Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-03-22
ELECTION OF CHURCH TRUSTEES.

ELECTION OF CHURCH TRUSTEES.
As there will, in all probability, be
few changes Of pastors in the Whining
ton district of the NJ. E, Conference
this year, the greatest interest centsrs
in the election of delegates to the Cen
eral Conference, which meets in Chicago
in May next, and In the results Of the
efforts to be made to undo the injury
done through the change made by the
last Legislature in the law governing
the control of church property.
The original law, which is con-
tanned In section . of chapter 30, Re-
yised Code, provided that trustees OF
churches shall be elected at a public
| meeting Of the society or CONGREGATION.
held at their usual place OF worship, on
| 10 days notice by advertisements at
| the front door of such place, and by a
| plurality of votes of the members pres
emit" The new law strikes out this
section and inserts in lien thereof the
following: such trustees shall he
elected according to the manner ere
scribed in the discipline, rules ard
regulations of the denomination with
which the society is Connected
Section 800. chapter 3, of the Rules
of Church Government as laid down in
the discipline, reads as follows: "ln
all cases where the law of the State or
Territory requires specified mode of
election. that mode shall be observed. "
Section 30l Where no specific re-
auirement is made the trustees shall
be elected annually by the fourth
quarterly conference of the charge,
upon the nomination of the pastor oil
presiding elder of the district. In case
of failure to elect at the proper time, a
subsequent quarterly conference may
elect. And all the trustees shall hole
their offices until their successors are
elected -
, The laymen seriously object TO the
humiliation OF having the control o
: the properties which have been madt
!, valuable by years OF sacrifice takeI
from them and transferred almns
= wholly into the hands of pastor, how
!, ever good he may be. who at the mos
! can only be connected with churcl
! for five years.
The quarterly conferences recentl
held by st. Paul's, Asbury and Grac
Churches have adopted resolutions ask
ing the coming ministerial and lay con
- ferences to memorialize the Genera
Conference to remedy the evil b
amending section 301 Of the rules.
. At the Philadelphia lay conference
: last Friday, John Field presented tn
following, which was unanimousl
adopted:
81 1--WE respectfully mer,orialize til
General Conference to add after para
Id graph 300, another, providing for tn
i, election Of trustees by the members {
u the church. Also, to strike out of par;
graEh 3Ol Upon nomination of tt
IT. pastor and presiding elders of the dii
trict, SO that the manner of the ele,
III tion of trustees shall be-:
la In all cases where the law
5, the State or Territory requires spec
fed form that mode shall be observed
'tb) In all other cases the truste
:, may be elected by the members Of ii
church at such time and in such ma
ner as shall be provided by meetil
u, of the members Of the church especial
called for that purpose, notice of whit
IN shall be publicly given for two Su
days prior to meeting, or as proyid,
n in the charter.
"tcI Where no specified requir
as ment' is made, trustees shall DO elect
annually at the fourth quarterly conft
ence. In case of failure to elect at t
OIL proper time subsequent quarter
Dc, conference may make the election,
which case all trustees will hold off
IS, until their SUCCESSORS are elected. +"
There is no doubt that the lay &C
Am ference, which meets in this city nj
Friday will adopt similar resolution
ur- and it is the opinion of many of I
laymen that the ministerial conferer
st, will not hesitate to endorse the sa
sentiments, in view Of their unsnimc
jor vote at the last annual conference
favor of equal lay representatit
mes thereby showing their confidence
the laymen. Otherwise, non.act
on, would seem compromising in appai on
endorsing an act that deprived the i
I. mon Of tho control OF their proper
,s. which right they have possessed
IN, disputed Tor lis years. There is
on. doubt that the General Conference '
od, endeayor to remedy any misuse OF
rules that will create dissentioEs in
on, church, or that will provoke politi
wire-pulling in State legislation, VIII
cob will surely follow should no remedy
applied within the church.