New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-03-20


Previous to the session of the General Conference,
in Nav. 1868, most of the annual conferences hau
adopted resolutions favoring some action ON the SUD
iect of Law representation by that body ana petoh
for and against such a course had been clrcuiaVcu
more or less freely among the members. These peti
lions were presented to the Conference those favor
ing change Of church polity signed by 25,5l9 maze
members of the church above the age of 81 ana pe'
tons opposed to change signed by 1,2S. AFTER
careful considerations and dlligent effort to recon-
CHE conflicting views, resolutions were adopteu
by the nearly unanimous vote OF %'l
TO g. embOdying q plan by which lay representa-
tyes chosen by laymen should be admitted TO seats
and votes in tho General Conference the adoption OIL
the plan being subject to the approval Of the minis
ters and Law members of the church. such approval
TO be manifested in way pointed out by the resol
tions the second of which reads: During the month
of June 1869 on any day except the Sabbath the
time TO be determined by the pastor ana the
two laymen appointed by the Quarterly Con
ference as hereinafter provided, there shail
be held general election in the several places Oh
worship of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at
which all members in full connection, and not less
than q wears of age shall be invited 10 vote by bal
lot: "For Lay Delegation or Against Lay Deieg'-
tionp This election shall be held under the direction
for the purpose by the Quarterly Conference who
shall see that due notice is given thereof for at least
twenty DAYS before the election and who shall super
intend all the details of the election. 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 upon the Conference
Journal.
The third resolution reads: Should majority of
votes cast by the people be in favor OF lay delegation
and should three fourths of all the members OF tho
annual Conferences, present and voting thereon
vote in favor of the above proposed change in the
Constitution of the Church, then the General Con-
ference meeting in 1872 by tho requisite two-thirds
vote, can complete the change and lay.delegates
previously elected may then be admitted"
Though three separate and distinct processes are
thus marked ont, all of which are requisite to the
completion OF the change in pOty OF the Church'
no doubt is felt that if the approval of the people Is
expressed, both the ministers in their Annual Con
ferences and their representatives in tho General
Conference of 1872 will loyalty carry out tho will OF
the laity and but little, if any. doubt is felt by
those best informed in the Methodist Church as TO
what the will of the lay members of their church
will be: this. indeed seems TO be indicated by the
tone of their UNCONVENTIONAL press, which is the re-
Hector no less than the leader, of popular opinion
The radical change which has come over
the Methodist Episcopal Church in the last 40 years
NAV be attributed to several causes. The character
of tho relation between the ministers and lay mem
beers has gradually changed. At first the great body
of the laity were aud uncultvated. The intel
lgence of the church was largely IN the ministry
and its very existence maintained by the heroic
and sefsacrifcng labOrs of the itinemnt preachers
who received in return but food for them
selves and their horses, and perhaps suit OF
clothes each year two. The churches were scat
tered travel was tedious and expensive, gratuitons
attendance at Conference in a distant town was
privilege not to be desired; and 10 the laty readily
acduiesced in the policy maintained by their spiritual
rulers Things are not so now; the best business
talent and legislative experience is now 10 be found
among the aity who ready 20 devote them to
the interest of the Church. they are to pour out
their thousands year 60 its support and the main
tenance Of it's institutions.
The financial interests Of the Church. Also have
become gigantic in their proportions. and II il quer-
led whether their management should be left exclu-
siyely in the hands of Glass Of men who are called
TO the sole work Of preaching the Gospel Tho Off
cial publishing interests Of the Church represent
CAPITAL of nearly 81 10000 The Missionary Society
receives and disburses annually from $4,000 TO
ssOOOOO The Church Extension Society ~ appealing
TO the Church for hundreds of thousands. The
Methodsts have six theological institutions,
% universities and colleges and IS seminaries Of diff
ferent grades all of which OF less under the
control of the Conferences Of the Church. There
are many who advocate the participation Of the aity
in church government on the ground of abstract
right. but this minging of temporal with spiritual
affairs has its influence on many who would not
trouble themselves much about church government
= Il. & Il
nature.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, too, has become
essentially modified in its character and within the
last few years has become corporate body under
the laws Of both Ohio and New-York. The " Board
of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church"
wero authorized by the General Conference of 1864,
and have since been chartered by the Legislature Of
Ohio with power TO receive hold and administer on
anv property by gift, devise. otherwise cOnfded
10 it, in behoOf Of and for the benefit of the NJ. T..
Church II is also competent to receive and admin
lister on any special benevolent trust not otherwise
proyded for in the other benevolent societies Of tho
NJ E. Church. IL IN provided in the Charter that
the Trustees shall be elected by and be amenabe 90
the General Conference that body has received for
the first time in its history recognition as
a legal body A" Board Of Education" organ
lied by the General Conference Of 1883 TO be char
tered under the laws of New-York with power to re-
ceiye hold and convey real and personal estate and
to receive and administer requests and trusts OF
every kind relating to education, under such regula
tions as the General Conference shall from time TO time.
prescribe The Missionary Society Of tho N. f..
Church, which during its successful history OF fifty
wears had been under the legal control Of board OF
ministers and laymen, and only by courtesy under
that of the General Conference has ut the request
of the General Conference recently consented to have
it's charter so changed to place the selections Of its
officers in the hands of that body These things tend
10 make the masses Of the church consider the intro
dnctinn of bnsiness men into the councils