The New York herald., 1869-05-22
THE METHODIST eHURCH-LAY DELEGATION

Mass Meeting Last Night in Brooklyn.
meeting in the interest of the movement in be
half OF lay delegation in the Methodist EpiscopaI
Church was held last night at the Fleet street
church, Brooklyn. In consequence of the storm
the attendance was very small. Mr.. Russell was
elected chairman The meeting was opened by
prayer by Rev. Mr.. Patt, pastor OF the church
Rev. DR.. McClintock was expected to be present,
and was announced as the leading speaker, but was
unable to attend IN consequence of Sickness which
confined him to his bed.
MIR. @. @. North was the first speaker introduced
He is lay member OF the church. and spoke as the
representative Of those whom 1t is proposed
to eniranchise. He said the question Of lay reprasen
tation was no longer question between ministers
on the one side and laymen on the other. So far
from this being the case, the movement was inau-
gurated by the ministry, and clergymen were the
leaders Of the party who favor It, It's no longer the
question OF Scrptural right as had often been NAM
tanned. Even Dr. Porter the leading opponent Of
ference, held at Chicago last year, no opposed
the movement on the ground Of Scriptural doctrines
In the discussions n the public journals the question
Of right was no element. The whole matter turned
on the question OF expediency. 1t was claimed by
some tnat lay representation was revolutionary, and
asserted that 1t was not revolutionary. Dr. Porter
had said that the laymen already had all the power
they wanted, and, In his opinion, all they ought to
have. They held all the property OF the Church. d.
rected all Its finances, and what more could they ask
on was emDoaed in the Church rom
the first. The principle was seen In the quarterly
Conference where ministers and laymen combined
IN the government Of q single church. The princi.
pie was all seen in the workings OF the Missionary
Society, in the Sabbath school and In the Tract
Society. All that was asked by the friends of the
lay delegation was that principle found In ali the
other departments OF the Church organization should
urged as an objection to the movement that there
was no need OF lay representation in the General
Conference because the legislation is all Of spiritual
a1 hA fol nf o
objection by reference to the list OF standing CON-
mttees appointed at the last General Conference.
Books, Slavery Missions, Education, Lay Dele
CATION, Sunday Schools, the Tract Cause,
In these committees originated all the business that
was transacted. and the fact of their existence was
sufficient answer TO the objection that spiritual
Germs were the only questions that occupied the
tenton or the General Conference The speaker then
went on to the consideration OF further objections
and the first OF these noticed was that the Church
was getting along well enough without change as
shown In the great magnitude 1t had already at
tanned. But Methodism, the speaker said. had not
been without change, but on the contrary had been
shaping and adjusting herself from year to year 10
the wants Of the times. At first the ministry were
years after the founding OF Methodlsm before ms
slonary society was formed. Both enterprises were
sci on 100, oy iaymen. Many objected TO the mea,
represent the laiiy. But their constituency
would not be the constituency of politicians.
Methodist Church. The advantages OF iay
lay representation were next considered. First i'm
tan Changes introduced Without the ssncoA OF the
whole Church. Second, II would promote conf
mon feeling among all Mehodists from end OF
the land 10 the other Third 1t would produce har-
mony IN the Church and remove what IL now discor-
dant. the speaker concluded by saying II lay dele
CATION were carried the career Of Methodsm
throughout the Continent would be unparalleled in
all history
Rev. Or. Tiffany was the next speaker. lie asked,
What were the peculiarities OF Metlodism-what
there was in the Methodist Church that other de-
nominations did not have2 There Ia not a single
doctrine or Methodism not held by some other de-
nomination There IL not usage OF Methodsm that
| Is not found among other regious bodies. The
whole tendency OF the age was towards the adopfIon
OF more and more OF the pecuarlties OF Methodsm.
| The Methodist class meeting had made is ap-
| pearance In the other churches as a conference
meeting. IN the matter OF itner8ncy there was
another Church tnat had better system OF ftlne-
rancy than the Methodist had. What then, was the
peculiarly OF the Methodist Church, IL was Chris
tlanliy actually moving In Provdential directions.
10 was It's fertility OF resource It's power of ataptIpg
i,seli 70 tne circumstances OF time and place. The
speaker recalled the Methodism under which he was
born, when snch a church he was in with ITS
cushioned seats, would not have been tolerated
much less an organ. The popularity OF Methodism
In the time Of Wesley was that IT'S preachers we're
aymen. The speaker thought that all the qualiti es
that necessary In active life could be made ser.
vceable In the government OF the Church In the
Baltimore Conference ne had seen couple of young
clergymen wrangng over points OF law, while
Justice Mclean, or the supreme Court OF the United
States sat in the gallery smiling at their
but powercs3 to say word.
MT HOyt another layinan made few very per-
tinent remarks addressing himself TO his subject in
business fashion that was In Itself one OF the best
arguments In iavor OF the cause OF which he spoke
lie SAID tne question was first brOacned In 1860 In
General Conference, and was submitted 10 a vote In
the year succeeding. But owing TO the distractions
oil the war the measure defeated The next
General Conferencethat Of lso4-also pronounced IN
favor OF the measure. IL was again brought up IN
tue Conference OF is6s, aud avoraby
the vote upon ~ being 227 for II o three against It.
Another election was ordered by this Conference 10
take place In June next. After the Bishops OF these
three General Conferences had pronounced the
measure right, and SAID that 10 should he adopteo
should the laymen by their action say that II was
wronRf should they say that and vote down their
night TO self-governmenty Are they prepared 10
throw away their vote after they are caled worthy OF
eellgovernments He said that the women had bcep
empowered 70 vote through The opponents OF tue
measure, with the hope OF defeating II. EuI the
speaker said no had not conversed with "A single
woman who was not In favor OF It,