The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-21
THE M. E. LAYMEN.
DIR. Goodwin Thinks DIR. Sims Was Not
Correctly Reported.

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
What purports to be an interview with
DIR. Sims, pastor of Meridian-street M. E.
Church, in this mornings Journal. does him
such marked injustice that I ask the priv
ilege of correcting q few mistakes of the
reporter, such as are almost unavoidable
in attempting to condense without giving
the exact words of the speaker For in
stance, DR.. Sims never could have said that
in the smaller conferences the lay dele
cation outnumbers the ministerial, for il
never does. In them the delegations are
equal, while in the larger conferences the
ministerial so greatly outnumbers the Law
that in the aggregate they are two to one.
Neither is it probable that he said, in direct
terms, that the chief desire for equal rep
resentation is that more laymen may go
a-junketing at the expense of the church.
The experience of a hundred years has
shown that laymen are as devoted to the
interests of the church as the minister's
and they make quite as many sacrifices for
it, and are as wise in counsel wherever they
have been admitted to speak or vote, and
as unselfsh in their labors. DIR. Sims can
hardly be so discourteous as to say that
the three-fourths of the membership of ey-
cry conference who are candidates for Cen
I,
whom VIGOROUSLY resort to the honorable
means to secure an election that are effec-
tive among the worlds people in politics
are all actuated by only the highest and
hottest motives, while the devoted stewards
and class leaders and local preachers who
desire to go have no higher purpose than
to secure a iunket at the expense of the
church. | am sure he did not say that II
is unlike him. But, if true it would be
somewhat pardonable, seeing they furnish
all the money, to ask a fair divide, an equal
share.
He may have been more correctly reported
when he is made to say, in substance that
having the same power to obstruct legisla-
ton by voting by order, being only one
third the membership of the body, that they
would have with one-half, for that is the
common answer to the laymen's demand
Such view of a laymans mission is Justly
an offense TO any layman who is imbued
with the aggressive spirit of Methodism. To
be invited to lead when the ministers have
matpred q scheme, and to be allowed to
only obstruct when the maturing of some
great church enterprise is under consider
alton, is such a. dsparagement to the wis
dom, devotion and earnestness of laymen
that 1t is justly offensive. 1t seems to me
our ministers willfully close their eyes as
to the real objective point of the laymen S
movement, hence their opposition wherever
there is any is misunderstood Equal rep
| resentation in the General conference is
merely a means to the end. The real OBJ
jective point is the enfranchisement of the
laity so that they may have a voice in the
management of affairs in their respective
| home Notwithstanding more, nothing less,
| and the agitation will never cease until this
is attained. As 1t Is. layman has not a
word to say as a layman, in the manage
! ment of the least item of church business.
| A little handful, whom the pastor may Sc
| lect official members does 1t all. Some
| of these. to be sure. have to pass the solemn
| ceremony of the approval of the ministers
! and laymen already in the quartely confer