. Ninde read the one hundred and third Psalm. Bishop J. H. Vincent announced the 9th hymn, commencing, " Before Jehovah's awful throne," and Bishop R. S. Foster led in prayer. William Burt, of the Italy Conference, read the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians. Bishop William Taylor announced the 919th hymn, commencing, " Jesus shall reign where'er the sun," after the singing of which S. F. Upham, of the New England Conference, led in prayer. Bishop Bowman requested the Secretary of the last General Conference to call the roll of delegates, and the following answered to their names: MAY 1. First Da v. Morning. Opening of the General Conference. Bishops present, Bishop Bowman presiding. Devotional services. Roll called. 72 Journal of the General Conference. Alabama. Ministerial : George E. Ackerman. Arkansas. Ministerial: Andrew J. Taylor. Lay : James H. Clendenning. Austin. Ministerial : Oscar L. Fisher. Baltimore. Ministerial: John F. Goucher, John Lanahan, Luther B. Wilson, William S. Edwards. Lay : William A. Leitch, Alexander Ashley. Bengal-Burmah. Ministerial: Frank W. Warne. Blue Ridge. Ministerial: Adolphus Graybeal. Bombay. Ministerial: Daniel O. Fox. California. Ministerial : Arnold T. Needham, Milton D. Buck, Elbridge R. Willis, John Coyle, John Kirby. Lay : James W. Whiting, Henry French. California German. Ministerial: George Guth. Central Alabama. Ministerial: Edward M. Jones. Lay : Philip P. Wright. Central German. Ministerial : Albert J. Nast, Jacob Rothweiler, Joseph Kern. Lay : Victor Wilker. Central Illinois. Ministerial : Hyre D. Clark, Jervice G. Evans, Samuel Van Pelt, James W. Haney, Marion V. Crumbaker. Lay : Charles H. Long, William H. Logan. Central Missouri. Ministerial : John W. Jackson, Richard E. Gillum. Lay : Henry L. Billups, James H. Diggs. Central New York. Ministerial : Carlton C. Wilbor, John C. Nichols, Edmund M. Mills, R. De Witt Munger, Theron R. Green. Lay : Francis J. Cheney, Edwin Nottingham. MAY 1. First Day. Morning. Members j» present. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 73 Central Ohio. may 1. First Day Ministerial : Elias D. Whitlock, Josiah L. Albritton, Leroy Morning. A. Belt. Lay : Edward T. Nelson, Frank H. Tanner. Central Pennsylvania. Ministerial: William W. Evans, Edward J. Gray, Silas C. * Swallow, David S. Monroe, Ezra H. Yocum, "William M. Frysinger. Lay : Thomas H. Murray, John Patton. Central Swedish. Ministerial: James T. Wigren. Lay : John R. Lindgren. Central Tennessee. Ministerial : Joseph M. Carter. Chicago German. Ministerial : Bartholomew Lampert, Henry Lemcke. Lay : Charles E. Mueller. Cincinnati. Ministerial : Adna B. Leonard, Charles H. Payne, James W. Bashford, Frank G. Mitchell, Henry C. Weakley. Lay : George B. Johnson, Charles W. Bennett. Colorado. Ministerial : Earl Cranston, Daniel L. Rader. Lay : Joseph W. Gilluly. Columbia River. Ministerial : George M. Booth, William W. Van Dusen. Lay: Isaac C. Libby, Herbert C. Clark. Delaware. Ministerial : Henry A. Monroe. James H. Scott. Lay : Stanford L. Parker. Des Moines. Ministerial: Emory Miller, William H. W. Rees, William E. Hamilton, DeWitt C. Franklin, William T. Smith. Lay : James M. Kittleman, Leslie M. Shaw. Detroit. Ministerial : Joseph F. Berry, Camden M. Cobern, William H. Shier, John Sweet, Charles T. Allen, Edward W. Ryan, Lewis R. Fiske. Lay : George O. Robinson, Roy S. Copeland. East German. Ministerial: John C. Deininger. Lay: Charles C. Zoller. 74 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. may i. East Maine. First Day Morning. ' Ministerial: William L. BrowD. Lay : Abram W. Harris. East Ohio. Ministerial: Darius H. Muller, Lemuel H. Stewart, Earl D. Holtz, Eugene P. Edmonds, John I. Wilson, David C. Osborne. Lay: John A. Mansfield, Warren F. Walworth. East Tennessee. Ministerial : Judson S. Hill. Lay : James R. Johnson. Erie. Ministerial: Jason N. Fradenburgh, Silas H. Prather, Andrew J. Merchant, John C. Scofield, Robert S. Borland. Lay : Harvey J. Gidley, Henry P. Sullivan. Florida. Lay : Robert Ayers. Foo-Chow. Ministerial : Myron C. Wilcox. Genesee. Ministerial : John E. Williams, James E. Bills, S. Abishai Morse, Henry C. Woods, Ebenezer H. Latimer. Lay: John L. Romer, Alexander M. Holden. Georgia. Ministerial : James L. Fowler. Lay : William T. Morris. Holston. Ministerial : Richard J. Cooke, James A. Ruble. Lay : John W. Adams, James A. Fowler. Idaho. Ministerial : Charles R. Kellerman. Lay : John D. McCully. Illinois. Ministerial: William N. McElroy, William H. Wilder, Christie Galeener, John T. McFarland, John A. Kumler, John B. Wolfe, Horace Reed. Lay : Joseph O. Cunningham, Herbert G. Whitlock. Indiana. Ministerial : William R. Halstead, Henry J. TQalbott, John H. Martin, Merimon S. Heavenridge, Tilghman H. Willis, Henry A. Buchtel, James A. Sargent. Lay : Benjamin F. Adams, William Newkirk. 0 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 75 Iowa. may l. First Da? Ministerial: Charles L. Stafford, Thomas J. Myers, Morris Morning. Bainford, Isaac P. Teter. Lay : Christopher Haw, James Harlan. Italy. Ministerial : William Burt. Lay : Luigi Mando. Japan. Ministerial: Yoitsu Honda. Kansas. Ministerial : John A. Motter, William H. Underwood. Lay : James M. Miller, William Fryhofer. Kentucky. Ministerial : Daniel Stevenson, John D. Walsh. Lay : Robert T. Miller, Vincent Boreing. Lexington. Ministerial : Edward W. S. Hammond, Joseph Courtney. Lay : Robert F. Broaddus. Little Rock. Ministerial : William O. Emory. Lay : James M. Cox. Louisiana. Ministerial : Joseph C. Hartzell, Aristides P. Albert, Julian F. Marshall. Lay : Charles C. Morse, George F. Huntley. Maine. Ministerial : George D. Lindsay. Lay : William M. Merrill. Mexico. Ministerial : John W. Butler. Michigan. Ministerial : Amos M. Gould, James H. Potts, James I. Buell, Patrick J. Maveety, Levi Master, Marshall M. Callen, James Hamilton. Lay : Samuel Dickie, Elvin Swarthout. Minnesota. Ministerial : Henry C. Jennings, George H. Bridgman, John Stafford. Lay : Hascall R. Brill, Galen A. Merrill. * Mississippi. Ministerial : James M. Shumpert, Samuel A. Cowan. Lay : George W. Stith, Thomas J. Keys. 76 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY *• Missouri. riRST Day. , Morning. Ministerial: John H. Poland, Isaac S. Ware, Jairus J. Bentley. Lay : Charles D. Morris, William J. Gibson. Montana. Ministerial: Jacob Mills. Lay : Fred Gamer. Nebraska. Ministerial : Charles C. Lasby, DeWitt C. Huntington, Isaac Crook. Lay : John H. Mickey, Lucius O. Jones. Newark. Ministerial: Henry A. Buttz, Sandford Van Benschoten, Stephen L. Baldwin, Henry Spellmeyer, George W. Smith. Lay : Robert R. Doherty. New England. Ministerial : John W. Hamilton, Samuel F. Upham, Edward R. Thorndike, William K Brodbeck, Edward M. Taylor, William F. Warren. Lay : Charles R. Magee, Albert B. F. Kinney. New England Southern. Ministerial: Stephen O. Benton, George H. Bates, Thomas J. Everett, Micah J. Talbot. Lay : David Gordon, Joseph E. C. Farnham. New Hampshire. Ministerial: Silas E. Quimby, Charles D. Hills, Oliver S. Baketel. Lay : Edward F. Childs. New Jersey. Ministerial : Jacob B. Graw, James R. Mace, George B. Wight, Joseph L. Roe, George Reed. Lay : Clement W. Shoemaker, James F. Rusling. New York. Ministerial: James R. Day, Charles C. McCabe, Elias S. Osbon, James M. King, Abram J. Palmer, Andrew Schriver. Lay : Albert D. Peake. New York East. Ministerial : James M. Buckley, William V. Kelley, George P. Mains, George E. Reed, Charles S. Wing, James S. Chad- wick, Crandall J. North. Lay : John H. Sessions, John French. North Carolina. Ministerial : Elias M. Collett. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 77 North China. may l. First Day. Ministerial: Hiram H. Lowry. Morning. North Dakota. Ministerial : David C. Plannette. Northern German. Ministerial: Franz L. Nagler. Lay: Henry Bendixen. Northern Minnesota. Ministerial: Robert Forbes, James F. Chaffee, Joseph B. Hingeley. Lay : Jacob F. Force. Northern New York. Ministerial: H. Eugene Waugh, William D. Marsh, David F. Pierce, Charles J. Little, Josiah C. Darling. Lay : S. Mortimer Coon, Harvey E. Dingley. North Germany. Ministerial: Carl Schell. North India. Ministerial : Edwin W. Parker, Thomas J. Scott. Lay: Lois S. Parker, Ada C. Butcher. North Indiana. Ministerial : Horace N. Herrick, Frank G. Browne, Augustus E. Mahin, William D. Parr, George H. Hill. Lay : John S. Patterson, Christian B. Stemen. North Nebraska. Ministerial : Alfred Hodgetts, John B. Maxfield. Lay : John D. King, Trevanyon L. Matthews. North Ohio. Ministerial: Newell S. Albright, William Kepler, William F. Whitlock, John Mitchell. Lay : Lewis C. Laylin, John M. Naylor. Northwest German. Ministerial : Edward W. Henke. Lay : Henry A. Salzer. Northwest India. Ministerial : Jefferson E. Scott. Lay : William H. Daniels. Northwest Indiana. Ministerial : William H. Hickman, Hillary A. Gobin, Allen Lewis. Lay : Richard S. Tennant, Abraham R. Colburn. 78 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. may l. Northwest Iowa. First Day Morning. Ministerial: John W. Walker, John B. Trimble, Robert Smylie, John W. Lothian. Lay : Oscar P. Miller. Northwest Kansas. Ministerial : William H. Sweet, Edward W. Allen. Lay : Edward S. Chenoweth, John B. Morrison. Northwest Nebraska. Ministerial : Allen R. Julian. Lay : George E. Gorton. Norway. Ministerial: Andres Olsen. Norwegian and Danish. Ministerial : Nels E. Simonsen. Lay: Marius J. Pihl. Ohio. Ministerial: David H. Moore, David Y. Murdoch, William H. Lewis, William D. Cherington, John C. Arbuckle. Lay : Morris Sharp, Jane F. Bashford. Oklahoma. Ministerial: John F. Palmer. Oregon. Ministerial : John Parsons, George W. Gue. Lay : John F. Caples. Philadelphia. Ministerial : Thomas B. Neely, Samuel W. Gehrett, William. M. Swindells, Samuel W. Thomas, William M. Ridgway, Jacob' S. Hughes. Lay : John E. James. Pittsburg. Ministerial: Charles W. Smith, Robert T. Miller, Thomas H. Woodring, Jesse F. Core. Lay : John E. Rigg, Theodore B. Noss. Puget Sound. Ministerial : Thomas B. Ford, Thomas J. Massey. Lay: Calvin S. Barlow, Rufus S. Willard. Rock River. Ministerial: Frank M. Bristol, Lewis Curts, Henry G. Jack- son, Martin E. Cady, Polemus H. Swift, William A. Spencer, John W. Richards. Lay : James B. Hobbs, Nicholas G. Van Sant.. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 79 St. John's River. Ministerial : Luther S. Rader. MAY 1. Fikst Da v. Morning. St. Louis. Ministerial : Jesse B. Young, Enoch L. Hunt, William A. Quayle. Lay : Thomas J. Langston, William W. Kendall. St. Louis German. Ministerial : William Koeneke, William Schutz, John Schla- genhauf. Lay : Herman C. Grawe, Fredrich H. A. Koch. Savannah. Ministerial : Madison C. B. Mason, Matthew M. Alston. Lay : Luther J. Price, Guy H. Bowen. Ministerial : Benjamin F. Witherspoon, Joshua E. Wilson, Thomas J. Clarke. Lay : William L. Bulkley, Edward J. Sawyer. Ministerial: Samuel A. Thomson, Winfield S. Matthew, William A. Knighten. Lay : William T. Randall, Joseph A. Williams. Southern German. Ministerial : Henry Dietz. Lay : Charles F. Blumberg. Southern Illinois. Ministerial : Joseph W. Van Cleve, William Wallis, Owen H. Clark, Leonidas W. Thrall. Lay : McKendree H. Chamberlain, Harvey H. Crozier. South Germany. Ministerial: A. Gerhard Bruns. Lay: Fredrich Gutekunst. South India. Ministerial ; Albert H. Baker. Lay : John H. Stephens. 6 South America. Ministerial : Charles W. Drees. Lay : Justo Cubilo. South Carolina. South Dakota. Ministerial : William H. Jordan, Charles B. Clark. Lay : Reuben N. Kratz, William F. T. Bushnell. Southern California. 80 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. South Kansas. Ministerial: John W. Stewart, Samuel S. Murphy, Jeffer- son E. Brant. Lay : George W. Bowen, James E. Hair. Southwest Kansas. Ministerial: William J. Martindale, Granville Lowther, William H. Rose. Lay : James Allison, Tom M. Hutto. Switzerland. Ministerial: Johannes Wuhrman. Tennessee. Ministerial : Hillery W. Key. Lay : David W. Byrd. Texas. Ministerial: Isaiah B. Scott, Wade H. Logan, Frank Gary. Lay : Thomas A. Fortson, John W. Jamison. Troy. Ministerial: John H. Coleman, Homer Eaton, James H. Brown, George A. Barrett, James E. C. Sawyer, William H. Hughes. Lay : Daniel Hayes, Charles D. Hammond. Upper Iowa. Ministerial: Alpha J. Kynett, J. Burleigh Albrook, William F. Barclay, William F. King, Stephen K Fellows. Lay : Albert C. Ross, Thomas B. Taylor. Upper Mississippi. Ministerial: Richard Sewell, Perry O. Jamison. Lay : Ephraim H. McKissack, Joseph H. Phillips. Vermont. Ministerial: Alfred J. Hough, Joel O. Sherburn. Virginia. Ministerial : Stephen P. Shipman. Lay : Chester C. Gaver. Washington. Ministerial : John W. E. Bowen, William H. Brooks, Isaac L. Thomas. Lay : Charles F. Vodery. Western Norwegian-Danish. Ministerial: Carl J. Larson. Western Swedish. Ministerial: Oscar J. Swan. Lay : Charles O. Lobeck. MAY 1. First Day. Morning. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 81 West German. may i. First Day. Min isterial : Charles Harms, Jacob Tanner. Morniwj. Lay : John A. Kost, William F. Muenzenmayer. West Nebraska. Ministerial : Erastus Smith, Charles A. Hale. Lay : Jasper L. McBrien, William J. Cruzen. West Texas* Ministerial : Harry Swann, Moses Smith. Lay: Greene J. Starnes, G. Reid Townsend. West Virginia. Ministerial: Asbury Mick, David L. Ash, John H. Hess, David S. Hammond. Lay i Thomas P. Jacobs, George C. Sturgiss. West Wisconsin. Ministerial : Samuel W. Trousdale, John Holt, William J. McKay. Lay : William T. Jennings, Henry P. Magill. Wilmington. Ministerial : Merritt Hulburd, Alfred Smith, Louis E. Barrett, Wilbur F. Corkran. Lay : William L. Gooding. Wisconsin. Ministerial: Milton S. Terry, George H. Trever, Ephraim L. Eaton. Lay : William H. Stevens, Leander Ferguson. Wyoming. Ministerial: John G. Eckman, Manley S. Hard, Austin Griffin, Levi L. Sprague, Asa J. Van Cleft. Lay : George S. Bennett, Abram I. Decker. The Bishop having announced that a quorum was Nomina- present, the Conference, on motion of G. E. Ackerman, secretary, proceeded to the election of a Secretary. A. B. Leon- ard nominated D. S. Monroe, M. J. Talbot nominated S. O. Benton, and L. L. Sprague nominated M. S. Hard. J. M. Buckley moved that D. S. Monroe, the Secre- s ^f e ^ y tary of the last General Conference, act as Secretary pro tempore. Carried. The following tellers were appointed: E. S. Osbon, Tellers. H. C. Weakley, J. B. Young, J. W. E. Bowen, H. H. Lowry, H. A. Salzer, C. R. Magee, James Allison, John Stafford, and W. S. Edwards. I 82 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 1. First Day. Morning. Rules of Order. Reserve delegates, admitted. Committee on Cre- dentials ordered. Address of the Bishops. On motion of A. J. Kynett, it was ordered that a majority of all the votes cast elect a Secretary. A. J. Kynett moved that, until otherwise ordered, the Rules of the last General Conference be adopted for the government of this body. Carried. On motion, the following reserve delegates were seated in the place df absent delegates: Alabama. Homer W. Perrin. Chicago German. Louis Appel. Genesee. Charles W. Winchester. Japan. Eiji Asada. Kansas. James W. Alderman. Liberia. Wilmot E. Dennis. Maine. David B. Holt. Mexico. George Manning. Newark. Henry K. Carroll. New Hampshire. Charles E. Foote. Northern Minnesota. Alva W. Bradley. North Germany. Heinrich During. Wisconsin. Edward S. McChesney. The Secretary, having stated that he had not received the certificate of any lay delegate from the North Da- kota Conference, D. C. Plannette moved that a Com- mittee on Credentials be appointed to which this and all similar cases be referred. Carried. On motion of G. E. Ackerman, the reading of the Bishops' Address was made the Order of the Day for to-morrow at 10 o'clock. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 83 J. M. Buckley presented the following paper: We, the undersigned members of this General Conference, in the exercise of our inalienable rights and bounden duty, believing that cer- tain women whose names have been called by the officer appointed and instructed to make up the roll from certificates duly accredited and who responded to their names when thus called are ineligible, do hereby challenge the eligibility of said women to membership in this body. And this we do in the fear of God and in the bonds of Christian unity on the following grounds : 1. That prior to 1868 only ministers, and they under specific con- ditions, were eligible to membership in the General Conference. 2. That provision was constitutionally made for the admission of laymen, under certain specified conditions, and that laymen were seated in the General Conference in 18?2. 3. That the history of the movement culminating in the admission of lay representation shows that the Church did not contemplate nor intend the election of women ; and that whenever attention was called to the subject it was definitely understood that women were not eligible under the constitution. 4. That in 1888 five women were elected and the credentials of four of them were presented ; that the question of eligibility was referred to a Special Committee on Eligibility, which committee reported women to be ineligible under the constitution. 5. That the General Conference adopted the said report declaring women ineligible and pursuant thereto the seats vacant which they came to fill, and seated the first reserves in said seats. 6. That a proposition to alter the constitution so as to admit women was submitted to the Church and lost for the want of two thousand votes more than it received. 7. That the action of the General Conference of 1892 did not reverse the action of 1888, declaring women ineligible, or take any action equivalent to a reversal of the same. 8. That the proposition submitted previous to 1892 was resubmitted during the year and lost. And that, therefore, all women professedly elected — though the credentials are in proper form — are not eligible to membership in this General Conference. (Signed,) J. M. Buckley, C. S. Wing, J. B. Graw, S. F. Upham, Jacob Rothweiler, J. F. Chaffee, T. B. Neely, John F. Goucher. W. H. Wilder, MAY 1. First Day. Morning. Challenge of the women delegates. The tellers reported the vote for Secretary as follows: D -f le ] ^ n 1 roe AVhole number of votes cast, 491; necessary to a choice, secretary. 246. Of these, D. S. Monroe has received 370; M. S. Hard, 90; S. O. Benton, 29; D. H. Moore, 1; blank, 1. The President announced that David S. Monroe was elected. J. M. Buckley moved the appointment of a Commit- tee on Eligibility, to consist of one member from each •General Conference District and three at large, to whom the question of eligibility shall be referred, and that the said committee be instructed to report upon the subject of eligibility next Monday morning at 10 o'clock. Committee on Eligibility ordered. 84 Journal of the General Conference. [1896.. MAY 1. First Day. Morning. Selection of the Committee on Eligibility. A. J. Ky- nett's paper on Eligibility. South America Conference. Committee on Credentials. Assistant Secretaries. A. B. Leonard moved that the members of the Com- mittee on Eligibility be elected by the delegations from the respective General Conference Districts, except that three at large be nominated by the Bishops. I. P. Teter moved, as an amendment to the amend- ment, that the committee be composed of one from each Conference here represented. Laid on the table. On motion, the committee was so increased as to in- clude one minister and one layman from each district. J. B. Graw moved that nt> person whose name has been challenged shall be permitted to participate in the deliberations of this Conference until the committee shall have reported. Laid on the table. The motion of J. M. Buckley, as amended, was then adopted. A paper was presented by A. J. Kynett, a part of which having been read, it was moved that all papers having reference to the question of eligibility be re- ferred to the Committee on Eligibility without reading. A motion to lay this on the table did not prevail, and the motion to refer was adopted. It was ordered that the paper of A. J. Kynett be pub- lished in the Daily Christian Advocate of to-morrow. On motion of C. W. Drees, the South America Con- ference was assigned to the Fifth General Conference District. The motion of D. C. Plannette to appoint a Commit- tee on Credentials was adopted. On motion of W. W. Evans, the Secretary was granted the privilege of naming his assistants, whereupon he named Manley S. Hard, Edmund S. Mills, Stephen O. Benton, Samuel W. Gehrett, Isaiah B. Scott, William Kepler, Frank G. Mitchell, Charles L. Stafford, Milton D. Buck, Charles C. Zoller, and Robert R. Doherty. John Mitchell presented the following invitation, which was accepted: To the Bishops, Members of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Visitors : Reception. Dear Brethren and Sisters: The Local Committee of Arrange- ments cordially invite you to a reception, to be held in the Armory Auditorium Friday evening, May 1, at 7:30 o'clock p. m., standard time. Horace Benton, Chairman. F. A. Gould, Secretary. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 85 T. B. Neely moved that the Conference adopt the following plan for the organization of committees: L There shall be fourteen main Standing Committees, as follows : 1. On Episcopacy. 2. On Itinerancy. 3. On Boundaries. 4. On Revisals. 5. On Temporal Economy. 6. On the State of the Church. 7. On the Book Concern. 8. On Temperance and the Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. 9. On Missions. 10. On Education. 11. On Church Extension. 12. On Sunday Schools and Tracts. 13. On Freedmen's Aid and Work in the South. 14. On Epworth League. II. The first six of the committees shall meet on Mondays, Wednes- days, and Fridays ; and the last six on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Satur- days. III. As heretofore the several delegations shall appoint one member for each committee. IV. As soon as practicable, and in all cases not later than the next Bessipn of the Conference, the chairman of each delegation shall deliver to the Secretary of the General Conference a list of the assignments to the committees made by the delegation, from which returns the Secre- tary shall immediately proceed to enroll and publish the committees. V. For the purpose of organization, each committee, except the Committee on Boundaries, shall meet at the time and place ordered by the General Conference, and shall, under the temporary presidency of a Bishop, choose by ballot a chairman and a secretary, and shall without delay return the names of the officers so elected to the Secre- tary of the Conference. VI. Reserve delegates when admitted to the General Conference shall take the places on committees previously held by their principals, unless it is otherwise ordered by the Conference ; and other changes on committees shall not take place without permission from the Gen- eral Conference. MAY 1. First Day. Morning. Organiza- tion of Committees. A motion that the Epworth League be made a Stand- ing Committee, and a motion by W. F. Whitlock that a special committee be appointed to which the question of Standing Committees be referred, were both laid on the table, and the motion of T. B. Neely was adopted. The districts were called by the Secretary, and the time and places of meeting were named. On motion of W. H. Shier, it was ordered that each delegate be furnished with three copies of the Daily Christian Advocate each morning. Hon. Hilary A. Herbert, Secretary of the United States Navy, was introduced by the President of the Conference. Distribu- tion of Daily Christian Advocate. Hon. H. A. Herbert introduced. 86 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 1, First Day. Morning. Reception of Fraternal Delegates. Gavels presented. Table from Venice. Epworth League. Light and neat. General Conference Districts. Adjourned. MAY 2. Second Day. Morning. Bishop Foster presiding. Devotional services. Journal approved. To secure order. A. J. Palmer moved that the General Conference shall hold on the Monday evenings of May sessions for the purpose of the reception of fraternal delegates by the Conference. Adopted. S. O. Jones, of the Nebraska Conference, having been introduced, on behalf of the Nebraska Wesleyan Uni- versity he presented to the Conference a gavel and gavel block. G. W. Gue, of Oregon, also presented a gavel, and a case for its preservation. On motion, both gifts were accepted with thanks. C. C. McCabe, on behalf of the Industrial School of Venice, Italy, presented to the Conference a beautifully carved table, and, on motion, it was accepted. On motion of J. F. Berry, the action of the Confer- ence by which the Epworth League was constituted a Standing Committee was reconsidered, and it was made a Special Committee. On motion of L. A. Belt, the Local Committee was requested to take some action by which to regulate the light and heat in the building. On motion of the Secretary, the Oklahoma Confer- ence having been formed since the last General Con- ference and is not in any General Conference District, it was placed in the Eleventh District; the North China Conference was placed in the Fifth District, and the Western Norwegian-Danish Conference was placed in the Fourteenth District. On motion, the Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by C. C. McCabe. SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 2. The Conference was called to order at 9 a. m., Bishop R. S. Foster in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by E. W. Parker, of the North India Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- proved. J. D. Walsh presented the following: Wliereas, The delegates in the chairs most distant from the plat- form are prevented from hearing the Chairman and the speakers by reason of the walking and talking of delegates and others in the rear passageways during the session of Conference ; therefore, 1890. Journal of the General Conference. 87 Rewired, That this Conference hereby requests the Committee of Arrangements to appoint one or more Sergeants-at-arms, who shall wear badges of office, and whose duty it shall be to preserve order in the back part of the house and elsewhere during business hours. John Lanahan moved that the General Conference pay the expenses of the Sergeants-at-arms. The motion prevailed, and the resolution, as amended, was adopted. On motion of P. H. Swift, the Rules were suspended, and the following was adopted: Resolved, That the Committee on Epworth League shall be com- posed of one member from each Annual Conference delegation, and that such member shall be selected according to the method which usually prevails in the selection of the members of the regular stand- ing committees. G. E. Ackerman moved that a committee of three be appointed to express our appreciation of the reception given last evening to the Conference. Adopted. T. B. Xeely presented the following: Resolved, That there shall be a committee, to be called a Committee on Judiciary, to which shall be referred all appeals from the Confer- ences or from individual ministers or members of the Church ; records of Judicial Conferences and all other law questions which may be re- ferred to it by the General Conference. The above committee shall consist of one delegate from each General Conference District and one delegate-at-large, and said member shall be nominated by the Bishops #nd confirmed by the General Conference. A. J. Kynett moved as an amendment that the com- mittee be nominated by the members of the respective General Conference Districts, and three at large be nominated by the Bishops. A motion by J. B. Graw to lay this on the table did not prevail. The amendment of A. J. Kynett was carried, and the resolution, as amended, was adopted. On motion of E. D. Whitlock, a committee of seven was ordered on Rules of Order. T. B. Neely moved that a committee be appointed on the Constitution, consisting of one from each General Conference District, and one at large to be nominated by the Bishops, and that to this committee be referred the proposed Constitution presented to the General Conference in 1892, and by that body referred to this body. J. A. Sargent moved that the committee consist of one minister and one layman from each district and three at large. MAY 2. Second Day. Morning. Composition of the Com- mittee on Epworth League. Committee on Re- Judiciary Committee. Committee on Rules of Order. Committee on Con- stitution. 88 Journal of the General Conference, [1896. MAY 55. Second Day. Morning. Illness of Dr. Reid. Committee on Consoli- dation of Benevolen- ces ordered. Committee on Memor- ials ordered. Committee on Fraternal Delegates ordered. Resolutions to be triplicated. Recess ordered. J. J. Bentley moved that the committee consist of nine. Laid on the table. The amendment of J. A. Sargent was adopted, and the resolution, as amended, prevailed. C. C. McCabe read a telegram announcing the very serious illness of Dr. J. M. Reid, for several years Cor- responding Secretary of the Missionary Society, and, on motion, the Secretary was directed to send a tele- gram to the family expressing the sympathy of the Conference. L. A. Belt moved that a committee of two laymen and two ministers from each General Conference Dis- trict, and one at large to be nominated by the Bishops, be ordered, to whom shall be referred the expediency and feasibility of the unification and consolidation of our Benevolences. A motion by P. H. Swift, that all papers on the sub- ject be referred to the Committee on Temporal Econ- omy, was laid on the table by a count vote of 207 ayes and 195 noes. A. J. Kynett moved to amend by adding one layman and one minister from each of our Benevolent societies. On motion of F. M. Bristol, this was laid on the table, and the original resolution was adopted. On motion of W. S. Matthew, all persons having in- formation on the subject were requested to furnish it to the committee. On motion of Homer Eaton, it was ordered that a committee of five be appointed on Memorials of the General Conference officers who have died during the quadrennium. Said committee to be named by the Bishops. C. H. Payne moved that a committee of five be ap- pointed on Fraternal Delegates. Carried. On motion of M. S. Hard, it was ordered that here- after all resolutions be presented in triplicate. On motion of C. J. Little, a recess of three minutes was ordered. J. W. Hamilton presented the following paper, which was adopted: The Rev. William Taylor, D.D., Missionary Bishop of Africa, was born on the 2d day of* May, 1821; sent to his first circuit in 1842, 1896. J Journal of the General Conference. 89 joined the Annual Conference in the spring of 1843, and as world-wide evangelist has gone everywhere preaching the Gospel without ever having been laid aside through illness ; therefore, Resolved, That the General Conference congratulate this truly vener- able and apostolic Bishop on having this day attained the seventy-fifth anniversary of his birth. MAY Si. Second Day. Morning. Bishop Taylor's birthday. The hour for the Order of the Day having arrived, Bishop H. W. Warren read the Address of the Bishops. A. B. Leonard moved that three thousand five hun- dred copies of the Address be printed in pamphlet form and placed at the disposal of this body. E. J. Gray moved to so amend that it be published in the Daily Christian Advocate and in all the official papers; that these three thousand five hundred copies be published for distribution; that five copies of the same be given to each member of this General Confer- ence ; and, further, that the different parts of this Ad- dress be referred to the appropriate committees. C. C. Wilbor moved to further amend so that ten thousand copies be published in such form that they can be placed in envelopes. G. E. Reed moved to lay the amendment of E. J» Gray on the table. Lost. D. H. Moore moved that the Address be published in the Church papers only. Lost. The amendment of E. J. Gray was adopted, and, as amended, the resolution prevailed. W. H. Wilder called attention to the fact that some of the members had changed their seats, and, on mo- tion, it was ordered that no member change his seat without the consent of the Conference. Permission was then granted J. F. Rusling and colleague and the Kentucky delegation to change their seats. On motion of T. B. Neely, the General Conference Districts were instructed to meet this afternoon and nominate the committees ordered. On motion of A. B. Leonard, the Conference Dis- tricts were instructed to send their nominations for the Committee on Ep worth League to the Secretary. The names of the Committee on Eligibility were then announced by the respective districts, and Bishop Andrews named the three at large. The nominations were confirmed. (See Committees, p. 376.) Bishops' Address read. Copies ordered. Members not to change Nomina- tions to be sent to the Secretary. Committee on Eligibility named. •90 Journal of the General Conference, [1896. MAY 2. Second Day. Morning. Rev. W. L. Watkinson introduced. Committee on Credentials discharged. Standing Committees Adjourned. MAY 4. Third Day Morning. Bishop Merrill pre- siding. Devotional services. Journal approved. Committee to report. Mrs. J. M. Reid. Swedish [delegation. Bishops' Address to be read in churches and distrib- uted. The Rev. W. L. Watkinson, Fraternal Delegate from the British Wesleyan Conference, and the Rev. R. Crawford Johnson, D.D., Fraternal Delegate from the Irish Methodist Conference, were introduced. Bishop Andrews announced the Committee on Cre- dentials. The Secretary stated that there was no longer any occasion for this committee, since he received in proper form the credentials that were lacking; therefore, on motion, the action by which that committee was ap- pointed was reconsidered and the committee discharged. On motion of A. J. Kynett, it was ordered that the chairmen of the delegations pass to the Secretary their nominations for Standing Committees that they may be published. After the usual announcements, Conference ad- journed. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by Dr. R. Crawford Johnson. MONDAY MORNING, MAY 4. The Conference was called to order at 9 o'clock, Bishop S. M. Merrill presiding. The devotional services were conducted by J. L. Hurl- but, Secretary of the Sunday School Union and Tract Society. The Journal of Saturday's session was read and ap- proved. W. A. Spencer moved that the Committee on Benevolences be instructed to report to the Conference on or before Monday, the 16th. Carried. A message was received from Mrs. J. M. Reid ex- pressing her appreciation of the message from the Con- ference. J. D. Walsh announced that, the Swedish delegation having arrived, the Kentucky delegation resumed the seats originally assigned them. H. A. Buchtell moved that we urgently request our pastors and presiding elders to read the Bishops' Ad- dress presented to the General Conference of 1896 in every congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Earl Cranston moved, as a substitute, that the Pub- lishing Agents be authorized, by request of a pastor, to I896.J Journal of the General Conference. furnish a copy of this report for every official member in all our churches. Accepted and adopted. On motion of J. W. Hamilton, the rules were sus- pended, and D. H. Muller presented the following: Whereas, The General Conference, composed of representatives of the nations of the earth, profoundly convinced that experience has shown that war as a method of determining disputes between nations is expensive in its operations, unequal and uncertain in its results, and productive of immense evils, and that the spirit of the age as well as the precepts of religion require the adoption of every practicable means for the establishment of reason and justice between nations ; and, Whereas, The people of the United States and the people of Great Britain are bound together by ties of lineage, language, literature, the principles of common Christianity, and of like political and legal institu- tions and of many mutual interests ; and, Whereas, The purpose to substitute law for war, reason for force, has been approved by patriotic statesmen, eminent educators, and Christian philanthropists, and an increasing and dominant moral opinion ; Resolved, That we, the representatives of the Prince of Peace and of the Methodist Episcopal Church, give our approval of a demand for the organization of a permanent tribunal of arbitration as a rational and Christian substitute among the English-speaking races for a resort to the bloody arbitrament of war. Resolved, That in the judgment of this Conference, religion, humanity, practice, and the highest interests of civilization and Christianity demand the immediate establishment of such an international court of arbitration. Resolved, That the presiding officers and Secretary of this Conference be requested to send to the President of the United States a copy of these resolutions. Lewis Curts moved its reference to the Committee on the State of the Church. The motion was laid on the table, and the resolutions were adopted. E. D. Whitlock moved that a committee of one from each General Conference District and one at large be appointed on General Conference Districts. Carried. Austin Griffin moved the appointment of a commit- tee consisting of two from each General Conference District and two at large on the support of superan- nuated ministers. W. H. Shier moved, as a substitute, that all papers and memorials on the subject be referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Carried. The Rev. John J. Lewis, of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand, was introduced. M. S. Hard moved that the Publishing Agents and the Secretary publish a manual for the use of the Con- ference. The Secretary stated that an Agenda would he distributed in a day or two. On motion of John Lanahan, the motion was laid on the table. 91 MAY 4. Tin ni) Da v Morning. National arbitration. Committee on General Conference Districts. Superannu- ated minis- ters. Rev. J. J. Lewis intro- duced. Manual. 92 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 4. Third Day Morning. Report of Committee on Eligibility. Minority report. On motion of John Lanahan, the motion was laid on the table. The hour for the Order of the Day having arrived, on motion of J. M. Buckley, it was taken up, and A. J. Kyriett presented the majority report of the Commit- tee on Eligibility as follows, and moved its adoption: Your Committee, to whom was referred the challenge of the eligibil- ity of women in the General Conference, of Lydia A.Trimble, delegate- elect from the Foo-Chow Electoral Conference, Lois S. Parker and Ada C. Buchter, delegates-elect from the North India Electoral Conference, and Jane Field Bashford, delegate-elect from the Ohio Electoral Con- ference, having carefully considered the same, report that the challenge is not sustained, and that the aforesaid lady delegates-elect are not ineligible to this body. Respectfully submitted, A. J. Kynett, Chairman. John W. Hamilton, Thomas H. Murray, E. T. Nelson, Judson S. Hill, Samuel Dickie, W. F. T. Bushnell, L. 0. Jones, T. J. Langston, G. R. TOWNSEND, J. F. Caples. David H. Moore, A. B. Leonard, Luther J. Price, H. A. Gobin, L. M. Shaw, Earl Cranston, J. W. Stewart, W. 0. Emory, W. A. Knighten. T. B. Neely presented and moved, as a substitute for the majority report, the following minority report: The undersigned, a minority of the Committee on Eligibility, to which was referred the question of the eligibility of certain women who, holding certificates of election from certain Lay Electoral Confer- ences, were entered upon the roll and claimed seats in this General Conference, beg leave to report that they dissent from the. opinion of the majority of the committee. Having carefully inquired into the question of the eligibility of women, we find that the question of the admission of women was not before the Church when the amendment to the Restrictive Rule ad- mitting lay delegates was under consideration by the Annual Confer- ences, neither was it before the General Conference of 1872, when it agreed to the plan of lay delegation, and therefore was not included in the above actions. The claim that women are eligible arose later and has been based upon a subsequent act of a General Conference defining the word lay- men in its relation to Lay Electoral Conferences, and this, we find, did not refer to the question of the admission of women, but to the status of a man having ministerial orders, but not a member of an Annual Conference. The claim that women were eligible to membership was raised judicially for the first time in the history of the General Conference on the cases of certain women who claimed seats in the General Confer- ence of 1888, and this claim was negatived by that Conference, which decided " That, under the second Restrictive Rule, which was altered by the constitutional process, the Church contemplated the admission of men only as lay representatives — and that under the Constitution and laws of the Church as they now are the women are not eligible as lay delegates in the General Conference." (See General Conference Jour- nal, 1888, p. 463.) 1896.} Journal of the General Conference. 93 The same General Conference, holding that women could not be ad- MAY 4. mitted without a change in the wording of the Constitution, submitted Third Dai a proposition to amend the second Restrictive Rule so that it might read : orning. " Nor of more than two lay delegates for an Annual Conference, and said delegates may be men or women." This amendment was voted upon by members of the Annual Conferences, but not receiving the requisite vote it was lost, and the Constitution remained the same as it was before the submission of the proposed amendment. In the General Conference of 1892, on a question submitted to the Committee on Judiciary, as to whether the words "lay delegate," " laymen," etc., in the second Restrictive Rule, and in other places in the Discipline, " express or imply distinction of sex," the committee unanimously, with the exception of one member, who declined to vote, reported as follows : " Understanding that we are to declare the meaning of the words and not to express an opinion as to the wisdom of the law, and apply- ing the well-recognized rule of construction, that the intent of the law- makers in using the language must govern, and that the meaning to be put upon the words by us must be the meaning put upon them by the General Conference, and the Annual Conferences as they were adopted ; and in the light of the history of the Church bearing upon the subject up to the time of the adoption of the provision in which the words under consideration occur ; and in the light of the discus- sions had at the time of their adoption and of all the surrounding circumstances ; and in view of the fact that the last General Confer- ence, acting in its judicial capacity, after a very exhaustive discussion, definitely decided that women were not included in these provisions; and that the Annual Conferences and the Church have accepted and acted upon that decision, we are of the opinion that said words, as used in the paragraphs aforesaid, do not apply to both sexes, and that they include men only." (General Conference Journal, 1892, p. 358.) Though" this declaration was not adopted by the General Confer- ence of 1892, nevertheless that Conference refused to adopt an op- posite declaration, laying on the table a substitute to that intent, and consequently the decision of the General Conference of 1888 was not reversed, but remained unchanged. The General Conference of 1892 did, however, ostensibly recognize the fact that the question was one calling for or requiring a constitutional amendment by submitting a proposed form of amendment to the second Restrictive Rule. As the vote shows, this proposition did not receive the approval of the minis- ters of the Annual Conferences, while its peculiar form caused a large majority of the ministry to refuse to vote upon it. Its repudiation by the ministry and % failure to pass left the Constitution unchanged. During the last quadrennium the proposed amendment of 1888 was again submitted by two of the Annual Conferences, but this proposition failed to receive the necessary number of ministerial votes. Both the General and the Annual Conferences have thus repeatedly admitted that the question involves a change in the wording of the Constitution, and as no such amendment has been made the Constitu- tion stands as it did in 1888, and previously, and, for the same reasons that held at that time, it follows that the Constitution did not and does not meditate or permit the admission of women as delegates in this General Conference, and that it cannot permit the election and seating of women as delegates unless the Annual Conferences, to- gether with the General Conference, consent by constitutionally amending the second Restrictive Rule. The cases presented are essentially of the same character as those decided by the General Conference of 1888, and the legal status of women in this respect is precisely the same as it was at that time. We find, therefore, that the challenge of the eligibility of the 94 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 4. Third Day Morning. women whose names have appeared on the role of this General Confer- ence is sustaiued, that the election of women by Lay Electoral Confer- ences are illegal acts, and that to seat the claimants would tend to destroy all respect for the Constitution of the Church, and for the de- cisions and interpretations of the General Conference. H. R. Brill, J. M. Buckley, A. W. Harris, C. J. Little, Jacob Rothweiler, Henry A. Salzer, J. B. Graw, S. M. Coon, H. K. Carroll, T. B. Neely, J. F. Chaffee. Prior to the presentation of the reports, the Secretary read the following communication: To the Members of the General Conference of 1896 : We, the undersigned, women delegates from the North India and Ohio Lay Electoral Conferences, with a desire to promote the peace and harmony of our beloved Church, make the following statement : While we regard ourselves as laymen in the full sense of the term and hold that the Lay Electoral Conferences are entitled, under the amendment of 1868-72, to choose their delegates, subject only to the restrictions therein specified, we are unwilling to seem to insist upon personal rights which are in dispute. We rejoice that the Annual Conferences have expressed, by an over- whelming majority, their desire that women should be admitted as laymen to the General Conference, and we believe that this General Conference, with substantial unanimity, desires to devise the best means for carrying out the will of the Church. The chief question at issue now seems to us to arise over the method to be pursued. Upon this we recognize honest differences of opinion among the most intel- ligent and conscientious members. It seems to us that were the Con- ference relieved from the tension which our presence occasions, it might speedily devise a plan of admission upon which the great majority of the members could agree. While we sincerely regret to disappoint the chivalrous champions of woman's eligibility, we cannot consent to a protracted debate over our personal eligibility to this Conference, with the alienations which we fear such a struggle might cause, when the principle for which we stand can be secured by more peaceful methods. We could not for a moment waive our claims if by so doing we im- periled the rights of our sisters in future General, Conferences. But we believe that by sacrificing personal considerations and possible party victories for the peace of the whole Church, we shall best secure their interests and, in the providence of God, a more abundant entrance to those who shall come after us. Our decision to withdraw is reached after much prayer and medita- tion, and in acting upon it we are governed solely by motives of Chris- tian charity — the charity that seeketh not her own, is not easily pro- voked, thinketh no evil. We, therefore, cheerfully relinquish all claims to membership in your honorable body and await such a settle- ment of a long-vexed question as your wisdom may devise, confident that your action will embody the spirit of the Golden Rule. We desire to exDress our appreciation of the courtesy shown us and to assure you that we shall continue to pray and to labor for the pros- perity of our Zion. Respectfully submitted, Jane F. Bashford, Lois S. Parker, Ada C. Butcher. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 95 After considerable discussion of the reports, on motion m MA Y T 4 - \ 7 Third Day of A. B. Leonard, the further consideration of the ques- Morning. tion was postponed until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. On motion, two additional members were added to the deflates! Committee on Fraternal Delegates, and Bishop Andrews announced the committee. (See Committees, p. 377.) A. J. Kynett moved that it be the order of the Fresh air - house that the doors on this level opening into hall- ways be kept open all the time on warm days. S. W. Gehrett moved, as a substitute, that the matter be referred to the Local Committee. A motion to lay the substitute on the table was lost, and it was accepted and adopted. S. L. Baldwin moved that a call be made for the standing Committees. nomination of the Standing Committees in order to or- ganization. Carried. On motion of W. S. Matthew, the names of the com- mittees with the time and places of meeting was ordered to be published in the Daily Christian Advocate. Carried. On motion of T. B. Neely, the arrangement of com- mittees as reported to the Secretary as chosen by the various delegations was confirmed, and, on motion of A. J. Kynett, one of the Bishops was requested to be with each committee during preliminary organiza- tion. A. J. Palmer moved that when we adjourn it be to meet at 7:30 p. m. to receive the fraternal delegates from the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand and from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. On motion, the Conference adjourned. The Doxology Adjourned, was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by G. W. Gue. MONDAY EVENING, MAY 4. may 4. Third Day The Conference met pursuant to adjournment at 7:30 Evening Session i'. if., Bishop Thomas Bowman in the chair. C. H. Bishop Payne announced the 770th hymn, commencing, i?3in3. " I love thy kingdom, Lord," and II. A. Buttz, of the Newark Conference, led in prayer. The 248th hymn, commencing, " All hail the power of Jesus' name ! " 96 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 4. Third Day Evening. Rev. J. J. Lewis's address. Dr. J. C. Morris's address. Adjourned. was sung, and J. W. Jackson, in a few appropriate re- marks, introduced to the President the Rev. John J. Lewis, fraternal delegate from the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand, who presented him to the Con- ference. In a brief but entertaining address he repre- sented Australian Methodism. (See Addresses, p. 487.) The credentials of the Rev. J. C. Morris, D.D., and E. B. Perkins, Esq., fraternal delegates from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, were presented. W. Y. Kelley, in a few well-chosen remarks, intro- duced to the President, and he to the Conference, the Rev. Dr. J. C. Morris. He was cordially received and addressed the Conference. (See Addresses, p. 487.) On motion, adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop I. W. Joyce. MAY 5. Fourth Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Rules changed. Recess. Committee on Bible Society. Lay repre- sentation. TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 5. The Conference convened at 9 o'clock a. m., Bishop E. G. Andrews presiding. The devotional services were conducted by D'W. C. Huntington, of the Nebraska Conference. The Journals of yesterday morning and evening ses- sions were read and approved. On motion of John Mitchell, the rules were suspended, and he moved to change the rules of order, so that the sessions begin at 8:30 a. m. and adjourn at 12 noon. J. D. Walsh moved that the hour of adjournment be 12:30 p. m. The amendment prevailed, and the motion, as amended, was adopted. W. F. Whitlock moved that a recess be taken each day at 10:30 o'clock a. m. Carried. A motion by W. V. Kelley, that a committee of nine be appointed on the American Bible Society, was adopted. C. W. Bennett presented the following : Resolved, That a committee consisting of two from each General Conference District, one clergyman and one layman, be appointed, to which shall be referred all questions relating to lay representation. I. P. Teter moved, as a substitute, that all matters re- lating to this subject be referred to the Committee on State of the Church. 1S96.] Journal of the General Conference. 97 J. E. James moved to amend that a committee be appointed by the Bishops, to whom the subject shall be referred. Laid on the table. On motion of S. L. Baldwin, the substitute of I. P. Teter was laid on the table. Jacob Rothweiler moved, as a substitute, that all matters relating to this subject be referred to the Com- mittee on Constitution. On motion of J. F. Chaffee, it was laid on the table, and the original resolution was adopted. A motion by C. W. Bennett, that the committee be appointed by the General Conference Districts, pre- vailed. F. H. Tanner moved " that in all committees requir- ing equal ministerial and lay representation, each order shall select its own representative." C. C. Wilbor moved that each district decide this for itself. On motion of G. H. Trever, the whole matter was laid on the table. E. W. Parker moved that 9:30 a. m. Thursday, May 7, be fixed as the time for receiving the reports of the Missionary Bishops. Carried. The Standing Committees reported their organization. The Rev. B. T. Noakes, fraternal delegate from the Reformed Episcopal Church, was introduced. On motion of A. B. Leonard, the Order of the Day was taken up and discussed. A motion of C. L. Staf- ford, that further discussion of the subject be made the order for to-morrow at 10 a. m. under the previous question, with the privilege of offering amendments or substitutes, was laid on the table. S. L. Baldwin moved, as a substitute for the regular meetings of the Standing Committees of this day, that the various District Committees, that is to say, the rep- resentatives of the various General Conference Districts, should meet at 3 p. m. at the places where they have met hitherto. Carried. The Secretary read an invitation from the Library Board of the Cleveland Public Library to the members of the General Conference to visit and use the library during their stay. Signed by the librarian, W. H. Brett. MAY 5. Fourth Day. Morning. Reports of Missionary Bishops. Rev. Mr. Noakes. Eligibility. Cleveland Library. 98 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. ?otrth On -motion of C. J. Little, the Conference adjourned. Morning ^ e Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pro- nounced by Bishop C. D. Foss. MAY 6. Fifth Dat Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. W. H. Max- well. P. D. Carr. H.C.Grawe. Disposition of resolu- tions, etc. Additional Bishops. Constitu- tional Con- ference. WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 6. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop H. W. Warren presiding. The devotional services were conducted by S. O. Benton, of the New England Southern Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- proved. On motion of S. W. Gehrett, William H. Maxwell, a reserve delegate of the Philadelphia Conference, was seated in the place of John Field, unable to be present. Philonzo D. Carr, of the Central Tennessee Conference, and Herman C. Grawe, of the St. Louis German Con- ference, were announced as having arrived. The Secretary moved that when the Roll of Con- ferences is called such resolutions only as are to be put upon their immediate passage shall be read, and that memorials, appeals, and resolutions to be referred be passed without announcement to the Secretary's desk, and reported next morning in the Journal and in the Daily Christian Advocate. Carried. On motion of R. J. Cooke, it was ordered that the Conference shall determine whether a resolution shall be referred to a committee, or be put upon its passage. The roll of Conferences was called by the Secretary. G. E. Ackerman presented the following, which war, referred to the Committee on Episcopacy : Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy be and it is hereby respectfully urged to reach a decision as speedily as possible, and if practicable report to this body on Saturday next, May 9, whether it considers it wise to elect any additional Bishops at this session. L. M. Shaw moved that a resolution, introduced four years ago for the appointment of a Constitutional Conference and then referred to this General Confer- ence, be now referred to the Committee on Constitu- tion. Carried. The following, presented by L. H. Stewart, was adopted : 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 99 Resolved, That no proposition involving a change in the law or Dis- cipline of the Church, and which has not been considered by a commit- tee, shall be introduced after the sixteenth day of this month. Not, however, to the exclusion of questions already before the body. J. M. Shumpert presented the following, which was adopted : Resolved, That the Secretary of this General Conference be in- structed to edit and prepare the Journal of this body for publication, and certify the same to be correct. And that the printed copy so certified shall be the official Journal of this General Conference. He also presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That the commission appointed by the last General Con- ference on Entertainment of this General Conference is hereby con- stituted the Commission on Expenses of Delegates to this General Conference, and authorized to pay the same. J. B. Hingeley presented the following, which was laid over : Whereas, The Bishops have prepared the list of recommendations for amendment of the text of the Discipline, as stated in their annual address; therefore, Resolved, That they be requested to present the same to the Con- ference at this session, to be read or not, as they shall elect, and that they be printed in the Daily Christian Advocate and referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented the following, which was read and referred to the Committee on Revisals: Whereas, It is the manifest desire of the Church that women be recognized in all the councils and agencies of the Church ; and, Whereas, In the General Conference resolution of 1880, which de- fined the construction to be placed on the personal pronouns, " he," " hi? " and " him," trusteeship was excluded ; and, Whereas, In most of the States of the Union women's right to hold property and execute trust has been recognized by statutory laws ; and, Whereas, Since 1880 the Epworth League has been recognized as one of the great activities of the Church ; therefore, Resolved, That the pronouns, "he," "his,'.' and "him," when used in the Discipline with reference to trustees and Presidents of the Epworth League, shall not be so construed as to exclude women from such offices. T. J. Scott presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Missions: Resolved, That the Committee on Missions be instructed to take into consideration some better plan for the support of superannuated and disabled foreign missionaries ; said plan to be incorporated in the Con- stitution of the Missionary Society. T. L. Matthews moved that, Whereas, Our observation is that the business of the General Con- ference proceeds more expeditiously after the elections of Bishops, Editors, and officers ; therefore, Resolved, That the matter of the election of Bishops, Editors, and all other officers be made a special order for Monday, May 11, 1896, at 10 A. M. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Introduc- tion of reso- lutions. Secretary to edit the Journal. Expenses of delegates. Amend- ments to the Discipline. Pronouns 'he," "his,' " him." Support of superannu- ated mis- sionaries. Time of elections. 100 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. pIfthday ^' ^' Kynett moved that Monday, May 18, be the Morning. date. M. J. Talbot moved, as a substitute, that the matter be referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Laid on the table. The amendment of A. J. Kynett was adopted, and the resolution, as amended, was passed. J. H. Potts presented a paper concerning the election of General Conference officers. G. H. Trever moved that it be laid on the table. Lost. W. H. Hickman moved to strike out all reference to nominating candidates. W. H. Shier moved, as a substitute, that the paper be consider seriatim. Levi 'Master moved, as a substitute for all, that the paper and all that refers to it be referred to the Com- mittee on Rules of Order. Carried. On motion of W. H. Jordan, the committee was in- structed to report to-morrow morning, May 7, at 9 o'clock. announced. 8 Bishop Andre ws announced the Committees on Rules of Order, Acknowledging the Reception Tendered the General Conference, Memorials, and American Bible Society. (See Committees, p. 377.) The following paper, presented by W. M. Swindells, was adopted : Catered Whereas, The Chartered Fund, organized in 1796, has completed a century of its beneficence, and although its capital is only about $50,000, it has declared dividends to Conference claimants a sum three times the amount of its capital stock ; therefore, Resolved, That the General Conference recommend that during 1896 each pastor of each charge in the Church shall so present the benevo- lent features of the Fund to his congregation that its capital stock may be increased to a sum worthy of the cause and creditable to the Church. Examina- tion of un- dergradu- ates. On motion of Lewis Curts, the report of the Book Committee was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. J. W. Stewart moved that each Annual Conference shall determine its own methods for the examination of undergraduates pursuing the course of study for the traveling connection. Referred to Committee on Itin- erancy. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 101 I. L. Thomas presented the following: Whereas, Dr. Morris, fraternal delegate from the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, presented to this General Conference, in his address on May 4, the request from the General Conference of the aforesaid Church South, that our General Conference now in session appoint a commission of nine persons on Church Federation, consisting of three bishops and three ministers and three laymen, to confer with a similar number already selected by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Resolved, That such commission be appointed by the Board of Bishops, and announced to this body. W. V. Kelley, as a privileged question, presented the following, and moved its adoption : We express our profound gratification at the courteous messages of Christian love officially delivered on Monday evening by the Rev. J. C. Morris, D.D., of Nashville, Tenn., the honored fraternal delegate sent to this body by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and our warm reciprocation of the sentiments conveyed, as well as our appreciation of his thoughtful, scholarly, and able address upon a high spiritual theme, and of his gentle and dignified bearing under painfully trying circumstances while among us. We record with inexpressible sorrow our intense mortification that, through a most unfortunate misunder- standing between committees, Dr. Morris was in no way properly cared for and entertained. We lament that this mistake, made on his arrival, was discovered only when it was too late, not for explanation, but for making such amends as we wished, and also that between the time of the appointment of the Committee on Fraternal Delegates at the close of the session on Monday morning and Dr. Morris's departure from the city there was no opportunity for his introduction to this Con- ference. We deplore the fact that by unwitting mistakes of arrangement, and the brevity of Dr. Morris's stay, the members of this body were de- prived of the privilege of such personal contact and intercourse with him as they desired, as his fraternal visit naturally invited, and as his eminently Christian spirit would have made delightful to us. We beg to assure Dr. Morris, and the great Church whose greeting he was officially charged to bring us, that only a most extraordinary chapter of lamentable accidents prevented him from receiving the kind of reception due to so eminent a guest on an embassy of love from an honorable, distinguished, and respected Christian communion, and due also to our own credit and self-respect as the recipients of such an em- bassy, and the hosts of such a guest. We devoutly implore the Great Head of the Church Universal that no misunderstanding may arise to retard the steady growth of mutual re- spect and affection between which Dr. Morris is a fit and capable mes- senger. J. M. Buckley offered the following amendment: That we cordially invite Dr. Morris to visit us before the close of the session that he may be introduced to the body, and that we may be able to extend to him the hospitality which he has a right to claim and which reciprocity requires us to manifest to any delegate from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The amendment was accepted by W. V. Kelley, and the resolutions, as amended, were adopted. The Order of the Day was taken up. A. B. Leonard moved to recommit the majority and MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Church federation. Rev. Dr. Morris. 102 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Eligibility reports re- committed. Church federation. Rev. Dr. Morris. minority reports to the Committee on Eligibility, with instructions to find, if possible, a common ground of agreement, and report after the reading of the Journal to-morrow morning. Carried. On motion of A. J. Kynett, the committee was granted all additional power. The Conference resumed consideration of the paper of I. L. Thomas, and, on motion of John Lanahan, it was adopted. W. V. Kelley moved to reconsider that part of the paper adopted this morning relating to Dr. J. C. Morris, containing the amendment of J. M. Buckley. Passed. He then presented a paper which, after incorporating a part of the aforesaid amendment, was adopted. Resolved, That we earnestly request the Rev. Dr. J. C. Morris, fraternal delegate from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to re- turn to Cleveland as our guest during the session, that he may be in- troduced to the body, and that we may be able to extend to him the hospitality which he has a right to claim, and which reciprocity requires us to manifest to any delegate from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and for a proper public reception on May 18, with his associate, the Hon. E. B. Perkins, the lay fraternal delegate, who informs us that he will be here at that time to fulfill his duties as a messenger to this body. A copy of the Journal to each dele- gate. Committees announced. The call of Conferences was resumed. On motion of J. G. Eckman, the Publishing Agents at New York were instructed to forward, by mail or otherwise, a copy of the Journal of this General Con- ference to each of the delegates of the Conference and to each of the Bishops. T. B. Neely moved that the several districts at once report their nominations of appointments of the several committees that have been ordered. The motion prevailed, and the Committees on Con- stitution, Judiciary, Lay Representation, and Consolida- tion of Benevolence were announced. The Bishops were requested to add three of their number to the Committee on Constitution. Andrew Schriver moved that when the committees shall be duly organized and completed, the Secretary shall have printed the committees and officers of the committees, and the place and time of meeting of these committees, on a suitable piece of paper, so it can 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 103 Secretary to furnish in- formation and station- ery. Solemniz- ing mar- riage. be put in the hands of every delegate; and that the 2^H® Ay Secretary be instructed to furnish the secretaries of Morning. these committees with the necessary stationery. Adopted. On motion of F. M. Bristol, the secretary of the Com- mittee on Entertainment was instructed to furnish the Secretary with the places where the committees are to meet. Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop H. W. Warren. The following Resolutions were passed to the Secre- tary : CENTRAL ILLINOIS. J. G. Evans presented the following resolution, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Whereas, Marriage is not a sacrament, but the solemnizing of a civil contract in harmony with God's ordination of the marriage and family relation ; and, Whereas, It is highly important that pastors be authorized to solem- nize marriage ; therefore, * Resolved, That all pastors, whether ordained ministers or local preachers, shall be authorized to perform the marriage ceremony in all places where the civil statute does not confine this right to ordained ministers. EAST OHIO. D. H. Muller presented the following resolution, signed by himself, respecting the election of additional Bishops, which was referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy: Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy be requested to consult with the Board of Bishops and to report to the General Conference, on or before the tenth day of May, whether in their judgment and in the judgment of the Committee any additional Bishops, and how many, are necessary for the Episcopal work of the coming quadrennium. IOWA. T. J. Myers presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Whereas, The New Testament clearly recognizes the order of evangelists in the Church ; and, Whereas, There is a growing demand for the labors of such persons as may be called an efficient in evangelistic work ; and, Wltereas, This demand has brought into the field many self-con- stituted, irresponsible, and unreliable persons who, in instances not a few, have caused divisions in the Church by teaching heretical doctrines and introducing fanatical practices, also by disregarding the constituted authority of the Church ; therefore, be it Additional Bishops. Evangelists 104 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 6 « Resolved, That this General Conference make such provision for the * official recognition and appointment of duly credited persons, ordained or unordained, to the evangelistic work. Morning. KENTUCKY. Daniel Stevenson presented the following resolutions, which were referred to the Committee on the State of the Church : Salaries of officers. Change in Historical Statement. Authority of unordained preachers. , Whereas, The salaries of all the Pastors and Presiding Elders of the Church are regularly reported and published in the Minutes of the Annual Conferences ; and, Whereas, It is proper that one law should apply to all who are sup- ported by the Church ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the salary of every person who holds office by General Conference election, together with what is paid him for traveling or other expenses, be published in any regular annual finan- cial report that may issue from his department of the work of the Church. 2. That it is the sense of this General Conference that the salaries of the officers elected by it should not be exceptionally large as com- pared with the salaries of the pastors in the leading charges in the cities in which such officers are compelled to reside ; and especially the salaries of officers of the societies supported by the contributions of the members of the Church. He also presented the following; which was referred to the Committee on Revisals : Resolved, That the following change be made in the Historical Statement, page 13, fourth paragraph. Instead of the language be- ginning with the words, " In the year 1766 Philip Embury," and ending with the words, at the top of page 14, " preaching there and forming societies," let this part of the paragraph read . as follows: "About the year 1759 or 1760 Robert Strawbridge, a Wesleyan local preacher from Ireland, settled in Frederick County, Maryland, and about the year 1764 organized a class and soon thereafter built a church there. In the year 1766 Philip Embury, another Wesleyan local preacher from Ireland, began to preach in New York city, and formed a Society, now John Street Church ; and another local preacher, Thomas Webb, Captain in the British army, preached in the hired room near the barracks." MICHIGAN. M. M. Callen presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That the Committee on Revisals are hereby requested to consider the desirability of adding a paragraph to Chapter VI in the Discipline on Quarterly Conferences, as follows : " When an unordained preacher, either local or traveling, shall be appointed as preacher in charge of any circuit or station, the Quarterly Conference of such circuit or station may at its discretion, upon the recommendation of the Presiding Elder, confer upon such unordained preacher authority to solemnize matrimony and to administer bapti.sm within the bounds of the circuit or station to which he has been ap- pointed ; but such authority must in all cases terminate with the close of the preacher's pastoral relation to that charge." 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 105 NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. B. Hingeley presented the following resolution, was which referred to the Committee on Education : Resolved, That, in arranging the Course of Study for traveling preachers, the Bishops be directed to include a series of text-books on the subject of sociology. NORTH NEBRASKA. T. L. Matthews presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church: Whereas, Under the laws as they now are governing the Methodist Church the membership have practically no power, except the expres- sion of an opinion, that cannot be overcome by the vote of one fourth and one ministers ; and, Whereas, We believe that on all questions that are of sufficient importance to submit to the vote of the Annual Conference that the membership should have a voice and a vote that would count for some- thing ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on the State of the Church be and is hereby instructed to prepare such legislation as may be necessary to the end that on all questions submitted to the Annual Conferences the membership may also vote and have their votes counted. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. W. S. Matthew presented the following resolution, signed by himself and two others, concerning the ad- mission of laymen in the Annual Conference, which was referred to the Committee on Lay Representation: Resolved, That we believe the time has come when, under proper safeguards, laymen should be admitted to representation in the Annual Conference. WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented the following resolution, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That the Book Agents be requested to print our Articles of Religion and General Rules in all further editions of the Church Hymnal. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary: ARKANSAS. J. H. Clendenning presented a memorial from the Lay Electoral Conference asking for subsidies to papers. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Also, a memorial from the Lay Electoral Conference asking for equal lay and .ministerial representation. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. Also, one from the Arkansas Electoral Conference re- lating to consolidation of educational societies. Referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences. MAY 6. Fifth Da v Morning. Course of Study. Church member- ship more power. Lay repre- sentation. Articles of Religion in. HymnaL Subsidies to papers. Equal rep- resentation. Consolida- tion of ed- ucational societies. 106 Journal of the General Conference. [1890. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Admission of women. Little Rock University. Conference treasurer. Time limit. Also, one from the same Conference relating to the admission of women as delegates to the General Confer- ence. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. J. H. Clendening presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education: Whereas, There is within the borders of the Arkansas Conference an educational institution in which is invested upward of $60,000, and, to the discredit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, has for some time remained closed ; and, Whereas, The record of our Church is that it is a Church of progress that makes no retrograde movements ; therefore, be it Resolved, by the Arkansas Lay Electoral Conference, That the Little Eock University should be rehabilitated and placed upon such a busi- ness footing as will inspire the confidence of the preachers of the Arkansas Conference and members and friends of our Church in its permanency ; and when the Church and laity have done what they can, the great Methodist Episcopal Church should do whatever may be found necessary to supplement their labors, and to make it a Methodist Epis- copal success. BALTIMORE. W. S. Edwards presented a memorial, signed by George Maydwell, Secretary of the Baltimore Confer- ence, respecting the election of Conference treasurer. Referred to Committee on Revisals. John Lanahan presented a memorial from the Balti- more Conference concerning the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. San Fran- cisco Book Depository. Donations of books. Time limit. Church insurance. CALIFORNIA. M. D. Buck presented a memorial from A. T. Need- ham and others concerning the relation of the San Francisco Book Depository. Referred to the Commit- tee on the Book Concern. Also, one from the Conference asking for donations of books to the United States Army. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Also, one from the California Conference concerning the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itin- erancy. Also, one relating to church insurance, which was referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. CENTRAL ILLINOIS. Missionary Department 3amuel Van Pelt presented a memorial, signed by E. League. N. Edgerton and others, respecting Missionary Depart- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 107 merit in Epwortk League. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. J. G. Evans presented a memorial, signed by himself and others, concerning the examination of local preachers. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Also, one regarding the use of unfermented wine for communion purposes. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. A memorial was presented from the Wenona Quar- terly Conference relating to the probationary system. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. MAY 6. Fifth Dai' Morning. Local preachers. Unfer- mented wine. Probation- ers. Quarterly Confer- ences. Pastors' statistical reports. Evangelists Amuse- ments. Time limit. CENTRAL NEW YORK. R. D. Munger presented a memorial relating to the time for the Quarterly Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial from M. P. Blakeslee on the subject of pastors' statistical reports. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial from the Central New York Conference concerning evangelists. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. T. R. Green presented a memorial from the Epworth League of Syracuse District on the subject of amuse- ments. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial from the Syracuse Methodist Preachers' Meeting on the removal of the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. CENTRAL OHIO. J. L. Albrittoh presented a memorial from twenty- seven Quarterly Conferences of Toledo District and the Methodist Preachers' Meeting of Toledo relating to presidents of Ladies' Aid Societies. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. CENTRAL SWEDISH. J. F. Wigren presented memorials by Alfred Ander- Boundaries, son and others, by Martin Hess and others, and by O. Bs Sjotrolm and others. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. He also presented a memorial, signed by K. H. Elmstrom and others, respecting report of Publication Ladies' Aid Societies. Publication Committee. 108 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Epworth League. Equal rep- resentation. Reunion of Churches. Work of Bishops. Changes in Discipline. Time limit. Committee, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. CINCINNATI. G. B. Johnson presented a memorial, signed by W. E. Brooks, respecting the printing of Epworth League statistics in Annual Conference Minutes. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. Also, one from the Lay Association of Cincinnati Con- ference calling for equal lay and ministerial representa- tion. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. Also, one from the same association looking toward an early reunion of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Also, one from the same association concerning the the work of the Bishops. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Also, one from the same association asking for cer- tain changes in the- Discipline. Referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals. Also, one from the same association relating to the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. Insurance of church property. Pastoral support. Preachers without ap- pointment. COLORADO. D. L. Rader presented from the Rocky Ford Quarterly Conference a memorial concerning insurance of church property. Referred to the Committee on Church Ex- tension. A memorial was presented from H. M. Mayo con- cerning pastoral support. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Also, one from W. F. Steel relating to leaving preachers without appointment to attend school. Re- ferred to the Committee on Education. Change of name of society. Enabling act. DELAWARE. H. A. Monroe presented a memorial, signed by him- self and others, asking for a change of name of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. Re- ferred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid. J. H. Scott presented from the Delaware Conference a memorial asking for an enabling act. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. 1896.] Journal of the General Confereiice. 109 DES MOINES. MAY 6. Fifth Day L. M. Shaw presented a memorial, signed by himself, Morning. concerning the employment of preachers or evangelists. Evan e ellsts Referred to the Committee on Revisals. DETROIT. W. H. Shier presented a memorial for the establish- ment of a Methodist magazine. Referred to the Com- mittee on the Book Concern. Also, one concerning young people's societies. Re- ferred to the Committee on Epworth League. Also, one from the Preachers' Meeting of Detroit for a revision of the Discipline concerning certificates of removal. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. EAST MAINE. A memorial was presented, signed by D. H. Tribou and J. H. W. Wharff, concerning sociology. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. EAST OHIO. D. H. Muller presented a memorial in behalf of the Methodist Ministers' Meeting of Cleveland concerning episcopal residences. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Also, one signed by F. L. Chalker and others respect- ing a Book Depository. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. ERIE. J. N. Fradenburgh and others presented a memorial concerning the " Itinerant's School of Literature and Theology." Referred to the Committee on Education. A. J. Merchant presented a memorial recommending to revise certain paragraphs in the Discipline relating to full membership. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. GENESEE. A memorial was presented from the Buffalo Preach- ers' Meeting relating to the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. IDAHO. J. D. McCulley presented a memorial in behalf of the Boundaries. Quarterly Conferences of the Oregon District. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. Methodist magazine. Young peo- ple's so- cieties. Certificates of removal. Sociology. Episcopal residences. Book De- pository. Itinerant's School. Full mem- bership. Time limit. 110 Journal of the General Conference, [1896. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Consolida- tion of be- nevolences. Election of General Conference officers. Bishops and presiding elders. Change in Discipline. Smaller hymnal. Boundaries. Episcopal residence in Europe. Central Council in Europe. Central Standing Committee. INDIANA. H. J. Talbott presented a memorial from the Central Presiding Elders' Convention concerning consolidation of benevolent societies. Referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences. He also presented a memorial from the Central Pre- siding Elders' Convention concerning the election of General Conference officers. Referred to the Com- mittee on the State of the Church. He also presented a memorial concerning districting the Bishops and coordinate power for Presiding Elders. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. IOWA. C. L. Stafford presented a memorial from the Iowa Conference asking for a change in the Discipline pro- viding that unordained pastors may solemnize marriage under State laws. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. He also presented a memorial, signed by himself, con- cerning the publishing of a smaller hymnal. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. He also presented a memorial from the Laurel Street Mission and Pittsfield Mission, Iowa, and of Springfield and Pittsfield, 111. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. ITALY. William Burt, in behalf of the Central Council of Conferences and Missions in Europe, presented a me- morial for the establishment of an episcopal residence in Europe. Referred to the Committee on Episco- pacy. He also presented a memorial, signed by J. M. Erik- son and William Burt, respecting a Central Council in Europe. Referred to the Committee on Church Exten- sion. JAPAN. Eiji Asada presented from the Lay Electoral Confer- ence a memorial for the establishment of a Central Standing Committee, and one for lay representatives in the Annual Conference, and one concerning the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Missions. Yoitsu Honda presented a memorial from the Annual 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. Ill Conference for lay representation in the Conference, MAY *». J r ' Fifth Day which was referred to the Committee on Missions, and Morning- one from the Conference asking for an episcopal resi- sentatftif." dence, which was referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy. He also presented a petition from the Fukuoka and Boundaries. Nagasaki District Conferences. Referred to the Com- mittee on Boundaries. Eiji Asada presented a memorial from the Japan Lay Time limit. Electoral Conference asking for the removal of the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. LEXIXGTOX. E. W. S. Hammond presented a memorial from the Lexington Annual Conference asking for an enabling act for the division of the Conference into two Annual Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Bound- aries. LOUISIANA. J. F. Marshall presented a memorial from the Louisiana Conference asking for an enabling act per- mitting the division of the Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Enabling act. Enabling act. « MEXICO. J. W. Butler presented a memorial from the Mexico Conference concerning the Mexico Christian Advocate. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Mexico Christian Advocate. MICHIGAN. Levi Master presented a memorial asking a reduction p* in the term of probationary membership, the Committee on the State of the Church. •obation- ary mem- Referred to bership - MISSOURI. J. H. Poland presented a memorial, signed by him- self and others, asking that some relief be given to unordained ministers as to administering the rite of baptism and solemnizing matrimony. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. He also presented a memorial from the same Confer- ence asking that changes be made in Discipline relative to probation. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. 8 Baptism and sol- emnizing matrimony. Probation- ers. 112 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. 1 101. Support of pastors. Definition of bound- aries. Missionary collection. Election of officers. Duties of deacons. Boston University. He also presented a memorial from the same Con- ference relating to paragraph 101 of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. J. J. Bentley presented a memorial, signed by him- self and J. I. Ware, concerning the support of pastors. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. NEWARK. S. L. Baldwin presented certified definition of boundaries, signed by John F. Dodd, Secretary of the Conference. Referred to the Committee on Bound- aries. He also presented a memorial from the same Confer- ence concerning missionary collection. Referred to the Committee on Missions. H. A. Buttz presented a memorial from the New- ark Conference concerning election of General Con- ference officers. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. Memorials were presented from the Newark Confer- ence and Roseville Church concerning duties of deacons. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. NEW ENGLAND. W. F. Warren presented the Quadrennial Report of Boston University School of Theology. Referred to the Committee on Education. Missionary work among the French. Home De- partment of Sunday schools. Change in H 351. NEW HAMPSHIRE. S. E. Quimby presented a memorial from the New Hampshire Conference concerning missionary work among the French. Referred to the Committee on Mis- sions. He also presented a memorial from the same Con- ference asking that the General Conference take action relative to the Home Department of Sunday schools. Referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts. NEW JERSEY. J. L. Roe presented a memorial recommending the change of paragraph 351 of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Missions. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 113 NEW YORK EAST. MAY 6. Fifth Day G. E. Reed presented a memorial from the New Morning. York East Conference relating to the time limit. Re- Time limit - ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy. NORTH CHINA. H. H. Lowry presented a memorial from the North r ^ d | c n ° c p e a i China Conference requesting an episcopal residence in Eastern Asia. Referred to the Committee on Missions. Eastern Asia. NORTH DAKOTA. J. D. Wallace presented a memorial from the North Dakota Lay Electoral Conference relating to lay dele- gation. Referred to the Committee on Lay Represen- tation. NORTH INDIA. E. W. Parker presented a memorial from the Central Conference of India asking for several changes in the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial from the same Confer- ence on the subject of missionary episcopacy. Re- ferred to the Committee on Missions. E. W. Parker presented a memorial on the financial situation. Referred to the Committee on Missions. Lay dele- gates. Changes in Discipline. Missionary episcopacy. Financial situation. NORTH INDIANA. W. D. Parr presented a memorial on revising the Ritual. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. H. N. Herrick presented a memorial with reference to the Committee on Estimating the Pastors' Salaries. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. He also presented one relating to superannuated and supernumerary preachers. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. A. E. Mahin presented a memorial, signed by M. A. Harlan, respecting boundaries. Referred to the Com- mittee on Boundaries. W. D. Parr presented a memorial on behalf of C. M. Moore, et al, to amend paragraph 88 of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. II. N. Herrick presented from the delegation a me- morial concerning the Sunday School Board. Referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts. Ritual. Pastors* salaries. Superan- nuated and supernu- merary preachers. Boundaries. Sunday School Board. 114 MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Boundaries. Time iimit. Journal of the General Conference. [1896. 1 170. Course of Study. Missionary Vice Presi- dent of the Epworth League. Lay repre- sentation. Boundaries. Probation- ary system. Boundaries. Church paper. A. E. Mahin presented memorials from the Quarterly- Conferences of Kokomo District and Goshen District, from Broadway, Market Street, and Wheatland Street Churches of Logansport, and from E. L. Seaman. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. B. Hingeley presented a memorial, signed by him- self, concerning the removal of the time limit. Re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy. He also presented a memorial asking for a change in paragraph 170, section 3, of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. A memorial was presented from C. M. Heard and others relating to Course of Study. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. NORTHERN NEW YORK. C. J. Little presented a memorial from teachers and students of the Garrett Biblical Institute asking for a Missionary Vice President of the Epworth League. Re- ferred to the Committee on Epworth League. NORTH NEBRASKA. T. L. Matthews presented from the Lay Electoral Conference a memorial concerning lay representation. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. v NORTH OHIO. W. F. Whitlock presented the minutes of the boundary commission of the North Ohio and the Central Ohio Con- ferences. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. NORTHWEST INDIANA. Allen Lewis presented a memorial, signed by himself, concerning the modifying of the probationary system. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. W. H. Hickman presented a memorial in behalf of the presiding elders of the Northwest Indiana Confer- ence concerning the boundary line of their Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. NORWAY. Andres Olsen presented a memorial, signed by him- self, respecting a Church paper. Referred to the Com- mittee on the Book Concern. 1896. J Journal of the General Conference. 