The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-03-11
The Troy Conference Again.

The Troy Conference again.
In the Troy Press of week before last,
under the title of SIN the North this
year." appeared an article which was
copied into the BANNER. The Rev. Z.
Edwards says that the aforesaid article
and its speculations has led him to think
q little, and, to use his words, has result
ed in my studying the minutes of the
Conference for the quadrennium. The
article referred to would seem to make
quite a universal frightening of the
term of service of the pastors of the
Troy Conference. 1t had been my opin-'
ion that the extension of the time limit
had resulted in an increase of removals
at the end of one and two years. Under
our system, removals at the end OF the
trst year are not very common, es-
pecially among members of the Con-
ference. At the end of the second year
the preacher may desire change for
some reason, or the people may think
change would be cOngenial, and under
the three years limit they would be
likely to reason it is only one year more,
and in many cases say nothing ABOUT
change, while under the present time
limit of five years they would reason,
81 don't want to stay any Longer" or
VIC q INV:
ment is made to secure it, when it
would not be done under the old system,
and the result will be shortening of the
pastorate on an average-that while
some would be heightened, others
would be shortened, and the average re-
duced. The result of my investigation
is hardly satisfactory upon which to base
positive opinion. While l accept the
statement of your correspondent as cor
rect in regard to the increased number
who are closing a service of three years
or more over that of four years ago, yet
would call attention to the fact that
where twelve preachers completed
term of five years, one year ago, onl y
five are doing that this year. This is
owing, in part at least, to the fact that
several moved last year at the end of
four years. service, and may indicate
that five years pastoral term is not
as popular in the Troy Conference, as
shorter one, but l am free to allow that
it does not settle anything. 1t will re-
quire longer period of time; perhaps
another four years will get us adjusted
to the five year limit with some degree
of permanency.
NY investigation has proven to my
self, at least, that we are truly itinerant
ministers have carefully compiled
the figures in the minutes of the Con-
ference pertaining to the length of the
term of service for the four years closing
with the coming session of the Confer
ence, with the following result, endeaYor-
ing to show the average length OF the
passionate of those who are members of
the Conference, not considering those
who as local preachers are acting as
supplies:
In 1888, 1914 preachers completed a
term of service aggregating 3o3 years,
being an average of one year, nine
months and twenty days for each term
of service.
In 1889, 1877 preachers completed ag-
gregated terms of service amounting to
1868 years, being an average pastorate of
one year, ten months and twelve days.
In 1890, POP preachers completed a
term of service aggregating 40 years,
an average of two years, two months
and twenty days for each passionate.
In 1891, 100 preachers completed
term of service aggregating 426 years,
being an average of two years, one
month and twenty days for each pastor
ate.
Now. while do not claim that this is
conclusive, yet does it not indicate that
the tendency is toward frequent remov-
ais I? 1t seems to me the laity of our
church needs, to consider this matter
carefully, for q, longer pastoral term will
tend to lessen The spirit of restlessness
which the itipeTanCy may have engen-
dered, for it is q fact that while our peO-
pie enjoy having a new pastor and keep
ing up the itiRerancy, they are very re-
luctant to practice it, for the pastor who
aims at reform by making changes
among class leaders who have outlived
their usefulness, Or stewards who are
such only in name, will be quite sure to
find it convenient to take a new field of
labor at the next session of his Confer
ence. Too manly Of our laity oppose the
introduction of hew and young members
into the quarterly Conference. I'm
doubleday many1of our ills will be pro-
vided for at the next session of the gen
eral Conference. as there seems to be
common purpose among the Conference,
east and west, to make the delegates to
the next General Conference from
among the pastors of the church.