The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-09
LAYMEN OF THE ME-. CHURCH
STRUGGLE FOE EXPERIMENTATION
Ar GENERAL CONFERENCE.

1O1S hEPhESENTATION 4
ar GENERAL CONFERENCE.
An Appeal Signed by a Large Number ar
Laymen to be Sent to Every Minister 81
the Methodist Episcopal Church In the
World-Questiont to Come Before Annual
Conference of 1ses-The Appeal.
Chicago. Feb. o.-The Northwestern
Christian Advocate of tomorrow will
contain the following appeal which is
signed by large number of laynen
and is to be sent to every minister Of
the Methodist Episcopal church
throughout the wourld.
Dear Brethren-At the close Of the
last General Conference large num-
ber of lay delegates met and appointed
a committee with instructions to adopt
such measures as would promote fay-
orable action by the ministers upon the
proposition to amend the restrictive
rule, so that the general conferences
shall be composed of an equal number
of ministerial and lay delegates. The
committee find that in many annual
conferences the vote on this Question
has been taken without debate. that il
to say, without due public considera-
tlon. This, in some cases. is the result
CT indifference; while in others it
seems to be the method adopted to de-
feat the proposition. The laymen feel
That subject of such Importance de-
serves the freest and fullest discussion
OF its merits and in no case should ac-
tlon pe taken in way that could seem
10 pe dlscourteous to those who are pa
tlently waiting your fraternal action.
The question will again come before
your annual conference at its session
IN 1893 in proposed amendment to
change the discipline SO that the num-
Der Of lay delegates to the General con
ference from all the conferences shan
pc the same as the number Of nliniste-
rial delegates. AS the laymen are
deeply interested in the proposed
change and have neither voice nor vote
In the annual conference, we on their
behalf take this method of calling your
attention to the proposed amendment.
and respectfully ask your grateful ana
prayerful consideration of the same for
the following reasons:
/. The present Man of NH, \, I, "
representation has failed to satisfy the
church, and has created an @ i,,,r,Tss.;., sass,
that our ministers distr,,st ~ II
the adoption If thts .sT;s,
not only correct these evils mn ,,yti,s nm
carry to its logical concl,Isio,, ~ ",
tion of 1879 which i.
delegates IN the Cenara1
IT is Unfair stiII f,,.+ i. -
the disparity now ev,stinp hv 49, 49, Z
only ministerial renrese1t +ivss III,
conference grows hevond t1,a H,,it ~ q
two ministerial delesates IA
3. 1t is uniust to the cb,,re,, ~ NJ
priye il Of the advantapas +lo+ ,,,; s-ys 3
be gained from the exnerienca u III
dom Of Iaymen who hava baI,,ad +.s
make the conferences GROW "A Ss
4. IT ID nnt i,,s+ - eyiva ~ s.;,t.,sSss
seven conferences enual rarrasa,, 4, v.
tion and in forty f,va
equal representation when tho s,x+,,.
seven conferenoea with +ra,,. u, ~.
one Law ,anrasen+s+ +f,,., 49, 90. &
about 5oO. 600 members and +ba f,f+xsf,re
conferences with tbair lin 1av - ,.a,,,..s .
sentatives have over ? oo, nm ,,e,,,bsr,
s. IT is NOT right that tba sro.Iisr
and weaker conference should boya ~
ativelv q larger dalaeya+ +io,, +r,.,, ~. -,
larger and stronger co7foro,,,ae ,,y,,
have to hear land AZ q o1ad,,,> -
chief financial hnrdan. ~ az cn,,,.o,s a
n will add resno,,sih,Ii+,, ~ 81.
lavmen ana thereby incraaso +hasr ;,,rs
terest and fins hr,,g aIo,,+ J ,,asa..l
union of bearts end 1,,,d, +,,r,,
the church --->-,> - : n :
= The nresan+ ,1or r;nas ,,ox,,o,, ~
NEGATIVE Iao;sIo +ior b,,t ,a1,,. -
onIv s,,eoos+ of,7,,,,,+,,,a ,ass,s,,s+,.s.sS
Tbe oo,uer of sirr+,,,a -. 49,.
Ieeisl. tio,, sbo,,Ia la ae,., -,,,t,s 1ats, Z
,,ir,s+e,, :, ~ Io,,,,,o,,
Tho nronart,, 80 and sao,,,a ,,,+a
asts of +ha ol,,,,oh h.ua haoa,,,a ~
and ,a ~
80 +to 49, 20 ~, -.
ede,a .,,d - II,
+be lod,, e,oter,i,,er +,,a ~, ~
lar;s1a+i,,e ao+;a,, e,,,a,,Id ha-,o
.a,,ai aaoIas,o s,t;ao1 a as,,,a.. $50 .s.-ss
sa,,ta+io,, : S7
~ Evar,, o+,,au p,o+aat.,. aa,,,
at,.n ;,,ai,,a,...s ~. Hss.ass,.. n,..s.sL
-, H., ~, ST. III AZ. cass. 11sts
edist and 49, T,,a,,,sl, ,11aa,s-,a.. -. -
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