115 MA Y 6. Fifth Day Morning. Baptized children. NORWEGIAN AND DANISH. , N. E. Simonsen presented a memorial, signed by him- self, respecting Church relation of baptized children. Referred to Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial, signed by himself and Boundarie s- M. J. Rihl, respecting the division of the Norwegian and Danish Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. He also presented a memorial for a subsidy to the Talsmand. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. OKLAHOMA. J. F. Palmer presented a memorial from the Okla- homa Conference relating to Quarterly Conferences. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Subsidy. Quarterly Conferences OREGON. G. W. Gue presented a memorial from the Oregon Conference relating to the Pacific Christian Advocate. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. John Parsons presented a memorial from the Oregon Conference relating to episcopal residence. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Pacific Christian Advocate. Episcopal residence. PHILADELPHIA. S. W. Thomas presented a memorial from Miss M. R. Burton for a change of Catechism No. 1. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial for the liquidation of Church debts. Referred to the Committee on Tem- poral Economy. He also presented a memorial from the Philadelphia Lay Electoral Conference relating to the election of stewards. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. J. E. James presented a memorial from the Lay Electoral Conference of Philadelphia Conference re- lating to lay delegates. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. ROCK RIVER. Lewis Curts presented the report of the Western Book Concern. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Catechism No. 1. Church debts. Stewards. Lay dele- gates. Report of Western Book Con- cern. 116 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Evangelists Time limit. Mission Confer- ences. Missionary Bishops. Division of South America Conference. Southwest- ern Chris- tian Advo- cate. 1 1 254, 261. Lay dele- gates. Evangelists Time limit. Boundaries. Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. P. H. Swift presented a memorial from the Board of Examination concerning evangelists, and one from the Chicago Preachers' Meeting relating to the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. SOUTH AMERICA. C. W. Drees presented a memorial relating to the erection of Mission Conferences for the west coast of South America, ana an enabling act for Annual Con- ference organization. Also, a memorial relating to the election of Mis- sionary Bishops and providing for an episcopal resi- dence in South America. Also, a memorial concerning the division of the South America Conference. They were all referred to the Committee on Missions. SOUTH CAROLINA. J. E. Wilson presented a memorial relating to change of location of the Southwestern Christian Advocate. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. SOUTH GERMANY. A. G. Bruns presented a memorial requesting a change in paragraphs 254 and 261 of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. TEXAS. T. A. Fortson presented a memorial, signed by him- self, concerning lay delegates. Referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals. TROY. J. H. Coleman presented a memorial on the subject of Conference evangelists. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. He also presented a memorial concerning the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. UPPER MISSISSIPPI. Richard Sewell presented a memorial from the Quar- terly Conference of Shrock Circuit concerning bound- aries. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. P. O. Jamison presented a memorial concerning a proposed change of name of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. Referred to the Com- mittee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 117 He also presented a memorial, signed by himself, concerning the Southxoestern Christian Advocate. Re- ferred to the Committee on the Book Concern. MAY 6. Fifth Day Morning. Southwest- ern Chris- tian Advo- cate. WASHINGTON. W. H. Brooks presented a memorial, signed by Time limit - himself and three others, asking that the time limit be not removed. Referred to the Committee on Itiner- ancy. WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented the appeal of S. S. Benedict t^g^?: from the rulings of Bishop Fowler. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. WESTERN NORWEGIAN-DANISH. C. J. Larson presented a memorial, signed by himself pape? and M. Nelson, respecting a Church paper. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. WILMINGTON. Merritt Hulburd presented the following memorial, signed by A. S. Mowbray, Secretary of the Wilming- ton Conference, respecting change in course of study, which was referred to the Committee on Education : Resolved, L That the General Conference be and is hereby petitioned to so change the Discipline that some suitable recognition be made of the educational attainments of the graduates of our educational institu- tions. 2. That the Board of Bishops be and hereby are petitioned to so change the Course of Study that requirements for admission in one of the courses of study shall at least be equal to the curriculum of studies of a first-class academy. Merritt Hulburd also presented the following memo- rial, signed by A. S. Mowbray, respecting removal of the time limit, which was referred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Whereat, The removal of the time limit will, in all probability, come Time limit, before the ensuing General Conference ; and, Whereas, A mere majority vote of the General Conference is suffi- cient to effect said removal ; and, Whereas, We believe that the removal of the time limit would ulti- mately result in the total destruction of the historic itinerancy of Methodism ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That we hereby record our solemn protest against such a radical change in our economy without deference to the wishes of the Church and an expression by the Annual Conferences. Change in Course of Study. 118 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. iMAY 6. 2. That we hereby instruct our delegates to the General Conference Fifth Day tnat they shall observe and carry out the spirit and letter of this Morning. paper by both voice and vote in the committee room and on the floor of the General Conference. Trustees of local churches. Consolida- tion of Church papers. WISCONSIN. E. S. McChesney presented a memorial relating to the election of trustees of local churches, one with reference to Electoral Conferences, one referring to stewards, and one relating to the superintendents of Junior League Chapters. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. G. H. Trever presented a memorial, signed by himself and others, respecting deaconesses. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial, signed by himself and others, respecting the consolidation of the Western, Northwestern, and Central Christian Advocates. Re- ferred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Change in Discipline. Time limit. WYOMING. A. J. Van Cleft presented a memorial, signed by himself, concerning change of Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented the following memorial, which was referred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Wliereas, In all probability the question of the removal of the time limit will come before the next General Conference ; and, Whereas, We believe that such removal would be destructive of our historic itinerancy ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That we as a Conference hereby place ourselves upon record against any change looking to the removal of the time limit until the majority of the Church membership shall demand it, and the con- currence of three fourths of the members of the Annual Conferences shall be secured. 2. That we instruct our delegates to uphold by voice, vote, and influence this resolution. 3. That this resolution is not to be construed as opposed to any plan that may be provided for exceptional cases. may 7. THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 7. Sixth Day Morning. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m.. Bishop Cyrus D. Foss presiding. Devotional The devotional services were conducted by W. N, services. J Brodbeck, of the New England Conference. 1890. Journal of the General Conference. 119 Copy of Journal to fraternal delegates. Roll corrected. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- g^crsDAT proved. Morning. W. N. Brodbeck moved the appointment of a COm- approved, mittee of eleven on deaconess work, to be appointed by De wo°rk ess the Bishops, to which all matters relating to that work be referred. H. G. Whitlock moved that the commit- tee consist of one from each General Conference Dis- trict and one at large. The amendment was lost, and the original resolution was adopted. G. D. Lindsay moved that a copy of the Journal of this General Conference be sent by the New York Book Concern to each fraternal delegate who has visited or may visit this body. Passed. J. N. Fradenburgh moved that the roll be corrected by making Charles W. Nichols the first reserve lay delegate and Gordon B. Chase the second reserve lay delegate, the ballots cast for these persons having so related them. Passed. J. B. Hingeley presented the following, which was adopted : Whereas, In the copy of the roll of the General Conference, as printed in the Daily Christian Advocate, and in the printed roll call for the use of the Secretary, the name of Leonidas Merritt appears as the first lay delegate, which is an error; and, Whereas, The official Minutes of the Lay Electoral Conference of the Northern Minnesota Conference show that Jacob F. Force received 55 votes and Leonidas Merritt 47 ; therefore, Resolved, That the Secretary of this Conference be instructed to make the necessary correction in the official Journal of the Conference and in the printed roll-call, and that this correction be made in the columns of the Daily Christian Advocate. J. H. Coleman moved that the Order of the Day, Eligibility, the report of the Committee on Eligibility, be taken up. Carried. The report was presented and read as follows : Your Committee on Eligibility respectfully submits the following report : We agree on the following points : 1. That the question of eligibility is a constitutional question. 2. That the General Conference has full power, in its judicial capacity, to interpret the Constitution, the question being raised on & case which properly invokes the judicial function. 3. That the terms of paragraph 62 are such as to admit of serious doubt, and raise questions on which your committee is unable to agree. • We therefore recommend for your consideration, first, that under paragraph 68 the General Conference act upon the following : That section 2, paragraph 67, be altered by striking out all the 120 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 7. words in said section following the word " provided " in the fifth line Sixth Day of said section, and substitute the following: "That no person shall Morning. De chosen a delegate to the General Conference, or to an Electoral Conference, who shall be under twenty-five years of age, or who shall not have been a member of the Church in full connection for the five consecutive years preceding the election ; and provided, also, that no Conference shall be denied the privilege of one ministerial and one lay delegate ; provided, nevertheless, that where there shall be in any Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Conference shall be en- titled to an additional delegate for such fraction," so that the entire section shall read : "Sec. 2. The General Conference shall not allow more than one ministerial representative for every fourteen members of an Annual Conference, nor of a less number than one for every forty-five, nor of more than two lay delegates for any Annual Conference ; provided, that no person shall be chosen a delegate to the General Conference, or to an Electoral Conference, who shall be under twenty-five years of age, or who shall not have been a member of the Church in full con- nection for the five consecutive years preceding his or her election ; and provided, also, that no Conference shall be denied the privilege of one ministerial and one lay delegate ; provided, nevertheless, that where there shall be in any Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Con- ference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such fraction." Resolved, 1. That the foregoing, having received a majority of two thirds of this General Conference, the Bishops be and are hereby in- structed to submit to the several Annual Conferences, at their first sessions following the adjournment of this General Conference, the foregoing alteration of section 2 of paragraph 67, for the concurrence of the members of said Annual Conferences, and if it shall be found that a majority of three fourths of all the members of the several Annual Conferences concur in such alteration, they shall declare the fact through the official papers of the Church, proclaiming that section 2 of paragraph 67 has been amended as above, in accordance with the provision of paragraph 68 of the Discipline. 2. That, in consideration of the general desire for the early and final settlement of the whole question, and in view of the proposed submission to the Annual Conferences, we recommend that no formal decision of the question of eligibility be made at this time. The challenge not having been judicially passed upon those occupy- ing the seats in question do so under a title in dispute, yet without prejudice to the rights of either challengers or challenged, and without establishing a precedent. Respectfully submitted, A. J. Kynett, Chairman. E. T. Nelson, J. S. Hill, L. J. Price, H. A. Gobin, Samuel Dickie, L. M. Shaw, Earl Cranston, T. J. Langston, D. H. Moore, J. W. Hamilton, J. M. Buckley, C. J. Little, T. H. Murrav, J. K Chaffee, L. 0. Jones, W. A. Knighten, W. 0. Emory, H. R. Brill, A. W. Harris, H. K. Carroll, S. M. Coon, A. B. Leonard, W. F. T. Bushnell, J. W. Stewart, J. F. Caples, G. R. Townseud. A. J. Kynett moved its adoption. W. F. Warren presented the following as a substi- tute for the report : Whereas, Prior to the year 1872, any of our laws relating to the Constitution and working of the General Conference, except those known as the Restrictive Rules, could properly and legally be changed by a majority vote of those who originated them ; namely, the mem- bers of the Annual Conferences ; and, 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 121 Whereas, Since 1872, a majority of the same voters, when acting in MAY 7. accordance with the known will of a majority of the laity duly entitled Sixth Day to vote, can properly and legally change any law relating to the Morning. General Conference, except the Restrictive Rules ; and, Whereas, A large majority both of the members of the Annual Con- ferences and of the laity entitled to vote are known to favor the eligibility of women to the General Conference; therefore, Resolved, That in view of the known sentiment of a large majority of the ministry and laity on this question, and also in view of the known scruples of conscience entertained by a beloved and esteemed minority touching the scripturalness of the equal eiligibility and authority of men and women in the government of the Church of God, we hereby invite the members of the Annual Conferences to vote at their regular sessions in the year 1896-97 upon this question, to wit: Shall the following paragraph be inserted in the Discipline immediately after paragraph 58 of the Discipline of 1892, namely: "Paragraph 59. Women, duly qualified, may be chosen as lay delegates by any Elec- toral Conference, the male members of which, without debate, by a majority vote, declare their judgment that women should be eligible ; provided, that in no case more than one half of the delegation or re- serve delegation shall be women." Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the Bishops to submit the foregoing question to the members of the Annual Conferences to re- port to the Church the result of the vote as soon as completed, it being understood that if a majority of those present and voting shall favor the insertion of the proposed paragraph the eligibility of women will thereby be established in the mode and to the extent therein provided. Resolved, That in view of the manifest ambiguity of the actions and omissions of action on the part of previous General Conferences rela- tive to the eligibility of women, and in view of the grave dissensions which their admission by a judicial vote of this Conference would precipitate, we deem it premature and unwise to decide at this time the judicial question involved, or to change in any wise the present statues of the four women elected in good faith by the Electoral Conferences. On motion of G. P. Mains the substitute was laid on the table. L. F. Wilson moved to strike out so much of the report as relates to the declaration of the right of this body to sit as a judicial body. On motion of W. D. Cherington, it was laid on the table. On motion, Rule 18 was suspended. A. J. Kynett moved the adoption of the first three items of the report, which was carried. He then moved the adoption of the last section of the report, which was also adopted; and the report, as a whole, was then adopted. (See Report, p. 417.) A. B. Leonard moved that we proceed to call the roll on the proposition to adopt this by this General Con- ference by a two thirds vote. J. C. Arbuckle moved to postpone until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. 122 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. merit. sSthdaV ^ ev * -M- aster m oved to amend by making it 9 o'clock Morning. tO-m01TOW morning. Both amendments were laid on the table, and the original motion was adopted. The roll was called by the Secretary, and the vote was as follows : V cwstftu? e Ayes: Ackerman, Adams (B. F.), Adams (J. W.), amTnd- Albert, Albritton, Albrook, Alderman, Allen (C. T.), Allen (E. W.), Ailing, Allison, Anderson, Arbuckle, Asada, Ash, Ashley, Ayres, Baker, Baketel, Baldwin, Bamford, Barclay, Barlow, Barrett (G. A.), Barrett (L. E.), Bashford (J. W.), Bates, Belt, Bennett (C. W.), Bentley, Benton, Berry (J. F.), Bills, Bird (B. O.), Booth (G. M.), Boreing, Borland, Bowen (G. H.), Bowen (G. W.), Bowen (J. W. E.), Bradley, Brant, Bridgman, Brill, Bristol, Broaddus, Brodbeck, Brooks, Browne (F. G.), Brown (W. L.), Buchtel, Buck, Buell, Bulkley, Burt, Bushnell, Butler, Cady, Callen, Caples, Carr, Carroll, Carter, Chadwick, Chaffee, Chamberlin, Cheney, Chenoweth, Cherington, Childs, Clark (C. B.), Clark (H. C), Clark (H. D.), Clark (O. H.), Clark (T. J.), Clendenning, Cobern, Colbern, Collett, Cook, Copeland, Corkran, Courtney, Cowan, Coyle, Cox, Cranston, Crook, Crozier, Crumbaker, Cruzen, Cubilo, Cunningham, Curts, Daniels, Darling, Day, Dennison, Dickie, Dingley, Doherty, Drees, Eaton (E. L.), Eaton (Homer), Eckman, Edmonds, Emory, Erikson, Evans (J. G.), Evans (W. W.), Everett, Farnham, Fellows, Ferguson, Fiske, Foote, Forbes, Force, Ford, Fortson, Fowler (J. A.), Fox, Fradenburgh, Franklin, French (Henry), Fryhofer, Fry singer, Galeener, Gamer, Gary, Gaver, Gehrett, Gibson, Gidley, Gilluly, Gobin, Good- ing, Gordon, Gorton, Gould, Grawe (H. C), Gray, Graybeal, Gue, Hair, Hale, Halstead, Haley, Hamil- ton (James), Hamilton (J. W.), Hamilton (W. E.), Hammond (D. S.), Hammond (E. W. S.), Haney, Harlan, Harris, Hartzell, Haw, Hays, Heavenridge, Herrick, Hess, Hickman, Hill (G. H.), Hill (J. S.), Hills (C. D.), Hingeley, Hobbs, Hodgetts, Holden (A. M.), Holt (D. B.), Holt (John), Holtz, Honda, Hough, Hugar, Hughes (J. S.), Hulburd, Hunt (E. J.), Huntington, Huntley, Hutto, Jackson (H. G.), James, Jamison (J. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 123 W.) 3 Jamison (P. O.), Jennings (H. C), Jennings (W. T.), Johnson (G. B.), Johnson (J. R.), Jones (E. M.), Morning. Jones (L. O.), Jordan, Julian, Kellerman, Kelley, Kendall, Kepler, Ketron, Key, Keys, Kilbourne, King (J. D.), King (W. F.), Kinney, Kirby, Kittleman, Knighton, Kratz, Kumler, Kynett, Langston, Larson, Lasby, Latimer, Laylin, Leonard, Lewis (Allen), Lewis (W. H.), Libby, Lindsay, Lobeck, Logan (Wade H.), Logan (William H.), Long, Lothian, Lowther, Lowry, Magee, Martin, Mains, Mando, Manning, Mansfield, Mansur, Marsh, Marshall, Martin, Martindale, Mason, Massey, Master, Mathews (T. L.), Maveety, Maxfield, Maxwell, McBrien, McChesney, McCullough, McCully, McElroy, McFarland, McKay, McKissack, Merchant, Merrill (G. A.), Merrill (W. W.), Mick, Mickey, Miles, Miller (Emory), Miller (J. M.), Miller (O. P.), Miller (Ky.), Mills (E. M.), Mills (Jacob), Mitchell (F. G.), Mitchell (John), Monroe (D. S.), Monroe (H. A.), Moore, Morris (W. T.), Morrison, Morse (S. A.), Motter, Muller, Munger, Murdoch, Murphy (S. S.), Murray, Myers, Nagler, Needhani, Nelson, Newkirk, North, Noss, Nottingham, Osborne (D. C), Palmer (A. J.), Palmer (J. F.), Parker (E. W.), Parr, Parsons, Patterson, Patton, Payne, Penn, Perley, Perrin, Phil- lips, Pihl, Poland, Potts. Prather, Price, Quayle, Quimby, Rader (D. L.), Rader (L. S.), Randall, Reed (G. E.), Reed (Horace), Rees, Richards, Ridgway, Robinson, Roe, Romer, Rose, Ross, Rusling, Ryan, Sargent, Sawyer (E. J.), Sawyer (J. E. C), Scofield, Schriver, Scott (I. B.), Scott (J. E.), Scott (J. F.), Scott (T. J.), Sessions, Sewell, Sharp, Shaw, Sherburn, Shier, Shipman, Shoemaker, Shumpert, Smith (Alfred), Smith (C. W.), Smith (Erastus), Smith (Moses), Smith (W. T.), Smylie, Snyder, Spencer, Stafford (C. L.), Stafford (John), Starnes, Stemen, Stewart (J. W.), Stewart (L. H.), Stephens (J. H.), Stevens (W. H.), Stevenson, Stith, Sullivan, Swallow, Swann (Harry), Swarthout, Sweet (John), Sweet (W. H.), Swindells, Swift, Talbot (M. J.), Taylor (A. J.), Taylor (E. M.), Taylor (T. B.), Tennant, Teter, Thomas (I. L.), Thomas (S. W.), Thomas (W. H.), Thomson, Thorn- dike, Thrall, Townsend, Trever, Trimble (J. B.), 124 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 6, Sixth Day Morning. H. Soder- berg. Dr.Lathern. Reports of Missionary Bishops. Trousdale, Underwood, Upham, Van Cleft, Van Cleve, Van Pelt, Van Sant, Vodery, Walker, Wallace, Wallis, Walsh, Walworth, Ware, Warne, Warren, Waters, Waugh, Weakley, Whiting, Whitlock (E. D.), Whitlock (H. G.), Whitlock (W. F.), Wigren, Wilcox, Wilder, Willard, Williams (J. A.), Williams (J. E.), Willis (E. R.), Willis (T. H.), Wilson (J. E.j, Wilson (J. I.), Winchester, Wing, Witherspoon, Wolfe, Woods, Wright, Yocum, Young. — 425. Noes: Albright, Andrus, Appel, Bendixen, Bennett (G. S.), Biddle, Billups, Blumberg, Brown (J. H.), Bruns, Buckley, Buttz, Coleman, Coon, Core, Decker, Deininger, Dietz, Diggs, Diiring, Edman, Edwards, Fisher, Fowler (J. L.), French (John), Furer, Gillum, Gisler, Goucher, Graw (J. B.), Green, Griffin Gute- kunst, Guth, Hammond (C. D.), Hard, Harms, Henke, Haensler, Hughes (W. H.), Jackson (J. W.), Jackson (W. H.), Jacobs, Kern, Koch, Koeneke, Kost, Lampert, Lanahan, Leitch, Lemcke, Lindgren, Mace, Magill, Matthew (W. S.), McCabe, Miller (Pitts'g), Morris (C. D.), Morse (C. C), Mueller, Muenzenmayer, Nagler, Nast, Neely, Nichols, Osbon (E. S.), Parker (S. L.), Peake, Pierce, Plannette, Reed (George), Rigg, Roth- weiler, Ruble, Salzer, Schell, Schlagenhauf, Schutz, Scott (J. H.), Simonsen, Smith (G. W.), Soderberg, Spellmeyer, Sprague, Sturgiss, Swan (O. J.), Talbott (H. J.), Tanner (Jacob), Terry, Van Benschoten, Van Duesen, Wight, Wilbor, Wilker, Wilson (L. B.), Woodring, Wuhrraan, Zoller. — 98. Absent or not voting. — Booth (R. A.), Byrd (D. W.), Hagan, Hall, Holden, King (J. M.), Little, Morris (James), Pederson, Pritchard, Tanner (F. H.), Trimble (L. A.').— 12. Hjalman Soderberg, a reserve delegate from the Sweden Conference, was seated in the place of J. T. Jacobeson, unable to be present. The Rev. Dr. John Lathern, fraternal delegate from the Methodist Church of Canada, was intro- duced. On motion of J. H. Coleman, the reports of the Mis- sionary Bishops were made the Order of the Day for to-morrow at 9:30 a. m. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 125 The following communication was read by the Secretary: Cleveland, 0., May 5, 1896. To the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church : Dear Fathers and Brethren: On arriving in Cleveland I find that three of the women elected as lay delegates to your body have withdrawn from their places therein. Without my knowledge, while on this side of the water, my brethren, doubtless having economy in view, elected me to represent them here. I do not feel that I have any right to abandon the trust confided to me by the Foo-Chow Lay Electoral Conference. Should I withdraw, the reserve delegate, Miss Mabel C. Hartford, now at Dover, N. H., is.„the only one entitled to take my place. It seems plain then that the decision as to my eligibility is for your honorable body to make ; and that if the laity of the Foo-Chow Con- ference are unrepresented at this session I must be allowed to say to them on my return that it was because of the decision of the General Conference, and not because I voluntarily abandoned the duty which they, in good faith, committed to me. Yours in Christ, Lydia A. Trimble. S. L. Baldwin stated that as her seat was held in dis- pute, Miss Trimble respectfully withdraws. On motion of J. E. C. Sawyer, the report of the Committee on Rules of Order relating to the order of elections was taken up. The committee reported as follows: Your Committee on Rules, to which was referred the resolution of James H. Potts on the order of elections, report as follows: We recommend that the elections be by ballot, and in the following order : 1. Bishops. 2. Book Agents at New York. 3. Book Agents at Cincinnati. 4. Secretaries of the Missionary Society. 5. Secretaries of the Board of Church Extension. 6. Secretaries of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. 7. Secretary of the Sunday School Union and Tract Society. 8. Secretary of the Board of Education. 9. Editor of the Methodist Review. 10. Editor of The Christian Advocate. 11. Editor of the Western Christian Advocate. 12. Editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. 13. Editor of the Central Christian Advocate. 14. Editor of the Pittsburg Christian Advocate. 15. Editor of the Northern Christian Advocate. 16. Editor of the California Christian Advocate. 17. Editor of the Southvjestern Christian Advocate. 18. Editor of the Apologist. 19. Editor of Haus unci Herd. 20. Editor of the Epworth Herald. Nominations may be made in open Conference for all positions to be filled, except for Bishops. In the election of Bishops a majority of two thirds shall be required to constitute an election. Nominations shall be limited to the naming of the candidates. MAY 7. Sixth Dav Morning. Communi- cation from L. A. Trim- ble. Order of Elections, 126 Journal of the General Conference, [1896. MAY 7. Sixth Day Morning. Committees announced. Constitu- tional amend- ment. Missionary Bishops. Two sets of tellers shall be appointed, each section consisting of one from each General Conference District and one at large. Each section may carry forward its work in the absence of the other, but the tellers who may be out of the Conference engaged in examining the votes may deposit their ballots in the presence of two (2) tellers and a Con- ference secretary in case a ballot is taken by the body during their absence. In taking a ballot the following order shall be observed : 1. All persons not entitled to seats shall retire from the bar. 2. In taking the votes all delegates shall stand in their places. 3. The tellers shall collect the ballots, beginning at the front. 4. When the delegates have voted they shall resume their seats. 5. In case there are more or less names on a ballot than the number to be elected the ballot shall be thrown out. 6. It shall require a majority of all the votes cast to elect. 7. The tellers shall pour all the ballots into one pile, and they shall canvass the vote from one pile. 8. Ballots shall bear the initials as well as the surnames of the persons voted for Should initials be omitted in any case, and there be no other person in the Conference bearing the same surname, the ballot shall be counted. In any case of doubt the ballot or ballots shall be submitted to the Conference. 9. No teller or secretary shall give information in regard to the result of a ballot until the same shall be announced by the presiding officer. F. M. Bristol moved its adoption. J. F. Chaffee moved to strike out the words " two thirds " in the election of Bishops, and substitute " ma- jority." The amendment was, on motion of T. A. Fortson, laid on the table, and the report was adopted. Bishop Andrews announced the members at large -on the Committees on Judiciary, Consolidation of Benevo- lences, Constitution, and on General Conference Dis- tricts. (See Committees, pp. 359, 376.) The President stated with regard to the state of the vote on the sending down of the constitutional amend- ment recommended by the Committee on Eligibility to the Conferences that the whole number of votes cast on the subject of submitting to the Annual Conferences and approving, by two thirds vote, the proposed amendment of the second Restrictive Rule, was 523. Two thirds of that number would be 349. The " ayes 99 were 425 and the " noes 99 were 98, so the sub- mission is made by the two thirds vote required ac- cording to the Constitution. On motion of S. L. Baldwin, all papers on Mis- sionary Bishops were ordered to be sent to . the Commit- tee on Episcopacy. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 127 The Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop J. F. Hurst. The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary: CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. D. S. Monroe presented a resolution, signed by him- self, respecting the Sunday School Missionary Society, which was referred to the Committee on Missions : Resolved, That the following be substituted for paragraph 361 : " % 361. It shall be the duty of the Pastors to see that each Sunday school in our churches and congregations is organized into a Mission- ary Society according to the form of constitution presented in para- graph 38 of the Appendix to the Discipline. And the missionary con- tributions of the Sunday school shall be reported in a separate column in the benevolent contributions of the annual and general Minutes." D. S. Monroe also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, 1. That paragraph 76, question 24, " Who are the Triers of Appeal ? " be changed to read, " Who are the eighteen elected to be Triers of Appeals of the Annual Conference ? " 2. That in paragraph 216, section 1, line 5, all after the words "face to face " be stricken out, and insert : " if the said committee shall deem it advisable they shall formulate charges, and the accused shall be brought to trial as hereinafter provided for." 3. Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Presiding Elder of the ac- cused member of the Annual Conference to give him a certified copy of the charges and specifications and a reasonable time to prepare for his defense, and to fix the time and place for the trial ; to call together the triers of the members of the Annual Conference, of whom not less than nine or more than fifteen shall constitute the committee for trial; and further, he shall notify the Bishop having charge of the Confer- ence, who shall preside at the trial, or appoint a traveling elder to preside, and the records shall be kept by the secretary of the last Conference or one of his assistants. This court shall have full power to try, reprove, suspend, deprive of ministerial office and credentials, expel or acquit any member of the Annual Conference against whom charges may have been preferred subject to an appeal to the Judicial Conference. The present numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 shall become re- spectively 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7; omit paragraph 224, and number the re- maining paragraphs 224, 225, 226. MAY 7. Sixth Day Morning. Sunday School Mis- sionary So- ciety. Triers of Appeals. NORTH INDIANA. H. N. Herrick presented the following resolution, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Whereat, Membership in the Annual, District, and Quarterly Confer- ences carries with it certain rights and privileges that in the interest of the Church should not needlessly be surrendered by those elected to the office of General or Missionary Superintendent ; and, Whereas, The declaration of the Discipline is not sufficiently explicit to easily determine whether our Superintendents should be classed with the ministry or laity of the Church ; therefore, be it I Member- ship in An- nual, Dis- trict, and Quarterly Confer- ences. 128 MAY 7. Sixth Day Morning. Journal of the General Conference. [189G. Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy consider the propriety of recommending the amendment of paragraph 168, Discipline of 1892, by adding to it the following : "Whenever a minister has been elected a General or Missionary Bishop, he shall retain his membership in the Annual Conference from which he has been elected ; and he shall also have a seat in the Dis- trict and Quarterly Conferences where he may reside. Membership in these Conferences shall entitle him to all the rights and privileges be- longing thereto, except that he shall not be eligible as a delegate to the General Conference." Social re- form. Election of presiding elders. Power of Bishops and presiding elders. Lay repre- sentation. Missionary Bishops. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary : BALTIMORE. L. B. Wilson presented a memorial on social reform. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Alexander Ashley presented a memorial from the Lay Electoral Conference of the Baltimore Conference relating to the election of presiding elders. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. He also presented a memorial from the same Con- ference relating to coordinate power of Bishops and presiding elders. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. He also presented a memorial from the same Con- ference favoring lay representation in the Annual Con- ferences. Referred to the Committee on Lay Repre- sentation. BENGAL-BURMAH. F. W. Warne presented a memorial from the Bengal- Burmah Lay Electoral Conference relating to Missionary Bishops. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Boundaries. BLUE RIDGE. Augustus Graybeal presented a memorial, signed by himself and H. F. Ketron, asking for a change of boundaries. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Full mem- bership. Lay repre- sentation. CENTRAL NEW YORK. C. C. Wilbor presented a memorial, signed by W. O. Shepherd, on the subject of the reception of members into full membership. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. EAST GERMAN. C. C. Zoller presented a memorial from the East German Electoral Conference relating to lay repre- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 129 sentation, the time limit, the admission of women to MAY 7 * the General Conference, and other subjects. Referred Morning. to the Committee on the State of the Church. EAST TENNESSEE. J. S. Hill presented a memorial from the East Ten- gj^ff^ 11 nessee Conference for a change in boundary. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. FOO-CHOW. M. C. Wilcox presented a memorial asking for a Central Mission Conference in China. Referred to the Committee on Missions. He also presented a memorial relating to an epis- copal residence. Referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy. He also presented a memorial relating to the organi- zation of Hinghua Conference. Referred to the Com- mittee on Missions. JAPAN. Yoitsu Honda presented a memorial from the Japan Conference relating to an episcopal residence in Japan. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. He also presented a memorial from the same Confer- ence upon the subject of lay representation in the An- nual Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Missions. He also presented a petition from Elizabeth Russell and others for the organization of a Southern Mission Conference in Japan, and a like petition from the members of the Nagasaki Station. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. He also presented a pamphlet containing arguments for and against the organization of a Southern Japan Mission Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. He also presented a protest against the organization of a Southern Japan Mission Conference, signed by himself and two others. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. NEWARK. S. L. Baldwin presented a memorial from the Board of Managers of the Missionary Society requesting the Central Mis- sion Confer- ence in China. Episcopal residence. Organiza- tion of Hinghua Conference. Episcopal residence in Japan. Lay repre- sentation. Southern Mission Conference in Japan. Arguments. Protest. Constitu- tion of Missionary Society. 130 Journal of the General Conference. [1896.. MAY 7. Sixth Day Morning. Time limit. Superan- nuates. General Conference to change Article XI of the Consti- tution of the Society. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. NEW YORK EAST. G. E. Reed presented a memorial from the New York East Conference with reference to the time limit. Re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy. G. P. Mains presented a memorial, signed by J. B. Hamilton, respecting sustentation of superannuates. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Central Mission Conference. NORTH CHINA. H. H. Lowry presented a memorial, signed by himself and J. F. Scott, asking for the establishing of a Central Mission Conference in China. Referred to the Com- mittee on Missions. NORTH AND SOUTH GERMANY. Consolida- The delegation of these Conferences presented a Metnodisms memorial petitioning the General Conference regard- ing the consolidation of the Wesleyan Methodism in Germany and Austria with the Methodist Episcopal Church in those countries. Referred to the Committee on Missions. NORTH INDIANA. statistical W. D. Parr presented a memorial with reference to reports. r _ . statistical reports. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. Episcopal residence in Cleveland. Use of tobacco. NORTH OHIO. John Mitchell presented a memorial asking to make the city of Cleveland, O., an episcopal residence. Re- ferred to the Committee on Episcopacy. William Kepler presented a memorial from members of the New London Charge against the use of tobacco by church members. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. SAINT LQUIS GERMAN. Transfer of William Koeneke presented a memorial concerning the transfer of Helena, Mont., from the North Pacific to the North German Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. 189C] Journal of the General Conference. 131 SWEDEN. MAY 7 - Sixth Day J. M. Erikson presented a memorial requesting the Morning. time limit be removed in Sweden. Referred to the Time llmit - Committee on Itinerancy. WASHINGTON. W. H. Brooks presented a memorial with reference Time limit, to the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. I. L. Thomas presented a memorial, signed by him- L | t a e ^|^ d self, respecting the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. WESTERN SWEDISH. O. J. Swan presented a memorial, signed by C. G. Nelson and others, respecting the organization of the Northern Swedish Mission Conference into an Annual Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Northern Swedish Mission Conference. FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 8. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 o'clock a. it.. Bishop J. F. Hurst presiding. The devotional services were conducted by S. W. Thomas, of the Philadelphia Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- proved. TheSecretary called the roll of Committees. W. F. Whitlock moved that a Memorial Service be made the Order of the Day for next Friday, at half past 10 o'clock, and to be followed immediately with announcements and adjournment. Carried. The Committee on Reception presented Report No. I, which was read and adopted. (See Reports, p. 433.) On motion of L. A. Belt, the name of W. P. Stowe was added to the memorial list. The Secretary called the roll of Conferences for reso- lutions. L. B. Wilson presented the following: Whereas, The Discipline of the Church defines the powers of the General Conference as a legislative body, but makes no mention of its authority to sit as a judicial body except in the case of appeals ; and, Whereas, It is important that the several, functions of the General Conference be especially declared ; therefore, be it Re$olved f That the Committee on Judiciary be requested to prepare and submit for the action of this body a paragraph for insertion in the MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Memorial service. W.P. Stowe. General Conference as a judicial body. 132 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Book of Discipline defining the functions of the General Conference as a judicial body. A motion by J. W. Bashford to lay on the table was lost, and, on motion of M. M. Callen, it was referred to the Committee on Judiciary. J. M. King presented the following, and, on his mo- tion, it was adopted: National The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1892, denomina- recognizing the peril to the American principle of essential separation tional pur- of the functions of Church and State, as illustrated in the practice of poses. ^ e United States government in making sectarian appropriations for Indian education, directed any missionary or educational society under its control, which has received such appropriations, to decline there- after to either apply for or accept them. This has proved to be an historic action : The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and the National Council of Con- gregational Churches declared in this order against further participa- tion in the dangerous division of national funds for denominational purposes, and ' together with the highest assemblies of the Baptist,, United Presbyterian, and Methodist Protestant Churches, gave explicit indorsement to the proposed sixteenth amendment to the United States Constitution, prohibiting sectarian appropriations by Congress or by the States. Like action has been taken by the Methodist Episcopal Church,. South ; and the Unitarians, Friends, and Lutherans have withdrawn from the receipt of government subsidies for Indian education, thus reducing the participants in these grants practically to a single reli- gious denomination. The religious bodies enumerated represent a constituency of not less than 27,000,000 of the population of the United States. Any appropriation hereafter made by the United States Congress for sectarian purposes must be made to the one only denomination which continues to make its demands for money from the taxes of the peo- ple for sectarian aggrandizement. This constitutes definite union be- tween a Church and the State, and this the people will not and ought not to permit. While the religious denominations representing the majority of the religious sentiment of the nation have promptly and irrevocably withdrawn from any copartnership with the national gov- ernment in promoting their respective sectarian views at the national expense, and have determined to pay their own bills, they have a right to demand that hereafter taxes collected for the support of the na- tional government shall not be used to effect the union of Church and State by grants made to the one denomination which continues to make its urgent demand upon the national treasury. This General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as- sembled in Cleveland, O., on this 8th day of May, 1896, commends the just, patriotic, consistent action of the United States House of Repre- sentatives in cutting off all sectarian appropriations, both for Indian education and for sectarian charities in the District of Columbia. The United States Senate having proposed a gradual withdrawal of national government sectarian appropriations for Indian education, solely because of the demand of one sect, we do not ask, but we believe we have the right to demand, that this copartnership between one sect and the national government shall immediately cease. This General Conference, representing the membership and constit- MAY 8. SEVENTH Day. Morning. 1896.' Journal of the .General Conference. 133 uency of the Methodist Episcopal Church, reiterates its conviction that the cure for all of these sectarian and ecclesiastical aggressions is to be found in the adoption of the proposed sixteenth amendment to the United States Constitution, drafted and promulgated by "The National League for the Protection of American Institutions." It is directed that a record of this action be promptly forwarded to the Secretary of the United States Senate, the Secretary of the House of Representatives, and to the Secretary of the Interior at Washington. This General Conference directs that the signature of its President and Secretary be signed to this action. On motion of G. P. Mains, a committee of five was ordered on John Street Church, New York city, to whom all papers shall be referred relating to that church. On motion of A. B. Leonard, Rev. R. S. Rust, D.D., a former secretary of the Freedmen's Aid Society, was invited to a seat on the platform. On motion of S. L. Baldwin, the Order of the Day — the reports of the Missionary Bishops — was taken up. William Taylor, Missionary Bishop of Africa, read his report, and J. M. Thoburn, Missionary Bishop of India and Malaysia, also presented and read his report. J. M. Buckley presented the following, which was adopted : Resolved,-!. That we have received the reports of Bishop Taylor and Bishop Thoburn with great interest and profound gratitude to God. 2. That they be referred to the Committee on Episcopacy and to the Committee on Missions, and that the Committee on Episcopacy take cognizance of those parts which relate to the Missionary Episcopacy and its official exercise, and the Committee on Missions take cognizance of those parts relative to the Missionary Society, the condition of ions, methods of mission work, and their results. F. M. Bristol presented the report of the Committee on Rules of Order, and, on his motion, it was adopted. (See Rules of Order, p. 64.) On motion of W. H. Jordan, it was ordered that the rules be printed in pamphlet form for the use of com- mittees. On motion of A. J. Palmer, it was ordered that the announcements be made at 12:15 p. m. each day. On motion of D. H. Moore, J. W. McCormick, a re- serve delegate, was seated in the place of J. F. Bash- ford, who withdrew. The call of the roll of Conferences was resumed. P. H. Swift presented the following : Resolved, That in every case where a reserve takes the place of a regular delegate the expenses of only one of such delegates shall be paid, except in case of sickness. MAY H. Seventh Day. Morning. John Street Church. Dr. Rust. Reports of Missionary Bishops. Rules of Order- Announce- ments. J. W. Mc- Cormick. delegates. 134 Journal of the General Conference. [1890. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Cuban lib- erty. R. S. Borland moved to amend by adding, " except the ladies who have declined their seats." Laid on the table. A. B. Leonard moved to amend by inserting, " or other serious emergencies." On motion of D. H. Moore, the entire matter was re- ferred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. L. S. Rader presented the following: Whereas, The Cubans are trying to throw off the galling yoke of Spanish tyranny, and the condition of that unhappy island is a disgrace to the world of Christendom, owing to the barbarities perpetrated by the Spanish, which have shocked and appalled all civilization ; and, Whereas, There has been an almost universal recommendation of the people of the United States, expressed through both branches of Congress, that a condition of war be recognized in Cuba, and the Executive Department has not seen fit to act ; therefore, Resolved, That while we desire, if possible, that our country pre- serve a position of neutrality, we sympathize with the patriots of Cuba in their struggle for liberty ; and we desire and pray the Executive Department of our nation to oppose any methods of warfare in Cuba not recognized in the rules of warfare as practiced by the civilized nations. National Arbitration Western Reserve University. J. B. Hinge- ley. Adjourned. J. E. Bills moved its reference to the Committee on State of the Church. W. H. Shier moved, as a substitute, its reference to the Committee on Missions. Lost. W. N. McElroy moved that it be referred to a com- mittee of three, to be appointed by the Chair, to be called the Committee on National Arbitration. The motion was lost, and the original motion prevailed. Bishop Andrews announced the Committee on Dea- coness Work. (See Committees, p. 377.) A. J. Palmer read an invitation from President Thwing, of the Western Reserve University, to its halls to-morrow afternoon, which, on motion, was ac- cepted. The Secretary named J. B. Hingeley as an Assistant Secretary, to act on the Committee on Boundaries. Conference adjourned. TheDoxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop W. X. Ninde. The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary: 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 135 DETROIT. L. R. Fiske presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy : To amend section 3 of paragraph 170 of the Discipline, by inserting at the end of the second line thereof, after the words " five years successively," the words, " unless requested so to do by all the pre- siding elders of the Conference ; " also after the words " five years in ten," at the middle of the third line, the following : "in the same pas- toral charge, unless in like manner it be requested by all the presiding elders of the Conference," so that it shall read as follows : *1. He shall not allow any preacher to remain in the same pastoral charge more than five years successively unless requested so to do by all the presiding elders of the Conference ; nor more than five years in ten in the same pastoral charge, unless in like manner it be requested by all the presiding elders of the Conference." C. M. Cobern presented the following, which was referred to the Judiciary Committee: ^ m Resolved, That under section 3 of paragraph 186 of the Discipline, in the case of a circuit, between the sessions of the Annual Conference, and in the absence of a Bishop, and in the presence of such an emer- gency as to make it seem to him a necessity, the presiding elder may relieve the pastor from the charge of one of the appointments, and ap- point to its charge for the remainder of the Conference year the pastor of an adjoining charge. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Judiciary : Resolved, That when the laws of the State or Territory permit it, pas- tors, though unordained, may ex officio solemnize marriage. ERIE. J. N. Fradenburgh presented a resolution, signed by himself and others, respecting the forward move- ment, which was referred to the Committee on Edu- cation : The twentieth century is doubtless to be one of marvelous inven- tions and discoveries, great literary achievements, mighty intellectual conflicts, gigantic benevolent and philanthropic enterprises, unexampled Christian activity and triumph, and magnificent educational endow- ment. Our present educational plans and appliances are not equal to the demands which are already upon us. In the near future the brain of the world shall *be touched and fired anew and man shall enter fields of knowledge so vast as to quite appal our still semi-dormant im- aginations. We must be prepared to enter these new worlds of con- quest. Shall not the Methodist Episcopal Church lead the educational hosts? She can assume her proper place if she will but rouse herself. But it will demand all her wisdom, financial strength, and promptness of action. The opportunity is a glorious one, such as the world has never seen before. We may build an imperishable monument. Builded upon the rock it shall be as imperishable as the throne of God. The work calls for princely benefactions; it cannot be accomplished with- out magnificent giving ; but it also calls for smaller contributions, and even the widow's mite and the child's pennies. Every name in the Methodist Episcopal Church and in her Sunday schools may be re- corded upon this monument and thereby rendered immortal. Here is MAY 8. Seventh Day Morning. Relief for pastors. Forward educa- tional movement. 136 Journal of the General Conference. [1890. MAY 8. a work to call forth and tax all our best energies, inspire all our faith,, SE day TH em Pl°y a ^ our sources, satisfy all our loftiest ambitions, nerve us, up- Morning lift us ' our nearts - Shall we g reet tne twentieth century with such a preparation to solve its problems, do its work, and bless and save its people ? Methodism demands nothing so much as a great awakening along the lines of higher education. The coming century will doubtless be the most tremendous in the world's history. It will sum up as its in- heritance all the preceding ages. We believe that it will not be ex- ceeded by any future century in those elements which are to determine the destiny of the human race. The true spiritual life of Methodism will depend largely upon learning, upon brains. Without great think- ers our Church cannot lead the times. The coming century is to be distinctively a century of thought. We must have thinkers in all our work, and especially in our pulpits and mission fields. Our institutions of learning must catch the inspiration in all its fullness. We should make a general, a mighty, a bold, a persistent appeal to all our people. We suggest that a plan for a great forward educational movement might include such provisions as the following : 1. The appointment of a Central Committee, consisting of seven per- sons, two of whom may be the Secretaries of the Board of Education and the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society, who shall have general charge of the work. 2. The appointment of similar committees in all the Annual Con- ferences on all the districts and in all the Quarterly Conferences. 3. The securing of the active cooperation of all our educators and prominent business laymen. 4. The organization of a Twentieth Century Education Club of lay- men in each General Conference District to cooperate with the Central Committee in impressing the importance of this subject and the per- sonal responsibility connected therewith clearly and forcibly upon the minds and hearts and consciences of those ministers and laymen whom God has made stewards of some portion of this world's wealth, and in securing from them those large gifts upon which we must chiefly ve\y r and without which we shall fail to meet the demands of the great enter- prise. 5. Subscription books uniformly bound shall be provided for each charge in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and an effort shall be made to get the name of each member of the Church upon these books — to get a subscription from the last man, woman, and child in the Church. 6. Subscription books uniformly bound shall be provided for each Annual Conference, into which all subscriptions shall be transcribed, and in which shall be written the history of this educational move- ment in the Conference, together with all interesting incidents con- nected with the same. » These subscription books shall be the property of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and shall be preserved in the manner hereinafter to be provided. 7. There shall be a plan for holding educational conventions in the great centers, and an educational sermon or lecture upon this special subject shall be delivered annually during the two following quad- renniums at every preaching place in the Methodist Episcopal Church. 8. Subscriptions may be taken from January 1, 1898, till the session of the General Conference in May, 1904, under such conditions as to payments as may be hereafter provided. 9. Subscriptions may include the regular collections for the Board of Education and the Freedmen' s Aid and Southern Education Society, to be taken, however, at a separate time, and the collections for these 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 137 societies may be sent at once to their treasurers, together with such do- MAY 8. nations as may be especially designated for the cause of education as s *gJ5T H represented in their work. Morning. 10. Subscribers may designate the institutions and objects which they desire to assist, such as : (a) Payment of debts. (6) Endowment of professorships. (c) Erection, repairing, and furnishing of buildings. (cZ) Founding and increase of libraries. (e) Purchase of apparatus. (/) Scholarships and fellowships. ( g) Assistance for needy students. (h) Prizes for original work. 11. An important duty will demand early attention : to free our in- stitutions of learning from all indebtedness, and put our present build- ings in good repair. The multiplication of theological schools, colleges, and seminaries — except as there may be an imperative demand — is to be emphatically discouraged. We should strengthen the schools which have already been established, and, wherever possible, concentrate our educational forces. 12. A special alcove in the library of the American University at Washington, D. C, shall be consecrated as the ultimate receptacle for all the subscription books. Here shall be placed appropriate tablets inscribed with the names of benefactors whose gifts reach some fixed amount to be hereafter determined. This would form a complete his- tory of the whole forward movement. 18. Suitable souvenirs shall be prepared to be presented to con- tributors of the sum of one dollar or more. 14. We will raise, if possible, $5,000,000 or more, or such amount as may be determined upon after wide consultation. 15. This plan may be modified so as to include in its scope the per- manent enlargement of the other benevolences of our Church, thus stirring, thrilling, and inspiring the Church along every line of activity and benevolence. 16. The details of the plan to be left to the Central Committee. EAST TENNESSEE. J. S. Hill presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Boundaries : Whereas, The Joint Commission on Boundaries, ordered by the Gen- eral Conference of 1892, to adjust the boundary lines between the Washington and East Tennessee Conference, met at Tazewell, Va., Oc- Boundarie &' tober 6, 1893, and by unanimous action the counties of Mercer, Wyo- ming, and McDowell, in the State of West Virginia, belonging to the Washington Conference were ceded to the East Tennessee Confer- ence ; therefore, be it Rexolved, That the action of the Joint Commission be and is hereby ratified. IOWA. T. J. Myers offered the following, which was referred to the Committee on Itinerancy : \V7tereas, The present law of the Church prevents any but ordained Solemniz- preachers to solemnize matrimony, thereby putting unordained preach- ifkges." £tl in many instances to great disadvantage ; therefore, 138 MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. 197. 1 270. Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Change in 1241. Resolved, That the law of the Discipline be so changed that all preachers who are pastors of charges, under appointment by Bishop or presiding elder, shall be authorized to solemnize marriage, whether in orders or not, provided such is not in conflict with the laws of the State. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals : Resolved, 1. That paragraph 97, section 8, of the Discipline be amended by adding the words " on nominations," so that the section shall read : " To appoint at the Fourth Quarterly Conference Commit- tees on (1) Missions, (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13) on nominations." 2. Amend paragraph 270 of the Discipline by substituting for the words, " The pastor and the nominating committee shall have the right to nominate the stewards," so that the paragraph shall read : " The pastor and the nominating committee shall have the right to nominate the stewards, . . . for one year, or until their . . . elected." 3. Amend paragraph 293 of the Discipline by substituting for the words " Upon the nomination of the pastor," " upon the nominations of the pastor and the nominating committee," so that the paragraph shall read : " Where no specific . . . upon the nominations of the pastor and the nominating committee . . . until their successors are elected." MISSOURI. J. H. Poland presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals: Whereas, There is on the rolls of the Church a considerable number of members who continually and habitually neglect the means of grace, ignoring their obligations to the Church both spiritually and financially; and, Whereas, Our present method of dealing with this class of members is cumbersome and difficult to handle, because it requires a formal trial ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the following changes be made in the Book of Dis- cipline : Let paragraph 241 be so amended as to read: " When a member of our Church habitually neglects the means of grace, such as the public worship of God, the Supper of the Lord, family and private prayer, searching the Scriptures, class meetings and. prayer meetings, or neglects or refuses to contribute of his earthly substance, according to his ability, to the support of the Gospel and the various benevolent enterprises of the Church, " § 1. Let the preacher in charge, accompanied by a leader or steward, visit him, at least twice, and explain to him the consequence if he continue his present course. " § 2. If he do not amend, let the preacher in charge bring his case before the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting, before which he shall be cited to appear. And if he be found guilty of willful neglect by a decision of a majority of those present and voting, let him be regarded as having withdrawn. Nevertheless, he shall not be deprived of for- mal trial if he appear before the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting and demand it. If so, let him be tried according to the provisions of para- graph 240." For paragraph 265 let the following be substituted : " At the Fourth Quarterly Conference of each circuit and station there shall be elected two members of the Church, not under twenty-one years of age, who shall not be members of the Quarterly Conference, who shall be known as Triers of Appeals. If any excluded or expelled member shall feel that injustice has been done him, he not having absented 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 139 himself from trial after due notice has been given him, he shall notify the presiding elder of the district, who shall call together not less than seven nor more than nine of the Triers of Appeals, conveniently lo- cated, before whom the case shall be brought. The presiding elder shall give due notice to all concerned. The appellant shall have the right of peremptory challenge, yet so that the Triers of Appeals present and ready to proceed with the hearing shall not fall below five. The presiding elder shall preside over the Court of Appeals, which, when assembled, shall be competent to try appeals which may be brought before it from any part of the district. The preacher in charge of the appellant shall present exact minutes of the trial to the Ap- pellant Court, of the evidence and proceedings, from which minutes the case shall be determined." MISSISSIPPI. J. M. Shumpert, of the Mississippi Conference, pre- sented the following, which was referred to the Com- mittee on Episcopacy: Whereas, There being no episcopal parsonage in the city of New Orleans, it is but generous upon the part of this Conference to give to the resident Bishop his choice of place for the incoming quadren- nium ; therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy is hereby requested to nominate to this General Conference New Orleans or Pass Christian, Miss., as his place of episcopal residence. NEW JERSEY. J. F. Rusling offered the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy : Resolved, That section 1 of subdivision 3, paragraph 170, page 97, of the Discipline, relative to the duties of a Bishop, be amended so as to read as follows : " He shall not allow any preacher to remain in the same pastoral charge more than five years successively, nor more than five years in ten. Nevertheless, if in any case the term of five years shall expire in the interval between the sessions of the Annual Conference, he may continue him until the next session, provided, the time shall not be more than six months ; and also, further provided, that he may continue any preacher for another year beyond said years, and from year to year without regard to the number of years he may have already served in said pastoral charge, if its Fourth Quarterly Conference yearly, by ballot, in the absence of said preacher, shall by a two thirds vote of its entire membership, or three fourths vote of all present, request his reappointment, for reasons affecting the welfare and prosperity of said pastoral charge, to be stated in writing and approved by the presiding elder of his district, and showing the said case to be exceptional or emergent in character." NORTHERN MINNESOTA. Robert Forbes presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That a change be made in the Order of Public Worship as follows : " Morning service : The congregation shall stand and sing the long meter doxology, repeat the Apostles' Creed, sing the Gloria Patri" Then shall follow the order of service as now provided, except that the first hymn shall be sung, the people sitting, and the second hymn, the people standing. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Episcopal residence in New Orleans. Time limit. Order of public wor- ship. 140 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 8. Seventh DAY. Morning. Consolida- tion of be- nevolences. Question of law. Solemniz- ing mar- No Man's Land." Neglect of the means of grace. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences : Resolved, That the Committee on Consolidation of the Benevolences be instructed to consider both the questions of consolidation and reor- ganization of the Benevolent Societies, and to consider and report to this body at as early an hour as possible the practicability of : 1. Uniting the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society with the Board of Education. 2. The absorption of the Tract Society into the Missionary Society. 3. Putting new life into the Sunday School Union so that at least $100,000 can be raised annually for Sunday school work in neglected portions of large cities on the frontier, in the South, and other needy fields. 4. The division of the Missionary Fund into two parts — Home and Foreign — for which collections are to be taken separately. 5. The consolidation of our Church Extension work with the J^ome Department of the Missionary Society. OHIO. J. C. Arbuckle presented the following relative to " Imprudent and Unchristian Conduct," which was re- ferred to the Committee on Judiciary : Resolved, That the Committee on Judiciary is hereby respectfully requested to answer the following question of law and report the same to this General Conference before its adjournment : In cases of im- prudent and unchristian conduct is it required that the two prelimi- nary steps, as specified in the Discipline, paragraph 240, shall be taken before such cases under the meaning of the Discipline are actionable ? SOUTH KANSAS. J. E. Brant presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy : Resolved, That probationers in the Annual Conferences and v local preachers not ordained who are in charge of circuits or stations be authorized to solemnize marriages in those States where the law recog- nizes their right to do so. SOUTHWEST KANSAS. W. H. Rose presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries: Whereas, The territory formerly known as " No Man's Land " is now known as Beaver County, Oklahoma ; therefore, Resolved, That in describing the bounds of the Southwest Kansas Conference the words " Beaver County, Oklahoma," be substituted for " the territory known as 1 No Man's Land.' " WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals : Resolved, That when members of our Church shall of choice neglect the means of grace and cease to have further interest in the Church and its work for the space of one year, the customary effort having been made to renew them in spirit and life, their names may, by order of the Quarterly Conference, be stricken from the Church record, and that opposite their names shall be written in the record, " Erased after due consideration by order of the Quarterly Conference." 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 141 WYOMING. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Third Quar- terly Con- ference. Superan- nuated preachers. Austin Griffin presented the following, which were referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy : Resolved, That the Third Quarterly Conference of each pastoral charge shall appoint a committee of three, who, with the pastor, shall nominate the Board of Stewards together with all the standing com- mittees for the ensuing Conference year, said committee to report to the ensuing Fourth Quarterly Conference. Whereas, The claims of our superannuated preachers for support should be considered by our people as of the same nature as the claims of the pastor, presiding elder, and Bishop, namely, as minis- terial support ; therefore, Resolved, That the amount apportioned to each pastoral charge for the support of the superannuated preachers and the widows and or- phans of those who have died in the work shall be a pro rata claim with that of the pastor, presiding elder, and Bishop. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary : BALTIMORE. Alexander Ashley presented a memorial, signed by ^on^the himself and W. G. Bishop, respecting the Constitution church, of the Church. Referred to the Committee on Con- stitution. Also, one, signed by himself and W. G. Bishop, re- Equal min- . - ° . . - 1 isterial and specting equal ministerial and lay representation in the JenVauon" General Conference. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. • Also, one from the Lay Electoral Conference of the Time limit - Baltimore Conference, concerning the time limit. Re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy. BLUE RIDGE. Augustus Graybeal presented a memorial in op])o- Boundaries, sition to the one offered by the Georgia Conference, asking that the boundary between the two Conferences be changed. Referred to the Committee on Bound- aries. Also, one on behalf of J. F. Matney, W. J. Evans, and J. L. Dennis on same subject. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. BOMBAY. D. O. Fox presented a memorial concerning theelec- Election of 1 o presiding tion of presiding elders. Referred to the Committee elders * on Itinerancy. 142 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Division of territory. Relation of pastor's family to Church. Time of holding Conferences Change in Discipline. CENTRAL MISSOURI. J. W. Jackson presented a memorial, signed by C. P. Thompson and others, asking for a division of its terri- tory. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. CENTRAL NEW YORK. R. D. Munger presented a memorial, signed by B. J. Tracy, respecting relation of pastor's family to the Church. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. CENTRAL OHIO. J. L. Albritton presented a memorial concerning the time of holding District and Quarterly Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. E. D. Whitlock presented a memorial, signed by A. S. Watkins, respecting a change in Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Time limit. Eligibility of secre- taries, ed- itors, and agents as delegates. Enabling act. CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. E. J. Gray presented a memorial from the Central Pennsylvania Conference, with reference to the time limit for pastoral appointments. Referred to the Com- mittee on Itinerancy. CINCINNATI. F. G. Mitchell presented a memorial, signed by T. H. Pearne and others, respecting the eligibility of secre- taries, editors, and agents as delegates to GenerarCon- ference. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. COLORADO. D. L. Rader presented a memorial, signed by E. E. Clough and others, respecting an enabling act. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. Consolida- tion of be- nevolences. Accused members. Courts of trial. DETROIT. C. T. Allen presented a memorial from the Detroit Preachers' Meeting on the subject of consolidating our benevolent societies. Referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences. John Sweet and W. H. Shier presented a memorial relating to an accused member. Referred to the Com- mittee on Judiciary. Also, one concerning courts of trial. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. 189G.J Journal of the General Conference. 143 EAST OHIO. J. I. Wilson presented a memorial from the' East Ohio Conference praying that increased powers be given to presiding elders. Referred to the Com- mittee on Itinerancy. D. H. Muller presented a memorial, signed by Wm. H. Rider, president, and ten others, in behalf of the Cleveland Preachers' Meeting, asking that Cleveland be made an episcopal residence. Referred to the Com- mittee on Episcopacy. L. H. Stewart presented a memorial asking that all persons received into the traveling connection be or- dained deacons when admitted. Referred to the Com- mittee on Itinerancy. MAY 8. Seventh day. Morning. Increased power for presiding elders. Cleveland as an epis- copal resi- dence. Deacons. ERIE. A. J. Merchant presented memorials, signed by him- self, proposing changes in the Ritual on Baptism. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. Also, memorials, signed by himself, concerning classes and class meetings, and concerning certificates of mem- bership. "Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Also, a memorial, signed by himself, on the subject of amusements. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Also, a memorial, signed by himself, on the subject of duties of Bishops. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. J. N. Fradenburgh presented a memorial from James- town Methodist Episcopal Church relating to Christian druggists handling intoxicating liquors. Referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. I le also presented a memorial relative to members of our Church dealing in or dispensing intoxicating liquors except for medicinal and other legitimate pur- poses, which was referred to the same committee. He also presented a memorial of the Erie Conference relative to the probationary system. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial, signed by H. E. V. Porter, respecting temperance and good citizenship. 10 Changes in Ritual on Baptism. Classes and certificates of member- ship. Amuse- ments. Duties of Bishops. Christian druggists handling in- toxicating liquors. Members dealing in intoxicat- ing liquors. Probation- ary system. Temper- ance and citizenship. 144 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning.. Time limit. Time limit. Referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohi- bition 1 of the Liquor Traffic. He also presented "a resolution, signed by W. P. Graham, respecting the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. R. S. Borland presented a memorial f rom the Minis- terial Association of Erie District concerning the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. GENESEE. c?S £ ma e ntsf ^. Morse presented a memorial, signed by William Sciom, respecting Conference claimants. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Change in Discipline. Mission among the Jews. Change of boundary line. GEORGIA. J. L. Fowler presented a memorial concerning a change in the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial from the Georgia Con- ference relative to a mission among the Jews. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. Also, one memorial asking a change of the boundary line between the Georgia and Blue Ridge Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. ILLINOIS. courses of J. T. McFarland presented a memorial, signed by himself and W. H. Wilder, respecting rules regulating Conference Courses of Study. Referred to the Com- mittee on Education. KANSAS. Episcopal J. A. Hotter presented a memorial from the Kansas residence. r , Conference relative to an episcopal residence. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. LOUISIANA. Freedmen's J. C. Hartzell presented a memorial from the General Aid society. Committee of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Edu- cation Society relating to the duty of pastors in con- nection with the work of that Society. Referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Edu- cation Society. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 145 MICHIGAN. MAY S. • i Seventh Levi Masters presented a memorial, signed by Mrs. day. A. A. Knappen and others, respecting the Deaconess Deaconess Work. Referred to the Committee on Deaconess Work. wor ' Revision of Constitu- tion of Church. MINNESOTA. H. R. Brill presented a memorial from the Minne- sota Lay Electoral Conference concerning a revision of the Constitution of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Referred to the Committee on Reyisals. Also, one concerning the election of stewards and and trustees trustees. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. H. C. Jennings presented from the National Woman's Christian- Temperance Union a memorial for a Uni- versal Temperance Sunday. Referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. Universal Temper- ance Sun- day. NEBRASKA. C. C. Lasby presented a memorial concerning the partial relief from duty of the class of Bishops elected in !872. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Bishops elected in NEWARK. G. W. Smith presented three memorials. One from the First Church of Roseville concerning the Course of Study for deacons, which was referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals, and two from the Conference, one -concerning the ratio of representation, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals, and one concern- ing the place of next session of the General Conference, which was referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Memorials were presented from J. F. Dodd and others relating to time limit. Referred to the Com- mittee on Itinerancy. Also, one from Newark Conference concerning St. John's Church, and from a part of the official members and other members of same church. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. J. B. Faulks presented one from Bloomingdale Quarterly Conference asking that the regulations re- specting probationers be not abolished or changed. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Course of Study for deacons. Ratio of representa- tion. Next session of Confer- ence. Time limit. St. John's Church. Probation- ers. I 146 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Tenure of office. Statistical secretaries and treas- urers. NEW JERSEY. J. B. Graw presented a memorial concerning a change in Discipline fixing tenure of office. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Also, a memorial from H. G. Williams requesting certain changes in the Discipline concerning Conference statistical secretaries and treasurers. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Change of language in Discipline. Conference missionary Boundaries. Omaha Christian Advocate. American flag on our churches. Conference examina- tions. Mode of de- termining boundaries. CINCINNATI. C. H. Payne presented a memorial from the Board of Education requesting certain changes in the language of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Education. NORTH INDIA. T. J. Scott presented a memorial relating to Confer- ence missionary societies. Referred to the Committee on Missions. NORTH NEBRASKA. A memorial was presented from the North Nebraska Conference concerning the boundary line. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. J. B. Maxfield presented a memorial from the Omaha Preachers' Meeting asking that the Omaha Christian Advocate be made a Book Concern publication. Re- ferred to the Committee on Book Concern. Also, one from the North Nebraska Conference upon the same subject. Referred to the same Committee. Also, one, signed by J. W. Bovee and five others, on the subject of the display of the American flag in or on our Church edifices ; and also one from the North Nebraska Conference upon the same subject. Re- ferred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Also, one from the North Nebraska Conference on the subject of Conference examinations. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. NORTH OHIO. W. F. Whitlock presented a memorial, signed by himself and N. S. Albright, respecting mode of de- termining boundaries. Referred to Committee on Boundaries. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 147 NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. F. Chaffee presented a memorial concerning par- agraph 240. Referred to the Judiciary Committee. J. F. Force presented a memorial commending work of Epworth League an,d Christian Endeavor Societies in Methodist Episcopal churches. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. Also, one from the Lay Electoral Conference relative to prohibition of the liquor traffic. Referred to Com- mittee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. Also, one by J.«B. Hingeley asking that credit be given by Conference Committees on Examination for work done in colleges and theological schools when the work is properly certified. Referred to the Committee on Education. Also, one asking change in the prefatory note to the Course of Study. Referred to the Committee on Education. One by Robert Forbes, asking that paragraph 240 be stricken from the Discipline. Referred to the Commit- tee on Revisals. One by A. W. Bradley, asking changes of Discipline relative to election of trustees and stewards. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. IT 240. Work of young peo- ple's so- cieties com- mended. Liquor traffic. Work done in colleges and schools. Course of Study. 1T240. Election of trustees and stewards. NORTHERN NEW" YORK. S. M. Coon presented a memorial from Charles Sheard requesting a change of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Change of Discipline. OHIO. W. H. Lewis presented from the Ohio Conference a memorial concerning General Conference expenses. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. W. D. Cherington also presented one from the Ohio Conference concerning the making appointments at Annual Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Also, one concerning the Official Board. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Also, one asking that provision be made by which the organist and the chorister shall be added to the Sunday General Conference expenses. Making ap- pointments. Official Board. Organist and chor- ister. us Journal of the General Conference. [1896.. MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Member- ship records Episcopal support, and profits. To exclude General Conference officers. Ejection of presiding elders. Pacific Christian Advocate. Chanere in boundaries. School Board. Referred to the Committee on Sunday School and Tracts. Also, one asking provision be made that the mem- bership records of the different societies on circuits be kept in separate books. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. D. Y. Murdoch presented one concerning the law of the episcopal support and the profits of the Book Con- cern. Referred to the Committee on the Book Con- cern. J. C. Arbuckle presented one asking such legislation as will exclude General Conference officers from mem- bership in the General Conference. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. He also presented a memorial, signed by D. Y. Mur- doch, respecting election of presiding elders, which was., referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. OREGON. J. F. Caples presented a memorial from the Portland Preachers' Meeting asking that the Pacific Christian Advocate be adopted as a General Conference publica- tion. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. He also presented a memorial from the North Pacific German Mission Conference asking for a change in boundary lines. Referred to the Committee on Bound- aries. G. W. Gue presented a memorial from the Oregon Conference asking that the Pacific Christian Advocate be adopted as a General Conference publication. Re- ferred to the Committee on the Book Concern. National City Evan- gelization Union. Official Board. Transfers. PHILADELPHIA. J. E. James presented a memorial, signed by himself and Horace Benton, respecting National City Evan- gelization Union. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. ROCK RIVER. M. E. Cady presented seven memorials. One from the Joliet District Ministerial Association concerning the Official Board, and one from the ministers in Ot- tawa, 111., concerning transfers to Conferences, which were referred to the Committee on Itinerancy; one 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 149 from the Joliet District Ministerial Association con- cerning reports of treasurers of church societies, and one from the same Association concerning election of stewards and trustees, which were referred to the Com- mittee on Temporal Economy; one from Richmond Church concerning a change in boundaries, which was referred to the Committee on Boundaries; and two from the Joliet District Ministerial Association, one concerning the Index to the Discipline, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals, and one concern- ing the examination of candidates for the ministry, which was referred to the Committee on Education. MAY 8- Seventh Day. Morning. Reports of Stewards and trustees Change in boundaries. Index to Discipline. Examina- of candi- dates. ST. LOUIS. A memorial was presented on behalf of the Deaconess Home of St. Louis. Referred to the Committee on Deaconess Work. J. B. Young presented a memorial from the Board of Control of the Ep worth League respecting changes in Discipline, the publication of a Junior paper, etc. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. SOUTHERN' CALIFORNIA. S. A. Thomson j^resented a memorial, signed by him- self, respecting the organization of Quarterly Confer- ences. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Deaconess Home. Changes in Discipline. Organiza- tion of Quarterly Conference. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. William Wallis presented a memorial concerning re- ports of local preachers. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Also, one on the subject of divorce. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. Reports of local preachers. Divorce. SOUTHWEST KANSAS. W. J. Martindale presented a memorial requesting a Reception change of the Discipline concerning the reception of m ^J er_ probationers into full membership. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Granville Lowther presented a memorial concerning the nomination of presiding elders. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. SWEDEN. J. A. Anderson presented a memorial, signed by him- Time limit. Nomination of presiding elders. 150 MAY 8. Seventh Day. Morning. Changes in II II 543, 545. Theological students. Colored Bishop. Southwest- ern Chris- tian Advo- cate. Boundaries. Episcopal term of office. Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Re self and H. Soderberg, respecting time limit, ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy. UPPER IOWA. S. N. Fellows presented a memorial asking certain changes in paragraphs 543 and 545 of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. W. F. King presented a memorial concerning the ex- amination of theological students by Annual Confer- ences. Referred to the Committee on Education. WASHINGTON. "W. H. Brooks presented a memorial, signed by him- self and sixteen others, asking for the election of a colored Bishop. Referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy. Also, a memorial, signed by himself and others, asking for the location of the Southivestem Christian Advocate at Washington, D. C. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. WESTERN NORWEGIAN-DANISH. C. J. Larson presented a memorial, signed by E. E. Mork and P. M. Ellefsen, relative to boundaries. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. WISCONSIN. G. H. Trever presented a memorial, signed by himself and two others, concerning episcopal term of office. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Tobacco. SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 9. The Conference was called to order at 8.30 a. m., Bishop W. X. Ninde in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by W. S. Edwards, of the Baltimore Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- proved. The roll of Conferences was called for resolutions. Granville Lowther presented the following: Whereas, The manufacture, sale, and use of tobacco is to this nation, excepting the liquor traffic, the greatest financial waste, costing annually $600,000,000 ; and, 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 151 Whereof, It is destroying every year its thousands, and injuring thousands more ; and, Whereas, Its effects all along the line of heredity create fearful con- sequences upon the children of tobacco users, which children are thrust upon life with inherent weaknesses of body, mind, and soul, to fight an unequal contest in the great competitive struggle for success ; and, W?ier>-as, The use of tobacco as indulged in by the general public violates the Scripture law of cleanliness, the modern social laws of puritv, and the regard for the rights of others ; therefore, Resolved, That we recommend our people to wholly abstain from the use of tobacco, and that they do not elect or appoint Sunday school superintendents, Epworth League presidents, class leaders, or other officers intrusted largely with molding the thought and directing the lives of our young people, unless they are free from the habit. J. F. Chaffee moved its reference to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. Levi Master moved to refer it to the Committee on State of the Church. The amendment was lost, and it was referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. J. B. Albrook presented the following: Resolved, That the persons in charge of the opening devotions of service? this General Conference be requested to follow the Order for Public Worship, as found in paragraph 56 of the Discipline, as follows : *' First, singing ; second, prayer ; third, reading Scripture lesson ; fourth, singing." J. H. Coleman moved to lay it on the table. Lost. J. E. C. Sawyer moved its reference to the Committee on the State of the Church. Lost. Robert Forbes moved to refer it to the Committee on Revisals. Lost. The resolution was adopted. The following, on motion of I. L. Thomas, was adopted : Whereas, There have been such cordiality of feeling and expression of good will manifested by the pastors of the various denominations of the city ; therefore, Resolved, That Monday at 11 a.m. be fixed as the time to invite them to be present and be introduced to the Conference. Merritt Hulburd presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church: /, < olution Olid Petition to the Congress of the United States for Con- Recognition stilutional Amendment : of God * Whereas, The Constitution of the United States contains no recog- nition of God or of his providence ; and, Wlweas, There is now pending in Congress a joint resolution pro- posing the following amendment: "That the people of the United States, devoutly acknowledging Almighty God as the source of all authority in civil government, the Lord Jesus Christ as the ruler of MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Introduc- tion of pas- tors. 152 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Journal to schools. Votes of C. J. Little. F. H. Tanner, and John French. Petition of superannu- ated preach- ers. nations, and the revealed will of God as of supreme authority in civil affairs, in order to form a more perfect union, etc. ; " and, Whereas, The proposed amendment, if adopted by the constitutional majorities in Congress and the State Legislatures would change our organic law from the purely secular to a theocratic government, which was not intended . by the framers of the Constitution or any of the States ratifying the same ; and, Whereas, No Unitarian, Jew, or Deist, who, nevertheless, might be a patriotic and useful citizen, could conscientiously swear to support the Constitution containing said amendment ; therefore, Resolved, by the members of the General Conference of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church now sitting in Cleveland, in the State of Ohio, That we respectfully petition the honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled to pass a joint resolution submitting to all the State Legislatures for ratification the following amendment to the Constitution : After the word " poster- ity," in the preamble as it now stands, insert the words, " trusting in Al- mighty God," so that the preamble of the Constitution amended shall read as follows : " We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tran- quillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, trust- ing in Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Resolved, second, That this resolution and petition, signed by the President and Secretary of this body, be forwarded to the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled. L. L. Sprague presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Publishing Agents at New York be requested to furnish, gratuitously, a bound copy of the General Conference Journal of the session of 1896 to the library of any school, under the control of the Church, that may ask for it. C. J. Little and F. H. Tanner having been absent when the vote was taken on submitting the constitu- tional amendment requested, and were granted, the privilege of recording their votes in favor of it; and John French was granted the privilege of changing his vote from " no to "aye." Samuel Dickie was granted leave of absence. E. J. Gray presented the following, which was read and referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy: Superannuated Ministers' Petition to the General Conference : Dear Fathers and Brethren : In all the legislation of your honorable body relating to ministerial support, the superannuated ministers received equal recognition with their brethren until 1852. Before that date the allowance made for the support of superannuated ministers was equal in amount to that provided for Bishops and effect- ive ministers. In 1852 Annual Conferences were authorized to de- termine by a two thirds vote who should be claimants on the funds of the Conference and the amount each claimant should receive. Bishop Scott interpreted this law to mean that the claims of all superannuate* should be allowed, and that to disallow any claim, in whole or in part, 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 153 required a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting. This ruling was approved by the General Conference of 1860. In 1860 the present plan was adopted. Under its provisions no superannuate has a claim unless it is granted by his Conference. It is a gratuity which can be withheld by vote of the Conference, and there is no redress for the claimant. It is based upon necessity, and is be- stowed upon proof of great need. The plan requires the Church to provide a comfortable support for Bishops, whether effective or non- effective, presiding elders, and pastors. It only suggests that Annual Conferences may, if they deem best, assist the superannuate in ob- taining a comfortable support. We earnestly petition your honorable body to remove the discrimina- tion made against us in the law of the Church. We urge the adoption of some plan for ministerial support which shall restore us to our place in the itinerant brotherhood as equals with our brethren ; we suggest that the support of Conference Claimants be based upon the term of effective service, while compensation be made for those who have been able to render only a brief ministry ; we plead that no provision of the plan shall needlessly humiliate or afflict the claimants it proposes to relieve. We entreat that relief shall be so far connectional as to supplement the provisions of Annual Conferences with sufficient aid from the denomination to furnish the superannuates in the poorer fields equally with those in more favored fields a support adequate for their needs. J. H. Colt, Kansas Conference, Joseph Denison, Kansas Conference, J. W. Miller, North Indiana Conference, Francis Cox, Northwest Indiana Conference, G. W. Bower, North Indiana Conference, And 581 others. The Committee on Judiciary reported its organiza- tion and time of meetings, (See Committees, p. 377.) On motion, the Committee on Episcopacy was in- structed to report next Tuesday on the number of Bishops to be elected. The Secretary read the following communication, which was referred to the Board of Bishops: To the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in ses- sion at Cleveland, 0., May, 1896: Dear Fathers and Brethren : The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at its session in Memphis, Tenn., in May, 1894, adopted the following report of its Committee on Federa- tion : " Whereas, The second Ecumenical Conference, assembled in Wash- ington City, in October, 1891, passed the following resolution: " ' That the Conference recognize with gratitude to God the grow- ing desire for a closer union among the Evangelical Churches of Christendom, and especially hails with devout thankfulness the exten- sion of that desire among the various Methodist Churches. 