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Two committees were appointed, on the Eligibility of Women to Sit as Delegates, and on the Eligibility of Non-resident and Other Delegates. The first committee reported that under the Constitution and laws of the Church, as they now are, women are not eligible as lay delegates. The report was adopted by a vote of two hundred and thirty-seven to one hundred and ninety-eight. On motion of James M. Buckley, the expenses of these persons, in coming to, remaining at, and returning to their homes, were ordered to be paid from the funds at the disposal of the General Conference for the expenses of delegates. The Committee on the Eligibility of Other Lay Delegates reported in favor of seating John M. Phillips and Robert E. Pattison; but a minority of the committee reported adversely. The minority report was adopted by a vote of three hundred and three for, to one hundred and sixteen against. The minority of the committee also reported against the seating of J. E. Rickards from Montana, as having been elected by a lay electoral conference called together three months after the regular session of the annual conference; and their report was adopted. His expenses were ordered to be paid up to the date of the report, May 9th.

The Quadrennial Address of the Bishops was read by Bishop Merrill, and was ordered to be published in the Daily Advocate and the official papers, and in the General Conference Manual, to contain names of delegates, etc. The usual standing committees were ordered, and special committees were appointed on Temperance, Consolidation of Church Benevolences, Arranging General Conference Districts, Support of Superannuated Preachers, Judiciary, American Bible Society, Ecumenical Conference, Constitutional Commission, and on other matters as they came up.

During the preceding quadrennium, Bishops Simpson, Wiley, and Harris had died, and Editors Daniel Curry and Marshall W. Taylor. Memorial services were held in their honor on May 16th. Jacob Todd read a memoir of Bishop Simpson, Isaac W. Joyce of Bishop Wiley, and William F. Whitlock of Bishop Harris. Joseph Pullman read a memoir of Daniel Curry, and E. W. S. Hammond of M. W. Taylor. Memorial notices were also read of Daniel D. Whedon by J. M.

Buckley, and of Robert W. C. Farnsworth, elected a delegate to this Conference, by J. B. Green.

Fraternal delegates were received as follows: Charles H. Kelly from the British Conference, and Wesley Guard from the Irish Conference, on Tuesday evening, May 15th; S. A. Steel from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; E. A. Stafford from the Methodist Church in Canada, and J. T. Whiteman from the Maryland Association of Independent Methodist Churches, on Thursday evening, May 17th; and C. T. Shaffer from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, on Wednesday morning, May 30th.

Reports were made by the fraternal messengers sent by this Conference to other religious bodies, as follows: Cyrus D. Foss and Albert S. Hunt, sent to the British Conference and to the Irish Methodist Conference; John Miley, sent to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Isaac W. Joyce, sent to the General Conference of the Methodist Church in Canada; and from Aristides E. P. Albert, sent to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion General Conference, and Joshua E. Wilson, sent to the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

A fraternal communication was received from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and greetings were sent to and received from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, and an address from the National Association of Local Preachers.

Much time was given to the discussion of the "woman question," and a number of resolutions were introduced; but the only action taken was that contained in a report from the Committee on the State of the Church. The report was adopted, and it was ordered that in the month of October or November, 1890, the question of the eligibility of women. as lay delegates in the electoral and General Conferences should be submitted to a vote of the members of the Church. The ballots were directed to be in the following form: "For the Admission of Women as Lay Delegates," and "Against the Admission of Women as Lay Delegates." The method of taking the vote was then prescribed. Also, to all the annual conferences held in the year 1891 the same proposition should be submitted by the presiding bishops; and the result of both

the lay and clerical vote should be certified to the next General Conference.

The Committee on an Ecumenical Conference, proposed to be held in the United States in the year 1891, reported, recommending the holding of the Conference, adopting the range of subjects presented for consideration by the joint committees of the several Methodist bodies participating, and suggesting that a Committee of Arrangements, to consist of three bishops, five ministers, and five laymen, be appointed by the bishops. The committee also recommended that each annual conference nominate, before July, 1890, two ministers and two laymen for membership to the Ecumenical Conference, and that the Commission on Organization select seven members from each General Conference District from the number of those nominated, and distribute additional members from among those nominated, provided that each annual conference shall not have more than two representatives. report was adoptetd.

