The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-07
DIR. NAYLoR AND THE BISHOPS.

The Journal yesterday contained an AS
ferring to a criticism which Rev. DR.. Nay
lor had made in the Methodist ministerial
meeting of that city, in which he calls at
tention to the arbitrary power lodged in a
casion Of this criticism was the removal
Of DR.. Naylor from a presiding elders dis
trict before the usual time allotted to pre-
siding elders had expired. 1t would be
hard to make those who knew DR.. Naylor
twenty years ago as the pastor of the Me-
ridian-street Church in this city believe
that his removal was attributable to any
want Of ability or fidelity on his part. His
record here was enviable, both as a preach
er and pastor, and his removal was much
regretted by those interested: but a COM
mittee Of laymen from Baltimore, attracted
by his reputation, after studying him in
the pulpit and out of it, without the
Doctors knowledge of their presence or
purpose, invited him to become the pastor
of one Of the best Baltimore churches. He
consented, and his transfer was effected
through that same arbitrary episcopal
power which, a few weeks ago, retired him
from the presiding eldership to the pastor
ate, for 1t was made over the almost unan-
imous protest of the preachers of the Balti-
more Conference, who claimed the right
to supply every pulpit. whether the MEM
bers of the church desired it or not; so the
Doctor has experience from the two ex-
tremes. by having been arbitrarily put in
and arbitrarily put out.
Some laymen are in hearty sympathy
with the Doctor and earnestly join him in
wishing to nave the working machinery of
the church better adapted to the American
idea of mutual rights. AS DIR. Naylor has
experienced that a presiding elder may be
removed from a district against the almost
unanimous wishes of the preachers and the
members personally interested, so laymen
nave experienced that a presiding elder
may be fcisted upon a district against the
same unanimity of the preachers and peo-
RlC ilbCACSbCQ. Out lhC nAdJOllbe VI Tie lay
men of the Methodist Episcopal Church
ave M regrets; they rather rejoice that
one of the hardships of Methodist econ
omy has come home tc one who is him
ity. The economy of the Methodist Church
is exclusively clerical. The laymen have
not and never have had a word TO say
concerning it. Even the quasi-lay repre-
s~entation Of late years is only quasi. for
they constitute less than one-third of the
General Conference membership, and even
then their hands are so tied that the min
isterial portion may practically silence
them on any occasion. 1t is significant of
the attitude Of the ministers to the laity
that the almost unanimous request of the
laity to have equal representation in the
General Conference and equal rights on the
floor received, in DIR. MAYORS own confer
ence, the Baltimore. barely one vote in the
affirmative to 1SS in the negative. which
is supposed to very nearly represent the
views of the ministry on that question.
The Journal takes no part in these dis
| cussions, but gives the item referred to as
a matter OF current news. and ventures
these explanations that the situation may
be better understood. With such a man as
DR.. Naylor criticising the established
economy of the church from the stand
point OF the ministry and the many lay
mems associations, forming in all parts oil
the country. it Is, not extravasant to pre-
J dict that in the near future there win b