The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-17
METH0DISM'S WEAK SPOT.
Too Much Politics and Wire Pulling in Con-
f~erences Affect the Church's Usefulness.
few York Commercial Advertiser.

New York Commerci Advertiser.
Not only in New York but also IN New
England the closet doors of the Methodist
Church have this week been thrown open
and Its skeletons exposed to the public
gaze. The ordeal was not a pleasant one,
but the church can breathe freer now that
1t is over.
1t was bound to come. For years 1t
had been an open secret among the min
listers of the denomination that the con-
ference.rooms were hung thick with
wires. In the local conferences it has
been bad enough, but in the General
Conferences 1t has been next to impos-
sible for q delegate to step anywhere
without running against q live wire. To
many o deeply religious country min
lister q visit to q General Conference has
been almost as great q shock as the visit
to Rome was to Martin Luther. Pro-
lessor Townsend. who has just laid bare
the abuse before the church In New
England. tells of several ministers who
have left the denomination because they
could not stand the political intrigues at
the conferences.
Why is it that the Methodist Church is
especially cursed in this wayf Our answer
is plain enough. 1t is the heavy price the
&hokAh pop . " I" hiAh Sh-
joys. In the Methodist Church there Is no
system of "candidating." Every minister
always has a congregation, and every con-
gregstiOn always has q minister. without
oratOry and godliness' which precede the
calling of a clergyman In other denomina-
tions. All this IL arranged In the confer
ences. where the bishop appoints to each
church its minister and to each minister
his church.
When the bishops are ideal men who
bring themselves to understand thoroughly
the needs of each congregation and tho
abilities of each minister the system works
well. Unfortunately, however. bishops
are human. and there are men in every oon-
ference who rely upOn currying favor or
bringing pressure In order to secure the
places they want. The power which the
bishop lwields is enormous. If he happens
apt to favor those who exalt the
dignity of the office he holds
and of him who holds it. Even If he is
worthy of the office he holds, he must.
nevertheless. be guided by the
cations of others. and the opportunity for
log-rOlling comes in. So long as tue power
of the bishop remains as great ss 1t Is and
the power OF the congregation remains as
little az IL Is, IL will be difficult 10 put an
end to tins abuse. except through the con-
version OF all the ministers.
But the political intriguing due to the
appointing power of the bishops at the
local conferences is not the most serious
evil the Methodist Church has 10 contend
with. The politics In the annual confer
eDce Is likely TO relate TO the sending OF
delegates TO the General Conference. and
that body is the ecene of the manipulations
which are the real menace TO the welfare
of the church. The reason for these man.
ipulations is the comparative magniti-
cence of the prizes the General Conference
has at its disposal. There has been no
body of ministers since the monastlc
orders, in the days of their poverty
and power. that has done so much
ill-paId work for the advancement of
the Christian religion as the pioneer
Methodist ministers. To this day the old
traditions are in large measure retained.
and the Methodist minister 10 not expected
TO fare better than the rank and file of his
parishioners. More than this. he canno
retain the same parish year after year. bnt
must move from place to place as long as
he lives. Compared with the lot of the
Methodist "itinerant, that of the Methodist
bishop, or. indeed. OF any officers elected
by the General Conference. is one of ease,
security and unending afiuence. When