Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-05-16
rHmE rABLE.
Arrival nnd Deparsnre o. TraIns.
80 melhodIsl EpIscopal Church.

As incorrect statements have been
printed Is to the change 10 The polity
Of this church, we give an authorized
condensation Of Dr.. Leech's expIa-
nation to bis congregation on last
Sabbath morning Eds.
BY request Of the Quarterly Con
ference, / explained the change in the
Polity Of this church, decided on after
careful thought and preparation.
"A deep and increasing impression
has long existed among the officers
and many other members, that tho
usefulness of this church his been
much limited by its system of renting
the pewe 1t has been reported Of
ten, that many whose antecedents are
Nett odistic, remain away from its
services, because of this feature.
Notwithstanding the facts that the
peus Of members are often vacant,
~ indisposition has been always
manifested on the part of people not
holding pews, to occupy them
Pewholders here have been uniformly
courteous. 1t is but fact however.
that such courtesy has not remedied
this matter Thus it has come to be
sorely felt by those on whose hearts
are the interestsof this church andthe
furtherance Of the Gospel here, that
while the system Of renting the seats
tended to make 8 select church, ii
also tended powerfully to limit the
regular attendance aud thus circum.
scribe The usefulness Of the church.
So generally does this view prevail
throughout Methodism, that we have
few churches With rented seats But
three churches out Of several hundred
ID the Baltimore conference have fol
lowed bis plan. Two oE them-Mt.
Vernon Place, Baltimore, and Metro
politan, Neutrality-suspicious. largely
lor their evening congregations on the
vast number Of strangers in these
cities The third church, our own.
has no such body to draw upon.
Moreover, the income Of this church
from rented pews has always been
limited This has caused constant
struggle to make both ends meet.
The large number Of churches OF
other communions, reported as chang
Ine TO the free scat system, tended TO
confirm the impression prevailing in
the Quarterly Conference as to the
drawbacks of the rented plan.
So powerful had this view Of the
matter at last come to Be, that at
meeting Of the board Of trustees held
81 a1arch, two Of the most careful OF
the body suggested that proposition
he submitted to the pewholders GOV
eFlng these points, Wis / Seats
entirely free. 2. Voluntary and gen.
eral contributions for pastoral sup.
port. to be paid through envelopes,
weekly, monthly or quarterly as pre-.
lerred by the subscriber
Il was at the same time 70 Be dis.
linclly understood that the new plan
should il no sense interfere with the
ns idea Of Family Sistingsu tt
was lelt to be very desirable that pa
rents and children, etc, should sit
together, also that individuals should
usually occupy The same seats. Yet
tlhis was il no sense to infringe Oh
gAh6 true freedom Of the seats It
Rns recognized as important that tho
aVal cadets and St. Johns students
should occupy their usual places
Ihe proposition met with very gen /
efal acceptance. a few, chiefly not
church communicates, frankly con-
sed their personal preference for the
e system So y matter Of personal
hoE - iraDkl were willing
aIVe ills iol the supposed usefnl-
and hensl I'll the church, Not
nele person declined to come into
new arrangement Many largely
creased their subscription over their
Ions rents Quite q number who
not heen renting subscribed 70.
pastoral support. others in-
their payments Th9 result
than covers e salary
Quarterly conference held
May 8, direcikd the stewards
d upon the new method
yards hare made the neoes-
eoments Envelopes will
aialely furnished 10 members
church and congrega lon
Itv and promp1ness SIRE &C.
end anticipated
he original polIky Of Ghkisl's
as outlined 81 lhe Sew Iesta-
ST the Gospel Tree Is who
come sud receive and lhen
III