Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-13


BISHOP HARGRovE.
Morton Of Louisville, ny. All the divines who
participated in the devo tional service were
members Of the Methodist Episcopal church
south.
The record Of Yesterdays proceedings were
read by Secretary Thomas Shape of Liverpool
England. A number of corrections were noted
and ther. the minutes were approved. Dr
King reported a number of resolutions and me-
MORALS from the business committee. lnclud-
ing list Of appointments OF presiaents lor Tue
sessions of several DAYS TO come
These were as follows: DIR. j. i. Murray.
Baltimore Methodist Protestant church, hrst
session "Wednesday: Rev. Joseph Ferguson. d.
D., Primitive Methodist church, second session,
Wednesday; Bishop Andrews OF the Methodlst
Episcopal church. third session, Wednesday;
Rev. James Donnelly. irish Metho1ls I ehufen'
FIRST session, THURSDAY: Bishop A W. Wayman.
DID. African Methodist Episcopal church, sec
ord session, Thursday.
lay AGENCY IN THE CHURCH.
The main essay of the morning was by Rev.
James Travis of the Primitive Methodist
church on The Place and Power of Lay
Agency in the Church Rev. Mr.. Travis is the
general missionary secretary of the church lie
represents a delegate to the ecumenlcal con-
ference. His headquarters are IN London
The church IL the beginning, according to
Mr.. Travis ESSAY. was a brotherhood of wor-
shippers and a. such there was no distinction
between the clergy and the laity. This dlstinc-
ton has grown up since IN course OF ume.
The New Testament knows no clerical priest
hood Some look upon separated ministry
as unnecessary even IL not unscriptUral while
Others maintain that such a clergy Is essential
TO the highest good of the church He was
loath to believe that the Methodist church Is as
much divided upon this question as some
would have Us believe.
FbR rrrnE min II
ISM means that the minister is set apart. whose
life is devoted to the service OF Cod lie Is
not curtained on from the rest OF mankind
with supernatural powers received at the time
of ordination, but he is the brother OF all man
kind.
Is the difference between the laity and the
clergy organic or only tunctionaE If, said
Mr.. Travis. this conference represented all
sections of the ecclesiastical world ana had met
to find the real differentiation between the
clergy and laity. it would furnish an example
of confusion which would rival Babel
The early MethOdists never talked about
ministers AID lay preachers, but travelling
preachers and local preachers. Methodist min
listers are not a secret Caste. They are pastors,
elders or bishops invested by the church with
certain authority. but they belong to the
common brotherhood of the saints and in
spiritual privileges stand exactly equal with
all the children of God
.'The lai:y have place in the church. The
church Is such allows no distinction of order
or sex. Ministers are in tie church because
they are Christians and because they are
ministe-s-
LAY agency has place in the government
of the church Even the apostles, who held
their communion directly from our Lord and
who were systematically endowed for the
special work Of founding the church, seldom
acted but in unison with the laity-
The Methodist denominations are agreed
that the laity have a place. but they are far
hafp to fs4rtf - he
supreme difficulty to organic Methodist union.
Lay agency has been a great power in the min
istrics OF the church. The New Testament does
not exclude them from any ministries of the
church"
The speaker dwelt on the service rendered
by laymen in all ages and regretted the grow
ing tendency of the times to restrict lay
agency and to regard it as an inferior ministry.
Everything that concerned men, whether
viewed rs citizens OF this world or as candi-
dates for the world to come, was the work of
the church In these ministries there was room
for all Christians.
He pleaded tor the systematic training of Law
preachers and said that church that could
not or would not find work for all who had the
heart and hand Of service defective
church When all Christians ''are at it. all
ut It and always ut it, the salvation Of the race
viii not be far distant.
THE DEAcoSEss MOVEMENT.
Rev. VI. DC. Crawford, ID. d.. of ihe Method
iss Episcopal church, was to have followed Mr..
Travis in an invited address on the subject
The Deaconess Movement" but Bishop Hurs,
announced that he had been taken suddenly
II and would be unable TO submit the address.
Bishop William Y Ninde of Kansas was intro
caced to speak in place o. DIR. Crawford and
De delivered an interesting talk in support o!
the new movement.
He outlined the work from the beginning
and defended il from all objections that had
been raised A IN he. r ar hat
removed woman from her proper sphere il
would be a difficult thing 10 do to say Just what
her sphere is. considering how much our view.
or this matter have changed OF rocen:
years IL Was not an unwOmanly thing
to do to give up one home in order
20 be q mother to hundreds of homes
to bring comfort to sorrowIny hearts
The world can never be saved TO God without
the assistance OF woman, and wha. is needed i.
more OF the spirit that animates such lives oil
abnegation and devotion Not more of mascu
line argument and disputation, but more Of the
- l,ra