The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-03
REPRESENTATION TO LAITY
METHODIST PULPIT AND PEW
TO SHARE EQUALLY.
Makes That Church a Democratic
Body and Rule of the Preachers
Passes with the Century.

! Chicago, May 2-The pulpit and the
/ pew share equally in the highest govern
mental body of the Methodist church.
: Without dissenting vO-e the general con-
| terence at the Auditorium today ratified
the action of the annual conference in ex-
tending equal representation to the laiety.
Inc provisional delegates were admitted
without contest
Mrs. NJ. Y. MeMahan withdrew her
claim to a seat in the conference rather
/ than Jeopardize the status of her male
c0liedgueS. The step taken makes the
Methodist church a democratic body, the
rule of the preacher passes with the cen
fury. The episcOpacy in the church long
since mas been restricted to a superin-
tendenee without any authority beyond
the placing of ministers and suggestions
TO the general and annual conferences
The ministers were more enthusiastic
over the loss of their power than the lay
men over their additional power. There
were l5l provisional delegates elected to
I'll up the disparity IN their proportional
representation. Only eighty-five, how
their admission. The limited lay repre-
sentaton gave the pews 125 votes. Four
Ministerial delegates were absent. As the
roll was made up today there We're 356
list.
1t was by unanimous vote that the
delegates decided to give equal lay
representation in all Methodist con
terences. The announcement of the
vote was greeted with cheers over the
victory which had been fought for
over 10b years. A contest was ex-
pected, but it did not materialize.
The matter was introduced by the
Rev. J. NJ. Buckley Of the C\atral New
York conference. He moved the adOp-
ton of the rules of the last general con-
ference with the exception Of one and
eighteen This was carried almost
unanimously. and DR. Buckley asked a
vote on the Rock River conferences
proposal for equal lay representation
nj al Methodist conferences. annual
and general. The proposition was read
and unanimous approval followed The
cook OF discipline in reference to repre-
sentatiOn was changed to read thus:
The lay delegates shall consist of
one layman for each annual conference.
except such conferences as have more
than one ministerial delegate, which
conferences shall each be entitled to as
many lay delegates as ministerial del
agates.
The general conference shall not al /
low of more than one ministerial repre- !
sentative for every fourteen members
Of an annual conference, nor of a. less |
number than one for every forty-five: |
nor Of more lay delegates from any /
annual conference than there are min /
sterial delegates from such annual /
conferences; provided, that when there !
shall be an annual conference a frac- /
-ional Of twO-thirds the number which |
shall be fixed for the ratio of repre-
'entatiOn, such annual conference shall
% entitled to an additional delegate
or each fraction, and provided also,
hat no conference shall be denied the
privilege Of enc ministerial and one
az delegate"
The provisional delegates by a prac-
leally unanimously vote were admit
ca TO seats. There were some doubts I
g TO the outcome of this matter early.
,ut the vote for the equal representa-
ion proposition cleared these away and
he overwhelming victory was not a
urIrise.