The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-24
THE QUAKERS ADJOURN
PASTORAL SYSTEM DISCUSSED AT
THE CONCLUDING SESSION.
Conference Marks One of the Epochs
i'm the History of the So
ciety of Friends.

| ing had been occupied chiefly by the read
| ing and discussion of two papers, one by
| Thomas c. Brown on the position and au-
| thoritv of the pastor, and the other by Mary
| M. Hobbies on the position and function of
| the elder. Both papers were of great inter
| est to the Friends and the discussion showed
much diversity of opinion on the advisability
| of clothing the pastor with official power
as other religious organizations do. The
| outcome of the debate was a resolution
from the business committee emphasizing
the recognition of God as the head of the
| church and the need there is for pastors
elders and church members alike to rely
| upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all
| their work. Some matters OF a minor ma
| ture were attended to and the conference
| which Chairman S. E. Nicholson said would
| go down in church history as notable for the
unity Of thought manifested by it's dele
| gates adjourned to meet subject to the call
| of the business committee should emergency
arise during the next five years.
| The first address of the morning was deliv-
cred by Thomas c. Brown, of Carmel, Ind.
| clerk of the Western Yearly Meeting. Mr.
| browns paper was regarded as one of high
Importance. In the main it favored an en-
| largement of the functions and power of the
| pastor.
l ALlE GAOIO1AL M.
Mr.. Brown began by saying that one of
the means employed by the Lord to per-
| petuate the church and to encourage
| growth and development is the pastoral
| system. He went on to say that the bless
| ing which has attended the church through
pastoral effort during all ages supplies an
| accumulative and positive evidence that the
| idea of pastoral work is of divine origin
| Though pastoral care in some form has al
| ways been extended to congregations of the
| Friends yet a lack of definite system has
| often been manifested. Many Of the strong
| est and most devoted men of the church
| attribute to this fact the lack Of growth
IN numbers that has been so painfully APP
| apparent since the first half century of the
| churchs history. Many of it's most hope
| full converts are leaving the fold and either
| straying away or seeking shelter in other
| folds. In some of the churches, especially
| in the West the question has long been a
serious one. o., How long can we survive
| can be done to check the leakage and re-
| verse the current?"
| Mr.. Brown continuing, said that increased
| life in the church was apparent. "A
| healthy growth has obtained in many con-
| gregations and the church has assumed an
| aggressive spirit that has not been mani
| fest for many years. In the REIMBURSEMENT
| of methods many changes had to be made
that seemed trying to devout men and
| women. These deVout persons had failed
| to distinguish the important difference be-
| tween our obligation to doctrine and to
method. The one is principle that will
| stand during all time The other is con-
| venient means of promulgating that prin-
ciple and applying it to human hearts. The
| one is Interchangeable, the other changeable
| every decade if the truth can better be
| served by so doing. The position of pastor
had not been recognized in the church nor
| to call this gift into active service.
The speaker next proceeded to discuss
| some of the qualifca tons necessary to
| nOSitiOn The
| first Of these was a deep and sincere piety,
| Again the process of building Christian
| character is formative and not reformative.
| Much of the. most effective work of the
| pastor must be done with the children and
| young people. Education is another neces-
| sary qualification for pastoral work. The
I duties laid upon the pastor by the church
| are both numerous and exacting. The mem
| bership must be united, the dead buried,
marriage ceremonies solemnized, the social
| life of the young and old suitably directed;
| strangers visited and welcomed prayer
| services planned, the church represented on
| public occasions in the community, and so
on. Above all the pastor is to preach
multitudinous duties a thorough education
| is essential A further necessary qualifica-
ton for pastor is knowledge of human
nature.
| MUST BE AN ORGANIZER.
| Mr. Brown then said:
1.-THE position of pastor indicates that he
| must be an organizer. The church to
| which he may be called is not his field,
\
| church that he is serving is his force with
| which to carry the bread of life to the field.
| 1t is not the man who can do the work of
l ten men, but the man who can get ten men
| 10 work who will succeed best. 1t is the
| good organizer who is able to make the
| work accomplished by one member support
| that which is accomplished by every other
| member, that will be able under God to
| succeed best in his work. This leads to the
| consideration of another peculiarly inter-
| esting phase of the pastoral work in the
| Friends Church. Some alarmsts, doubt
man power and eloquently declare that we
| are losing our identity as church. Some
| are free to go still further, and declare
| the good old days Of the past The question
| presented then is, How far should the pas
tors power extend in executing the plans
| outlined in the system of reorganization?
| With what authority has he been vested?
| 1t is not much a question of authority
| as 1t is a question of harmony. When a
| true pastor reaches place where authority
| IS to be used, the utmost tenderness and
| sympathy will clothe him in all his move
| ments yet decision will be manifest There
| must be authority delegated to some one.
| Every enterprise that is carried to sue
| cessful issue must have a head to it. Unity
| Of thought and harmony of action cannot
| be maintained without it. The pas
| tor should be familiar with the detail in
the workings of every department of the
church. The development of each of these
| departments should be considered in its re-
lation to every other department of the
"A further qualification for the pastor"
said Mr. Brown sis a thorough knowledge
| of the Bible and aptnesS to teach" The
sneaker closed with an eloquent peroration
| to the pastor to look higher and pattern
after Jesus of Nazareth.
MRS. HOBBS'S PAPER.
Following Mr. Browns paper the discus
| sion was postponed until a paper written
by Mrs. Mary M. Hobbs, of North Caro-
| lima, could be read. Mrs. Hobbs was I'M
able to attend the conference, and the ad-
dress she prepared was read by Mary c..
| Garland, of High Point, N. c. The sub
| iect was 1.-The Position and Function of
| the Elder" At the commencement of her
| paper Mrs. Hobbs said:
| sit is evident that George Fox had no in
tention of forming a new denomination, but
rather desired 10 reform lhe church by re-
| diving primitive Christianity; when, how
ever, those converted under bis ministry be-
| gan to hold meetings 1t became necessary
| 20 formulate some common system of
| action. He found the needs of the people
of his day not far different from those of
| the converts in the apostolic times, and for
| similar reasons he was quick 70 frecognize
the diversity of gifts. This was in sharp
contrast TO the ecclesiastical hierarchy from
which the people came out. AS the apos-
ties and the early church had no head but
Chr. st and considered themselves the body
| ticular' I Cor. XII, %. so the early Friends
| repudiated all human headship and re-
| turned TO the New Testament form OF gov
| srnment."
Mrs Hobbs next proceeded to historically
review the creation of quarterly and month
Y meetings and the appoin rment of elders
! who at one time welded great influence In