The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-04-23

OHlY lew months since ono of the
general superintendent" was appealed
TO Tor decisions" whether the board
| of stewards had not full authority tc
mortgage or sell church"
1t is time for pastors whose consciences
are troubled by their console us inability
to enforce discipline aud tho remem.
brarcce of their ordination vows to do
1t to cons der how the official staff
comes into existence. When thew como
to think OF this matter, they will not
find consolation for themselves; self.
condemnation and Judgment, rather.
The preacher in charge appoints
class leaders; Sunday. school superin-
tendents, trustees, and ste wards are
elected by tho quarterly conference
upon tho preachers nomination. If
Gladstone, being prime minister, calls
into his cabinet men unfriendly to the
british constitution, or even indifferent
to 1t, what may he expect as to the
outcome of his government. Until the
English people lose interest in the
constitution, overthrow
AS we have seen, the controlling
power Is now in the board OF stewards,
like the house of commons controlling
the money bags; upon occasion, also the
sword. In churches like High Steeple
this body controls all things, in most
cases the pastor also.
For this state Of things, threatening
diress evils to tho chuich, the pastor
may thank himself and his predeces.
sors. For considerations other than
those which should con trol shepherd
OF souls, he has gathered about him an
Official staff whose controlling members
neither know nor love the Methodist
doctrine and discipline" who are not
men of solid piety," but men of posi-.
ton and OF standing in the community;"
nen of business chiefly; men OF finance,
with plenty OF money or power to com
mand it. These qualities are good and
needful in stewards, but being alone
they become dangerous to all that tho
Church stands for-'pure religion and
undefiled In tho class of Churches
under consideration we have prac ticallv
repealed the first part OF tho sentence
Describing tho qualifications OF stewards.
and have acted, for the most part, on
the second. Wesley and our fathers
put the empasis on tho first part of the
Sentences; we have put it on the second
The result is paralysis of discipline
waere of all places it is most necessary
to healthy spiritual life, in our largest
strongest city Churches. This is not
even intending our rules" it is not
repeating them; it is ignoring and des-
troylng them, with hurt to the Church
that no man can estimate.
The evil spreads through the whole
body OF the Church. Young people form
their ideas OF Methodism and of religion
from what they SEQ in the leading mem
bers, the governing body, and not from
what they hear the preacher say. Those
who at first feel keenly the dishonor
done the Church by the open violation
of its law at last become accustomed to
IT and cease to make even a protest.
Until the paster gets used to it his heart
is sore and his conscience troubled as
he sees his people leading in worldly
designations BY and by no Is troubled
no more; he breaches to 'hold his con-
giregation," receives his salary, and be-
gins, in safe circles, to suggest that the
general rules" were always overrigid
and that they are now obsolescent and
untitled 70 an 'enlightened and liberal
age
After this that preacher may "draw"
like star" actor. he may "hold his
congregation, he may become famous:
he may be man sought for far and
near by Churches like High SSeeple;
but such preacher will grow less and
less helpful to men and women hungry
Tor the bread Of life, less and less will
sinners be awakened and converted
under his ministry, he will less and less
preach upon the great themes of the
gospel many things he may do, but he
will 10 longer build up Methodism.
What is TO become Of such a preacher
when called to "give account of his
stewardship" at the bar OF God?
When attention is called to tho hag.
rant violation of the Methodist Discip.
line by promi nent and controlling mem.
bers Of the Church ard to tho equally
fragrant neglect OF the enforcement OF
discipline by tho pastors of such rebels
against law, we are gravely informed:
"lf you try to enforce the discipline,
you will break up the Church,.
Lot us, If we can, get down to bed
rock and ask: What Is meant by this
terrifying statement, half prophecy and
half Threat? If it be certainly true,
then in such a case it might be better
to break up the Church. 1t is meant
that IL the Methodist pastors make up
their minds to keep their vows, and the
Church makes up its mind to enforce its
law, the big colonel" or "ma ior" or
Judge" or banker or merchant prince
or other man OF money who gives ger
mans" at his house, or card parties, and
who is law unto himself above
Methodist law-the man who breaks
tho law he promised, before God and
men, to keep, and publishes his deeds
to the world, "glorying in his shame
ls It meant that he will quit the Church?
that some of bis kin or "set' or imita.
tors will also quit? Will these tako
their money with them? And their SO.
cial influence whereby, as they suppose,
they honor the Church by Joining il?
Will these princes of Israei-and chief
estates of Galilee" utterly leave us. and
no more forever march down the main