Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-01
THE ELECTIVE ELDERsHIP
A Question Raised for Consideration in
Methodist House of Bishops.
Views of Rev. DR.. John Panahan, for
Seventeen Years a Pastor in
Warrington.

The Methodist Episcopal house of bish-
ops now in session in Baltimore, dis
cussed Saturday a proposition to waive the
right which the bishops have enjoyed for
hundred years of appointing the pre-
siding elders, and to concede that privi-
lege to the members of the annual confer
ences.
While the proposition is not, strictly
speaking, entirely new, 1t has never before
received any consideration at the meet
ings Of the bishops, and perhaps would
have Jared no better at this time but for
the fact that Rev. John Lanahan of Bal
timore. one Of the ablest ministers in the
church and foremost leaders in the denomi-
nation. d personal friend of President Nc
Kinley,, as he also Is of every member of
the board OF bishops and who for seventeen
years was a pastor in Washington, has
made known that he has reached the
conclusion that the ministry of the Meth
odfst Episcopal Church in the United
States has the right to select these officers,
their superior officials, during the confer
ence year.
Ministers Asked to Vote.
I'm one or two instances, notably that Of
Bishop McCabe at the recent session Of
the South Kansas conference" said DR..
Lanahan to a Star reporter, 1.-The minis
tiers were asked to say by voting whom
they wanted as their presiding elders for
the present year, but at the same time
the bishop informed them that he would
not promise to appoint those whom they
elected. This was rather q farcical pro-
cedure, for, in addition to having the veto
power on their action, the bishop was the
returning board to declare the vote, and
the preachers had no way Of knowing
whether or not a correct return was made.
MY idea is that the election Of presid-
ing elders ought to be provided for by
a law Of the church. and that the voting
should be conducted with similar formali-
ties to those with which other of our
church elections are conducted.
ministry I have invariably, until the pres
ent, opposed all notifications of our polity
with the one exception Of a slow acqufes-
cence In the matter of admission of laymen
laymen are now advocating equal represent
tation In that body, and 1t can only be
gotten by acQuiescence on the part of the
ministry. and as Bishop McCabe's innova-
ton is certain to lead to intense and re-
newed discussion of the elective eldership,
and as Bishop Mallalieu is represented in
the Epworth Herald to have shown the
Central Ohio conference that, in his tudg-
ment' the laymen of the church have
more rights than the pastor, and that If
any class should demand reform 1t is the
latter, would suggest that the laymen
are more likely to gain favor for their
proposed measure by coupling with it what
Is almost certain to be the demand of the
election of presiding elders
by the annual conference.
As u Matter of Law.
IF the elders are thus elected, they will
then be the bishops counselors, not entire
ly by courtesy, but as a matter of law, and
more entitled to consideration than they
now appear to be in regard to all the ap-
pointments to be made by the bishop. The
bishop will not then say to the presiding
elders. as in the case Of Bishop MaIlalieu
at the last Baltimore conference, You have
made all these appointments; / will now
as it is generally supposed the bishop
makes all the appointments.
For bishop invested with absolute
prerogatires in the exercise of his official
functions gravely to tell a body of men,
all of whom are his equals in all but office,
with the care of congregations
and large church interests, that he wishes
them formally by ballot to make a certain
request. and at the same time notifies them
that he may not comply with the request
when made, sounds like baby talk, such
as might be used by the superintendent of
an infant class in Sunday school, when
the superintendent was pleasantly trifiing
with the children.
THE proposition of Bishop McCabe may
not be as liberal as it appears. This new
invention. if it should become common
might In its working lead to results which
by no means appear ON its face. Confer
ences are generally disposed to do that
which is agreeable to the presiding bishop
and it would need but little manipulation
on his part to lead to the designation of
men by the conference who had previously
been fixed upon by himself. This would be
done because Of a disposition to crafty
him.
Method Not Original.
Bishop McCabe knows right well that
some in the position he fills pretty freely
employ that kind Of influence in general
conference. In matters of Office of much
greater significance than that Of a presid-
ing elder In an annual conference. The
method employed at the South Kansas con-
ference was not original with him, and he
no doubt remembers well an occurrence in
the Baltimore conference some years ago
when DR.. McCabe was present as secretary
of the Church Extension Society What oc-
CURED then ought to teach him what may
occur again when this innovation is at
tempted In conference less acquiescent than
that OF South Kansas. He will remember
that. on that occasion he fascinated the
conference with sweet music as a prepared
preliminary to the proposition to take
quasi ballot.
But as soon as the proposition was
the effect of the music was for
gotten and the voice of the conference was
raised in stern condemnation of this inno-
vation- The almost unanimous preference
to be for an elective eldership,
rather than a mongrel thing that could be
construed to mean something or nothing
What gave emphasis to this performance
was the fact that a few years before the
conference had almost unanimously voted
against the elective eldership. So intense
and determined was the opposition to this
unusual procedure that the proposition was
withdrawn by the presiding
bishop. This attempt at a quasi ballot gave
birth to the thought which the events and
of succeeding years have
deepened into a conviction in many minds
that an elective eldership. sanctioned and
guarded by law is preferable to such ir-
regular and haphazard performances.
Close Vote
Only one year ago the conference, after
a calm and deliberate discussion of the
question. recorded q votes for and 05
against an elective eldership This vote in
dicates that the seed planted some years
ago. at the conference above referred to,
has had prolific growth. and from the many
criticisms and comments I have heard In
regard to Bishop McCabe's procedure at
the south Kansas conference II I were
asked for an opinion as to the mind of the
Baltimore conference at the present time.
\ VIZ ha hot -