Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-04-24

who are leading, or desiring to lead
holy lives, who are for the time being
under the care and guidance of some
worthy church member, designated as
a class leader. Whenever a class,
either alone, Or in connection with
other classes, becomes able to form
and maintain church organization,
a church may be formed under the
rules of the Discipline. The location
where church is situated is called a
"charge" and pastor is selected to
minister to it. Wherever there are
charges sufficient in number to re-
quire the care and labors of some one
man in ecclesiastical management,
such person is designated by bishop
as the presiding elder. Two or more
districts of such size and Importance
as to make the supervision of bish-
OPP necessary, constitute division
known as a conference. Vermont,
except the western and south western
portion of it constitutes the Vermont
Conference, geographical division
made up of four districts. The mem
bers of Conference are those preach
ers of the Methodist church who have
come up through prescribed courses
of study, passed examination, shown
record of successfulspastoral work,
and whose characters stand approved.
The annual meeting of conference
division is known as the Conference.
1t is presided over by some bishop
who is assigned to the duty by an ar
rangement made by the bishops them
selves. The bishop is delegated with
the power to assign or fix the ap-
pointments of all preachers Of his de-
nomination in the conference over
which he presides. In fixing appoint
ments he is supposed to conform to
the wishes of the people of the vari-
Gus charges, under the advice Of the
presiding elders, keeping in mind the
fact that the lesser good must be sub
ordinated to the greater, in the as
signment of men to the work to be
done. Bishops have other duties of
greater magnitude in the management
of affairs Of the great church.
A characteristic of this church is it's
itineracy. It's pastors must go from
charge to charge as ordered by the
bishops. The longest period which he
can run as pastor of one church, under,
the rules of the church, is five years.
He may be removed at the end Of one
year. The advantages and disadvan-
tages of the itinerant method have
been the cause of much discussion
within and without the church. I'm
der this system every charge is con-
stantly supplied with a man whom the
bishop and the presiding elders be-
lieve to be adapted to it's needs; no
pastor in good standing finds himself
set adrift b. the people where he has
labored without passionate and finan-
cial support. If he is successful in his
work he is placed where his success
finds reward; if, unfortunately, he is
mediocre or unsuccessful in his work,
he is placed where his talent puts him.
The powers that have control meas
ure up the ability of the pastor and
be useful, and it often turns out that
in some new field of labor his work
will be greatly blessed. The phenom
email growth of the NJ. E. church is
accounted for by many on the advan
tages of the itinerant ministry.
Another characteristic of this church !
has been it's effort to reach the mass
es; it has been eminently the church !
of the common people. Wherever sin,
degradation, poverty, ignorance and !
sorrow have placed men, this church |
has sought and found admission, bring
ing consultations of the Gospel and the I
Of Christian charity.
Wherever the pioneer has gone, wher- i
ever the immigrant has made a home, /
wherever men have sought a vital,
gospel religion, this church has been
ready to send it's minister and erect
its places of worship. 1t is an aggres-
sive church, ready not only to inaug-
urate religious works, but to main
tain its efforts and it's conquests till
men are brought into the fold of
Christ. The church seeks the con-
version of men; no half hearted mem
bers who have no knowledge them
selves as to whether they are con-
verified or not need seek this church.
No charge counts year as success
full one that witnesses no revivals
within its limits; no pastor feels that
his work has been approved unless
he has seen some Of his flocks led into
the fold of Christ; no presiding elder
comes up to his Conference rejoicing
unless the work of his district is
record of growth and religious vic