Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-31
bVAL OF The TIME-LlMlT
|,nrobation Expressed by
Methodlsts. Z
|1ERS IN RURAL DISTRICTS
be Seriously Affected by
the New Plan. "

n,,on Conference Men Talking of
blng 10 the Next Session of'the Gem
conference Delegates Pledged to tho
oratIon Of the Time-limit.
orv large number OF Methodists in
incton are di5pleased with the
Of the General Conference in
line tho time limit Of pastors. In
Judging from many expressions
Il is believed large majority
dissatisfied, and, although there
bot yet been 9h opportunity TO test
bractical Workings Of the plan, ii is
a that q movement will shortly be
purated in the Wilmingto n Cen
Sce looking toward an effort to bring
a restoration of the foi mer con !.
M Of affairs in the matter Of ap-
tments. ,a.,8 ~ ! N '4
the matter now stands, the Disci-
has been amended by tho General
ference removing the time-limit,
this amendment must stand for
years, as no change can be made
the General Conference meets
~ D, which will not be until 1904. So
q is nothing for the annual con-
noes to do but grin ard bear the
bge, II 1t does not meet with their
foyal, until that time, at least, and
b 10 which there is serious opposi-
can make their plans in tho mean
for assisting in the restoration
cement.
rom what can .be learned, the oppo.
Oh in this conference is more pro-
need in the rutul districts than In
nington. In fact, there are only a
towns in which it Is likely to meet
b favor. 1t is hardly probable that
NJ places with small salaries will
their approval, as 1t is just such
ICES that will be affected the most.
pastors Ia very small places and
some Of the ciiouits receive small
aries, but as rule their work is as
ID as tine city pastors land sometimes
Eder, as they have more territory to
Ier and more to contend with, to say
bling OF the greater exeitions neoes.
y to live and keep up a respectable
pearance. In many instances-in
10 it is almost the rule-these charges
! filed by young men, frequently
linz their first appointments, and as
by are ambitious and have felt here
Tore that merit would be rewarded by
liter appointments. have labored
buously for rewatd which they felt
b. in store for them il the could mani.
st their worth.
These are the ministers who will feel
% change most. Under the new rule
pastor eau be reassigned to church
Isl as many times as the bishop is
filing 10 send him back; and il is the
Iception and not the rule, where the
shop disregards the wishes of the
of a church. Therefore,
the pastor is satisfactory to his flock
, Is liable to remain with il and be
III endeavor to keep in the good graoes
bis people. There Is large incen-
Te for all who have good charges to do
lis, and as suchiwill be the case until
ere is q change, the vacancies IN good
argos will be few and far between.
Tery man who is in good church will
low II he becomes Objectionable to
Of his people and he is liable
be sent elsewhere and there will be
cry reason in the world for him not
make himself Objectionable, for IL he
es he can see some undesirable up
intment staring him IN the face. He
u want q majority of the official
ard in favor of him all the time.
1t is very evident, therefore, that the
nlsters who are in good births will
tain them Just az long as they can
q those who have undesirable places
II be unable to improve their condi.
% in some cases for many years.
The state of affairs may, il is said,
70 the effect OF inducing some OF the
ight men who find themselves side
'cked indefinitely to leave the faith
d connect themselves with other de-
Gases have been known
ere young ministers, after serving
'eral years at small salaries and find
; that they had not much chance of
Vancing, have taken the course OUT
cd above. This does not mean that
ere is any probability OF large
mber Of Methodist ministers joining
Ter churches, but IL they cannot ad-
nee in their own and have good
ers from others the temptation would
very strong and would be an-induce-
Mt for them to investigate the peculi-
ties OF other forms OF worship and
to reconcile themselves to new con-
ions, IL they knew that by doing SO
y would be better OIL financially and
that they would be Just as we'll OIL
titually.
The amendment will also have the
cot, it is said, OF creating discussion
ons the ministers and lnymen Of the
lierones; that is, the people of small
irches, upon finding large churches
cd up in an effort to keep their doors
sed to new pastors, might construe
motives of the latter as selfish, and
result could readily be imagined.
her elements OF discord would also
'bably arise from the new condition
affairs and 1t is limited that the
ole trouble might terminate In the
ong churches being arrayed against
weak ones in many conference
tiers,
Yearly all of the churches in Will.
ngton are desirable appointments and
two or three OF the larger ones II is
ieved the peorle pretty generally
or the change, as it will enable them
hold their pastors, who have proved
mselyes valuable and endeared
niselses to the people. 1t is per-
tly natural that such should be the
9 and very few are found who are
ling to condemn any church for
nting to retain its pastor il he is
lu!ar and Is doing good work. But
re are some churches, even in Will
ngton, where the opposition to the
lnge is very pronounced.
prominent layman who is mem
OF Asbury Church, one of tbe most
'irable charges in this conferences,
d Yesterday afternoon that he con-
cred the change an exceedingly bad
We. He expressed the belief that a
iority of the Methodists in Will
ngton feel the snme about the mattor
he does, and he thought il o vote OF
= IA .f.r.