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The Committee on Missions, to whom were referred various papers relating to the order of deaconesses, reported in favor of establishing such an order in the Church; and the report was adopted, and the necessary paragraphs relating to deaconesses ordered to be inserted in the Discipline. This class of workers had been employed by our missionaries in Germany with great success, and a successful beginning had recently been made in the same direction in this country. The work was now made official, and deaconesses were authorized to be employed wherever Providence should open the

way.

It was resolved that five additional bishops be elected, and a missionary bishop for India. A majority of two-thirds of all the votes cast was made necessary to elect. Sixteen ballots were cast, on the third of which John Heyl Vincent and James Newbury FitzGerald were elected; on the fifth, Isaac Wilson Joyce; on the fourteenth, John Philip Newman; and on the sixteenth, Daniel Ayres Goodsell. For missionary bishop of India and Malaysia James Mills Thoburn was elected. The consecration services were held on Tuesday, May 29th.

The Commission on Ministerial and Lay Representation,

ordered by the General Conference of 1884, reported, recommending that a vote be taken in the annual conferences to change the Restrictive Rule so that the number of lay delegates in every conference shall be equal to the clerical delegates; and, if carried by the requisite vote, the electoral conferences of 1891-92 may elect representatives equal in number with the clerical, and the General Conference of 1892 may provide for their admission.. To be eligible for election, a layman must have his residence and Church membership in the bounds of the conference which he is elected to represent, for at least one year prior to the date of his election. The report was adopted.

During this session of the General Conference, a special committee of five was appointed to arrange for services connected with the laying of the corner-stone of the new buildings for the use of the Book Concern and the Missionary Society. The property purchased for this purpose is on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Twentieth Street. The time fixed upon by the committee for the ceremony was Wednesday, May 23d, at four o'clock P. M. In the presence of a large congregation, and with the forms prescribed in the Ritual, Bishop Bowman laid the corner-stone in place. The building is a monument of the enterprise and faith of the Church.

The pastoral term of service was increased to five years, and that of presiding elders to six years. Color was declared to be no bar to any right or privilege of office or membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The bishops were requested to prepare a suitable course of reading for class-leaders of the Church, and cause the same to be printed in the Discipline. And they were also requested to prepare an Episcopal Address to class-leaders concerning the gravity and responsibility of their office, to be printed in tract form. A commission was recommended, to be appointed by the bishops, on Church Fraternity and Organic Union, to consist of one bishop, one member of an annual conference, and one layman, to report to the next General Conference. Japanese Methodist Episcopal Missions were authorized, under certain conditions, to unite with other Methodisms in Japan, in order to form one autonomous Methodist Church in that Empire.

The Liberia Conference was authorized to include the whole of Africa within its boundaries, and to be called the Africa Conference; and the missionary bishop of that continent was authorized to continue his efforts to extend the Methodist Episcopal Church in Africa on the plan of self-supporting Missions. Annual conferences were allowed to be formed in South America; and the Portuguese stations in northern Brazil were to be organized into a mission.

A Commission on Education was appointed, to consider the subject of reorganizing the educational work of the Church, to report at the next General Conference. A commission was also appointed on the insurance of Church property, to report as above.

The elections for officials of the General Conference resulted as follows: Book Agents, New York, John M. Phillips, Sandford Hunt; Cincinnati, Earl Cranston, William P. Stowe. Editors, Christian Advocate, J. M. Buckley; Methodist Review, James W. Mendenhall; Western Christian Advocate, J. H. Bayliss; Northwestern, Arthur Edwards; Central, B. St. J. Fry; Pittsburgh, Charles W. Smith; Northern, O. II. Warren; California, B. F. Crary; Southwestern, A. E. P. Albert; Methodist Advocate (Atlanta or Chattanooga), T. C. Carter; Christliche Apologete, William Nast; Haus und Herd, Henry Liebhart; Sunday-school Advocate and other Publications, Jesse L. Hurlbut. Secretaries, Missionary Society, C. C. McCabe, Jonas 0. Peck, Adna B. Leonard; Board of Church Extension, A. J. Kynett; Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society, Joseph C. Hartzell; Board of Education, Charles H. Payne.

The secretary was directed to edit the Journal for publication; and the printed copy, substantially bound, was ordered to be the official journal. Bishop Merrill was appointed to edit the Discipline for 1888. Omaha was selected as the place for holding the next session of the Conference, and the assembly adjourned on Thursday, May 31st.

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