New-York tribune., 1876-02-01
METHODIST CHURCH MACHINERY.

RADICAL AND CONSERVATIVE ELEMENTS-DISCUs-
SION AT THE WEEKLY MINISTERS MEETING.
The Methodist Ministers held their usual
weekly meeting yesterday at No. sO5 Broadway, and
the attendance OF cergymen and aymen Was very large
The interest Of the meeting centered in the address OF
the Rev. j. NJ Buckley Of Brooklyn on The Connec
tiona Principles and Machinery Of the Methodist Eps
eopal Church." in answer to the revolutionary argument
pf Dr. scudder, Presiding Elder OF the Bridge ort Die
trict last week. "1he supervisona Economy Of the
Church" Mr BGcIley began speaking at ii o'clock and
continued three hours engaging the closest attention
and exciting the hyeliest interest to the last.
He was frequently interrupted by DR.. Curry
and Dr. scudder, and by or two Others,
AID his answers very pointed He aimed IN show
that the reforms proposed by Drs Curry and Scudder
might bring the evil elements Of the political system into
the machinery Of the Church DR.. scudder last week
advocated having bishop for each Conference to pre-
side In place OF the elder the bishops to be elected FOR
o term Of twelve years instead Of enjoying life
tenure and 10 preside fonr over the came Confer
ence with igblity for eight years He also proposed
other radio al changes in church government
Previous 20 the ordination Of Thomas Coke by Wesley
Mr. Buckley said Gethcdism IN this country in an
unorganlzed state. The living principles when became
defined the equal rights Of all ministers OF Tie
Church at but equal rights to the pulpit of
particular society; nerant minstery general SUI
rerintendcncy; rules and regulations equally binding on
sn. The correctional machinery Of the Church has
worked we'll since 1854 IL is only oqAled by that OF
tue Catholic Church. Remove this machinery and the
Church would fall 20 pieces and assume n condition OF
snarchy he like Congre gatiOnalsn When you praise
the itinerary praise the power that makes u
success But Dr. Scudder finds iault with thi- power
Ii is 10 magnify the evils OF the pas and dis
count the evils OF the future. That Is q sirlt which,
wherever you find IT, would blot The snn out - the
heavens because Of the spots on II. SIR Buckley
spoke at lendb Of the clar6h- OF inialr;cTs
who difficult T. p,ace and to piea-e
Tie reduction Of the hie tenure Of the
epscopacy not broached until recently. IL II the
one venerable dignity of the Church, and the life tenure
s necessary III a country where the people easily
irreyeTan MIR. Buckley used strong language ia de
nouncng the canyassing for Office that had unaffected
itself the last General Conference and said II the whole
history OF IL were made known II would have set the
Church back quarter Of century. He sald the Church
felt that obnoxious 10 the majority had been ele
waited 10 a hgn Office 10y rigid caDyassng machinery
How much greater wOuld Ia EVIL be II the bishops
ucreas.d In number and elected every four years The
present syslem worked admirably Dr. scudder's re-
marks were good for revOlutOnst but Dad for a re-
former. Radical changes imperiled the whole MI
Buckley closed with plea for true conservative In
position TO u distinctive revolutionary spirit.