The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-06-18
Lay Representation.
N Lay H0pT0B0nCHJIOH.
The following is the final action Of
the M. 3. General Conference on the
subject of Misrepresentation:

the M. b. General Conference on the
subject Of Misrepresentation:
REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE.
Whereas, The General Conference
OF 1850 expressed its willingness to
admit lay delegates to the General
Conference whenever the people de.
sire it; and ttt q
Whereas, Tho General Conference
of 1864 concurred in that action
therefore + 'y'h SO
Resolved, That we also concur in
the same, and recommend the follow.
ing plan to the godly consideration
of our ministers and people: Change
the Discipline, page As, Part 2, Chap
ter 1, Section 2, 90 that it shall read
as follows:
Question. Who shall compose the
General Conference and what are the
regulations and powers belonging to
Answer: The General Conference
shall be composed of ministerial and
lay delegates. The ministerial dele
gates shall consist Of one minister for
every thirty members of each annual
conference, to be appointed by senior
ity or choice, at the discretion of
such annual conference, yet so that
such representatives shall have trav-
ellcd at least four full calendar years
from the time that they were receiv-
ed on trial by our annual conference,
and are in full connection at the time
Of holding the conference.
The lay delegates shall consist of
two laymen for each annual confer
encc, except such conferences as have
but one ministerial delegate, which
conferences shall be entitled to one
lay delegate each.
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
annual conference, at the place of its
meeting at its session Immediately
preceding the General Conference.
The electoral conference shall be
composed of one layman from each
circuit or station within bounds of
the annual conference and on assem-
bling tho electoral conference shall
organize by electing a Chairman
and Secretary of their own number,
such laymen to be chosen by the last
quarterly conference preceding the
time of its assembling: Provided,
That no layman shall be chosen a
delegate to either the electoral or
to the General Conference who shall
DO under twenty-five years ofage, or
who shall not have been member of
the church of full connection for five
years preceding the election.
Alter answer three as follows, page
46: @aa Yf
Answer 2. 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 transacting busi-
ness. al5s f9 #i3lAs aA5 s
The ministerial and lay delegates
shall sit and deliberate together as
one body, but they shall vote sepa-
rately, whenever such separate no.
tice shall be demanded by one-third
Of either order, and in such calls the
concurrent vote Of both orders shall
be necessary to complete an action.
Resolued, That during the month
ofJune, 1863, on any day excepting
the Sabbath, at such time as shall be
determined by the quarterly confer
ence, there shall be held a general
election in the general places of wor-
ship of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, at which all male members
in full communion and not less than
twenty one years of age, shall be in
vited to vote by ballot 'stor lay delega-
tion," Or against lay delegation. p
This election shall be held under the
direction of tho preacher in charge,
and two laymen, appointed for the
purpose by the quarterly conference,
who shall see that due notice is given
thereof for at least twenty days be-
fore the election, and who shall su-
perintend all the details of the elec-
ton. They shall report the result
within ten days after the election, to
the presiding elder Of the district,
who shall report the same to the
Bishop presiding at the ensuing an
nual conference, to be entered on the
conference journals.
1t shall be the duty of the Bishops
presiding at the several annual COM
terences, at their first sessions after
the above elections, to lay before
those bodies the following proposed
amendments to the second restrictive
rule, viz, SO that the rule shall read
"They shall not allow gilmore than
one ministerial representative for
every fourteen members ofthe annual
conference, nor allow of more than
two lay delegates for every annual
conference.
Rsolped, That should a majority
ofthe votes cast by the people be in
favor of lay delegation, and should
three fourths of all the members oi
the annual conference present and
voting thereupon vote in favor ofthe
proposed change in the constitution
ofthe churches, then the General Con
ference meeting in 1872 can, by the
requisite two-thirds vote, complete
the change, and lay delegates previ
ously elected may then be admitted
The introduction of the report was
the signal for sccnc of excitement
rarely equalled in ecclesiastical bodies
The President, Bishop Ames, usually
SO selfpossessed, lost himself amid
the storm of amendments, motions tc
Hay on the table, etc. BY the heavy
vote Of 142 to 20, the word "male'
was stricken out and the electoral
rights Of tho goodly army Of thu
Methodist sisterhood secured. Item
by item the report was read ane
adopted; the final vote by yeas and
nays was surprisingly unanimous, VI.
235 for, 3 against, and absent. Lay
representation is therefore fully sub
mitted to those who are most inter.
ested by it, and the general conference
opens it's halls to the laity if tho ma
jority say they want to come in. I
| Mary Magadalene had seven dev
ils cast out Of her. / never heard o
. man having seven devils cast out o
AIM, growlcd cynical bachelor, il
the course Of . discussion on tn
woman question No, they are no