The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-13
THE METHODIST LAYMEN
MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY OF
GREAT INTEREST TO THE CHURCH.
National Convention to Consider
Grievances May Be CalIed-The Re-
volt in other States.


the State at Roberts Park Church Wednes-
day promises TO be one of the most impor-
tant meetings ever held by members of
that denomination in this country, for it is
quite probable that out of that meeting
will grow a call for national convention
to discuss the grievances which the laymen
have against the present form of church
government in the United States. The
State fair cheap railroad rates will, no
doubt, bring a large attendance. The senti-
ment that the laymen should have equal
representation with the ministers in the
quadrennial conferences of the church has
developed steadily for long time until
now it is taking the form of an open re-
bellion. Three times have the laymen
tried to persuade the clergy to grant this
justice, and three times have the ministers
voted down the proposition. 1t takes
three-fourths vote to carry proposed
amendment to the church rules such as
the laymen wish, and the recent vote of
the conferences showed 6.619 for the propo-
sition to give laymen equal representation
and 1888 against it.
Indiana is not the only State to hold
laymen's convention to protest, for Gin
cinnati, Canton, ILL.,, and Baltimore are TO
have conventions. However, the Indiana
meeting is expected to take the step to-
wards calling national convention. The
programme for Wednesday includes an adj
dress by Eli +. Ritter on THE Restrictive
Rules" one by L. G. Hogate of Danville,
on "WilI Better Business Management be
the Result of Equal Lay Representation"
and c. c. Binkley will talk on How Shall
We Secure This Right?" The call for the
convention was signed by nearly a hum
dred of the prominent lay members of the
State, including ex-Secretary of the Navy
Richard W. Thompson, Glen Studebaker,
Will Cumback n. T. De Paw and others.
official boards Sunday schools, Epworth
leagues, ladies' aid societies and other
church organizations have been invited to
send delegates. There will also be laymen
from other States in attendance, so great
is the interest in the Indianapolis meeting.
Representatives from New Jersey and
Pennsylvania have issued an address ask
ing for change in the church rules.
The laymen of the Central Illinois Con-
ference have called a convention to meet
at Canton Sept. II, and that meeting will
probably take action on this question. An
other big lay convention will be held in
Baltimore next month, and if not fore
stalled by the Indianapolis convention it is
vention of Methodist laymen to make plans
to bring the ministers into line.
Under the rules of the church each con-
ference is entitled to one ministerial dele
gate to the General Conference for every
forty-tive clergymen. Each conference is
entitled to at least one lay delegate. but in
no case can 1T have more than two. In the
General Conference at Cleveland last year
10 600 ministers had S37 representatives,
while the 100000 lay members of the
Indiana. 334 h.
ers had seven representatives, while $4,000
laymen had but two Under this system
many small conferences have dlspropor-
tionately large representation, while the
large conference that contributes heavily
to the support of the church can have only
one lay delegate more than the small con-
ference over in China or India that has to
be supported by money sent from America.
SiXty-seven of the smaller conferences
We're represented at Cleveland by ninety
one ministers and ninety-one laymen being
one lay representative for each 6,236 lay
church members. Fifty-fiVe of the larger
conferences were represented by 246 minis
tiers and Ito laymen being one lay delegate
for each Is, Isl lay members. This is pointed
out a grave discrimination against the
conferences which contribute most to the
support of the institutions and the benev-
olences of the church.
But the chief objection of the laymen to
the system is the fact that their represent
atives in the General Conference are always
in a hopeless minority. AT Cleveland they
delegates, and only about ~ per cent. of
these had ever been members of General
Conference before while 46 per cent. of the
ministers had the advantage of that expert
ence. The laymen think that as they fur
nish the funds to run the church and are
as vitality interested as the ministers in it's
success, they ought to have as many dele
gates as the clergymen. They complain
that the ministers are prone to run the Cen
eral Conference to suit themselves without
giving due consideration to the wishes of
the laymen.
i fr1c r.fO IF
the General Conference and also by three
fourths vote of the minor conferences,
which are composed of ministers. A propo-
sition may originate in the General Con-
ference and then be submitted TO the minis
terial conferences, or it may originate
among the ministerial conferences, be voted
on by them and then go to the General
Conference for action.
The church rules provide for conferences
of laymen only once in four years, When
thew choose representatives to the General
Conference. The Indianapolis, Cincinnati,
Canton and Baltimore conventions OF lay
MethodistS are therefore special ana Volun-
may call a national convention or 1T may
issue an address, and ask the ministerial con-
ferences of this fall and next spring to take
another vote on a new proposition for equal
representation In the latter event, If the
proposition should receive the requisite ma
iofity it would go to the General Confer
ence Of 1900 for ratification or rejection, put
If is not likely it would be rejected.
The Northwestern Christian Advocate, or
Chicago the editor of which, Rev. Dr.
Arthur Edwards, eSpouseS the laymen
cause will be represented at the Indianap-
oils meeting The Western Christian Advo-
cate will also have a representative mere.