Closing Up The Church Work

New York, May 30 -Bishop Hurst was presidiug officer of the Methodist conference yesterday, and the principal matter of interest was the consecration of the new bishops. This ceremony was the closing business of the day and was an interesting one. Bishop Bowman presided and received the new bishops into the episcopacy. The Bible used was originally the property of John Wesley. Frevious to the consecration service the conference agreed to the majority report of the committee on freedmen's aid, and changed the name of the society to "Freedmen's Aid and Southern Educational" society. Th crmmittee on education reported in favor of a cominission to reorganiza the work of education and the election of a corresponding secretary to the board of education. This report was adopted and a ballot was taken, but not announced. It was resolved, on motion of Senator Warner Miller, that the conference attend in a body the ceremonies of Decoration Day at the tomb of Gen. Grant. The ceremony of consecration was performed on the stage of the opera house, the drop-curtain being raised, disclosing a theatrical scène of the interior of a hall or castle of the middle ages. At the afternoon session the ballot on secretary of the board of education was announ,ced, eleeting Rev. C. H. Payne, of Delaware, Ohio. A vote of thanks was moved to H. M. Flagler, of the Standard Oil company, for givproperty worth $100,000 to the Methodists at St. Augustine, Fla. Dr. Buckley opposed the motion. and said the gift had much increased the value of other property adjacent owned Flagler, so that he had more than got his mouey back. The motiou was withdrawn. A resolution of sorrow for the dangerous illness of Gen. Sheridan, and eulogizing his services to the Union, was unanimously adopted. The Episcopal residences for the next four years were flxed as follows: New York, Bosn, Washington, Buffalo, Cincinnati or Covington, Chattanooga, New Orleans, Chicago, Minneapolis or St. Paul, St. Louis, Topeka, Denver, San Francisco or Los Angeles, Omaia, Galveston and Philadelphia. A report was adopted declaring that there is no need to further considei the tobáceo question. Trustees were elected for various chureb institutions, The term of presiding elders was extended to six years, and it was decided to adjourn sine die at 1 p. m. Thursday.