14 ' 2. The Conference cannot doubt that concerted action among the different Methodist bodies upon many questions would be greatly to the advantage of the kingdom of God ; the Conference would suggest that such concerted action might be possible and useful in the follow- ing great provinces of the Methodist world, namely (a) Great Britain and Ireland, including affiliated Conferences and missions ; (b) the United States, including its missions and missionary Conferences; MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Committee on Judi- ciary. Committee on Episco- pacy. Federation. 154 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Report No. I, Commit- tee on Missions. German Conference. Dr. J. C. » Morris. Committee on Consoli- dation to report. Chartered Fund. (c) Australia, with Polynesia and its other missions ; (d) Canada, with its missions. " ' 3. This Conference therefore respectfully requests the churches represented in this Conference to consider whether such concerted action be possible, and, if so, by what means and in what way ; and directs the secretaries to forward a copy of this resolution to the senior Bishop or President of every Conference represented here ; 1 therefore, " Resolved, by the General Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. South, now in session: 1. That while we do not in the least recognize the Ecumenical Conference as having any legisla- tive power, the Bishops be requested to appoint a Commission on Federation consisting of three Bishops, three ministers, and three lay- men, and that the Secretary be instructed to notify the General Con- ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this action, and request it to appoint a similar commission. "Resolved, 2. "That this Commission shall have power to enter into negotiations with said similar Commission from the Methodist Episco- pal Church, if one shall be appointed, and with similar commissions from other Methodist bodies, with a view to abating hurtful competi- tions, and the waste of men and money in home and foreign fields. " Resolved, 3. That any arrangements which such commission may make shall be reported to the next General Conference for adoption, alteration, or rejection." In accordance with the request contained in this report adopted by the General Conference, the College of Bishops appointed the following Commission on Federation : " Bishops : J. C. Granbery, R. K. Hargrove, and W. W. Duncan ; the Rev. E. E. Hoss, G. G. N. McDonald, and J. H. Dye, and Messrs. Walter Clark, R. W. Jones, and Asa Holt." Praying the presence and guidance of the Holy Ghost in your great Quadrennial Conference for the extension of the kingdom of Jesus in the world, I remain yours very fraternally, John J. Tigert, Secretary of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Nashville, Tenn., May 5, 1896. The Committee on Missions presented Report No. I, which, on motion of W. N. Brodbeck, was read and adopted by a rising vote. (See Reports, p. 398.) On motion of J. A. Sargent, the Secretary was di- rected to send a cablegram to the German Conference in regard t?o this matter. W. V. Kelley announced that a telegram and letter had been received from Dr. J. C. Morris stating that he would be with us on the 18th. A motion by J. C. Arbuckle, that the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences be directed to report on next Tuesday, was, on motion of M. C. Wilcox, laid on the table. On motion of J. E. James, the report of the Chartered Fund was received and read, and the elec- tion of John Gillespie, Robert E. Pattison, and Avery 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 155. D. Harrington as trustees to fill vacancies, was con- firmed. On motion of G. E. Ackerman, the following was adopted by a rising vote: Resolved, That we extend to Miss Clara Barton, in her heroic, self- sacrificing work for the relief of the suffering Armenians, our most cordial sympathy ; and she may be well assured that the ministry and membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church throughout the civilized world, believiug as they do in the universal brotherhood of the race, will ever stand by the oppressed and downtrodden, and as- sist by voice and pen those who are earnestly striving to give relief to human woe. On motion of D. S. Monroe, the report of the fraternal delegates to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was received, and ordered to be published in the Journal. (See Reports, p. 487.) The following was presented by L. H. Stewart, read, and referred to the Committee on Constitution : Resolved, That no overture of the General Conference or the Annual Conference proposing a change in the Constitution of the General Con- ference shall-be made without the necessary two thirds of the General Conference or the three fourths vote of the Annual Conference mak- ing such overtures. J. O. Cunningham presented the following, which was read, and, on motion of J. C. Arbuckle, referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy: Whereas, " The poor ye always have with you " in the form of needy and dependent children, helpless and infirm, aged, or the sick and weary ; and, Whereas, Our Divine Master, in his teachings and by imperative command, made it the duty of his followers to visit and care for these needy ones ; and, Whereas, The Methouist Episcopal Church is without organized effort looking to the care of these classes ; therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Temporal Economy be instructed to report to. this Conference some plan, wise in detail and broad in its scope, which shall look to future organized effort on the part of the Church for the establishment of systems of children's homes, homes for the aged and destitute, and hospitals for the sick, from such gifts, contributions, and bequests as such efforts may invite and call forth — such institutions to be under the patronage and care of the Church. James Harlan moved that the second Restrictive Rule be so changed as to admit of equal representation by the ministry and laity in the General Conference. On his motion, it was referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. Daniel Stevenson presented the following, which was adopted: MAY 9. Eighth Da v. Morning. Miss Clara Barton. Delegates to Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Change in Constitu- tion. Children's homes and hospitals. Lay repre- sentation. 156 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Armenian persecu- tions. School Jaws of Florida. Tenure of office of Bishops. Whereas, The persecutions which the Armenian Christians have, for the last several years, been compelled to suffer at the hands of the Turks, have been unsurpassed, if not unparalleled, in the history of religious persecutions ; and, Whereas, These people have been made the objects of these perse- cutions in consequence of their loyalty to the same Lord and Christ whom we love and serve ; therefore, Resolved, That we do hereby extend to that brave, struggling people our profoundest, warmest sympathies in their crushed and heartbroken condition, and do appeal to all civil governments and to all Christians to do all that may be possible to remove the hand of cruelty and de- struction which rests upon that people, and restore them to safety and happiness and peace. J. C. Hartzell presented the following, which was adopted : Whereas, The State of Florida has recently enacted and is now en- forcing a law making it " a penal offense for any individual, body of individuals, corporation, or association to conduct any school of any grade, public, private, or parochial, where white persons and Negroes shall be instructed or boarded in the same building, or taught in the same class, or at the same time with the same teachers ; and, Whereas, The penalty for violating the provisions of this act by patronizing or teaching in such school is a fine "not less than $150 nor more than $500," or imprisonment " in the county jail for not less than three months nor more than six months for every such offense ; " and, Whereas, Said law is in violation of the rights and liberties of in- dividuals and of philanthropic organizations conducting institutions for educational and industrial work within the State of Florida ; and, Whereas, In the enforcement of said law, the teachers of an institu- tion of learning under the management of the Congregational Church in the State of Florida have been arrested ; and, Whereas, The officers of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society and Woman's Home Missionary Society of our own Church, together with the teachers of the three institutions in Florida, under the direction of these societies, are liable to be arrested and cast into prison ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the General Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church sincerely deprecates the passage of such a law in any State which invades the personal rights and liberties of our people in a manner repugnant to the genius of our Christian civilization, and, as we believe, in violation of the rights and liberties of those engaged in educating people of diverse races in our land. 2. That we sympathize with our Congregational brethren in the heroic stand which they have taken to resist the enforcement of this law, and that should a similar issue be made by the arrest under the provisions of this act any of the officers of either of our societies hav- ing charge of our educational work in the State of Florida, or of our teachers in either of our institutions in that State, we heartily approve any efforts that may be made to contest the constitutionality or secure the repeal of a law so un-American and unchristian. On motion of P. J. Maveety, it was Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy be and is hereby in- structed to report to the General Conference all resolutions in relation to the tenure of office of Bishops not later than May 14. J. B. Graw moved that a committee of seven be ap- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 157 pointed for the purpose of receiving communications concerning the place of holding the next General Con- ference, the committee to report to this body at an early day. G. B. Wight presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Resolved, That Chapter V, page 96, Discipline of 1892, be amended by the addition of the following paragraphs, namely: " Bishops shall be elected for a term of eight years, and shall be eligible for reelection. " A Bishop who shall resign his office, or who shall not be reelected, shall resume his relation with the Conference from which he was elected to the episcopacy. " Nothing herein enacted by the General Conference shall affect the tenure of office of Bishops elected prior to 1896." J. M. King presented the following, which was adopted: Whereas, Our Bishops, in supervising the spiritual and temporal business of the Church, have opportunity to gather information in re- gard to its various forms of work that would aid the committees of the General Conference in the discharge of their duties ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the committees shall be at liberty and are hereby authorized to request any of the Bishops to attend their sessions and furnish information on any matters before them for consideration. 2. That the Bishops are requested to comply with such calls for in- formation. He also moved that all j^apers bearing on the subject of election of trustees and stewards be sent to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Carried. J. M. Buckley presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy, with instruc- tions to report not later than May 14: Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy be instructed to con- sider and report upon the principles and methods on and by which the residences of the Bishops are selected, and to inquire whether® more efficient plan can be devised; and if so, to recommend the same for the adoption of the General Conference. D. C. Plannette presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That three members at large be added to the Committee on Lay Representation, and that said members be appointed by the Board of Bishops. On motion of C. J. Little, it was Resolved^ That the Committee of Arrangements for the General Con- ference of 1900 be instructed to appoint three of its number as a Subcommittee on Fraternal Delegates, whose duty it shall be to corre- -pond with all duly appointed fraternal delegates to this body and to arrange for their entertainment. MAY 9. KIGHTH Day. Morning. Next Gen- eral Confer- ence. Election of Bishops. Bishops to . attend meetings of committees. Election of trustees and stewards. Residences of Bishops. Lay repre- sentation. Fraternal delegates. 158 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. John Street Church. Amend- ments to the Discipline. Revision of the Disci- pline. Missionary Bishops. IT 153. Pronouns 'he," "his,' Bishop Andrews announced the Committees on John Street Church and on National Arbitration. (See Committees, p. 378.) He also presented a paper from the Bishops on pro- posed amendments to administrative law, which, on motion of J. M. King, was referred to appropriate committees. He also presented the report of the committee ap- pointed by the General Conference of 1892 for the revision of the Discipline, of which two special topics were referred to the Committee on Judiciary. On motion of W. M. Swindells, Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pro- nounced by Bishop J. F. Hurst. The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary : ALABAMA. G. E. Ackerman presented the following: Resolved, That as the limiting designation " Missionary " should no longer apply to Bishops Taylor and Thoburn, we hereby remove the same, and place them on an equality with the other Bishops. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That section 2 of paragraph 153 in our Discipline ^be so changed as to read : " Upon the recommendation of the District Conference (or of the Quarterly Conference where no District Conference exists) the Annual Conference may at any time thereafter recognize the orders of those then received ; may, upon like recommendation, receive them into the Conference, either on trial or into full membership, and shall require then*' to pursue the Conference Course of Study. And if, after five years they shall not have completed said studies, they shall cease from the functions of their office, until such time as they shall have mastered the studies." CENTRAL ILLINOIS. which was J. G. Evans presented the following, referred to the Committee on Judiciary: Whereas, According to an established and universally accepted rule of the English language, the masculine pronoun is used to represent an antecedent of the common gender, singular number, and third person, without any discrimination of sex, and any such discrimination of sex is unwarranted by the law of the language ; therefore, Resolved, That the pronouns, " he," " his," " him," when used in the Discipline to represent an antecedent of the common gender, singular number, and third person, shall not be construed as making any dis- tinction of sex. f 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 159 American Antisaloon League. Withdraw- als from the Church. CINCINNATI. MAY 9. . „ „ . , . , Eighth J. W. Bashford presented the following, which was day. referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibi- Mormn *- tion of the Liquor Traffic: Resolved, That the General Conference expresses its approval of the object of the American Antisaloon League as stated in its Constitu- tion, that we watch with interest and prayer its efforts to suppress the saloon, and that we cooperate with said league in its work, so far as is -consistent with an avowed policy of legal prohibition. DES MOINES. D. C. Franklin presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Whereas, Difficulties often arise in carrying out the form of with- drawal from the Church ; therefore, be it Resolved, That in paragraph 49, section 10, of the Discipline, which provides for the withdrawal of members in good standing, there shall be inserted after the word " writing" in the third line, these words, "or verbally in the presence of two witnesses," so as to read : " He shall communicate his purpose in writing, or verbally in the presence of two witnesses, to the pastor of the church." EAST TENNESSEE. J. S. Hill, of East Tennessee Conference, presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern: Whereas, Many of the patronizing Conferences of the Southwestern Christian Advocate are expressing the opinion that the time has come when some more central point than New Orleans should be selected ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on the Book Concern be requested to take into consideration the advantages of Atlanta as a desirable and central point. ILLINOIS. J. B. Wolfe presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That section 24 of paragraph 189 of the Discipline be Licentiate, and is hereby amended so as to read as follows : " To register care- fully marriages and baptisms, and, though he be unordained, to solemnize' the right of matrimony in those States and Territories where the civil law will permit the same." KENTUCKY. Vincent Boreing presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That the Discipline be amended by striking out the word "Quarterly " before the word " Conference " in paragraph 97, chapter 6, and elsewhere in the Discipline where it comes before the word ** Conference," and inserting therefor the word " Semiannual," so as to read u Semiannual Conferences " instead of " Quarterly Conferences ; " that the presiding elders be required to make only two visitations to the pastoral charges in their districts, instead of four, as now provided ; 11 Southwest- ern Chris- tian Advo- cate. Semiannual Confer- ences. 160 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. TT 42. f 543. Federation with Church, South. Change of sessions of General Conference. 1 56 to be made clearer. Election of Missionary Bishop. that the Bishops be directed to lay off the presiding elders' districts with reference to said changes. He also presented the following, which w T as referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That the Discipline be amended by striking out the word "six" before the word " months " in Chapter IV, paragraph 42, and in- serting therefor the word " three," so as to read, " three months on pro- bation," instead of six ; "provided, however, that converted persons may be received into full membership at once, and probationers at any time after conversion." He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That the Discipline be changed by striking out the words " holy catholic " before " Church " in Chapter I, paragraph 543, and inserting therefor the words " the universal," so as to read " the uni- versal," instead of " the holy catholic Church." D. Stevenson presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church: Resolved, That the Commission which this Conference has ordered to be appointed to meet with the Commission appointed by the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, on Federation, be instructed, when appointed, to come to no agreement with the Commission of the Church South, whereby any ground which we now hold in the South shall be abandoned, or the right which we now pos- sess of establishing and maintaining churches in any part of the South where the people may wish to unite with us shall be relinquished, or the hands of our ministers and members in the South be weakened. R. T. Miller presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on the State of the Church: Resolved, That the Committee on the State of the Church be requested to consider the expediency of changing the sessions of the General Con- ference from once in four years, as provided in paragraph 63 of the Discipline, to once in eight years, after the year A. D. 1900, with similar provisions for an extra session as now contained in said para- graph. He also presented the following, which w T as referred to the Committee on Revisals: That the Committee on Revisals be requested to examine and report what further instructions should be added, for both ministers and people, to those now given in the Liturgy, that will se- cure more intelligent and orderly compliance with the provisions of section 4, paragraph 56, of the Discipline, relating particularly to the use of our Ritual in administering the sacraments. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy be requested to examine and report if further legislation is needed to determine under what circumstances and by whom the provisions of paragraph 168 of the Discipline, authorizing the election of a Missionary Bishop in the interim of the General Conference, shall be carried out, and to recom- 1S96.] Journal of the General Conference. 161 mend such amendments to the Discipline as in its judgment is MAY' 9. required. Eighth He also presented the following, which was referred Morning. to the Committee on the Book Concern : Resolved, That for the more thorough examination of book publica- tions, one or more editors be elected, to be known as book editors, who shall first examine and approve all manuscript offered for pub- lication in book form, before the agents are authorized to publish same. LOUISIANA. J. C. Hartzell and J. W. Hamilton presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences : Whereas, There is great diversity of opinion as to the best methods of raising the collections for the various Benevolent Societies of the Church ; and, Whereas, This diversity of opinion has, in spite of the specific laws of the Discipline, led to the adoption of various methods, some 1 of which, in the judgment of many, have resulted in unfavorable discriminations in some of the societies ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences be and is hereby instructed to consider and present to the General Conference some plan which shall in its judgment be of greater uniformity as to the method of taking our benevolent collections, and shall insure to each cause such attention as its merits and comparative importance justify. MICHIGAN. J. I. Buell presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy : Whereas, There is a very broad and growing sentiment in the Church, both among the ministry and laity, that a change should be made in the tenure of office now held by our Bishops ; and, Whereas, It is believed that the change thus demanded would be more in harmony with our general polity in the matter of election of General Conference officers, and more in keeping with the spirit of the • times ; therefore, be it Reserved, That should it be determined to elect an additional number of Bishops at any time during this General Conference, they be elected for a term of eight years, with the privilege of a reelection ; and no Bishop thus elected shall hold his office beyond the period desig- nated without a reelection. P. J. Maveety presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy : Reserved, That Chapter V, page 96. of the Discipline of 1892, be Additions to and is hereby amended by the addition of the following paragraphs : C of*D?& r -^ ' Bishops shall be elected for a term of eight years, and shall be cipline. eligible for reelection. " A Bishop who shall resign his office, or who shall not be reelected, shall resume his relation with the Conference from which he was elected. " Nothing herein enacted by the General Conference shall affect the tenure of office of Bishops elected prior to 1896." Book editors. Method of taking be- nevolent collections- Change in tenure of office of Bishops. 162 Journal of the General Conference. [1896.. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Licensing local preachers. Agents to organize Sunday schools. MINNESOTA. G. H. Bridgman presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals : Whereas, There is a lack of definiteness in the requirements of the Discipline for local preachers' license, which often occasions discrepancy in administration ; therefore, be it Resolved, That in paragraph 193, section 1, last sentence, the initial word " and " be stricken out, and to what remains shall be added the words, " and when licensed he shall pursue the Course of Study prescribed for local preachers ; " so that the sentence shall read : "No member of the church shall be at liberty to preach without such license, and when licensed he shall pursue the Course of Study pre- scribed for local preachers." John Stafford presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts : Whereas, Our Church in the rural districts, especially in the West, has greatly suffered because we have had no one specially appointed to organize Sunday schools and introduce our Sunday schooi literature ; and, Whereas, Other societies and publishing houses send out their agents who operate to our disadvantage and hurt ; therefore, be it Resolved, That this General Conference provide for the appointment of agents who shall be employed by the Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church, whose business it shall be to organize Sunday schools, introduce our literature, and, when practicable, take collections for our Sunday school work. NORTH INDIANA. H. N". Herrick presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Be nevolences: Apportion- Whereas, The apportionments made by the General Committees to ments. ^he Annual Conferences for benevolent causes are practically by the same authority, and these with all other apportionments are received by the Conferences without question ; and, Whereas, A large number of our ministers and members, in obedience to their church membership covenant, consider these apportionments when sent down to the districts and charges as a trustworthy indica- tion from the Head of the Church concerning the proper distribution of their own contributions ; and, Whereas, In accordance with the plan herein set forth the Discipline provides for the distribution of money raised for ministerial support, so that pastors, presiding elders, and bishops receive only their pro rata share of the amount thus raised ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on the Consolidation or Unification of the Benevolences consider the advisability of recommending such disci- plinary provisiou as will make it the duty of the pastor to distribute the money he raises for benevolent causes on the basis of their apportionments. C. B. Stemen presented the following paper, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church : 1S96.] Journal of the General Conference. 163 We desire to present to you the importance of making District Con- ferences universal and binding in all presiding elders' districts, and to be held twice each year. The reasons for this are, First, In paragraph 91, section 2, we find that the District Confer- ence is to take coguizance of all the local preachers and exhorters in the district as provided in paragraphs 192-200, and to arrange a plan of appointments for each until the next District Conference. This will bring into active service twenty-five thousand local preachers who are unemployed. Second, by making a larger number of the Quarterly Conference members of the District Conference, a larger representation will be given the laity and thus greater prominence to the consideration of Church interests within the district. This recommendation is made to carry out the suggestions of the Episcopal Address. OHIO. W. D. Cherington presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals : W hereas, The great majority of our charges are circuits ; and, Whereas, It is manifestly unjust that in our present form of circuit reports, the appointments that do their full part in ministerial support should have to share the discredit of the societies that fail ; and, Whereas, The knowledge that each appointment will be reported separately would make all the societies more careful to report up in full ; and, W hereas, A table of this kind would take small space in the Annual Minutes of the Conferences, and would pay for itself many times over; Resolved, -That a separate table be introduced into the statistics of our Annual Conferences, giving the reports of circuits for ministerial support by societies. PHILADELPHIA. W. H. Ridgway presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolution to amend the Discipline, paragraph 170, section 3: Resolved, That item 2, section 2, paragraph 170, be amended by add- ing the following : " He shall not transfer a preacher into an Annual Conference without a corresponding transfer from said Conference, unless such transfer be at the request of the Conference affected thereby." SOUTH KANSAS. J. W. Stewart presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Resolved, 1. That it is the sense of this Conference that the Bishops of our Church should retire from the episcopal office at the age of seventy years. Resolved, 2. That a retiring Bishop shall return to membership in the Conference in which he was a member at the time of his election to the office of a Bishop. Resolved, 3. That the above shall apply to Bishops elected after the adoption of these resolutions. The following was presented by W. H. Rose, and referred to the Committee on Boundaries: MAY 9. Eighth Dav. Morn-iny. District Confer- ences to be made uni- versal. Statistics from cir- cuits by societies. Transfers. To retire from epis- copal office. 164 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Eighth' Whereas, An agreement as to the boundary line between the South- " Day. west and Northwest Kansas Conferences has been reached by com- Morning. mission, giving to the Southwest Kansas Conference all the territory in Boundaries. Lane, Scott, Wichita, and Greeley Counties ; therefore, be it Resolved, That in order to conform to said agreement the bounds of the Northwest Kansas Conference be denned as follows : " The Northwest Kansas Conference shall be bounded on the west and north by the Kansas State lines, on the east by the sixth principal meridian, but shall include the Solomon Circuit, and on the south by the south line of township seventeen as far west as to the east line of Lane County, thence north to the north line of said Lane County, thence west to the State line." Connec- tional fund for Confer- ence claim- ants. Election of a colored Bishop. X TENNESSEE. H. W. Key presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Whereas, The connectional bonds of the Methodist Episcopal Church are more or less impaired by our Annual Conference boundary lines, which tend to localize our ministry and restrict their sympathies ; and, Whereas, These Conference lines are often inseparable barriers to the transfer of the older and more experienced of our ministry, owing to the fact that they may become claimants in the collection for superannuated preachers in the Conference to which they are trans- ferred ; and, Whereas, We believe that when a preacher enters the traveling connection of the Methodist Episcopal Church he is only limited in the extent of his itinerancy by the legitimate authorities of the Church, and is not to consider the Annual Conference into which he is received as the utmost limit of his traveling ministry ; and, Whereas, The early policy of the Methodist Episcopal Church was to havp the whole Church aid in supporting the superannuated preachers of the connection ; and, Whereas, By the later practice of the Church the funds are expended in the Conference where collected, making it very desirable to remain in what are known as the richer Conferences, and these have some protection for themselves and their families when worn-out or disabled from any cause ; and, Whereas, The policy of the Methodist Episcopal Church desires to give its active preachers only a comfortable support while in the active work, and aid them when superannuated or disabled ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Revisals be instructed to inquire what changes in the Discipline may be necessary to make the funds for the Conference claimants a connectional fund, as the Missionary, Church Extension, and other general Church collections. He also presented the followin to the Committee on Episcopacy : Whereas, We believe that there is a great mission field in the South for the Methodist Episcopal Church, especially among the colored people; and, Whereas, We believe that the quarter of a million or more of mem- bers which have been added to the Church in the last decade under adverse circumstances is only a beginning of what it will be in the near future if rightly fostered ; and, Whereas, The Methodist Episcopal Church has been falsely repre- sented by its enemies, saying it is not willing to do justice to all of its members ; and, ,g, which was referred 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 165 Whereat, The former General Conferences and the Church at large have declared that color is no barrier to its equal membership ; and, Whereat, We believe the electing at this session of the Conference of a man of African descent to the Episcopacy, will add materially to the interest of the Church ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy is hereby requested to recommend at least one such man for the Episcopacy. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. UPPER IOWA. J. B. Albrook presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Epworth League: Whereas, The religious teaching, molding, and training of the stu- dents of our academies, colleges, and universities is, largely, in the hands of an organization which is not Methodistic in sympathy, doc- trines, or usages; and, Whereas, Many of our educated young people are lost to the Church, and not a few of those who remain are less useful because of lack of proper training, or diminished loyalty to the Church ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That it is the sense of this General Conference that it is unwise and impolitic to intrust the religious culture and training of the students of our institutions of learning to other hands than those of our Church. 2. That if the Epworth League is not fully adapted to this work it ought to be so modified as to include work in our higher institutions of learning. 3. That the Board of Control be instructed to so arrange that the Epworth League shall be established in all our institutions of learning as soon as possible. He also presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Epworth League: Whereas, The Epworth League has grown to be one of the great in- stitutions, and promises to become the right arm of power, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and should therefore be under the im- mediate direction and oversight of the General Conference ; therefore, Resolved, That Article 4 of the Epworth League Constitution be changed so as to read as follows : " Article 4. Government. The management of the League shall be vested in the Board of Control, to consist (1) of one Bishop and three members at large, who shall be appointed by the Bishops. The Bish- op shall be President of the Epworth League and of the Board of Con- trol, (2) and of one minister and one layman from each General Con- ference District who shall be nominated by their several districts and elected by the General Conference. This Board of Control shall meet twice each quadrennium." Religious training of students. Epworth League under direc- tion of Gen- eral Confer- ence. WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern: Wfiereas, The power of the daily paper is great for good or evil in^^^ty 1 the work of reform and the evangelization of the world ; and, paper. Wfiereas, The daily paper camiot be favorable to the ends above mentioned so long as it is edited from the condition of the counting room or at the dictation of the partisan political platform ; and, Whereat, Our world-wide Methodism, one in polity, faith, and the proclamation of a Gospel that is now the preachable creed of Christian- 166 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Change in 127. No Confer- ences on Easter Sun- day. Change of boundaries Episcopal residence. dom ; it would seem that the hour has come for our Church to add the only missing factor now needed to declare the truth to every creature ; therefore, be it Resolved, That we ask the Committee on the Book Concern to con- sider the institution and publication of one or more daily papers to be edited on the basis of the two great commandments. WILMINGTON. Alfred Smith presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, To amend the heading of paragraph 27 of the Discipline, following the words " In Europe " with the words " and of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church in America," and thus conforming it to the facts of the present, and of our history since 1784, so that the para- graph referred to shall read : " This was the rise of the United Society, first in Europe, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America." WYOMING. G. S. Bennett presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Whereas, Easter Sunday commemorates the most important event in the life of Christ, when the sublimest expectations of the Old Testament were fulfilled, when Christ gained his greatest triumph, and we thereby have given us the surest foundation for an intelligent faith, and a competent hope of our own resurrection ; and, Whereas, Easter has become the great Christian festival of the year, is generally observed by all the evangelical Churches and our own, and many of our churches and Sunday schools have a special Easter and missionary service on that day, which tends to the edification of the members, and to the benefit of the cause of missions ; and, Whereas, Many of our Spring Conferences are held over Easter Sun- day, and thus many preachers are compelled to be absent from their churches and many of these pulpits are left vacant on that day ; there- fore, be it Resolved, That the Bishops of our Church be requested to arrange the sessions of the Spring Conferences in the future so that no Con- ference shall be held on Easter Sunday, in order that each preacher may be in his own pulpit, and that each church may have the minis- trations of its own pastor on that important day. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary: ALABAMA. H. W. Perrin presented a memorial concerning the change of boundaries. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. AUSTIN. O. L. Fisher presented a memorial from the Austin Conference relative to an episcopal residence. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. E. B. Ailing presented a memorial from the Lay Electoral Conference relative to an episcopal residence. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 167 MAY 9. Eighth Day, Morning. Committee on Epworth League. Judicial system. BALTIMORE. L. B. Wilson presented two memorials. One re- specting Quarterly Conference Committee on Epworth League, which was referred to the Committee on Ep- worth League, and one respecting the judicial system of the Church, which was referred to the Committee on Constitution. CENTRAL ILLINOIS. H. D. Clark presented a memorial concerning eligi- bility of women for members of the Board of Trustees. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. CENTRAL NEW YORK. R. D. Munger presented a memorial from the Auburn sn Yp mber District Conference concerning membership in the An- nual Conference. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. He also presented a memorial concerning duties of presiding elders. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. C. C. Wilbor presented a memorial from the Central New York Conference concerning the trial of minis- tens. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. D. S. Monroe presented sample blanks for uniformity in making reports. These were received by mail, and it was not known who sent them. E. J. Gray presented a memorial concerning General Conference elections. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Women el- igible as trustees. in An- nual Con- ference. Duties of presiding elders. Trial of ministers. Blanks fox- reports. General Conference elections. CENTRAL SWEDISH. J. R. Lindgren presented a memorial from the /ndKu>S North Swedish Mission Conference relative to the San- debudet and the Baneret. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. CINCINNATI. A. B. Leonard presented a memorial relative to the stewards. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial, signed bv himself and Election of stcvvcircls F. M. Bristol, with reference to the method of electing stewards. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Steward* 168 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Morning. Assistant Secretary for Ep worth League. Change in boundaries. Boundaries. Time of holding General Conference. Deaconess work. Duties of Bishops. Neglect of means of grace. Credentials. Control of Sunday schools. Reception of children into church. Election of stewards and trustees Districting the Bishops. DELAWARE. J. H. Scott presented a memorial in behalf of col- ored Conferences, relative to an Assistant Secretary for the Epworth League. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. He also presented a memorial concerning a change in boundaries. Referred to the Committee on Bound- aries. H. A. Monroe presented a memorial concerning a change in boundaries. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. DES MOINES. J. M. Kittleman presented a memorial concerning the time of holding General Conference. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. EAST GERMAN. J. C. Deininger presented a memorial from Bethany Deaconess Society concerning deaconess work. Re- ferred to the Committee on Deaconess Work. EAST OHIO. D. H. Muller presented two memorials. One con- cerning the duties of Bishops, and one concerning neglect of means of grace on Revisals. ERIE. A. J. Merchant presented two memorials. One con cerning restoration of credentials, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals; the other concerning control of Sunday schools, which was referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts. ILLINOIS. J. T. McFarland presented a memorial concerning form for reception of children into the church. Re ferred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial from W. D. Best rela- tive to the election of stewards and trustees. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. INDIANA. H. J. Talbott presented two memorials. One concern- ing districting the Bishops, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy, and one from members of one Referred to the Committee 1896. Journal of the General Conference. 169 Meridian Street Church, Indianapolis, concerning the relation of young people's societies, which was referred to the Committee on Epworth League. ITALY. William Burt presented a memorial recommending the change of boundary of the Bulgaria Mission. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Young peo- ples' so- cieties. Boundary of Bulgaria Mission. KANSAS. J. A. Motter presented a memorial from the Kansas Conference relative to deaconess work. Referred to the Committee on Deaconess Work. KENTUCKY. R. T. Miller presented two memorials relating to the Ritual. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented two memorials relating to the terms of church membership and the election of trustees. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. He also presented a memorial relative to paragraph 240. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. Daniel Stevenson presented memorials relative to changes in paragraphs 243, 56, 49, 84, 157, 193, 328, 352, 74, 172, 70, 72, and also relating to reception on trial in the Annual Conference, and page 243. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial relative to financial re- ports at Quarterly Conference. Referred to the Com- mittee on the State of the Church. He also presented a memorial relative to the name of the Official Board. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. He also presented a memorial relative to the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. lie also presented a memorial relative to episcopal decisions. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. He also presented a memorial relative to use of to- bacco. Referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. He also presented a memorial relative to the proba- tionary system. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. He also presented a memorial relative to support of Deaconess work. Ritual. Terms of member- ship and trustees. T 240. Changes in Discipline. Financial reports in Quarterly Conference. Name of Official Board. Time limit. Episcopal decisions. Use of to- bacco. Probation- ary system- 170 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Support of noneffective ministers. Change in Constitu- tion of Mis- sionary So- ciety. General super in- tendency. noneffective ministers. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. MEXICO. • J. W. Butler presented a memorial from the Mexico Conference asking a change in Article III of the Con- stitution of the Missionary Society. Referred to the Committee on Missions. He also presented a memorial from the Mexico Con- ference relative to the general superintendency. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. Enabling act. Course of Study. T 85 and Mission Conferences Probation, general ad- vice,studies, time limit. MICHIGAN. Levi Master presented a memorial relative to an en- abling act. Referred to the Committee on Bound- aries. MINNESOTA. H. C. Jennings presented a memorial concerning the Course of Study as presented by the Board of Bishops. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. He also presented a memorial from S. A. Bridgman, relative to paragraph 85, section 2, and one relative to Mission Conferences. They were referred to the Com- mittee on Boundaries. G. H. Bridgman presented memorials from the St. Paul's Preachers' Meeting. One concerning probation, one concerning general advice on the subject of impru- dent and unchristian conduct, one concerning studies in Conference courses, and one concerning time limit. They were referred to the Committee on Revisals. David H. Laney. Probation and full member- ship. Four years' diaconate. MISSOURI. J. H. Poland presented an appeal, signed by J. W. Caughlan, in behalf of David H. Laney, a local elder in the Missouri Conference. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. NEWARK. R. R. Doherty presented a memorial from the Quar- terly Conference of Westtown and Unionville, and one from the Quarterly Conference of Simpson Church, Jer- sey City, each referring to probation and full member- ship; and one from the First Church of Roselle concern- ing the four years' diaconate required by the Discipline, which were referred to the Committee on Revisals ; 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 171 one from the Sunday School Union, and one from the Tract Society, each asking for changes in the Dis- cipline, which were referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts. Samuel Van Benschoten presented a memorial from the Board of Managers of the Sunday School Union for more definite recognition in the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Sunday School and Tracts. S. L. Baldwin presented a memorial, signed by H. A. Chamberlain, concerning rules for Conference stewards. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. H. A. Buttz presented a memorial from the District Stewards of Jersey City District against changes in probationary system. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. NEW ENGLAND. J. W. Hamilton presented a petition from five hun- dred and eighty-six superannuated ministers. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. C. R. Magee presented a memorial from the Lay Electoral Conference of the New England Conference relative -to the election of trustees and stewards. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Changes in Discipline. Sunday School Union. Rules for Conference stewards. Probation- ary system. Petition from superannu- ated minis- ters. Election of trustees and stewards. NEW ENGLAND SOUTHERN. G. H. Bates presented a memorial requesting a change in the form of Certificate of Church Membership. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Certificate of Church Member- ship. NEW HAMPSHIRE. S. E. Quimby presented a memorial to amend para- graphs 329 and 332. Referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts. NEW JERSEY. J. L. Roe presented a memorial recommending a change in paragraph 49. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. NEW YORK. J. R. Day presented three memorials from the New York Conference. One concerning paragraph 240, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals; one refer- ring to location of next General Conference, which was referred to the Committee on Location of next General To amend 1 1! 329. 332. Change in IT 240. Location of next Gen- eral Confer- ence. 172 Journal of the General Conference, [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Assistant Secretary of Epworth League. Time limit. Case of A.C. Bowdish. Church and social prob- lems. Boundaries. Ninth Dis- trict. Course of Study. Time of electing lay delegates. Conference and one on Assistant Secretary of Epworth League, which was referred to the Committee on Ep- worth League. He also presented a memorial from the New York Conference relating to time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. NEW YORK EAST. A memorial was presented from Joseph Pullman relat- ing to the case of A. C. Bowdish. Appeals were pre- sented from Joseph Pullman and A. C. Bowdish. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. G. P. Mains presented a memorial from the New York East Conference on the relation of the Church to social problems. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. NORTH DAKOTA. D. C. Plannette presented a memorial relative to boundaries. Referred to Committee on Boundaries. NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. F. Chaffee presented a memorial from the Ninth General Conference District, relative to said District. Referred to the Committee on General Conference Districts. J. B. Hingeley presented a memorial from the Min- neapolis Preachers' Meeting relative to the Course of Study. Referred to the Committee on Education. NORTH INDIANA. C. B. Stemen presented a memorial relative to time of electing lay delegates to the General Conference. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Omaha Christian Advocate. NORTH NEBRASKA. Bishop Newman presented the report of the Com- mission appointed to publish the Omaha Christian Advocate. Referred to the Book Committee. Episcopal residence. NORTH OHIO. W. F. Whitlock presented a memorial, signed by ministers and laymen, and one signed by Horace Benton and others, requesting to make Cleveland, O., an epis- copal residence. Referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy. 1896,] Journal of the General Conference. 173 J. C. Arbuckle presented the appeal in the case of C. W. Price. Referred to the Judiciary Committee. * NORTHWEST IOWA. J. W. Walker presented a memorial from the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Clear Lake, la., asking that said church be transferred to the Upper Iowa Con- ference. Referred to the Committee on ^Boundaries. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. Appeal of C. W. Price- Transfer of Clear Lake church. NORTHWEST KANSAS. W. H. Sweet presented a memorial concerning the establishment of a supreme ecclesiastical court to which shall be sent questions of law. Referred to the Com- mittee on Constitution. Supreme ecclesias- tical court. PHILADELPHIA. T. B. Neely presented a petition in reference to the relation between the Epworth League and other young peoples' societies. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. ST. LOUIS. W. A. Quay presented a memorial relative to para- graph 293 of the Discipline. Referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial relative to the Course of Study. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. SOUTH AMERICA. C. W. Drees presented a memorial to insert a para- graph in the Discipline concerning the permission of lay members as missionaries. Referred to the Commit- tee on Missions. He also presented a memorial relative to paragraph 344. Referred to the Committee on Missions. He also presented a memorial petitioning for the pub- lishing of books and periodicals in the Spanish language. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. He also presented a memorial concerning the en- largement of the plans of the Board of Education. Re- ferred to the Committee on Education. He also presented a memorial asking that the opera- tions of the Church Extension society be extended to South America. Referred to the Committee on Church Extension. Young peo- ples' so- cieties. Course of Study. Lay mem- bers as mis- sionaries. IF 344. Literature in Spanish language. Plans of Board of Education. Operations of Church Extension society. 174 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. eighth* He also P resented a memorial relating to the consol- J> AY - idation of the Board of Education and Freedmen's Aid Morning. 0 . consoiida- and Southern Education Society. Referred to Com- cieties. mittee on Consolidation of Benevolences. Stewards and trustees Weekly paper. Change of name. Sustenta- tion of min- isters' wid- ows. Change in Discipline. SOUTH DAKOTA. W. H. Jordan presented a memorial concerning re- organization of Boards of Stewards and Trustees. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial, signed by J. P. Junkins and others, relative to a weekly paper. Re- ferred to the Committee on the Book Concern. He also presented three memorials. One from the Conference, asking for a change of name, was referred to the Committee on Boundaries; one from the Sioux Falls District Ministerial Association, concerning the sustentation of ministers' widows, was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church; and one, asking for a change in Discipline, was referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals. Abridged edition of Hymnal. Episcopal residence. Use of to- bacco. Preachers' salaries. Boundaries. <> SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. W. S. Matthew presented a memorial asking for pub- lication of an abridged edition of the Hymnal that may be sold at from twenty-five to fifty cents per copy- Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern.' S. A. Thomson presented a memorial from the Minis- ters' Association of Los Angeles relative to an epis- copal residence. Referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy. SOUTHWEST KANSAS. Granville Lowther presented a memorial concerning the use of tobacco. Referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. TENNESSEE. H. W. Key presented a memorial relative to the preachers' salaries. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. TROY. Homer Eaton presented a memorial asking a change in boundary lines. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 175 UPPER MISSISSIPPI. MAY 9 - Eighth E. H. McKissack presented a memorial concerning ^^g. Sunday school superintendents. Referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals. pe eSts end " Richard Sewell presented a memorial concerning Lay repre- r sentation. lay representation in the Annual Conferences. Re- ferred to the Committee on Lay Representation. WASHINGTON. . I. L. Thomas presented a memorial to amend the ^^gf Constitution of the Missionary Society the Committee on Missions. ^ Mis- Referred to sio 2fe r tJ So - WEST NEBRASKA. C. A. Hale presented a memorial f ram West Nebraska Orleans District Ministerial Association asking for ad- mission of laymen to Annual Conferences, and that each charge shall have official recognition in making the ap- pointments. Referred to the Committee on Lay Rep- resentation. He also -presented a memorial relative to presiding elders. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. He also presented a memorial from West Nebraska Conference relative to the Omaha Christian Advocate, and that a Book Depository be established at Omaha. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. He also presented a memorial from Orleans District Ministerial Association asking a change of Discipline such that the membership may have a right to vote in the Fourth Quarterly Conferences. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Laymen in Annual Confer- ences. Presiding elders. Omaha Christian Advocate. Change in Discipline. WEST WISCONSIN. John Holt presented a memorial recommending the change of paragraph 230. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. WILMINGTON. Merritt Hulburd presented a petition to the Congress of the United States concerning the recognition of God in the Constitution. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Change of 1 230. Petition to Congress. 176 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 9. Eighth Day. Morning. General Secretary of Epworth League. Reporting collections at Confer- ence. Duties of Book Com- mittee. WISCONSIN. G. H. Trever presented a memorial recommending to suspend the office of General Secretary of the Epworth League. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. WYOMING. M. S. Hard presented a memorial from the Confer- ence concerning reporting collections in the Annual Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Consoli- dation of Benevolences. A memorial was presented, signed by Asbury Lowrey and others, relative to the duties of the Book Com- mittee and our publishing interests. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. MAY 11. Ninth Day Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Meeting places of General Conference. Entertain- ing General Conference. Duties of the Secretary. MONDAY MORNING, MAY 11. The Conference convened at the usual hour, Bishop J. M. Walden in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by L. R. Fiske, of the Detroit Conference. The Journal of Saturday's session was read and ap- proved. The roll of the Conferences was called for resolu- tions. S. C. Swallow presented the following, which, on motion of Allen Lewis, was laid on the table: Resolved, 1. That it is the sense of this General Conference that future sessions of the General Conference should, whenever practicable, be held in church buildings. 2. That the Committee of Arrangements to be appointed for the General Conference of 1900 is hereby respectfully requested to comply with the implied request contained in the foregoing resolution. H. A. Monroe presented the following, which, on motion of J. H. Scott, was adopted : Resolved, That we highly appreciate the wisdom and fairness of the present method of entertaining the General Conference, and recom- mend that, in future, invitations from cities offering to entertain the General Conference be accompanied by like guarantees of equal treat- ment to all delegates who may attend ; and where there is a failure to send such guarantee with the invitation, the Committee on Entertain- ment of the General Conference be requested to ask for the same be- fore concluding arrangements. J. M. Shumpert presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Secretary of this General Conference shall be the lawful custodian of the Journal and papers of this General Confer- 1896.J Journal of the General Conference. 177 euce, and shall deliver the same to his successor, and it shall be his duty to make up the roll of the ensuing General Conference, and in of his death the assistants in order of their appointment shall at- tend to these duties. On motion of G. H. Bridgman, the Re"v. Luke Hitchcock was invited to a seat on the platform. J. M. King presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Committee on Judiciary be instructed to pre- pare and present to this Conference for consideration and action a plan concerning the number, the names, and order of the Standing Committees, and define their powers and scope. On motion of J. B. Hingeley, the Secretary was re- quested to refer papers relating to the Conference Course of Study to the Committee on Education. W. H. Hickman presented the following, which was read and referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society: Whereas, Our mission in school work in the South is to raise up leaders among the people we teach, and not to furnish primary educa- tion for the masses ; and, Whereas, The public schools of the South have greatly improved in the last few years ; and, Whereas, The report of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Educa- tion Society ishovvs that over fifty per cent of all the students en- rolled in our schools in the South are pursuing the English course only, and that out of the 8,725 students enrolled there are but 218 in college classes ; and, Whereas, There is a growing demand for greater economy on the one hand and better equipped schools on the other ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the General Committee and Board of Managers of tiie Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society be instructed to so ad just our schools as not to duplicate the public schools in the same locality. 2. That our schools of higher grade should be strengthened in ap- paratus and teaching force, so as to furnish the best possible facilities for training Christian leaders for professional and industrial pursuits. H. G. Jackson presented the following: Resolved, That the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church be hereby authorized to transfer the title of the church property of the rose Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago Northern District, Rock River Conference, invested in them, to the Board of Trustees of that society. J. E. Bills moved its reference to the Committee on Judiciary. A motion by S. M. Fellows to lay this on the table prevailed, and the resolution was adopted. B. F. Witherspoon presented the following, which, on motion of G. E. Ackerman, was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Resolved, 1. That the questions of color and caste prejudice are in no way entertained by this General Conference, and that the election of a MAY 11. Ninth Da y Morning. Rev. L. Hitchcock. Standing Committees. Course of Study. Schools in the South. Montrose Church. Colored Bishop. ♦ 178 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 11. Ninth Day Morning. Tenure of Bishop. Commit- tees' reports presented. Report No. I on Sunday Schools and Tracts. Report No. I on Freed men's Aid and Southern Education Society. * Secretaries of Freed- men's Aid and Southern Education Society. Commission on Fra- ternity. man to the Episcopacy does not depend upon his complexion, but his ability to fill the office. 2. That it is the sense of this General Conference that to elect a man of African descent to the Episcopacy is no more than to elect a man to that^office of German descent, and that such a step, if taken, is not to be understood as class legislation, but as a legitimate and righteous method to promote the cause of God and the welfare of our world-wide Methodism. P. O. Jamison presented the following, which, on motion of J. F. Chaffee, was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy : Whereas, Any limit of time put upon the term of the Episcopal office in the Methodist Episcopal Church would, in our judgment, lessen the dignity of the office, introduce more frequent elections, and injure the efficiency of our superintendency ; therefore, Resolved, That we do not favor any change from the life term which has been a part of our polity from the beginning. The roll of Committees was called for the presenta- tion of reports. The Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts pre- sented Report No. I. The Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society presented Report No. I, and D. H. Moore moved its adoption. J. A. Motter moved to lay the report on the table until the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences reports. The motion was lost, and the report was adopted. (See Reports, p. 409.) J. T>. Walsh presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and South- ern Education Society: Whereas, The report of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society, as contained in the Agenda, page 246, shows that the society has paid during the last three years an average of about $20,000 for salaries and traveling expenses of the secretaries of that Society. Resolved, That this Conference inquire into the propriety and utility of ordering for the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society one corresponding secretary and one assistant secretary ; the assistant secretary to be elected by the Board of Managers of the society. J. C. Hartzell moved, that as the General Conference of 1892. requested the Bishop to appoint a Commission on the subject of Fraternity and Organic Union with other Methodist bodies of the United States, that we request a report from that commission at the earliest practicable hour. Carried. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 179 On motion of S. L. Baldwin, it was ordered that each Standing Committee meeting to-day be instructed to have at least one report ready for presentation at the session to-morrow morning. Lewis Curts presented the report of the Commission on Insurance appointed in 1892, and moved its refer- ence to a Special Committee of five. On motion of L. B. Wilson, it was referred to the Committee on Church Extension. W. F. T. Bushnell moved that the Committee on Entertainment be • instructed to provide two bulletin boards for the announcement of committees, one for the Standing Committees and the other for Special Com- mittees, and that the chairmen of the committees be instructed to place the calls of the day on the bulletin boards. J. B. Hobbs moved, as a substitute, that the informa- tion be published in the Daily Christian Advocate. The substitute was accepted, and adopted. J. B. Graw moved to reconsider the vote by which the time for elections was fixed for next Monday, and proceed to elect on the 13th. W. S. Matthew moved to amend so as to have the elections begin on Thursday, the 14th. The amendment was adopted, and the motion, as amended, was passed. Bishop Andrews announced the Committee on the Seat of the Next General Conference, and the three at large on Lay Representation. (See Committees, p. 377.) The Secretary called the roll of Conferences for reso- lutions. W. H. Wilder presented the following, which, on motion of Harry Swan, was referred to the Com- mittee on Temporal Economy: Whereas, The reports from the several boards of our connectional volences show large indebtedness, and in some instances a de- crease in income ; Whereas, The financial condition of the country has already called for retrenchments and most rigid economy in our expenditures, re- ducing the salaries of missionaries and teachers, also retiring a num- bci of efficient' men and women who have rendered valuable service ; therefore,. Resolved, That the Committees on the Book Concern, the Missionary, the Church Extension, the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education, the Sunday School Union and Tract, and the Educational Societies be Mm ii. NinthDav Morning. Reports. Insurance. Bulletin boards. Time of elections. Committees announced. Salaries of officers. 180 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. ^ 1AY and are hereby instructed to consider the wisdom of reducing the sal- Momirw* aiieS and ° ffice ex P enses of the aforesaid societies and General Con- ference officers. B boards n 0n motion of F. J. Cheney, the resolution of W. F. T. Bushnell relating to bulletin boards was reconsid- ered, and G. C. Sturgiss moved that notices be pub- lished both in the Daily Christian Advocate and on the bulletin boards. The amendment prevailed, and the resolution, as amended, was adopted. The following, presented by W. H. Jordan, was laid on the table: Cbajrmen Resolved, That hereafter the persons receiving the highest number of ° tions g " votes of his Conference shall be chairman of his delegation, but choice of place on the Standing Committees shall be by lot. C. D. Hills presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on the State of the Church : gelization" Whereas, In the address of the Bishops it was declared that Christ formed a " new order of hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart contact with lepers of all sorts, which, if perpetuated in the lives of his followers, will heal all the running sores of the world ;" and, Whereas, The National City Evangelization Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church " has espoused the cause of the City Evangelization Union" to help such a union wage a "hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart 1 ' conflict to win souls to God ; therefore, be it Resolved, That this General Conference recommends to the National City Evangelization Union to encourage the City Evangelization Unions or combinations of Quarterly Conferences in cities to arrange to ob- tain names and residences of persons of certain nationalities in a par- ticular ward or contiguous locality, and see to it that every man and woman included in the scope of this resolution in that locality, as far as practicable, be assigned to some Christian man or woman to be visited by the same as long as evident good results therefrom. H. W. Key presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on the State of the Church : Mob Whereas, Certain sections of our country have been the disgraceful vio ence. scene 0 f mo \y violence, in which men charged with crime have been taken from prison and the officers of the law and executed without trial, in many instances having been flayed, burned, and most shock- ingly treated ; and, Whereas, Such lawlessness subverts the true end of government, renders property and life insecure, and disgraces our Christian land and nineteenth century civilization ; therefore, be it Resolved, 1. That we condemn mob violence in all form, wherever com- mitted, by whatever crime incited. That we note with gratification the growing sentiment in the various States against this lawlessness — a sentiment crystallizing in legislative enactment, rendering it possible- for damages to be secured from the county or State. 2. That this Conference urge upon all State Legislatures the passage of such laws as will eradicate this evil, and to secure for every citizen a just and impartial trial for all crime charged. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 181 J. M. Buckley moved that, in the presentation of memoirs, fifteen minutes shall be the limit in the case of an official of the Church, and in case of members of the last General Conference the limit shall be five minutes, and that the chairman who officiates on that occasion shall indicate when the time here mentioned has ex- pired. John Lanahan moved to strike out all reference to members of the last General Conference. The amend- ment was adopted, and the motion, as amended, was passed. On motion, the Order of the Day was taken up, and the ministers of the city present were introduced. The Conference and the audience joined in singing, " Blest be the tie that binds." Lewis Curts presented what is known as the " World's Women's Temperance Union Petition for the Protec- tion of the Hall," a polyglot petition in fifty languages, and asked the indorsement of this body to that petition, signed by the president and secretary. On motion of John Lanahan, consent was given with- out reading. On motion of A. J. Palmer, it was ordered that when we adjourn it be to 7:30 p. m., to hear the fraternal del- egates from the British Wesleyan and the Irish Meth- odist Conferences. On motion of W. M. Frysinger, the Conference ad- journed. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Luke Hitchcock. MAY 11. Ninth Da v Morning. Memoirs. Ministers introduced. Evening session. MONDAY EVENING, MAY 11. The Conference met pursuant to adjournment, Bishop R. S. Foster in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by W. F. Warren, of the New England Conference. C. H. Payne introduced to the President the Rev. W. L. Watkinson, fraternal delegate from the British Wesleyan Conference. His credentials having been placed in the hands of the Secretary, he then addressed the Conference. MAY 11. Ninth Day Evening. Fraternal address. 182 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 11. Ninth Day Evening. Fraternal address. C. H. Payne handed to the Secretary the credentials of the Rev. R. Crawford Johnson, D.D., fraternal del- egate from the Irish Methodist Conference. J. T. McFarland introduced Dr. Johnson to the President, who presented him to the Conference, and he addressed the body. (See Fraternal Addresses, p. 461). Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Luke Hitchcock. Efficient manage- ment of be- nevolent societies. The following Resolutions were passed to the Secre- tary: ARKANSAS. J. H. Clendenning presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences : Whereas, In order to the attainment of the greatest measure of success of the several benevolent societies of the Church, it is necessary that the utmost confidence in the efficiency and economy of the manage- ment should exist ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Unification and Consolidation of the Benevolent Societies be directed to investigate and report upon the following points : 1. The receipts of each and every one of the General Conference Societies, and from what source or sources. 2. The cost of management and expenditure of the same. 3. What measures, if any, looking toward a more economical man- agement of such societies can be adopted. CENTRAL OHIO. E. T. Nelson presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Missions: Detailed missionary report in Minutes. Committee on Temper- ance and Temper- ance Sun- day. Whereas, The mission fields both at home and abroad are embar rassed by diminished appropriations ; therefore, the Committee on Mis- sions of this General Conference is respectfully requested to report upon the wisdom of the further publication of the detailed missionary report in the Minutes of the Annual Conferences at the expense of the collections made for missions in the several stations and charges. CINCINNATI. J. W. Bashford presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Temperance and Pro- hibition of the Liquor Traffic: Resolved,!. That the Committee on Temperance, provided for in the Discipline, paragraph 97, section 8, be comprised of men and women. 2. That with the cooperation of the pastor of the church the Com- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 183 mittee on Temperance arrange for two or more public meetings to take MAY 11. the place of the regular Sunday morning or evening services. Ninth Day 3. That the Committee on Temperance see that the Sunday schools within its car* be supplied with the best temperance books and papers. 4. That a roll of honor containing the total abstinence pledge and the names of scholars who have signed it be hung upon the walls of each Sunday school, and be presented for additional signatures twice a year. 5. That the Committee on Temperance arrange, in .connection with the Sunday school superintendents, for the holding of from two to four temperance meetings in the Sunday school each year, either by the use of a temperance lesson from the Bible, or by shortening the exercises of the school for brief temperance addresses or concert exercises. v 6. That the General Conference indorse the quarterly temperance lesson selected by the International Lesson Committee. 7. That the General Conference recommend that the fourth Sunday in November be observed, so far as practicable, by our churches and pastors as Temperance Sunday. Note. — This Sunday has been accepted as the Temperance Sunday by the Sunday School Union, by the Triennial Council of the Congre- gational Church, and by the Sunday School Department of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. COLORADO. D. L. Rader presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on the Book Concern : Resolved, That owing to the great distance between Denver and the Official location of any of our official Church papers, and the rapidity with Denver 1 which that mountain country is filling up with people from all lands ; and in view of the importance of giving those people pure and helpful literature in the early days of their settlement in that new section of our country, therefore, we earnestly memorialize this General Conference to establish an official paper in Denver, Colorado, to be known as the Rocky Mountain Christian Advocate, which shall be under the control and management of the Western Book Concern of the Methodist Episcopal Church. DETROIT. R. S. Copeland presented the following, which was Tef erred to the Committee on Lay Representation: Resolved, That the General Conference hereby recommends the fol- Ratio of lowing proposition to the Annual Conferences to be held in 1897, ^tfoaf^ to wit : To amend section 2, paragraph 67, of the Discipline, so that the section shall read as follows : " The General Conference shall not allow of more than one minis- terial representative for every fourteen members of an Annual Confer- ence, nor of a less number than one for every forty-five, nor of more than two lay- delegates for an Annual Conference ; provided, nevertheless, that when there shall be in any Annual Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Annual Conference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such fraction ; provided, that hereafter as the membership of an Annual Conference increases till, under the rule, that Conference would be entitled to another ministerial delegate, 184 Journal of the General Conference. [1896, MAY 11. Ninth Day Evening. instead of electing such ministerial delegate, the Lay Electoral Con-' ference shall choose an additional lay delegate ; and provided, also, that no Conference shall be denied the privilege of one ministerial and of one lay delegate, and that the number of lay delegates from any Conference shall never exceed the ministerial delegates." Article on " Foreign Episcopal Resi- dences." GENESEE. J. D. Williams presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy : Resolved, That the article entitled " Foreign Episcopal Residences," by Bishop Walden, which appeared in the Daily Christian Advocate of May the 8th, be referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Organiza- tion of An- nual Con- ferences. ILLINOIS. W. H. Wilder presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Whereas, Paragraph 71 of the Book of Discipline provides for the organization of an Annual Conference with twenty effective members - r and, Whereas, In this provision is found a ground for serious objection to any change in the ratio of representation in the General Conference, and, doubtless, contributed largely toward the defeat of the proposition submitted during the last quadreuuium to change the ratio of repre- sentation in this body ; therefore, Resolved, That paragraph 11 of the Book of Discipline shall be so- amended as to read: "No Annual Conference shall be organized with less than thirty effective members." Secretaries of Freed- men's Aid Society. Reunion of Churches. KENTUCKY. J. D. Walsh presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society: Whereas, The reports (see Agenda, page 246) of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society show that the society has paid in the past three years an average of about $20,000 per year for salaries and traveling expenses of the secretaries of that society ; therefore, be it Resolved, That this Conference inquire into the propriety and utility of ordering for the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society one corresponding secretary and one assistant secretary, the assistant to be elected by the board of managers of said society. Daniel Stevenson presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church: Wliereas, It is the belief of this General Conference that all the reasons which exist for nearer and more amicable relations between the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, exist with equal force for the reunion of the two Churches ; and, Wliereas, It is the belief, further, of this General Conference, that such reunion would tend to a purer peace and a more agreeable har- mony between the members of the two Churches as they now exist apart, and to the more rapid promotion of the Redeemer's kingdom in this country and in all the world ; therefore, 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 185 Resolved, 1. That this General Conference instruct the Bishops to MAY 11. appoint a commission on the subject of the reunion of the two N ^" i 1 ,^ Churches named. 2. That the said commission shall consist of ifteen members, eight of them ministers (one of whom shall be a Bishop) and seven laymen, at least three of the ministers and two of the laymen to be selected from that part of the Church which lies south of thy} Ohio River. x 3. That said commission shall make known the fact and the object of its appointment to the next General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and request the appointment of a similar commission by that body, empowered to act with our commission with reference to the reunion of the two Churches. 4. That it is the design of this General Conference that whatever agreement shall be reached by the two commissions shall be alike honorable to both Churches. 5. That nothing that shall be agreed upon by the two commissions shall be binding till approved by the General Conference of 1900, to which body the commission now to be appointed shall report. MICHIGAN. P. J. Maveety presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society: Whereas, The Theological Department and School of Arts in Grant University are located more than fifty miles apart; and, Whereas, It might be possible by locating these two departments at the same place to secure a reduction of expenses for instruction; therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society be and is hereby instructed to inquire into trans- ferring the Theological Department to Athens. MONTANA Jacob Mills presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on the Book Concern : Whereas, Certain outside publishers make earnest, and too often sue- m ^ toiae a cessful, efforts to get their literature into Methodist Episcopal Sunday weekly pub- school s ; and, lication. Whereas, It appears that there is no weekly paper, in grade, between the Ef/worth Herald and the Sunday School Advocate issued by our publishing house, which fact is taken advantage of by others, who thus occupy, in many places, such field to the injury of our children and the financial interests of our Book Concern ; therefore, be it Resolved, That this General Conference instruct the Publishing Agents of the Church to supply the need suggested by making The mate a weekly publication, instead of a semimonthly as at present, at the lowest possible price. NEW ENGLAND SOUTHERN. S. O. Benton presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Resolved, That the -Committee on Itinerancy be instructed to report Yaccob°-~ to the General Conference on the question whether it would not be presiding wise for the Bishops to be advised, in the appointment of new pre- elders, siding elders, to select ministers not addicted to the use of tobacco. 186 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 11. Ninth Day Evening. Reports from Epwor^i League. NEW YORK. A. D. Peake presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Colnmittee on the Epworth League: Resolved, That there be added to the blanks printed for the purpose of gathering statistics for the Annual Conferences sufficient space properly arranged for full reports from Epworth League chapters. Change of adminis- tration of Board of Church Ex- tension. Book Depos- itories. Suspension of members of Annual Conference. NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. F. Chaffee presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Church Extension: Resolved, That the Committee on Church Extension be instructed to report to this Conference as to the ad visibility of so changing the ad- ministration of the Board of Church Extension that the moneys avail- able for distribution among the Conferences as donations be paid to the Conferences, and be administered by the Conference boards severally. NORTHWEST KANSAS. E. S. Chenoweth presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern: Resolved, That paragraph 414, page 203, of the Discipline of 1892 be amended so as to read as follows : u There shall be Depositories of our books at Cincinnati, New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Denver, and San Francisco, with full supplies of the books of our General Catalogues, Sunday school books and tracts, to be sold for the Concern at the same terms as at New York, said books to be supplied by the Agent at New York, and the amount of books to be kept on hand at each place is to be left to the judgment of the Book Committee." « He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That paragraph 289, pages 149 and 150, of the Discipline of 1892 be amended so as to read as follows : " When a member of an Annual Conference is accused of crime in the interval of his Conference session and is suspended by a commit- tee, subsequently convicted by his Conference and expelled, his claim upon the funds of the Conference' shall cease from the time of his suspension, and when a member of an Annual Conference is sus- pended and afterward restored, he shall have claim on the congrega- tion and upon the funds of the Conference during the period of such suspension. " Providing that said congregation has not been to the expense of supporting a minister during the period of such suspension." PUGET SOUND. T. J. Massey presented the following, whi^h was referred to the Committee on Missions : Field Believing that the present exigency of the Missionary Society of the ilfssionary Methodist Episcopal Church demands that the General Conference Society. should take some definite action to avert the possibility of retro- gression in the work of the society, and speedily extricate it from its present embarrassing debt, and enlarge its powers for the extension of 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 187 Christ's kingdom in the earth, we, the undersigned delegates, would respectfully submit for your consideration and adoption the following proposition, namely: " The election or appointment of Field Agents or District Secretaries who shall devote their entire time and energies to the work of disseminating missionary intelligence by means of public addresses from pulpit and platform, the distribution of missionary publications, by correspondence and otherwise, pressing upon the Church the claims of the society and raising funds for its work. 4> Such Agents or Secretaries shall be under the direction and control of the Board of Managers. We recommend the election of one Secre- tary for each General Conference District or such smaller numbers as in vour judgment may be required to do the work." MAY 11. Ninth Day Evening. SOUTH DAKOTA. R. N. Kratz presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts: Whereas^ Our frontier Sunday schools need to be brought in more direct contact with the Sunday School Department of our Church; and, Whereas, In the report of the Board of Managers of our Sunday School Union this fact, together with a lack of interest on the part both of schools and pastors, is referred to and deplored ; therefore, be it Resolved, That any Annual Conference may appoint a general super- intendent of all Sunday school interests within its bounds who shall have authority from the Sunday School Union of our Church to assist the pastors of said Conference in organizing new Sunday schools, and to secure a more general use of our Sunday school literature, and a more faithful observance of the normal and other methods by which the Union desires to improve the condition of, and work in, our Sunday schools ; provided, that the Sunday School Union of our Church shall in nowise be responsible for the compensation of said general superintendent so appointed. General superin- tendent of Sunday school inter- ests. SOUTHWEST KANSAS. Granville Lowther presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church : WJierem, A large number o'f unordained men are employed in our frontier work, and it is often exceedingly inconvenient and even at ti tries impossible to obtain ordained men to bury the dead, perform marriage, and to baptize, and as a consequence many of the converts of such ministers are annually lost to our Church ; therefore, Resolved, That this General Conference do give to unordained men, who are supplying charges, under the regularly constituted authority of the Church, the right to bury the dead, perform marriage, and to baptize ; provided, such authority shall not cover any period of time for whi«h they are not employed as above designated. W. II. Rose presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals': Wfterefis, Paragraph 45 of the Discipline provides that the pastor shall make an accurate register of the names of all baptized children within his pastoral care ; and, Wfureas, Our church registers in general use provide space only for Unordained preachers in frontier work. Registering baptized children. 188 Journal of the General Co?iference. [1896. MAY 11. the names of those whose baptism occurs within the charge for which ^Jinth Day suc h register is used ; and, Evemng. Whereas, The prevailing custom is that baptized children are ex- pected to unite with the church on probation the same as those not baptized ; and, Whereas, No provision is made for the transfer of baptized children from one charge to another ; therefore, be it Resolved, That paragraph 45 be amended by adding : " and shall give a certificate of such registration to the parents of all such children removing from his charge, which certificate shall transfer the relation of said children to the charge to which they are removed." Removals without letter. WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That when any member of our Church shall remove without letter from his church, the pastor may after the lapse of one year erase the name from the record, the statement for the erasure of said name to be made in writing opposite the name so erased. Laymen in Annual Conference. Deaconess work. Deaconess Home of Baltimore. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary : BALTIMORE. D. S. Monroe, Secretary, presented a memorial from the Baltimore Conference relative to admission of lay- men to the Annual Conference. Referred to the Com- mittee on Lay Representation. L. B. Wilson presented a memorial on behalf of the Board of Managers of the Lucy Webb Hayes Deacon- ess Home relative to deaconess work. He also presented a memorial from the Board of Deaconesses concerning the Deaconess Home of Balti- more. Referred to the Committee on Deaconess Work. CENTRAL ILLINOIS. servance° b o"f J. G. Evans presented a memorial relating to the the Sabbath r ° proper observance of the Sabbath. