The Baltimore Amendment

[From Monday's Daily.] Saturday afternoon was to have occnrred the address of Dr. Schell at the annivereary of the Epworth League. However, Dr. Schell did not appear and Chaplain McCabe kindly consented to take his place. He delivered his famous lecture, "The Bright Side of Life at Libby Prison." The church was oyer crowded and the lecture was greatly enjoyed, the audience frequently applauding vociferously. In the evening was observed the anniversary of the Church Extensión Society. President A. J. Kynett, delivering the principal address. Secretary J. E. Jacklin read the report for the last year and Chaplain McCabe sang one of his inimitable songs. When the delegates reassembled for business in the afternoon they proceeded at once to the election of the two remainiug delegates to the general conference. It required two tedious ballots. On the first ballot Dr. E. W. Ryan, Ypsilanti's pugnacious minister, was chosen. On the second ballot President L. R. Fiske, of Albion College secured the necessary number of votes. This completed the list, arepresentative group of strong Methodists. A third ballot elected two reserve delegates, L. P. Davis, presiding eider of the Adrián District, and Dr. Arthur Edwards, of Chicago, the veteran editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. While the tedious task of counting the votes went on the delegates attended to several other items of business. Dr. A. B. Leonard, of Xew York, retary of the Mission Society, was introduced and spoke forcibly concerning the work which his society is accomplishing. Dr. Berry offered two resolutions, both of which were adopted by the conference just previous to adjournmeut for Sunday. The flrst looked to tlie early publication of a Methodist high grade ilLustrated Methodist magazine to stand by the side of Harper's aud other like magazines. The second resolution aimeil at a slight correction in tlie church rules with regard to the presidents of the Epworth League and tlieir presence and seat in conference. A. L. Bartlett, of Grand Blanc, enlivened the closing minutes of tlie session by a resolution and speech condemning the last general conference for its action ou the Hainilton amendment. This resolution was tabled by a close vote. The board of control for the state Kpworth League was in session in this city Saturday afternoon. They decided to hold the state Epworth League convention at Ludiugton during the second week of July to occupy three days. President Fred K. McEldowney, of Detroit, Miss Mary Ninde, of Wyandotte, and Rev. A. B. Storms of Detroit, were appointed the committee on program. l suxday's program. Sunday was a quiet day for the delegates. The full program as printed in Saturday's Courier was observed. In the morning the Bishop ordained 1-1 deacons, and in the afteruoon, 13 elders. Their names have already been given here. Bishop Hurst's morning sermón was on the theme, "The Certainty of Christian Faith." It was a masterly etfort. At the morning's love feast the collection for superannuates amounted to $110.63. In the afternoon Rev. H. W. Hicks, of Munith, chairman of the memorial committee took the chair immediately after the ordiuation of elders, and the annual memorial service was held. Brief accounts were read of the following brethren who have died during the past year: Marvin J. Scott, Thomas Seelye, J. S. Rose, E. F. Warner and H. N. Brown, and these preacher's wives : Mrs Sophronia Taylor, Mrs. Desire Hodgkiss, Mrs. Patty H. Camburn, and Mrs. Julia J. Harding. STATISTICAL COMMITTEE. The report of the statistical committee of the Detroit conference was completed late Saturday night, and will occupy the attention of the conference to-day. It appears that the church has beeu keeping the money at home this year, iustead of seuding it away to the foreigu field, for the missionary collections show a decrease, while the local church collecüons are almost uniformly in advance of last year. Following are the more interesting items : The number of probationers for the year was 4421, a decrease of 1,149 from last year, although the total membersliip of the church lias increased by 2,S07, the total number now being 40,034. Local preajhers have fallen off to the number of twelve, the total now being 243. The excess of deaths of members has been 43 over last year. The number of tíhildren baptized has decreased by 223 and the number of adulta by 1,093. The Sunday School report sliows tbat the total number of schools has decreased byflve, there now being 514. Officers and teachers have increased 1 19, and the total number of pnpils has increased by 2301. Missionary oollections show a decrease all along the line. The churches have given $11,606, a decrease of $145 from last year. The Sunday School missionary collectious have decreased $1,201, white the total collections have been $14,905, a decrease of $1,377. The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society has failed to meet the record of last year by $2,156, their total gifts being $5,608. The Woman's Home Missionary Society has a decrease of $254, the total for the year being $8,522. The other collections of the conference stand as follows : Board of church extensión, $1,368, decrease of $325; Sunday School uniou, $343, increase of $9; Tracts, $311, increase of $8; Freedman's Aid, $1,303, decrease of $62; cational, $1,8-16, increase of $o26; ican Bible society, $304, increase of $61 ; ( the total minor collections show a decrease in total of $598. There are 463 , church buildings in the conference ' limits, the increase being just two ; the . probable valué is $2,114,265, increase of $35,955. The number of parsonages is 221, iucrease of seven ; the probable valué is $330,699, increase of $12,149. There has been paid for the improvement of church property $61,220, decrease of $44,350. Old indebtedness has been extinguished to the auiount of $43,059, decrease of $7,840 from las year, and the aniounts paid for current expenses has decreased by $1,334. The superanuated preachers' funds for the year araount to $3,(329, $414 less than the preceding year. The first business of today's session was the examination of and continuation on trial of the following men : Clarence E. Allen, Frederick A. Armstrong, Eugene A. Coffin, Herbert L. Cope, Benoni Gibson, George Huckle, Garrie L. Manly, Frederiuk Speuce, Alexander M. vStirtan, Torn Thompson, Joseph B. Wallace, Bertrán E. Allen, Herbert C. Cooley, James T. Gurney, Henry A. Lyon, Charles E. Marvin, George E. Sharp, Charles E. Stedman, l Jonathan Thompson, Rufus Van Alstine, s Julián 8. West, Elgin Moseley, Clarence ( M. Hubbard. Lapeer and Fliat presented their claims for the next meeting of the , fereuce. Lapeer offsred "yellow-legged , chickens," a new church, country , pitality; Flint oilered city homes, two . large church buildings. Flint secured . the prize. , The time for considering the tional amendments had now arrived. j Dr. Shier proposed the taking of the vote , without debate and by a standing vote and it was so ordered. The flrst question wason the adoptiou of the HamiltOD amendment, which proposed to limit the ' membership of General Conference to ' male members. The vote was taken and showed 3 votes in the affinnative ! and 16-1 votes in the negative. The Baltimore amendment favoring the admission of women was next accepted by a ' vote of 185 in the affirmative, to 9 in the ' negatiye. The delégales next voted in favor of ' reducing the size of the General Conference by increasing the ministerial ratio from 45 to 65. The vote stood, affirative 100; negative 8; excused from voting, 3. The commissioa appointed two years ago to consider the advisability of dividingthe two Conferences in the state and making three, reported against such : división. Their report was adopted. Dr. A. J. Keynett and Dr. C. H. Payne addressed the Conterence on "Church Extensión" and "Edncation," respectively. Dr. M. C. Cobern presented his report as visitor to the Baltimore College for AVomen, and it was referred to the committee on Education. The Conference passed strong resolutions commending the great work being done in Ann Arbor by the Wesleyan Guild Corporation.