Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-05-12
TALK ON THE CONSTITUTION.

Organic Law and Constitutional Law Two
Different Things.
The committee on episcopacy asked and
was granted more time to report on the
need of more bishops The report of the
constitutional commission was then taken
up and Bishop Merrill was asked to ex-
plain points in it. Bishop Merrill said
that one duty was to ascertain what is the
organic law of the church. and what is the
constitution. There has been much con-
fusion, many confounding them as one
and the same thing. The committee
reached the conclusion that there are two
separate and distinct things, one the
organic law of the church the other the
constitutional law of the conference
The Organic Law Defined.
The bishop proceeded to say that the or
ganic laws of the church consisted of the
PARTICLES of faith and the general laws, and
we went further and incorporated the con-
stitution of the general conference as
portion of the organic law for the general
conference The church in general con-
ference in 1905 adopted the constitution.
In 1868 without challenge modified
thus. The general conference of 1871
possessed and exercised authority and
power that the conference of 1858 did not
possess or attempt TO exercise The con-
ference of 1865 had submitted to the godly
consideration and action of the church
membership plan to give the conference
power to seat laymen, which explains the
additional power of the conference Of 1872.
Only Made a Mistake.
He held that the action of the conference
of 1872 was hardly warranted by judicial
procedure. 1t did something it was not
formally authorized to do and that some
thing was the introduction of the plan of
the lay delegates, which if it was unlawful
ly introduced is an unlawful assembly. The
commission. however, did not take this
view. The action of the conference of 1872
is not illegal as it was only a mistake.
They wrongfully placed the the statutory
law in the constitution where the commits
sion found it. ICries of shear" "hear."l
The Pith of the Matter at Last.
Said the bishop: I'VE have decided
that the conference of Sl72 did something
which was granted it by the preceding
one, but not in proper form. We thought
that which constitutes is a constitution;
that which organizes is organic law, and
we so report. We pronounce no illegality
of the act of 1872. If you desire to do so
that is your right. II you strike out that
which the conference did in 1872, then you
restore that statute in vogue previously,
and are again at sea-"
They All Wanted to Speak.
Hardly had Bishop Merrill closed speak
ing when at least thirty men arose and
simultaneously exclaimed: aMr Chair
man" DR.. Bridgeman was successful,
but all over the house delegates kept their
feet, and points of order, questions of
privileges, requests ETC., were fired at the
chair, but finally the doctor succeeded in
putting in an amendment in substance
that we now declare that all that has
gone through the three-fourths process is
constitution, and that which has not
is not.
Two other Propositions.
DR.. Hamlin offered another amendment
striking out the clause providing for the
number of lay delegates, which is desig-
mated as an act of statutory effect only.
DIR. Goucher offered substitute more &C
ce2table to the laymen, which in effect
legaliZes their existence and makes their
tenure of office a constitutional one. The
doctor had the floor to speak on this
amendment when the conference ad-