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. CENTRAL OHIO. E. T. Nelson presented a memorial relative to ap- Appropri- ations by Missionary society, propriations made by the General Missionary society. Referred to the Committee on Missions. CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. C sOTance?" S. Monroe, Secretary of the General Conference, presented a memorial referring to church insurance. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 189 He also presented a memorial from Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, Worcester, Mass., in reference to a change in the Creed. Referred to the Committee on Re vi sals. He also presented a memorial from the Philadelphia clergy and the Hall of Carpenters Company in relation to a meeting of the human family at Jerusalem in the year 1900. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. He also presented from the Ecclesiastical Peace Con- ference a petition for arbitration. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. He also presented appeals from episcopal decisions. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. He also presented a memorial from Central China Mission relative to episcopal residence, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Episcopacy ; another rela- tive to a China Mission Conference, which was referred to the Committee on Missions; and another relative to a Missionary Bishop, which was referred to the Com- mittee on Episcopacy. MAY 11. Ninth Day Evening. Change in the Creed. Human family at Jerusalem in 1900. Arbitration. Episcopal decisions. Episcopal residence. China Mis- sion Confer- ence. Missionary Bishop. CENTRAL SWEDISH. J. F. Wigren presented a memorial, signed by him- p^lSs self and others, respecting Swedish periodicals. Re- ferred to the Committee on the Book Concern. DETROIT. G. O. Robinson presented a memorial relative to De ^£ e " deaconess work. Referred to the Committee on Deaconess Work. ERIE. J. N. Fradenburgh presented a memorial from the t2 *°- Clarion District Epworth League Convention relative to paragraph 240. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. GULF MISSION. A memorial was received from the Gulf Mission, Growth of 7 Gulf signed by Cyrus A. King and others, referring to its Mission, growth, and asking to be erected into a Mission Con- ference. Referred to the Committee on Missions. 190 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 11. . Ninth Dav Evening. Subsidy lor Methodist Advocate Journal New Orleans University. Lay repre- sentation. HOLSTON. R. J. Cooke presented a memorial, signed by seventy persons, asking subsidy for the Methodist Advocate Journal. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. ILLINOIS. J. A. Kumler presented a memorial relative to the New Orleans University administration. Referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Edu- cation Society. INDIANA. W. R. Halstead presented a memorial relative to lay representation. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representation. IOWA. F. J. Myers presented a memorial from the Keokuk District Conference relative to paragraph 240. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. Electing faculties. LITTLE ROCK. W. O. Emory presented a memorial from the trus- tees of Philander Smith College relative to electing faculties. Referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. Freedmen's Aid Society. Church Extension Society. Board of Education. MEXICO. J. W. Butler presented three memorials. One for the Freedmen's Aid Society to extend its territory, which was referred to the Committee on Consolidation of Be- nevolences; one on the Church Extension Society in Mexico, which was referred to the Committee on Church Extension; and one to enlarge the scope of the Board of Education, which was referred to the Com- mittee on Education. Book Depos- itory at * Detroit. T 240. MICHIGAN. J. H. Potts presented a memorial to establish a Book Depository at Detroit, Mich. Referred to the Commit- tee on the Book Concern. Levi Master presented a memorial from the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Kalamazoo, Mich., pro- testing against any change in paragraph 240. Referre to the- Committee on the State of the Church. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 191 NEW ENGLAND. W. F. Warren presented a memorial from the New England Conference on the subject of ministerial ex- aminations. Referred to the Committee on Education. He also presented a memorial from James Mudge relative to International arbitration. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. He also presented a memorial from the students of Boston University School of Theology. Referred to the Committee on Education. He also presented a memorial from Daniel Steele and others concerning the doctrinal teaching of books pub- lished. by our Book Concern. Referred to the Commit- tee on the Book Concern. E. M. Taylor presented a memorial from the New- England Conference relative to the time limit. Re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy. MAY 11. Ninth Day" Evening. Ministerial examina- tions. Interna- tional arbi- tration. Boston Uni- versity. Doctrinal teaching of our books. Time limit. NEW YORK. C. C. McCabe presented a communication from G. S. Davis and others of the Bulgarian mission in reference to boundaries. Referred to the Committee on Bound- aries. A. D. Peake presented a memorial in relation to statistics of the Epworth League. Referred to the Committee on the Epworth League. He also presented a memorial, signed by W. E. Brooks, on the subject of church membership. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. J. R. Day presented a memorial from the New York Conference relative to the Epworth League Board of Control, which was referred to the Committee on Ep-' worth League ; another relative to paragraph 240, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals; and another relative to the seat of the ensuing General Con- ference, which was referred to the Committee on Lo- cation of the next General Conference. Boundaries. Statistics of Epworth League. Church member- ship. Epworth League. Seat of next General Conference. NEW YORK EAST. ' C. J. North presented a memorial in behalf of the laymen of New Haven District relating to the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. Time limit. 192 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 11. Ninth Day Evening. Statistical cards. Boundaries. No chan^ in bounc aries. Support of ministers' widows. Ratio of rep- resentation. Districting the Bishops. Time limit. Church Insurance Company. NORTH INDIANA. W. D. Parr presented a memorial recommending the adoption of Neal's Statistical Cards. Referred to Com- mittee on Revisals. Also, a memorial relative to boundary lines. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. A. E. Mahin presented a memorial from the District Stewards of the Kokomo District protesting against a change in the boundaries of the North Indiana Confer- ence. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. He also presented a memorial from the delegation of the North Indiana Conference on the same subject. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries* NORTH NEBRASKA. J. B. Maxfield presented a memorial, signed by Joseph Pritchard, concerning support of ministers' widows. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. OHIO. D. Y. Murdoch presented a memorial from the Ohio Conference relative to the ratio of representation. Re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy. J. C. Arbuckle presented a memorial from the Ohio Conference relative to districting the Bishops. Re- ferred to the Committee on Episcopacy. W. D. Cherington presented a memorial from the Ohio Conference relative to the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. ROCK RIVER. Lewis Curts presented a report of Commission on Church Insurance Compairy. Referred to the Com- mittee on Church Extension. Educa- tional work. SOUTH INDIA. J. H. Stephens presented a memorial requesting an inquiry in reference to the educational work of India. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Insurance of Church property. SOUTHWEST KANSAS. Granville Lowther presented a memorial recommend- ing the Board of Church Extension to adopt plan for insurance of Church property. Referred to the Committee on Church Extension. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 193 ST. JOHN'S RIVER. MAY 11. Ninth Da y L. S. Rader presented a memorial asking for a trans- Evemm- position of paragraph 193, section 2, of the Discipline. tTo r nof^°i93. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. ST. LOUIS. J. B. Young presented a memorial relative to the subject of Church insurance. Referred to the Com- mittee on Temporal Economy. Church insurance. TEXAS. W. H. Logan presented a memorial asking that an enabling act be granted the Texas and West Texas Con- ferences. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Enabling act. TROY. W. W. Hughes presented a memorial from the Quar- Next session terly Conference at Saratoga Springs inviting the next conference J o r to & at Saratoga session of the General Conference to be held at that springs, place, which was referred to the Committee on Loca- tion of next General Conference. UPPER IOWA. A. J. Kynett presented a memorial in behalf of the Woman's Home Missionary Society. Referred to the Committee on Deaconess Work. W. F. King presented a memorial in reference to the administration of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. Referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. Woman's Home Mis- sionary Society. Adminis- tration of Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. WASHINGTON. W. H. Brooks presented a memorial to change par- agraph 168. Referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy. WEST NEBRASKA. C. A. Hale presented a memorial concerning the examinations of undergraduates. Referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals. WISCONSIN. G. H. Trever presented a memorial recommending S e?retlr a yof the abolishing of the office of General Secretary of the ieagu? Epworth League. To change 1 168. Examina- tions of undergrad- uates. 194 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. may 11. jj e a i so presented two memorials. One concerning *JinthDay Evening, the Epworth League Board of Control, which was re- 1 Xgue h ferred to the Committee on Epworth League; the control, other for expunging absent members' names. Referred meSers. to the Committee on Revisals. MAY 12. Tenth Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. S. S. Reid. Periodicals to schools. Index to Discipline. Book Con- cern re- ports, 1872. TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 12. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop C. H. Fowler in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by H. G. Jackson, of the Rock River Conference. The Journals of yesterday morning and evening ses- sions were read and approved. Simon S. Reid, a reserve delegate of the Texas Con- ference, was seated in the place of T. A. Fortson, called home. G. E. Ackerman presented 'the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That the publishers be and they are hereby authorized and requested to furnish gratis to any university, theological school, col- lege, academy or seminary, regularly under the control of our Church, on application of the president or principal thereof, one copy of all our official Advocates and one of the Methodist Revieiv. C. C. Wilbor presented the following, which was adopted: Whereas, The present Index of the Discipline is imperfect in that subjects sought for are often found with difficulty owing to the differ- ent titles by which different minds will seek for the various topics ; therefore, Resolved, That the editor or editors of the new Discipline be directed to make the Index more specific and comprehensive, giving double references where subjects will admit, by printing subtopics in their alphabetical order and place, and by adding the number of the para- graph where such topics elsewhere appear. The following, presented by John Lanahan, was re- ferred to the Committee on Book Concern: Whereas, Among the important reports presented to the General Conference of 1872 was one by Mr. John A. Gunn, more than half of which report was left out of the Journal of that Conference ; and, Whereas, Attention to said mutilated report has recently been called ; therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on the Book Concern be and they are hereby instructed to inquire into, and report upon the propriety of publishing the said report in full in the forthcoming Journal of this Conference. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 195 Elvin Swarthout presented the following, which was may 12. referred to the Committee on Constitution: DAvf Wiereas, It is evident from the discussions in General Conferences ^stitu and in books and periodicals for eight years and more that it is morally tionai Corn- impossible to agree, even approximately, among ourselves what part of mission, the Discipline, if any, " has the nature and force of a constitution ; " and, Whereas, The recognized process of amending whatever is claimed as Constitution is both slow and unsatisfactory and out of harmony with the spirit of American ideas of equality, putting it in the power of a small minority of the traveling preachers to obstruct the wishes of more than two thirds of their ministerial brethren, and to wholly ignore the almost unanimous wishes of the laity, as has been lately shown by the votings on equal lay representation and the admission of women ; and, Whereas, It is absolutely impossible for such a body as this General Conference to give the deliberation necessary for the preparation of matter for the action of the Annual Conferences, even if there were not inherent objections to that method of amending the Constitution; therefore, Resolved, 1. That there be, and is hereby created, a Constitutional Commission with full power to revise and amend the Constitution of the Methodist Episcopal Church so as to adapt it to its present world- wide field, and in the language of the Bishops in their Address of 1888 to " remove ambiguity, extirpate doubt, and obviate possible perplex- ing discussions in the future." Said Constitutional Commission shall be composed of two ministers and two laymen from each of the Gen- ' eral Conference Districts as they now exist, the ministerial members thereof and one reserve to be elected by ballot, by the ministerial mem- bers of the present General Conference from the several General Con- ference Districts and the lay members thereof, and one reserve to be elected in like manner by the lay members of this General Conference. All representatives thus chosen to be not less than thirty years of age ^nd to reside in the district they represent. 2. The Constitutional Commission thus chosen shall meet in the city •of Chicago on the first Wednesday in August, 1896, at 10 o'clock a. m., at such place as may be provided for the Book Agent resident at Chicago. It shall organize by the election of one of its members as president and one as secretary, and such other officers as the Commis- sion thus organized may deem necessary. It shall be governed by the Rules of Order of the present General Conference, as far as they may be applicable, until the same is changed by the said Commission. A ma- jority of the members elected shall constitute a quorum for the trans- action of business, but no measure that does not on its final passage receive a majority of the members elected shall be adopted. 3. It shall be the duty of said Commission to formulate therein, so much of the present Constitution and laws and usages of the Church as it shall deem wise, and to make such alterations and revisions as in its judgment ought to be made to better adapt it to the present and probable future wants of the Church. When it shall have completed its work, the president and secretary of said Commission shall cause the form of Constitution agreed upon to be published twice in alternate weeks in every official weekly paper of the Church in the United States, and request all other Methodist papers to copy the same within thirty days of the adjournment of said Commission. They shall also desig- nate some calendar month, not less than three months nor more than six months from the adjournment of the Commission, in which the vote shall be taken on the adoption or rejection of said proposed Con- stitution by every member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States who shall be twenty-one years of .age and over. The 196 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 12. Tenth Day. Morning. Edit the Discipline. Coordinate adminis- tration. Secretary of the Sun- day School Union. Additional Missionary Bishops. Commission shall formulate rules and regulations for the taking of votes and for certifying the result to the Secretary of this General Conference, who shall tabulate the same as early as possible after re- ceiving the returns, and he shall publish the result in every official weekly paper in the United States as soon as the result is known, and he shall assume, in the absence of information to the contrary, that all returns have reached him within ninety days after the time designated for taking the vote. If it shall appear that the proposed Constitution has received a majority of the votes cast and returned, then it shall become the Constitution of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and all officers and members of said Church shall at once be governed by it ; provided that no present rule or regulation of the Church, which is purely statutory or administrative, shall be superseded or revoked by the operation of said Constitution until acted upon by the first General Conference succeeding the adoption of said Constitution, unless pro- vision for such change shall be especially made in a schedule accom- panying the Constitution and the schedule, the time of the meeting of said Commission shall designate in the next General Conference and the time and manner of the election of delegates, if any change from the present time and manner shall be made necessary. 4. Each member of said Commission shall keep an accurate detailed account of his expenses incurred in attending the meeting or meetings of said Commission, which when certified to shall be paid out of the funds of the Book Concern, and shall be charged to General Con- ference expenses and incorporated in the expenses of the next General Conference, to be collected with the expenses of the next General Con- ference. J. M. Shumpert presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That Bishop E. G. Andrews edit the Discipline of 1896, with whatever assistance he may employ. J. M. Buckley presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy be instructed to in- quire into the relation between the General Superintendent and the Missionary Bishop, especially as to the best methods practicable for their " coordinate " administration, as implied in the Discipline, para- graph 178. W. H. Maxwell presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts: Judging by the report of the Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church, this department is not receiving the support of the Church as it should ; and, Whereas, There is a wide and increasing demand that the periodical literature issued by said board should be greatly improved ; therefore, Resolved, That it is the judgment of this General Conference that , whoever my be elected to the secretaryship of said board shall devote his entire time and attention to the promotion of this end. William Wallis presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Whereas, The frequent visitations of our foreign mission fields by our Bishops is attended with great expense ; and, 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 197 Whereas, The development of our missions in Europe, Asia, and MAY 12. Africa indicate providential guidance ; therefore, "day" Resolved, That it is the sense of this Conference that additional Mommy. Missionary Bishops should be elected by this body to represent our work in Europe, .A*ia, and Africa. S. W. Trousdale presented the following, which was adopted: Time of meeting of the General Conference. Restrictive rules. Whereas, The proposition submitted by the West Wisconsin Annual Conference to change the time of meeting of the General Conference from the first day of May to the first Wednesday of May has received more than the necessary three fourths votes of the Annual Conferences (the actual vote being 8,663 for to 167 against) ; Resolved, That this body make the Order of the Day for voting upon this amendment 9 a. m. Wednesday, May 13. The following, presented by T. L. Matthews, was, on motion of J. F. Chaffee, referred to the Committee on Constitution: Whereas, Under the law, as it now is, governing the submission of propositions to change or amend the Restrictive Rules, the membership, other than the members of the Annual Conference, have no voice further than an expression of an opinion ; and, Whereas, Any proposition changing or amending the organic law of the Church is a matter of vital importance in which every member of the Church is interested, and should have a voice and a vote ; there- fore, Resolved^. That the proviso to the Restrictive Rules, paragraph 68, Discipline, 1892, be amended as follows : After the word Con- ferences in lines three and ten insert the words, "and members of the Church over (21) twenty-one years of age," so that, when so amended, the proviso will read as follows : *~ 68. Provided, nevertheless, that upon the concurrent recommenda- tion of three fourths of all the members of the several Annual Con- ferences, and the members of the Church over twenty-one years of age, who shall be present and vote on such recommendation, then a majority of two thirds of the General Conference succeeding shall suffice to alter any of the above Restrictions, excepting the first article ; and also, whenever such alteration or alterations shall have been first recommended by two thirds of the General Conference, so soon as three fourths of the members of all the Annual Conferences and the members of the Church over twenty-one years of age, who shall be present and vote on such recommendation, shall have con- curred as aforesaid, such alteration or alterations shall take effect; provided,- further, that the procedure hereby established in the matter of altering the Restrictive Rules apply to changing, amending, or alter- ing the organic law and Constitution of the Church. On motion of J. F. Haley, A. F. Chase, a reserve a. f. chase, delegate of the East Maine Conference, was seated in ¥ the place of W. L. Brown, called home on account of sickness. The roll of the Conferences was called for the pres- entation of reports. J. M. Buckley reported that the Committee on Epis- 198 MAY 12. Tenth Day. Morning. Reports presented. Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Report No. I on Deacon- ess Work. Report No. J on Sunday Schools and Tracts. Secretary of Epworth League. copacy was not ready to report as required by former action of this body. The Committee on Itinerancy presented Report No. I. The Committee on Re vi sals presented*Report No. I. The Committee on Temporal Economy reported that certain papers referred to it should be referred to other committees, which was ordered. The Committee on State of the Church presented R-eport No. I. The Committee on Deaconess Work presented Re- port No. I. G. O. Robinson moved that it lie over, be printed in the Daily Christian Advocate to-morrow, and be made the Order of the Day for 11 o'clock to-morrow morning. C. J. Little moved, as a substitute, that we proceed to its consideration at once. Lost. On motion of John Lanahan, the motion was divided, the first part was ordered to be printed, and the last part was laid on the table. Report No. I of the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts was adopted. (See Reports, p. 405.) H. J. Talbot presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Epworth League: Whereas, The Secretaries of all the Church societies underlie con- trol of the General Conference are elected by the General Conference, with the exception of the Secretary of the Epworth League ; and, Whereas, The Constitution of the Epworth League provides for the election of the Editor of the Epworth Herald by the General Confer ence, but leaves the election of the General Secretary in the hands of the Board of Control ; therefore, Resolved, That in the interests of uniform administration the Consti tution of the Epworth League should be so changed as to provide for the election of the General Secretary of the League also by the General Conference. Rev. C. H. Phillips. Amanda Smith. The Rev. C. H. Phillips, fraternal delegate from the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, was introduced. On motion of J. W. E. Bowen, Amanda Smitji,'a world-wide evangelist, was introduced, and complied with a request to sing. C. D. Hills presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals: Section helpers. Whereas, Many of the aged, invalid, sick, non-resident, and other members of the local churches cannot or do not attend class meetings ; and, Whereas, They should be reached and their religious state be ascer- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 199 tuned from their own testimony as a means of grace to them ; there- fore, Resolved, That the classes be divided into sections, and section 'helpers be appointed thereto by the pastor so that semiannually, if not quarterly, at a general class meeting the Church roll may be called and testimonies be given, either personally or by the section helper or •class leader or pastor or by letter. By this method the moral ai«l geographical whereabouts of each member will be constantly known. On motion of A. B. Leonard, the Conference ad- journed. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Dr. Rust. The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary : CENTRAL OHIO. L. D. Belt presented the following, which w^as re- ferred to the Committee on Consolidation of Benevo- lences : Whereas:, In the providence of God the beneficent operations of the General Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church have extended into nearly every portion of the globe ; and, Whereas, The complex and difficult problems arising in the prosecu- tion and administration of our mission work in foreign lands are in important respects essentially different from those arising at home ; and, Whereas, We believe there would be a marked increase in the ag- gregate gifts of our people for work at home and abroad if the pro- posed action were taken ; therefore, Resolved, That we, the undersigned, respectfully petition this General ■Conference to provide for the division of the General Missionary ♦Society of our Church into societies for home and foreign missions. CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. D. S. Monroe presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Temporal Economy: Resolved, That immediately after paragraph 56, and immediately pre- ceding the words " in order," there be inserted the following : " all the religious services and matters pertaining thereto shall be under the control of the pastor," so as to read : "I 56. All the religious services and matters pertaining thereto •shall be under the control of the pastor. In order," etc. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy: Resolved, That after paragraph 298 add another paragraph : " Our -churches shall be used for purposes of worship and the regular meet- ings of our Church organizations only, except by consent of the pastor and the Board of Trustees." He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy: Resolved, That the following be substituted for paragraph 99, namely : u IT 99. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Church Records and Audits to see that records of membership, the records of MAY 12. Tenth Day. Morning. Adjourned. Division of Missionary Society. Services to be in control of pastor. Churches for worship Only. Records and Audits to be properl y kept. 200 Journal of the General Conference. [1896 MAY 12. the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting, of the Official Board, of the Board T Day? of Trustees > of tlle Sunday School Board, and of the Quarterly Confer- Motning. ence are properly kept, and all the financial accounts of the charge are audited and properly certified in the books and to the fourth Quarterly Conference, and when any of these books are filled up, and no longer in use, they shall be deposited with the Recording Stewards for preserva- tion." 2. That paragraph 98, question 31, read. "Are the Church Records and Audits properly kept ? " He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Chapter II, Chapter II, paragraph 75, strike out "president." Educa- tional col- lections. ILLINOIS. W. H. Wilder presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Education : Whereas, Although wise provision has been made for the separation of the " Children's Fund " from the annual public collection for educa- tion, much confusion prevails among our preachers and people as to the meaning of paragraph 321 in the Book of Discipline; Wliereas, Often no distinction has been made by them between the annual public collection which is to be taken in all our churches for education and the annual collection which is to be taken in our Sunday schools on " Children's Day " for the " Children's Fund ; " Whereas, This failure to distinguish between these two collections, both of which are ordered by the General Conference, has been a positive disadvantage in securing funds for the great cause of Chris- tian education, and especially to the annual collection for education. • Resolved, That paragraph 84 of the Book of Discipline under " Statis- tics No. IV," where it reads : " Education : a. Children's Fund. b. Other Educational Objects." Shall be so amended as to read : " Education : a. Educational Collection. b. Children's Fund." Sunday Service, Ritual, and Hymnal. Sunday Service, Catechism, and Ep- worth Hymnal. KENTUCKY. R. T. Miller presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Book Concern: Resolved, That the Committee on the Book Concern be requested to consider and report on the propriety of publishing in one volume the Sunday Service, Ritual, and Hymnal, in suitable and convenient form for use in our public worship. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts: Resolved, That the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts be re- quested to consider and report on the propriety of publishing the Sun- day Service, Catechism, and Epworth Hymnal in suitable form for use in our Sunday school and Epworth League services. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 201 The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary : * BALTIMORE. W. S. Edwards presented a memorial relating to the order of public worship. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Alexander Ashley presented a memorial from the official members of Hamline Church, Washington, con- cerning the Certificate of Membership. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. MAY 12. Tenth Day. Morniny. Order of public wor- ship. Certificate of Member- ship. CENTRAL GERMAN. * Jacob Rothweiler presented a memorial from the T MadSon° f German Methodist Episcopal Church, Madison, Ind., church - requesting to be transferred to the Indiana Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. CENTRAL ILLINOIS. J. G. Evans presented a memorial from Libbie R. League. Hamsher in reference to the work of the Junior League. Referred to the Committee on the Epworth League. CENTRAL OHIO. L. A. Belt presented from Hon. William Lawrence R r engfo n of a memorial concerning Articles of Religion. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. D. S. Monroe, Secretary, presented memorials which he had received by mail. One from L. S. Rader con- cerning paragraph 193 of the Discipline, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals ; one from the Nebraska Conference concerning districting the epis- copacy, which was referred to the Committee on Epis- copacy; one from the same Conference relating to the Omaha Christian Advocate, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern ; one from the Society of Friends for united action of religious denom- inations in promoting reforms, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church ; and one from A. J. Joslin relative to the Pacific Christian Ad- '• orate, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Districting the Bishops. Omaha Christian Advocate. United action of Churches. Pacific Chrisiia n Advocate. 202 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. >IAY 12. Tenth Day. Morning. To change 7 98. . Delegates to reside within bounds of Conference. General Conference officers. It 243 to 245. CENTRAL TENNESSEE. J. M. Carter presented a memorial asking to change paragraph 98, item 11. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. CINCINNATI. G. B. Johnson presented a memorial for the Lay Association of the Cincinnati Conference, asking that all delegates to the General Conference shall be resi- dent within the bounds of the Conference they repre- sent. Referred to the Committee on the Constitution. He also presented a memorial relative to the General Conference membership of officers elected by the General Conference. Referred to the Committee on the Constitution. DES MOINES. L. M. Shaw presented a memorial relative to para- graphs 243 to 245. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. DETROIT. Episcopal W. H. Shier presented a memorial relative to con- residence. r tinuing the city of Detroit as an episcopal residence. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. 1217. EAST OHIO. D. C. Osborne presented a memorial relative to par- agraph 217. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. 1240. Duties of Bishops. Children's Fund. Change in 7 47. ERIE. J. N. Fradenburgh presented a memorial relative to paragraph 240. Referred to the Committee on Ju- diciary. A. J. Merchant presented a memorial relating to the duties of Bishops. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. ILLINOIS. W. H. Wilder presented a memorial relating to Chil- dren's Fund and educational collections. Referred to Committee on Education. J. B. Wolfe presented from himself and one other a memorial for a change in paragraph 47. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. 1896.] journal of the General 9 Conference. J. T. McFarland presented a memorial for the amend- ment of paragraph 95. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. INDIANA. William Newkirk presented a memorial to amend paragraph 285. Referred to the Committee on Tem- poral Economy. IOWA. T. J. Myers presented a memorial from the Keokuk District Conference asking for change in the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. MAY 12. Tenth Dav. Morning, Amend- ment of 1 95. To amend 1285. Change in Discipline. KANSAS. J. M. Miller presented the appeal of John D. Knox from the action of the Kansas Conference. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. Appeal of J. D. Knox, LEXINGTON. Joseph Courtney presented a memorial for a change gj^fj^^ in Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. MICHIGAN. t P. J. Maveety presented a memorial relating to the statistical tables. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. MINNESOTA. John Stafford presented a memorial from G. A. Cooke relating to the election of stewards. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. H. C. Jennings presented from himself and one other a memorial for an Intermediate Epworth League. Re- ferred to the Committee on Epworth League. Statistical tables. Election of stewards. Intermedi- teEpw Leagi ate Epworth. pit. MISSOURI. A memorial was presented from W. J. Gibson rela- ^g^tum tive to equal representation. Referred to the Commit- tee on Lay Representation. MONTANA. Jacob Miller presented a memorial relative to the SmS- Methodist Hymnal and Methodist Sunday school liter- ature - ature. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. NEBRASKA. J. H. Mickey presented from Charles L. Smith a me- Lay dele- gates. 204 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 12. Tenth Day. Morning. Class meet- ing testi- monies. morial concerning lay delegates to the Electoral Confer- ence. Referred to the Committee on Lay Representa- tion. NEW HAMPSHIRE. C. D. Hills presented for himself and three others a memorial relating to obtaining class meeting testi- monies. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. NEW JERSEY. Se Genera! xt J- B. Graw presented a memorial for J. Q. Daniels conference, pg^jyg to sea t 0 f nex t General Conference. Referred to the Committee on that subject. Board of Stewards. Antisaloon League. Election of stewards. Malaysia Mission Conference. NEWARK. G. W. Smith presented a memorial concerning the composition of the Board of Stewards in Annual Con- ferences. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. NORTH OHIO. W. F. Whitlock presented a memorial relating to the American Antisaloon League. Referred to the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. A memorial from P. E. Graham was presented con- cerning the election of stewards. Referred to the Com- mittee on Revisals. NORTHWEST INDIA. W. H. Daniels presented a memorial, signed by him- self and others, relative to the Malaysia Mission Con- ference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Admission in full mem- bership. Court of Ap- peals for laymen. Amend- ments to 1 If 54. 98. NORTHWEST INDIANA. Allen Lewis presented a memorial relating to admis- sion into full membership. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. NORTHWEST IOWA. Robert Smylie presented a memorial asking for a Court of Appeals for laymen. Referred to the Com- mittee on Judiciary. OKLAHOMA. J. F. Palmer presented a memorial asking for an amendment to paragraph 54. Also, for an amendment of paragraph 98. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. -205 PUGET SOUND. C. S. Barlow introducd a memorial requesting the establishment of an official paper on the Pacific coast. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. T. B. Ford presented a memorial concerning the Pa- cific Christian Advocate. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. ROCK RIVER. M. E. Cady presented a memorial asking to amend paragraph 269. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. He also presented a memorial relative to changes in the questions asked in the Quarterly Conference. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial from the Chicago Preachers' Meeting relating to election of stewards and trustees. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. ST. LOUIS. W. A. Quayle presented a memorial asking the sup- pression of irresponsible Church papers. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. MAY 12. Tenth dav. Morniny. Official paper on Pacific coast. Pacific Christian Advocate. To amend 1269. Questions asked in Quarterly Conference. Stewards and trustees Irresponsi- ble Church papers. SOUTH KANSAS. J. W. Stewart presented a memorial relating to the number of Secretaries of the benevolent societies. Re- ferred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Secretaries of benevo- lent socie- ties. UPPER IOWA. A. J, Kynett presented a memorial requesting an inquiry in reference to the publication of a magazine on benevolences. Referred to the Committee on Con- solidation of Benevolences. Magazine on benevo- lences. WEST NEBRASKA. J. L. McBrien presented a memorial from the Lay Electoral Conference of West Nebraska Conference asking that the Omaha Christian Advocate be made the regular publication of the Book Concern. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. By O. R. Beebie, from Orleans Ministerial Associ- ation, asking a change of Discipline allowing all mem- bers of twenty-one years of age of good standing to Omaha Christian Advocate. Change of Discipline. 206 Journal of the General Conference. [1890. MAY 12. Tenth -Day. Morning. Laity in An- nual Con- ferences. Election of presiding elders. Swedish papers. vote at Fourth Quarterly Conferences. Referred to- the Committee on Revisals. J. L. McBrien introduced a memorial on the intro- duction of the laity into the Annual Conference. Re- ferred to the Committee on Lay Representation. He also presented a memorial relative to the election of presiding elders. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. WESTERN SWEDISH. O. J. Swan presented a memorial from the Confer- ence concerning the publication of Swedish papers. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Addition to 198. WISCONSIN. G. H. Trever presented a memorial in behalf of the northwestern branch of the Woman's Foreign Mis- sionary Society asking to include another question or item in paragraph 98. Referred to the Committee on Missions. MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Dr. A. S. Hunt. C. E. Lane. W. T. Hagan. Dr. R. Haney. WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 13. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop J. H. Vincent presiding. The devotional services were conducted by R. E. Gillum, of the Central Missouri Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and approved. On motion of S. L. Baldwin, the Rev. A. S. Hunt was invited to a seat on the platform. On motion of J. W. Walker, C. E. Lane, a reserve delegate of the Northwest Iowa Conference, was seated in the place of C. B. Kilbourne, who had returned home on account of sickness. W. T. Hagan, a reserve delegate of the Liberia Conference, was seated in the place of J. H. Deputie, deceased. On motion of W. A. Spencer, the Rev. Dr. Richard Haney was invited to a seat on the platform. The roll of the Conferences was called for resolu- tions. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. The following was presented by W. EL Perrin, and referred to the Committee on the State of the Church: Whereas, On the 11th instant, under the heading of "More Butchery," the Cleveland Leader published the substance of a letter dated from Chunkoosh, Armenia, March 5, 1896, from an American lady to her son in this city, in which, after describing in detail the recent renewed and terrible outbreak of the bloodthirsty Kurds against the defense- less and stricken Armenians, in which instance five thousands Kurds pillaged, devastated, robbed, murdered, and otherwise persecuted the Armenian inhabitants, hundreds of men, women, and children being murdered in cold blood ; the letter closes with an appeal to the civilized world for help, and asks why Europe and America do not come to the aid of the unfortunate land ; and, Whereas, This appeal comes to America with more significance, more deeply pathetic, and with intensely greater anguish of heart than did the M Macedonian cry " come up in the vision of Paul, and as that u cry was heard and heeded," so must this louder cry from stricken Armenia be heard and heeded ; and, Whereas, The Methodist Episcopal Church in her true missionary spirit has ever sought to carry the Gospel with its peace-giving in- fluence into the uttermost parts of the world, and has always cast its influence, sympathy, and support in behalf of the downtrodden and persecuted of every land and nation, and does now extend its teuderest ties of sympathy to these poor stricken Armenians ; at the same time we must, as a Church, express our deep sense of humiliation and sorrow that in this Christian and enlightened age there should be such apparent lack of interest or so much apathy shown by the civilized and so-called Christian governments of Europe and America in taking no decisive action to stop this awful crime ; therefore, be it Resolved, \. That the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, assembled at Cleveland, 0., May, 1896, does hereby petition Congress to pass a joint resolution at the earliest possible date, author- izing the President of the United States to enter into negotiations with the European powers most directly interested, with the view and to the end that such powers or governments be requested in the name of humanity and civilization to take such united action as will forever put a stop to these atrocious and shameful outrages ; further, Resolved, 2. That a copy of these resolutions be sent to both Houses of Congress immediately upon their adoption, and that said copies shall be signed by the President and Secretary of this Conference. On motion of S. W. Trousdale, the Order of the Day was taken up. The following, having received the vote of three fourths of the members of the Annual Conferences, was adopted by a vote of 397 ayes to 19 nays. To amend paragraph 63 of the Discipline of 1892, so that it shall read as follows, to wit : " Paragraph 63. The General Conference shall meet on the first Wednesday of May, in the year of our Lord 1900, and thenceforward on the first Wednesday in May once in four years, perpetually, at such hour and in such place in the United States as the General Conference may from time to time direct; but the General Superintendents, or a majority of them, by and with the advice of two thirds of all the Annual Conferences, shall have power to call an extra session of the General Conference to be constituted in the usual way. But if there shall be no General Superintendent, then two thirds of the Annual Conferences shall have power to call such extra session." 14 MAY 13 Eleventh OA V. Morning. Armenian persecution Time of meeting of General Conference 208 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Trial of ministers. The following was presented by C. C. Wilbor, who moved to refer it to the Committee on Judiciary. The Central New York Conference to the General Conference, held at Cleveland, 0., May, 1896: Dear Fathers and Brethren : Whereas experience has shown that trials of ministers at or during the session of an Annual Conference are often accompanied by inconvenience, embarrassment, and delay ; we, the members of the Central New York Conference, do, therefore, respectfully memorialize your honorable body to inquire into the ex- pediency of so enacting that the trial of an accused member of an Annual Conference may be held at another time than during the session of the Conference, to wit : 1. Change paragraph 216, section 1, by striking out all after the words " face to face, 1 ' and inserting the words, " if said committee shall discover reasonable ground they shall formulate charges, and the accused shall be brought to trial as hereinafter provided." 2. Add a new section 2, as follows : " § 2. It shall be the duty of the presiding elder of such accused member of the Annual Conference to give him a certified copy of the charges and specifications, and not less than thirty days to prepare for the defense ; to fix the time and place for his trial ; to call together not less than nine nor more than fifteen of the traveling elders of the Conference of which the accused is a member, who shall constitute the select number for the trial ; and further, he shall notify the Bishop having charge over the Conference, who shall preside at the trial or appoint a traveling elder to preside, and the records shall be kept and preserved by the Secretary of the last Conference, or by any one whom he may appoint as his assistant. This court shall have full power to try, reprove, suspend, deprive of ministerial office and credentials, expel or acquit, subject to an appeal to the Judicial Conference." 3. Change section 2 to section 3, and by striking out the word " adjoining " and inserting the word " other " in its place ; also by strik- ing out all after the words "who shall," and inserting the words, "pro- ceed in the case as directed in section 3." Change section 3 to section 4, and omit all after the words "inves- tigation and trial," and add, " described in sections 1 and 2," so the whole passage shall read : "*f[216. When a member of an Annual Conference is under report of being guilty of some crime expressly forbidden in the word of God, sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom of grace and glory. " § 1. In the interval between the sessions of an Annual Conference the presiding elder shall call not less than five or more than nine mem- bers of the Conference to investigate the case, and if possible bring the accused and the accuser face to face ; and if said committee shall discover reasonable grounds, they shall formulate charges and the accused shall be brought to trial as hereinbefore provided. " § 2. It shall be the duty of the presiding elder of such accused member of the Annual Conference to give him a certified copy of the charges and specifications, and not less than thirty days to prepare for his defense ; to fix the time and place for his trial ; to call to- gether not less than nine nor more than fifteen of the traveling elders of the Conference of which the accused is a member, who shall con- stitute the select number for the trial ; and further, he shall notify the Bishop having charge over the Conference, who shall preside at the trial or appoint a traveling elder to preside, and the records shall be kept and preserved by the Secretary of the last Conference, or, by any one whom he may appoint as his assistant. This court shall have full power to try, reprove, suspend, deprive of ministerial office 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 209 and credentials, expel or acquit, subject to an appeal to the Judicial Conference. " 3. But if the accused be a presiding elder, three of the senior members of his district shall inquire into the character of the report, and if they judge it necessary they shall call the presiding elder of any other district of the Conference, who shall proceed in the case as directed in the sections 1 and 2. " § 4. A supernumerary or superannuated minister residing without the bounds of his own Conference shall be subject, under authority of the presiding elder of the district within which he resides, to the in- vestigation and trial as described in sections 1 and 2." H. R. Brill moved its reference to the Committee on Revisals. Laid on the table. W. S. Matthew moved its reference to the Com- mittee on Itinerancy. Laid on the table. The original motion was carried. L. R. Fiske presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Constitution: Whereas, The sessions of the General Conference impose on the A sexten- Church heavy financial burdens ; and, Conference. Whereas, In the holding of these sessions pastors and other servants of the Church are withdrawn from their regular fields of labor to the detriment of the cause of Christ; and, Whereas, It is believed that none of the interests of our Zion would suffer should the General Conference be held less frequently than at present ; therefore, Resolved, That we recommend to the Annual Conferences that para- graph 63 of the Discipline be amended by inserting after the word I years." in the fourth line, the words, " up to and including the year 1896, that it shall meet on the first Wednesday of May in the year 1900, and thereafter on the first Wednesday of May once in six years," so that it shall read : " The General Conference shall meet on the first day of May in the year of our Lord 1812, in the City of New York, and thenceforward on the first day of May once in four years up to and including the year 1896; and that it shall meet on the first Wednesday of May in the year 1900, and thereafter on the first Wednesday of May once in six years, perpetually," etc. C. M. Cobern presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on the State of the Church : WJiereas, There is a growing opinion that it is desirable to change the time of meeting of the General Conference from once in four years to once in six years, for the following reasons, among others : I. It would save a large expenditure of money, the expenses of the General Conference having been estimated at over $2,500 a day. 2. It would save much valuable time, since according to the present order some five hundred and forty men are removed from the ordinary activities of Church work for a period of four weeks at each General Conference, an aggregate loss of forty-five years to the local churches. 8. It would reduce the total amount of anxiety and excitement at- tending, preceding, and following the election of Bishops and other officials. 4. It would afford a more satisfactory test of the fitness for their respective positions of our connectional elective officers. 5. It would give a longer period of rest from the heated criticisms MAY 13. Eleventh DAY. Morning. A sexten- nial General Conference. 210 Journal of the General Conference. MAY 13. of our Discipline and polity, which are invariably invoked by the EL datI TH assembling of this supreme court and legislature of the Church. Morning. 6 - It would give a longer time in which to test the* value or defects of changes in the Discipline. 7. It would tend to the greater stability and permanency of our legislation ; therefore, Resolved, That this matter be referred to the Committee on the State of the Church, with instructions to prepare and report an amend- ment to paragraph 63 of the Discipline in harmony with the aim of this memorial. J. A. Kumler presented the following, which, on motion of S. L. Baldwin, was referred to the Committee on Judiciary : disagree 5 - Whereas, The settlement of disagreements by arbitration is a grow- ments. ing and Christian conviction among our people ; and, Whereas, The present plan set forth in our Book of Discipline is- liable to many abuses, much dissatisfaction, and is too narrow in range, engendering much evil by its partisan and unwise privileges in selfish cunning allowed ; and, Whereas, It is desirable to avoid doubt and unrighteousness in motives and methods throughout ; and to place the whole matter safely under the control and wisdom of those who love the peace, welfare, equity, piety, and fellowship of our people in the Church ; We therefore recommend that paragraph of Discipline, No. 243, under the title, " Disagreements in Business — Arbitration," be stricken out. The paragraph reads as follows, namely : " § 243. On any disagreement between two or more members of our Church concerning business transactions, which cannot be settled by the parties, the preacher in charge shall inquire into the circumstances- of the case, and shall recommend to the parties a reference, consisting of two arbiters, chosen by one party, and two chosen by the other party, which four arbiters so chosen shall choose a fifth ; the five arbiters being members of our Church. The preacher in charge shall pre.-ide, and the disciplinary forms of trial shall be observed." And we recommend that the following be substituted for said para- graph 243, to make the paragraph read as follows, namely : " ^[ 243. On any disagreement between two or more members of our Church con- cerning business transactions or personal matters, which cannot be settled by the parties, the preacher or preachers in charge shall in- quire into the circumstances of the case, and if the same be of vital concern, he or they shall recommend to the parties a reference consist- ing of not less than three nor more than nine men, to be chosen by the parties in disagreement, to act as arbiters, and each of said arbiters so chosen shall represent equally each and all parties in disagreement, without fear, favor, prejudice, or reward, and shall hear and determine the matters in disagreement. The arbiters so chosen shall be mem- bers of our Church and may hold their membership in the same charge, or in charges other than that in which the parties may reside or hold their membership. In case the parties may reside or hold their member- ship in different charges, either preacher in charge may preside, or they may select some other preacher to preside. The disciplinary forms of trial shall be observed ; the findings of the arbiters shall be made in writing, and a decision of a two thirds majority shall be bind- ing." W. H. Wilder presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals : 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 211 Whereas, Paragraph 324, article 2, of the Book of Discipline, 1892, makes it the duty of the presiding elder every year at the last Quar- terly Conference in each charge to inquire: " 1. Has the sermon on Education been preached during the year, when, and by whom ? " 2. Has the canvass for education been made and the collection for education been taken ? Has Children's Day been observed and its col- lection taken as required by the Discipline, and how much was con- tributed for each of these purposes ? " 3. What students in the charge are attending any of the secondary schools, colleges, universities, or theological schools of the Church ? " Whereas, These disciplinary questions do not appear in paragraph 98, which gives the order of business in the Quarterly Conference ; therefore, Resolved, That the Editor of the Discipline be instructed to insert the questions 1, 2, and 3, in paragraph 324 of the Discipline of 1892, in the proper place under the paragraph relating to the order of business in the Quarterly Conference. The following, presented by Morris Sharp, was re- ferred to the Committee on Book Concern : Whereas, The business interests of the Methodist Episcopal Church have grown to enormous proportions ; and, Whereas, A business name of honorable mention and long standing carries with it prestige and great influence ; and, Whereas, Many of the business interests of the Methodist Episcopal Church are carried on in the name of the agents appointed to conduct the business, and these agents are frequently changed by reason of death, resignation, removal, or failure to reelect, thus causing the busi- ness lo appear unstable and temporary, and in some cases making con- spicuous the agent, rather than the Methodist Episcopal Church, whose property and business it is ; therefore, Resolved, That all the business organizations within the Methodist Episcopal Church and the conducting of the same ought and should be done in the name of and for the Methodist Episcopal Church, the agent's name appearing only when officially required. W. Butler, was there- The following, presented by J. adopted : Whereas, There exists a diversity of opinion on the subject i fore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Judiciary be and is hereby in- structed to investigate and report to this body not later than May 16, whether there is anything in the charter of the Book Concern which prohibits the granting of subsidies to official organs of the Church in foreign mission fields. C. C. Morse presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Constitution : Resolved, 1. That the Constitution be so amended that the General Conference shall have power to act only as a legislative body. 2. That supreme judicial power rests only with the Board of Bishops fitting in semiannual session and at stated times during the session of the General Conference. S. E. Quimby presented the following, which was adopted: MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Quarterly Conference questions. Business of Book Con- cern. Subsidies. Powers of the General Conference. 212 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Missionary appropri- ations. Rules of Order. MAY 13. Whereas, The opening devotional exercises of the daily sessions of EL day! TH tne Conference are seriously disturbed by the entrance of belated Morning. members, making it impossible either to hear or to reverently enjoy Devotional the services ; therefore, services. Resolved, That the sergeant-at-arms be requested to keep the doors closed during the prayer and the reading of the Holy Scriptures. C. C. McCabe presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Missions : The General Committee must not appropriate for any one year a greater sum than the total amount of the income of the society for the year preceding. W. M. Swindells moved : Resolved, That the Rules of Order be so amended that on the call of Conferences for resolutions to be put upon their passage, the author of a resolution shall have priority of right to the floor if he desires to address the Conference, and if the resolution be seconded. Adopted. On motion of Lewis Curts, the following was adopted: Subsidies. Resolved, That the Committee on Judiciary be requested to inquire and report not later than May 16, whether there is anything in the Restrictive Rules or law of the Church authorizing or preventing the granting of subsidies by the Book Concern to publications in foreign countries. The following, offered by J. W. Van Cleve, was laid on the table : Fraternity. Whereas, The General Conference of 1892 appointed a Commission; on Fraternal Relations and Organic Union to confer with a like Com- mission from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South ; and, Whereas, The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, ignoring the question of organic union, appointed a Commission on Federation ; Resolved, That the Commission appointed by this General Confer- ence to confer with said Commission from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, be and hereby is instructed to confer with said Com- mission from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, only on condition that the subject of Organic Union shall be part of the matters to be considered. The following, presented by Granville Lowther, was, on motion of A. J. Kynett, referred to the Committee on Eligibility: Word "lay- Whereas, This Conference has decided to send to the Annual Con- man." ferences the question as to whether the word " layman " shall be so construed as to include woman ; and, Whereas, It is believed by many that on scriptural grounds women cannot be admitted to the General Conference ; therefore, Resolved, That we also submit to the Annual Conferences the fol- lowing questions : 1. Are women included in our Articles of Religion, paragraph 7, which reads, " Man is very far gone from original righteousness ? " 2. While this question is pending it be the order of this General 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 213 Conference that the women of the Church obey the apostolic injunc- tion, " Let your women keep silence in the churches." 3. That they do also refuse the knowledge that comes from books, papers, magazines, lectures, lyceums and reading circles, and " if they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home." 4. Since "on scriptural grounds" some of our brethren have served notice that they will raise this question on the day of judgment, that the Annual Conferences decide by vote whether women are included or excluded in the language, " every man in his own order," in Paul's chapter on the resurrection. I. L. Thomas presented the following : Whereas, His motto, " The world is my parish," has been an in- spiration to men and women whose lives and deeds have been marvel- ous in the extension of our work, both at home and abroad ; and, Whereas, Divine Providence has led and is still leading our branch of the Christian Church into fields that are now white for the harvest ; and, Whereas, Several of our missionaries, foreign and domestic, and deaconesses are in attendance at the sessions of this General Confer- ence ; and, Whereas, We have no language which could fully express our high esteem for the men and women who have sacrificed home comforts and family and friendly ties to respond to the Macedonian cry of our brethren beyond the seas and in America ; therefore, be it Resolved, That Tuesday, May 19, 11 a. m., be the time fixed to in- troduce them to this body. J. M. Buckley moved its reference to the Committee n the State of the Church. Lost. A motion by E. W. Parker, that it be laid on the table, was lost, and the resolution was adopted. The roll of committees was called for reports. Report No. I of the Committee on Itinerancy was taken up. The following changes in the Discipline were ap- proved: The last four lines on page 13, paragraphs 41, 46, 189, and 98. By general consent these paragraphs as adopted constitute Report No. I. And the other items of the report were recommitted. Report No. I of the Committee on Revisals was read and adopted. (See Reports, p. 305.) Report No. I of the Committee on the State of the hurch was taken up, and A. J. Palmer moved its adoption. After consideration it was recommitted. Reports Nos. I and II of the Committee on Book Concern were taken up and adopted. (See Reports, p. 393.) Report No. Ill was read. J. W. Butler moved to insert, instead of "Spanish Missions," the words, "Publishing Committee of any Spanish Mission." MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Introduc- tion of dea- Report No. I on Itiner- ancy. Report No. I on Revisals. Report No. I on State of the Church. Reports Nos. I and II on Book Concern. Report No. Ill on same. 214 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. may 13. The amendment passed, and the report, as amended, Eleventh r 7 r * * DAY - was adopted. (See Reports, p. 394.) Morning. \. . v r ' r . ' Reports I he Committee on Education presented Report presented. ^, T No. I. The Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts pre- sented Report No. II. The Committee on Church Extension j^resented Re- ports Nos. I and II. The Committee on Missions presented Report No. II. Adjourned. On motion, Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop J. H. Vincent. The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary: CALIFORNIA. E. R. Willis presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries: Change of line of Cali- fornia Con- ference. Unordained local preachers. Whereas, As considerable territory, really neutral, though nomi- nally attached to the Southern California Conference, can be more easily reached and served if connected with the California Conference ; therefore, Resolved, That the line of the California Conference be changed as follows : " Beginning at the north line of San Luis Obispo County, and running eastward to the west line of Tulane County, and running north along the line of Fresno County to the summit of the Sierras, thus throwing into the California Conference all that part of Monterey, Merced, and Mari- posa Counties now included nominally within the bounds of the Southern California Conference." He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Whereas, Unordained local preachers have interpreted the first clause of item 5, paragraph 196, as authorizing them to solemnize marriage, thus giving rise to serious embarrassments ; therefore, Resolved, That to said item 5, paragraph 196, the following note, in parenthesis, be added, " if he be ordained," so it will read: " 5. Marriages solemnized (if he be ordained)," etc. Amend- ment to Discipline. KANSAS. W. P. Fryhofer presented a resolution, signed by him- self, respecting proposed amendment to Discipline. Referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools. KENTUCKY. R. T. Miller presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals: 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 215 Resolved. That a committee be appointed by the Bishop to prepare a section for insertion in Chapter II of the Discipline, which shall de- fine the composition of the Annual Conference in like manner with that of the General, District, and Quarterly Conferences. INDIANA. W. R. Halstead and J. H. Martin presented the fol- lowing, which was referred to the Committee on Education: Whereas, The General Conference of 1892 created a University Senate with authority to determine the minimum equivalent of academic work in all our Church schools for the Baccalaureate degree ; and, Wliereas, The University Senate, in pursuance of its functions, has formulated a Course of Study in the Preparatory Department requiring three years of Latin and two years of Greek for admission to the Freshman year ; and, Whereas, This is found to be a serious embarrassment to some of our Church schools, especially those which are brought into competition with State institutions, in which no such requirements are made ; therefore, be it Resolved, That we recommend that the word "collegiate" be sub- stituted for the word " academic " in section 1, paragraph 323, of the Discipline, so that it shall read : " Shall determine the minimum equivalent of collegiate work in our Church institutions for gradua- tion to the Baccalaureate degree," etc. Resolved, That we recommend further, that the work in the three years of Preparatory Study shall be arranged by the local authori- ties to suit the needs and environments of their respective schools. LITTLE KOCK. W. O. Emory offered the following, which was referred to the Committee on Judiciary: Whereas, There is a difference of opinion as to the meaning intended to be conveyed by the words, " and in all cases the presiding elder shall share with the pastors in his district in proportion to what they have respectively received," as found in the Discipline, paragraph 282, on support of presiding elders ; and, Whereas, Much trouble arises between pastors and presiding elders as to the interpretation or meaning of the same ; therefore, be it Resolved, That this General Conference request the Judiciary Com- mittee to give us what, in its judgment, is the meaning of these words, and that its decision be printed in the Appendix of the Discipline. LOUISIANA. C. C. Morse presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern: Resolved, That the Advertising Agents of the Eastern and Western s ^qH^' Publishing Houses be requested to insert the Southwestern Christian tianAdvo- Advocate in their published schedules at such rates as shall be deemed cate - equitable. MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Composi- tion of An- nual Con- ference. Course of Study in University Senate. Meaning of 1283. 216 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. eleventh He also presented the following, which was referred day. t i ie game committee: Morning. Depository Whereas, A large and increasing constituency of our Church live Orleans. adjacent to the rapidly growing city of New Orleans, whose orders for books and Church requisites can be more speedily filled therefrom; therefore, be it Resolved, That a Depository be established in the said city. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern : The Quar- terly Pro- gram. Whereas, A large sum can be saved in postage by publishing our anniversary programs in periodical form ; therefore, be it Resolved, That a periodical be established, named The Quarterly Program, which shall contain the Easter, the Children's Day, the Harvest Home, the Christmas Exercise, and such programs as may be- prepared for use in our churches. NEW ENGLAND SOUTHERN. G. H. Bates presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals: Status of Whereas, There is embarrassment and burden arising on account of for clufrch members " removed without certificate " (see section 6, paragraph 49) ; members. Resolved, That the Committee on Revisals is hereby requested to consider the advisability of establishing a status of suspension for church members whose location is lost, and for such other cases as should not be reported in the Minutes. NEW JERSEY. J. F. Rusling presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals : To amend Resolved, That paragraph 240 of the Discipline be amended by striking out the words " dancing, playing at games of chance, attend- ing theaters, horse races, circuses, dancing parties, or patronizing dancing schools, or taking such other amusements as are obviously of misleading or questionable moral tendency," and inserting the words,. " taking such diversons as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus," so that the whole shall read : " ^[ 24^3. In cases of neglect of duties of any kind, imprudent con- duct, indulging sinful tempers or "words, the buying, selling, or using intoxicating liquors as a beverage, signing petitions in favor of granting license for the sale of intoxicating liquors, becoming bondsmen for persons engaged in such traffic, renting property as a place in or on which to manufacture or sell intoxicating liquors, taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus, or disobedience to the order and Discipline of the Church, first let private reproof be given by the pastor or leader, and if there be an acknowl- edgment of the fault, and proper humiliation, the person may be borne with. On a second offense the pastor or leader may take one or two discreet members of the Church. On a third offense let him be brought to trial, and if found guilty, and there be no sign of real humiliation, he shall be expelled." 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 217 NORTH DAKOTA. D. C. Plannette presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern: Whereas, There is a large and rapidly growing Methodist population in the Northwest, of which St. Paul and Minneapolis are the business and religious centers ; and, Whereas, Thesecities are over 400 miles from Chicago, necessitating a great delay and inconvenience in the distribution of our books and periodicals ; therefore, be it Resolved, That this General Conference authorize the Book Com- mittee to locate a Depository and official Church, paper in one or the other of what is known as the twin cities of the Northwest. MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Book De- pository and Church paper in St. Paul or Minneapolis NORTH INDIANA. H. N. Herrick presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That paragraph 96 be amended by adding in the first line, after the words " The presiding elder shall," the words " fix the time of and," so that the sentence shall read : " The presiding elder shall fix the time of and preside in the Quarterly Conference." He also presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Whereas, The Bishops, in making the annual appointments of cor- responding secretaries, publishing agents, editors, presidents and pro- fessors in our institutions of learning, and others, uniformly fix their Quarterly Conference membership within the bounds of the Annual Conferences to which they belong, making it, by reason of distance, in many instances practically impossible for these ministers to attend the Quarterly Conferences where they belong, or to be fully identified with the work of the church where they may chance to reside ; and, Whereas, The Judiciary Committee of the General Conference of 1892, in response to a request from the Bishops to determine " whether superannuated and supernumerary preachers, residing out of the bounds of their Conferences, are members of the Quarterly Con- ferences where they reside in such a sense as to entitle them to vote therein," reported that they were members in this sense, and this report was adopted by the General Conference, indicating that there is no law compelling traveling preachers to hold their Quarterly Conference membership within the bounds of their Annual Confer- ences ; and, Whereas, Presiding elders are not recognized as members of any Quarterly Conference, and as a consequence are often not able to fully identify themselves with the work of the church where they reside ; therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Episcopacy consider the wisdom of recommending the addition of the following, to be known as item 4, section 3, paragraph 170: " He shall, upon consultation, designate for officers elected by the General Conference, for presiding elders, and for all others than pastors who are subject to his appointment, such Quarterly Conference membership as will be most convenient and desirable.^' To amend IT 96. Presiding elders and all others not pastors as members of Quarterly Conference. 218 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. NORTHWEST KANSAS. W. H. Sweet presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy: Women as Whereas, It was written by the prophet, "It shall come to pass in ay !sts? ge " the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, . . . and on my serv- ants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy ; " and, Whereas, In apostolic times, in fulfillment of this prophecy, there were women who were accredited as prophets and teachers ; and, Whereas, There are women in the Church whose labors as evangel- ists and preachers have been and are being singularly blessed and owned of God in the salvation of souls ; and, Whereas, There are others who impose themselves upon pastors and societies to their hurt and detriment ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the Committee on Itinerancy be requested to pro- vide for the licensing of women by Quarterly and District Conferences as lay evangelists, which license shall be renewed from year to year the same as that of a local preacher. 2. That after the year 1897 pastors or societies shall not be at liberty to admit to their pulpits women who are not so authorized either by our own or some other evangelical Church. MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. OHIO. D. H. Moore presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Episcopacy: Term of Resolved, 1. That the term of office of all General Superintandents General 11 an( * Missionary Bishops elected after the adoption of this resolu- Superin- tion shall expire when they reach the age of seventy years ; tendents. 2. That at the first session of their respective Annual Conferences, * after they reach this age, they shall cease to exercise the rights and prerogatives and to enjoy the emoluments of the Episcopal office, and become amenable to their respective Annual Conferences the same as before their election to the Episcopacy. ST. LOUIS. W. A. Quayle presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Education: Division of Whereas, In view of the fact that such disposition of funds is pos- °Day r col- S un( * er tne c narter of the Board of Education of the Methodist lections. Episcopal Church ; therefore, Resolved, That during the ensuing quadrennium the collections on Children's Day be equally divided between loans to students in our schools and donations to our literary institutions needing assistance, such moneys to be applied on current expense or on the endowment of the college, as may be determined by the trustees of said institution. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. J. W. Van Cleve presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: 1 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 219 Whereas, The title Missionary Bishop is in some of our mission fields regarded as belonging to an office greatly inferior to that of General Superintendent ; and, Whereas, This impression, where it exists, tends to take from the office of Missionary Bishop something of the weight and dignity which it ought to possess ; therefore, Resolved, That this General Conference submit to the Annual Con- ferences a proposition to amend the third Restrictive Rule by striking out the word " missionary," so that it shall read as follows : " The General Conference shall not change nor alter any part or rule of our government so as to do away with Episcopacy, nor destroy the plan of our itinerant General Superintendency ; but may appoint a Bishop or Superintendent for any of our foreign missions, limiting his Episcopal jurisdiction to the same respectively." MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Missionary Bishops. SOUTH KANSAS. S. S. Murphy presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Episcopacy : Whereas, There is an increasing number of self-constituted, so-called ^^geUstsf evangelists seeking employment among our churches ; and, Whereas, There are others specially gifted for evangelistic work, and worthy of the churches' confidence ; therefore, Resolved, That it is the sense of this General Conference, that in order to protect the Church against imposition from unworthy men, the Bishops, upon the recommendation of the Annual Conference, may appoint Conference evangelists. UPPER MISSISSIPPI. Richard Sewell presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education: Whereas, Rust University is located in or about the center of the colored population ; and, Whereas, The building of Rust Hall is incomplete, and for this reason many of our boys and girls are forced to go elsewhere for better accommodation ; and, Whereas, We believe that the importance of completing said build- ing would so greatly enhance its importance as an institution compe- tent to compete with others of its kind so as to be more than filled wiih students; therefore, be it Resolved, That this General Conference ask the General Board of Managers of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society to arrange for the completion of Rust Hall, at Rust University, Holly Spring, Miss., at as early date as practicable. Rust University. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary : BLUE RIDGE. Augustus Graybeal presented from the Conference a memorial concerning Methodist Advocate- Journal. It was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Methodist Advocate- Journal. 220 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning. Use of to- bacco. CENTRAL ILLINOIS. J. G. Evans presented a memorial, signed by himself and four others, concerning the use of tobacco by min- isters. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. Trial of ministers. CENTRAL NEW YORK. C. C. Wilbor presented a memorial, signed by Charles Eddy and others, respecting "on trial of ministers." Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. Schools in the South. Cheaper edition of the Hymnal CENTRAL TENNESSEE. J. M. Carter presented a memorial, signed by him- self, concerning schools in the South. Referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Educa- tion. He also presented a memorial, signed by himself, respecting a cheaper edition of the Hymnal, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Church Fed- eration. DETROIT. J. F. Berry presented a memorial, signed by Charles E. Simmons and others, concerning Church Federa- tion. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. L. R. Fiske presented a memorial asking a change of Change in meetings of conference, the time between the meetings of the General Confer- ence to six years instead of Committee on Constitution. four. Referred to the EAST OHIO. conference C. Osborne presented a memorial, signed by him- claimants. selfj respect i n g Board of Conference Claimants. Re- ferred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Employ- ment of local preachers. No change in T 240. ERIE. A. J. Merchant presented a memorial, signed by him- self, in reference to the employment of local preachers. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. S. H. Prather presented a memorial from Jamestown District Epworth League Convention, signed by L. D. Power and Victoria Payne, asking that no change shall 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 221 be made in paragraph 240 of Discipline relating to ^* E *^ popular amusements, unless it be to make it more M ^^ inq specific. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. ILLINOIS. J. T. McFarland presented a memorial, signed by himself and one other, for an amendment to paragraph 97, section 6, of the Discipline, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals. He also presented a memorial asking for a change in paragraph 544 of the Discipline relating to the re- ception of children into the Church. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Amend- ment to IT 97. Change in 1544. INDIANA. W. R. Halstead presented a memorial relating to Time limit, the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itiner- ancy. IOWA. I. P. Teter presented a memorial from the colored t ion g of n cen- brethren of the Iowa Conference asking for the organ- conference, ization of a Central Iowa Mission Conference. Re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries. MINNESOTA. A memorial was presented from E. R. Lathrop asking at the third question in the order for Reception of embers into full connection in the Church be stricken out. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. John Stafford presented a memorial asking that all specifications of amusements be stricken out of para- graph 240 of the Discipline, so that that part of the paragraph from the word " renting," in the sixth line, to the word " Church," in the twelfth line, inclusive, shall read as follows, namely: "renting property as a place in or on which to manufacture or sell intoxicating liquors, taking such amusements as are obviously of misleading moral tendency, or disobedience to the order and Discipline of the Church." Referred to the Com- mittee on the State of the Church. Reception of members. Change in 1240. By same, asking that the probationary system in ary°system. 222 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. may 13. church membership be made optional. Referred to the Eleventh ~ t-» • 1 day. Committee on Revisals. Morning. MISSISSIPPI. Southwest- ern Chris- tian c£e dvo ~ Southwestern S. A. Cowan presented a memorial relative to the Christian Advocate. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. Election of stewards and treas- urer. NEW ENGLAND SOUTHERN. T. J. Everett presented a memorial relating to the election of stewards and treasurer, and to change the following paragraphs: 97, 98, 268, 275, 276. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Probation- ers. NEW JERSEY. J. B. Graw presented from the Official Board of Trinity Church, Borden town, a memorial concerning probationers. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Time limit. Organiza- tion of Con- ference. Temper- ance in Sun- day schools. NEW YORK. A. D. Peake presented a memorial, signed by him- self, respecting the time limit. Referred to the Com- mittee on Itinerancy. NORTH CHINA. H. H. Lowry presented the report of the organiza- tion of the Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. NORTH OHIO. John Mitchell presented a memorial relative to tem- perance in Sunday schools. Referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts. To assist theological students. NORTHWEST KANSAS. W. H. Sweet presented a memorial requesting the adoption of a plan to assist theological students in the Conference Course of Study. Referred to the Com- mittee on Education. Consolida- tion with Black Hills Mission Conference. NORTHWEST NEBRASKA. A. R. Julian presented a memorial from the Confer- ence concerning consolidation with the Black Hills Mission Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. 1896.] Journal of the 'General Conference. OHIO. J. C. Arbuckle presented a memorial relative to General Conference officers. Referred to the Com- mittee on Temporal Economy. W. H. Lewis presented a memorial, signed by D. Y. Murdoch, respecting ordained deacons when admitted on trial. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. 228 MAY 13. Eleventh Day. Morning, General Conference officers. Ordained deacons. OREGON. G. W. Gue presented a memorial, signed by himself gggjXjg and four others, asking for a division of the Fourteenth District - General Conference District. Referred to the Com- mittee on General Conference Districts. PHILADELPHIA. S. W. Gehrett presented a memorial, signed by J. W. Rudolph and F. A. Gilbert, respecting the basis of union for Epworth League and Christian Endeavor. Referred to the Committee on Epworth League. Union of Epworth League and Chris- tian En- deavor. PUGET SOUND. T. B. Ford presented a memorial, signed by A. F. Joslyn, concerning the Pacific Christian Advocate. Referred to the Committee on Book Concern. R. S. Willard presented a memorial from the Puget Sound Lay Electoral Conference concerning equal lay representation in the General Conference. Re- ferred to the Committee on Lay Representation. Pacific Christian Advocate. Equal rep- resentation. ROCK RIVER. H. G. Jackson presented memorials, signed by him- self and one other, proposing changes in the Ritual for tfie administration of baptism to infants, the adminis- tration of baptism to such as are of riper years, the reception of members into full membership, and the administration of the Lord's Supper. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Changes in Ritual. SAVANNAH. M. M. Alston presented a memorial for the appoint- Evangelists, ment of evangelists. It was referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. 224 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 13 - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Eleventh M^rZng ^' ^' Thomson presented a memorial, signed by J. B. Probation- Halloway, respecting the probationary system. Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. ary system. Swedish Annual Conference. SWEDEN. J. M. Erikson presented a memorial asking in behalf of the Swedish preachers of -the Eastern States the or- ganization of a Swedish Annual Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Time limit. Change of name of Sunday schools. Editor of Sunday school periodicals. WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented a memorial concerning the extension of the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. WISCONSIN. E. S. McChesney presented a memorial, signed by himself and others, respecting change of name of Sun- day schools. m Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. He also presented a memorial, signed by himself and others, respecting the Editor of Sunday school period- icals. Referred to the Committee on the Book, Concern. MAY 14. Twelfth Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved: W. H. Murphy. Rule 18 amended. Report No. II on Missions. THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 14. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop W. F. Mallalieu in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by J. N Fradenburgh, of the Erie Conference. The Journal of yesterday was read and approved. William H. Murphy, lay delegate of the Newar Conference, having arrived, was accorded the seat q H. K. Carroll, a reserve delegate. On motion of G. B. Wight, the roll was called fo reports of committees. On motion of D. S. Monroe, the following amen ment to Rule 18 was adopted: Except amendments to the report of a committee when under con sideration for adoption. On motion of W. N. Brodbeck, Report No. II of th Committee on Missions was read and adopted. (Se 1S96.] Journal of the General Conference. 225 Reports, p. 399.) Section 3 was referred to the Com- mittee on Boundaries. The Rev. Dr. R. M. Drury, Editor of the Beligious Telescope, and the Rev. Dr. W. J. Shuey, Publishing Agent, both of the United Brethren Church, were in- troduced, as was also the Rev. J. W. Waugh, a mis- sionary, and they were invited to seats on the platform. W. F. King called up Report No. I of the Commit- tee on Education, which was read and adopted. (See Reports, p. 402.) On motion of M. S. Hard, it was ordered that the seats in the rear of the delegates be kept clear of visitors. Report No. I of the Committee on Church Exten- sion was taken up, and,' on motion of W. M. Swindells, it was read and adopted, as was also Report No. II of the same Committee. (See Reports, pp. 406, 407.) Report No. I of the Committee on Episcopacy was presented by J. M. Buckley. Bishops Bowman and Foster, having requested leave, to retire, their request was, on motion of J. W. Haney, granted. On motion of W. H. Shier, Item I was adopted. G. H. Bridgman offered the following substitute for Item II: Whereat, In the case of Bishop Morris in 1864, and of Bishop Simpson in 1872, the General Conference, in view of their age and long and efficient service, continued them in the Board of Bishops with limited work ; therefore, Resolved^ That in view of these precedents and of the essential jus- tice of such action, Bishop Bowman and Bishop Foster be relieved hereafter from full service, and that the Board of Bishops be directed to assign to these honored servants of the Church such work as, in the judgment of the board, they are able to perform. On motion of Jacob Rothweiler, the substitute was laid on the table, and the report was adopted. (See Reports, p. 379.) J. M. Buckley presented Report No. II of the Com- mittee on Episcopacy, which was read. L. B. Wilson offered the following substitute: Since all ministers and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of every kindred, tribe, and tongue, are equally entitled to all its rights and privileges, the race or nationality of Bishops is not a proper sub- ject for legislation, but must be decided by the free votes of those in- rested with the responsibility of electing Bishops. MAY 14. Twelfth Day. Morning. Visitors in- troduced. Report No. I on Education. Reports Nos. I and II on Church Extension. Report No. I on Episcopacy. Report No. lion Episcopacy. 226 Journal of the General Conference. [1896.. Colored Bishop. twelfth 0n motion of w - H - Logan, the substitute was laid day. on the table. A motion by I. P. Teter, to divide the report, was laid on the table, and the report was adopted. (See Reports, p. 380.) N^Tifon Buckley presented Report No. Ill of the same Episcopacy. Committee, which was read. J. D. Walsh offered the following amendment: Whereas, The election of Bishops by this Conference requires a two- thirds majority of all the votes cast ; and, Whereas, This provision will keep before this Conference for a con- siderable length of time some of the brethren who will be presented for this office, that they may be carefully considered as to eminent fitness for this place of high honor and extraordinary authority, thus properly and sufficiently guarding the door of entrance ; and, Whereas, There are so many more than three men here who, in the estimation of their friends, are well «fitted to adorn this high call- ing; and, Whereas, Our colored brethren cannot hope to win a place for one of their number against so many well-deserving white contestants ; and, Whereas, The presence of a colored Bishop among our 18 colored Conferences and 265,000 members would be a great stimulant and in- spiration to that department of the work ; and, Whereas, Many members of this body and of the Church at large be- lieve a much larger body of General Superintendents could be profit- ably employed ; Therefore, I move to amend the report by adding the following ■ words, to wit : " Provided that if one of the men receiving a two third! majority for this office be a colored man, then the number to be elected shall be four instead of three." C. J. Little moved, as a substitute for the whole, that the word " three " be stricken out and " two " be inserted. F. M. Bristol moved, as an amendment, that " we do not find it necessary to elect any more Bishops." Laid on the table. The amendment of J. D. Walsh was laid on the table, and a motion by J. A. Mansfield to recommit the report was lost. . The substitute of C. J. Little was accepted and adopted, and the report, as amended, was passed. (See Reports, p. 380.) M. S. Hard moved that the election of Bishops be made the Order of the Day for 9 o'clock to-morrow morning. A motion by J. I. Buell, that it follow the report of the Committee on Itinerancy, was laid on the table, and the original motion was adopted. Election of Bishops. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 227 On motion of J. M. King, it was ordered that the Twelfth chairmen of committees be allowed to pass perfected „ DAY - - 1 1 Morning. reports to the Editor of the Daily Christian Advocate Reports . to be printed; the same being considered a compliance with the rule. The Committee on Revisals presented Report No. II. Re ^ggf re " The Committee on the State of the Church presented Reports Nos. II and III. The Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences presented Report No. I. The Committee on Temporal Economy presented Report No. L On motion, Conference adjourned. The Doxology Adjourned, was sung, and Bishop J. M. Walden pronounced the benediction. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary: ITALY. William Burt presented a memorial, asking that ^•J- paragraphs 61, 67, and 85 of the Discipline be amended 1 1 61, 67 ' 85, so that paragraph 61 shall read, "provided, that in - Mission Conferences entitled to but one representa- tive in the General Conference, that lay and ministerial delegates shall vote together in the Electoral Confer- ence;" to paragraph 67, section 2, shall be added, " nor a Mission Conference the privilege of one dele- gate, who may be either a minister or layman ; " paragraph 85 shall read as follows: "A Mission Con- ference is authorized to exercise the powers of an An- nual Conference, and its members shall share pro rata in the proceeds of the Bpok Concern with the Annual Conference, but shall not elect more than one delegate to the General Conference, who may be either minister or layman." Referred to the Committee on Missions. Also, a memorial relating to the printing of Italian It e a r 1 ^ r ^ it - literature. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. MISSOURI. J. II. Poland presented an appeal in behalf of D. H. ^g^^.. Laney, signed by J. W. Caughlan. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. 228 Journal of the General Conference. [1890. MAY NEW ENGLAND. Twelfth mtimg. W. Hamilton presented a memorial, signed by K of C Boston n n i mse ^ an( l others, concerning the recognition of the spondence Boston Correspondence School as a Methodist institu- scnooi. t - Qn Q £ i earn i n g. Referred to the Committee on Education. Episcopal residence. NORTH OHIO. John Mitchell presented a memorial, signed by him- self and Harry Barnes, respecting episcopal residence- Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. Aid to pub- lish hymn book. NORWEGIAN AND DANISH. W. J. Pihl presented a memorial asking aid to pub- lish a hymn book. Referred to the Committee on Schools and Tracts. Division of Conference. Change of boundaries. SWEDEN. J. A. Anderson presented a memorial asking th division of this Conference into two Annual Confe ences. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Also, one asking to change boundaries of the Swede Conference and the Finland and St. Petersburg Mi sion. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Substitute for Confer- ence Course of Study. UPPER IOWA. W. F. Barclay presented a memorial asking that 1 place of the Conference Course of Study there be su 1 stituted a General Theological Seminary. Referred the Committee on Education. Boundary. WESTERN NEBRASKA. Erastus Smith presented a memorial, signed by hi self and one other, concerning the boundary Of th West Nebraska Conference. Referred to the Co~ mittee on Boundaries. Time limit. WILMINGTON. Merritt Hulburd presented a memorial from th Conference against the removal of the time limit fo pastoral appointments. Referred to the Committe on Itinerancy. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 229 FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 15. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop J. N. FitzGerald presiding. The devotional services were conducted by J. M. Shumpert, of the Mississippi Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- proved. Consent was given to reverse the action of yesterday concerning a motion of J. M. King relative to the print- ing of reports. On motion of H. A. Buttz, a seat was assigned H. K. Carroll. S. Hill presented the following, which was carried : Whereas, The general officers of the Woman's Home and of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Societies are in attendance upon the ses- sions of this Conference as visitors ; therefore, be it Resolved, 1. That the hour of 10 o'clock to-day be the time fixed for their formal introduction to the Conference. 2. That they be invited to seats on the platform. Alfred Smith presented the following, which was adopted : Whereas, The General Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church convenes in quadrennial session at Kansas City, Kan., to-day ; therefore, Resolved, That the Secretary be instructed to send a message of fra- ternal greetings. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Da v. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Printing reports. H. K. Carroll. Introduc- tions. Methodist Protestant Church. On motion of S. H. Prather, the Rev. O. L. Mead was invited to a seat on the platform. On motion of F. J. Cheney, the sergeant-at-arms was directed to keep the doors closed during the devotional services. The Order of the Day, the election of Bishops, was taken up. The rules for the order of elections were read by the Secretary. Bishop C. D. Foss led in prayer. Bishop Andrews announced the list of tellers as fol- lows : FIRST SECTION. * At large, William Burt, Italy. Rev. O. L. Mead. Election of Bishops. Tellers. 230 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Morning. DISTRICTS. I. G. D. Lindsay, Maine. II. H. A. Monroe, Delaware. III. H. E. Waugh, Northern New York. IV. J. C. Scotield, Erie. V. E. T. Nelson, Central Ohio. VI. J. S. Hill, East Tennessee. VII. W. D. Parr, North Indiana. VIII. Christopher Haw, Iowa. IX. S. W. Trousdale, West Wisconsin. X. J. M. Erikson, Sweden. XI. J. W. Van Cleve, Southern Illinois. XII. E. H. McKissack, Upj^er Mississippi. XIII. Bartholomew Larapert, Chicago German. XIV. T. J. Massey, Puget Sound. Tellers. Delegates leaving. SECOND SECTION. At Large, J. R. Lindgren, Central Swedish. DISTRICTS. I. S. E. Quimby, New Hampshire. II. L. E. Barrett, Wilmington. III. T. J. Scott, North India. IV. Asbury Mick, West Virginia. V. Morris Sharp, Ohio. VI. H. F. Ketron, Blue Ridge. VII. C. M. Cobern, Detroit. VIII. J. W. Walker, Northwest Iowa. IX. D. C. Plannette, North Dakota. X. Eiji Asada, Japan. XI. E. S. Chenoweth, Northwest Kansas. XII. Frank Gary, Texas. XIII. H. C. Grawe, St. Louis German. XIV. Fred Gamer, Montana. After the ballots were cast and the tellers had re- tired the roll of Conferences was called for resolutions. G. E. Ackerman presented the following, which was laid on the table: § Whereas, To every delegate to this General Conference are com- mitted interests of exceeding great importance, both to his immedia constituency and to the^ entire Church ; and, ~\\liereas, Acceptance of the position is virtually a promise to di charge the duties thereof during the entire session, unless providen- tially hindered ; and, 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 231 Whereas, Quite a number of delegates are already planning to leave toward the last of next week ; therefore, Resolved, That we hereby express our solemn conviction that every delegate is in duty bound to remain, if possible, until final adjourn- ment, and that any delegate who leaves before that date, except in case of severe illness, either of himself or in his family, or un- less excused by a two thirds vote, shall incur the displeasure of this body. On motion of E. R. Willis, it was ordered that a love feast be held in this building next Sunday. R. S. Copeland presented the following whioh was referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts: Whereas, In our Sunday schools the interests o£» the Missionary So- ciety alone are presented, and the members of the Sunday school are unacquainted with the other benevolent societies of our Church ; and, Whereas, We believe more liberal giving would follow as a result of information concerning these societies; therefore, be it Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the pastor and superintend- ent once in each year to present to each Sunday school in our churches the claims of, and give information upon, Education, Missionary Work, Church Extension, and Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education. The collection of the Sunday schools for each of these benevolences shall be reported in the Annual and General Minutes. A. F. Chase presented a paper relating to the seating of the next General Conference, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Chiirclj. On motion of J. N. Fradenburgh, the Rev. H. M. Chamberlain was invited to a seat on the platform. J. N. Fradenburgh presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Judiciary : Whereas, The opinion has been expressed by several distinguished writers that the enumeration of particulars concerning amusements as found in paragraph 240 of the Discipline of 1892 is unconstitutional, as changing the General Rule w-hich prohibits those diversions which " cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus," or adding thereto; therefore, be it » Resolved, That this question be referred to the Committee on Ju- diciary for judicial opinion. He also offered the following, which was, on motion of T. L. Matthews, laid on the table: Whereas, The opinion has sometimes been expressed that many me- morials, petitions, and resolutions which are presented to the General Conferences and referred to the various committees received little or no attention ; and, Whereas, It seems desirable to correct this erroneous opinion, and at the same time announce the policy of this General Conference; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the several committees be instructed to give to Men paper that careful consideration to which its merits justly entitle it. 2. That this General Conference do not finally adjourn until all MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Morning. Love feast. Informa- tion in Sun- day schools. Seating General Conferences Rev. H. M. Chamber- lain. Final adjourn- ment. 232 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 15. matters of important business and all reports from committees have teenth been acted upon if possible. Day. Morning. R. J. Cooke presented the following, which, on mo- tion of T. B. Neely, was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy : Episcopal Resolved, That for the information of this General Conference the residences. f 0 ] lowmg act ion of the General Conference of 1884 be printed in the Daily Christian Advocate : First, from the report of the Committee on Judiciary adopted by the General Conference, May 9, 1884, as fol- lows : "The Methodist Episcopal Church now exists indifferent parts of the world, and the residences of its Bishops are assigned by order of General Conference. It is therefore the opinion of the Committee that the General Conference has power to fix the residence of any of its Bishops in any part of the territory occupied by the Methodist Episcopal Church." Second, a resolution adopted May 10, 1884, as follows: "That all* Conferences heretofore organized outside of the United States are now, and all those which may be organized hereafter under the authority of this General Conference shall be, entitled to all the rights, privileges, and immunities which belong to Conferences within the United States." T240. On motion of J. C. Hartzell, the Committee on Ju- diciary was requested to present its opinion on the resolution of J. N. Fradenburgh relating to paragraph 240 of the Discipline. Notices. O n motion of J. M. Buckley, the rule fixing the hour for the presentation of notices was reconsidered, and 11 a. m. was substituted for 12:15 p. m. The following was presented by W. N. McElroy, and, on motion of John Lanahan, referred to the Committee on Constitution: T strictive" Whereas, The third Restrictive Rule of our Book of Discipline re- ' Rule. quires the General Superintendents to itinerate throughout the connec- tion ; and, Whereas, The present plan of a constantly itinerating General Superintendency is not adapted to our work in foreign fields, requiring large expenditures of time and means, with minimum results of super- intendency ; and, Whereas, Our membership of African descent in our own country is desirous of having a General Superintendent of their own race to travel and superintend the work among them ; and, Whereas, The plan of itinerant General Superintendency adopted by our fathers is not adapted to the enlarged growth of the Church, and the conditions of the present time ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the third Restrictive Rule of our Book of Dis- cipline be so amended that instead of its reading, " The General Con- ference shall not change nor alter any part or rule of our government so as to do away Episcopacy, nor destroy the plan of our itinerant General Superintendency ; but may appoint a Missionary Bishop or Superintendent for any of our foreign missions, limiting his episcopal jurisdiction to the same respectively," it shall read as follows : " The General Conference shall not change nor alter any part or rule of our government so as to do away Episcopacy, nor destroy the plan " of our itinerant General Superintendency ; but may appoint a Mission- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 233 ary Bishop or Superintendent for any of our foreign missions, limiting his Episcopal jurisdiction to the same respectively. But the General Superintendents shall have authority to arrange their work so as to give a continuous superintendency of the work in foreign countries, and among the people of African descent or other nationalities in the United States, to any one of their number so long as the conditions and interests of the work may require it." 2. That this change in the third Restrictive Rule be presented to the Annual Conferences by the Bishops, to be voted upon during the year 1896 and 1897, and if it shall receive a two thirds vote of the General Conference and three fourths vote of the members of the An- nual Conferences present and voting, the rule shall be so changed, and our General Superintendents shall arrange their work accordingly. On motion of T. B. Neely, this reference was recon- sidered, and, on the motion of W. S. Matthew, it was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. W. M. Swindells moved the adoption of the follow- ing: Resolved, That it is the solemn judgment of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now assembled in the city of Cleveland, 0., that no property under the control of the United States government, whether of the legislative or executive branch, should be used for the traffic in intoxicating liquors. Therefore we respectfully petition the United States Congress to enact such legislation as will prohibit the issuance of a certificate for the manufacture or sale of in- toxicating liquors in any building under the control of the general government. A motion, by G. C. Sturgiss, to refer it to the Com- mittee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic was, on motion of S. E. Gehrett, laid on the table, and the paper was adopted. J. A. Sargent presented a resolution requesting the Bishops to prepare and submit a form for setting apart deaconesses. It was referred to the Bishops and ordered to be printed in the Daily Christian Advo- cate. The Committee on Revisals presented Reports Nos. IV, V, and VI. The Committee on Missions presented Report No. III. The Committee on Education presented Report No. II. The Committee on Itinerancy presented Report No. II. The Committee on Book Concern presented Reports Nos. IV, V, and VI. The Committee on the American Bible Society pre- sented Report No. I. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Morning. Liquer cer- tificate. Deacon- Reports presented. 234 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Morning. Memorial services. Dr. J. W. Mendenhall Dr. J. O. Peck. Tellers re- port. Afternoon session. Adjourned. On motion, the Order of the Day was taken up, and the Memorial Services were conducted. Bishop Bowman presided. C. C. McCabe led the audience in singing Hymn 1037, " There is a land of pure delight." W. V. Kelley offered prayer. Hymn 998 was sung, "I would not live alway." The memoir of Rev. J. W. Mendenhall, D.D., LL.D., was read by the Rev. W. F. Whitlock. The Rev. G. E. Reed read the memoir of Rev. J. O. Peck, D.D. On motion of A. J. Kynett, this service was sus- pended until to-morrow after the announcements are made. The tellers having returned, the Chair announced the result of the first ballot for Bishops. (See Ballots, p. 439.) There being no election, a second ballot was ordered. The tellers were permitted to retire. J. B. Graw moved to adjourn until 2:30 p. m. A substitute to adjourn until to-morrow was laid on the table. J. M. Buckley rnoved to amend by inserting " to hear the result and take another vote if necessary." The amendment was carried, and the motion, as amended, was adopted. Conference adjourned by expiration of time. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop J. N. FitzGerald pro- nounced the benediction. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Afternoon. Devotional services. Ballot. Adjourned. FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 15. The Conference was called to order at 2:30 p. m., Bishop J. N. FitzGerald in the chair. J. I. Buell, of the Michigan Conference, conducted the devotional services. The tellers reported the result of the second ballot for Bishops. (See Ballots, p. 439.) There being no choice, another ballot was ordered, and, after receiving the votes, the tellers retired. The Conference adjourned. The benediction was pronounced by Bishop S. M. Merrill. 1896.] 'Journal of the General Conference. 235 The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary : ALABAMA. G. E. Ackerman presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Missions : WJiereas, It must be manifest to every man who has carefully studied the situation that there still urgent need of assistance from the Missionary Society in many parts of our Southern field, notwith- standing the oft-repeated assertion that the work there should be self- supporting ; and, Whereas, The thought of our good sisters engaged in the Woman's Home Missionary Society has not been turned toward our suffering, needy ministers in the South as fully as it should have been, and be- lieving as we do that if the plain facts could be generally understood by the leaders in both these societies more aid would be extended where it is so greatly neede"d and so richly deserved ; therefore, Resolved, First, That we urge upon them a careful consideration of the following truths : 1. The sacrifices which many of our pastors and their families are making in the South are fully equal to those made in foreign lands, and these sacrifices are made uncomplainingly and with a spirit which does high honor to our entire Church. 2. The men who are thus toiling and enduring hardships for the sake of Christ and the " dear old Church," as they lovingly call her, are not weaklings, nor men of small attainments, but men of brains as well as piety, men of power as well as zeal. 3. The wives and mothers who share the burdens of the itinerancy are ladies of refinement and spirit, who under more favorable condi- tions would grace the parsonage homes of the North and East, and, in many instances, this spirit of true nobility deters them from appealing to the Woman's Home Missionary Society, even when the needs of themselves and their families render such appeals every way worthy. 4. The suecess of the work, even under the great and peculiar embar- rassments which have confronted the workers, has been very great during the past quadrennium. Many new churches have been built, and many old ones greatly improved. The increase in membership has been healthful and steady and there is every reason for encouragement. 5. A very large factor in our success during the past quadrennium has been the work of our schools, whereby hundreds of young men and women have been sent out into the various fields of activity, well equipped for life's work, and imbued with a spirit of loyalty and devo- tion to our institutions and principles, and considerable numbers of educated young men have been brought into our Conferences, thus greatly strengthening all our work. 6. Public sentiment is constantly coming to be more strongly in our favor. Wherever the influences of our Church and schools, are felt prejudice is giving place to fairmindedness, and multitudes who in former years looked upon us with suspicion now regard us with favor, and bid us " Godspeed." Resolved, Second, That, in consideration of these truths, this General Conference urges upon the General Missionary Committee a very care- ful consideration of the needs of the Southern field, and earnestly prays that the appropriations be as liberal as possible. Renhed, Third, That we respectfully request the Woman's Home Missionary Society to extend its most helpful and highly appreciated aid to the fullest extent possible to the families of our ministers in that field who shall apply for the same. MAY 15. THIR- TEENTH DAY. Afternoon. Needs of our Southern field. 236 Journal of the General Conference. [1S96. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Afternoon. Changes in boundaries. FLORIDA. S. H. Hugar presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Boundaries : Wliereas, The boundary of the Florida Conference includes only that part of the State of Florida east of the Appalachicola River, leaving that portion west of the Appalachicola River in the Central Alabama Conference ; and, Whereas, This portion of the State is thickly settled with people, many of whom are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church cpm- ing from other States, thus making it necessary for our Church to take up the work in this part of the State in order to meet this increasing demand ; therefore, be it Resolved, That this General Conference empower the Alabama and Florida Conferences to make such changes as can be mutually agreed upon by the two Conferences with the concurrence of the two Bishops presiding over the said Conferences any time within the next quadrennial. Proper schools in Liberia. LIBERIA. W. E. Dennis and others presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Missions : Whereas, There is great desire now being manifested on the part of the youths of Liberia to have a proper schooling, and thereby secure a common education for future usefulness, etc.; and, Whereas, Other denominations are establishing day schools and giving every facility for such educational training throughout the said repub- lic, and thereby forcing all who attend said schools to adopt their faith and doctrines, thus proselyting a number of the noblest and most promising boys and girls of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who very often are compelled to leave the Church of their choice to try and get an education, as no equal educational facility is given by the Methodist Episcopal Church ; therefore, Resolved, That this General Conference, in view of the above recited facts, order the immediate establishing of proper schools in the leading districts of said republic, and the more thorough equipment of those already in existence. Tuition in schools. LITTLE ROCK. W. O. Emory and J. M. Coxe presented the follow- ing, which was referred to the Committee on Freed- men's Aid and Southern Education Society: Whereas, It is very necessary that our ministers and their children attend the schools of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society, in order that they may show to the public and to those in charge of these schools that they are in hearty sympathy with the work, and are willing to do all they can for its upbuilding ; and, Whereas, No class of men work harder and receive less pay than do our ministers in the South, and, since full rates are charged them, many have been compelled, because of poverty, to leave school, and to stop their children ; therefore, Resolved, That ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church in good standing, their wives aud their children, be allowed to attend any of the nonprofessional schools of the J reedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society at half-rate tuition or incidental fee. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 237 MISSISSIPPI. S. A. Cowan presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals : Whereas, The Discipline does not clearly express in what form the written report of an exhorter shall be made to the Quarterly or District Conference; be it Resolved, That paragraph 200 of the Discipline shall be so amended as to contain after the word "same," in the fourth line from the bottom of said' paragraph 200, the following: " 1. X umber of prayer meetings held? 44 2. Number of Sunday schools attended ? 44 3. Number of class meetings attended ? " The said paragraph 200 shall then read : "The duties of exhorters are, to 'hold meetings for prayer and ex- hortation wherever opportunity is afforded, subject to the direction of the pastor ; to attend all sessions of the District and Quarterly Confer- ences, and to present a written report to the same as follows : 14 1. Number of prayer meetings held? " % Number of Sunday schools attended ? "3. Number of class meetings attended ? 1 He shall be subject to an annual examination of character in the Quarterly or District Conference, and a renewal of license to be signed by the president thereof." G. Wi Stith presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals : Resolved, That section 4 of paragraph 57 in the Book of Discipline, which reads as follows, to wit : " Should the preacher in charge desire it, let the Quarterly Conference appoint annually a committee of three or more, of which committee the preacher in charge shall be chairman, and they cooperating with him shall regulate all matters relating to this part of divine worship. The action of said committee shall be in every respect subject to the control of the Quarterly Conference," shall be so amended by striking out the first eight words in line 1, which reads, 44 Should the preacher in charge desire it, let," and adding the word " shall " after the word " Conference " in line 2 ; also by adding the wofds " on music " after the word 14 more " in line 3 of said section ; so that, when amended, said section shall read as follows, to wit : 44 The Quarterly Conference shall appoint annually a commit- tee of r three or more on music, of which committee the preacher in charge shall be chairman, and they cooperating with him shall regu- ' late all matters relating to this part of divine worship. The action of said committee shall be in every respect subject to the control of the Quarterly Conference." NEW YORK EAST. C. J. North presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Epworth League : Resolved, That the following be added to paragraph 326 of the Dis- cipline : 44 Also, it shall be their duty to secure the organization of Epworth League chapters in our institutions of learning situated within the bounds of their districts, whenever practicable." J. S. Chad wick presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Whereas, The last sentence of paragraph 168 of the Discipline, which reads: 44 But the General Conference mav authorize the election WAV 15 Thir- teenth Day. Afternoon. Report of exhorter to Quarterly Conference. Committee on Music. Epworth League in our institu- tions of learning. 238 Journal of the General Conference. [1896.. MA Y 15. Thir- teenth Day. Afternoon. Election of a Missionary Bishop. Book Depos- itory and Church paper in Minneapolis Full text of the Cate- chism. Mutual Church In- surance Company. of a Missionary Bishop in the interim of the General Conference " is- incomplete legislation ; therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Revisals be requested to submit to the General Conference an amendment to paragraph 168, so" that it shall read : " But the General Conference may authorize the election of a Missionary Bishop by the General Missionary Committee in the in- terim of the General Conference." NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. F. Chaffee presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern : Resolved, That the Committee on the Book Concern be instructed to report to this Conference as to the advisability of passing an enabling act by which it shall be made possible for the Book Cominittee during the coming quadrennium to establish a Book Depository, and also to publish an official Church paper, in the city of Minneapolis, Minn. WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Sunday School Union and Tract Society be requested to print at least once each year in some of our Sunday school publications a full text of the Catechism. H. P. Magill presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Church Extension : Whereas, The Commission appointed in accordance with the action of the General Conference of 1892 to originate and operate a Church. Insurance Company h#s surrendered its commission after an ineffectual attempt to organize on the stock plan ; and, Whereas, Most of our churches and parsonages, except those belong- ing to our German brethren, are either allowed to go uninsured- dangerous practice, and not in harmony with our Discipline — or are in! sured in stock companies at rates far beyond cost ; and, Whereas, Our German brethren have had a mutual insurance plan in successful operation throughout the United Statesifor about twelv years, with the best of results ; and, WJiereas, The West Wisconsin Conference in 1890 directed th organization of the Mutual Church Insurance Company of Wisconsin for the protection of property belonging to churches and ministers at actual cost, which plan has now been in successful operation since 1891 as is attested by the examinations and indorsements of the West Wis consin and Wisconsin Conferences iu 1895 — as reported in the Minutes of said Conferences — resulting in a substantial saving to our churches in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, and placing insurance by its annual installment premium plan and annual division of profits within reach of every church ; and, Whereas, The said Mutual Church Insurance Company of Wisconsin has collected through our presiding elders information as to fires damaging the property of the Methodist Episcopal Church in. one hundred and seventy-one districts in forty-one States of the Union during periods of from five to fifty years past, said district containing church and parsonage property, not including ground, valued at between thirty-nine million dollars and forty million dollars, not including the property of ministers ; and, Whereas, These reports show that if the property included had been properly covered by insurance our membership in the districts referred 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 239 to would have been obliged to pay over three quarters of a million of dollars more than would have been necessary under the system used bv the Mutual Church Insurance Company of Wisconsin during the period covered by the operations of that company ; and, Whereas, This system applied to the United States during the same five years would have saved over one and one half millions of dollars to our people ; therefore, be it Resolved, 1. That this General Conference approves of the action of the West Wisconsin Conference, in which the Wisconsin Conference has cooperated ; and, 2. That this General Conference shall provide for the organization of a Mutual Church Insurance Company for the benefit of the Church at large in the United States on a similar plan for such of our churches and pastors as desire to avail themselves of it, as follows : 3. The General Conference shall elect a Board of Insurance to serve for four years, consisting of one from each General Conference District to be nominated by the delegates of each district represented, and three to be nominated by the Bishops. 4. Such Board shall have general supervision of the matter of fire, lightning, and tornado insurance ; it shall as speedily as practicable be incorporated according to law, with such powers and prerogatives as may be needful to the organization and operation of a mutual insur- ance company ; such organization to be subject to the control of the General Conference. 5. The time of service of the members of the said Board shall begin on the second Wednesday in June following their election, and continue until their successors shall be duly chosen and have entered upon their duties. 6. The Board may fill vacancies occurring among its members. 7. The officers of the Board, who shall also be officers of the organi- zation as incorporators, shall be a president, a vice president, a secre- tary, a treasurer and attorney, and an executive committee of three, which committee may be chosen from among the. other officers, all of whom shall be elected by the Board at the first regular meeting of each quadrennium, and shall hold office for four years, or until their successors are elected and qualified. The Board shall have power to employ a manager and such other employees as it may find necessary. 8. The annual meeting of the Board shall be held on the second Tuesday in February each year at such place as may have been selected at the previous meeting, except the first, which shall be held in Chicago, 111. Special meetings may be called by the president or any three directors. At all regular meetings of the Board seven shall constitute a quorum. 9. The Board shall have power to make by-laws not in conflict with the action of the General Conference. 10. The Board shall submit to each General Conference a report of its proceedings for the preceding four years. 11. The necessary expenses incurred by the members of the Board in attending its meeting, and all expenses incurred in the transaction of its business, shall be paid out of the funds of the insurance company. The following Memorials were passed to the Sec- retary: CALIFORNIA. J. W. Whiting presented a memorial which he had received from the laity of San Francisco and vicinity asking for an investigation into the management of the San Francisco Book Depository. Referred to the Committee on the Book Concern. 16 MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Afternoon. San Fran- cisco Book Depository. 240 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Afternoon. Boundaries. Time limit. Course of Study for Junior League. IT 240. Woman's Home Mis- sionary Society. Court of Appeals for laymen. City evan- gelization. Probation- ary period. Insurance of church property. CENTRAL ALABAMA. E. M. Jones presented a memorial for a change in boundaries. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. CENTRAL NEW YORK. E. M. Mills presented a memorial, signed by McKen- dree Shaw and others, respecting the removal of the time limit. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. E. J. Gray presented a memorial from W. L. Wood- cock asking a change in the Course of Study prepared for the Junior League of the Epworth League. Re- ferred to the Committee on Epworth League. CINCINNATI. A. B. Leonard presented a memorial asking to amend paragraph 240, relating to " Unchristian Conduct." Re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals. G. B. Johnson presented three memorials in behalf of the Woman's Home Missionary Society asking a change in the Constitution and a place in the reports and statistics of the Church. Referred to the Com- mittee on Missions. DES MOINES. L. M. Shaw presented a memorial concerning a Court of Appeals for laymen. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. EAST OHIO. D. H. Muller presented a memorial on the subject of city evangelization. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. IOWA. J. P. Teter presented a memorial on the probationary period. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. KENTUCKY. Daniel Stevenson presented a memorial concerning the insurance of church property. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Chautauqua work. G. D tauqua cation. MAINE. Lindsay presented a memorial relative to Chau- work. Referred to the Committee on Edu- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 241 MINNESOTA. MAY 15. John Stafford presented a memorial denning the xbbnth boundaries of the Minnesota Conference. Referred to Afternoon. the Committee on Boundaries. Boundaries. Order of public serv- ice. Local audit- ing com- mittee. Constitu- tion of Cen- tral Confer- ence. Order of business for Quarterly Confer- ences. Boundaries. NEW YORK. J. M. King presented a memorial concerning an order of public service. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. NEW YORK EAST. G. P. Mains presented a memorial asking for a local auditing committee. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. NORTH INDIA. E. W. Parker presented a memorial for change in constitution of Central Conference. Referred to the Committee on Itinerancy. NORTH INDIANA. H. N. Herrick presented a memorial, signed by him- self and others, respecting order of business for Quar- terly Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. B. Hingeley presented a memorial denning the boundaries of the Northern Minnesota Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. NORTHWEST IOWA. J. W. Walker presented a memorial from R. Burnip Conference • ^ •• -t»<«t statistics. and others concerning Conference statistics. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. NORTHWEST NEBRASKA. A. R. Julian presented a memorial concerning the Boundary, boundary of said Conference. Referred to the Com- mittee on Boundaries. OHIO. Morris Sharp presented a memorial on districting thf t h?Bishipf Bishops. Referred to the Committee on Episcopacy. PHILADELPHIA. T. B. Neely presented a memorial asking to amend paragraphs 186 and 189 of the Discipline pertaining to the General Rules. Referred to the Committee on Re- visals. To amend 1 T 186, 189. 242 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 15. Thir- teenth Day. Afternoon. Appeal of T. W. Robins. Deacon- PITTSBURGr. T. H. Woodring presented a memorial in behalf of T. W. Robins, appealing his case, and asking to be re- stored to his former Conference relation. Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. C. W. Smith presented a memorial relating to the chapter on Deaconesses. Referred to the Committee on Deaconesses. ROCK RIVER. M ifip 0 o n rtf y M - E - Cad y presented a memorial relating to the Missionary Report. Referred to the Committee on Missions. MAY 16. Four- teenth Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journals approved. Ballot. Rule 7. Dr. F. S. Hoyt. Death of Dr. J. M. Reid. Liquor. SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 16. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m v , Bishop I. W. Joyce presiding. The devotional services were conducted by John Stafford, of the Minnesota Conference. The Journals of yesterday morning and afternoon sessions were read and approved. The tellers reported the result of the third ballot for Bishops. (See Ballots, p. 439.) On motion of J. M. Buckley, Rule No. 7 in the Order of Elections was stricken out, and, on motion of D. S. Monroe, three secretaries instead of one was authorized to retire with the tellers. On motion of W. F. Whitlock, the Rev. F. S. Hoyt was invited to a seat on the platform. A telegram was read from Dr. A. K. Sanford an- nouncing the death of Dr. J. M. Reid, and, on motion of S. F. Upham, the Secretary was instructed to send a telegram of condolence to the family ; and, on motion of A. B. Leonard, a committee of three was ordered to draft appropriate resolutions. Bishop Andrews an nounced as the committee, A. B. Leonard, C. C. Mc Cabe, and S. F. Upham. The following, presented by W. J. Martindale, wa adopted: Resolved, That it is the judgment of the General Conference of th Methodist Episcopal Church, now in session in the city of Cleveland, 0 that the Congress of the United States should pass a law prohibitin the issuing of permits by the government for the sale of intoxicatin 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 243 liquors as a beverage in those States where by Constitutional or Legis- lative enactment such sale is prohibited. Resolved, That a copy of this resolution, signed by the President and Secretary of this body, be forwarded to the President of the Senate, also to the Speaker of the House. The Rev. R. Crawford Johnson being unable in per- son to take leave of the Conference sent to Bishop Andrews a letter of regret, a part of which was- read, as follows: My Dear Bishop Andrews : I write to remind you of your kind promise, to take leave of the Conference for me this morning. The vigor of your debates, the order of your committees, and the amazing growth of your Church, in all its departments, have most profoundly impressed me ; while the courtesy, kindness, and hospitality accorded to Mrs. Johnson and myself will make the Conference one of the hap- piest memories of our lives. May I very earnestly express the hope that you will send us representatives more frequently — if possible every year? The visit of American representatives is always both an inspiration and benediction to us. (Signed,) R. Crawford Johnson. The Committee on Fraternal Delegates was permitted to fix such a date for the reception of the Rev. C. H. Phillips as may suit his convenience. On motion of S. F. Upham, Report No. I of the Committee on Itinerancy was taken up. The change recommended in paragraph 69 was adopted; the rest of the report was recommitted. On motion of J. M. King, Report No. II of the Com- mittee on Revisals was taken up. Items 1 and 2 were adopted. Hon. William McKinley, ex-Governor of Ohio, was introduced. On motion, the Rules were suspended. On motion of J. M. Buckley, it was ordered that the tellers in making up the report shall not count defective ballots. The tellers having returned, the Secretary announced the result of the fourth ballot. (See Ballots, p. 439.) There being no election, another ballot was taken. On motion of G. H. Bridgman, the Rev. Dr. Dorches- ter was invited to a seat on the platform; as was also Mr. William Deering, of Chicago, on motion of F. M. Bristol. E. J. Gray moved to postpone the Memorial Services until after the tellers make their report. Laid on the table. MAY 16. Four- teenth Day. Mirrnirvj. Dr. R. C. Johnson's letter. Rev. C. H. Phillips. Report No. I on Itinerancy. Report No. II on Revisals. Hon.Wm. McKinley. Defective ballots. Ballots. Dr. D. Dorchester. Wm. Deer- ing. Memorial Services. 244 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. 3I fchjr 16 ' John Lanahan moved that the committee arrange for ™|h the time. Moming. C. W. Drees moved that the tellers remain out until after the services. C. J. Little moved, as a substitute for all before the house, that we proceed with the Memorial Services un- til 12:15 p. m., then hear the report of the tellers, and, if necessary, take another ballot. The substitute was accepted and adopted. MEMORIAL SERVICES. At the request of the President, Bishop R. S. Foster took the chair. Hymn 656, beginning, " Jesus, Lover of my soul," was sung. The Rev. A. J. Nast read the memoir of the Rev. Henry Liebhart. (See Memoirs, p. 556.) The Rev. John Coyle read the memoir of the Rev. B. F. Crary. (See Memoirs, p. 552.) The Rev. Homer Eaton read the memoir of the Rev. Sandford Hunt, D.D. (See Memoirs, p. 546.) On motion of W. F. Whitlock, the report of the Com- mittee on Memoirs was adopted. (See Memoirs, p. 533.) Ballots. The tellers returned, and the Secretary read the re- sult of the fifth ballot. (See Ballots, p. 439.) There being no election, another vote was ordered. John Sweet was substituted for C. M. Cobern on the list of tellers. Afternoon On motion of J. E. C. Sawver, it was ordered that s6ssion. when we adjourn it be to meet at 2:30 p. m. The following, presented by A. F. Chase, was adopted: standing Standing Committees jot the General Conference shall hold their Committees mee tings on the days of the week as follows : The Committees on Episcopacy, on Itinerancy, on Boundaries, on Re- visals, on Temporal Economy, on the State of the Church, and on Temper- ( ance, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Committees on the Book Concern, on Missions, on Education, on Church Extension, on Sunday Schools and Tracts, and on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The Committee on Epworth League, Tuesday and Friday. On the day following the election of delegates, the chairman of the delegation from each Annual Conference shall furnish the Secretary of the last General Conference with the names of the several Standing Committees, as chosen by the members of his delegation, and from these returns the Secretary shall construct, so far as possible, the rolls of 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 245 the Standing Committees in advance of the opening of the session of the ensuing General Conference. This order shall be printed in the Appendix to the Discipline. Conference adjourned by expiration of time. The Doxology was sung, and the benediction was pro- nounced by Bishop E. G. Andrews. MAY 16. Four- teenth Day. Momi/ng. Adjourned. SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 16. The Conference met, pursuant to adjournment, at 2:30 p. m., Bishop I. W. Joyce in the chair. R. J. Cooke, of the Holston Conference, conducted the devotional services. On motion of G. B. Johnson, the Rev. Dr. D. M. Smith, Book Agent of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was invited to a seat on the platform; as was also the Rev. J. E. King, on motion of J. E. C. Sawyer. The tellers reported the sixth ballot for Bishops. (See Ballots, p. 439.) There being no election, another vote was ordered. C. D. Hammond moved a suspension of the rule re- quiring secrecy on the part of the tellers. Lost. \jT. M. Swindells moved that whenever the several committees, to whom any part of the communication of the Bishops concerning amendments to the Discipline was referred, shall report for adoption any of the said amendments, unchanged, then the printing of the same in the Daily Christian Advocate of May 9 shall be taken as a sufficient compliance with the requirements of Rule 25; but if the committee deem a modification of any of the recommendations of the Bishops to be advisable, then the requirements of the rule shall be carefully observed in order to have a clear understand- ing of the matter by the Conference. A. J. Kynett moved, as an amendment, to add, " and that the chairmen of committees having handed in re- ports not yet printed be permitted to edit these reports accordingly." The amendment was passed, and the motion, as amended, was adopted. On motion of W. M. Swindells, the recommittal of the Report No. I of the Committee on Itinerancy was recon- sidered, and the motion to recommit was laid on the table. MAY 16. Four- teenth Day. Afternoon. Devotional services. Dr. D. M. Smith. Dr. J. E. King. Ballot. Bishops' recommen- dations. Reports. 246 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 16, Four- teenth Day. Afternoon. Report No. I on Itinerancy. Ballot. Journal re- ports. Minute on death of Dr. Reid. S. F. Upham again called up Report No. I of. the Committee on Itinerancy. Item 1 was adopted. Item 2 was read, and, on motion of R. D. Munger, it was laid on the table. Items 4 to 8 were adopted. Item 9 was read, and, on motion of T. B. Neely, the words "Book of" were inserted before "Discipline," and, thus amended, the item was adopted. Items 10 to 13 were adopted. The tellers returned, and the Secretary read the re- sult of the seventh ballot for Bishops. (See Ballots, p. 439.) There being no election, the eighth ballot was ordered. The Secretary was authorized to destroy all ballots after the vote is announced. On motion of Homer Eaton, the Secretary was in- structed to omit in the publication of the Journal the names of all persons receiving less than twenty votes. The committee to prepare a minute in regard to the death of Dr. J. M. Reid presented the following re- port, which was adopted: This Conference has heard with profound sorrow of the death of the venerable Honorary Secretary of the Missionary Society, the Rev. J. M. Reid, D.D., LL.D., which occurred at his residence in New York May 15, 1896. Dr. Reid's varied services as pastor, educator, editor, author, and corresponding secretary of the Missionary Society have made him widely known throughout the entire Church and country, and have greatly endeared him to a multitude of people. We desire to place on record our high regard for this eminent servant of God, and to express our deep sympathy with his bereaved family. We direct that a copy of this minute be forwarded to the family of our deceased brother. Your committee, not being in possession of all the facts necessary to a fitting memorial for this eminent minister and servant of God, recommend that such memoir be prepared by the Secretaries of the Missionary Society, to be published in the Journal of the present ses- sion of the General Conference. Signed by the committee. Report No. I on Itinerancy, Consideration of Report No. I of the Committee on Itinerancy was resumed. S. F. Upham moved the adoption of item 14 — 151, questions 20 and 21. A motion to lay on the table was lost. L. B. Wilson moved, as a substitute, that both these questions be asked, but the answers be given in writing. The substitute was accepted, and the rej>ort, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 382.) 1896. Journal of the General Conference. 247 Report No. II of the same Committee was taken up. Items 14 to 21 were adopted. Item 22 was read. T. B. Neely moved to amend by adding, " or other un- avoidable circumstances." A motion to lay the amendment on the table was lost. The amendment was then adopted, and the item, as amended, was passed. (See Reports, p. 383.) A motion by J. M. Buckley, to adjourn immediately after the announcement of the ballot, was carried. The tellers reported the eighth ballot for Bishops. (See Ballots, p. 440.) The Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop I. W. Joyce pronounced the benediction. The following Resolutions were passed to the Secre- tary : CINCINNATI. G. B. Johnson presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That article 2 of paragraph 241 of the Discipline be so amended as to read : " If he do not amend his conduct let the preacher in charge present the complaint to the Quarterly Conference, where- upon, without trial by a committee, the neglecting member may be suspended or expelled by a two thirds vote." MAY 16. Four- teenth Day. Afternoon. Report No. II on Itinerancy. Adjourned. To amend IT 241. EAST TENNESSEE. J. S. Hill presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy: To change section 3, paragraph 67, of the Restrictive Rules, and add after the words " foreign missions" the following, " or to labor among races and nationalities in this country or elsewhere," so that the whole paragraph shall read : " The General Conference shall not change nor alter any part or rule of our government so as to do away Episcopacy, nor destroy the plan of our itinerant General Superintendency •, but may appoint a Mis- sionary Bishop or Superintendent for any of our foreign missions, or to labor among races and nationalities in this country or elsewhere, limiting his Episcopal jurisdiction to the same respectively." Addition to IT 67, KANSAS. J. A. Motter presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on the Entertainment of the next General Conference: Reached, That, in behalf of the Preachers' Meeting of Kansas City, Place of Mo., the Committee on the Entertainment of the next General Confer- nex^GeL- ence be requested to select Kansas City as the place of holding the eral Confer- next General Conference. ence " 248 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 16. Four- teenth Day. Afternoon. Powers of the Quar- terly Con- ferences. Southwest- ern Chris- tian Advo- cate. LOUISIANA. J. F. Marshall presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That paragraph 94 of the Discipline, beginning with line ten and concluding the paragraph, relative to the powers of Quarterly Conferences, be so changed as to read as follows : " In those districts in which District Conferences shall be held the pow- ers of the District Conferences shall not be exercised by the Quar- terly Conferences, except in special cases, when such power is delegated by the District Conferences. In all other cases the powers of the Quar- terly Conferences shall remain as hereinafter provided." C. C. Morse presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern: Resolved, That the Southwestern Christian Advocate be granted a subsidy of $2,000 per annum and the white paper, that it be enlarged to twice its present size, and that a further sum of $25 per month be allowed for office rent at New Orleans. NORTHERN MINNESOTA. J. F. Chaffee presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Itinerancy: ** Effective n Whereas, This Conference has significantly used the word "non- effective?'" effective " instead of the word " superannuated " in its treatment of the question of the effectiveness of the Bishops ; and, Whereas, The word " noneffective " is descriptive of a condition without respect to age ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Itinerancy be instructed to inquire as to the expedience and advisability of using the words " effective " and " noneffective " as descriptive of all the preachers in the travel- ing connection, with a view to the elimination of that class which is called supernumerary, and the disappearance from use among us of the words " supernumerary " and " superannuated." SOUTH DAKOTA. W. F. T. Bushnell presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Temperance an Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic- Liquor Whereas, The liquor traffic in America is more thoroughly organize Lmerica. equipped, and disciplined for its evil work than ever before, and is practical unit throughout the nation ; and, Whereas, It is the imperative duty of the Christian Church to acco" plish its speedy overthrow, and God is only awaiting a wise con secration to practical methods of those material and spiritual powe with which he has endowed his people, to give them a comple victory over this deadly enemy ; and, Whereas, For lack of unity among those who oppose the saloon, a for want of financial aid at critical times and places, they have ofte suffered serious defeat ; therefore, be it Resolved, That we commend the plans now proposed by the America Antisaloon League and kindred organizations for the federation of al forces opposed to the saloon. Resolved, That we encourage all our people to contribute promptl 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 249 and freely of their means to the success of the work these organiza- MAY 16. tions are seeking to accomplish. teenth Resolved, That in this connection we call attention to the important day. and critical struggle for the retention of constitutional prohibition in Afternoon. South Dakota the present year. There is not a place nor a cause upon the earth in which the interests of Christ's kingdom are more truly formed than they are upon the issue there. There ought to be no practical indifference to the far-reaching results of a conflict like that in which a struggling people contend for the life of the great principle of prohibition against the mighty power of the American liquor interests. WISCONSIN. Leander Ferguson presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts: Whereas, The catalogues furnished by the Book Concern for selec- Books for tion of Sunday school libraries contain many books believed to be un- School suitable for children and youths ; and, libraries. Whereas, It is impossible to judge the character of a book from its title, which makes it very difficult to select libraries from these lists alone, and occasions needless expense in forwarding and returning books ; therefore, Resolved, That we request the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts to inquire into the necessity of a higher moral and intellectual standard for our Sunday school books, and that a brief account of their character and contents be published in the catalogues. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary: BALTIMORE. W. S. Edwards presented a memorial relating to the ^JhmSh words " holy catholic Church." Referred to the Committee on Revisals. CENTRAL NEW YORK. R. D. Munger presented a memorial, signed by him- c ^^ ce self, asking changes in District Conference questions. av. Morning. Dedication of Institu- tions of Learning. Report No. II on State of the Church. Report No. Ill on State of the Church. Ballot. G. P. Mains elected. Ballot. Report No. I on Constitu- tion. Report No. IV on Book Con- cern. H. C Jen- nings elected. Ballot. 264 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 20. Seven- teenth Day. Morning. Bishop D. A. Goodsell presides. Nomina- tions. Report No. v on Book Con- cern. Reports presented. Missionary Secretaries elected. Adjourned. Society. Nominations were made, and the votes were cast. At this point Bishop Foster, in a few touching re- marks, expressed his appreciation of the kindness shown him by the Conference and the Church, and called Bishop D. A. Goodsell to the Chair. On motion of M. M. Callen, the following was adopted : When nominations are in order the Chair shall so announce, and re- quest that all nominations be sent to the Secretary's table in writing ; and, after all nominations have been received, the Secretary shall read the list, and when the Secretary reads the list nominations shall be closed. The following was presented by T. J. Scott, and re- ferred to the Committee on Rules of Order: Resolved, That the Committee on Temporal Economy be instructed to take into consideration for presentation to this Conference some plan for the nomination of General Conference officers. Report No. V of the Committee on the Book Concern was taken up and read, and, on motion of J. M. Buck- ley, it was laid on the table. The Committee on Episcopacy presented Report No. VII. The Committee on Book Concern presented Report No. VII. The Committee on Missions presented Report No. IV. The Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts pre- sented Report No. III. The Committee on Church Extension presented Re- ports Nos. Ill, IV, and V. The Committee on Lay Representation presented Report No. I. The tellers reported the first ballot for Missionary Secretaries, and A. B. Leonard and A. J. Palmer,, having received a majority of all the votes cast, were elected, and another ballot was ordered. (See Ballots,, page 441.) The tellers reported the ballot for the third Mission- ary Secretary. There was no election. (See Ballots,, p. 442.) On motion, the Conference adjourned. The Dox- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 265 ology was sung, and Bishop C. D. Foss pronounced the benediction. The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary: NEW YORK EAST. C. J. North presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Temporal Economy: Whereas, Very many churches, large and small, in all parts of our work find great difficulty in meeting their current expenses ; and, Whereas, This is largely due to the fact that large numbers of our members do not regularly contribute for the support of the Gospel ; and, Whereas, This failure to contribute arises largely from want of instruction respecting the duty of systematic giving ; therefore, be it Resolved, That a foot-note be attached to the last question in the service of " Reception of Members " as follows : " The pastor will explain that this contemplates a regular contribution by each member accord- ing to the financial plan adopted by the church." PHILADELPHIA. T. B. Neely presented the following, which was re- ferred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That the Committee on Revisals consider the propriety of inserting in the appropriate places in the Discipline the following : 1. Insert as section 2 of paragraph 96 of the Discipline, " The Sec- retary of each Quarterly Conference shall furnish the member elected to the Lay Electoral Conference a certificate of his election." 2. Insert as section 19 of paragraph 186, "The presiding elder of each district shall furnish the Chairman of the Lay Electoral Confer- ence a certified list of the members elected as delegates to the Lay Electoral Conference, and also a list of the reserves." MA V SO. S K V E \ - TEE NTH Day. Morning. Regular contribu- tions by members- Additions to HI 96 and 186. WEST WISCONSIN. W. J. McKay presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals.: Resolved, That the words " playing cards or attending card parties " be inserted in paragraph 240 of the Discipline. He also presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Revisals: Resolved, That the words " the putting on of gold or costly apparel " be erased from the Discipline in paragraph 30, so as to accord with the practice of our preachers and people. Card play- ing. Gold or costly ap- parel. The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary : CINCINNATI. C. H. Payne presented from the American Sabbath Union a memorial concerning Sabbath observance. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Sabbath observance. 266 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 20. Seven- teenth Day. Morning. Sunday schools as missionary societies. Stewards. Bureau of Transporta- tion. Young peo- ple's socie- ties. A. B. Leonard presented, from himself and one other, a memorial relating to the organization of Sunday schools into missionary societies. Referred to the Committee on Missions. MAINE. G. D. Lindsay presented a memorial, signed by him- self, relating to stewards. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. MINNESOTA. H. C. Jennings presented a memorial, from George H. Hazzard and others, in favor of the establishment of a Bureau of Transportation. Referred to the Com- mittee on Temporal Economy. 4 NORTHWEST INDIANA. W. H. Hickman presented a memorial relative to young people's societies that have not adopted the Ep worth League organization. Referred to the Com- mittee on Epworth League. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. H. H. Crozier presented the report of a joint com- mission on the boundaries of the Illinois and Southern Illinois Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. WASHINGTON. I. L. Thomas introduced the record of a joint commission defining the boundaries of the Washington and North Carolina Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. WEST NEBRASKA. Accounts of c. A. Hale presented a memorial concerning keeping financial accounts of charges. Referred to the Com- mittee on Temporal Economy. Boundaries. Boundaries. MAY 21. Eight- eenth Day Morning. Devotional Journal approved. THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 21. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop S. M. Merrill in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by E. H. Yocum, of the Central Pennsylvania Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- proved. 1890.] Journal of the General Conference. 267 On motion of J. B. Graw, it was ordered that the elections have precedence at any time. A. B. Leonard moved that the Secretary of this Con- ference be authorized to send cordial greetings by tele- graph to the Presbyterian General Assembly now in session at Saratoga Springs. On motion of M. S. Hard, it was ordered that after 10 o'clock no appeals, memorials, or resolutions, not to be put upon their immediate passage, shall be received. The following communication was received from the Bishops, and read: Cleveland, 0., May 21. To the General Conference. Dear Brethren : The Bishops having conferred with the Bfshops- elect, and having considered the state of business of the Conference, especially in regard to matters connected with the General and Mis- sionary Superintendency of the Church, respectfully recommend that the consecration of Bishops be made the Order of the Day for Tues- day, May 26, at 11 o'clock a. m. By order and in beKalf of the Bishops, Edward G. Andrews, Secretary. MAY 21. Eight- eenth Day Morning. Elections. Presbyteri- an General Assembly. Appeals, etc Consecra- tion serv- On motion of J. J. Bentley, the consecration of the Bishops-elect was made the Order of the Day for Tues- day, May 26, at 10 o'clock a. m. • A letter was read from the trustees of Epworth Me- morial Church inviting the Conference to hold the con- secration services in that church. R. D. Munger moved that the services be held in this building. A motion by T. B. Neely, to substitute Epworth Church, was laid on the table, and the motion of R. D. Munger was adopted. • A resolution of thanks to the pastor and trustees of Epworth Church was passed. The third ballot for Missionary Secretary was re- ported, and, there being no election, another ballot was ordered. (See Ballots, p. 442.) The Hon. Asa Bushnell, Governor of Ohio, was in- troduced. A ballot for Corresponding Secretaries of the Board of Church Extension was ordered. The tellers returned and reported the fourth ballot for Missionary Secretaries, and, there being no election, another ballot was ordered. (See Ballots, p. 442.) Missionary Secretary. Hon. Asa Bushnell. Missionary Secretary. 268 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 21. Eight- eenth Day Morning. Church Ex- tension Dis- tricts. J. T. Manson. Trustees of the Metho- dist Epis- copal Church. Dr. Morris takes leave. Secretaries Board of Church Ex- tension. Missionary Secretary. Dr. R. S. Rust. A. J. Kynett presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That paragraph 380 of the Discipline be amended by strik- ing out the words included in item 3, lines 8-14, as follows : " 3. The Annual Conferences, being grouped by the General Con- ference into fourteen Church Extension Districts, there shall be one member from each district to be elected by the General Conference on the nomination of the delegates of each district, respectively, and also fourteen members appointed by the board," and insert the following : " 3. Of one representative from each General Conference District elected by the General Conference, on the nomination of the delegates of the several districts. " 4. Of an equal number of representatives appointed by the board." On motion of J. M. Buckley, J. T. Manson was seated in the place of J. H. Sessions, who was called home. On motion of D. W. C. Huntington, a committee of five was ordered on Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. Dr. J. C. Morris took leave of the Confer- ence on behalf of himself and his colleague, the Hon. G. B. Perkins. The tellers reported the result of the ballot for Sec- retaries of the Board of Church Extension, and A. J. Kynett and W. A- Spencer, having received a majority of all the votes cast, were declared elected. (See Ballots, p. 442.) The fifth ballot for Corresponding Secretary of the Missionary Society was reported, and W. T. Smith, having received a majority of the votes cast, was de- clared elected. (See Ballots, p. 442.) The Conference proceeded to the election of Secre- taries of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. G. E. Ackerman presented the following, which was adopted: Whereas, The venerable and beloved Rev. R. S. Rust, D.D., LL.D., has completed thirty years of continuous connection with our work in the South ; and, Wherms, He has endeared himself to multitudes in every depart- ment of that work, and builded for himself a monument more enduring than marble or granite ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That the Rev. Richard S. Rust, D.D., LL.D., be and he is hereby continued in his present position as Honorary Secretary of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. 2. That a copy of these resolutions be printed in the Daily Chris- tian Advocate and be published in the Journal of the General Confer- ence, and also that an engrossed copy of the same be presented to our honored brother. 18P6. Journal of the General Conference. 269 The tellers reported the ballot for Secretaries of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society, and J. C. Hartzell and J. W. Hamilton, having received the requisite number of votes, were declared elected. (See Ballots, p. 442.) J. M. Buckley presented Report No. IV of the Com- mittee on Episcopacy. A motion to substitute Shanghai or Nagasaki for Philadelphia was laid on the table. W. F. Whitlock moved to substitute Cleveland for Buffalo; J. F. Core moved to substitute Pittsburg for Buffalo; A. B. Leonard moved to substitute "Shanghai" for Phila- delphia; H. W. Key moved tcr substitute Nashville for Chattanooga; J. W. Butler moved to add "or Mexico" to New Orleans, or Fort Worth; J. F. Goucher moved to substitute Shanghai, and Eiji Asada moved to add " or Nagasaki." All these motions were laid on the table. The 12th item was read, and Emory Miller moved to substitute Omaha for Topeka. Laid on the table. L. A. Belt moved to add " or Omaha," which was carried, and the item, as amended, was passed. Item 16 was read. Yoitsu Honda moved to add " or Shanghai." A motion was made to add, as an amendment, "or Tacoma." The Committee on Judiciary presented Report No. I. The Committee on Itinerancy presented Reports Nos. IV and V. The Committee on Revisals presented Reports Nos. XI, XII, XIII, XIV, and XV. The Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic presented Reports Nos. II, III, and IV. The Committee on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society presented Report No. III. The Committee on Boundaries presented Report No. I. A minority report was presented from the Commit- tee on the State of the Church. On motion of C. J. Little, the Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and M. S. Hard pronounced the benediction. * MAY 21. Eight- eenth Day Morning. Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society Secretaries. Report No. IV on Episcopacy. Reports Adjourned. 270 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 21. Eight- eenth Day Mornmg. ■ Report of the. work of the Church. Superannu- ated minis- ters as col- porteurs. Collection for Confer- ence claim- ants. The following Resolutions were passed to the Sec- retary : IOWA. Christopher Haw and others presented the following,, which was referred to the Committee on the State of the Church: Whereas, In the past no official statistical report of the work and gifts of the Church at large has been issued by the General Confer- ence ; therefore, Resolved, That a Statistical Secretary be elected on the first day of the next session, whose duty it shall be to compile from the Annual Conference Minutes, and other sources, a statistical report of the work of the Church throughout the connection, the same to be pub- lished in the General Conference Minutes. He also presented the. following, which was referred to the Committee on the Book Concern: As an additional means of increasing the sales of our books and the circulation of our Church periodicals ; Resolved, That our Book Agents are hereby authorized to formulate and put in use a system whereby all superannuated ministers, who so desire, may become colporteurs for the sale of our periodicals and books. Said colporteurs shall be approved by the Annual Conference, and secure the consent of the pastor of the charge in which they de- sire to work. NEWARK. W. H. Murphy presented the following, which was referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy: Whereas, It is reported that a large number of our preachers neglect to take the annual collection for the Conference claimants, and by such neglect are placing these worthy men under great embarrassment in the Conferences where they reside ; and, Whereas, By such omission of duty the rules and Discipline of our church are clearly violated and discouraging to those friends who are laboring to disseminate a wider interest in this subject, by which it is hoped the annual collections may be increased ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Temporal Economy consider this question and report a plan by which this neglect may be prevented and the enforcement of the Discipline maintained. The following Memorials were passed to the Sec- retary: IOWA. Christopher Haw presented a memorial, signed by himself, referring to paragraph 283. Referred to the Committee on Revisals. Insurance of church property. MICHIGAN. Levi Master presented a memorial on the insurance of church property. Referred to the Committee on Church Extension. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 271 MONTANA. MAY 21. ElGHT- Jacob Mills presented two memorials for enabling kenthday r . Morning. acts. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. Enabling acts. « NORTHERN NEW YORK. D. F. Pierce presented a memorial concerning the Boundaries, boundaries of the Norwegian and Danish Conference. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. NORTHWEST INDIANA. A. R. Colbern and F. H. Tanner presented a me- 135. morial asking to strike out paragraph 35, page 32, of the Discipline. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. OREGON. G. W. Gue presented a memorial concerning the A p^5^ n Northern Pacific Advocate. Referred to the Committee Advocate. on the Book Concern. ROCK RIVER. F. M. Bristol presented a memorial from the Chicago seat of next Methodist Social Union concerning the seat of next conference. General Conference. Referred to the Committee on Place of Holding next Session of General Conference. P. H. Swift presented a memorial concerning ex- Expenses of 0 delegates. penses of delegates. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Lewis Curts presented a memorial concerning the children's Children's Home Society. Referred to the Committee ciet y- on Temporal Economy. TENNESSEE. D. W. Byrd presented a memorial concerning reports of church trustees. Referred to the Committee on Temporal Economy. Reports of urch FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 22. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop E. G. Andrews in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by J. W. Bashford, of the Cincinnati Conference. The Journal of yesterday morning's session was read and approved. On motion of Andrew Schriver, C. W. Millard, of MAY 22. Nine- teenth Da v. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. C. W. Millard. 272 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 22. Nine- teenth Day. Morning. » Sunday School Union and Tract So- ciety Secre- tary. J. M. Kittle- man. Secretary Board of Education. Report No. IV re- sumed. Secretary Sunday School Union and Tract So- ciety. Report No. Ill on Episcopacy. Secretary Board of Education. Ballot. the New York Conference, was seated in the place of C. C. McCabe. On motion of J. F. Chaffee, the Conference ordered a ballot for Secretary of the Sunday School Union and Tract Society. On motion of L. M. Shaw, J. M. Kittleman, of the Des Moines Conference, was granted leave of absence on account of sickness. The Conference proceeded to ballot for Secretary of the Board of Education. The request of L. M. Shaw, that he be permitted to change his seat, was granted. Consideration of Report No. IV of the Committee on Episcopacy was resumed. T. J. Massey moved to recommit the matter. The motion was lost. The pending motions to substitute were laid on the table, the item was adopted, and the report, as a whole, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 381.) The tellers reported, and the Chair announced that J. L. Hurlbut, having received the requisite number of votes, was elected Secretary of the Sunday School Union and Tract Societ}^. (See Ballots, p. 442.) On motion of J. M. Buckley, Report No. Ill, second part, was taken up. Items 1 and 2 were adopted. Item 3 was read. A. J. Kynett moved to recommit it. Lost. J. A. Sargent moved to strike out all after the word " elections " and insert " quadrennially." A. J. Kynett moved, as a substitute, that the General Conference fix quadrennially the place of residence on „ nomination of the Committee on Episcopacy. J. B. Graw moved to lay the substitute on the table. Lost. The amendment of J. A. Sargent was laid on the table. The substitute was also laid on the table, and the item was passed. Item 4 was adopted. Item 5 was withdrawn, and the report, as a whole, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 380.) The tellers returned, and the Chair announced that C. H. Payne, having received the requisite number of votes, was elected Secretary of the Board of Education. (See Ballots, p. 442.) The Conference proceeded to the election of an Editor for the Methodist Review. A ballot was also ordered for the Editor of The Christian Advocate. 1896. J Journal of the General Conference. 278 Bishop Goodsell requested, and was granted, leave of absence from the further sessions of the Conference. On motion of Z. M. Mansur, Report No. I of the Committee on National Arbitration was presented, read, and adopted. (See Reports, p. 431.) The tellers reported the result of the ballot for Editor of the Methodist Review, and the Chair declared W. V. Kelley elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) Bishop Andrews announced the names of the Com- mittee on Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. (See Committees, p. 377.) The tellers reported the result of the ballot for Editor of The Christian Advocate, and J. M. Buckley was declared elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) The Conference ordered a ballot for Editor of the Western Christian Advocate, and a ballot for the Editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. The Committee on Temporal Economy presented Reports Nos. IV and V. The Committee on Church Extension presented Re- port No. VI. The Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts pre- sented Report No. IV. The Committee on Education presented Report No. IV. The Committee on State of the Church presented Reports Nos. XII to XVI. The Committee on Book Concern presented Reports Nos. VIII to XI. The Committee on Lay Representation presented Report No. II. The Committee on Judiciary presented Reports Nos. II, III, and IV. The tellers reported the ballot for Editor of the Western Christian Advocate, and D. H. Moore was de- clared elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) A ballot was ordered for Editor of the Central Chris- tian Advocate. The tellers reported the result of the ballot for Editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate, and Arthur Edwards was declared elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) MAY 22. Nine- teenth Day. Morning. Bishop Goodsell's leave of absence. Report No. I on Arbitration Editor of Review. Trustees of Methodist Episcopal Church. Editor of The Chris- tian Advo- cate. Ballot. Reports presented. Editor of Western Christian Advocate. Editor of Northwest' ern Chris- tian Advo- cate. 274 Journal of the General Conference. MAY 22. Nine- teenth Day. Morning. Church Boards. Editor of Central Christian Advocate. Editor of Pittsburg Christian Advocate. Amend- ments to Constitu- tion. Editor of Northern Christian Advocate. John Conner. Report pre- sented. Editor of California Christian Advocate. Adjourned. On motion of J. F. Core, a ballot was ordered for Editor of the Pittsburg Christian Advocate. The following, presented by A. J. Kynett, was adopted : Resolved, That the Bishops and Chairmen of Standing Committees be a committee to nominate to the General Conference the Boards of Mission, Church Extension, Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society, Tract Society, Sunday School Union, and the Board of Education. The tellers reported the vote for Editor of the Central Christian Advocate, and the Chair declared J. B. Young elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) A ballot was ordered for Editor of the Northern Christian A dvocate. The tellers reported the vote for Editor of the Pitts- burg Christian Advocate, and the Chair declared C.W. Smith elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) A ballot was taken for the Editor of the Californi Christian Advocate. On motion of T. B. Neely, the following was adopted. Resolved, That in voting for delegates to the General Conference, or upon questions of proposed amendments to the Constitution, absentees from the session of the Annual Conference shall not be permitted to vote. The tellers reported the vote for Editor of the Northern Christian Advocate, and the Chair declared J. E. C. Sawyer elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) On motion, John Conner, a reserve delegate of the Pittsburg Conference, was seated in the place of C. W Smith, who left on account of sickness. A ballot was ordered for Editor of the Southioes Christian Advocate. The Committee on General Conference Districts pre sented Report No. I. The tellers reported the vote for Editor of the Cali fornia Christian Advocate, and the Chair declare W. S. Matthew elected. (See Ballots, p. 443.) A ballot was ordered for Editor of the Apologist. The tellers reported the ballot for Editor of the South western Christian Advocate, and, there being no election another ballot was ordered. On motion, Conference adjourned. The Doxolog was sung, and Bishop William Taylor pronounced th benediction. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 275 The following Memorials were passed to the Secre- tary: CENTRAL NEW YORK. R. D. Munger presented a memorial asking to amend paragraph 186 of the Discipline by adding a section after section 18, to be marked section 19, which was referred to the Committee on Judiciary. To furnish to the Secretary of the Lay Electoral Conference a com- plete list of delegates and alternates chosen by the Quarterly Confer- ences of the District. NEW HAMPSHIRE. S. E. Quimby and others presented a memorial ask- ing that to Report No. I of the Committee on Edu- cation, as adopted by the General Conference, there be added the words, " and scriptural exegeses and written sermon." Referred to the Committee on Education. MAY 22. Nine- teenth Day. To amend IT 186. Addition to Report No. I of Commit- tee on Edu- cation. NORWEGIAN-DANISH. N. E. Simonsen presented a memorial asking that the Discipline be not so changed as to make it obligatory to appoint a superintendent in all our foreign missions. Referred to the Committee on Missions. Superin- tendent in all foreign missions. UPPER MISSISSIPPI. Richard Sewell presented a memorial reporting the Boundaries, change in boundaries of the Upper Mississippi and Alabama Conferences. Referred to the Committee on Boundaries. SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 23. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop H. W. Warren presiding. The devotional services were conducted by Henry Spellmeyer, of the Newark Conference. The Journal of yesterday's session was read and ap- proved. The Secretary was instructed to destroy all memorials and other papers except such as are judicial, and to place those in the Book Concern at New York or Cincinnati. On motion of D. Y. Murdoch, D. H. Moore was ex- cused from further attendance, having been called home by the serious illness of his mother. MAY 23. Twen- tieth Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Secretary to destroy memorials, etc. D. H. Moore excused. 276 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 23. Twen- tieth Day. Morning. Editor of Southwest- em Chris- tian Advo- cate and of Apologist. E. W. S. Hammond. Missionary Society. Ballots. Report No. I on Trustees. Report No. I on General Conference Districts. Editor of Haus und Herd. Reports Nos. V and on Epis- copacy. Report No. IX on Episcopacy. Editor of Epworth Herald. Methodist Protestant Church. W.P. BigneU. The tellers having reported, the President announced that I. B. Scott was elected Editor of the Southwestern Christian Advocate, and that A. J. Nast was elected Editor of the Apologist. (See Ballots, pp. 443, 444.) A. B. Leonard moved that the Publishing Agents at Cincinnati be authorized to pay E. W. S. Hammond the usual salary until the Church finds him work Carried. On motion of J. F. Goucher, Homer Eaton was ap pointed Treasurer, and Lewis Curts Assistant Treas urer, of the Missionary Society. A ballot was ordered for Editor of the Haus und Herd, and one for the Editor of the Epworth Herald. T>. W. C. Huntington presented Report No. I of the Committee on Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was read and adopted, and the Trustees named therein were elected. (See Reports, p. 438.) Report No. I of the Committee on General Confer- ence Districts was, on motion of J. W. Butler, adopted. (See Reports, p. 427.) The tellers reported, and the President announced that F. L. Nagler was elected Editor of the Haus un Herd. (See Ballots, p. 444.) The Committee on Episcopacy presented Report No. V, which, on motion of J. M. Buckley, was read and adopted. The same committee presented a su plement to Report No. I, which was read and, on motioi of J. M. Buckley, adopted. (See Reports, pp. 380, 381. Report No. IX was presented and read. J. M. Buckley moved the adoption of the report, T. B. Neely moved that it be considered in reverse order. The tellers reported the vote for Editor of the Ep worth Herald, and the President declared that J. Berry was elected. (See Ballots, p. 444. ) The following telegram was read by the Secretary: The General Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church, in s sion in Kansas City, Kan., has received fraternal greetings from th< General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in session i Cleveland, 0., and returns greetings to that body. May the Spirit the Lord be with you in your session. T. M. Johnson, Secretary. On motion of S. H. Prather, W. P. Bignell was i vited to a seat on the platform. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 277 To select reports. Final ad- journment. Report No. I on Constitu- tion. Report No. IX on Episcopacy. Missionary Bishop for Africa. The Secretary stated that C. E. Zoller being unable M *^.* 3, to serve as an assistant secretary, he named C. E. tiethday. " Morning. Mueller. c. e. Mueller On motion of W. S. Edwards, the following was adopted: Resolved, That the chairmen of the several committees be aud are hereby appointed a committee to select from the reports prepared for the General Conference such as may be agreed upon as of leading im- portance, and that on and after Tuesday next these shall be presented in their order to the Conference for its action, taking precedence of all others ; provided, that the present call of the committees is completed. On motion of J. H. Coleman, Thursday, May 28, was fixed as the day and 1 o'clock p. m. as the hour for the final adjournment of the Conference. On motion of J. F. Goucher, the consideration of Report No. I on Constitution was made the Order of the Day for Monday next, at 10 a. m. Consideration of Report No. IX of the Committee on Episcopacy was resumed. G. P. Mains moved, as a substitute for the report, that at this time it is the sense of this General Confer- ence that we deem it inexpedient to elect any Mission- ary Bishops in addition to those existing, save a suc- cessor to Bishop Taylor for Africa. A motion to lay this on the table did not prevail, and the substitute was accepted by a count vote of 257 ayes to 189 noes, and was then adopted. (See Reports, p. 381.) , J. M. Buckley moved that we elect a Missionary Bishop for Africa. Carried. A. J. Kynett moved that the election of a Missionary Bishop for Africa be made the Order of the Day for next Monday at 9:30 a. m. At the request of Bishop Walden, Chairman of the Committee on Boundaries, the following was referred to the Committee on Judiciary: Resolved, That the Judiciary Committee be requested to consider the Boundaries, following question and report on Monday next: If so much of an An- nual Conference be set apart that the remaining territory contains a less number of ministers than is required to constitute an Annual Con- ference, should this remaining territory be constituted a mission, or doe3 it continue to be an Annual Conference ? The following questions, presented by J. W. Hamil- ton, were referred to the Committee on Judiciary: 278 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. 1. Has the General Conference the authority to exclude a General Superintendent from the presidency of an Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in any part of the world ? 2. Has the General Conference the authority to assign to its Mission- ary Bishops jurisdiction of the same mission without a division of ter- ritory ? The Committee on Revisals presented Reports Nos. XVI and XVII. The Committee on Education presented Reports Nos. Ill, V, and VI. The Committee on Epworth League presented Re- ports Nos. IV to VII. The Committee on Temporal Economy presented Reports Nos. VI to IX. Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop H. W. Warren pronounced the benediction. MAY 23. Twen- tieth Day. Morning. MAY 25. Twenty- first Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Speeches limited to five minutes Report No. I on Boundaries adopted. Reserves seated, etc. Vote of thanks. MONDAY MORNING, MAY 25. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop C. D. Foss presiding. The devotional services were conducted by J. J. Bentley, of the Missouri Conference. The Journal of Saturday's session was read and approved. S. W. Gehrett moved to change Rule No. 13, second line, "No person shall speak more than twice on the same question nor more than five minutes at one time " instead of ten; "excepting chairmen of committees, who shall have the usual ten minutes." A motion by J. F. Berry, to include chairmen of committees, was laid on the table by a count vote of 175 ayes to 150 noes, and the original motion was adopted. Report No. I of the Committee on Boundaries was read and adopted. (See Reports, p. 354.) M. A. Kendall, a reserve delegate of the West Vir- ginia Conference, was, on motion, seated in the place of T. P. Jacobs; as were also P. P. Mast, of the Cincin- nati Conference, in place of C. W. Bennett ; Hudson Samson, of the Pittsburg, in place of J. E. Rigg ; and J. H. Stull, of the East Ohio, in place of J. A. Mansfield. G. E. Ackerman presented a resolution of thanks to 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 279 the Detroit and Cleveland Steam Navigation Company, and the following substitute was adopted: Whereas, The Detroit and Cleveland Steam Navigation Company placed at the service of the General Conference on Saturday afternoon, the 23d instant, their beautiful and commodious steamer, City of Detroit, for a complimentary excursion on the lake ; and, Whereas, We greatly appreciate the thoughtful generosity which provided for us this courteous favor ; therefore, Resolved, That we extend to the company our hearty thanks for this delightful ride. Resolved, further, That the Secretary of the Conference be instructed to send to the company a copy of these resolutions. On motion of Henry Spellmeyer, the following were approved as Trustees of the American University: Judge E. L. McComas, Washington, D. C; Rev. Michael Burn- ham, D.D., St. Louis, Mo.; Hon. H. N. Higinbotham, Chicago, 111.; Rev. A. J. Palmer, D.D., New York; Rev. W. H. Milburn, Washington, D. C. ; Mr. William Connell, Scranton, Pa.; Hon. John Fritz, Bethlehem, Pa.; Mr. John E. Herrell, Washington, D. C; Mr. John G. Holmes, Pittsburg, Pa.; Hon. John R. McLean, Washington, D. C; Hon. John Paton, Curwensville, Pa.; Rev. Thomas H. Pearne, D.D., Hillsboro, O. On motion of S. F. Upham, the following were ap- pointed: George P. Mains, Treasurer of the Episcopal Fund; H. C. Jennings, Assistant Treasurer of the Epis- copal Fund ; George P. Mains, Treasurer of the Sun- day School Union ; Daniel Denham, Treasurer of the Tract Society. W. H. Jordan moved that, beginning with to-day, we hereafter hold two sessions of the Conference each day until our adjournment — at the usual hour in the morning, and at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. A motion by G. H. Trever to meet at 2:30 was laid on the table, and the motion of W. H. Jordan was adopted. On motion of D. W. C. Huntington, the Report of the Committee on Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church was, because of an error, recommitted. J. B. Graw moved that the Publishing Agents be re- quested to publish a cheap, unabridged edition of the Hymnal with sufficiently large print for church use. C. R. Kellerman moved to insert "with tunes." A motion to lay on the table was lost. MAY 95. Twenty- first Day. Morning. Trustees of the Amer- ican Uni- versity. Treasurers appointed. Two ses- sions. Recom- mitted. Cheap Hymnals. 