The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-04-20

nreferred to influence the Church from
within rather than to leave it. In 1S4O
the General Conference said: We should
prove recreant to the trust committed to
us were we in the slightest degree to
weld to the spirit of innovation The
General Conference of 1852 replied to
petitions for change, that there was az
:stronc opposition in the great mass
the membership TO the proposed
change and that therefore they deemed
it sinexpedient to alter the economy of
the church, During that year (lS52,
a paper called The Philadelphia Christian
Adpocate was started for the purpose of
advancing Lay Representation. In 1886
the General Conference spoke of the
matter as one which might be practically
dealt with in the future, but thought that
any change would be inexpedient at that
time. Petitions bearing on that subject
were presented to the General Confer
ence of 1860. 1t was ably discussed,
both in committee and General Confer
ence. which finally resolved, That we,
the delegates oft the Annual Conferences
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, IN
General Conference assembled, nereny
approve Of the introduction Of Lay Rep
resenta,ion into this body when 1T shall
be ascertained that the Church desires
it, In order that the desire OF the
Church in the premises might be aseer-
tanned, measures mere aloptc for hay
ing the question put to vote in every an
nual conference, aud III every congrega-
ton of the Church, in the years 1856
and 1862. In the mean time the CIVIL
war arose, and larger and more exciting
interests absorbed the popular attention
The vote was very light, having been
taken in comparatively few churches.
AS reported at the General Conferences
of 1864 it stood: OF ministers, 1888
votes for, and 3,069 against; Of lay vo-
ters. 29, 1884 for and Al ,S55 against-giv-
inc clerical majority of 1,73l, AMI
lay majority of Is .97l against Lay Rep
rasentation in the General Conference.
The report on Lay Delegation adopted
bv this Conference declared, That while
we re affirm our approval of Lag Repre-
resentation in the General Conference
whenever 1T shall be ascertained that ht
church desires 1t, we see no such declara-
ton of the popular will as to justify us
in taking advanced action in relation to
it,
In July, 1860, a paper was started 10
New York City by company of New
York laymen, for the purpose of advo
eating the interests of the laymen in the
church. It has been edited by the Rev
DR.. George Crooks, who has had as his
assoc ciates some of the ablest writer's o.
the denomination The special work o.
this Journal has been the disseminate or
of intelligence concerning the lay repre-
sentative movement, and arguments fa-
vorable thereto; and such has been thu
change in the popular feeling among thu
Methodists, that none of their papers
official and unoffial are openly opposed tt
the innovation once so strenuously re-
! sisted, and all but one Or two are out
spoken in it's favor.
Previous to the session of the Genera
Conference, in May 1868, most Of tn,
annual conferences had adopted resolu
tons favoring some action on the sub
iect of lay representation 10y that body
and petitions for and against such
/ course had been circulated more or les
4 freely among the members. These peti
tions were presented to the Conference
those favoring a change OF church polit
signed by 25,5I9 male members OF tn
church above the age of 81, and peti
tions opposed to s. change signed by 1,
|
diligent effort to reconcile confiictin
views, resolutions were adopted by til
nearly unanimous vote OF 23l to 3, EN-
bodying a plan by which lay represen
tatives chosen by laymen, shall be ad
mitted to seats and votes in the Genera
Conference, the adoption OF the plan be
ing subject to, the approval OF the minis
ters and lay members of the churcf
such approval to be manifested in a wa
pointed out by the resolutions, the ser
ond of which reads: During the mont
of June, 1869, on any day except til
Sabbath, the time to be determined b
the pastor and the two lay men appointe
by the Quarterly Conference as hereafte
provided. there shall he held a gener.
election in the several places of worshi
in the Methodist Episcopal Church,
which all members in full connection
and not less than 81 years of age, sha
be invited to vote by ballot: For La
Delegation or Against Lay Delegation
This election shall be held under the i
rection of the preacher in charge an
two laymen appointed for the purpo'
by the Quarterly Conference, who wi
see that due notice is given thereof, ft
at least twenty days before the election
and who shall superintend all the detail
of the election. They shall report tt
result within ten days after the electio
to the Presiding Elder of the distric
who shall report the same to the Bisho
presiding at the ensuing Annual Confe
cnce, to be entered upon the Conferen'
Journal. ss Il s-sdt s..s -s
The third resolution reads: Should
majority of votes cast by the people
in favor of lay delegation, and shou
three fourths Of all the members of Il
Annual Conferences, present and votir
thereon, vote in favor of the above pr
posed change in the Constitution of Il
| Church, then the General Conferen
meeting of 1872, by the requisite tw
thirds vote can complete the change, Al
lay delegates previously elected, mi
lthen be admitted
1