The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-24

denomination as a whole lost much Of its
evangelizing power and settled into a tor
mality which IS deadenlng. me e1aers Sfat
a state of affairs owing to the opportunity
to make of it an honorary rather than a
| responsible position, and such IN many IN
stances it became. The body lost much of
it's former spirituality and consequent
power.
| MINISTER'S AND ELDERS CONFLICT.
when the revolt against this state of
affairs came, naturally many of the elders
were not in sympathy with the new move
ment, and others were not sufficiently
sound in judgment and discreet to hold the
balance Of power. In some instances min
listers were not willing to be advised and
trampled upon the authority of elders.
Meetings, instead of being held together by
love and unity, divided into cliques, those
of similar views freely discussing matters
outside of meeting which should have been
settled there. The tree and open discussion
of vital questions was hindered by the cry
of 'unsound and an unwillingness to give
the opinions of others due consideration.
Thus was the authority Of the eldershlp
further impaired. The elders, however, held
their place, and in order to carry on the
work of the church under the new regime
committees were appointed to whom was
delegated a part of the duties which had
formerly devolved upon the elders. Pas
toral committees, evangelistic committees
and finally the paStOrate system Is being
rapidly introduced. Does all this Indicate
that human nature is so altered that we
believe that the Lord bestows gift in
the ministry and we still do not look to
theological seminaries to train young
preachers. Do they then not need the ten
der care of older hearts and wiser heads
than their own to keep them off the break
ers? The untaught unframed mind Will
manifest itself even under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit, and we are to-day giving
evidence of q want of properly instructed
tee has a part of the responsibility of the
eldership of old, it has not its correspond
ing authority, and some authority is
needed.
"In some instances the pastor assumes
a part of the former duties of the elders,
as well as that OF minister; tie has re-
sponsibility in abundance, but not the
corresponding authority. In matters OF
discipline he has no more power than an
ordinary member, and one pastor has no
more power than another. We have no
bishops or high priests as an ultimate
source of appeal The pastor is absolutely
power behind him to defend him Were
these things otherwise than as they are we
would be as other denominations, divided
man, even though he be Quaker pastor,
at once assumes the priestly robe. If 1t
were possible to revive our own methods,
which are in close accord with New Tesla
ment teaching, and cease striving to be like
other denominations we might witness such
a wonderful ingather1ng as there was at
first. Could we return TO the pure and sim
pie spirituality of the early Friends and
persuade ourselves that we are not here to
enter into competition with other churches,
but to manifest simple Christianity to the
church, as well as to the world, we might
exert influence which would In very
truth remove mountains.
IF we cannot do this let us change our
name well as our manners and have
bishops and SeminarlcS and all the church.
ly authority and paraphernalla. We do not
want the crude notions of undeVeloped
minds promulgated as Quaker doctrine, and
t.t,1a rot
this must follow, for the ministers trained
under the good old way are yearly disap-
I'm the meantime those of us who find
ourselves in the indefinabe station of elder
cannot do better than to do the best we
can, and whatever we ind to do do it
heartily as unto the Lord with full as
surance that God is in His heaven, and also
in His earth, and in His people, and in His
church, and finally will bring His own good
purposes to light, and in the fullness of
time will be made manifest"
THE DISCUSSION.
A large number of delegates manifested
desire to participate in the discussion of the
two papers. 1t was soon evident that the
conservative element in the convention.
though somewhat in the minority as to
numbers, was, however, potent in debate
James Wood, of New York, the chairman
of the business committee, was the first
speaker He said that all religious organi-
ZdllOuSs Win the SACtpliou OF the FRIENDS,
were more or less controlled by the sacer-
dotal system This system, he said, was
antagonstic to the principles of the
Friends. Mr.. Browns paper" said he
stated that the pastor should solemnize
marriages. FoXs emphatic position on this
subject was that people should marry
themselves before the eye of the Lord with
the church as witness. To soemnize
marriages is to exercise a prestly duty
Various other duties mentioned in the pa
per were also antagonistic to the princi-
pies of the Friends. The trouble with M
pastors is that they have a bee buzzing in
their bonnets, like unto the presidential bee
urging them on to the requirement Of Of
fetal power. Some OF them take particular
pleasure in being called reverend a title
peculiar to sacerdotalism." In closing Mr.
Wood said that no one need be ashamed
OF the doctrines of the church, and that
what the world admires above all is loyalty
10 conviction.
John b. Wooten declared that the min
lister exercised no sacerdotal function in