280 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 25. Twenty- first Day. Morning. Election of Bishop for Africa. Death of mother of D.H.Moore. Report No. I on Constitu- tion. Colonel Grant and Bishop Ar- nett intro- duced. Report No. IV on Epworth League. J. C. Hart- zell elected. W. H. Jordan moved, as a substitute, that the Hymnal be published as at present, but at the lowest possible price. The amendment was adopted. The substitute was then accepted and adopted. On motion of A. J. Kynett, the Order of the Day was taken up. H. A. Gobin moved that the order to elect a Bishop for Africa be reconsidered. Laid on the table. H. E. Dingley moved to elect by ballot, without nomination, and that a majority elect. H. W. Key moved that it require a two thirds vote. Levi Master moved, as a substitute, that we defer election of Missionary Bishops until we hear the report of the Judiciary Committee that was to report at half past 9 o'clock this morn- ing on the question of the relative authority of a Gen- eral Superintendent and a Missionary Bishop. Laid on the table. The amendment was adopted, and the mo- tion of H. E. Dingley, as amended, was adopted. A ballot was ordered, and taken. D. Y. Murdoch announced the death of the mother of D. H. Moore, and the Secretary was instructed to send a telegram of condolence to him. On motion of J. F. Goucher, Report No. I of the Committee on Constitution was taken up, and it was ordered that it be considered seriatim. The first ballot for Bishop of Africa were announced, and, there being no election, another ballot was taken (See Ballots, p. 440.) Colonel F. D. Grant, and Bishop B. M. Arnett, of t' African Methodist Episcopal Church, were introduced On motion of C. H. Payne, a special session was o dered for 7:30 p. m. for the reception of fraternal del gates. On motion of E. M. Mills, the rules were suspended, an Report No. IV of the Committee on Epworth Leagu was taken up and adopted. (See Reports, p. 416.) The tellers reported the second ballot for Missiona Bishop for Africa, and the President declared that J C. Hartzell was elected, and he was invited to the plat form. (See Ballots, p. 440.) The Secretary read item 1 of the Report on Consti tution, and it was adopted. Item 2 was read. S. 1896.] Jour?ial of the General Conference. 281 Baldwin moved to strike out "40 "and insert "60.''" The motion was laid on the table and the item adopted, as were also sections 2, 3, and 4. Article III, section 1, was read. S. M. Coon moved that after the word " Conference," in the eleventh line, it shall read, " each pastoral charge shall also elect one reserve delegate." Carried. Elvin Swarthout moved to strike out " chosen by the lay members of the Quarterly Conference," and insert " chosen by the members of the Church, twenty- one years of age and upward." A motion to lay on the table was lost by a count vote of 189 ayes to 210 noes. The amendment was rejected by a count vote of 189 ayes to 193 noes, and the section was adopted, G. E. Ackerman requested to be excused from further attendance on account of the death of his only brother. The request was granted, and a resolution of sympathy was unanimously adopted. The Committee on the State of the Church presented Report No. XVII. A minority report on lay representation was also pre- sented. Conference adjourned by expiration of time. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop E. G. Andrews pro- nounced the benediction. MAY 25. Twkxti - first Day. Morning. Report No. I on Constitu- tion. G.E. Acker- man leave of absence. Reports presented. Adjourned. MONDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 25. The Conference was called to order at 3 p. m., Bishop J. F. Hurst in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by J. F. Rusling, a lay delegate of the New Jersey Conference. The Journal of the morning session was read and approved. The report of the Committee on Constitution was further considered. Article III, section 2, was read and adopted. Section 3 was read and adopted. Sec- tion 4 was read. By request of the Committee, and on motion of W. F. King, Bishop Merrill was permitted all the time he desired to make a statement on this part of the report. Alexander Ashley moved to strike out the words in section 4, commencing at the word "two" in the second line, to the word " one " in the sixth line, MAY 25. Twenty- first Da y, Afternoon. Devotional services. Journal approved. Report No. I on Constitu- tion. '282 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 25. Twenty- first Day. Afternoon. Secretary of Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education , Society. Report No. I on Constitu- tion. P. D. Carr. Report No. X on Judiciary. Secretary of Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. "Two delegates to the General Conference, except in case the Annual Conference is entitled to but one dele- gate, then the Lay Electoral Conference shall choose but one," and to substitute the following for these words: "One delegate to the General Conference for each ministerial delegate to which its Annual Confer- ence may be entitled." Laid on the table, and the sec- tion was adopted. Section 5 was read. F. M. Bristol moved to amend by the insertion of the word " lay " before "member." so that it will read, " having been a lay member of the Church for five years preceding." A motion to lay this on the table was lost, the amend- ment was passed, and the section, as amended, was adopted. J. W. E. Bowen moved that we proceed to the nom- ination and election of a Secretary for the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. J. E. C. Sawyer moved that its further consideration be made the Order of the Day for to-morrow at 9 o'clock a. m. Lost. C. C. Lasby moved to indefinitely postpone the election. This was laid on the table, and the original resolution was adopted. A ballot was taken, and the tellers retired. J. F. Goucher moved that the further consideration of Report No. I of the Committee on Constitution be made the Order of the Day for 9 o'clock to-morrow morning. On motion of W. H. Wilder, the motion was laid on the table. P. D. Carr, having been called home, was excused from further attendance upon the Conference. On motion of J. H. Clendenning, Report No. X of the Committee on Judiciary was taken up. J. M. Buck- ley moved its indefinite postponement. Lost. J. S. Chadwick moved that the paper coming to us from the Judiciary Committee be adopted, and be referred to the Committee on Boundaries. A motion by J. M. Buckley to lay on the table did not prevail, and the motion of J. S. Chadwick was adopted. (See Reports, p. 425.) The tellers returned, and the Chair announced that M. C. B. Mason, having received the requisite number 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 283. of votes, was elected Secretary of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. (See Ballots, p. 442.) On motion, the Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop J. F. Hurst pronounced the bene- diction. MONDAY EVENING, MAY 25. The Conference was called to order at 7:30 p. m., Bishop Thomas Bowman in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by A. A. Gee, of the Indiana Conference. A solo was sung by Miss Effie Holbrook. C. H. Payne presented the credentials of the Rev. C. H. Philips, fraternal delegate from the Colored Metho- dist Episcopal Church. N. E. Simonson introduced him to the President, who presented him to the Conference, and he delivered a very cordial address. (See Fraternal Addresses, p. 511.) A duet was sung by Misses Holbrook and Whittier. J. T. McFarland presented the Rev. B. F. Noakes, fraternal delegate from the Reformed Episcopal Church, to the President, and after his introduction by the Presi- dent to the Conference, he delivered an able address. The report of the Rev. J. H. Potts, fraternal dele- gate to the Methodist Church of Canada, was presented by C. H. Payne and read by the Secretary. (See Fra- ternal Addresses, p. 475.) The Doxology was sung, and Dr. B. F. Noakes pro- nounced the benediction. MAY 25. Twenty- first Day. Afternoon. Adjourned. MAY 25. Twenty- first Day. Evening. Devotional services. Address by Rev. C. H. Philips. Address by Rev. B. F. Noakes. Report of Dr. J. H. Potts. Adjourned. TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 26. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop W. X. Ninde in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by Robert Forbes, of the Northern Minnesota Conference. The Journals of yesterday afternoon and evening sessions were read and approved. On motion of J. F. Chaffee, the delegates of the Northern Minnesota Conference were permitted to oc- cupy vacant seats in the front of the room. Reports Nos. V, VI, VII, and IX of the Committee on Judiciary were taken up, and, on motion of J. H. MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Seats changed. Reports Nos. V, VI. VII, and IX, on Judi- ciary. 284 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Morning. Report No. I on Trustees. Compli- mentary Resolutions. Report No. IX on Temporal Economy. Report No. I on Constitu- tion. Reports to be pre- sented. Compli- mentary Resolutions Clendenning, were adopted. Report No. VIII was read. S. L. Baldwin moved to amend by striking out the last clause. Adopted. A motion by A. J. Kynett to re- commit was not passed, and the report, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, pp. 423, 424, 425.) Report No. I on Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church was presented and read, the Trustees nominated were confirmed, and the report was adopted. (See Re- ports, p. 438.) G. P. Mains moved that the Bishops appoint a com- mittee of five on Complimentary Resolutions. Carried. Report No. IX of the Committee on Temporal Economy was read. G. D. Lindsay moved that the report of the com- mittee be amended by striking out the clause which in- structs the committee to pay the expenses of him who takes the place of a person elected to the Episcopacy. Laid on the table. The report was adopted. (See Reports, p. 391.) J. F. Goucher moved that the report of the Commit- tee on Constitution be made the Order of the Day for this evening at eight o'clock. A motion to lay on the table did not prevail, and the motion of J. F. Goucher was carried. On motion of A. J. Kynett, it was ordered that the committees, as they are called in order, shall present their reports, all they may have in hand, until debate shall arise on any question; and then the question shall be taken upon the adoption of that portion of the re- port, or that report already made, and others shall be deferred to another call. J. M. Buckley moved that the following be inserted in the Rules of Order: "That amendments to be acted on without debate may be made under the previous question." A motion by C. J. Little, to lay on the table, was lost, and the motion was adopted. Bishop Andrews announced the Committee on Com- plimentary Resolutions. (See Committees, p. 378.) The Secretary read the following from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church: 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 285 Mobile, Ala., May 25, 1896. Rev. Dr. D. S. Monroe, Secretary of the Methodist General (Conference, Cleveland, 0.: Thanks for greetings from our Methodist mother. God is helping us to lift our Jeremiahs from the American dungeon and send the blessed Gospel on its triumphant way. See Jer. xxxvii, 7-14. In Gospel bonds. William Howard Day. Also the following: Piru, Calif, May 16-17, 1896. General Conference, care Bishop Goodsell, Cleveland, 0. : The Los Angeles District Branch of the Woman's Foreign Mission- ary Society, in convention assembled, send Christian greetings to the Honorable General Conference of the great Methodist Episcopal Church, sitting under the inspiring motto, " The whole wide world for Jesus," getting visions of the perishing needs of the race. We make bold to ask you in our Master's name : make enlarged plans ; lay hold of every effective agency to bring the world to Jesus ; not less than eight millions for missions during the quadrennium. (1st Peter i, 2.) By order of the Convention. Mrs. H. J. Crist, President. Mrs. C. R. Patek, Secretary. G. C. Sturgiss called up Report No. VI of the Com- mittee on Book Concern. G. B. Wight moved to lay upon the table that part of the report of the commit- tee recommending the appointment of a book editor. F. M. Bristol moved to amend by eliminating so much of the report as gives to the Publishing Agents the power to nominate this editor. H. A. Buttz moved, as a substitute, that the election of a book editor be referred to the Book Committee with power of choice of editor on the nomination of the Publishing Agents if, in their judgment, it should be found desirable. W. F. Whitlock moved to amend, "that the Book Committee shall elect the book editor after conference with the Agents." J. F. Rusling moved to lay every- thing on the table except the report of the committee. Carried. T. B. Neely moved to strike out the word " shall," and insert " may," so that it will read, "they may nominate," and in addition to strike out the words, " they may also publish any new work which the book editor may approve." Accepted. W. S. Matthew moved to lay the report on the table. The motion was lost, and the report was adopted. (See Reports, p. 394.) The Committee on Itinerancy presented Report No. VI. The Committee on Epworth League presented MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Morniny. African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. Report No. VI on Book Con- cern. Reports presented. 286 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. tw Jn?y-' Re P orts Nos - VIII and Ix > the latter with a minority 8 dT£ k report. ■ Moming. After the usual recess the Order of the Day — the Consecra- _ ^ ti0 k;es rv " Consecration of Bishops-elect — was, on motion, taken up. Bishop Thomas Bowman presided. The Bishops, and the Bishops-elect, accompanied by their presenters, entered the room. Hymn 810 was an- nounced by Bishop Bowman, after the singing of which Bishop Vincent read the Collect, Bishop Thoburn read the Epistle, Bishop Taylor read the Gospel. Charles Cardwell McCabe was presented bv L. D. McCabe and T. C. Iliff. Earl Cranston was presented by D. L. Rader and R. S. Rust. Joseph Crane Hartzell was presented by M. C. B. Mason and S. L. Beiler. The call to prayer was read by Bishop Ninde, and prayer was offered by Bishop FitzGerald. The exami- nation and invocation were by Bishop Andrews. The Veni Creator Spiritus was read by Bishop Mallalieu. The laying on of hands and presentation of the Bible was in the following order: Charles Cardwell McCabe, Bishops Foster, Bowman, and Hurst, and the presenters. Earl Cranston, Bishops Merrill, Bowman, and Wal- den, and the presenters. Joseph Crane Hartzell, Bishops Warren, Bowman, and Foss, and the presenters. Prayer was offered by Bishop Joyce. The 82 2d hymn was announced by Bishop Newman, after the singing of which the Conference adjourned. The Dox- ology was sung, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop R. S. Foster. MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Afternoon. Devotional services. Journal approved. AFTERNOON SESSION, MAY 26. The Conference met at 3 p. m., Bishop J. M. Walden in the chair. The devotional services w r ere conducted by Sandford Van Benschoten of the Newark Conference. The Journal of the morning session was read and approved. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 287 John Field, of the Philadelphia Conference, was re- ported as having arrived. W. V. Kelley presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Bishops be requested to appoint fraternal dele- gates as follows : Two to the British Wesleyan Conference and the Irish Methodist Conference, one of whom shall be a Bishop elected by themselves. Two to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. One to the Methodist Church of Canada. One to the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. One to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. One to the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. One to the Reformed Episcopal Church. And others to other Churches whose relations to us may require such messengers. Also, that the Bishops provide for suitable responses to any fraternal correspondence received by this body. On motion of J. B. Albrook, the following was adopted : Whereas, The Epworth League is a constituent part of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church ; and, Whereas, The Board of Control is appointed under the direction of the General Conference : therefore, Resolved, That the Editors of the Discipline be and are hereby di- rected to publish the Board of Control as paragraph 11 in the Ap- pendix of the Discipline, immediately following the Book Committee. On motion of J. B. Graw, it was resolved that when we adjourn it be to meet at 7:30 o'clock this evening. The Committee on Temperance and the Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic called up Report No. I, which was read and adopted. (See Reports, p. 413.) Report No. II of the same Committee was read. J. E. C. Sawyer moved to amend by adding to the title " and Social Reform." Laid on the table. J. E. Bills moved to strike out the proposition for n annual collection. The amendment was lost, and the Report was opted. (See Reports, p. 415.) The Rev. F. Fiske, D.D., and the Rev. L. D. McCabe, .D., was invited to seats on the platform. W. II. Brodbeck called up Report No. Ill of the ommittee on Missions. Sections 1, 2, and 3 were opted. Section 4 was read. M. E. Cady moved to amend by adding : It shall be the duty of the Sunday School Missionary Society to pro- 'de, with the consent of the Sunday School Board, for brief missionarv 19 MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Afternoon. John Field. Fraternal delegates. Epworth League Board of Control. Evening session. Report No. I on Temper- ance and Prohibition of Liquor Traffic. Report No. II of Dr. Fiske and Dr. McCabe. Report No. Ill on Missions. 288 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Afternoon. Lay mis- Report iepoi No. IV on Education. exercises in the Sunday school oh the day that the monthly Missionary Collection is taken ; to cause suitable literature to be distributed in the Sunday school, and to arrange for occasional missionary concerts. D. S. Monroe presented, as an amendment, to strike out of paragraph 361 all of the first sentence after the word " society," and insert, " in accordance with para- graph 38 in the Appendix to the Discipline." Both amendments were accepted. C. C. Wilbor moved to strike out the accepted amendment of M. E. Cady. Laid on the table. J. F. Chaffee moved, after the words " once a month," to insert " wherever it is practicable." Car- ried, and the section, as amended, was adopted. - Section 5 was read. J. E. Bills moved to strike out that part relating to "field agent." Carried by a count vote of 172 ayes to 165 noes. T. B. Neely moved to strike out so much of the report as relates to the lay missionaries participating in the business of the Annual Conferences. Laid on the table by a vote of 238 ayes to 105 noes. He then moved to indefinitely postpone. Laid on the table by a vote of 230 ayes to 133 noes. Jacob Rothweiler moved that these persons named there shall be admitted to Annual Conferences as ad- visory members. Laid on the table. J. W. Van Cleve moved to add, " or on constitutional questions." J. E. Bills moved to amend by referring the question to the Judiciary Committee for a report on its con- stitutionality. This amendment did not prevail, and the amendment of J. W. Van Cleve was adopted. J. E. Bills moved to strike out from this provision all that relates to the matter of voting by the lay workers invited into the Annual Conferences. It was laid on the table by a vote of 216 ayes to 146 noes. The section, as amended, was carried, and the report as a whole adopted. (See Reports, p. 3 99.) W. F. King called up Report No. IV of the Com- mittee on Education, and, on his motion, it was adopt- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. ed ; as were also Reports Nos. II, V, and VI. (See Re- ports, pp. 402, 404.) Report No. Ill of the same Committee was read. J. B. Graw moved to strike out section 4. A motion by A. J. Kynett, to lay this motion on the table, was lost. The motion of J. B. Graw was carried, and the Re- port, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 403.) On motion of W. M. Frysinger, the Conference ad- journed. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop W. F. Mallalieu pronounced the benediction. 289 MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Afternoon. Report No. Ill of same com- mittee. Adjourned. TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 26. The Conference met pursuant to adjournment, Bishop W. F. Mallalieu in the chair. W. H. Brooks, of the Washington Conference, con- ducted the devotional services. On motion of A. J. Kynett, the Rules were sus- pended, and the Rev. Howard Russell was given twenty minutes to address the Conference on the purposes of the Anti-Saloon League. At the conclusion of his address the Order of the Day, the consideration of the Report of the Commit- tee on Constitution, was taken up. Article IV was adopted. Article V was read, and sections 1 and 2 were adopted. Section 3 was read. J. M. Buckley moved to amend, by inserting after the word " time " " constituted in the usual way." The motion prevailed, and the section, as amended, was adopted. Section 4 was read, and, on motion of J. G. Evans, the words " or to elect delegates thereto 99 were added, and the section was adopted. On motion of A. B. Leonard, section 5 was stricken out. Article VI was read. Section 1 was adopted. Sec- tion 2 was read. H. E. Dingley moved to strike out " ministerial." Laid on the table. On motion of A. W. Harris, all after the words " pro tempore " was stricken out, and the section was adopted. Section 3 was adopted. MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Evening. Devotional services. H. RusselL Report No. I on Constitu- tion. 290 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 26. Twenty- second Day. Evening. Adjourned. Article VII was taken up. On motion of A. B. Leonard, after the word " or," on the fourth line, the words " in his absence " were inserted, and the article,] as amended, was adopted. Sections 2, 4, 5, and 6 were adopted. Article VIII was read. W. H. Jordan moved to I strike out the article. The motion was laid on the table, and the article was adopted. Article IX was read and adopted. Article X was read. C. J. Little moved to strike out! the entire article, and insert paragraphs 63 to 68 of the! Discipline. L. M. Shaw moved to amend this last rule, section! 68, by inserting after the words " who shall be present! and voting" the following, "and three fourths of the! number of the Lay Electoral Conferences, present and! voting;" and in the last part of the same section, after! the same words, " present and voting," " three quarters] of the members of the Lay Electoral Conferences pres- ent and voting." On motion, the Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop C. H. Fowler pronounced the benediction. MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Rev. J. P. Gaskell. Leaves of absence and reserves seated. WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 27. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop C. H. Fowler in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by J. E. Williams, of the Genesee Conference. The minutes of the sessions of yesterday afternoon and evening were read and approved. C. H. Payne stated that the Rev. James P. Gaskill, fraternal delegate from the African Methodist Episco- pal Church, was present, and, on motion of E. W. S. Hammond, he was invited to address the Conference for ten minutes, and he presented the greetings of his Church. (See Fraternal Addresses, p. 530.) The following members were excused from further attendance during the session: T. B. Taylor, G. W. Bowen, A. W. Biddle, F. M. Bristol, Asbury Mick, J. E. C. Farnham, and J. W. Jamison. C. B. Graham, 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 291 of the West Virginia Conference, a reserve delegate, was seated in the place of Asbury Mick; Samuel L. Wood, a reserve delegate of the Pittsburg Conference, in the place of T. B. Noss; and H. F. Fiske, a reserve delegate of the Rock River Conference, in the place of F. M. Bristol. W. F. Warren presented the following: Resolved, That the General Conference requests the Bishops to ap- point a committee to consist of six laymen, six ministers, and three general superintendents, whose duty it shall be to review the work of the Constitutional Commission of 1888, the recommendations of the Committee on Constitution appointed by the General Conference of 1896, and the recommendations of all General Conference Committees on Lay Representation ; also to consider with care any memorials that may be addressed to the new committee over the signature of any five ministers or laymen of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and to report, first, a draft which shall set forth in well-defined terms and in logically arranged articles the existing organic law of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; and, secondly, any modification of said organic law which the new committee may recommend for adoption by the concurrent action of the General Conference and the members of the Annual Confer- MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Morning. Constitu- tion. It shall be the duty of the new committee to present its report to the Church papers for publication as early as January, 1899, and after revising it between January 1 and May 1, 1900, in the light of all dis- cussions and amendments then available, to present it in its final form to the General Conference of 1900. The following substitute, presented by Elvin Swarth- out, was, on motion of J. A. Sargent, laid on the table, and the original motion was adopted: Whereas, It is evident from the discussions in General Conferences and in books and periodicals for eight years and more that it is morally impossible to agree, even approximately, among ourselves what part of the Discipline, if any, " has the nature and force of a Constitution ; " and, Whereas, The recognized process of amending whatever is claimed as constitutional is both slow and unsatisfactory, and out of harmony with the spirit of American ideas of equality, putting it in the power of a small minority of the traveling preachers to obstruct the wishes of more than two thirds of their ministerial brethren and to wholly ignore the almost unanimous wishes of the laity, as has been lately shown by the votings on equal lay representation and the admission of women ; and, Whereas, It is absolutely impossible for such a body as this General Conference to give the deliberation necessary for the preparation of matter for the action of the Annual Conferences, even if there were not inherent objections to that method of amending the Constitution ; therefore, Resolved, 1. That there be and is hereby created a Constitutional Commission with full power to revise and amend the Constitution of the Methodist Episcopal Church so as to adapt it to its present world- wide field, and in the language of the Bishops in their address of 1888, to " remove ambiguity, extirpate doubt, and obviate possible perplexing discussions in the future." Said Constitutional Commission shall be com posed of two ministers and two laymen from each of the General 292 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Morning. Report of expenses. Report No. II on Arbitration. Temper- ance. Reports Nos. Ill and IV on Sun- day Schools and Tracts. Report No. VI on Church Extension. Insurance. Conference Districts as they now exist, the ministerial members thereof and one reserve to be elected by ballot, by the ministerial members of the present General Conference from the several General Confer- ence Districts, and the lay members thereof and one reserve to be elected in like manner by the lay members of this General 'Conference. All representatives thus chosen to be not less than thirty years of age and to reside in the district they represent. 2. The Constitutional Commission thus chosen shall meet in the city of Chicago on the first Wednesday in August, 1896, at 10 o'clock a. m., at such place as may be provided for the Book Agent resident at Chicago. It shall organize by the election of one of its members as president and one as secretary, and such other officers as the Commis- sion thus organized may deem necessary. It shall be governed by the Rules of Order of the present General Conference as far as they may be applicable until the same is changed by the said Commission. A majority of the members elected shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but no measure that does not on its final passage receive a majority of the members elected shall be adopted. On motion of A. J. Palmer, it was ordered that the Committee on Entertainment be permitted to print in the Appendix to the Discipline of 1896 its report; also, that iy case there is a deficiency in the money needed to pa n the expenses of this General Conference, the comm. tee be authorized to borrow from the Book Con- cern in equal amounts from the Eastern and Western Houses. Report No. II of the Committee on National Arbi- tration was read and adopted. (See Reports, p. 432.) C. M. Boswell was placed on the Permanent Com- mittee on Temperance in place of W. M. Swindells, who declined to serve. Reports Nos. Ill and IY of the Committee on Sunday Schools and Tracts were called up, and, on motion of J. B. Young, were adopted. (See Reports, pp. 405, 406.) W. M. Swindells moved the adoption of Report No. VI of the Committee on Church Extension. L. B. Wilson moved that a committee of fifteen be appointed by the Bishops, to whom the report of the committee on the subject of insurance shall be referred, and who shall be authorized to consider this plan pre- sented, and put its provisions into effect if it shall seem wise so to do. . Laid on the table. A. B. Leonard moved to add, "and in foreign coun- tries, if practicable." Laid on the table. C. J. North moved, as a substitute, that a Board of Insurance be appointed by the Bishops, consisting of fifteen persons in the city of Chicago or general 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 293 vicinity, and that the headquarters of the board be lo- cated at Chicago. The Board of Insurance shall be authorized to adapt the Constitution to this change in the manner of its appointment. L. B. Wilson moved that the entire committee be appointed by the Bishops. On motion of D. C. Plannette, this was laid on the table. A motion, that the whole matter be referred to the committee provided for in the report, was laid on the table. J. F. Rusling moved a vote by orders, which was not sustained, and the report was adopted. (See Re- ports, p. 407.) J. D. Hammond, a reserve delegate from California, was seated in the place of Jphn Coyle, called home. The Committee on Itinerancy presented Report No. VII. John Lanahan moved a reconsideration ofiijReport No. VIII of the Committee on Judiciary. Carried. John Lanahan moved to recommit. Bishop Merrill was granted privilege to speak on the matter of the report. L. B. Wilson moved to add the words, " a respected member of the New York East Conference." Passed. A motion by J. S. Chadwick, to strike out the last three lines, was laid on the table. C. S. Wing moved to strike out the words " claims to have," so that the sentence will read, " from this decision Joseph Pullman appeals to the General Conference." And also the word " alleged," so that the last sentence of that clause will read, " The appeal is not accompanied by a tran- script,* etc. The amendment prevailed, and the report, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 424.) T. B. Neely presented the following protest, which was ordered to be published in the Journal: To the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, convened in Cleveland, 0., May, 1896 : Dear Fathers and Brethren : The undersigned respectfully enter their protest against the action of the General Conference on the after- noon of the 26th instant, in adopting the following in relation to the membership of Annual Conferences in foreign lands, namely : " Lay MAY 27. TWENTY- THIRD DA Y Morning. Report No. VI adopted. J. D. Ham- mond. Report No. VII on Itinerancy. Report No. VIII on Judiciary. 294 Journal of the General Conference. MA\ 27. missionaries in foreign missions regularly appointed by the Board of thSdday Managers of the Missionary Society shall be subject to appointment by Morning. the Bishop presiding, or, in the absence of a Bishop, by the superin- tendent of the mission. They may, upon invitation of the Conference, occupy seats in the Annual Conferences, participate in the business thereof ; provided that they shall not be permitted to vote on any ques- tion that relates to the character or Conference relations of ministers, or be counted in the basis of representation in the General Conference '; and provided, also, that they shall not vote for ministerial delegates to the General Conference, or on constitutional questions." We protest against this action because the composition of the Annual Conference is a matter involving the fundamental law of the Church, and the Constitution of the Church recognizes ministers only as members of any Annual Conference. Relating as it does to the Constitution, it can be changed only by the constitutional process for amendment, which requires the concurrence of two thirds of the General Conference and a three fourths vote of the members of the Annual Conferences. We therefore protest against the attempt of the General Conference to change the composition of any Annual Confer- ence without a three fourths vote of the members in the Annual Con- ferences. We protest, also, that it is a violation of the fundamental law in that it proposes the introduction of a new class of members in the Annual Conference ; whereas the Constitution does not recognize any member- ship but that which has full powers, while the action in question pro- poses to give the laity seats with restricted powers. We also protest that the action is illegal in that it proposes to give Annual Conferences power to admit persons to membership in a man- ner contrary to the law and the Constitution. T. B. Neely, J. T. McFarland, John F. Goucher, E. S. Osbon, James E. Bills, John Lanah'an, L. B. Wilson, W. S. Edwards, J. G. Evans, H. D. Clark, J. B. Graw, James R. Mace, George B. Wight, Joseph L. Roe, John E. Williams, S. A. Morse, E. H. Latimer, C. W. Winchester, J. L. Romer, T. R. Green, R. D. Munger, John C. Nichols, James R. Day, L. H. Stewart, EarlD. Holtz, D. H. Muller, James M. King, C. W. Millard, E. D. Whitlock, J. L. Wigren, J. W. Jackson, Elvin Swarth- out, Henrv Dietz, George D. Lindsay, A. W. Harris, George C. Sturgiss, W. F. T.'Bushnell, J.A.Sargent, J. S. Hill, W. H. Wilder, Christie Galeener, John A. Kumler, John B. Wolfe, Horace Reed, R. T. Miller, J. D. Walsh, R. J. Cook, Jacob Mills, R. E. Gillum, H. L. Billups, George S. Bennett, Eiji Asada, C. D. Hammond, Albert J. Nast, Robert Forbes, E. M. Collett, J. I. Buell, M. C. Wilcox, T. B. Ford, J. M. Carter, G. W. Gue, John Parsons, A. B. F. Kinney, J. F. Core, S. A. Hugai-, J. H. Clendenning, H. P. Sullivan, James W. Whiting, A. T. Needham, John Kirby, Milton D. Buck, J. H. Coleman, G. A. Barrett, G. H. Bridgman, John Mitchell, H. J. Gidley, S. F. Upham, D. 0. Fox, J. C. Deininger, D. C. Plannette, W. H. Shier, F. J. Cheney, W. L. Gooding, W. H. Rose, F. L. Nagler, C. J. Larsen, J. Kern, H. Lemcke, J. Wuhrmann, W. H. Jordan, N. E. Simonsen, D. S. Ham- mond, B. F. Witherspoon, T. Jefferson Clark, J. E. Wilson, C. L. Stafford, Andrew Schriver, John A. Mansfield, D. S. Monroe, Robert R. Doherty, William Kepler, C. C. Wilbor, E. M. Mills, William Wallis. Bo^W ; s E r'e- J. W. E. Bowen presented his report as fraternal port. delegate to the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was received, and ordered to be published in the Journal. Report No. I of the Committee on Location of the 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 295 Seat of the next General Conference was presented and read. E. L. Eaton moved its adoption. A motion that we now proceed to fix a place was laid on the table. J. F. Chaffee moved to substitute the Book Committee as the Commission. The substitute was accepted and passed, and the report, as "amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 433.) On motion of E. M. Jones, P. P. Wright was ex- cused from further attendance at the Conference. Reports Nos. II and III of the Committee on Freed- men's Aid and Southern Education Society were read and adopted. (See Reports, pp. 409, 411.) Report No. V of the Committee on Epworth League was taken up, and, on motion ' of E. M. Mills, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 416.) Report No. II of the same committee was read. J. B. Graw moved to strike out all references to an as- sistant secretary. Laid on the table. G. H. Trevor moved, as a substitute for the recom- mendation, that if we shall elect a secretary he shall devote himself largely to the Southern work. Laid on Xhe table. P. J. Maveety moved that in case a secretary for the colored work in the South be ordered, we recom- mend to the Board of Control to discontinue the office of secretary. Laid on the table. A motion by J. C. Arbuckle, that the Board of Con- trol be instructed not to elect more than one secretary, was laid on the table. • A motion to lay the report on the table did not pre- vail, and the report was adopted. (See Reports, p. 415.) On motion, the Conference adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop Taylor pronounced the benedic- tion. MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Morning. Report No. I on seat of next General Conference. P.P.Wright excused. Reports Nos. II and III on Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. Report No. V on Epworth League. Report No. II on Epworth League. Adjourned. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 27. may 27. TWENTY- 1 he Conference was called to order at 3 p. m., Bishop th ird day T TT -i T . .11. Afternoon. J. II. Vincent in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by J. L. Romer, a lay delegate of the Genesee Conference. The Journal of the morning session was read and approved. Devotional services. Journal approved. 296 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Afternoon. Death of J. F. Scott. Conference examina- tions. On motion of S. L. Baldwin, the following paper was read and adopted : The General Conference learns with deep sorrow that one of its honored members, Julian F. Scott, M.D., lay delegate from the North China Conference, died at the Forest City Hotel a few minutes after 12 o'clock, noon, this day. We bow submissively to the providence which has thus removed an earnest and faithful missionary of the cross, who devoted his medical and surgical skill to the service of his Lord in our North China field, and whose gentle disposition and consistent piety endeared him to all his fellow-members. We extend our sincere condolence to his widow, to his brother, the Rev. Jefferson E. Scott, and to other bereaved rela- tives, praying that the rich consolations of the Holy Comforter may be bestowed upon them in this hour of great affliction. We appoint Bishop Foster, Drs. A. B. Leonard, W. F. Whitlock, H. H. Lowry, and M. C. Wilcox to represent the General Conference at the funeral services to-morrow morning. The Conference joined in singing, " I would not live alway." Bishop Foster led in prayer, and the Conference joined in singing, " 0, think of a home over there." Bishop J. F. Hurst presented the following: By reference to page 442 of the General Conference Journal of four years ago, you will find this action : " Resolved, That the report of the Committee on Itinerancy, No. VI, on Conference Examinations in the Disciplinary Course of Study, be re- ferred to the Bishops with power to adopt its provisions at their dis- cretion during the quadrennium. They now present their report." METHOD OF CONDUCTING CONFERENCE EXAMINATIONS. 1. In each Annual Conference a Board of Examiners shall be ap- pointed by the Presiding Bishop, consisting of not less than eight (8) nor more than twenty (20), care being taken to select men with special qualifications for the work, to whom shall be referred all preachers, both traveling and local, pursuing the course of study with a view to ordination or Conference membership. This board shall be continued for a term of four years, subject to reappointments. Vacancies to be filled at each session of the Annual Conference. 2. This board shall organize by electing one of its members chair- man and another registrar, the latter to keep a permanent record of the standing of the students, and report to the Conference when re- quired. This record shall include the credits allowed students for work done in literary and theological schools. 3. The chairman shall assign to each examiner the books or subjects in which he is to give instructions by correspondence and final exam- ination, for which examination he shall prepare and send to the chair- man printed or written questions, at least ten in number, two weeks before the time of examination. Vacancies occurring in the board during the year may be filled by the chairman until the ensuing Annual Conference. 4. One or two examinations may be held during the year in locations convenient to the students. These examinations shall be under the personal supervision of some member of the board delegated by the chairman. 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 297 5. The examinations shall be in writing, if practicable, and in the presence of witnesses, and in that case the papers shall be sent to the examiners to whom they belong respectively. They shall be graded upon the scale of 100, and none below 70 per cent shall pass. The examiners shall report the marking of each paper to the registrar. 6. The provision for mid-year examinations shall not deprive any student of the opportunity of being examined at the seat and time of the Annual Conference. 7. The Board of Examiners shall convene at the seat and time of the Annual Conference, the day before the session opens, to review and complete the work of the year ; to examine any students who have not been examined during the year, and to arrange for the work of the vear to come. MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Afternoon. A. B. Leonard presented an appeal in behalf of the Missionary Society, which, having been read, was or- dered to be published in the Daily Christian Advocate and other official papers of the Church. The nominations for the various Church Boards were presented and ordered to be published in the Daily Christian Advocate to be acted on to-morrow. Report No. II of the Committee on Judiciary was taken up. E. W. Parker moved to strike out from the provi- sions for the formation of Judicial Conferences the words " in the United States." Carried. Emory Miller moved to strike out in paragraph 265 the word "may" and insert " shall." Carried. The report, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 418.) Report No. I of the same committee was taken up. W. A. Knighten moved to lay item 1 on the table. Lost. W. W. Evans moved that after the words, " and it be deemed practicable by the presiding elder," there be added, " the accused consenting." On motion of W. S. Matthew, item 1 was laid on the table. Items 5, 6, and 7 were adopted, and the report, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 418.) The Committee on Boundaries presented Report No. II. L. A. Belt called up Report No. I of the Committee on Consolidation of Benevolences which was read, and, on motion of J. D. Walsh, it was laid on the table. The Committee on Education presented Reports Nos. VII and VIII. On motion, adjourned. The Doxology was sung, and Bishop J. H. Vincent pronounced the benediction Missionary appeal. Church Boards. Report No. II on Judiciary Report No. I on Judiciary. Report No. II on Boundaries. Report No. I on Consolida- tion of Be- nevolences. Reports Nos. VII and VIII on Education. Adjourned. 298 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Evening. Devotional services. Final ad- journment. Speeches limited. General Conference documents. Report No. I on Lay Repre- sentation. Report No. II on Lay Repre- sentation. Report No. I on Deaconess Work. WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 27. The Conference was called to order at 7:30 p. m., Bishop J. N. FitzGerald presiding. The devotional services were conducted by R. D. Munger, of the Central New York Conference. The Minutes of the afternoon session were read and approved. Several motions were made for a final adjournment this evening, but they were all laid on the table. On motion of W. H. Wilder, it was ordered that the rules be so changed as to limit the speeches of the chairman of a committee to five minutes, and all others to three minutes. J. A. Sargent presented the following, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Secretary is authorized to return the proceedings of Judicial Conferences to the Annual Conferences interested, and to destroy other papers referred to committees ; and is also authorized to make such verbal corrections in the phraseology of the Journal as may be necessary to correctness and uniformity, but so as not to de- stroy the meaning of any action of this Conference. The Committee on Lay Representation called up Report No. I, and Alexander Ashley moved its adop- tion. J. B. Graw moved to insert the word " submit " instead of "recommend." J. F. Rusling moved to lay this on the table. Lost. The amendment was passed. The report, as amended, was adopted by a count vote of 289 ayes to 47 noes. (See Reports, p. 428.) Report No. II of the same Committee was taken up, and, on motion of John Lanahan, it was laid on the table. Report No. I of the Committee on Deaconess Work was taken up. A motion by W. M. Swindells, to indefinitely post- pone, was lost. T. B. Neely moved to strike out of paragraph 203 these words, " and shall arrange for their consecration as deaconesses according to the uniform order pre- scribed by the Discipline." Lost. J. A. Sargent presented the following, which was laid on the table: Resolved, That there may be held a Conference of Deaconesses an- nually of one or more of the General Conference Districts for the pro- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 299 motion of the interests of the deaconess work. Such conference may be called by the Bishop residing in or nearest to said districts, and when such conference is held each form of deaconess work in such district or districts shall be entitled to representation therein. A motion by T. B. Neely, to strike out in paragraph 204 these words, " she shall also wear a distinctive cos- tume prescribed by the home with which she is con- nected," etc., was laid on the table. The report, as amended, was then adopted. (See Reports, p. 426.) Report No. XII of the Committee on Book Concern was read and adopted. (See Reports, p. 437.) Report No. I of the Committee on Trustees of John Street Church was read and adopted, and the trustees named therein were confirmed. (See Reports, p. 697.) The regular call for reports of committees having been completed, the chairmen of the different Standing and Special Committees, in accordance with the action of Conference, took control of the business — having precedence over everything else. Bishop C. C. McCabe took the chair. Report No. X of the Committee on Episcopacy was taken up. A. J. Kynett moved to strike out in the nineteenth line of the report as printed in the Daily Christian Advocate the words " at least," and in the second line after the word quadrennium insert the words, " and not oftener unless a serious emergency arise." Carried. A. B. Leonard moved, as a substitute, that a General Superintendent may, by mutual agreement with the Missionary Superintendent appointed to a given foreign field, preside in Conferences and Missions in said field, and where so presiding shall exercise the same authority as in the United States; provided, that upon the de- parture of the General Superintendent from the field the supervision of the work shall be in the hands of the Missionary Superintendent. We recommend that by such mutual agreement as is provided for in this paragraph a General Superintendent shall preside in the Conferences and Missions at least once in a quad- rennium in each field to which a Missionary Superin- tendent is appointed. Laid on the table. A motion by W. S. Matthew to substitute " General Conference which" for "Superintendents who " was also laid on MAY 27. Twenty- THiitn Day Evening. Report No. XII on Book Con- cern. Report No. I on John Street Church. Bishop McCahe presides. Report No. X on Episcopacy. 800 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. may 27. the table. T. B. Neely moved to strike out, " when Twenty- third day General Superintendents are making their assignments Evening- tQ ^ e Conferences, any Missionary Bishop who may be in the United States shall sit with them when his field is under consideration." Laid on the table. The report, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 381.) Notion ^' Upham reported from the Committee on Itin- itin^rancy. erancv that part of Report No. II relating to the time limit, and moved its adoption. J. F. Chaffee presented a minority report, as follows: A minority of the Committee on Itinerancy, not being able to agree with the majority, beg leave to present the following report : " We are not agreed as to what ought to be done. Some of us are of the opinion that the term of pastoral service should remain as it is ; others are in favor of removing the pastoral term limit altogether in order that we may have a free and unembarrassed itinerancy ; but we all agree in this, that to condition the extension of the term of pas- toral service, as proposed in the majority report, would work mischief in the churches. In our opinion it is better to be content with what we have until such times as we shall be convinced that a change can be made with safety, and therefore without menacing conditions such as are now sought to be imposed — conditions which, after five years' service, introduces an entirely new method of making the appointments. " We are also of the opinion that this whole question should be sub- mitted to the Annual and Lay Electoral Conferences, not as a consti- tutional question, but that there may be full discussion and a fair and free expression of opinion among the laity and ministry of the Church ; therefore, " Resolved, That the Bishops be instructed to present to the Annual and Lay Electoral Conferences in the fall of 1898, and the spring of 1899, the question of the pastoral term limit in this form and order: First, Shall it remain as it is ? Second, Shall it be extended with con- ditions ? Third, Shall it be removed altogether ? " A motion by John Lanahan to lay the entire question on the table was lost. J. M. King moved to amend the majority report by striking out of section 3, paragraph 170, all after the word " preachers " down to the second section, which bears on presiding elders. On motion of E. J. Gray, this was laid on the table by a count vote of 180 ayes to 150 noes. M. D. Buck moved that it be amended so as to read, " He shall not allow any preacher to remain in the same pastoral charge more than five years successively nor more than five years in ten, except in a very rare case of manifest and great urgency, a majority of the Pre- siding Elders of the Annual Conference having re- 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 301 quested that the preacher be reappointed for another year." Laid on the table. MAY 27. Twenty- third Day Evening. Publishing Committee. On motion of J. M. Buckley, the whole matter was laid on the table by a count vote of 221 ayes to 140 noes. J. N. Fradenburgh nominated the Publishing Com- mittee of the Pittsburg Christian Advocate, and they were confirmed. (See Managers, p. 438.) On motion, the Conference adjourned. The Doxol- Adjourned, ogy was sung, and Bishop S. M. Merrill pronounced the benediction. THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 28. The Conference was called to order at 8:30 a. m., Bishop I. W. Joyce in the chair. The devotional services were conducted by J. B. Hingeley, of the Northern Minnesota Conference. The Journal of yesterday evening's session was read and approved. On motion of J. F. Chaffee, the nominations for the various Church Boards were read and confirmed. (See Managers, pp. 434-438.) R. D. Munger presented the following, and moved its adoption: In obedience to the action of the General Conference requiring a more careful indexing of the Discipline, and recognizing the need of some rearrangement of the matter therein ; it is Resolved, 1. That Bishop E. G. Andrews be appointed to edit the Discipline. 2. That Bishop Andrews, S. L. Baldwin, J. M. King, J. M. Buckley, H. A. Buttz, and W. V. Kejley are hereby appointed a committee to index and rearrange the Discipline in accordance with the action of the General Conference, under the following restrictions : (a) They shall make no changes in the Articles of Religion, or the chapter on the General Conference ; nor on Boundaries, or the Ritual of the Church, except under the order of this body ; (6) They shall make no change in the language or the arrangement of words which shall change the ob- vious meaning of any paragraph as it now stands. But they may re- arrange where necessary in order to place them under their proper headings ; provided, that these changes shall be effected without change of meaning. T. B. Neely presented the following, which, on motion of C. J. Little, was laid on the table, and the original motion was adopted: Resolved, That in the arrangement of the next edition of the Book of Discipline there shall follow immediately after the introduction on the origin of the Church, chapter first, which shall be divided into three parts as follows : MAY 28. Twenty- fourth Day. Morning. Devotional services. Journal approved. Church Boards. Editing and indexing the Disci- pline. 302 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 28. Twenty- fourth Day. Morning. Report No. Ill on Boundaries. Report No. II on Boundaries. Excused. Report No.Xon Revisals. Order of Worship. Report No. I on Temporal Economy. Part I. — Articles of Religion. (Under which shall be placed the Articles of Religion.) Part II. — The General Rules. (Under which shall be placed that part which is known as the General Rules.) Part III. — The General Conference. (Under which shall be placed the portion of the Discipline relating to the General Conference, including the declaration as to its powers and the restrictions upon said powers, and also the provision for amendment and said portion relating to the General Conference shall be divided into paragraphs as recommended by the Constitutional Com- mission and now printed on pages 60, 61, and 62 in the Agenda of this Conference.) F. G. Mitchell presented Report No. Ill of the Com- mittee on Boundaries, which was read, and, on his motion, it was adopted. (See Reports, p. 355.) Report No. II of the same Committee was presented and read, and F. G. Mitchell moved its adoption. On motion of D. C. Plannette, it was laid on the table. J. F. Chaffee and O. J. Swan were excused from further attendance at Conference. Report No. X of the Committee on Revisals was taken up and adopted. (See Reports, p. 389.) On motion of J. M. King, the following was adopted: Besolved, That the Publishing Agents be and are hereby directed to publish the Order of Public Worship in every edition of the Hymnal, and also in such form that churches already supplied with Hymnals may procure the Order of Worship separately. Report No. I of the Committee on Temporal Economy was taken up and read. W. M. Swindells moved an amendment to the last clause of 285, as follows: "To follow the words, 'dur- ing his effective service.'" The amendment provides that her name shall be entered upon the annuity list by vote of the Conference. The following substitute, offered by W. H. Shier, was laid on the table: "To strike out after the words 'a special or annuity fund shall be distributed upon the following basis,' beginning with the word ' special ' and all after that, and if there be any words in the preceding paragraph that apply to it they must go with it to make sense." The amendment of W. M. Swindells was carried. A motion by M. M. Callen, to add < in whole or in 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 303 part as may be determined by each Annual Confer- ence," was laid on the table. M. J. Talbot moved to strike out all that relates to a special fund. Laid on the table. The report, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 389.) Report No. XIII of the Committee on the State of the Church was taken up. C. D. Hammond moved to strike out all reference to the separate seating of laymen. Laid on the table. A motion by John Sweet, " that instead of the extreme rows of seats being chosen for laymen they have the right and left of the middle rows," was laid on the table, and the report was adopted. (See Reports, p. 392.) Report No. VII of the Committee on the Book Concern was taken up. On motion of J. B. Young, the clause "one million of new members in the last decade adds nothing to the subscription lists " was stricken out. The report was considered seriatim. Item 1 was adopted. Item 2 was read. C. J. Little moved to strike out " the editor to be elected by the General Conference." Carried. Items 2, 3, and 4 were adopted. Item 5 was read. The following, presented by L. O. Jones, was ac- cepted by the committee: To the Omaha Christian Advocate, $3,000, the ownership to be de- livered to the Book Concern free of incumbrance, with the subscription list and earnings from date. An amendment by J. E. C. Sawyer, " that half of the appropriation be annually expended in the improve- ment of a plant," was lost, and the item was adopted. At the request of the Committee, the following amendments were adopted : A joint profit and loss account of the Eastern and Western Publish- ing Houses shall be kept, and the dividends and subsidies and such ex- penses as shall be properly authorized by the Book Committee or by the General Conference shall be paid out of said joint account. The Conference also adopted a recommendation from the Committee that the Southwestern Christian Advocate be authorized to remove from New Orleans to Atlanta, or such other place as may tend to in- crease its income. J. W. Butler moved that $1,000 worth of white paper be annually appropriated to the Mexico Christian Ad- vocate. Laid on the table. 20 MAY 28. Twenty- fourth Day. Morning. Report No. XIII of Committee on State of Church. Report No. VII on Book Con- Book Con- cerns. 304 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 38. Twenty- fourth Day. Morning. Bishop Cranston Bishop Newman presides. Hinghua Mission. Publishing Committees Missionary Constitu- tion. Report No. Ill on Temper- ance. Consecra- tion of dea- Protest. On motion, the report, as amended, was adopted. (See Reports, p. 396.) On motion of H. A. Buttz, Bishop Cranston was granted as much time as he may need to arrange his affairs before moving to the place assigned him as an episcopal residence. Bishop Newman took the chair. A motion to adopt the boundaries of the Hinghua Mission Conference in China was adopted. (See Re- port of Committee on Boundaries, p. 779.) Local Publishing Committees for the California, the Pacific, and the Omaha Christian Advocates, and also the Insurance Committee, were nominated and con- firmed. (See Managers, p. 438.) A. B. Leonard offered the following amendment, to be inserted in its proper place in the Constitution of the Missionary Society : " Notwithstanding the General Committee shall not appropriate more for a given year than the total income of the society for the year im- mediately preceding." Adopted. Report No. Ill of the Committee on Temperance and Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic was taken up, and C. H. Payne moved its adoption. Lost. Bishop E. G. Andrews stated that the Conference requested the Bishops to prepare a form for the Conse- cration of Deaconesses. They find themselves unable to do this in time for approval by this body, and they ask consent to prepare it and insert it in the Appendix of the Discipline. The request was granted. L. B. Wilson presented the following protest, which was ordered to be admitted to the records: Whereas, The General Conference has adopted an amendment to the Discipline, providing that " No pastor shall engage an evangelist other than those appointed by the Bishop of his Conference without first obtaining the written con- sent of his presiding elder ; " and, Whereas, Your petitioners believe that such action involves an un- justifiable restriction of pastoral prerogative ; therefore, They, the undersigned, respectfully ask that there be entered upon the Journal of the General Conference their protest against the action thus taken. L. B. Wilson. A. B. Leonard, J. H. Coleman, S. W. Thomas, W. A. Spencer, Win. M. Swindells, W. H. Hughes, A. Griffin, J. H. Brown, J. E. C. Sawyer, E. S. Osbon, J. L. Albritton, T. B. Neely, J. T. Bfd Farland, W. N. McEIroy, W. H. Wilder, J. B. Wolfe, C. H. Payne, S. E. Quimby, Frank G. Mitchell, John French, W. S. 1S96.J Journal of the General Conference. 305 Edwards, W. 31 Ridgway, J. S. Hughes, Mauley S. Hard, Stephen 0. Benton, S. W. Gehrett, Jesse B. Young, Merritt Hulburd, Clias. S. Wing, James M. King, E. M. Mills, D. F. Pierce, W. D. Marsh, S. M. Coon, H. E. Dingley, J. C. Arbuckle, D. Y. Murdoch, W. D. Cherington, C. L. Stafford, Robert R. Dohertv, Wm. Kepler, Robert Smylie, C. W. Winchester, J. W. E. Bowen, William Burt, F. L. Nagier, E. J. Hunt. Bishop Earl Cranston took the chair. Report No. VI of the Committee on Missions was taken up. Item 2 was read, and, on motion of Merritt Hulburd, was laid on the table. Item 3 was read and adopted. Item 1 was read. J. M. King moved, as a substitute, that this whole matter be referred back to the Missionary Board with power. Accepted and adopted. The other items of the report were laid on the table, and the report, as amended, was adopted. Report No. IV of the same committee was read and adopted. (See Reports, pp. 400, 401.) Report No. VII of the Committee on Itinerancy was adopted. (See Reports, p. 384.) C. W. Drees presented the following paper which, on motion, was referred to the Board of Bishops : Resolved, That the Bishops be and are hereby urgently requested to provide for the Presidency of the South America Annual Conference at each of its annual sessions during the ensuing quadrennium by one of the General Superintendents, assigning at least two consecutive sessions to the same Bishop, who shall remain in the field during the interim of said sessions for the purpose of thorough instruction and efficient administration of the varied and important interests of that mission. Bishop Merrill took the chair. On motion of J. M. Buckley, a call of the House was ordered, and all other business, except the Report of the Committee on Complimentary Resolutions, was laid on the table. The Committee on Complimentary Resolutions pre- sented the following, which was adopted by a rising vote : Resolved, That this General Conference hereby tenders its most hearty thanks to Cleveland Methodism for its thoughtful kindness to- ward us and especially to the Local Committee of Entertainment for its herculean and successful efforts in providing for the sessions of this body ; to those citizens of Cleveland who have extended the hospi- tality of their homes to the members of this Conference, and to the in- stitutions and societies that have given us such delightful receptions ; to the various churches, the Young Men's Christian Association, and the Young Woman's Christian Association for opening their doors and providing suitable and pleasant rooms for the meeting of the commit- tees ; to the daily and weekly papers, the Associated Press, and the Postal Telegraph Company for their thoughtful and courteous atten- tion, and also to the hotels and railways for accommodation and re- faction of rates ; to the General Conference Commission for its un- MAY 28. TWENTY- FOUKTH Day. Morning. Report No. VI on Missions. Report No. IV on Mis- sions. Report No. VII on Itin- erancy. Episcopal visitations. Bishop Mer- rill presides. Call of the House. Compli- mentary Resolutions. 306 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 28. Twenty- fourth Day. Morning. wearied efforts in looking after every detail of arrangement for the Conference and its readiness to comply with every expressed wish of this body that would administer to our comfort ; to our laborious and faithful Secretaries for the able and efficient manner in which they have performed their duties ; to the Editor of the Daily Christian Ad- vocate and his assistants for the full, accurate, and satisfactory reports made of the proceedings of this body ; to the Postmaster of this city and the efficient postal clerk who have so courteously served us in the distribution of the Conference mails ; and to our revered General Superintendents for the impartial and able manner in which they have presided over the deliberations of this body ; and further, it is our united and ferment prayer that Heaven's choicest blessings may ever rest upon them in the performance of the sacred duties intrusted to them. Roll call. The Secretary called the roll, and the following re- sponded to their names : Adams (B. F.), Adams (J. W.), Albright, Albritton, Albrook, Alderman, Allen (C. T.), Appel, Arbuckle, Asada, Ash, Ashley, Ay res, Baker, Baketel, Baldwin, Bamford, Barclay, Barlow, Barrett (G. A.), Barrett (L. E.), Bradley, Bashford (J. W.), Bates, Belt, Bendixen, Bennett (G. S.), Benton, Berry (J. F.), Bills, Billups, Booth (G. M.), Booth (R. A.), Boreing, Borland, Bowen (G. H.), Bowen (J. W. E.), Bradley, Brant, Bridgman, Brill, Bristol. Broaddus, Brodbeck, Brooks Brown (J. H.), Bruns, Buchtel, Buck, Buckley, Buell Butler, Buttz, Cady, Callen, Caples, Carr, Carter, Chadwick, Chamberlain (N.), Cheney, Cherington Childs, Clark (C. B.), Clark (H. C.), Clark (H. D.) Cobern, Colbern, Coleman, Collett, Cook, Coon Copeland, Courtney, Cowan, Cox, Crook, Cubilo Cunningham, Curts, Darling, Decker, Deininger Dennis, Dickie, Dingley, Doherty, Drees, During Eaton (E. L.), Edman, Edmonds, Edwards, Emory Eriksori, Evans (J. G.), Evans (W. W.), Everett Field, Fisher, Fisk, Fiske, Foote, Forbes, Force Ford, Fox, Fradenburgh, Franklin, French (John) Fryhofer, Frysinger, Gehrett, Gidley, Gillum, Gobin Gordon, Gorton, Goucher, Gould, Graham, Graw (J. B.) Gray, Green, Griffin, Gue, Gutekunst, Guth, Haensler Hair, Hale, Haley, Hall, Halstead, Hamilton (James) Hamilton (J. W.), Hamilton (W. E.), Hammond (C. D.), Hammond (J. D.), Haney, Hard, Harris, Haw, Heavenridge, Henke, Herrick, Hess, Hickman, Hill (G. H.), Hill (J. S.), Hills (C. D.), Hingeley, Hobbs, Holden 1896.] Journal of the General Conference. 307 (A. M.), Holt (D. B.), Holtz, Hugar, Hughes (J. S.), ^ E Y NT * y 8 ; Hughes (W. H.), Hulburd, Hunt (E. J.), Huntington, fourth Huntley, Jackson (H. G.), James, Jennings (H. C), Morning. Jennings (W. T.), Johnson (G. B.), Johnson (J. R.), Jones (L. O.), Julian, Kellerman, Kelley, Kendall (M. A.), Kendall (W. H.), Kepler, Kern, Key, Keys, King (J. D.), King (J. M.), King (W. F.), Kinney, Knighton, Koch, Kratz, Kumler, Kynett, Lampert, Lanahan, Lane, Langston, Larson, Lasby, Laylin, Leitch, Lemcke, Lewis (Allen), Lewis (W. H.), Libby, Lindgren, Lindsay, Little, Lobeck, Logan (Wade H.), Logan (William H.), Long, Lothian, Lowther, Mace, Magee, Magill, Mahin, Mains, Mando, Manning, Mans- field, Marsh, Marshall, Martin, Martindale, Mason, Mast, Master, Matthew (W. S.), Maveety, Maxfield, McChesney, McCullough, McElroy, McFarland, Merchant, Mickey, Millard, Miller (Emory), Miller (J. M.), Miller (O. P.), Miller (Ky.), Miller (Pittsb'g.) Mills, (E. M.), Mills (Jacob), Mitchell (F. G.), Mitchell (John), Monroe (D. S.), Monroe (H. A.), Morse (C. C), Morse (S. A.), Motter, Mueller, Muller, Munger, Mur- doch, Murphy (W. H.), Murray, Myers, Nagler, Nast, Naylor, Needham, Neely, Nichols, North, Olsen, Osborne (D. C), Palmer (A. J.), Palmer (J. P.), Parker (E. W.), Parr, Patterson, Payne, Peake, Penn, Perrin, Pierce, Pihl, Plannette, Poland, Potts, Prather, Price, Quimby, Rader (D. L.), Reed (George), Reed (Horace), Rees, Richards, Ridgway, Robinson, Roe, Rose, Rothweiler, Rusling, Ryan, Salzer, Sargent, Sawyer (J. E. C), Scott (I. B.), Scott (J. H.), Sharp, Shaw, Sherburn, Shier, Shoemaker, Shumpert, Simonsen, Smith (Alfred), Smith (Erastus), Smith (G. W.), Smith (W. T.), Smylie, 'Soderberg, Spellmeyer, Spencer, Sprague, Stafford (C. L.), Stewart (J. W.), Stewart (L. H.), Stevenson, Stith, Sturgiss, Sullivan, Swallow, Sweet (John), Sweet (W. H.), Swindells, Swift, Talbot (M. J.), Talbott (H. J.), Tanner (F. H.), Taylor (E. M.), Tennant, Terry, Teter, Thomas (I. L.), Thomas (S. W.), Thomson, Thorndike, Trever, Trimble (J. B.), Trousdale, Underwood, Upham, Yan Cleft, Van Deusen, Vodery, Walker, Wallace, Wallis, Walsh, Walworth, Warne, Warren, Waters, Waugh, Weakley, 308 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. MAY 2H. Twenty- fourth Day. Morning. Members' names. Journal approved. Closing services. Adjourned sine die, Whiting, Whitlock (E. D.), Whitlock (H. G.), Whit- lock (W. F.), Wight, Wigren, Wilbor, Wilcox, Wilder, Wilker, Willard, Williams (J. E.), Willis (E. R.), Wilson (J. I.), Wilson (L. B.j, Winchester, Wing, Witherspoon, Wolfe, Wood, Woodring, Woods, Yocum, Young, Zoller, Reed (S. S.). The following were granted leave of absence: Kittleman, Moore, Ackerman, Carr, Taylor, Bowen (G. W.), Biddle, Bristol, Wright, Mick, Jamison, Farn- ham, Chaffee, Swann (O. J.). A. B. Leonard, W. F. Whitlock, H. H. Lowry, and M. C. Wilcox, were ab- sent because appointed to attend the funeral of Dr. J. F. Scott. J. M. Buckley moved that, if any brother discovers from the Daily Christian Advocate that his name is not reported, he may have the privilege of sending to the Secretary by mail the fact that he was present. Adopted. On motion of J. E. C. Sawyer, it was ordered that after the closing exercises the Conference adjourn. The Journal was read and approved. After a few remarks by Bishop Merrill the General Conference sang hymn 816, beginning, " And let our bodies part," and Bishop Thomas Bowman led in prayer. The Doxology was sung, Bishop R. S. Foster pro- nounced the benediction, and the Twenty-second Dele- gated General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church adjourned sine die. THOMAS BOWMAN, RANDOLPH S. FOSTER, STEPHEN M. MERRILL, EDWARD G. ANDREWS, HENRY W. WARREN, CYRUS D. FOSS, JOHN F. HURST, WILLIAM X. NINDE, JOHN M. WALDEN, D. S. MONROE, Secretary. WILLARD F. MALLALIEU, CHARLES H. FOWLER, JOHN H. VINCENT, JAMES N. FITZGERALD, ISAAC W. JOYCE, JOHN P. NEWMAN, DANIEL A. GOODSELL, CHARLES C. M C CABE, EARL CRANSTON, Bishops. i : 0 ■ APPENDIX I. A.— REPORTS OF MISSIONARY BISHOPS. B— REPORTS OF COMMISSIONS. C. — BOUNDARIES. D— CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES. A REPORTS OF MISSIONARY BISHOPS. Report of William Taylor, Missionary Bishop for Africa. To the Bishops and Members of the General Conference : Dear Fathers and Brethren: The evangelization of Africa and the salvation of her one hundred and fifty or two hundred million souls is one of the great problems of our day. Countless millions of devils have ruled the masses of native-born Africans for count- less thousands of generations. These devils have to be con- quered and cast out, and their victims brought back to God. The king devil that commands the dark legions has to be throttled and cast into the bottomless pit. God has called and commissioned the Methodists of America, with volunteer hosts of kindred kind, to face this monster and execute this work. Hosts of miners are delving for Africa's gold and diamonds. These diggers are not American Methodists. Traders and mer- chants begin to throng the marts of African commerce ; but these are not American Methodists. Scientists in great variety are on the tramp ; but they are not seeking to save souls. Hunt- ers thread the forests of Africa, but are not hunting for souls. Nations are trying to preempt a country that Noah gave to his grandson long ago ; but the Americans, including their churches, have land enough of their own, and have no hand in the African land grab. But here stands America with her broad acres, count- less industries, deathless energy, with her churches and benevo- lent institutions ! Can it be that God has left her out of the providential program for redeeming Africa? The greatest need of Africa is Gospel salvation, requiring at the front a larger ag- gregate of men and money than all other demands combined. We appreciate what has been done for Africa by the Churches, with their missionary societies, but it bears no comparison to the magnitude of the work to be done and God's available resources for its accomplishment. Many years ago our Methodist Missionary Society appropriated for the Africa work over $30,000 per year, and seemed to think that they thus proved the impossibility of saving Africa, and cut down their appropriation to $2,500 per annum. When I went to the General Conference in 1884 the prevailing 312 Journal of the General Conf erence. ' [1896. sentiment seemed to be that our missions in Africa were such a failure that they would have to be abandoned. Official action on the subject was delayed, in the dread of the disgrace of failure, until they settled on a scapegoat, or a Joshua, to solve the prob- lem. Our dear fellow-workers of the Episcopal Church still ap- propriate $32,000 a year for their Africa work. The fact is that our liberal appropriation of over $30,000 a year was applied to the Americo-Liberia work, incidentally striking a few notable cases of conversion among the natives ; hence, when I went there I did not find a single Methodist mission among the raw heathen, and claim, therefore, that the liberal appropriation to the Americo- Liberia work, however important, furnishes no fair test of our Gospel possibilities in direct work among the heathen. Although I have given due attention to the Liberia Conference work proper, all my new mission stations have been planted among the raw heathen. In every new field I entered the way of the Lord had to be prepared just as necessarily as the grading and track-laying of a new railroad. It requires toil, time, and great patience. When I went as an evangelist to South Africa I en- tered a field in which preparatory work had been going on for forty years, so that, according to the report of the mission- aries, in less than a year over seven thousand Kaffirs had experienced salvation, and the whole movement was put upon a plane of direct and continued effectiveness. A little over eleven years ago I led my pioneer party of mis- sionaries for Africa to Angola, south of the Congo. The English language was not available at all; the Kimbundu had not been reduced to manuscript, much less to printing, and we had no in- terpreters; so we had to sit down by the naked heathen and patiently pick the words one by one from their mouths, and write them down according to their sound as best we could. In less than five years from that time we printed a Kimbundu grammar and the gospel by St. John, and our pioneers had learned to talk and preach in the native language. That was a slow business, but if we had had command of money and men adequate we could by this time have established a thousand stations and had them well on toward self-support. In opening a station we make it a point to secure a good high, healthy site, and good land for agricultural purposes, and make simple industries, involving self- support, an essential part of education. Our plan is also to estab- lish a nursery mission in every station in which we have a com- petent missionary matron. Instead of a few hundred children 1896.] Report of Bishop Taylor. 318 under training, we could accept from the hundreds of godly women who are offering for our work missionary matrons to train a million children. It was several years before we could successfully establish our nursery missions owing to the difficulty in obtaining the young children. I learned my first lesson on the necessity of gaining the marriage dowry control of the little girls to be adopted by a conversation with Rev. David A. Day, of the Muhlenberg Mission. Said he: "Over twenty years ago my wife and I, on a visit to Boporo, became acquainted with a native family in which was a beautiful little girl. We fell in love with the child and begged the parents to give her to the mission; so they gave her up without urging very strong objec- tions, and we brought her home with us, and loved and edu- cated her just as if she had been our own child. She was a lovely child, and became a good musician. As she grew to womanhood she received the attentions of a young man edu- cated on our station, and they expressed a wish to be united in marriage. The fact was communicated to her parents, who gave consent, and they were married. Soon after messengers came from the parents stating that her marriage dower had been paid by an old man when she was a child, and they must conduct her to his house. We were horrified at the revelation of this fact, and begged for time, and in response to our im- portunity the parents finally agreed to permit the newly married couple to live in peace. A few months afterward the parents begged to have their daughter and her husband visit them; so accordingly they proceeded to Boporo, but on entering the town a mob, led by her parents, attacked the young man and killed him, and tied the young woman to a tree, and gave her a whipping about every hour for a whole day, and thus compelling her to promise to go and live with the old heathen who had paid her marriage dower when she w r as a child." That was my first n on the marriage dower, by which no child can be enslaved, but their selection of marriage is controlled. No marriage dower is paid for slave girls; they are bought and sold like cattle. We never procured any as slaves. We adopted about forty little girls to be our daughters under the same kind of training we give to our own children. Later, however, as the people became ac- quainted with us and our work, we have the offer of all the chil- dren we can take care of, for the most part orphans; so we have Dearly ceased to redeem children by paying the marriage dower too soon for many of our home patrons who give cheerfully to 314 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. redeem the little girls. Some time ago a big native man came to our mission at Malange with a little girl about three years old on his shoulder. She was, as is usual with the children in that coun- try, almost entirely nude, and covered from head to foot with fresh marks of smallpox. The man laid her down on the floor and said : u Three months ago the mother of this child died at Loanda. When dying she said to me, ' When you see me put in the ground carry my child to Malange and give her to the mis- sionaries.' [From Loanda to Malange is about three hundred miles.] So," said he, " when the woman died and was buried I laid the child on my back, but when about halfway on the jour- ney she was taken with smallpox. I nursed her for a whole moon until she was able to travel; so to-day I finish my task, and put her in your care." Americana, a little girl who had been with the mission for three years, went and looked closely at the little girl and said, " What is your name ?" The little one replied, "My name is Lubina." So Americana pressed her to her bosom, exclaiming, " O, she is my sister!" The mother had for- merly lived near Malange, and became acquainted with our mis- sionaries there, and gave them her older daughter when a baby. So that as we become acquainted with the people we have not much difficulty in obtaining all the children we can train. We have in our work, purely among the heathen, twenty- seven principal stations and nearly as many more substations, manned by forty-eight white missionaries and some hundreds of natives under training. The best material for evangelizing agency in Africa is the raw material, and the best place for its develop- ment is where it was born. Already the Lord is indicating his chosen vessels among our converted natives, who will surpass in Gospel effectiveness those who under God dug them out of heathenism. Rev. George Grenfell, of the English Congo Baptist Mission, spent a few days with us at Malange. One day, having listened to one of our native men preach, he said, " Mr. Mead, where was that man educated ? " " He was educated here in my school," re- plied Mr. Mead. Mr. Grenfell said, "That cannot be. I have never heard such preaching before. That man was well educated before you ever saw him." He was a freight carrier from the interior, and when he came to the mission he did not know a letter in the book. In one of the meetings he was awakened and converted to God. Then he came to Mr. Mead and said he wanted an education. Mr. Mead said he was short one pit sawyer, and if 1896.] Report of Bishop Taylor. 315 the man would come and work in the daytime he would pay him regular wages and teach him at night. The big Ambundu, a powerful man, said he would not take any pay for his work, but would work every day and study every night. He subsequently married one of the mission girls, and they are doing effective work for God in one of our substations in Angola. Visiting Barraka Station a few years ago, Miss White, our preacher in charge there, said to me: "I want to consult you in regard to our man Jasper. He is my best farmer, my best preacher, and my most successful soul-saving worker. But he is beaten by the natives whenever they can get near enough to him, and I am afraid they will kill him. I have waited for an oppor- tunity to consult with you as to what we had best do." " The best way," I said, "is to let Jasper decide for himself." So he was called in, and the case stated to him, and his prompt reply was: "I was born here; these people who want to kill me are my people; they have the same hatred toward Christ and Chris- tians that I had before I found Jesus; so I have no quarrel with them. I patiently bear their unmerciful thrashings, and if the Lord wants me to die for Jesus I prefer to die on my own native soil." A year from that time Jasper's name was sung among the heroes in their war songs. The Barraka nation, to which he be- longed, had been at war with a neighboring nation for over a hundred years, and anyone of either party crossing the dividing line met his death. But about a year ago Jasper crossed the line, walked straight to the royal house of the belligerent nation's king, and, hailing him, said: "My name is Jasper. I belong to the Barraka nation, and I bring to you to-day a message from God. It is very simple. God wants you to open to me and my fellow-workers a house in which to hold a prayer meeting in your town." The king, without hesitation, consented, and Jasper and his praying band came on immediately. Then, after three nights of prayer, he called on the king again with another message from God, which was to ask the king to call a peace palaver in his own house, to be conducted by the king and his counselors on one Bide and by Jasper and his praying band on the other. They prayed twenty-eight nights, and on three occasions all night. The joint parties talked peace twenty-three days, and made a settlement, according to the laws of the two nations, establish- ing a permanent peace. There have been since two or three occasions of disturbing the peace of the two nations, but they were settled by arbitration. Suppose our friends had given 316 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. us money to establish a thousand such stations, each one turning out a Jasper; we could begin to see the culmination of our evan- gelizing work in the Gospel conquest of the nations of Africa. As it is, despite the devastating wars all along our lines, especially on the west coast, our official statistics indicate our progress from 1892 to 1896 as follows: 1892. 1896. Increase. 202 528 326 3,064 4,403 1,339 54 62 8 85 234 149 75 190 115 31 42 11 $28,526 $53,684 25 %\ 25,158 25 1 8 7 $75 $6,040 $5,965 38 84 46 320 510 190 2,750 3,072 322 Of these scholars 1,070 are members of our Church. From the incipiency of our preparative work among wild heathen and the sparse population of the Americo-Liberians the numerical results are meager. Not to burden you with statistics in detail, I will add a few points illustrative of our progress. When I was sent to Africa Cape Palmas District had but one station, with two appointments — Mount Scott and Tubmantown, Rev. C. H. Harmon being both presiding elder and preacher in charge. Now Cape Palmas District contains thirteen stations, and all except two of them are advancing toward a basis of self- support. I recently presided at the anniversary of Mount Scott Sunday school, which has two hundred and eighty-four scholars, and they raised on that day for Sunday school library and current expenses $343 in cash. Our old Liberian work is regarded as a great burden to the Missionary Society. I have to say that the Americo-Liberians numerically approximate in population a first-class New Jersey village, and yet they themselves paid last year on pastors' salaries and current expenses $1,995.93. The most of our Liberian church members have but little of this world's goods. Some who are able give freely, but altogether the Liberia Conference is in ability but on a par with many of our mission fields which receive much larger appropriations; for example, only two sta- 1896.] Report of Bisliop Taylor. 317 tions receive as much as one hundred dollars each, ten stations and circuits receive fifty dollars each, one station forty dollars, and one thirty dollars, paid in semiannual installments. The Pesseh and Ghola mission stations, operated by the society, re- ceive two hundred dollars each. The seven stations which I turned over to the Missionary Society receive one hundred and fifty dollars each, more than double the amount given to the old work, the difference being that in the old work pastors live in their own homes and support themselves by different avocations, while in the mission stations the missionaries are building up homes and churches on the line of self-support which will be available for the continuance of the work on a firm mission prop- erty basis. Our great American Methodist armies, under marching orders from God, are compassing the globe proclaiming the Gospel to every creature — till they meet the black man. If he were a white man, instead of depending upon a few pioneer missionaries to rescue two hundred million souls, would we not go into Africa with Jesus and obey his command? One of two things re- quires to be done, either for God to make him white or for us, at least so far as our Gospel mission to every creature is con- cerned, to ignore the color lines and obey the divine command to tell the glad news to every member of the human family, be- ginning at home. All I ask for Africa is that in the general mission work we do for blacks all that we would if they were white. In obedience to the call of God and his Church I have been demonstrating Gospel , possibilities in the Dark Continent for nearly a dozen years, and am learning more perfectly the way of the Lord. I have never asked an appointment from the Church nor shirked a responsibil- ity — never hailed a ship bound for Tarshish. I am not here now to ask favors, but, pursuant to the policy avowed a quarter of a century ago, my plan is to utilize indigenous self-supporting re- sources as a Gospel basis from which to extend and administer the grand work of our Missionary Society. In regard to our new work in Africa I have simply to say that if this General Conference shall decide that the time has come to put all of my Africa missions under the direct control of our Missionary So- ciety I shall make no objection but to name three established ooints : First, all stations receiving aid from the society will, in common with nil such missions, be under the control of the so- ;iety. Second, as heretofore in my work, any person or persons 318 Journal of the General Conference. [1896.. who may wish to found and develop a mission in our Church up to the point of self-support shall be allowed to do so. Third, all self-supporting churches in our mission field shall sustain the same relation to the Methodist Episcopal Church as that of our self-supporting churches at home. If the change I now propose shall by your action become his- tory I will, when not in Africa, assist in raising funds for the Missionary Society. My son Ross has for six years been my right- hand man at this end of the line, and I cannot well spare him from a work for which he is well qualified. He will be useful among my financial patrons, also in helping you raise your two million dollars for missions, and I will be gratified if you will ap- point him to this work. 1 1896.] Report of Bishop Thobum. 319 Report of James M. Thoburn, Missionary Bishop for India and Malaysia. To the Bishops and Members of the General Conference: Dear Fathers and Brethren: Four years ago it became my happy privilege to lay before the General Conference, at Omaha, a report of my stewardship as superintendent of your missions in southern Asia. It seemed fitting in that, my first report, to give a sketch of the vast field which we are trying to occupy, the various agencies which we are employing, the lines of progress which we are following, the advance made in the organization of the work, and the measure of success with which God has favored us. Four more years have passed, and again I am permitted to appear before you with tidings from our far-off field, and with greetings from the devoted men and women who represent you there. On this occasion I take it for granted that I shall not be expected to go over again the same ground which I occupied in my first report. It will suffice, I trust, if I simply give you a statement of the prog- ress made and of the somewhat startling demands which confront us as we face the immediate future. In general terms I may say that we have abundant reason to thank God for the measure of prosperity which we have enjoyed through all these four years past. In the midst of many tokens of discouragement, and while struggling under almost constant burdens of anxiety, our missionaries have moved steadily forward, and from year to year our lines have become more and more ex- tended. This extension has not consisted so much in movements into territories beyond our former geographical limits, although such advance movements have been made, as in occupying more fully the immense regions within our already extended bounda- rio. In almost every direction this movement along what mili- tary men would call interior lines has been going steadily for- ward, and it thus happens that we are able to report an increase of two Annual Conferences and eleven presiding elders' districts during the past four years. We have now twenty-four District Conference?, all of them much more carefully and thoroughly organized than the average District Conference in the United States. Our brethren are preaching in sixteen languages, or three more than they were able to use at the date of my last report, md it is not improbable that the sixteen will become twenty be- bre the close of the century. 