News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-09-13
The Methodist Pastoral Term.

The Methodist Pastoral Term.
There is lively discussion going
on among the MethOdists over the
limiting rules which restricts pas
tors term to three years. Two OF the
dcnominational papers-one at st.
Louis. and the other at Pittsburg-
have adopted a sensible plan for gath
ering up the opinions of the Metho-
dist ministers and laymen. They
sent out circulars to 250 men, asking
for brief replies to be printed. In
this way-by getting the Judgment of
representative men-these papers
have practically forestalled a weari-
some, long windcd discussion. The
The st. Louis paper-CentrdL Chris
tan .1dU0cdte-draws its supply of
opinions chiefly from southern Illinois,
Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and
southern Iowa. The Pittsburg i'd
vocate collects from western Pennsyl-
vania. eastern Ohio and West Viz
ginia. 1t appears by comparison,
that there is more desire for change Of
rule in the st. Louis region than in
the Pittsburg; and it also appears
that only about one-tourth of some
800 men, mostly pastors, desire re-
peal of the absolute restriction of pas
tOral service to three years at one
time in one place.
Those who favor the extension Of
the time to four years or five are also
about one-fOurth of the whole. The
two, if they should unite on an extern
sion to four years, could probably eff
feet, with their allies elsewhere, that
change. But it is doubtful whether
the progressives will concur in this
compromise. They have gained cour
ace by the showing Of hands. The
friends Of the movement in the east
have been astonished by the discOv-
cry that it has 50 much strength i'll
the west; and they are opposed to
tie principle Of an absolute restric
ton to any number of years. They
say: 1--WE have Bishops to judge of
the fitness Of men to stay, we have
city work to do which cannot be well
done on the time limit system, and
we believe that in due time the church
will see it." The present movement
began in Minnesota, and was a Won
der of Methods u, because it began
in an unofficial meeting Of Presiding
Elders-whO are additionally the
most conservative Of men. These
two facts have changed the aspect Of
the question for those who favor the
repeal of the limiting rule. They
now say: 1T is nearer than we
hoped" As the matter stands, then,
It is not likely that any action on the
pastoral term will be taken by the
general conference which meets in
Philadelphia next May; but four
or eight years hence the majority may
have changed sides. If one-fourth of
the ministers now favor radical
change, and if they are as strong in
the west as they appear to be, they
may double their strength in a few
years.
1t is a noticeable thing that those
who want change are holding up their
hands. In preceding years very few
would commit themselves to the poll
cy of repeal. Nor is this all. Every
leading minister is supposed to want
to be delegate to the general confer
ence, which meets only once in four
years. To be in the minority on a
question Of this kind is almost an
election to stay at home. 1t looks as
though the progressive men had
great confidence in the sOundness Of
their views and the strength of their
position. An enthusiastic friend Of
repeal says, There are one hundred
times as many voices in the air crying
for repeal as there were before any
previous -cuera difference began to
bc elected" Tine Immediate question
tls- ..S-saL-.ss.- asssAiasL-E 1891
but the repeal party NOW Tor tlIG III 4
time exists they are standing up
10 be counted, and their number is so
much greater than they supposed that
they are likely to make q vigorous
push for front seats in 1888. 1t is
one of those cases in which voting a
thing down is the first step toward
voting it up. 1t may be safely pre-
dicted that this generation of Meth
odists will adjust its pastoral methods
to 4 more sufficient service Of the rclig-
iOus wants of the large towns.