Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-06-07
feI'
la COUNTY
sJune z, 1866.
W dat the Methodist Gen.
eral Conference Has
Done.

Done.
The New Orleans Christian AID
vocate thus sums up the acts of
Importance, in the way of change
of discipline and policy, effected by
the General Conference at its late
session:
/. The name of the church it
was resolved to change to ''Episco-
pal Methodist Church." provided
that three-fourths of all the men,
beers OF the several annual confer
ences shall concur therein.
2. Lay representation-four
laymen, one of whom may be a To-
cal preacher, Ito be elected by the
district stewards, or in such way as
the annual conference may direct
to each presiding elders district in
the annual conferences; an equal
number of laymen and clersymen
as representatives to the general
conferences, executing the number
odd, then the advantage of the
odd number to be given to the
clerical portion-the lay members
of the annual conference to elect
the lay representatives to the gen.
eral conference and the clerical
representatives. Upon the re-
quest of one-ffth of the general
conference, the laymen and the
clergymen can form two distinct
houses, when a concurrent major
ity will be necessary to pass any
law. This action, however, is
subject to the same confirmation
and approval of three-fourths of
all the preachers in the several
annual conferences.
3. The limit of the pastorage
has been extended from two to
four years.
4. A system of meetings was
adopted, to be held once month,
if practicable, otherwise once a
quarter-to be presided over by
the preacher in charge. The ob-
ject of it is to put the member
ship more thoroughly ill connec-
ton with the various enterprises of
the church.
5. The probationary system has
been abrogated-members are to
be received formally by the preach
er in charge, according to the form
of the baptismal service, or some
other form in the appendix to the
discipline.
6. Glass meetings are placed on
the same footing with prayer
meeting, and is no longer a test of
membership.
7. The missionary society is d.
vided into a Domestic and For
eign Missionary Society; with dis
tinct boards, secretaries and treasr-
ries-the former located at Nash
vile, and the latter at Baltimore.
s. Everything in the discipline
in regard to the men and women
sitting apart in the church, has
been taken out.
9. The whole matter of the
quarterage has been merged into a
real support.
10. Everything advisory in re-
gard 10 dress is taken out; and SO
TOO all that part which requires
preachers to consult the presiding
elder upon the delicate subject of
matrimony.
II. No travelling preacher can
be proposed to an annual confer
ence for ordination, except he shall
have passed an examination be-
fore the conference committee to
their satisfaction in the prescribed
course of study.
II. 1t is recommended that, for
the present, a biblical chair be es-
fablished in connection with each
of our colleges, fer theological ed
ncation of young preachers.
Ii. Several important changes
In the boundaries of conferences
were made; and Northwest Texas,
the Columbia, the Mobile and the
Montgomery Conferences were
formed. The name of the Rio
Grande Conference was changed
to West Texas, and that of the
Ouachita Conference to Little
Rock. The Kansas Conference
was divided between the Missouri
and st. Louis Conferences. The
st. Louis, the Baltimore, the Vir-
ginia, the Georgia, and the East
Texas are permitted to divide du-
ring the next four years, if they