21 320 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Four years ago I ventured to report a total Christian com- munity in our missions in southern Asia of 50,000 ; but in order to reach these figures I was obliged not only to include the Euro- peans and Eurasians in connection with us, but to take into ac- count the increase of converts during the first four months of 1892. On the present occasion, however, without bringing our statistics down later than the close of 1895, we are able to report a total native Christian community of 97,610, or, if we include the Europeans and Eurasians, a total community belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church in India and Malaysia at the beginning of the present year of considerably more than 100,000 souls. It will thus be seen that we have maintained a steady in- crease of more than 1,000 a month throughout the quadrennium, and I am thankful to say that up to date but few signs have ap- peared of any wane in the forward movement which has now held its steady course for eight eventful years. At the beginning of the current year the total number of members reported at our several Conference sessions was 25,627, and of probationers, 44,175, making a total of 69,802, an increase of 39,802, or 130 per cent during the previous four years. If attention is called to the fact that our probationers so largely outnumber our full members, I may explain that we neither admit probationers pre- maturely nor send them adrift in case they are not found worthy of admission at the end of six months. Thousands of our bap- tized converts are kept on the church registers for months, and in some cases even years, beyond the minimum period of six months which is allowed as the term of probation. The several departments of our Church work have kept pace fairly well with the rapid increase of our membership and Chris- tian community. We have now 2,249 Sunday schools, with an enrollment of 71,955 pupils, an increase of 873 schools an 1 21,712 pupils since 1892. This increase would have been much larger had it not been for the unfortunate curtailment of our appropriations, compelling us to close many of our day schools ; and as at least one Sunday school is maintained in connection with every day school, every loss in the one department is quickly repeated in the other. Our schools of all grades reporj an increase of 258, with an increase of pupils of only 1,764, and but for the fact that the statistics cover four years the more recent figures would show a positive decrease. This, however, is in no measure owing to want of success in the work, but is wholly attributed to our diminished appropriations during the WO.] Report of Bishop Thobwrn* 321 past two years. The people are as anxious to have their children educated, and the children as eager to learn, as at any time since our missionary work was commenced in India. We still have more than thirty thousand pupils in our schools, and, feeling as- sured that the present financial stringency will be removed at an early day, look forward hopefully to the future of this part of the work. For the first time in a report of this kind the Epworth League makes its appearance in our table of statistics. The latest reports show that 134 chapters of the League have been organized, with an enrollment of 6,555 members. The success of the Epworth League in India has from the first been surprising. Our young people show an unexpected aptitude both for the privileges and responsibilities which the League places before them, and as edu- cation spreads we may confidently expect that this effective arm of our common service will become much more actively developed, and prove as effective in the mission field as it has done in Chris- tian lands. I am also very thankful to report a steady increase in the number of our native workers, both as regards numbers and efficiency. We have now a force of more than two thousand men, whose time is exclusively devoted to the work of teaching and preaching ; and inasmuch as nearly all our teachers are ex- pected to perform more or less pastoral work, this whole great force may justly be regarded as made up of preachers of the word. Of Bible readers we employ 560 ; but since many of our Christian teachers are women, we may reckon the entire force of our Christian sisterhood as numbering several hundred more. The rapid and long-continued increase of converts throughout our field lias with each returning year added to the urgency of the demand for pastors and teachers for our people. From the first we have felt this demand very keenly. It amounts, in fact, to an absolute necessity. If we had been provided with properly qualified pastors and teachers from the beginning we should prob- ably have had 200,000 Christians in India to-day instead of half that number, and we should no doubt have been equipped for a measure of success in the immediate future which now seems be- yond our reach. Early last year, when perplexed beyond meas- ure to know what should or could be done with the thousands of inquirers who were coming to us in the Northwest India Con- ference, a plan was formed to gather together five bands of young men, numbering thirty each, and give them a brief two years' course for the work of pastor-teachers. A little later a similar 322 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. band was organized in Oudh, and since then arrangements have been perfected for similar attempts in Gujarat and Malaysia. In addition to our regular theological school we have thus far over two hundred young men actually under instructions with the view of taking up the work of pastor-teachers in regions where such workers are urgently needed. In other words, we have, in- cluding the students in our seminary, a total of over three hun- dred young men who are preparing for this most important work, and while it may seem absurd to dignify most of these youths with the title of " theological students," yet, in a very practical sense, they are students of simple theology and are preparing for the legitimate work of preachers of the Gospel. If funds were at our disposal, we could double the number of students within the next twelve months, and thus not only provide proper nur- ture for the converts God has given us, but prepare to receive and care for the tens of thousands who will certainly come to our doors within the next year or two. Our friends in America very naturally, and very justly, too, manifest no little anxiety to know what manner of Christians our converts in India really are. When we hear of such unwonted numbers coming into the Church and remember how ignorant these converts have been, how in the nature of the case they must have been the victims of error and superstition, it is not strange that earnest questions are asked concerning their present spiritual state. Four years ago I tried to give a sketch of the actual condition of these people; but, as might have been ex- pected, my most positive statements at that time were received with a measure of doubt. I do not complain of this, knowing well that it could not have been otherwise. Very seldom in the history of modern missions had a movement of such magnitude been witnessed in mission fields, and we had no right to complain because friends in America could not fully share either our en- thusiasm or our confidence in the converts who had gathered around us. Four years of added experience, however, have greatly strengthened our confidence, both in the work of the past and the possibilities of the future. First of all, I am happy to say that our Indian preachers, as a class, have given us much cause for devout thanksgiving, both by their steady improvement as Christian believers and Christian workers. Our Annual and District Conferences, from year to year, show signs of steady progress among the preachers of all grades. Painful lapses from the standard of Christian morality 1896.] Report of Bishop Thoburn. 323 are much less frequent than would be expected by those who know what the ordinary standard of morality in India has been for ages past. Taking the preachers as a body, I think it may truthfully be said that from year to year they are becoming more spiritual, as well as more intelligent. In many parts of the field revivals have been frequent during the past two or three years, and the fruits of those revivals have been as permanent and sat- isfactory as those which are usually witnessed in similar meetings in the United States. Very many of our preachers manifest a spirit of intelligent consecration, which is most satisfactory and hopeful. As for the masses of baptized converts who live in the villages and hamlets where their fathers lived before them, and who have enjoyed only the most limited advantages in hearing the word, or in associating with mature Christians, it could not reasonably be expected that they would at once adopt all the usages with which we are familiar in Christian lands, or that they should ex- hibit a type of piety in every respect corresponding to that which is th£ product of years of culture among more favored people. When due allowance is made for the previous ignorance and life- long habits of the people, we find but. little cause of discourage- ment in the condition of the ©ne hundred thousand converts who are to-day looking to us for spiritual guidance. They are not a fickle people, nor are they the converts of a day only. We do not, it is true, succeed in holding all of them, and in some cases the number of those who, after a brief trial, have turned their backs on the new religion has been painfully large. But our friends in the United States should be the last to withhold confi- dence from our work on this account. You also receive great hosts of probationers every year, and no doubt make diligent efforts to keep them within your fold; and yet it has recently been stated that forty per cent of your probationers are lost to the Church within twelve months from the date of their recep- tion; whereas our brethren in India have thus far been able to keep within their lines eighty-four per cent of their converts, while only sixteen per cent permanently disappear from our rolls. In other words, your relative loss in the United States is two and a half times greater than that of your missionaries in India. The task of caring for new converts is in all lands a most difficult one, and the fact that so large a proportion of our probationers bo soon fall away only illustrates the painful fact that now, as in (>\\r Saviour's day, a large share of the precious Gospel seed falls on stony ground. 324 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. One of the most encouraging signs of a genuine Christian life among our people is found in the remarkable stimulus which has recently been given to the cause of self-support, especially in those parts of the field where the converts have had this duty pressed upon their attention. These converts are, perhaps, the poorest in this world's goods of any Christians in the world. Three fourths of them live upon an average income of not more than twenty- five dollars a year for each family. Thousands of them habitually live upon the verge of absolute starvation, the parents often being unable to provide two meals a day for themselves and their chil- dren. An income of fifty dollars a year is amply sufficient to give a family in an ordinary village not only a subsistence, but a respectable standing in the village community. Among such people it may seem almost cruel to raise the question of self-sup- port at all ; but it has not only been raised, but has led to results which have filled us with both wonder and gratitude. But few of the people can pay anything in money, but offerings of all man- ner of things are freely tendered and gratefully received. Not long before leaving India I preached to a large congregation of attentive hearers, and when at the close a collection for self-sup- port was announced the people pressed forward with chickens and pigeons, eggs and meal, kids and pigs, rice and millet, together with trinkets and ornaments of many kinds, until at last, as the enthusi- asm rose, some of the poor women began to pluck off the jingling bells from their toes and lay them with reverence upon the pulpit. We smile at such a manifestation of the true spirit of Chris- tian giving, but when we look beyond the mere financial value of the offerings and consider what this means for the future of Christianity in India we feel constrained to pause and thank God for such a spectacle. What did this really mean? It meant that among the very poorest of living men, under conditions as difficult as any which we may expect to find in all the future, Christianity can live and flourish and develop resources of its own sufficient for its maintenance. This incident occurred within the bounds of the Kasgunge District, and a few weeks later it was stated that not only the presiding elder, but every preacher in charge in the district was to be wholly supported during the current year by the poor people to whom they minister. Not one cowrie of missionary money is paid to either .presiding elder or preacher in charge on the Kasgunge District. Of how many districts, I venture to ask, south of the Ohio and west of the Mississippi Rivers can a like remark be made ? 1896.] Report of Bishop Thobum. 325 Two sessions of our Central Conference have been held since the date of my last report, and on both occasions the growing importance of this body was a subject of frequent general re- mark. The last meeting, which was held in the city of Poona only two months ago, was a notable gathering of men and women, many of whom had come great distances, and all of whom were made to realize as never before that God was truly committing into their hands a missionary task not inferior in its extent and importance to any that had ever before been given into mortal hands. We were amazed when we contemplated the multiplicity of interests which were growing up around us, and almost ap- palled when we looked out over our field and saw how God was setting before us open door of access to one fifth of the human race. We were profoundly impressed also as we observed from day to day the momentum which this central body has gained and the influence which it seemed destined to exert, not only upon our own work, but upon the general interests of the whole Chris- tian Church throughout India. No shadow of doubt now seems to remain as to the necessity for a representative body of this kind, or as to the providential tokens which have guided our brethren thus far in organizing and directing a Conference which in a peculiar way unifies our work and binds the hearts of the workers together while they toil in their widely separated fields. At the recent session of our Central Conference several meas- ures were enacted which will, I trust, receive the favorable atten- tion of this General Conference. First of all, a few changes will be asked in the disciplinary provision made for the organization of the Central Conference, and probably also in the Constitution of the Conference as it now stands. As our work expands and our interests become more complicated, it is found that the au- thority of the Central Conference needs to be more carefully de- fined and its powers in some particulars slightly enlarged. The Conference has also ventured to express its convictions upon our financial situation, upon the question of episcopal superintendence of our missions, and upon the need of an additional missionary bishop for India and Malaysia. Upon this last subject I beg to be allowed to submit a few remarks. For some time the necessity for an additional superintendent in southern Asia has been very generally felt among us, but until rcrently a fear had prevailed that a request for a second bishop might bo regarded as premature, and perhaps affect unfavorably both the General Conference and the Church. The progress of 326 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. our work, however, has been so uniform and so rapid that our brethren have, with few exceptions, been recently led to dismiss their fears, and now boldly ask that due provision be made for a work ^hich no single individual can possibly perform. In con- sidering this request you should, first of all, remember that our field in southern Asia covers an immense area. Two of our pre- siding elders live 4,000 miles apart, and in order to reach our recent Central Conference some of the delegates were obliged to travel more than three thousand, or, including the return journey, more than six thousand, miles. We have mission stations dotted all over this vast area, and if there were no other special features of the work this question of distance alone would make it impos- sible for any one individual to superintend the work, in the Methodist sense of the word superintend. Then it must be re- membered that we have twenty-four District Conferences, and that these bodies in India are much more fully developed than in America. The itinerant polity of our Church is applied to all our workers, male and female, in connection with the District Conferences, and the annual meetings of some of these bodies are of more real importance than the regular sessions of our Annual Conferences. It is extremely important that a bishop be present at all the meetings of the six Annual and twenty-four District Conferences, especially in view of the fact that the appointments of nearly three thousand Christian workers are made on these occasions. Our educational work also demands a much more efficient super- vision than is possible with only one superintendent in the field. With sixteen bishops in the United States, you have thirty -four thousand pupils in all the Methodist schools of the country. With one bishop in southern Asia we have thirty thousand pupils in our Methodist schools, and but for the reduction in our income we should probably have had more pupils in our schools to-day than you have in all of yours in this country. So deeply do I feel im- pressed with the urgency of this demand that I. have frequently said that if every other duty were laid aside, so that I could give my undivided time to our educational interests, I could not over- take half the work which would thus be imposed upon me. I beg to be indulged in one word more upon this subject. In many respects our work differs from that of our brethren in America. We are a militant people, not democratic, not monarchic, not sac- erdotal, not military, but militant, after the pattern of the Now Testament and of early Methodism. As such we need leaders. 1396.] Report of Bishop Thoburn. 327 Five of our presiding elders are natives, and as time passes the number of these men will increase, while the Americans and Eu- ropeans must relatively decrease. These India elders succeed well, but for obvious reasons they need leaders. They make excellent corps commanders, but not many of them could assume supreme command upon the battlefield. I now come to another question which I approach with some hesitation, and yet cannot pass by in silence. While pleading for additional episcopal help, it may possibly be objected that the present missionary bishop has frequently absented himself from his field, and that, too, for comparatively long periods. I have no shadow of wish to evade this objection, but in discussing it I must beg permission to speak with all possible frankness, as well as with all possible loyalty and good will. If compelled to refer to the Missionary Society in connection with our difficulties, I wish to say in advance that no man is more indebted to that society than myself, and perhaps I might even venture to add that no one is more sincerely devoted to its interests than I am. But for our Missionary Society I should never have been sent to India, and might to-day have been occupying a pulpit in some Ohio town, instead of enjoying the noblest opportunity for en- larged usefulness which has been set before any Methodist preacher during the present century. Not until my right hand forgets its cunning shall it ever be said of me that I do not prize the welfare of our Missionary Society above my chief joy, but while fully realizing all this I must at the same time beg to be allowed to place before you a brief statement of the peculiar re- lation which our missions in southern Asia sustain toward the society. Sixteen years ago our mission field in India embraced only a small territory, not so large, indeed, as the State of Ohio. A little later our work began to be extended far beyond these limits, chiefly, however, among the small settlements of English-speak- ing people, and without aid from our Missionary Society. As time passed it began to be felt, both in India and America, that the work should be unified and the aid of the Missionary Society extended freely to all parts of the great Indian empire. The missionaries in charge of the new work, however, disapproved of this policy, and for ten long years struggled manfully to support their work exclusively on a self-supporting basis. In December, 1 882, liishop Foster and Dr. Reid, at that time senior Missionary Secretary, visited India, and while they were in attendance at the 328 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. session of the South India Conference an earnest effort was made to induce that body to abandon as hopeless its exclusive adherence to self -support, and accept grants from the Missionary Society. Many influential friends urged the missionaries to reverse their policy, but for my own part I opposed the change to the utmost of my ability. In doing so the chief point I made was that both our friends in America and our advisers in India utterly failed to realize what was meant by extending the policy adopted in our original mission in North India over a field more than forty times as large and containing a population eighteen times as great as that very limited territory. I begged our brethren with tears not to take such a step, and assured them that, if the change should be made, in a very few years India would require an an- nual grant of $350,000 in order to sustain such a work. This estimate was received with incredulity, and no doubt seemed to many wildly extravagant, but it represents about the sum which we need to-day. On that occasion I was wrong in my advice, but right in my estimate. The proposal to accept grants from the Missionary Society was defeated for the time, but a few years later it was successfully renewed, and for nine years past all India has constituted one grand mission field, under the fostering care of our Missionary Society. In November, 1887, I met Dr. Reid and the late Mr. Phillips, treasurer of the Missionary Society, to confer with them con- cerning the estimates for the new field in India, and found them much troubled over the unexpected magnitude of the sum asked for the work. We discussed the whole bearings of the case, and I assumed the responsibility of advising a reduction of nearly fifty per cent in the estimates, but with the understanding that the grant would be increased year by year, until a figure should be reached corresponding to the amounts usually given for sim- ilar work elsewhere. The General Committee accepted our rec- ommendation, and gave the amount asked without serious oppo- sition. The following year I was made superintendent of our mis- sions in southern Asia, and in November of that year met the General Committee in session in New York. To my dismay, however, instead of receiving our first installment of the expected gradual increase, a large reduction was made in our appropria- tion of the previous year, and to this day this reduction has never been fully restored. I thus began my administration under very trying circumstances, and the embarrassment of the situation waa 1896.] Report of Bishop Thobum. 329 soon greatly increased by the discovery that God was bringing to our very doors large numbers of converts and inquirers, and that a movement of unwonted magnitude seemed to be opening before us. We laid the case before the General Committee at its next meeting, and in response to our appeal for help a grant of $2,000 was made for this new work, but with the exception of this sum the General Committee has never felt able to give a single dollar in aid of this great movement, which has attracted so much attention and added so much to our responsibilities. This statement is not made by way of complaint, but solely that you may be able to understand the extreme necessity which was laid upon us to seek help at whatever door God should open be- fore us. In our time of great need a door of hope and help was opened to us in the shape of special contributions from private parties in America and elsewhere. We did not seek this kind of help until it began to flow to us. Persons of whom we had never heard began to send us sums of money, and we very naturally accepted such gifts as sent by God, and as tokens of his loving care. In the summer of 1890 I first came to this country on special leave, but I did so without any thought of canvassing for funds in aid of our new work. I came on another errand, came with extreme reluctance, and planned for a brief stay of only four months. To my extreme surprise, however, God opened my way to secure help for the work, and when I returned to India I found one hundred preachers at work in the new harvest fields, all sup- ported by funds received during my brief visit to this country. From that day these special gifts have continued to come to us, but not at all in such sums as has been popularly supposed. Our total receipts from this source during the last eight years have averaged a little less than 825,000 a year, a very modest sum indeed when measured by the results which it has yielded. But for this aid some of our missionaries must have been sent back home six or seven years ago, and but for this our extraordinary success in North India could never have been realized. It is not too much to say that more than half of our increase in converts, schools, • fcnd Sunday schools has been owing to the help received by our missionaries in the shape of special gifts, and when the magnitude of this increase in considered we may well doubt if in all the pagefl of missionary history any other instance can be cited in which such amazing results have been achieved at so slight a cost. The average cost of missionary labor in India can easily 330 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. be ascertained, as the statistics of all the great societies are within easy reach. We are thus able to form an estimate of the average cost of such a work as that which our missionaries have accomplished, and the comparison which this furnishes is simply astounding. The special work which has cost our missionaries $200,000 in the course of eight years would in the general labor market of the missionary world cost at least $2,000,000, and this without furnishing any assurance that the same measure of suc- cess would be achieved which has attended the labors of our brethren in India. During the past eight years I have twice left my field to attend the General Conference, once I came to this country by special authority of the General Committee, and twice only have I come on my own official responsibility. It seems a pity indeed that I have had to assume such a responsibility, but, in the light of re- sults, I venture to ask how it would have seemed if I had not come ? By shutting my eyes and closing my ears to the manifest tokens of God's providence I might have kept out of sight and hearing of the Church in America, but, had I done so, 50,000 of your fellow-Christians would to-day be bowing down to idols, and a dozen of your missionaries would long ere this have been com- pelled to forsake the field to which God had called them. It is sometimes easy to say what ought to have been done in a given case, but until one is compelled to stand for months and years face to face with thousands and tens of thousands of eager in- quirers one cannot tell what ought to be done or left undone in such an emergency as this. Our present financial embarrassment in India and Malaysia can be readily understood in the light of the facts which I have set before you. It is due to the present secretaries to say that the difficulties of the situation had been foreseen, and to some extent realized, before their administration commenced. The situation became desperate from the day that the financial su£>port of all our missions in southern Asia was assumed, but unfortunately it has seemed impossible to get the Church, or even the General Committee, to comprehend the actual state of our affairs. Our situ? tion has for years been unlike that of the other foreign mis- sions of our Church. Two of our Conferences receive, relatively, full seventy per cent less from the Missionary Society than other missions of similar grade in the foreign field. Three others re- ceive fifty per cent less. For this we blame no one, believing as we do that the situation has never been understood, and even if 1896.] Report of Bishop Thoburn. 331 it had been comprehended, there has never been a day when there was enough money in the treasury to meet our urgent needs. At last, however, the situation has become desperate. While the work has expanded the appropriations have been diminished, until we are now compelled to consider seriously the question of sending back to America about one sixth of our missionaries. I fully realize the grave import of these words, but I should be do- ing less than my duty if I did not faithfully lay the whole case before you. Four years ago, when I ventured to exhort you not to neglect the day of your missionary visitation and entreated you to take advanced ground, and if need be adapt legislation to the needs of this extraordinary era, my words were received with every token of kindness and favor, but very little was done. Again I appear before you with a still more urgent appeal, but in presenting it I must be allowed to say that if this General Conference does not take some definite action toward relieving the present extreme tension of our missionary finances little or nothing will be done elsewhere. The General Missionary Committee is, and possibly ought to be, the most conservative body in Methodism. It has been constituted for the purpose of disbursing money, not of col- lecting it, and has seldom favored new measures of any kind. The Missionary Board has been constituted for the purpose of administering the money appropriated by the General Committee, and has rarely attempted to deal with proposals for increasing our sources of missionary revenue. All parties naturally look to the General Conference for help in an emergency such as is upon us now, and I pray God that they may not look in vain. That your hearts are with us in our present troubles no one doubts, but we want both your hearts and your help. The collective wisdom of this great representative body can surely devise adequate measures, not only to extricate our missionary enterprise from its present danger, but to place it on firmer ground than it has ever occupied before. It would be presumption on my part to attempt to point out to you how so serious a problem can be solved, but perhaps you will bear with me if I indicate one or two steps which might help in the difficult task. First and foremost, an organized and adequate effort must be made to reach the mass of non-givers in our Church. Some two millions or more of our people give nothing whatever to the missionary cause. Assuming that one million of these are not purse-holders, and are represented by husbands or parents. 332 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. we have still a mighty reserve force, one million strong, who give nothing. An organized and permanent effort should be made to reach this host of non-givers. The system of annual collections should give place to monthly or weekly gatherings. To make a proposal of this kind possible, agencies must be provided and trained for effectively reaching the entire membership. In the Conference Missionary Society we have the unfinished framework of the kind of auxiliary agency needed. Complete the evolution of this society so that there may be an effective auxiliary in every district, and in every pastoral charge, and a stimulus will be given to the cause all through the land. In the next place, our people should be not merely permitted, but heartily encouraged and invited, to undertake the support of special objects in the mission field. For some years past there has been a growing desire among Christians of all denomina- tions, both in Europe and America, to give in this way. In our own Church, however, this kind of giving has been regarded with a large measure of disfavor, and while tolerated it has not been encouraged. But why not encourage it ? Every successful collector knows that benevolent people extremely dislike to be dictated to in reference to the objects of their charity, and we chill liberal hearts, repel generous givers, and discourage ardent "* workers when we insist that each and every steward of our com- mon Master must ask strangers to select the object to which their gifts are to be applied. We gain nothing and lose much by attempting this impossible policy. Why not, then, in the name of our great Church, spread out before the people a state- ment of the needs of the work, and let all who are so inclined freely select such objects as they wish to support, and give ac- cordingly. Let the Missionary Society assume full charge of this work, and thus protect men like myself from the charge so often made of irregularity and irresponsibility. If it be said that this will open a door to all manner of unauthorized collect- ing and misguided giving, I reply that it will effectually put a stop to both of those evils. We cannot frown down a movement of this kind, and the only possible way of preventing its abuse is to assume charge of it in a generous and trustful spirit. I verily believe that $100,000 might be added to the income of our Mis- sionary Society in a single year if this policy were boldly avowed and formally adopted by this General Conference. I shall not trespass upon your time by offering other sugges- tions, but if desired I shall esteem it a privilege to be allowed to 1896.J Report of Bishop Thoburn. appear before a committee and call attention to other possible ways of adding to our resources, and also of lessening our expend- itures. And now, dear fathers and brethren, we stand at the parting of the missionary ways. The times are critical, the skies are clouded, and the hearts of multitudes are failing them because of the gloomy outlook. Not for fifty years has there been so much hostility manifested by the press toward the missionary enterprise as during the past year. In Turkey the work is arrested, in Per- sia it is threatened, in Korea the shadow of Russian domination is impending, in China a cry is raised for recalling all mission- aries from the interior, in India shrinking finances affect the progress of nearly all the societies, and even in Africa so-called statesmen who chance to live a century behind the times are proposing to exclude the missionaries from vast regions in the interests of peace. At such a time our responsibilities become unspeakably great. If you do nothing, or if you do less than your whole duty at this critical moment, you will miss one of the noblest opportunities which God has ever set before a Church or a people; but if you appreciate the peril of the hour, if you resolve to meet the crisis at once, even though you have to summon a thousand, or ten thousand, collectors into the field, you will send a thrill of hope and joy around the globe. You will give an answer to the detractors of the missionary cause which will silence them for a hundred years. You will assure the teeming millions of China that, so far from withdrawing, you propose in the early future to have a larger force of your own upon her shores than there is now of all the Protestant mission- aries of Europe and America combined. You will say to Africa that you are at last awake to a sense of the awful debt which you owe her, and that you intend at once to found at least three mighty spiritual empires among her long-benighted millions. And to India you will speak in a voice which will raise a shout of joy that the very stars shall hear. Stand by your exiled chil- dren in that far-off land, fulfill the obligations which you assumed in sending them there, and the victories of to-day will fade out of sight in the glowing splendor of the greater victories of to-mor- row. Stand by your sons and daughters as they have stood by you, and in the fear of God I venture to promise for them that when they step across the threshold of the new century they will lead with them a mighty host of two hundred thousand Indian Methodists! 334 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. More than thirty-seven years ago I left your shores for a dis- tant land of which I knew almost nothing, and for a work to which I was an utter stranger. In the years which have since passed I have sometimes been sorely tried, have sometimes seemed to pass under the cloud and through the sea, but at no time has the trial been so sharp as during the last twelve months. We dare not pause, and yet our way seems utterly hedged in. I do not pretend to have lived superior to all feel- ings of despondency through all these trying months, but for weeks, or perhaps months past, at times, God has given me a vision which has seemed to gird me with new strength. When John stood upon the Patmos sands, a banished criminal, he saw an angel flying in midheaven, having the everlasting Gospel for every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people of earth. We make little headway in interpreting the imageries of Revelation, but they often teach us wonderful lessons. In my despondency, again and again, I have caught a glimpse of the angel John saw of old. He is the angel of promise to the nations still. Since coming here I seem to see him every hour, and I cannot but believe that God gives me the vision. We shall not fail. This General Conference will do its duty. A new era shall dawn upon the missionary world, and while the angel speeds his con- quering flight the nations will begin to own their Lord, the sons of God in earth and heaven will send up a mighty shout of joy, and the morning stars again take up their almost forgot- ten song. B. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONS. The Constitutional Commission appointed by the General Con- ference of 1888 made its report to the General Conference of 1892. After considerable discussion, the report was, on motion of J. M. Buckley, indefinitely postponed with instructions to have it published in the papers of the Church and presented to the General Conference of 1896. The report is as follows: CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION. Journal, pages 94, 132, 170, 191, 206, 227, 228. To the Twenty-first Delegated General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America : Fathers and Brethren : At the Twentieth Delegated Gen- eral Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held in the city of New York, in May, 1888, the importance of a formal definition or identification of the organic law of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Constitution of the General Confer- ence was presented and a committee was appointed to consider the matter. This committee presented a report, which, after amendment, was adopted and appears in the Journal of the General Confer- ence of 1888, as follows : " They are convinced that the organic law of the Church, and especially the Constitution of the General Conference, needs to be accurately defined and determined ; that the method to be pur- sued in the organization of the General Conference should be pre- cisely and explicitly stated ; that the relations of lay to minis- terial representations should be more satisfactorily adjusted. They are also convinced that these questions require most thor- ough and careful consideration. "They therefore recommend the appointment of a Commission of seven ministers and seven laymen, one from each General Con- ference District, and three of the General Superintendents, who may prepare paragraphs to take the place of paragraphs 63 and 64, inclusive, in the present edition of the Discipline, said para- graphs to define and determine the Constitution of the General Conference; to state of whom it shall be composed, and by what method it shall be organized; to declare what shall be the powers thereof, and in what manner they shall be exercised; and to pro- vide the process by which the Constitution, or any part thereof, shall be amended, and report to the General Conference of 1892 " (General Conference Journal, 1888, p. 468). In pursuance of this action, and in obedience to it, the Bishops, at their meeting in October, 1888, appointed the members of 22 336 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. the Commission for the General Conference Districts, as fol- lows: DISTRICT. I, Governor William P. Dillingham, of Montpelier, Vt. II, Rev. John Miley, D.D., of* Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, N. J. III, Mr. Francis H. Root, of Buffalo, N. Y. IV, Rev. Thomas B. Neely, D.D., LL.D., of Philadelphia, Pa V, The Hon. Judge Hiram L. Sibley, of Marietta, 0. VI, Rev. Jacob Todd, D.D., of Wilmington, Del. VII, Colonel John W. Ray, of Indianapolis, Ind. VIII, Rev. Luke Hitchcock, D.D., of Chicago, 111. IX, Rev. Alpha J. Kynett, D.D., LL.D., Corresponding Secretary of the Church Extension Society. X, The Hon. Judge Samuel H. Elbert, of Denver, Colo. XI, Rev. Charles L. Madison, San Antonio, Tex. XII, Mr. T. B. Sweet, Topeka, Kan. XIII, Rev. Jacob Rothweiler, D.D., Newport, Ky. XIV, The Hon. Judge R. M. Widne^v, Los Angeles, Cal. The Bishops also designated three of their own number to act as members of the Commission, namely, Bishop S. M. Merrill, D.D., LL.D., Bishop C. D. Foss, D.D., LL.D., and Bishop W. X. Ninde. D.D., LL.D. As no one had been charged with the duty of calling the first meeting of the Commission, the three Bishops appointed to act with it, after consulting with several members, issued a call for a meeting at Chautauqua, N. Y., on the 6th day of August, 1890. A quorum having assembled at the time and place appointed, the Commission organized by electing Bishop Merrill President and Dr. T. B. Neely, of Philadelphia, Secretary. At Chautauqua the Commission was in session two days, and then, after appointing a committee to digest the various propo- sitions presented, and to prepare a basis for action at the next meeting, adjourned to meet in the city of Indianapolis, Ind., on the 10th of December, 1890. The Commission reconvened at that time and place, and re- mained in session four days. At this session the report of the committee was carefully considered and many new points were passed upon. The next session of the Commission was held at Ocean Grove, N. J., where the Commission met on the 23d of July, 1891, and continued in session six days, not including the Sabbath day. The members of the Commission were not all present at any one time, but all who were appointed were in attendance a por- tion of the time, excepting Governor Dillingham, who was de- tained from the first two meetings by the claims of official duty, and from the last meeting by the illness and death of his vener- able and honored father. A quorum of the Commission was present at the Chautauqua, Indianapolis, and Ocean Grove sessions, so that at no time was the business delayed by the nonattendance of a quorum. The first thing considered by the Commission was the nature and scope of the duties assigned it by the General Conference. After careful examination it was found that the work expected 1896.] Report of Constitutional Commission. 337 of the Commission consisted of two principal parts: First, the des- ignation of those parts of the Discipline which should be re- garded as having the nature and force of a " Constitution of the General Conference," and those forming " the organic law of the Church;" and, second, the preparation of paragraphs to take the place of certain designated paragraphs now in the Discipline. It was further found that the other duties specified in the in- structions given the Commission would be met in the preparation of the said paragraphs. The Commission was at first somewhat embarrassed by the figures which appear in the action of the General Conference of 1888, as published in the Journal oi that body. According to the form of the report as printed in the Journal, the Commission was empowered to " prepare paragraphs to take the place of para- graphs 63 and 64, inclusive," in the Discipline of 1884. In this there was a manifest mistake, for if " paragraphs 63 and 64 " were all that were intended, then the word "inclusive " would have been superfluous, as nothing intervened between " 63 and 64." It was evident, therefore, that there was a clerical or typographical error. In addition to this, it was the recollection of members of the Commission that the report adopted by the General Conference included the entire section on the General Conference, and speci- fied paragraphs 63 to 72, inclusive, which covered the above sec- tion. An examination of the report as it appeared in the Daily Christian Advocate of 1888 showed that the words therein used were " paragraphs 63 to 72, inclusive " (Daily Christian Advo- cate, 1888, May 29, p. 195), thus corresponding with the recol- lection of members of the Commission, and harmonizing with the evident intention of the General Conference of 1888. In view of these facts, and because any other interpretation would defeat in large measure the purpose for which the Com- mission was created, it was decided to follow the figures as re- ported by the Committee of the late General Conference. The Constitutional Commission appointed according to the action of the General Conference of 1888, and acting under its instructions and permissions, begs leave to report the following conclusions and suggestions: First. As to the definition of " The Constitution of the Gen- eral Conference/' we respectfully report as follows: In considering the question as to what is the Constitution of the General Conference, we find that in 1784, when the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, the preachers, with the acqui- escence of the people, exercised supreme authority. After the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church the preachers generally in General Conference assembled constituted the General Conference. Thus the early Disciplines read: "All the traveling preachers who shall be in full connection at the time of holding the Conference " " shall compose the General Confer- ence." In 1800 were added the words, "and have traveled four 338 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. years; " and in 1804 the following additional words were added, " from the time that they were received on trial by an Annual Conference," so that in 1808 the Church was represented in the General Conference by all the traveling preachers who were in full connection at the time of holding the Conference, and had traveled four years from the time they had been received on trial by an Annual Conference. These preachers in General Conference assembled had no check upon their power save their own consideration of propriety right, and they could and did legislate according to their own pleasure. In 1808 they decided to create a delegated General Conference. In other words, it was agreed that instead of all the traveling preachers assembling, certain selected ones should be empowered to act for all. As all agreed to part with some direct power by confiding power to the smaller but representative number, it was to be ex- pected that the whole body of preachers would expressly state what power their representatives might exert. So the General Conference of 1808 drew up a formal document declaring who should compose the delegated General Conference, how the members should be selected, what powers they might exert, and what limitations should be placed upon the exercise of this delegated power, and that document became the Constitution of the first delegated General Conference, which met in 1812. In • this instrument the preachers in the Annual Conferences reserved the right of amendment to themselves. Since that time various modifications have been made in this instrument, by far the most important in its bearings on the Con- stitution being the introduction of lay delegates into the General Conference as a constituent part of the supreme law-making body of the Church. This change was consummated by the General Conference of 1872, after preparatory action by the General Con- ference of 1868, a submission of the question of lay delegation to a vote of the laity, and also by the requisite vote of the ministers in the Annual Conferences in favor of an amendment to the Sec- ond Restrictive Rule. A constitution is an instrument containing a recital of prin- ciples of organization and of declarations of power, permissions, and limitations which cannot be taken from, added to, or changed in any particular without the consent of the power which originally created the instrument, or by the legal process determined by the body possessing original power. Therefore the present Constitution of the delegated General Conference is the document drawn up and adopted by the Gen- eral Conference of 1808, but modified since that time in accord- ance with the specifications and restrictions of the original docu- ment, and is now included in paragraphs 55 to 64, inclusive, in the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church for 1888, excepting the statement as to the definite number of delegates 1896.] Report of Constitutional Commission. 339 provided for in paragraph 55, which is an act solely within the power of the General Conference under the permission of the Second Restrictive Rule. Second. As to the Organic Law of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, we beg to report that the organic law of the Methodist Episcopal Church includes and is limited to the Articles of Religion, the General Rules of the United Socie- ties, and that Avhich we have already defined as the Constitu- tion of the General Conference, while the rules and regulations enacted by the General Conference are statutory and form no part of the organic law of our Church. Third. We recommend that in the next edition of the Disci- pline its arrangement be so changed that after the introduction on the " Origin of the Methodist Episcopal Church " there shall fol- low a general heading, with the words : The Organic Law of the Methodist Episcopal Church. That under this shall follow : PART I. Articles of Religion. (Under which shall be placed the Articles of Religion.) Then shall follow: PART II. The General Rules. (Under which shall be placed that part which is known as the General Rules.) Then shall follow: PART III. Constitution and Powers of the General Conference. (Under which shall be placed the section on "The General Conference," or, in other words, that part of the Discipline of 1888 which is found in paragraphs 55 to 64, inclusive, the same matter and exact words to be arranged in the same order in arti- cles and sections, as follows: ) Article I. — Membership of General Conference. The General Conference shall be composed of ministerial and lay delegates. Article II. — Ministerial Delegates. The ministerial delegates shall consist of one delegate for every fortj'-five members of each Annual Conference, to be appointed either by seniority or choice, at the discretion of such Annual Conference, yet so that such representatives shall have traveled at least four full calendar years from the time that they were received on trial by an Annual Conference, and are in full connection at the time of holding the Conference.* * A transferred preacher shall not be counted twice In the same year in the basis of the ♦•lection of delegates to the General Conference, nor vote for delegates to the General Con- ference In any Annual Conference where he is not counted as a part of the basis of repre- sentation, nor vote twice the same year on any constitutional question. (This foot-note is part of the Constitution, but is a General Conference regulation.) 340 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Article III. — Lay Delegates. § 1. The lay delegates shall consist of two laymen for each Annual Conference,, except such Conferences as have but one ministerial delegate, which Confer- ences shall each be entitled to one lay delegate. § 2. The lay delegates shall be chosen by an Electoral Conference of laymen, which shall assemble for the purpose on the third day of the session of the An- nual Conference, at the place of its meeting, at its session immediately preceding that of the General Conference. § 3. The Electoral Conference shall be composed of one layman from each cir- cuit or station within the bounds of the Annual Conference, such laymen to be chosen by the last Quarterly Conference preceding the time of the assembling of such Electoral Conference; and on assembling the Electoral Conference shall or- ganize by electing a chairman and secretary of its own number; provided, that no layman shall be chosen a delegate either to the Electoral Conference or to the General Conference who shall be under twenty-five years of age, or who shall not have been a member of the Church in full connection for the five consecutive years preceding the election.* Article IV. — Sessions. § 1. The General Conference shall meet on the first day of May, in the year of our Lord 1812, in the city of New York, and thenceforward on the first day of May once in four years perpetually, in such place or places as shall be fixed on by the General Conference from time to time. § 2. But the General Superintendents, or a majority of them, by and with the advice of two thirds of all. the Annual Conferences, shall have power to call an extra session of the General Conference at any time, to be constituted in the usual way. But if there shall be no General Superintendent, then two thirds of all the Annual Conferences shall have power to call such extra session. Article V. — Quorum. At all times when the General Conference is met it shall take two thirds of the whole number of ministerial and lay delegates to form a quorum for transact- ing business. Article VI. — Voting. The ministerial and lay delegates shall deliberate and vote together as one body, but they shall vote separately whenever such separate vote shall be de- manded by one third of either order, and in such cases the concurrent vote of both orders shall be necessary to complete an action. Article VII. — Presiding Officers. One of the General Superintendents shall preside in the General Conference, but in case no General Superintendent be present, the General Conference shall choose a president pro tempore. Article VIII. — Powers and Restrictions. The General Conference shall have full power to make rules and regulations for our Church under the following limitations and restrictions, namely : 1. The General Conference shall not revoke, alter, nor change our Articles of Religion, nor establish any new standards or rules of doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of doctrine. 2. The General Conference shall not allow of more than one ministerial repre- sentative for every fourteen members of any Annual Conference; nor of a less *The Secretaries of the several Annual and Flectoral Conferences shall send to the Secre- tary of the last General Conference a certified copy of the election of delegates and reserves to the next General Conference, in the order of their election, as soon after the election as practicable, so that a roll of members and reserves may be prepared for the opening of the next General Conference. (This foot-note is not a part of the Constitution, but is a General Conference regulation.) 1896.] JZeport of Constitutional Commission. 341 number than one for every forty-five; nor of more than two lay delegates for an Annual Conference; provided, nevertheless, that when there shall be ill any An- nual Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Annual Conference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such fraction ; and, provided, also, that no Conference shall be denied the privilege of one ministerial and of one lay delegate. 3. The General Conference shall not change nor alter any part or rule of our government so as to do away episcopacy, nor destroy the plan of our itiner- ant General Superin tendency, but may appoint a Missionary Bishop or Super in- tendent for any of our foreign missions, limiting his jurisdiction to the same re- spectively. 4. The General Conference shall not revoke nor change the General Rules of the United Societies. 5. The General Conference shall not do away the privileges of our ministers or preachers of trial by a committee and of an appeal ; neither shall they do away the privileges of our members of trial before the society or by a committee, and of an appeal. 6. The General Conference shall not appropriate the produce of the Book Con- cern, nor of the Chartered Fund, to any purpose other than for the benefit of traveling, supernumerary, superannuated, and worn-out preachers, their wives, widows, and children. Article X. — Amendments. Provided, nevertheless, that upon the concurrent recommendation of three fourths of all the members of the several Annual Conferences who shall be pres- ent and vote on such recommendation, then a majority of two thirds of the Gen- eral Conference succeeding shall suffice to alter any of the above restrictions, excepting the first article; and also, whenever such alteration or alterations shall have been first recommended by two thirds of the General Conference, so soon as three fourths of the members of all the Annual Conferences shall have concurred as aforesaid, such alteration or alterations shall take effect. Fourth. After full and careful consideration of the points in- volved, and in the exercise of the best wisdom it could command, the Commission agreed to report a form of constitution to take the place of " paragraphs 63 to 72, inclusive," of the Discipline of 1884, or paragraphs 55 to 64, inclusive, of the Discipline of 1888. The Commission, therefore, respectfully presents the fol- lowing form of Constitution of the General Conference to be sub- mitted to the several Annual Conferences, and, if adopted by the constitutional vote, according to paragraph 64 of the Discipline of 1888, to be inserted in the Discipline in lieu of the present section on the General Conference : PART III. Constitution and Powers of the General Conference. Article I. — The General Conference. The government of the Church shall be vested in a General Conference which shall be composed of ministerial and lay delegates, to be chosen as hereinafter provided. Article II. — Ministerial Delegates. § L Each Annual Conference shall be entitled to at least one ministerial dele- gate. The General Conference shall not allow more than one ministerial dele- gate for every forty-five members of an Annual Conference, nor less than one for every ninety members; but for a fraction of two thirds or more of the number fixed by the General Conference as the ratio of representation an Annual Con- ference shall be entitled to an additional delegate. 342 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. § 2. The ministerial delegates shall be elected by ballot by the members of the Annual Conference, at iis session immediately preceding the General Conference. Such delegates shall be elders, at least twenty-rive years old, and shall have been connected with an Annual Conference four successive years, and at the time of their election, and at the time of the session of the General Conference, shall be full members of the Annual Conference which elected them. An Annual Conference may elect reserve delegates, not exceeding three in number and not exceeding the number of its delegates. § 3. No minister shall be counted twice in the same year in the basis for the election of delegates to the General Conference, nor vote in such election when he is not so counted, nor vote in two Conferences the same year on any consti- tutional question. § 4. The members of Mission Conferences shall have electoral membership in Annual Conferences to which they may be assigned by the Bishops having charge of such Mission Conferences, and in said Annual Conferences they shall be counted in the basis of representation, shall have the right of voting for delegates and upon constitutional changes, and shall be eligible to election as delegates to the General Conference. Article III. — Lay Delegates. § 1. A Lay Electoral Conference shall be constituted quadrennially within the bounds of each Annual Conference for the purpose of electing lay delegates to the General Conference. It shall be composed of laymen, one from each pastoral charge within its bounds, chosen by the lay members of the Quarterly Conference in its session immediately preceding the session of the Lay Electoral Conference. Laymen not less than twenty-one years of age, and holding membership in the pastoral charges electing them, are eligible to membership in the Lay Electoral Conference. § 2. The Lay Electoral Conference shall assemble at the seat of the Annual Conference, at 10 o'clock A. m., on the second day of the session immediately pre- ceding the General Conference, unless the General Conference shall provide other- wise. § 3. The Lay Electoral Conference shall organize by electing a chairman and secretary, shall adopt its own rules of order, and shall determine the validity of the credentials of its delegates. § 4. Each Lay Electoral Conference shall be entitled to two delegates to the General Conference, except in case the Annual Conference is entitled to but one delegate, then the Lay Electoral Conference shall have but one. A Lay Electoral Conference may elect as many reserve delegates as it has delegates. The elections shall be by ballot. § 5. Any layman twenty-five years old, holding membership in a pastoral charge within the bounds of the Lay Electoral Conference, and having been a member of the Church the five years preceding, shall be eligible to election to the Gen- eral Conference. Delegates-elect who cease to be members of the Church within the bounds of the Lay Electoral Conference shall not be entitled to seats in the General Con- ference. Article IV. — Credentials. The Secretaries of the several Annual and Lay Electoral Conferences shall fur- nish certificates of election to the delegates severally, and send a certificate of such elections to the Secretary of the preceding General Conference before the assembling of the General Conference. Article V. — Sessions. § 1. The General Conference shall meet at 10 o'clock -on the morning of the first Wednesday in the month of May, in every fourth year from the date of the first delegated General Conference, namely, the year of our Lord Eighteen Hun- dred and Twelve, and at such place in the United States of America as shall have been determined by the preceding General Conference, or by a commission acting under its authority. 1896.] Report of Constitutional Commission, 343 8 2. The General Conference shall create quadrennially a commission which shall have power in case of emergency to change the place for the meeting of the General Conference, a majority of the General Superintendents concurring in such change. £ 3. The General Superintendents, or a majority of them, by and with the ad- vice of two thirds of all the Annual Conferences, shall have the power to call an extra session of the General Conference at any time. In case of an emergency an extra session of the General Conference maybe called by the concurrent action of two thirds of the General Superintendents and two thirds of the Commission on the place of meeting; such session to be held at such time and place as a majority of the General Superintendents and also of the above Commission shall designate. § 4. The General Conference convened in extra session shall be composed of the delegates to the General Conference immediately preceding, reserves being entitled to fill vacancies, and shall have power to consider only such questions as are mentioned in the call. Article VI. — Presiding Officers. § 1. The General Conference shall elect by ballot from among the traveling elders as many General Superintendents as it may deem necessary. £ 2. The General Superintendents shall preside in the General Conference in such order as they shall determine, but if no General Superintendent be present, the General Conference shall elect a president pro tempore from among the min- isterial delegates. § 3. The President of the General Conference shall decide questions of order, subject to an appeal to the General Conference, but questions of law shall be de- cided by the General Conference. Article VII. — Organization. When the time for opening the General Conference arrives the president shall take the chair and direct the Secretary of the preceding General Conference, or one of his assistants, to call the roll of the delegates elect. Those who have been duly returned shall be recognized as members, their certificates of election being prima facie evidence of their right to membership. No person whose right is duly challenged shall participate in the proceedings of the General Conference, except to speak on his own case, until the question of right is decided by the General Conference. Article VIII. — Quorum. "When the General Conference is in session it shall require the presence of two thirds of the whole number of delegates to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a less number may take a recess or adjourn from day to day in order to secure a quorum ; and at the final session may approve the Journal, order the record of the roll call, and adjourn sine die. Article IX. — Voting. The ministerial and lay delegates shall deliberate together as one body. They fhall also vote together as one body, with the following exceptions: 1. On every question which proposes a change in the Discipline they shall vote separately. 2. A separate vote shall also be taken on any other question when requested by one third of either order of delegates present and voting. In all cases of separate voting it shall require the concurrence of the two orders to adopt the proposed measure. Article X. — Powers and Restrictions. The General Conference shall possess supreme legislative, executive, and judicial powers for the government of the Church, subject to the provisions of this Con- stitution and under the following limitations and restrictions, namely: 1. The General Conference shall not revoke, alter, nor change our Articles of Religion, nor establish any new standards or rules of doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of doctrine. I 344 Journal of the General Conference. [1890. 2. The General Conference shall not organize nor authorize the organization of an Annual Conference with less than thirty ministers in full connection. 3. The General Conference shall not change nor alter any part or rule of our government so as to do away episcopacy, nor destroy the plan of our itinerant General Superintendency ; but may elect a Missionary Bishop or Superintendent for any foreign Mission, whose episcopal jurisdiction shall be limited to the Mission for which he is chosen. 4. The General Conference shall not revoke nor change the General Rules of our Church. 5. The General Conference shall not deprive our minsters of the right of trial by the Annual Conference, or by a select number thereof, and of an appeal ; nor shall it deprive any of our members of the right of trial by the society or a com- mittee thereof, and of an appeal. 6. The General Conference shall not appropriate the produce or profits of the Book Concern, nor of the Chartered Fund, to any purpose other than for the benefit of the effective, supernumerary, or superannuated preachers, their wives, widows, and children. Article XI. — Amendments. The concurrent recommendation of three fourths of all the members of the several Annual Conferences present and voting shall suffice to authorize the next ensuing General Conference, by a two thirds vote, to alter or amend any of the provisions of this Constitution, excepting section 1 of Article X; and, also, when- ever such alteration or amendment shall have been first recommended by the General Conference by a two thirds vote, then so soon as three fourths of all the members of the Annual Conferences present and voting shall have concurred therein, such alteration or amendment shall take effect, the result of the vote to be announced by the General Superintendents. Respectfully submitted in behalf of the Constitutional Com- mission. S. M. Merrill, President, T. B. Neely, Secretary. Minority Report. Dear Fathers and Brethren of the General Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, to meet in Omaha, Neb., May, 1892: Nothing could give greater pleasure than to agree in all things with the excellent brethren composing the Constitutional Com- mission. Yet, as their labors must be scrutinized, discussed, and pass your rigid examination, this makes an apology for this mi- nority report to some portion of their otherwise excellent action. While cordially agreeing with their report, except as herein set forth, we suggest the following amendments : First. Immediately following the part of the report designated " Part III," strike out the words " Constitution and Powers of the General Conference," and insert the following: " Government of the Church." § 1. The government of the Church is vested in the General Conference, ac- cording to the following provisions: § 2. All legislative power belongs to the General Conference, and cannot be I delegated. § 3. The executive power belongs to the General Conference, the General Su- perintendents, and such Annual, District, or Quarterly Conferences, Boards of Managers, Book Committees, as said General Conference may from time to time constitute. The General Conference shall define the duties of such executive subordinates. t 1896.] Report of Constitutional Commission. § 4. The judicial power is vested in the General Conference. This power may be delegated to such minor tribunals as from time to time may be constituted, re- serving, however, the right of appeal to the General Conference. Second. After Article XII, strike out so much of the report beginning with the words, " The powers of the General Confer- ence are legislative, judicial, and executive," and closing with the sentence, " Subject to the provisions of this Constitution," not, however, striking out " the following limitations and restrictions, namely." Third. In paragraphs 1 and 5, "Article III, Lay Delegates," strike out the words " laymen " and " layman," and insert the words " members " and " member " in each place. Fourth. In view of the unmethodistic scramble for office among so many preachers, there should be a constitutional provision pro- hibiting all elections by the General Conference, except those of General Superintendents, and requiring all other elections — such as editors, book agents, secretaries, etc. — to be remanded to the several boards of managers, committees, etc., that may be or- dained. Brief reasons for the above may be given : As to the first and second items, we are living in a nation where the people are familiar with the usual forms of civil government. A Church that must of necessity have to deal with the same peo- ple should make its form of government, as far as possible, con- form to the civil. As to the third item — the Methodist Church should never be reduced to Conference or other construction when it has to deal with the rights of its members. We should be consistent with ourselves; and though in the Discipline we say how "he," "his," or " him " may come in or go out, yet why not use the term " members," especially when the history of the Church shows we cannot exist without the women ? The fourth suggestion is painfully manifest to every member of the General Conference ; if not at the beginning of your ses- sion, it will not need argument before you adjourn. Elections out of the way, the session need not continue two weeks, certainly not three. May our good Father guide, direct, and bless your session to his glory and the welfare of our loved Methodism. Fraternally yours, John W. Ray. 3±6 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. ON REVISION OF DISCIPLINE. Journal, page 213. Dear Fathers and Brethren: The Commission appointed by the General Conference of 1892 to revise the Discipline, under the limitations set forth in the action recorded on page 505 of the Journal, respectfully submits the following report: Soon after the appointment of the Commission, one of its ablest members, the Rev. James W. Mendenhall, D.D., Editor of the Methodist Review, was stricken with a mortal illness, and was unable to take any part in the work of the Commission. Before its work was completed he departed from this life, honored and lamented by the Church which he had served with signal faith- fulness and ability. Within a few months past two other mem- bers of the Commission, who contributed much time and most careful thought to the revision, namely, the Rev. John Miley, D.D., Professor of Systematic Theology in Drew Theological Seminary, and Rev. Sandford Hunt, D.D., Senior Publishing Agent at New York, have also passed, as we trust, to the perfect glory of the Church triumphant which is before the throne. The work assigned to the Commission required promptness and diligence, for it was desirable that the new Discipline, containing the numerous amendments made by the last General Conference in some part of our law, be put into the hands of the Annual Conferences which were to assemble in the autumn of 1892. Happily this was effected. But the shortness of the time allowed for the work of the Commission forbad the minute inspection and the completeness of restatement which some parts of the Discipline demanded. None are more fully aware than the Commission of the defects yet remaining in the form of our law. On the other hand, the Commission has been greatly gratified by the reception accorded to the revised Discipline. The testi- monies received from many competent judges leave no room for doubt that the new arrangement and the new statements of our Church law have contributed greatly to its clearness and to facility of administration. The Commission continuously, and with strong conviction, held itself under obligation to avoid the least alteration in the substance of the law. It aimed, as directed by the General Con- * ference, only to effect a more orderly and lucid arrangement of already existing law. To the present time the Commission has been informed of only two instances in which its success in this respect has been questioned. It states these instances frankly, that the General Conference may take such action as may seem to it necessary in the premises. (1) A minister of the California Conference calls attention to the fact that though the revised Discipline retains the provision 1S96.] On Revision of Discipline. 347 that the Pastor shall report to the Quarterly Conference all changes in the membership during the preceding quarter, it omits the requirement of a like report to the quarterly love feast. The omission was purely through inadvertence, and the General Con- ference will determine whether the requirement shall be restored to its place. (2) A minister of the Michigan Conference calls attention to the fact that in the revised Discipline it is no longer made the duty of the Bishop and of the Presiding Elder " to receive and suspend preachers." This clause was omitted by the Commission from the chapters on Bishops and on Presiding Elders after full deliberation, and upon conviction that the omission did not change the law, and that it removed a possible misinterpretation of a serious character as to the powers and duties of the above- named officers. As the clause " to receive and suspend preach- ers " was limited and defined by the additional words, " as the Discipline directs," it was obvious that the clause conveyed no authority beyond that which existed elsewhere in the Discipline, and that therefore the omission of it could not change the law. Meantime it seemed to convey power to the Bishop which he did aot in any degree whatever possess, and it was, moreover, liable to be misinterpreted both by critics of the Church and by the administrators of its law. But the Commission is content to thus call the attention of the General Conference to this item, being ready also at any time to make further explanations of the ground of its procedure. It recommends, however, that in paragraph 216 an explicit state- ment be made as to the authority by which an accused minister may be suspended in the interval of the Annual Conference. The studies of the Commission have led it to note many minor defects in our law, and it was at one time in the thought of the Commission to suggest needful amendments. But having been advised that the Bishops have the same subject under consider- ation, and will probably submit the result of their deliberations to the General Conference, the Commission closes its report without further recommendations. Very respectfully submitted, E. G. Andrews, C. D. Foss, J. M. Buckley, Homer Eaton. New York, April 15, 1896. c. BOUNDARIES. Report No. I. Journal, page 278. We recommend that Chapter I be amended by transposing the paragraphs so that they will appear in their natural order : 1 423 becomes f 421. i 422 retains the same number, but commences with the words now found in the sixth line, " Any two or more Conferences." Tf 421 becomes ^ 423, and is rewritten, striking out the words in the last line, " And to the Quarterly Conferences within the territory so affected," and adding the words, "provided, however, that after a petition of the majority of the dele- gates representing any specified Conference or Conferences the Committee on Boundaries may adjust the matters involved in said petition at their session suc- ceeding the General Conference." In the fifth line of H 421 substitute for the words " General Conference " the words "Committee on Boundaries." The entire chapter will then read: Chapter I. Mode of Determining Boundaries. 1 421. The General Conference shall appoint a Committee on Boundaries, con- sisting of one member from each Annual Conference, to be nominated by the delegations severally, over which one of the Bishops shall preside, of which one of the General Conference Secretaries shall be the secretary, and of which committee twenty-five shall be a quorum. All matters pertaining to Conference lines shall be referred to this Committee ; and when the Committee shall have fixed the boundaries of all the Conferences it shall submit its report to the General Con- ference, which shall immediately act upon the same as a whole, without amend- ment and without debate ; provided, however, that in accordance with the pro- visions of H 86, a Central Mission Conference may fix the boundaries of the Annual Conferences within its bounds, the General Conference first having de- termined the number of Annual Conferences that may be allowed in that field. H 422. Any two or more Conferences which may be mutually interested in the readjustment of their common boundaries may at any time raise a Joint Commis- sion, consisting of five members from each Conference directly interested, and the decision of such Joint Commission— in which it shall be necessary for a majority of the five members representing each of said Conferences to concur — when it shall be approved by the Bishop or Bishops who may preside at these Conferences at their sessions next ensuing, shall be final. But if the commission so appointed shall fail to agree, or the presiding Bishop shall not concur, then the case, with a statement of the facts, together with the records of the commission, shall come to the General Conference for final adjudication. U 423. No petition, resolution, or memorial involving change of Conference boundaries, or the division or absorption of Conferences, or the organization of new Conferences out of the territory already occupied by organized Conferences, shall be entertained by the Committee on Boundaries until notice shall have been given by the Conference or Conferences desiring such change, or by a majority of the presiding elders thereof, to all of the Conferences to be affected thereby ; provided, however, that upon a petition of a majority of the delegates repre- senting any Conference or Conferences to be affected thereby, the Committee on Boundaries may adjust the matters involved in said petition, subject to the ap- proval of the Conferences named in such petition, at their session succeeding the General Conference. 1896.] On Boundaries. 349 Report No. III. Part I. This part of the report related to and defined the boundaries of the Annual Conferences and of Missions in the United States, Territories, and in foreign countries. [For convenience see Boundaries of Annual Conferences on page 770.] Report No. III. Part II. Chapter IV. Enabling Acts. The Black Hills Mission Conference may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop presiding, be organized into an Annual Conference. The Blv£ Ridge Conference may, during the next four years, by a majority vote of the members of the Conference present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop presiding, set apart the eastern section of its territory as a Mission Con- ference, the boundaries to be determined by the Conference and approved by the Bishop presiding. The California and Southern California Conferences may, during the next four years, by a joint commission duly raised in accordance with H 422 of the Dis- cipline, and with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide their territory into three or more Annual Conferences. The California and Southern California Conferences may, at their sessions succeed- in £r this General Conference, change their intervening boundary by striking out from r \ 421, § 8, Discipline of 1892, all after the word " line," in the third line, up to and including the words " Mariposa County," and inserting in their stead the words, " beginning at the northwest corner of San Luis Obispo County, and run- ning east along the northern boundary of said county to the west line of Kings County, thence north to the northwest boundary of Fresno County, thence east along the northern boundary of Fresno County." The Delaioare Conference may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide into two Conferences, the new Conference to be named the Delaware River or the North New Jersey Conference. The presiding Bishop or Bishops of New England, New England Southern, New York, New York East, and Wilmington Conferences may, during the next four years, at any session of these respective Conferences, organize the Swedish mem- bers thereof as an Annual Conference, to be known as the Eastern Swedish Con- ference, to which shall belong all the Swedish missions and societies now organ- ized, or that hereafter may be organized, in the six New England States, the States of New Jersey and Delaware, and the territory included in the New York, New York East, and Philadelphia Conferences. The German Methodist Episcopal Church, of Madison, Ind., may, .at any time during the next four years, be transferred from the jurisdiction of the Central German Conference to that of the Indiana Conference, the presiding elder of the Louisville District and the presiding Bishop of the Central German Conference concurring. The Japan Conference may, during the next four years, by a majority vote of its members present and voting, and with the approval of the Bishop presiding, set apart the islands belonging to the Empire of Japan south and west of the main island and Nagasaki Districts, the new organization to be called the South Japan Mission Conference. The Lexington Conference may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, and with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide into two Conferences, with such names and boundaries as they may adopt. The Louisiana Conference may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, and with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide into two Conferences, with such names and boundaries as they may adopt. The Malaysia Mission Conference may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop pr< aiding, be organized into an Annual Conference. The Michigan and Detroit Conferences may, during the next four years, by a majority of the members of each Conference present and voting, with the ap- 350 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. proval of the Bishop or Bishops presiding, divide their territory, upon such lines as may be agreed upon, into not more than four Annual Conferences. In case the Michigan and Detroit Conferences should not divide in accordance with the foregoing Enabling Act, then the Michigan Conference may, within the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide into two Annual Conferences wholly within the present bounds of the Conference. The North Germany and South Germany Conferences may, during the next four years, by a two thirds vote of the members of each Conference present and Voting, with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide their territory, upon such lines as may be agreed upon, into three Annual Conferences. The North Montana Mission may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop pre- siding, be organized into an Annual Conference, under such name as may be adopted; or it may return to the Montana Conference, from which it was set off, on like conditions ; provided that the Montana Conference shall, by a majority vote, decide to receive it. The NortJi Nebraska Conference may, at any time during the next four years, if the territory of the Black Hills Mission Conference and that of the Northwest Nebraska Conference shall be consolidated into one Conference, so extend its boundary lines as to include that portion of the Northwest Nebraska Conference territory lying east of, and including, Valentine. The Norwegian and Danish Conference may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide into two Conferences, with such names and boundaries as they may adopt. The Northwest Nebraska Conference and Black Hills Mission Conference are author- ized to lift the boundary between them whenever, during the next four years, both Conferences shall vote so to do, the presiding Bishop or Bishops concurring. The South America Conference may, during the next four years, by a two thirds vote of the members present and voting, and with the approval of the Bishop presiding, divide into one Annual Conference and one Mission Conference, with such boundaries as the Conference may determine. The Mission Conference provided for above may, during the next four years, under the same conditions, be organized into an Annual Conference. The Utah Mission may, during the next four years, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting, with the approval of the Bishop presiding, be organized into an Annual Conference. The Utah District of the Western Norwegian and Danish Conference may be trans- ferred to the Utah Mission, during the next four years, with the consent of the above-named Conference ; provided that the Conference is not thereby reduced in numbers below the requirements of the Discipline. D. PROPOSITIONS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES Submitted to the Annual Conferences in 1894, 1895, and 1896. Journal, page 91. To the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church : Fathers and Brethren : The undersigned respectfully report herewith the various propositions for amendment of the Consti- tution of the General Conference which have been submitted to the several Annual Conferences during the past Quadrennium, together with a statement of the aggregate vote of the- Annual Conferences upon each of said propositions (Statement A). We also submit herewith a statement in detail of the votes in the several Annual Conferences from which the statement of the aggregate vote is made up (Statement B). STATEMENT "A." ON EQUAL MINISTERIAL AND LAY REPRESENTATION. L (Submitted by the General Conference of 1892:) Resolved, That the General Conference hereby recommends the following propo- sition to the Annual Conferences to be held in 1894, to wit : To amend Section 2, Paragraph 67, of the Discipline, so that the section shall read as follows : " The Gen- eral Conference shall not allow of more than one Ministerial Representative for every fourteen members of an Annual Conference ; nor of a less number than one for every forty-five ; provided, nevertheless, that when there shall be in any Annual Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representa- tion, that such Annual Conference shall be entitled to an additional Delegate for such fraction ; and provided, also, that there shall be from each Annual Conference Lay Delegates equal in number to the Ministerial Delegates, who shall deliberate and vote with the Ministers as one body ; and provided, further, that no Conference shall be denied the privilege of one Ministerial and one Lay Delegate." In favor of the Amendment, 2,894 Against " " 6,138 ON THE RATIO OF MINISTERIAL REPRESENTATION. 0. (a) (Submitted by the General Conference of 1892 :) Resolved, That the General Conference submits the following proposition to the Annual Conferences of 1894, to wit : To amend line 4, Section 2, Paragraph 67, of the Discipline, so as to read : "Not more than one for every forty-five nor less than one for every ninety." In favor of the Amendment, 3,053 Against " " 4,599 23 352 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. III. (b) (Submitted by the South Carolina Annual Conference :) Alternative Proposition. The South Carolina Annual Conference, regarding the above proposition as defective in form, duly submits the following alternative prop- osition, to wit : To amend the first two clauses of Section 2, Paragraph 67, so that they shall read as follows : " The General Conference shall not allow of more than one Ministerial Representative for every forty-fiv* members of an Annual Confer- ence, nor of a less number than one for every ninety." In favor of the Amendment, - 4,174 Against " 3,904 IV. (c) (Submitted by the Colorado Annual Conference :) Strike out the words " forty-five " in the fourth line of Section 2, Paragraph 67, of the Discipline, and insert instead the words " sixty-five," so that the clause as amended shall read as follows : " The General Conference shall not allow of more than one ministerial representative for every fourteen members of an Annual Con- ference, nor of a less number than one for every sixty-five." In favor of the Amendment, 6,964 Against " " 2,733 ON TIME OF MEETING OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE. V. (Submitted by the West Wisconsin Annual Conference :) Resolved, That the Bishops presiding in the several Annual Conferences during the year 1894 are hereby respectfully requested to submit to all the Annual Conferences the following proposition, namely : To amend Paragraph 63 of the Discipline of 1892 so that it shall read as follows, to wit : " % 63. The General Conference shall meet on the first Wednesday of May, in the year of our Lord 1900, and thenceforward on the first Wednesday in May once in four years perpetually, at such hour and in such place in the United States as the General Conference may from time to time direct ; but the General Superintendents, or a majority of them, by and with the advice of two thirds of all the Annual Conferences, shall have power to call an extra session of the General Conference, to be constituted in the usual way. But if there shall be no General Superintendent, then two thirds of all the Annual Conferences shall have power to call such extra session." In favor of the Amendment, 8,663 Against " " - 167 ON QUALIFICATION OF LAY DELEGATES. VI. (a) (Submitted by the General Conference of 1892 :) Resolved, That we submit to the Annual Conferences the proposition to amend the second Restrictive Rule by adding the words " and said delegates must be male members " after the words " two lay delegates for an Annual Conference," so that it will read : " Nor of more than two lay delegates for an Annual Conference, and said delegates must be male members." - In favor of the Amendment, 474 Against " " 3,648 IS 96.] Propositions for Constitutional Changes. 353 VII. (b) (Submitted by the Baltimore and Colorado Annual Con- ference.) Amend the second Restrictive Rule by adding the words " and said delegates may be men or women " after the words " two lay delegates for an Annual Conference," so that the entire clause will read : " Nor of more than two lay delegates for an Annual Conference, and said delegates may be men or women." In favor of the Amendment, 7,354 Against " " 2,608 Respectfully submitted, Edward G. Andrews, David S. Monroe. Cleveland, O., May 1, 1896. X a ii i t a 1 1 ii i mi hi mnmm i IS ! ill 1 II I sill m - :»gS8«S8§S§S«8g3 — 8- 2 Sg«g-8S ii 111 HI! lilliiiiiSiflil If = g ; p. 5 > a > - s ~ •-S3 P- o £ as * isr § & bo bo ©■£ o §1 > « o X & o HCU Z -35 2 2* a - ® O O ° > >T3 Q o'S - - c © 0 C — - . ft: -a a, cs i—i 05 o _j » Ph3 u fl O Pi o* 3 . 30 • § © "S 2 O c fl ^ — ^ H 2©g£c = r r — = B S S- 05 — " S^f^B a S 05 o §S?§8 i-H in Tf< ecr >cop< t-t> 05 B o ^ °ft" 0 Id? S o a cog K 05 o (M *** 22g flag 00-5 !> > 0 IS* =3 =3 a 05 05 05 P I §" 2 ^£ 1 a ^-2 ©£3 a)'* 05 05 O 05 © « © B-c 3 © S © ©2 © o © o © S icSao»© o* oo «e»»«-i 00 1-1 c ! C "* CO 1 0 fc- 1^ 1-1 CO < iSOtOOHOOOCSCOOTiif^O • O O O CO O .OOOiOOriOOOOOriOOt-OOORn O^HO -i-iO -OOOOOOOCOOOOOOJO^ : S£3 :§So :g8g«^SI:SS8Sf S9S 1! — CJ C^Orfl-OCOTt<50COOOOl0500Tt,-5c : . c c e g c $ ! 5 S'S ooooooaSCfl ZZZZZZCCOP- o 2 dddd 73 a a a a £OOOo *3 o o o o i_ > > > > O O O c C S3 O S3 O O 03 03 03 03 OOflflfl , <" C S o -2 -2 es > O O S3 « > > c °OOS S3 . S3 S3 O Q-SS S3 23 8$ 03 Ho t- Jr "i - 9* O a S3 £ o O Ph 03 33 c — O O O W > > 05 >-(73^3 > ► ggg qo'sS'O C 03 03 ce ^2 ^ O 2 03 II c o Is 7373 Cu C 03 03 03 03 a a o o DO ^S£S 9 03 a; = . °£Sso J opHpt; gpn ag33g3« .3 ° a 7373 ^73 b B?d _03O3a3O3^03^C0/ f Jj-S-S |£3&.S C S3 O O h S3 0003030303^003 i OF 3 > 1 Noes. 2fi08 ATI0NS legat: [Prop. Ayes. ■ 1 g« 3* > |Noes. O^OOgOGOOOOO ^OgOMggO .00*~ggO ; O O O O gg O O O g | SO 3648 1 Prop. Ayes. onooooBooo -oohmowoo • o tjj © *n »r: o •ooooooooi'Offi . H S5 H W > Noes. © © W © © © iH © © rH © © © C4 © © © r-1 © © © © © © © r-t © -iH >C900000HO8 : Tim Meeti Gen C0NF 1 Pro Ayes. * 86631 IV (c). 1 Noes. s fc ITERIAJ >N. Prop. Ayes. iO 1 Minis ntatic (Q) III | Noes . 3n Ratio of Represe Prop. Ayes. 4174 § Noes. — Prop. Ayes. "5 «, . w * z _5 « ? © el Noes. i.iC!«C-*OMi.'!HS5CiacaHHilan and the annual division of profits has placed insurance with- in the reach of every church. The said Mutual Church Insur- ance Company of Wisconsin has collected through our presiding elders information as to danger by fire and lightning to the property of the Methodist Episcopal Church in one hundred and seventy-one districts in forty-one States of the Union, during periods of from five to fifty years last past, said districts contain- ing church and parsonage property, not including ground, valued at between $39,000,000 and $40,000,000, not including the prop- 408 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. erty of ministers. These reports show that, if the property in- cluded has been properly covered by insurance, our membership in the districts referred to has been obliged to pay over three quarters of a million dollars more than would have been neces- sary under the system used by the Mutual Church Insurance Company of Wisconsin during the period covered by the opera- tions of that company. This system applied to the .United States during the same five years would have saved over one and one half million dollars to our people. In view of the facts above recited, and of the widespread demand among our people, we recommend the following: Hesolved, 1. That this General Conference approves of the in- surance plan of the West Wisconsin Conference, with which the Wisconsin Conference has successfully cooperated ; and, 2. That this General Conference shall provide for the organi- zation of a Mutual Church Insurance Company for the benefit of the Church in the United States, on a similar plan, for such of our churches and pastors as desire to avail themselves of it, as follows: 3. The General Conference shall elect a Board of Insurance to serve for four years, consisting of one from each General Confer- ence District, to be nominated by the delegates of each district represented, and five to be nominated by the Bishops. 4. Such Board shall have general supervision of the matter of fire, lightning, and tornado insurance ; it shall as speedily as practicable be incorporated according to law, with such powers and prerogatives as may be needful to the organization and opera- tion of a mutual insurance company ; such organization to be subject to the control of the General Conference. 5. The time of service of the members of said Board shall be- gin on the second Wednesday in June following their election, and continue until their successors shall be duly chosen and have entered upon their duties. 6. The Board may fill vacancies occurring among its members. 7. The officers of the Board, who shall also be officers of the organization as incorporated, shall be a President, a Vice Presi- dent, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Attorney, who, together with two others, shall constitute the Executive Committee, all of whom shall be elected by the Board at the first regular meeting of each quadrennium, and shall hold office for four years, or until their successors are elected and qualify. The Executive Commit- tee shall have control of the business subject to the Board. The Board shall have power to employ a manager and such other em- ployees as may be found necessary. The annual meeting of the Board or of the Executive Commit- tee shall be held on the second Tuesday in February each year at such place as may have been selected at the previous meeting* except the first meeting, which shall be held in Chicago, 111. Special meetings may be called by the President or any five 1896.] On Freedmeri's Aid and Southern Education Society. 