The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-11
METHODIST
CHURCH OF
AMERICA.
Continued from

-
Church South, and a member Of the
En,rfy of stewards of the Centenary
Methodist church, is deeply Interested III
tho subject. and has given the matter
a good deal of thought. When seen o'i
the subject and asked for his views, M'.
Branch stated that he was opposed 10 t-ie
practice of sending these committees CIV
delegations to the conference anu
thought it would lead to more or less
trouble if persisted in from time to tune.
Said he: Ito give you some ldea Oh 'iie
old Methodist spirit and OF the orlsuii''
discipline as prevailing in the Methoa's.
Church, shall have . so PACK lor iiaiE
years Ever since the time or btshop
Asbury. the first Methodist B.shop IN
VIRGINIA. the appointing power has been
absolute and has been left entirely WIN
the Bishop who finds out from the Pre-
siding Elders during these Gays the COR
6ition of the various churches, and re-
! ceiyes recommendations from them as "
who would be the best man. From the
! earliest DAYS the Bishop had absolute
power Away back many years ago. "heii
the different Methodist preachers were
shifted from place to place every three
months and when they got only sl"
salary a year, and S2G0 when they were
! married delegations and committees We're
| unknown. The Bishop sent MIN
! wherever he pleased, and consulted oniE
| the power, and, according to the Original
! spirit and discipline of the Methoa2st
! Church. he has now the power 10 take
] the pastor of Centenary Methodist .pls-
J copal church, for instance. and send MIN
! tn Norfolk to fill any pulpit that might
| be vacant there, leaving Centenary en-
i t;rely without a pastor. If he so thinks
| fit. He could take any leading Methodist
minister in the Conference and assign
! him to q church in some country dlstrlct
! If he saw fit, and nobody could keep MIN
| from doing SO.
| 1.-THE original spirit of the Methodist
! Church was to give the Bishop absolute
power the appointing power lay entirely
! in his hands and nobody could change
I or interfere with it. But now, there mas
been for many years a constantly growing
practice Of sending these committees ana
/ delegations to the conference to influence
I tie Bishop by comforting with him in re-
gard to the circumstances and conditions
OF the churches represented, and TO try
I and induce him to send them certain
! pastors.
Very often these delegations succeed
! and get the man they want. Sometimes
other delegations have more influence and
| make stronger representations TO inc
! Bishop as to the conditions and circuHl-
! stances Of their church, and then there
! is almost a perfect scramble for certain
| men This is all in violation of the
old original Methodist discipline, and
| am unalteraby opposed to it. Some
churches nowadays send delegations and
| committees to the conference to see the
| Bishop because they know other churches
are going to do the same thing. and 1t
becomes a matter Of protection. am in
favor of the more conservative practlce
of allowing the Bishop to make appoint
ments through the recommendations OF
the Presiding Elders. and that the
churches should stop sending these COM
mittees and delegations to the Confer
ence. I believe it will so further and
! further until it will have Il bad effect"
Mr.. Branch stated that in the last con-
| ference at Petersburg there were dele
cations present from Richmond. Peters
burg, Lynchburg. Norfolk and other
cities, and that there regular lobby
ing going on in regard to the appoint
ments