The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-09
FIRST EDITIO
METHODISM.


The Question of Lay RepresentatiOn-The
Terms of the Proposed Roform-A History of
the MOvement-The Action of the Churches
thus far.
The engrossing subject of discussion in the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church at present is that Of Lay Repre-
sentation, upon the adoption or rejection OF which
every church connected with the denomination is
required to take vote some time during the present
The Plan of Lay Representation.
The last General Conference or quadriennal con-
vention of the Church, which was held in Chicago
in May, 1865 adopted series of resolutions provid-
ing for lay representation in that body, although no
the system to the subordinate Annual Conferences.
BY the proposed plan, the General Conference is to
consist of both clerical and lay delegates the former
TO be apportioned among the different Annual Con-
ferences at the rate Of delegate to every thirty
members, while the lay delegations shall consist OF
two laymen from each Annual Conference except
such as entitled to but one ministerial delegate,
in which cases the two delegations are to be equal.
The ministerial delegates are to be selected as here
tOfOre either by seniority choice, each Annual
Conference shall decide. The lay dele,
Conference of aymen, to be held on the third day of
the session OF the Annual Conference Immediately
preceding the assembling of the meeting of each
General Conference. This Electoral Conference s
to consist of one ayman from each station or circuit
in the Annual Conference to be selected by the last
Quarterly Conference Immediately preceding the
meeting of the Electoral Conference. No layman
be selected as a delegate, either to the Electoral
or General Conference, who Is under twenty-five
years of age and has not been member OF the
Church for five consecutive years preceding the
time of his election.
1t is further provided that when the General Con-
ference thus made up is in session. twothirds Of the
whole number OF ministerial and lay delegates shall
be required to form quorum for the transaction or
business The delegates OF both classes are to to M SIT
of the delegates Of either order shall demand a
separate vote on any question: It must be TAKEN and
in such cases both branches of the Conference must
concur to make the action complete.
Such is the plan for lay representation upon which
the different churches are now deliberatlng.
How the Churches Vote upon it.
The General Conference provided for taking vote
upon the above plan in each church connected with
the denomination, on some day other than Sunday,
during the current month"; the time for taking this
vote to be determined by the pastor Of the church
and two laymen selected for the purpose by the
Quarterly Conference Of each church, it being made
their duty to give at least twenty days notice Of the
time OF holding the election, to superntend all its
details. and to report the result to the Presiding
Elder of the district by whom in turn, it Is reported
to the Bishop presiding at the next Annual Confer
ence. At the election each and every member of the
Church in full connection, and not less than twenty
one years OF age, whether male or female is entitled
to vote. In this connection may be well to state
that the ladies generally embracing the privilege
thus conferred upon them, in some cases voting by
proxy, but generally appearing and putting in their
ballots ip propria perSonG.
The ConsummatiOn of the Plan.
But this election is far from enecting a definite
settlement of the question. At the next OF
each Annual Conference subsequent to the holding
of the elections, the presiding Bishop shall submit
an amendment to the constitution OF the Church
providing for the election of two lay delegates,
above set forth 1t is then provided, in the resolu
tions adopted by the General Conference last year,
that if majority of all the votes cast by the people
be in favor of lay representation and if threefourths
of all the members OF all the Annual Conferences
present and voting upon the question shall vote in
favor of the proposed change, the General Confe-
renee which is to assemble in 1872 can complete and
ratify the plan by two-thirds' vote, upon which
favorable action the lay delegates previously elected
shall be admitted to all their rights and privileges as
members OF the Supreme Council of the Church.
The Relative Strength.
The last General Conference of the Church was
composed Of 229 members If lay delegates had been
admitted on the basis Of the proposed plan, they
would have numbered 1885, or less than one-thlrd of
the whole number But the privilege Of demanding
a separate and concurrent vote Will enable the lay
branch Of the General Conference to exercise an
equal power with that welded by the ministerial
delegates; but at the same time IL will enable bare
majority of the latter delegates to defeat any obnoX
ious measure which might receive the support of the
entire lay delegation well as that OF large pro-
portion of the ministerial delegation, by the agency
OF this separate vote In this way the power is very
evenly balanced between the two classes OF dele
gates
The Result of the Vote Thus Far
has been remarkably favorable to the of the
movement, but one church having cast majority of
votes against its adoption, while in one other only
was there tie. The only church in this city which
has voted upon the question is Nazareth, on
Thirteenth street. below Vine, which held election
on Monday evening, resulting in 40 votes in favor to
32 against. On Friday evening elections will be held
in several other churches in different parts of the
city. The following is general summary OF the
vote in all the churches throughout the country
which have thus far voted upon the question