409 directors. At all regular meetings of the Board seven shall con stitute a quorum. Any annual meeting of the Board, except the first meeting after each General Conference, may be substituted by a meeting of the Executive Committee, should a majority of the Board so elect, unless in the opinion of the President the full Board should meet. Not later than January 5 each year the Secretary shall send to each member of the Board a copy of the annual statement, promptly upon the receipt of which it shall be the duty of each member of the Board to express to the President in writing his opinion as to whether the full Board or only the Executive Committee shall attend the annual meeting. There- upon, but not later than January 20, the President shall send out notices for the annual meeting. 9. The Board shall have power to make by-laws not in conflict with the action of the General Conference. 10. The Board shall submit to each General Conference a re- port of its proceedings for the preceding four years. 11. The necessary expenses incurred by members of the Board in attending its meetings and all expenses incurred in the transac- tion of its business shall be paid out of the funds of the Insurance Company. ON FREEDMEN'S AID AND SOUTHERN EDUCATION SOCIETY. Report No. I. Journal, page 178. Your Committee, to whom certain papers touching a change of name for the Society were referred, begs leave to report: 1. There are two such papers — one from Delaware Conference asking that the name be changed to the Southern Education So- ciety, another from Upper Mississippi Conference asking that no change be made. 2. Your Committee, in view of all the facts in the case — the success of the society under its present name, the advantage of retaining that part of the name which keeps distinctly before the Church the people of African descent, and the desirability of preventing the confusion of this with any other society — believe that the name should remain unchanged. Report No. II. Journal, page 295. Your Committee begs leave to report as follows: 1. Location of our schools. In the location of our schools throughout the South the society has wisely sought to establish institutions of collegiate grade in great centers of Negro popula- tion, and where two or more Annual Conferences can be united in their support. Ten institutions of higher grade are located in as many States, extending from Maryland to Texas. The twelve of academic grade are so located as to be feeders to those central 410 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. institutions, the courses of study being so arranged that students can pass from various classes in different departments into classes of a similar grade in the higher schools. In the work of the society among the white people of the South the same wise policy has been carried out. The purpose has been to establish three institutions of collegi- ate grade among the whites, namely, at Fort Worth, Tex., Little Rock, Ark., and Chattanooga and Athens, Tenn. The school at Little Rock has for several years done little more than academic work, and the future grade of this school will be determined by the interests of the work Ih that region. The other two have had marked success. The nineteen schools of academic grade are so located and classified as to be feeders to the schools among the whites of collegiate grade. We arfc con- vinced that the policy of the society is wise in not attempting to locate any more institutions of advanced grade, but as rapidly as possible to develop those already founded and secure endow- ments for their permanent support. The great necessity is that the Church shall rally more thoroughly to the support of the society, so that its schools may have better equipments and larger facilities in educating the multitudes who turn their faces toward the centers of Christian learning. We commend Little Rock University to the immediate and favorable consideration of the Board of Managers of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Edu- cation Society, that it may be reopened as soon as local considera- tions shall warrant. We also recommend, as a general rule, that the theological de- partments of the society's schools be located so as to command the advantage in equipment and collateral instructions of the School of Liberal Arts. 2. Character and work of our schools. We are glad that the schools of this society are engaged in a very beneficent work; that although they do not fully reach the ideal in the minds and plans of their founder, nor of the administrators of this great trust, they are approaching perfection of service as rapidly as their environment and the means in hand will permit. The re- port of the society to the General Conference reveals these en- couraging facts, namely: There are 219 students preparing for the ministry, 285 for the practice of medicine, 12 for the practice of dentistry, 16 of pharmacy, and 6 of law, while 482 are students of instrumental music, 7 of art, and 688 in normal classes pre- paring to be teachers. In commercial courses of study there are 1,853, and in manual training and trade schools 1,549. Thus we find that the entire enrollment of 5,207, or about sixty per cent, are preparing to be teachers among their people. It is evidently the object, and should be the constant effort, of this society to prepare truly cultured and Christian leaders for the people repre- sented in these schools throughout the South. We notice, further, that there are in collegiate and academic courses of study 1896.] On Freedmerts Aid and Southern Education Society. 411 6,741 students. Taking this number from the total enrollment, there remains 1,984 who are below the academic grade in their studies. Some of these are in the modeL schools, which are a nec- essary feature of normal work. Some are attending schools which are self-supporting, while many are from communities where they do not have public school privileges, or are of an age which excludes them from public schools. All these classes we must care for so far as Ave can, but we are of the opinion that the money of the society ought not to be used to give instruction to those who can be as well or better taught in the - public schools. Third Quadrennial Report. The report, in the statement of the character and extent of the general work of the society, is encouraging and calls for grati- tude. The indebtedness of the society calls for rigid economy in all departments of the work. The report in its entirety proves that some vigorous measures ought to be instituted which will promptly increase the revenues of the society. Your Committee recommends that at the Annual Conference the Bishop ask in open session of each presiding elder, " Have you urged in the Quarterly Conferences the collections in full for all the benevolent causes V " The increased evidence of advancement in the way of self- support among the colored people is most gratifying, and we recommend that increased powers be granted to the local boards in the management of the schools in the ratio of the contribu- tions made by local patrons for their sustenance, and that sub- stantial control be granted to these local boards when the schools they represent shall become safely self-supporting. We urge upon all our people the necessity of informing them- selves concerning the history, character, and demands of this work as an inspiration to intelligent and patriotic giving. Report No. III. Journal, page 295. Your Committee submits the following report: If the future is to be gauged by the past, and duty to be esti- mated by achievements already secured, then every vestige of doubt as to the necessity for the continuance of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the South should be at once and forever re- moved. We challenge the history of the Christian Church for a parallel in uplifting and developing socially, intellectually, mor- ally, and spiritually masses of people whose condition was so help- less and whose future was so dark. Figures render but small service to the myriads of people untouched by grace in the vast territory of the South. Let your thoughts rest for a few moments upon these States — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisi- ana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas — and we are at once impressed with the vastness of this field. In this entire territory in 1861 we did not have a school, 412 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. church, or member. To-day we have 254,211 members and a property worth $3,541,090. When we add to these results our advancement in the border States of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Virginia, and West Virginia, and in the District of Columbia — where in 1866 we had 114,201 members, and in 1894 we had increased to 293,192 — we have a grand total of membership in the South of 547,403. In the border States we have increased the value of our prop- erty from $2,108,245 in 1861, to $11,274,954 in 1894. Adding this to the value of our property in the farther South, we have a total in church and parsonage property of $14,816,641. Add to this our school property in the same territory, $3,005,489, and this gives us a grand total of $17,822,133. This increase is most wonderful, encouraging, and prophetic. We call your attention to an interesting fact noted in the United States census for 1890. In this same territory the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, had a membership of 1,185,227, and we had 523,525. The church property of the Church South, $17,775,819; our property, $12,531,585. The Methodist Episcopal Church is not a menace to other com- munions in the South, but a grand inspiration, infusing new life into communities otherwise dead and deserted. The late Bishop Hay good, out of the manifold virtues of his generous heart, said: " It would be a bad thing for the South if the Methodist Episco- pal Church should dissolve all its Southern Conferences. . . . I told the people at Chautauqua in 1883 to take fresh hold, that the work would require a hundred years." Again he writes: "As to undertaking to do church work for these millions of Negroes, no Church in the South is in position financially or morally to do it. This I know — let such as wish to contradict the statement do so. Would to God the Methodist Episcopal Church could do more for the evangelization of the Negro ! " Our most encouraging report is from our educational institu- tions in the South. It is very evident that there is being devel- oped a spirit of enterprise, thrift, and self-help gratifying to those engaged in this work supervised by the society we repre- sent. Last year the colored students contributed toward their own support for tuition, room rent, board bills, and books, $73,059.92. This amount does not include clothing, traveling, and other incidental expenses of the 4,845 pupils from twenty- two different institutions. Add this other fact, that $8,584 was raised by collections from our sixteen colored Conferences for the society, and we have the imposing total of $81,643.92 contributed by our colored students and people for their own education in the schools of their own Church. These are prophecies of greater things in the future, for with every quadrennium a grand army of teachers goes forth to instruct and elevate and develop a purer civilization. IS 96.] On Temperance and Prohibition of Liquor Traffic. 413 Our work in the South is just begun — the darkness is passing, there is a glow in the East. It would be the height of folly not to wait until the sunrise. The permanency of our sojourn is indi- cated by the schools that have been founded, the churches that have been planted, and the army of 550,000 communicants, 20,000 Sunday school teachers, with a church property worth, 113,000,000, and $4,000,000 more of school property, with 10,000 students. This is a foundation upon which we may prophesy victory and final triumph. The Methodist Episcopal Church is needed in the South, and must advance in the spirit of the Master, without fear, until, through the agency of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Educa- tion Society, this vast multitude, both colored and white, shall have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The success of this society commends it to the unqualified sup- port of the entire Church, for by it and through it success must be secured. We are in the South to stay. Teachers are being multiplied, preachers are being educated, and a more intelligent piety pre- vails. Thus gradually multitudes are being elevated intellectu- ally, morally, socially. Retreat ? Never, until the continent shall be filled up with the glory of God, and " instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." ON TEMPERANCE AND PROHIBITION OF THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC. Report No. L Journal, page 287. Maintaining the high position in respect to temperance and prohibition that the Methodist Episcopal Church has so long occupied, we emphasize as indicating our attitude as a Church the following Declaration of Principles: 1. That total abstinence from intoxicating beverages is the duty of every individual. 2. That the liquor traffic is a business at once injurious, im- moral, and antagonistic to every interest of the Church of God. 3. We condemn the license feature of all statutes by which money is accepted for the legal protection of an immoral traffic. 4. In accepting money for such a purpose the government, whether national, State, county, or municipal, becomes a partner in a business justly declared to be an enemy of God and of man. 6. That the Christian's only proper attitude toward the liquor traffic is that of relentless hostility, and that all members of the Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Methodist Episcopal Church who enjoy the elective franchise should so use that solemn trust as to promote the rescue of our country from the guilt and dishonor which have been brought upon it by a criminal complicity with the liquor traffic. The Saloon and Civic Righteousness. Civic righteousness, which now claims and receives so large a share of public attention, demands the extirpation of a traffic so fruitful of corruption in every department of civil government. The time has come when all good citizens should unite for har- monious and aggressive action, to the end that all legislation re- lating to this subject — whether municipal, State, or national — should advance steadily and firmly toward the utter extermina- tion of the traffic. We adopt the declaration of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, that " the pronounced and stupendous need of the hour to meet this enemy of everything American and Christian is an aroused Church, consecrated to the extermination of the traffic." Recommendations. 1. That at each session of every Annual Conference there shall be held, wherever practicable, under the auspices of the Confer- ence Temperance Society or Committee, a Conference anniversary or mass meeting in the interest of temperance and prohibition. 2. That we approve the object of the American Antisaloon League, as expressed in its constitution, and that we watch with interest and prayer its efforts to suppress the saloon, that we cooperate with such League so far as is consistent with our avowed principles of legal prohibition, and that we authorize the permanent Committee on Temperance and Prohibition to appoint delegates to the annual conventions of said League. 3. That in harmony with the action of other religious bodies the fourth Sunday in November in each year, or some proximate day, be observed as Temperance Sunday in all our churches by providing, under the direction of the pastor, addresses and other exercises suited to inculcate the principles of temperance and prohibition. 4. That full and careful attention be given in all our Sunday schools to the regular quarterly temperance lesson. 5. That through our Board of Bishops we memorialize the National Congress, asking, in the name of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, that the government of the United States so adjust its Internal Revenue laws as not to seem to legalize the traffic in ardent spirits in sections of the Union where prohibitory laws exist. 6. That while disclaiming all responsibility for the existence of laws legalizing and protecting the liquor traffic, our people should aid in the enforcement of all restrictions and prohibitions found in statutes and ordinances of States and municipalities where the traffic is in any way legalized. 1896.] On Epworth League., 415 Scientific Temperance Instruction. We favor the giving of scientific temperance instruction re- lating to the physiological effects of alcohol and other narcotics as now required by the laws of nearly every State in the Union, and we recommend the giving of such instruction in all the schools of the Church, whether they be literary institutions, Sunday schools, or mission schools. Report No. II. Journal, page 287. Having considered the report of the permanent Committee on Temperance and Prohibition, your Committee respectfully reports: 1. That the permanent committee has acted in harmony with the object of its appointment, and we recommend that it be con- tinued with the same powers as heretofore, and for the ensuing four years it be composed of the following persons: A. J. Kvnett, J. B. Graw, S. W. Gehrett, A. B. Leonard, J. G. Evans, LB. Wilson, W. W. Evans, G. W. Todd, W. H. Maxwell, E. D. Whitlock, Samuel Dickie, J. W. Hamilton, A. J. Nast, C. H. Payne, and C. M. Boswell. 2. That the General Conference recommends to each Annual Conference the appointment of a permanent committee auxiliary to the permanent Committee of the General Conference. 3. That in every district of each Annual Conference a com- mittee be appointed, of which the presiding elder shall be chair- man, with instructions to cooperate with the permanent commit- tee of the Conference, such district committee to be appointed by the permanent Committee on Temperance of the Annual Con- ference. 4. That the Committee on Temperance of each Quarterly Con- ference be recommended to promote such organization of the members of the church and congregation as may be practicable for cooperation in each church, under the direction of the pastor and Quarterly Conference, with the permanent Committees of the District and Annual Conferences. 5. We recommend that collections be taken on Temperance Sunday, to be divided as follows: One fourth to the General Conference Committee. One fourth to the Annual Conference Committee. One half to the Quarterly Conference Committee. 2. SPECIAL. ON EPWORTH LEAGUE. Report No. II. Journal, page 295. Whereas, The Epworth League movement is still largely un- developed in the territory covered by the eighteen colored Con- ferences of our Church ; and, 27 416 Journal of the General Conference. [189G. Whereas, We believe that the organization of our work in that field can best be secured by the appointment of an assistant general secretary, whose mission it shall be to organize, develop, and supervise the work among the two hundred and sixty-three thousand members of our Church in the Conferences aforesaid; therefore, Resolved, That we recommend that the General Conference authorize the Board of Control to select such assistant general secretary and place him in the field aforesaid at the earliest pos- sible moment ; it being understood that such action is to meet the needs of a special work, and that such assistant secretary is to operate under the direction of the General Secretary of the League. Report No. IV. Journal, page 280. Your Committee recommends that Article 4, paragraph 325, of the Discipline be changed so as to read: " The management of the League shall be vested in the Board of Control, to consist (1) of fifteen members appointed by the Bishops, one of whom shall be a Bishop, who shall be President of the Epworth League and of the Board of Control, (2) and of one member from each General Conference District, to be chosen at the General Conference by the delegates of the Annual and Electoral Conferences comprised in the several General Con- ference Districts. The Board of Control shall meet twice in each quadrennium." Report No. V. Journal, page 295. Your Committee, to whom was referred certain memorials on fraternity with the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, respectfully reports as follows: The need and demand for the Epworth League as a distinctively denominational young people's society have been fully demon- strated by its wonderful growth and healthful influence in all de- partments of our Church work. We believe there is as much reason for a denominational young people's society as for a de- nominational Sunday school or a denominational church. We are ready for fraternal cooperation in the broad work in which all Christians unite, and in which each society preserves its identity and does its special work in its own way. We favor fraternal local unions with all young people where such local unions do not take the name of any one society. We cannot, therefore, consent that Epworth Leagues shall become known in such unions as Epworth Leagues of Christian Endeavor, as asked by the memorials, since we have been constituted by the General Con- ference as Epworth Leagues of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Cherishing most friendly feeling for all, we deprecate any plan which would tend to attract our young people away from our own peculiar forms of work. 1896.] On Eligibility. 417 ON ELIGIBILITY. Report No. I. Journal, page 121. Your Committee on Eligibility respectfully submits the follow- ing report: We agree on the following points: 1. That the question of eligibility is a constitutional question. 2. That the General Conference has full power, in its judicial capacity, to interpret the Constitution, the question being raised on a case which properly invokes the judicial function. 3. That the terms of paragraph 62 are such as to admit of serious doubt, and raise questions on which your Committee is unable to agree. AYe therefore recommend for your consideration, first, that under paragraph 6S the General Conference act upon the follow- That section 2, paragraph 67, be altered by striking out all the words in said section following the word " provided," in the fifth line of said section, and substitute the following: " That no person shall be chosen a delegate to the General Con- ference, or to an Electoral Conference, who shall be under twenty-five years of age, or who shall not have been a member of the Church in full connection for the five consecutive years pre- ceding the election; and provided, also, that no Conference shall be denied the privilege of one ministerial and one lay delegate; provided, nevertheless, that where there shall be in any Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Conference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such fraction," so that the entire section shall read: " § 2. The General Conference shall not allow more than one ministerial representative for every fourteen members of an Annual Conference, nor of a less number than one for every forty-five; nor of more than two lay delegates for any Annual Conference; provided, that no person shall be chosen a delegate to the General Conference, or to an Electoral Conference, who shall be under twenty-five years of age, or who shall not have been a member of the Church in full connection for the five consecutive years preceding the election; and provided, also, that no Con- ference shall be denied the privilege of one ministerial and one lay delegate; provided, nevertheless, that where there shall be in any Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Conference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such fraction." Resolved, 1. That the foregoing having received a majority of two thirds of this General Conference, the Bishops be and are hereby instructed to submit to the several Annual Conferences, at their first sessions following the adjournment of this General Conference, the foregoing alteration of section 2 of paragraph 67, 418 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. for the concurrence of the members of said Annual Conferences; and if it shall be found that a majority of three fourths of all the members of the several Annual Conferences concur in such altera- tion, they shall declare the fact through the official papers of the Church, proclaiming that section 2 of paragraph 67 has been amended as above, in accordance with the provision of paragraph 68 of the Discipline. 2. That in consideration of the general desire for the early and final settlement of the whole question, and in view of the pro- posed submission to the Annual Conferences, we recommend that no formal decision of the question of eligibility be made at this time. The challenge not having been judicially passed upon, those occupying the seats in question do so under a title in dispute, yet without prejudice to the rights of either challengers or challenged, and without establishing a precedent. ON JUDICIARY. Report No. I. Journal, page 297. The Committee recommends that paragraph 216, sections 1, 3, 6, and 7, be so changed as to read: 1" 216, § 1. In the interval between the sessions of the Annual Conference the presiding elder shall call not less than five nor more than nine members of the Conference to investigate the case, and, if possible, bring the accused and accuser face to face. He shall preside throughout the proceedings, and shall certify and declare the verdict of the committee, and he shall cause a correct record of the charges, specifications, proceedings, and evidence in the investigation to be kept and transmitted to the Annual Conference. § 3. If in either of the above cases of investigation the ac- cused, after due notice given him, shall refuse or neglect to ap- pear before the committee, the investigation shall proceed in his absence. If in either case the charge be sustained, the accused shall be suspended by the committee from all ministerial services and church privileges until the ensuing Annual Conference, at which his case shall be fully considered and determined upon, etc. § 6. An Annual Conference may entertain and try charges against its members, though no investigation upon them has been held, or though an investigation has not resulted in suspension, due notice having been given to the accused. § 7. In both the investigation and the trial of the minister witnesses from without shall not be rejected, and the testimony of an absent witness may be taken before the preacher in charge where such witness resides, or before a preacher appointed by the presiding elder of the district within which such witness re- sides; provided, in every case, sufficient notice has been given to the adverse party of the time and place of taking such testimony. 18 96. J On Judiciary. 419 Report No. II. Journal, page 297. Your Committee has considered the recommendations of the Bishops referred to this Committee, and begs leave to recommend the following for adoption: That paragraph 214 of the Discipline be changed to read as follows: % 214. A Bishop shall have the right of appeal to the ensuing General Conference, if he signify his intention to appeal within three months of the time when he is informed of his conviction. And in case of an appeal the record of the trial and all the docu- ments relating to the case, including the charges and specifica- tions, shall be transmitted to the ensuing General Conference, which record and documents only shall be used in evidence in the trial of the appeal. The General Conference may, at its discretion, hear the appeal of a Judicial Committee of its own number. That paragraph 217 be changed to read as follows: 217. Any traveling or local preacher who shall hold religious services within the bounds of any mission, circuit, or station, when requested by the preacher in charge not to hold such serv- ices, shall be deemed guilty of imprudent conduct, and shall, after the admonitions ordered in paragraphs 218 and 233, and if he do not refrain from such conduct, be liable to charges and in- vestigation or trial under such rules and regulations as are pro- vided in our Book of Discipline for these several classes of preachers. A local preacher offending against this provision may be tried on the charge where the offense is committed. That paragraph 220 be changed to read as follows: % 220. When a minister disseminates, publicly or privately, doctrines which are contrary to our Articles of Religion or estab- lished standards of doctrine, let the same process be observed as is directed in paragraph 216, section 1; but if, after the charge is sustained, the minister so offending does solemnly engage to the Committee of Investigation not to disseminate such erroneous doctrines in public or private, the committee may waive suspen- sion, that the case may be laid before the next Annual Confer- ence, which shall determine the matter. That paragraph 221 be changed to read as follows: If 221. When^ a member of any Annual Conference, in the interval between the sessions of his Conference, declines or ceases to do the work to which he was duly appointed, except for the reasons indicated in paragraph 159, let the presiding elder pro- ceed as directed in paragraph 216, section 1. If the presiding elder fail to do this, he shall account therefor to the next Annual Conference. That paragraph 223, section 2, be changed to read as fol- lows : 1" 223, § 2. Errors or defects in judicial proceedings shall be 420 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. duly considered when presented on appeal. But errors of law or administration connected with investigations under paragraph 216, and errors of law made by a presiding elder in cases of appeal to a Quarterly Conference, are to be corrected by the president of the next Annual Conference on appeal in open ses- sion, and the Conference may also order just and suitable remedies for the injury resulting from such errors. That paragraph 223, section 3, be changed to read as follows: T 223, § 3. Errors of administration not connected with judi- cial proceedings may be presented in writing to the Annual Con- ference for its judgment thereon, and the Conference may also order just and suitable remedies when the rights of ministers or members of the Church have been injuriously affected by such errors. That the following shall be added at the end of paragraph 224: " When a minister is tried on a charge of immorality, and the Conference or the select number shall find that this charge is not sustained by the evidence, but that the minister has been proven guilty of ' high imprudence and unministerial conduct,' it may declare this fact, and subject the offender to reproof, suspension, or deprivation of ministerial office and credentials." That in paragraph 224, section 3, insert after the word " pro- ceedings" in the third line of page 127 these words, " duly sub- scribed by the president and secretary of the select number." That paragraph 230 shall be changed to read as follows: T 230. When a local preacher (ordained or unordained) is re- ported to be guilty of some crime expressly forbidden in the word of God, sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom of grace and glory, the preacher in charge shall call a Committee of Investigation, consisting of three or more local preachers, before which it shall be the duty of the accused to appear, and by which, if the charge is sustained, he shall be suspended from all ministerial services and church privileges until the next District or Quarterly Conference. If the accused refuse or neglect to appear before said committee, the investigation may proceed in his absence. And the preacher in charge shall cause exact minutes of the charges, testimony, and proceedings in the investi- gation, together with the decision of the committee, to be laid before the District or Quarterly Conference, where it shall be the duty of the accused to appear for trial. That paragraph 231 be changed to read as fo.llows: 231. Should the Conference order a trial, its president shall appoint a secretary, who shall make a correct record of the pro- ceedings and evidence in the case, and if the accused be found guilty, the Conference shall affix a penalty to the offense, accord- ing to paragraph 193. That the following be added at the end of paragraph 23S: " But if, in view of mitigating circumstances and of humble and penitent confession, the committee finds that a lower penalty 1896.] On Judiciary. 421 is proper, it may either impose censure on the offender or suspend him from all Church privileges for a definite time, at its discre- tion." That the following be placed after paragraph 245, and num- bered 246: If 246. If in the case of debt or dispute one of the parties is a minister, the duties laid on the preacher in charge in the fore- going paragraph shall be performed by the presiding elder of the minister concerned. If both are ministers, the presiding elder of either may act in the case. That the number of paragraph 246 be changed to 247, and the number of paragraph 247 be changed to 248. That the number of paragraph 248 be changed to 249, and said paragraph to read as follows: 249. In all cases of trial of members let all witnesses for the church be duly notified by the preacher in charge. The order concerning absent witnesses and witnesses from without shall be the same as that observed in the trial of ministers. The ac- cused shall have the right to call to his assistance as counsel any member or minister in good and regular standing in the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. That the following be stricken out of the Discipline: * 249. If in any of the above mentioned cases the preacher in charge differs in judgment from the majority of the committee concerning the guilt or innocence of the accused, he may refer the case to the ensuing Quarterly Conference, which shall have authority to order a new trial. That paragraph 257 be changed to read as follows: 1" 257. A Bishop shall preside in the Judicial Conference, and shall decide all questions of law arising in its proceedings, subject to an appeal to the General Conference. The Conference shall appoint a secretary, who shall keep a faithful record of all the proceedings, and shall at the close of the trial transmit the records made and the papers submitted in the case, or certified copies thereof, to the Secretary of the preceding General Conference, to be filed and preserved with the papers of that body. But if the case be remanded for a new trial, the papers submitted shall be returned to the Secretary of the Annual Conference of which the accused is a member. That paragraph 258 be changed to read as follows: •[ 258. In all cases of trial and conviction of members of the Annual Conference, an appeal shall be allowed to a Judicial Con- ference, constituted as hereinbefore provided, if the condemned person signify his intention to appeal within three months of the time when he is informed of his conviction. That in paragraph 260, for the following: "It may affirm or reverse the finding and decision of the Annual Conference, or affirm in part and reverse in part; but it shall not reverse the same nor remand the case for a new trial on account of errors 422 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. plainly not affecting the result," substitute the following: "It may reverse, in whole or in part, the findings of the Annual Con- ference, or it may remand the case for a new trial. It may deter- mine what penalty, not higher than that affixed by the Annual Conference, shall be imposed. If it neither reverse in whole or in part the judgment of the Annual Conference, nor remand the case for a new trial, the judgment of the Annual Conference shall stand. But it shall not reverse the judgment nor remand the case for a new trial on account of errors plainly not affecting the result." That paragraph 261 be changed to read as follows: T 261. Appeals from an Annual Conference in the United States not easily accessible may, at the discretion of the presi- dent thereof, be heard by a Judicial Conference selected from among the more accessible Conferences. Appeals from an An- nual or Mission Conference not in the United States may be heard — at the discretion of the Bishop in permanent charge thereof, due reference being had to the rights and interests of all concerned — either by a Judicial Conference called by said Bishop from neigh- boring foreign Conferences, or by a Judicial Conference called by him to meet at or near New York, or by the General Conference through a special Judicial Committee appointed for the purpose. That paragraph 264 be changed to read as follows: 1" 264. In case of condemnation the local preacher shall be allowed to appeal to the next Annual Conference; provided, that he signify to the District or Quarterly Conference his determina- tion to appeal; in which case the president of the District or Quarterly Conference shall lay the minutes .of the trial before the said Annual Conference, at which the local preacher so ap- pealing may appear; and the said Annual Conference, by a select number, as in the case of accused members thereof, or in full ses- sion, shall judge and finally determine the case from the minutes of the said trial so laid before them. Note. — For appeals of local preachers from judgments of the Annual Meeting of a Foreign Mission, see paragraph 343. That paragraph 265 be changed to read as follows: 265. If there be a murmur of complaint from any excluded person in any of the above-mentioned instances (paragraphs 237- 248) that justice has not been done, he, not having absented himself from trial after due notice was given him, shall be al- lowed an appeal to the next Quarterly Conference, which shall hear and determine the case, and no member thereof having been a member of the committee for the trial of such person shall be permitted to vote on the case; and the preacher in charge shall present exact minutes of the evidence and proceedings of the trial to the Quarterly Conference, from which minutes the case shall be finally determined. And if, in the judgment of the presiding elder, an impartial trial cannot be had in the Quarterly Conference of the charge where the appellant resides, he shall, * 1890.] On Judiciary. 423 on the demand of either party, cause the appeal to be tried by any other Quarterly Conference within his district, after due notice to the complainant and appellant. Report No. V. Journal, page 283. Your Committee has had under consideration the matter of the appeal of Charles W. Price from the decision of Bishop Thomas Bowman, made at the session of the Ohio Annual Conference in the year 1892, and respectfully reports as follows: Charles W. Price, a member of the Iliff Society, Rossville Cir- cuit, Ohio Conference, was charged, among other things, with immoral conduct, to wit, lying. Upon this charge he was con- victed and expelled from the Church. He took an appeal to the Quarterly Conference. Five members of said Conference had signed the charges on which he was tried in the court below, and two members of said Conference were witnesses against him in the court below. At the trial before the Quarterly Conference (J. T. Miller, presiding elder) Mr. Price made a motion to not allow the five persons who had preferred the charges against him and the two persons who had been witnesses against him in the court be- low to vote upon the case, and that they be ordered to retire from consideration of the same. This motion the presiding elder overruled, to which ruling Price excepted, and the charge being sustained, appealed to the Bishop of the Ohio Annual Conference. Bishop Bowman, presiding, sustained the ruling of the presid- ing elder, and held that all members of said Quarterly Confer- ence who had signed said charges had a right to vote on the guilt or innocence of said Price, to which ruling said Price, through his counsel, excepted, and thereafter perfected an appeal from said decision to the General Conference. Your Committee is of the opinion that the decision was erro- neous, and it recommends that the decision be reversed, and that the case be remanded for a new trial by the Quarterly Confer- ence. Report No. VI. Journal, page 283. Your Committee has carefully examined the records and docu- ments in the matter of the appeal of the Rev. John D. Knox, of Kansas Conference, from the action of said Conference in strik- ing his name from the Conference roll, and reports as follows: The records do not disclose any withdrawal from said Confer- ence by said John D. Knox, and we are of opinion that the action of ^aid Conference in striking his name from the Conference roll tras made under a misapprehension of the facts in the case, and without authority of law. Your Committee therefore recommends that his name be re- stored to the rolls of said Conference, without prejudice, so that he may be required to answer any charge that may be brought against him arising out of the matter in question. 424 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Report No. VII. Journal, page 283. Your Committee has had under consideration the matter of the alleged appeal of S. S. Benedict, a member of West Wisconsin Conference, from certain rulings of Bishop C. H. Fowler, and re- spectfully reports as follows: The alleged appeal is in the form of a written statement, signed by the appellant only, and dated April 24, 1896. The statement recites that one A. J. Davis, a presiding elder in said Conference, was guilty of maladministration while presi- dent of the Quarterly Conference of Marshfield Charge, at a meeting held on a date not given. None of the acts, rulings, and decisions alleged to have been made by said Davis, and which were the basis of the charge and specifications claimed to have been subsequently presented to Bishop Fowler, are shown by any journal, record, or certificate of the proceedings of such Quarterly Conference, nor by any tran- script of the same. It is claimed in the statement that the alleged charges were presented to Bishop Fowler, at his room, during the session of the said Annual Conference of 1894; that the alleged rulings of the Bishop were then and there rendered orally ; and that the state- ment contains no record whatever of such rulings or of the rea- sons given therefor, except as they appear in the words of the appellant recited from memory alone. It is not claimed that such charges were presented to the said Annual Conference, or that any action thereon was taken by the Bishop while presiding over such Conference. Your Committee is of the opinion that the statement does not constitute a proper appeal within the meaning of the premises of the Discipline relating to cases of alleged maladministration, and that it is both unjust and unfair to our Bishops to subject their decisions to judicial review without setting forth some authorita- tive statement setting forth the exact question presented to them and the precise ruling made thereon. We therefore recommend that the matter be dismissed without further action. Report No. VIII. Journal, pages 284, 293. In the matter of the appeal of Joseph Pullman, a respected member of New York East Conference, from the decision of Bishop Merrill, your Committee respectfully reports as follows: When what is known as the Hamilton Amendment to the Second Restrictive Rule was before New York East Conference, a motion was made that the Conference refuse to vote on the proposed amendment. Joseph Pullman objected to the motion as illegal, and appealed to Bishop Merrill, presiding, to decide the legality of the motion. Bishop Merrill decided that the motion was in order and legal. From this decision Joseph Pullman appealed to the General Con- 1896.] On Judiciary. 425 ference. The above statement of the ease is gathered from a paper signed and presented by said Pullman. The appeal is not accompanied by a transcript of the Journal of said Conference relating to the case. We therefore recommend that the subject of the paper be dis- missed. Report No. IX. Journal, page 283. In the matter of the memorial of David H. Laney, a local elder in the Missouri Conference, for restoration of legal rights, your Committee respectfully reports as follows: Mr. Laney was tried on a charge of dishonesty by a Committee of Investigation in the church at Savannah, Mo., and being found guilty was suspended. Upon trial in the District Conference he was found guilty and expelled. On appeal to the Missouri An- nual Conference it would appear that the select number dis- missed the appeal in the absence of the appellant, and without giving him or his counsel any opportunity to appear before them and present the case. It is due to the select number to state that their action was based partly on the fact that the records of the trial did not show on their face any exceptions taken. It is also due to Mr. Laney to state that he claims that the record before the select number was not correct; that the preacher in charge, who was also secretary of the District Conference before whom he was on trial, had possession of the records, and refused to allow him to make a transcript thereof, to the end that he could perfect his appeal to the Annual Conference. It would also ap- pear from the best evidence obtainable that the Secretary of the Missouri Conference did not retain possession of what few papers were before the select number, and that the same cannot now be found, thereby rendering it impossible for Mr. Laney to present his appeal in due form of law. The above statement of facts is based partly upon the recollection of Bishop Goodsell, presiding- Bishop at said Conference, and partly upon the statement of counsel for said Laney. Your Committee is of the opinion that Mr. Laney exercised due diligence in trying to get his appeal properly before the Annual Conference, but that he was practically denied this right by a suppression of the papers and records of the case. Your Committee would therefore recommend that the case be referred back to the District Conference, and that the said David H. Laney be restored to the rights and privileges of an expelled member seeking to appeal. Report No. X. Journal, page 282. Your Committee, to whom was referred the following: "Re- solved, That the Judiciary Committee be requested to consider the following question and report on Monday next: 'If so much of an Annual Conference be set apart that the remaining territory 426 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. contains a less number of ministers than is required to constitute an Annual Conference, should this remaining territory be consti- tuted a Mission, or does it continue to be an Annual Confer- ence? ' " respectfully report that in our opinion such territory ' continues to be an Annual Conference. ON DEACONESSES. Report No. I. Journal, page 298. We recommend the following, to be adopted as the chapter on " Deaconesses " in the Discipline, to take the place of Chapter II, part 4, paragraphs 201-206: % 201. In all Annual Conferences a Conference Deaconess Board of nine members, at least three of whom shall be women, shall be appointed by the Conference for such term of service as the Conference may decide, whose duty it shall be to encourage and promote the establishment and support of Deaconess Homes and to exercise general control of this form of Christian work within the Conference, according to the provisions of this chap- ter. This Board shall furnish annually to the Annual Conference a statement of the number of deaconesses in each Home, how employed, and the amount of money received and how expended, and such other statistics as the Annual Conference may require. IT 202. Each candidate for license as a deaconess must be over twenty-five years of age and recommended by the Quarterly Conference of the church of which she is a member, and, when coming from a training institution or Home, by the superintend- ent or managers of the same. She must also have given two years of continuous probationary service and have passed a satisfactory examination by the Conference Board as to religious qualifica- tion and in the Course of Study prescribed for deaconesses by the Bishops. 203. The Conference Board shall grant licenses to all women thus qualified and recommended, and shall arrange for their con- secration as deaconesses according to a uniform order of service prescribed by the Discipline, and shall report each year the names and work of such deaconesses to the Annual Conference, the approval of which shall be necessary for the continuance of any deaconess in her office. ^[ 204. The duties of a deaconess are to minister to the poor, care for the sick, provide for the orphan, comfort the sorrowing, seek the wandering, save the sinning, and, relinquishing all other pursuits, devote herself to these and other forms of Christian labor. No vow of perpetual service shall be exacted from any deaconess. She shall be at liberty to relinquish her position as such at any time, but while engaged in this voluntary service she shall be entitled to a suitable support. She shall also wear 1896.] On General Conference District Boundaries. 427 the distinctive costume prescribed by the Home with which she is connected, and it is recommended that this garb be as uniform as practicable throughout the Church. ■ 205. Each deaconess not in a Home shall be under the di- rection of the pastor of the church of which she is a member, who shall certify to her character and standing when removing to a Home or to another charge; but those who are members of a Home shall be subordinate to and directed by the superintendent in charge, who shall certify in writing the character and standing of any deaconess removing to another Home or to another field of labor in which she is regularly employed. 1" 206. The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, the Woman's Home Missionary Society, and other benevolent societies of the Church may freely employ deaconesses and maintain Homes in the prosecution of their work, but without altering the relation of said deaconesses to the Church and the Conference within which they labor. 1" 207. No Home shall be recognized as a Methodist Deaconess Home until it be authorized by the Conference Board and ap- proved by the Annual Conference, and shall conform to the regu- lations of this chapter, and no person shall be recognized or em- ployed as a deaconess of the Methodist Episcopal Church who does not comply with the foregoing disciplinary requirements. 1" 208. The foregoing provisions, so far as they relate to An- nual Conferences, shall be applicable also to Mission Conferences and Missions. ON GENERAL CONFERENCE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. Report No. L Journal, page 276. First District. — East Maine, 4 ; Italy, 2 ; Maine, 4 ; New Eng- land, 8; New England Southern, 6 ; New Hampshire, 5 ; Ver- mont, 4; total, 33. Second District. — Delaware, 4 ; New York, 8 ; New York East, 9 ; Newark, 7 ; New Jersey, 7 ; Troy, 8 ; Wilmington, 6 ; total, 49. Third District. — Central New York, 7 ; Genesee, 8 ; Northern New York, 7 ; North India, 4 ; South India, 2 ; Wyoming, 7 ; total, 35. Fourth District. — Baltimore, 6 ; Central Pennsylvania, 8 ; Erie, 7 ; Pittsburg, 6 ; Philadelphia, 8 ; Washington, 5 ; West Virginia, 6 ; total, 46. Fifth District. — Central Ohio, 6 ; Cincinnati, 7; East Ohio, 8; Kentucky, 4 ; North Ohio, 6 ; North China, 2 ; Ohio, 7 ; South America, 2 ; total, 42. Sixth District. — Alabama, 2 ; Atlanta, 2 ; Blue Ridge, 2; Cen- tral Tennessee, 2 ; East Tennessee, 2 ; Florida, 2 ; Georgia, 2 ; Holaton, 4 ; North Carolina, 2 ; Savannah, 2; South Carolina, 5 ; St. John's River, 2 ; Virginia, 2 ; total, 31. 428 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Seventh District. — Detroit, 9; Indiana, 9; Lexington, 4; Michigan, 9 ; Northwest Indiana, 5 ; North Indiana, 7 ; total, 43. Eighth District. — Central Illinois, 7 ; Des Moines, 7 ; Iowa, 6 ; Northwest Iowa, 6 ; Rock River, 9; Upper Iowa, 7; total, 42. Ninth District. — Bombay, 2 ; Central Swedish, 2; Minnesota, 5; Northern Minnesota, 5 ; North Dakota, 2; Norway, 2 ; Nor- wegian and Danish, 2 ; South Dakota, 4 ; Western Swedish, 2 ; West Wisconsin, 5 ; Wisconsin, 6 ; total, 37. Tenth District. — Colorado, 4 ; Japan, 2 ; Liberia, 2 ; Ne- braska, 5 ; North Nebraska, 4 ; Northwest India, 2 ; Sweden, 4 ; West Nebraska, 4; Northwest Nebraska, 2 ; total, 29. Eleventh District. — Illinois, 9 ; Kansas, 5 ; Missouri, 5 ; Northwest Kansas, 4 ; Oklahoma, 2 ; Southern Illinois, 6 ; South Kansas, 5 ; Southwest Kansas, 5 ; St. Louis, 5 ; total, 46. Twelfth District. — Arkansas, 2 ; Central Alabama, 2 ; Central Missouri, 4 ; Austin, 2 ; Little Rock, 2 ; Louisiana, 5 ; Missis- " sippi, 4 ; Texas, 5 ; Tennessee, 2 ; Upper Mississippi, 4 ; West Texas, 4 ; total, 36. Thirteenth District. — Central German, 5; Chicago German, 4; California German, 2 ; East German, 2 ; Northern German, 2 ; Northwest German, 2; St. Louis German, 5 ; Southern German, 2 ; North Germany, 2 ; South Germany, 2 ; Switzerland, 2 ; West German, 4 ; total, 34. Fourteenth District. — California, 7 ; Columbia River, 4 ; Idaho, 2; Oregon, 4; Mexico, 2; Foo-Chow, 2; Bengal-Burmah, 2 ; Puget Sound, 4 ; Montana, 2 ; Southern California, 5 ; Western Norwegian-Danish, 2 ; total, 36. ON LAY REPRESENTATION. Report No. I. Journal, page 298. The Committee on Lay Representation begs leave to submit the following resolutions for adoption by the General Conference: Resolved, 1. That the General Conference hereby submits the following proposition to the Annual Conferences to be held in 1896 and 1897, to wit: To amend section 2, paragraph 67, of the Discipline, so that the section shall read as follows: "The Gen- eral Conference shall not allow of more than one ministerial representative for every fourteen members of an Annual Con- ference, nor of a less number than one for eveiy forty-five ; provided, nevertheless, that when there shall be at any Annual Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Annual Conference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such fraction ; and, provided, also, that there shall be from each Annual Conference lay delegates equal in number to the ministerial delegates ; and, provided, further, that no Conference shall be denied the privi- lege of one ministerial and one lay delegate." 1896.] On American Bible Society. 429 2. That if the General Conference shall recommend this by a two thirds vote, and it shall also receive the necessary recom- mendation of three fourths of the members of the several An- nual Conferences present and voting, then the Electoral Con- ferences in 1899 and 1900 may elect representatives in equal num- bers with the ministerial, and the General Conference of 1900 may provide for their admission. 3. That the Secretary of this General Conference send to the Secretaries of the Annual Conferences blank forms for certificates of the votes cast by the respective Conferences on this proposed change, and the Secretaries of the Annual Conferences are hereby directed to send the results of said vote immediately after it is ascertained to the Secretary of this General Conference and to the Secretary of the Board of Bishops. ON AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY. Report No. I. Journal, page 253. This venerable society has just issued its eightieth annual re- port, an abstract of which the Rev. Albert S. Hunt, D.D., one of its corresponding secretaries, has laid before your Committee. He has also given us much other information, both printed and oral. We learn that the receipts of the society for its general pur- poses during the quadrennium ending March 31, 1896, were $2,205,707.87. This includes $304,000 from a single legacy, the largest the society ever received, and it also includes $978,094.45 received in return for books supplied at the cost, or less than the cost, of manufacture. The disbursements of the society for gen- eral purposes during the same period were $2,125,632.27, or a yearly average of $531,408.18. The issues of the society for the four years amount to 6,173,933 volumes, there being a notable increase for each of these years. For the year ending March 31, 1893, the number was 1,394,863; for the year ending in 1896, 1,750,283 — a\net gain of over 355,000. Since its organization the society has issued 61,705,841 volumes. The contributions of the Methodist Episcopal Church to the so- ciety for the past quadrennial period do not, we regret to say, show an increase, but rather a decrease. They were as follows: 1892 $35,266 1893 35,444 1894 32,853 1895 29,937 Total $133,500 This total is $6,014 less than was reported for the preceding quadrennium. Small as is the total, it should be noted that it 430 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. includes all the reported contributions to the Bible cause, and about two thirds of these contributions were paid to the local auxiliaries and used upon their respective fields. There has been a great falling off in the contributions of our Church to the society in the past thirty years. In 1866 we gave $107,238; in 1871, $84,000; in 1895, only $30,000. While during these years we have greatly increased our contributions to our missionary and other societies, we have suffered our collections for the American Bible Society to dwindle to less than one third of what they were in 1866. This lamentable decrease is in no wise due to any diminution in the work and usefulness of the society. It publishes more vol- umes, circulates them more widely, and sends a far greater supply to the mission fields than ever before. It furnishes the Scriptures in about one hundred languages and dialects. Nearly every copy possessed by any foreign mission of our Church came from the American Bible Society. The work of the society in for- eign fields has grown to large dimensions. Not only does it freely make grants of books to our foreign missions, but it also makes appropriations of money for colportage in countries w r here its own agents are not established. Our Missionary Society has received for this purpose not less than $25,000 in the past four years. Last year the issue of volumes for all foreign fields ex- ceeded for the first time the issue for our own country. The cost of this part of the work was $176,799.54. In return, $46,- 029.51 was received from foreign lands. A study of the society's sources of income shows us that out- side of legacies, which are variable and uncertain, it received last year from investments about $27,000; from rents, $37,000; from individual gifts, $17,643; from church collections, $22,229; and from auxiliary donations, $27,159, making a total of $131,101. The appropriations for the coming year for foreign lands alone are $182,756. This proves abundantly that the widespread im- pression that the society is wealthy and does not need help is erroneous. It does need the support of the Churches, and unless this support is given its work will inevitably be curtailed. It is manifest that the contributions to the society ought to be increased. Our own Church ought at the very least to do twice as much during the coming as in the past quadrennium. We do not believe that there is lack of interest on the part of our Church in the work of the society. Each General Conference for the past half century has commended it and directed the pastors to take collections for it, but the multiplication of benevolences has pushed the claims of the society aside. We recommend for adoption the following resolutions: Resolved, 1. That this General Conference gives its hearty ap- proval to the American Bible Society. 2. That we regard it as a strong bond between evangelical Churches, doing the Bible work of all without denominational distinction. 1896.] On National Arbitration. 431 3. That its great work in foreign lands commends it to our support as a most efficient aid in the prosecution of foreign missions. 4. That we urge on all pastors not to omit the collection for the American Bible Society from the list of collections which they are charged to take, but to present to their congregations the duty of giving liberally for the support of this most worthy and important cause. ON NATIONAL ARBITRATION. Report No. I. Journal, page 273. Your Committee, to whom was committed the matter of na- tional arbitration, begs leave to submit the following, and to rec- ommend that copies of the same, duly signed by the President and Secretary of this body, be duly forwarded according to the directions subjoined: To the President of the United States of America: The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Cleveland assembled, wishes you grace, mercy, and peace. We, in cooperation with other Christian bodies, humbly memo- rialize you, as the guardian of your people, in behalf of peaceful arbitration as a means of settling questions that arise between nations. The spectacle that is presented of Christian nations facing each other with heavy armaments, ready upon provocation to go to war and settle their differences by bloodshed or conquest, is, to say the least, a blot upon the fair name of Christian. We cannot contemplate without the deepest sorrow the horrors of war, involving the reckless sacrifice of human life that should be held sacred, bitter distress in many households, the destruction of valuable property, the hindering of education and religion, and a general demoralizing of the people. Moreover, the maintaining of a heavy war force, though war be averted, withdraws multitudes from their homes and the use- ful pursuits of peace, and imposes a heavy tax upon the people for its support. And further, let it be borne in mind that wars do not settle causes of disputes between nations on principles of right and justice, but upon the barbaric principle of the triumph of the strongest. We are encouraged to urge this cause upon your consideration by the fact that much has already been accomplished; as, for ex- ample, the arbitration of Geneva in the Alabama case and by the deliberations of the American Conference of Washington, not to mention other important cases. It will be a happy day for the world when all international disputes find peaceful solutions, and this we earnestly seek. 28 432 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. As to the method of accomplishing this end, we make no sug- gestions, but leave that to your superior intelligence and wisdom in matters of State policy. We invoke upon ruler and people the richest blessings of the Prince of peace. Report No. II. Journal, page 292. Your Committee on National Arbitration, to whom was referred the memorial of Homer L. Perrin on the subject of the Armenian atrocities, begs leave to submit the following preamble and reso- lutions: Whereas, An exceeding great and bitter cry has gone up from Armenia, devastated, pillaged, and trampled under the iron heel of armed persecution, in which hundreds of our fellow-Christians have been murdered in cold blood, or, surviving, suffered name- less outrages; and, Whereas, This appeal comes to America with more significance, more deeply pathetic, and with intensely greater anguish of heart than did the " Macedonian cry " come up in the vision of St. Paul, and as that "cry was heard and heeded," so must this louder cry from stricken Armenia be heard and heeded; and, Whereas, The Methodist Episcopal Church, in her true mis- sionary spirit, has ever sought to carry the Gospel, with its peace- giving influence, into the uttermost parts of the world, and has always cast its influence and sympathy and support in behalf of the downtrodden and persecuted of every land and nation, and does now extend its tenderest ties of sympathy to these poor, stricken Armenians; but at the same time we must, as a Church, express our deep humiliation and sorrow that in this Christian and enlightened age there should be such apparent lack of inter- est or so much apathy shown by the civilized and so-called Chris- tian governments of Europe and America in taking no decisive action to stop this awful crime; therefore, be it Resolved, That the General Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, assembled in Cleveland, 0., May, 1896, does hereby petition Congress to pass a joint resolution at the earliest possible date authorizing the President of these United States to enter into negotiations with the European powers most directly inter- ested, with the view and to the end that such powers and govern- ments be requested in the name of humanity and civilization to take such united action as will forever put a stop to these atro- cious and shameful outrages. Resolved, further, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to both Houses of Congress immediately upon their adoption, and that said copies shall be signed by the President and Secretary of this body. 1896.] On Location of the General Conference of 1900. 433 ON LOCATION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1900. Report No. L Journal, page 295. Your Committee on the Location of the General Conference of 1900 begs leave to report that it is in receipt of invitations from Chicago, Kansas City, Ocean Grove, and Saratoga Springs ; that it finds it impossible from the facts before it to arrive at any definite conclusion as to the most de- sirable place at which the next General Conference should be held. There being many facts which should be determined before any definite conclusion can be intelligently reached, and there not being sufficient time to determine such facts before this General Conference shall have ad- journed, your Committee recommends the following: Resolved, 1. That the Book Committee shall constitute a permanent com- mission who shall have power, and are hereby directed, to make careful investigation of all the facts in connection with each place inviting the General Conference, and to determine which place shall be selected. 2. The Book Committee shall estimate the amount required for the ex- pense of the General Conference, including traveling expenses and board, and shall apportion the same among the Annual Conferences at as early a day as practicable, it being understood that no place shall be selected which does not guarantee to furnish suitable auditorium and committee rooms and to pay all local expenses. ON RECEPTION TO CONFERENCE. Journal, page 131. To the Honorable, the Mayor and City Council of Cleveland and Members of the Local Committee : Gentlemen: We, the undersigned, have been appointed by the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now in quadrennial ses- sion in your beautiful and prosperous city, to express the heartfelt grati- tude of that body toward you and the citizens of your magnificent city for the cordial welcome extended them, and especially for the most charm- ing and elegant manner in which that welcome was voiced and shown forth in the reception tendered us on the evening of the first day of our session. The great armory, which by your wisely matured and vigorous exe- cuted plans had been made ready for our meeting, was, on that evening, by the exquisite taste and loyal devotion of your good wives and daugh- ters made to blossom and breathe forth fragrance like some garden of the tropics. Your welcoming address, pulsating with a boundless wealth of hospit- able feeling, and voiced in such fervent, glowing terms of brotherly kind- ness and love, filled and thrilled all our hearts. The singing by the Arions and by Misses Armstrong and Hyde and Mr. Isen was to all lovers of good music a joy and a delight which will not soon be forgotten. For all your kind words and loving, fraternal deeds we most sincerely thank you, and we will ever pray that upon you and yours the richest blessings of Heaven may continue to descend, and that the already splendid commercial, social, educational achievement of your city may be multi- plied a hundredfold ! c. MANAGERS OF SOCIETIES. I . — Board of Managers of the Missionary Society. Journal, page 301. M. D'C. Crawford, A. S. Hunt, A. D. Vail, A. K. Sanford, J. B. Merwin, J. M. Buckley, G. G. Saxe, J. B. Graw, J. M. King, H. A. Buttz, C. S. Coit, E. L. Fancher, J. H. Taft, J. S. McLean, John French, 0. H. P. Archer, G. J. Terry, G. G. Reynolds, Lemuel Skidmore, J. D. Slayback, Anderson Fowler, E. B. Tuttle, Ministers. S. F. Upham, T. H. Burch, Andrew Longacre, J. F. Goucher, J. R. Day, C. S. Harrower, H. A. Monroe, B. M. Adams, D. R. Lowrie, Homer Eaton, George Abele, Laymen. Charles Scott, Alden Speare, P. A. Welch, W. H. Falconer, William Hoyt, J. M. Cornell, Richard Grant, H. W. Knight, A. H. DeHaven, J. A. Punderford, C. C. Corbin, C. R. Barnes, S. P. Hammond, E. W. Burr, S. 0. Benton, Ensign McChesney, C. H. Payne, E. S. Tipple, Herbert Welch, S. W. Thomas, W. M. Swindells. E. L. Dobbins, J. F. Rusling, J. E. Andrus, H. K. Carroll, J. S. Huyler, John Beattie, R. W. B. Goff, J. S. Berry, Archer Brown, D. F. Merritt. 2. — Board of Church Extension. Journal, page 301. T. C. Murphy, S. W. Thomas, H. J. Paxson, A. J. Kynett, W. C. Robinson, J. S. J. McConnell, W. M. Swindells, J. B. Graw, T. B. Neely, C. W. Buoy, J. M. Hinson, Ministers. W. L. McDowell, G. B. Wight, J. F. Crouch, J. F. Meredith, C. W. Bickley, Merritt Hulburd, William Downey, S. W. Gehrett, S. A. Heilner, Edmund Hewitt, R. W. Humphriss, S. M. Vernon, J. W. Sayers, W. A. Spencer, H. A. Monroe, J. A. Lippincott, F. B. Lynch, J. S. Hughes, J. R. T. Gray, C. M. Boswell, L. E. Barrett. 1896.] Managers of Societies. 435 James Long, W. G. Spencer, Joseph Thompson, L. G. Simon, D. W. Bartine, John Gillespie, J. E. James, J. W. Boughton, Thomas Bradley, T. L. De Bow, R. S. McCombs, Laymen. M. S. McCullough, Francis Magee, M. A. Rettew, George Kessler, J. B. Brenniser, S. K. Felton, J. F. Fox, C. W. Higgins, T. A. Redding, J. R. Senior, W. H. Senderlin, R. E. Pattison, A. Wakelin, William King, S. T. Fox, Jr., Jefferson Justice, J. A. Hudson, F. G. Elliott, John Gribbel, I. L. Conkling, R. L. Shetter. 3. — Board of Managers of the Sunday School Union. Journal, .page 301. Ministers. W. H. DePuy, G. H. Whitney, H. M. Simpson, W. C. Steele, J. C. Thomas, Alexander McLean, Alexander Craig, J. W. Ackerly, G. E. Strobridge, C R. Barnes, Asbury Lowrey. Joseph Longking, Ira Perego, B. F. Clark, E. S. Halsted, Daniel Denham, Thomas Nicholson, W. D. Cowan, T. Y. Kinne, L. P. Nostrand, R. R. Doherty, James McGee, F. M. North, Sandford Van Benschoten, S. H. Smith, W. L. Hoagland, H. F. Kastendieck, John Krantz, Jr., J. W. Johnston, Ernest Lyon, J. F. Dodd, E. L. Hoffecker, S. P. Cadman, Laymen. William Baldwin, C. W. Turner, E. Reinhart, R. S. Anderson, W. H. Beach, G. Waldo Smith, Joseph Fettretch, W. G. McDonald, John Beattie, A. S. Newman, William Graham. F. L. Wilson, F. M. Davenport, A. J. Civill, F. H. Carpenter, J. 0. Wilson, J. W. Campbell, J. L. Hartsock, Clark Wright, J. Y. Bates, R. E. Bell. Samuel Williams, J. V. Forster, C. W. Eichells, W. A. Stoney, C. A. Dunn, Charles Oluey, J. R. Joy, E. M. F. Miller, W. E. Drake, W. H. Wheeler. 4. — Board of Managers of the Tract Society. Journal, page 301. J. B. Faulks, Ichabod Simmons, Nicholas Vansant, W. W. Bowdish, Ministers. Daniel Halleron, F. B. Upham, C. E. Miller, C. M. Giffin, G. W. Miller, F. L. Wilson, A. B. Richardson, E. A. Noble, 436 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. V. W . l^oucn, 1. Li. Pouison, J. R. Bryan, H. A. Monroe, F. G. Howell, Fields Hermance r E. S. Osbon, L. R. Streeter, G. P. Mains, W. E. Ketcham, J. F. Dodd, G. C. Wilding, A. B. Sanford, J. I. Boswell, W. F. Burch, E. A. Blake, F. C. Iglehart, S. E. Simonson. C. W. Millard, E. A. Cunningham, Laymen. TIT-IT m Will] am Truslow, a. w . oourtney, L. Shanley Davis,. j. \j. r owier, \j. \j. jyioore, 1. 11. lilt, Hiram Merritt, G. M. Richardson, Samuel Sterling, ±i. a. ireat, William Balfour, w . a. Mcivmien, John Bentley, William Jackson, 1. A. Campbell, J. D. Felter, J. M. Bulwinkle, S. V. R. Ford, W. R. Walkley, Robert Lavery, Alex. Carmichel, Jr.,. N. A. Ulman, Frank Moss, G. F. Hadley, Richard Lavery, C. F. Jones, William Fenno, S. L. Russell, Bradford Rhodes, G. B. Class. M. H. Smith, Milton See, 5. — Board of Education. Journal, PAGE 301. Trustee to fill vacancy in the class whose term expires in 1900 : G. P. Hukell, of Oil City, Pa. Trustees of class expiring in 1908: Bishop J. F. Hurst, 0. H. Dur- rell, W. F. King, and J. D. Slayback. 6. — Board of Managers of the Freedmen's Aid and South- ern Education Society. Journal, page 301. J. M. Walden, R. S. Rust, Luke Hitchcock, Lewis Curts, T. H. Pearne, G. B. Johnson, J. N. Gamble, G. Wright, W. F. Mallalieu, D. A. Goodsell. Ministers. J. D. Walsh, A. J. Nast, Christian Golder, Joseph Courtney, William Runvan, J. F. Marley, D. H. Moore, H. C. Weakley, W. H. Hickman J. M. Shumpert, John Pearson, Laymen. F. D. Jones, W. F. Boyd, C. W. Bennett, B. H. Cowan, D. D. Woodmansee, H. C. Dickout, R. T. Miller, D. D. Thompson, J. H. De Camp. 7. — Board of Control of the Epworth League. Journal,, PAGE 301. (Appointed by the Board of Bishops.) Bishop W. X. Ninde, President. Ministers. E. M. Mills, J. W. E. Bowen, Laymen. W. L. Woodcock, R. S. Copeland, H. A. Schroetter, W. I. Haven, J. H. Coleman, J. A. Patten, F. A. Chamberlain, R. R. Doner tv, S. O. Royal. C. E. Piper, F. D. Fuller, L. J. Nortou. 1896.] Managers of Societies. 437 (Elected by the General Conference District delegations.) Districts. Names. Districts. Names. I. C. R. Magee, VIII. J. B. Albrook, II. E. S. Osbon, IX. W. H. Jordan, III. S. A. Morse, X. B. L. Paine, IV. F. W. Tunnell, XI. J. W. Van Cleve, V. B. E. Helman, XII. Frank Gary, VI. M. M. Alston, XIII. William Koeneke, VII. W. D. Parr, XIV. J. W. Bennett. 8. — Boaed of Insurance, Journal, page 304. (Appointed by the Board of Bishops.) J. B. Hobbs, J. R. Lindgren, N. W. Harris. A. B. Burke, G. B. Johnson, (Elected by the General Conference District delegations.) I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. H. H. Shaw, C. D. Hammond, J. E. Bills, W. M. Swindells, F. H. Tanner, J. S. Hill, A. M. Gould, VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. C. E. Lane, H. P. Magill, T. L. Matthews, T. J. Green, E. H. McKissack, C. E. Mueller, J. D. Hammond. 9. — Book Committee. Journal, page 301. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. S. 0. Benton, Henry Spellmeyer, C. C.*Wilbor, D. S. Hammond, W. F. Whitlock, J. E. Wilson, G. 0. Robinson, VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. 0. P. Miller, S. W. Trousdale, D. L. Rader, Horace Reed, Harry Swann, H. A. Salzer, G. M. Booth. Local Committee at New York : E. B. Tuttle, J. E. Andrus, T. J. Preston. Local Committee at Cincinnati : Richard Dymond, J. N. Gamble, R. T. Miller. I 0. — General Missionary and Church Extension Committee. Journal, page 301. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. E. M. Smith, Merritt Hulburd, D. F. Pierce, R. T. Miller, L. H. Stewart, J. M. Carter, H. N. Herrick, VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. H. G. Jackson, J. F. Chaffee, Alfred Hodgetts, W. J. Martindale, A. J. Taylor, Bartholomew Lampert, S. A. Thomson. I | . — Members of the University Senate. Journal, page 301. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. B. P. Bowne, B. P. Raymond, J. R. French, J. F. Goucher, T. P. Marsh, W. II. Crogman, H. A. Gobin. At large, W. F. Warren. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. H. W. Rogers, G. H. Bridgman, W. F. McDowell, W. H. Wilder, L. G. Adkinson, G. B. Addicks, G. W. White. 438 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. | 2. — Local Publishing Committees. Journal, page 301, 304. For Omaha Christian Advocate : J. B. Maxfield, J. W. Shank, A. Hodgetts, John Dale, L. 0. Jones, L. T. Matthews, J. H. Mickey, D. K. Tindall, Erastus Smith. For Pacific Christian Advocate (Advisory): Oregon Conference J. F. Caples, J. R. Gill. Puget Sound Conference S. S. Sulliger, W. S. Harrington. Columbia River Conference N. Evans, W. W. Van Dusen. Idaho Conference C. R. Kellerman. For California Christian Advocate : H. C. Benson, I. J. Truman, E. W. Vanderwater, Rolla V. Watt, W. A. Knighten, J. B. Green, Charles Goodall. For Pittsburg Christian Advocate : J. R. Kevs, C. E. Manchester, H. P. Sullivan, T. W. Douglass, J. W. Miles, H. Samson, J. Conner, D. L. Ash, J. H. Hess. 13. — Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Journal, page 276. Term expires 1904. — Ministerial: J. M. Walden, Lewis Curts, D. H. Moore. Laymen : R. T. Miller, J. D. Hearne, W. F. Boyd. Term expires 1900. — Ministerial: Luke Hitchcock, Earl Cranston, John Pearson. Laymen: J. N. Gamble, G. B. Johnson, William Newkirk. 14. — Trustees of John Street Methodist Episcopal * Church. Journal, page 301. Edward Allen, John Bentley, J. S. Coward, W. H. De Puy, R. B. Gwillim, B. M. Tilton, James Wright, Bowles Colgate, E. F. Allen. 15. — Trustees of Drew Theological Seminary. Journal, page 299. Term expires 1908. — Ministerial: Bishop R. S. Foster, Bishop J. F. Hurst, C. S. Coit, J. M. Buckley, James Montgomery, Thomas Hanlon, J. M. Freeman. Laymen : Samuel Eddy, J. M. Cornell, J. S. Huyler, William White, William Hoyt, J. S. McLean, Richard Grant. 16. — American University. Journal, page 279. E. L. Mc.Comas, A. J. Palmer, John Fritz, J. R. McClean, Michael Burnham, W. H. Milburn, J. E. Hessell, John Patton, H. N. Higginbotham, William Connell, J. G. Holmes, T. H. Pearne. D. 1 BALLOTS. By order of the General Conference the names of all persons receiving less than twenty votes are omitted. I . — Bishops . First Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 521; necessary to a choice, 348. J. W. E. Bowen received 147, C. C. McCabe 141, Earl Cranston 115, J. W. Hamilton 107, H. A. Buttz 72, T. B. Neely 47, C. W. Smith 41, J. R. Day 35, S. F. Upham 34, J. C. Hartzell 34, J. F. Goucher 32, J. M. Buckley 28, W. A. Spencer 27, F. L. Nagler 25, J. F. Berry 22. Second Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 514; necessary to a choice, 343. C. C. McCabe received 218, J. W. E. Bowen 175, Earl Cranston 164, J. W. Hamilton 145, H. A. Buttz 96, T. B. Neely 45, J. R. Day 27, J. F. Goucher 26, C. W. Smith 24. Third Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 510; necessary to a choice, 340. C. C. McCabe received 252, Earl Cranston 191, J. W. E. Bowen 165, H. A. Buttz 153, J. W. Hamilton 138, T. B. Neely 42. Fourth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 512; necessary to a choice, 342. C. C. McCabe received 243, H. A. Buttz 233, Earl Cranston 214, J. W. Hamilton 141, J. W. E. Bowen 109, T. B. Neely 30. Fifth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 513; necessary to a choice, 342. H. A. Buttz received 266, Earl Cranston 245, C. C. McCabe 236, J. W. Hamilton 137, J. W. E. Bowen 75, T. B. Neely 21. Sixth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 508; necessary to a choice, 339. H. A. Buttz received 291, Earl Cranston 257, C. C. McCabe 228, J. W. Hamilton 122, J. W. E. Bowen 56, T. B. Neely 22. Seventh Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 497; necessary to a choice, 332. II. A. Buttz received 283, Earl Cranston 268, C. C. McCabe 240, J. W. Hamilton 110, J. W. E. Bowen 45. 440 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Eighth Ballot. Whole number of votes calt, 502; necessary to a choice, 335. H. A. Buttz received 280, C. C. McCabe 270, Earl Cranston 263, J. W. Hamilton 100, J. W. E. Bowen 37. Ninth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 500; necessary to a choice, 334. C. C. McCabe received 238, Earl Cranston 236, H. A. Buttz 218, J. W. Hamilton 159, T. B. Neely 57. Tenth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 511; necessary to a choice, 341. Earl Cranston received 259, C. C. McCabe 223, H. A. Buttz 193, J. W. Hamilton 180, T. B. Neely 81. Eleventh Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 508; necessary to a choice, 339. Earl Cranston received 245, C. C. McCabe 214, J. W. Hamil- ton 191, H. A. Buttz 174, T. B. Neely 131. Twelfth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 504; necessary to a choice, 336. Earl Cranston received 230, C. C. McCabe 192, J. W. Hamil- ton 191, T. B. Neely 163, H. A. Buttz 138, J. W. E. Bowen 20. Thirteenth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 504; necessary to a choice, 336. Earl Cranston received 245, C. C. McCabe 190, J. W. Hamil- ton 186, T. B. Neely 172, H. A. Buttz 125, J. W. E. Bowen 24. Fourteenth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 504; necessary to a choice, 336. Earl Cranston received 261, C. C. McCabe 258, J. W. Hamil- ton 149, H. A. Buttz 123, T. B. Neely 112, J. W. E. Bowen 35. Fifteenth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 504; necessary to a choice, 336. C. C. McCabe received 344, Earl Cranston 328, H. A. Buttz 112, J. W. Hamilton 109, T. B. Neely 50, J. W. E. Bowen 30. Sixteenth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 504; necessary to a choice, 336. Earl Cranston received 366, H. A. Buttz 82, J. W. Hamilton 36. Missionary Bishop for Africa. First Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 451; necessary to a choice, 301. J. C. Hartzell received 223, M. C. B. Mason 81, H. A. Monroe 73. Second Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 456; necessary to a choice, 305. J. C. Hartzell received 335, M. C. B. Mason 60, H. A. Monroe 53. 1896.] Ballots. 441 2. — Publishing Agents at New York. First Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 504; necessary to a choice, 253. Homer Eaton received 458, C. R. Magee 130, G. P. Mains 104, R. R. Doherty 94, W. W. Evans 59, J. M. King 56, W. M. Swindells 74, J. D. Hammond 22. Second Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 480; necessary to a choice, 241. C. R. Magee received 186, G. P. Mains 132, W. M. Swindells 45, R. R. Doherty 59, W. W. Evans 2V, J. M. King 24. Third Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 498; necessary to a choice, 250. G. P. Mains received 236, C. R. Magee 154, R. R. Doherty 34. Fourth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 509; necessary to a choice, 255. G. P. Mains received 339, C. R. Magee 154. 3. — Publishing Agents at Cincinnati. First Ballot. Total number of votes cast, 496; necessary to a choice, 249. Lewis Curts received 301, G. B. Johnson 134, Samuel Dickie 117, H. C. Jennings 86, W. F. Whitlock 69, W. R. Halstead 64, L. A. Belt 58, J. J. Bentley 40, C. C. Lasby 37, S. H. Pye 31, H. C. Weakley 23. Second Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 497; necessary to a choice, 249. G. B. Johnson received 142, H. C. Jennings 127, Samuel Dickie 77, W. F. Whitlock 54, W. R. Halstead 43. Third Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 508; necessary to a choice, 255. H. C. Jennings received 235, George B. Johnson 177, W. F. Whitlock 29, Samuel Dickie 30, W. R. Halstead 30. Fourth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 510; necessary to a choice, 256. H. C. Jennings received 344, G. B. Johnson 125. 4. — Missionary Secretaries. First Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 512; necessary to a choice, 257. A. B. Leonard received 388, A. J. Palmer 300, John Hamilton 121, W. N. Brodbeck 113, W. T. Smith 108, S. L. Baldwin 107, Merritt Hulburd 78, T. B. Neely 63, J. S. Chadwick 53, W. F. Oldham 51, T. C. Iliff 32, F. M. Bristol 29, Robert Forbes 22. 442 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. Second Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 494; necessary to a choice, 248. J. W. Hamilton received 178, W. N. Brodbeck 102, W. T. Smith 101, S. L. Baldwin 57. Third Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 488; necessary to a choice, 245. J. W. Hamilton received 180, W. T. Smith 155, W. N. Brod- beck 99, S. L. Baldwin 48. Fourth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 500; necessary to a choice, 251. W. T. Smith received 211, J. W. Hamilton 208, W. N. Brod- beck 58, S. L. Baldwin 20. Fifth Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 509; necessary to a choice, 255. W. T. Smith received 291, J. W. Hamilton 205. 5. — Secretary of the Sunday School Union and Tract Society. Whole number of votes cast, 413; necessary to a choice, 207. J. L. Hurlbut received 276, W. N. Brodbeck 63, J. W. C. Coxe 39. 6. — Secretaries of the Board of Church Extension. Total number of votes cast, 494; necessary to a choice, 248. A. J. Kynett received 395, W. A. Spencer 391, T. B. Neely 82, Robert Forbes 33, John Krantz 27. 7. — Secretaries of the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Edu- cation Society. First Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 492; necessary to a choice, 247. J. C. Hartzell received 311, J. W. Hamilton 308, M. C. B. Mason 174, W. H. W. Rees 70, John Mitchell 30, J. E. Williams 22. First Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 405 ; necessary to a choice, 203. M. C. B. Mason received 296, John Mitchell 45, E. W. S. Ham- mond 40. 8. — Secretary of the Board of Education. Whole number of votes cast, 426; necessary to a choice, 214. C. H. Payne received 367. 1896.] Ballots. 443 9. — Editor op the Methodist Review. Whole number of votes cast, 449; necessary to a choice, 225. W. V. Kelley received 265, M. S. Terry 131, R. J. Cooke 50. 10. — Editor of The Christian Advocate. Whole number of votes cast, 440; necessary to a choice, 221. J. M. Buckley received 414. 1 1. — Editor of the Western Christian Advocate. Whole number of votes cast, 435; necessary to a choice, 218. D. H. Moore received 371, C. H. Zimmerman 43. 12. — Editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. Whole number of votes cast, 451 ; necessary to a choice, 226. Arthur Edwards received 341, E. D. Whitbeck, 66, J. W. Haney 26. 13. — Editor of the Central Christian Advocate. Whole number of votes cast, 452; necessary to a choice, 227. J. B. Young received 296, John T. McFarland 143. 14. — Editor of the Pittsburg Christian Advocate. Whole number of votes cast, 445; necessary to a choice, 223. C. W. Smith received 376, Levi Gilbert 66. 15. — Editor of the Northern Christian Advocate. Whole number of votes cast, 419; necessary to a choice, 210. J. E. C. Sawyer received 407. I 6. — Editor of the California Christian Advocate. Whole number of votes cast, 423; necessary to a choice, 212. W. S. Matthew received 310, M. D. Buck 104. I 7. — Editor of the Southwestern Christian Advocate. First Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 428; necessary to a choice, 215. L B. Scott received 185, E. W. S. Hammond 184, A. E. P. Al- bert 46. Second Ballot. Whole number of votes cast, 422; necessary for a choice, 212. t B. Scott received 265, E. W. S. Hammond 152. 18. — Editor of Der Christliche Apologete. Whole number of votes cast, 402 ; necessary to a choice, 202. A. J. Nast received 400. 444 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. 19. — Editor of Haus und Herd. Whole number of votes cast, 409; necessary to a choice, 205. F. L. Nagler received 406. 20. — Editor of the Epworth Herald. Whole number of votes cast, 416; necessary to a choice, 209. J. F. Berry received 392. APPENDIX III. A— FRATERNITY. B.— MEMOIRS. FRATERNITY. |. — Address of the British Wesleyan Conference to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Brethren Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus : We rejoice to be able to send to your great assembly as our representative the Rev. William L. Watkinson, the editor of" our connectional publications, a minister of Christ Jesus, greatly honored and be- loved in our ranks. By his hand also we desire to send written as- surance of our deep interest in the work of God committed to you, and also some brief mention of God's dealings with us. Mr. Watkinson will, from his intimate knowledge of the condi- tion of British Methodism, add any necessary supplement or explanation. At our Conference in Birmingham we re- ceived with satisfaction your fraternal messenger, the Rev. Bishop Andrews. His dignified and affectionate bearing, his eloquent and luminous exposition of the constitution, genius, and position of your Church, his sermons and speeches on several im- portant occasions, commended and endeared him to us all. We rejoice that God gives to you in the chief pastorate worthy suc- cessors of Asbury, McKendree, and Simpson. We regretted that His Excellency, Chancellor Runyon, was prevented by official duty from visiting us, and we mourn with you his recent death. Long may the bright succession rise among you of noble Chris- tian men in Church and State! We thank God on every remem- brance of you for the place and power he continues to give you among the varied components of your national life. We cannot fail to see how important is the bringing in among you of multi- tudes of men of other nationalities. Surely never had a Christian people such an opportunity of fulfilling the mission of Christ. To the statesman and publicist immigration on so large a scale is, no doubt, a difficulty and a perplexity. To the Christian it pre- sents a rare opportunity. And we rejoice that to so large an ex- tent you have been able to reach and bless these strangers with Christian agencies and influences. Our observation of life in Europe and elsewhere convinces us that in bringing them under the saving power of the Gospel you are mightily affecting lands and nations far beyond your own wide territory. God has brought foreign missions into the midst of your home life. May his grace strengthen you for vour vast responsibility ! 29 448 Journal of the General Conference. [1896. We thank God that in missions properly called foreign your zeal abounds. We rejoice that your children and ours, in not a few regions of the earth, are working side by side, supplementing the labors of each other. The field is vast, and the utmost exertions of universal Methodism cannot overtake the divine task. A gen- erous rivalry in devotion and effort need not generate into jeal- ousy and envy. May God make you everywhere a thousandfold more than you are! Yet it is sometimes practically useful for Churches of the same family to undertake the culture of separate portions of the field. And occasionally circumstances may make it desirable that the results of the efforts of one Church should be incorporated with another. To many of the Methodists of Ger- many, both yours and ours, it appears desirable that such an amalgamation of our work and yours should be effected. The officers of our Foreign Missionary Society are in communication with your Board of Missions on this subject, and we doubt not it will receive your paieful and prayerful attention. We give devout thanks to God for the great increase of your membership as reported for another period of four years. To the individual preacher there is no joy like the joy of winning souls ; and to the true Church there is no delight so exquisite as that of seeing multitudes flocking to the cross. We cannot re- port such large figures as you ; yet no recent year of our history has failed to record an advance; and the total increase since last we addressed you is close upon thirty thousand. We labor amid social and ecclesiastical difficulties of which you know little. Moreover, our churches are depleted by a continual flow of em- igrants to your and other lands. But we would not desire by these considerations to satisfy ourselves with an increase that is all too small, but crave from the Fountain of all grace a fuller consecration and a more extensive usefulness. The question of public education is deeply moving the hearts of all Christian people in this country. A composite system has long prevailed here. It embraces schools belonging to the Chris- tian denominations, aided by public grants, but inspected and in a measure controlled by the national authority. It includes, fur- ther, schools maintained by popularly elected boards, but which are also subsidized from the national purse and responsible, in a degree, to the Central Ministry of Education. The ardent sup- porters of the denominational element claim for it increased aid from the imperial revenue. The advocates of the board system are opposed to this, unless, indeed, the control of schools so aided should be made more definitely popular and representative. Un- happily, the question is complicated by sectarian considerations. In too many places the so-called National School has been used for the oppression of Nonconformists, and for the inculcation of re- ligious tenets of an intolerant character. This fact deeply stirs our people, who, in many a village, have to maintain their attach- ment to the Church of their choice at a cost which it is difficult for you, in the different circumstances of your country, to under- 1896.] Fraternity. 449 stand. Happily, among us there is no one who would consent that the Bible should be excluded from the curriculum of the public schools. We are still profoundly convinced that in the teachings of the Holy Book is to be found the only safe and suffi- cient guide through this life to the better life beyond. We have at times been tempted to tremble for the Holy Book, as for the Ark of the Lord. It has, indeed, of late years been going through a fiery trial. The researches of philology, the dis- coveries of science, and the speculations of philosophy have been supposed by some to be fatal to the authority of the inspired word. As a consequence, in many minds faith has become less vivid and influential, and in not a few it has died ; but we are convinced that the Sacred Book holds and will hold its own. Already there is visible a recoil from the extreme positions which were so hastily assumed. Evidence confirmatory of its claims is rising around the Bible on every hand. The weapons forged against it are turning to its defense. The fiercer light which is thrown upon it is only bringing out its truth and beauty more clearly. And we doubt not that it will come forth from the fur- nace of its present ordeal as " gold that perisheth not, though it be tried by fire." The divine message to mankind is still asserting its fitness and power in all parts of our field of labor. Our foreign missionary work advances surely everywhere, and with rapid strides in some districts. The lamp of truth is being carried steadily forward into the interior of Africa ; and in certain parts of India the people are flocking to the testimony of the Lord. Our foreign work is indeed only limited by lack of means. We, like your- selves, have to struggle with the difficulty of an income which, if not falling, is not at present elastic. Surely this cannot be in keeping with the purposes of God or the powers of his Church. If wealth were everywhere consecrated, and modest comfort were everywhere willing to deny itself for this greatest of causes, there would be no paralyzing fetter upon the missionary enterprise. We are driven to believe that in a great and wide revival of spiritual religion is the one hope of a rallying of the people of God to the noble task of the world's salvation. But we do not for a moment doubt the inherent power of the ; but somewhere, no doubt, in the great world. Now, no pebble can scratch that diamond in the crown of England; no^ordinary jewel can deface it; but the other half could scratch it. No country can hurt either America or England while they maintain brotherly relations. But it is quite within |)0^