The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-26
ACTIVITY IN METH0DISM
DR.. Goodwin Addresses Laymen and
Ministers on Different Subjects,
And Stirs Up Much Discussion Each Time
Conference Divisions in indianapolis
and the Second Coming Of Christ.
CONFERENCE BOUNDARIES.

DIR. r.. A. Goodwin read Il paper before an
assembly of Methodist laymen. at the Me-
ridian-street Church, last night. in favor
of the adjustment of conference boundaries
so that Indianapolis might all be IN one
conference. Four years ago a meeting
was held in Roberts Park Church.,
at which time the ensuing General
Conference was memorialized to make such
IN adjustment. The General Conference.
however. took no cognIzance of the mem-
,rlal because 1t did not emanate from an
annual conference. The presiding elders
Of the Southeast Conference gave the
notices required last summer. and left the
Iaymen IN IA position to petition the Cen
erGl Conference on the subject.
The matter of Indianapolis conference
boundaries was considered by DIR. Good
win as being q subject with which laymen
or ministers from any other part OF
The State are not concerned. The
division of this city and its distribu-
lion among several conferences was
considered detrimental The history of
the influence of conference lines for hf-
.y-one years back was read, showing a large
number of instances here such limitations
had prevented the erection OF churches
and elected church-wOrkers from territory
lfterward cultivated by other churches
successfully. When the city was divided
into four conferences IN 1852. instead or
consulting the interests of Methodism as a
INIT each conference sough TO promote its
Individual interest at any cost to the
whole. aud the first thing the Northwest
Conference did after getting into the city
was TO move Strange Chapel from the cor
ner of Michigan and Columbia streets to
Tennessee street that the Northwest
Conference might have its share of CEN
tral mem bershlP. DIR. Coco win continued:
''The building of Roberts Chapel n square
and a half from the old hive, In the interest
of a conference. not In the interest of the
general church. made the building of an
uptown church, for remote members. q
necessity, and one was built on the corner
of North and Alabama streets. where. a few
years later, and after the tide of pOpula-
tion had set IN strongly TO the northeast,
a new and larger church was necessary.
Methodist laymen, regardless of confer
located further east and north, but the
answer of the pastor was that the interests
of the North Indiana Conference required
it to go further west. rather than further
east. and the new church was built On the
same lot. only to linger and struggle
against the inevitable a few years, TO be
abandoned forever.
"But the mis-Iocation of churches is the
ence lines within the city. The giant
which Obstructs the growth and
prosperity of Methodlsm In Indianapolis Is
the want of unity and harmony in church
WOIhs Ia bupCIhOldt
that because the lion of discord is not roar
ing as formerly he is dead. He is not even
asleep. Less than two years ago q band of
willing workers from Roberts Park fOun
Second. and the official board of that
church guaranteed the rent of the
building selected for Sunday-school
purposes. but when the news of this in
yasiOn of the sacred territory of the In
diana Conference reached the authorities of
that conference. this band of faithful men
n women was driven out as trespassers,
and that destitute field remains unculti-
waited to this day. There never was a more
inviting field for Methodism than that resi-
dence territory of which Morton Park is ap-
proximately the center. Already the Con-
gregatIonelists, the E~piscopalians, the
Baptists and the Presbyterians have
s sn'e work p % ans church ans h S1gOaoOss cg
neglected MethOdistS children. while not q
stake has been driven by MethOdism IN all
that region. The only talk of it has been
By members of Meridian. street Church. but
which guarded the approach to Eden, keep
Them out, and will forever, or until we can
come in to take the leavings. as in the
Madison-avenue case.
But that is not all-it IS not half. In
the new additions on the east is a most in
vitlng mission field. demanding the united
etforts Of Indianapolis Methodism. but all
attempts to enlist those who belong in the
tuOlAu6 SOnlcIcuCon 6No occn pdEEicu ny
BayiDg that 1t IS in the Southeast Confer
bnce. let them attend to l.; so that this two
Bdged sword cuts both way IL keeps mis-
sionary workers from some fields and mis-
Bionary support from others"
Speaking of the proposed memorial to
General Conference, DR.. Goodwin said:
The part taken by the presiding elders of
the Southeast Conference was at the re-
quest Of the Methodist Social Union of In
disnapolis. so as to make it possible for us
TO m6mOrlallZA fhA G9nAral COnfQranca
upon the subject. Our petition must con-
form to the notice given. and that IS to so
change conference boundaries that In
d~ianapolis and vicinity may all be in
one conference If that one conference
shall prove to be the Southeast,
1t will be due entirely to the continued re-
fusal of the Indiana Conference to comply
with the wish OF the Southeast Conference,
the city all in the Indiana Conference.
Indianapolis MethodIsm has nothing to do
with the motives OF the Indiana Confer
ence in twice rejecting this offer. but it has
another half century. a line of church poll
cy which for fifty years has been nothing
but a dctriment TO our prosperity. Not
q living man can point out one single adj
vantage that has come to the church in
fifty years from @ division into different
conferences. while the evils lave been
many. and are likely to be more In the
future than ever"
In conclusion. DIR. Goodwin said: at is
proper TO add that a mere obliteratiOn of
the line between the Indiana and the
Southeast Indiana conferences will not
meet the case. Something must be done to
allow indianapolis Methodism to sustain a
lriendlyfand In some sense an official rela-
ton to such suburbs as Haughville and
North Indianapolis. and the suburbs that
are to follow in that direction in the
future. if this makes it necessary. to ill.,
slude the whole of Marion county"
After the reading of the paper the au-
dienee was asked TO express it's opinion of
the matter. Mr.. J. q. Shaffer took the
chair and invited the observations of
those present. A motion was made
10 have the paper printed and five b un-
dred copies sent 10 the meeting of the q en-
eral Conference at Omaha. Israel Taylor
arose nj once and opposed such action, and
d~isapprOved of the paper "a read. Mr..
Taylor SAID that Ii was full OF inaccuracies
and would give the conference n wrong
idea OF Indianapolis Methodism-that
IL was ungodly and Imprudent, and
that the conference boundaries were
wholesome restraints. Mr. TnylOr
was of the opinion that If the city were
united in one conference il would open the
way 10 bOssism. and hoped that the motion
would not prevail.
The Rev. VI. Il. HYDE was IN favor of re-
facts aud having It presented TO the con-
ference In "a more compact form.
a motion that the chair appoint a com
mittee OF three who wonld present to the
conference reasons why the change should
be made. was offered AS a substitute 10 the
motion to print and was passed. Mr..
Shaffer deferred the appointment To some