The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-15

tions should he madc-twclve names In oil.
Only ono of the twelve was appointed. In
cidcnts Of this sort necessarily leave GER
tain amount Of irritation. They explain
the progress Of the movement for taking the
presiding cldcrehp ont Of tho hands OF the
Bishops by making it an elective Office, or
aboi-hng it altogether
Equally patent is the growing cagcrness
Of the more popular and high-priccd preach
crS lo get rid Of the rule which forces them
to pack up and move every three ycars-an
cagcrncss fully shared by the rich city
churches that enjoy their ministrations.
10 both, this thrcc-ycars rule. rs il is called,
has become very irksOmc; they allege that
it il the cause of immense loss to the do
nomination in the cities, and they contend
that the working value of the itncrant
system would not bo impaired, but in
creased. 10y doing away with the arbitrary
limit and leaving tho duration of the pas
toial term to be determined in each case by
the perceived interests of the church. This
j. the Congrcgatiunalizing tendency which
Bishop SIMPSON 80 sharply rcbukrd at a re-
cent Conference Thus Tar, the poor country
churches and the low-priccd preachers stand
ont stiliiy against it, and as they are in
vast majority. it does not make much per-
ccptblc Roadway. Thc most serious obsta-
Gle 1t has To overcome is the fccling that it
would divide both preachers and churches
into two distinct grades ami this Is u very
serious obstacle indeed. Still, the party of
innovation moro than makes up in money,
brains, and influence what it lacks in num-
bcrs and III time it may carry it, point.
The woman question Is beginning to worry
Conferences ~ we'll rs Congress, the courts,
aud the medical societies. Shall women hc
licensed 10 preach in Methodist pulptS
Bishop ANDREWS says No. because the law VI
the church docs not permit it; and an APP
peal has been taken from his decision to the
General Conference. Should that body re-
verse the Bishops dccisiun, II will not be
long before the question will change its
form, and then the Methodist, must deter
mine whether successful womcn preachers
shall be- ordained To the pastoratc What
over the law of the church may hc. the
whole logic OF its practice is on the side Of
the women. Alone among Protestant bodies
it. unclasrcd the paddock which st. PAUL
had placed upon their mouths. For over n
century the sisters have been praying rc-
lating their experience and cxhortng sin
nrrs in Methodist meetings, with the full
approval of the clergy from the Bishops
down. II some Of them. after this training
aspire to the pulpit. there il no occasion for
surprise. Perhaps ii is equally natural that
the men preachers should at first resist this
invasion Of their domain, yet there are very
few OF them who would not welcome the
chance OF securing Widow VAN Corr's help
In II revival.
In nearly all the spring Conferences an
other question has come up-that OF the use
OF tobacco. II seems that the last General
Conference advised the subordinate bodies
not 10 admit any candidate for the ministry
who was addicted to that habit. This new
departure appears TO have the approval Of q
majority Of the preachers but. there Is Il
minority who insist that this is carrying
Interference with personal liberty little
too far. The New England Conference be-
ing strongly anti-tobacco. found itself In a
rather amusing dilemma. Ono Of the most
PROMISING, candidates, the son Of presiding
elder and doctor Of divinity. being asked
whether he used tobacco replied that he did.
The Conference. after good deal OF discus
sion, compromised the matter by admitting
the young man, and then passing solemn
resolution that IL would never admit such
another.