The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-24


take charge of the business of his congre-
cation. The mental ability of the church,
he maintained, is in the layman There is
as much piety in the layman as a whole
as in the ministry as a whole. Many of the
methods that worked when Wesley estab-
lished the church will not work now. Capt.
Ritter was in favor of an equal representa-
ton of laymen with the ministry in the
General Conference. Laymen should not be
considered intruders in the conference, but
they should be made welcome. The speaker
believed If the laymen should declare them
selves in some loyal way to the old church
they could not be resisted But it should
be done as gently as possible.
Il don't want to. go to the General Con-
ference again." declared Captain Ritter,
until the restrictive rules have been abol-
ished''
"Will you kindly explain what those rules
are?" asked Chairman Cumback.
mo man on earth can explain them" re-
Piled Mr.. Ritter. These rules are simply
an act of the conference. l have heard
them read many times and confess / don't
understand them. But they may be abro-
gated and our General Conference can take
such action as will admit the laymen. We
are not kicking out of the church by this
movement But the bishop it seems to me,
is putting the spurs into the hide of the
bishops would put in more time in America
and not much in Africa we could get
Ritter said the average number of laymen
was five hundred to every minister.
THE BISHOPS AUTOCRATIC.
DR.. Jameson, of Shelbyville, said the
bishops of the church were good men, but
they have autocratic power and as long
as they have the power they are not go
ing to yield it. He believed this was the
first body of laymen that ever came to-
gether in Indiana for such purpose. The
laymen support the church, and the ma
Jority of the ministers, as far as the speaker
could learn, would be in favor of giving
the laymen the right of equal voice in the
councils of the church.
IF you could remove the opposition OF
the bishops to this movement it could be
accomplished, asserted DR.. jameson.
They have the right to do about as they
please in the church. 1 am glad this move
ment has been inaugurated. l think it will
gain force as 1t rolls along and 1t may re-
suit in q national convention before the
next General Conference. l have not talked
to a minister who will say this movement
is right and just. The men who are en-
gagged in the business enterprises of the
day can see through business proposition
quicker than their minister. 1t Is better for
the church for the ministry ana better for
take charge of the business affairs of the
church..
John B. Conner, secretary for the meet
ing, believed that a thing is half way ac-
compliShed when it is assumed that it is
going to be accomplished. He thought this
work should be finished before the next
General Conference so that that body could
ratify what had been done Mr.. Conner
thought the layman should know what class
of the rights of the majority in this mat
ter. He suggested that a committee be APP
pointed to get the names of the ministers
opposed to this democratic movement. Mr..
Conner presented a motion to this effect,
but withdrew the motion when 1t was sug-
gested that this opposition was brought to
bear by means of a secret ballot in the
conference T. A. Goodwin, of this city.
suggested that committees be instructed
and sent to the Indiana conferences and
lay the question before them
''But the bishop would declare it out of
order" said the chairman
''Oh, we can trust Mr.. Ritter for that,
retorted Mr.. Goodwin. Hell get it through
all right"
THE LAYMEN APATHETIC.
Judge Grubbs, of Martinsvlle, said: Il
don't believe in revolution and l don't like
this meeting to be known as a revolt of
laymen We are here not revolutionists,
but as loyal men of the Methodist Church.
/ believe in the force of the organized senti-
ment of the laymen. However, am in favor
of revolution if it becomes necessary. What
we want now is a judicious use of organized
sentiment The fact is not one-fourth of
the laymen are taking any interest in this
movement at all. We must organize them"
Representative E. B. Reynolds, of Wayne
county, made the assertion that not one in
ten of the laymen of the State is inter-
ested in the movement for equal representa-
ton in the conference. "rhey don't care
anything about it, he declared, but |
have no doubt that when the ministers and
bishops of the church find that laymen de-
mand equal representation 1t Will come.
don't think preachers are so autocratic and
despotic as has been said this afternoon. |
am about this as l am about female suf-
frage. few women become rantankerous
about female suffrage, while the great mass
of women don't care anything about 1t.
make the homes
the country the sons and daughters don't
care anything about this suffrage. When
these women say they want 10 vote they
can do 1t the next day or as soon as the
men can fix it. So 1t is about this matter,
Whenever a majority OF the laymen say
they want this representation in conference
they can get it,.
Chairman Cumback said Mr.. Reynolds
was mistaken. The chairman declared
every layman he met said something about
this movement. Wilson Morrow realized
that the question was a very important
one, and a reform that the Methodist Epis-
copal Church must adopt. But the ques-
tion must be approached with the greatest
moderation and good sense. We have got
TO allay that suspicion on the part of the
bishops and the ministry that the laymen
would run the church to extremes. This
matter should be presented to conference
by a strong committee that would impress
the body with the earnestness of the lay
men. / suspect that there is an organized
opposition against such a movement by the
bishops of the church. Let us show TO the
bishops and the world that this power is
safe with the iaym3l---
IF there is any doubt about the layman,''
interpolated the chairman, 'the church
might as well be dissolved at once
Il. F. Ibach. of Hammond, Ind, said: Il
had hoped l would meet brethren here to-
day who are loyal to the church at home
loyal to the prayer meeting and loyal to
the preacher. / don't want to stand here
as a critic and claim to be a better man
than the rest of you. / think we should
go home and show to the ministers that we
want to take our part in the church. We
must remember that we are only a small
don't agree with the president. for / doubt
if one-haf of the laymen in the town of
Hammond are interested in this movement
My idea is that at the present silence is
golden as to what course we should pursue
in this matter"
A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
DR.. j. A. Houser said that, If it was true,
as had been said, that there was an organ