Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-04-09

in the church is first admitted as licentiate
on trial. The next step is to be ordained as
a deacon, and then as an elder. The churches
or charges are aggregated in districts, each
district being under the charge of presid-
ing elder, appointed for four years. who de-
votes himself TO the supervision OF the
churches of the district. Half dozen dis
trcts, more or less, form conference
The conference holds annual sessions, pre-
sided over by bishop. Each hcentiate,
deacon and elder is a member of the confer
ence and is required to attend its sessions.
in the course of which the character ana
work of each pass under review. Once IN
four years the conferences elect delegates to
a general conference in which of late years
the laity are also represented by delegates
one-third in number of the clerical
delegates, chosen by representative
bodies which meet during the sessions
of the conferences The general con-
ference is the sole and supreme legisla-
tive body of the church. 1t sits once in four
years, its sessions lasting month or more.
1t elects the bishops, fixes the number OF
them, and settles all questions relating TO
boundary lines of districts and conferences,
all rules of discipline, all matters OF polIty.
The bishops differ from the Catholic and
Episcopal hierarchy, IN that they are not as
signed to separate sees or bishoprics. Each
bishop-there were twelve of them year
ago. and there are nine now, three having
died within a years bishop of the whole
church, with equal authority throughout It's
boundaries. Practically they allot their
work among themselves each ycar-a certain
number of conferences being assigned to
each bishop at the annual sessions OF which
he presides and which are under his super
vision throughout the year, until new allot-
ment takes place The finances OF the church
are managed by stewards. Each church or
charge elects board Of stewards-often nine
| in pumber-who fix the minister's salary and
collect the money. A board OF district
stewards fixes The salary of the presiding
elder, and apportions among the churches
the amounts to be raised by them for 1t.
The conference stewards in like man.
ner assess upon the districts their re-
spective shares of the amount which
the conference must raise for the assist
ancc of the supcrannuated ministers and
destitute widows of deceased ministers, and
for the Episcopal fund for the support OF
the bishops. A committee of the National
conference determines the total amount to
be raised for this fund, and assesses the an
nual conferences for their several shares OF
the same The salaries of the bishops are,
we believe $4,000 year, with their travel
ling expenses. The presiding elders are paid
in this region from 81 900 to $4,000 year.
The salaries of the ministers of course vary
according to the size and ability of the
churches, as in other denominations.
The power of the bishop is very great At
each annual conference, through reports
from the presiding elders, the character and
work of each minister is reviewed by the
bishop in detail, and he then assigns to each
his field of labor for the year following. This
power is commonly exercised only after
much consultation with the presiding elders,
and with due regard to the wishes of the
churches and of the ministers but the form
al authority in the matter rests with the
bishop He may take minister from Il
large and prosperous church and assign him
to hamlet He may take him from the
list of active ministers and make him SUI
pernumerary, without work or pay. He
may transfer him from one conference to an
other or may send him as a missionary to
Africa or Turkey.
This itineracy of their ministry is a
great distinguishing feature of the Metho-
dist church. Its founder, Wesley,
wished the preachers TO stay but q
week in a place. As late as 1894 the
preachers were required to change as often
az once in six months. The term is now 3
year with usage which permits its extern
sion, by annual appointments, TO three years.
The chief advantage of this movable condi-
ton and entire subordinaiion of their clergy,
ia that it secures ministers for all the
churches, large and small. Its discomforts
TO the ministers in the periodical breakings-
up are very great. 1t bears hardest. proba-
bly,, on the families of the clergymen, the
wives and children, who no sooner get fairly
settled in their homes and schools and social
associations, than they must move 10 new
and strange scenes. The reply of the young
lady, under examination to become teacher
Of a CITY school, to the routine question,
where is your home 81 have no home /;
am the daughter of Methodist minister"
had in it volume of sad meaning. The
questions of still further extending the
term, and even of abolishing the itineracy,
are now widely discussed in the denomina-
ton, and the former, at least, will doubtless
be brought before the coming National con-
ference, which meets next month; and
while, perhaps, the prevailing opinion in the
denomination is opposed to any extension
of the term, many of the prominent men of
the clergy freely express their conviction
that some change in this direction must be
made if the denomination would retain the
services Of many of its best men, or be able
to provide first-class pastors for the churches
in the larger towns and cities.