The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-10-12

The recent sessions of the annual
conference os the Methodist Episcopal
church here. and the assignment Of
ministers. members of the conference,
to the pastoral charges over which
they win preside during the coming
year. has given rise to the question.
How are the appointments made, now
are the pastors selected. etc? The
Leader has secured the following ac-
count from a member Of the confer
eDce. one who has been many years
a pastor and also presiding elder,
showing just how the appointments are
made and The questions considered in
deciding upon the appointments:
The Information in the making Of
the appointments is gathered from
the presiding elders whose business
it is to visit the pastoral charges four
times each year tt is the custom to
take map from which the presiding
elder works out the territory embrac-
ed in his district This Is done to as
certain whether or not there ought to
be any change in the geography OF the
district The bishop then ascertains
whether Ihe presiding elder has too
much territory He considers each
circuit and station The bishop Sc
cures all the Information about each
place the school faculties are inquired
into and he ascertains as far as he can
about the culture Of the members Of
each charge. so as TO determine regard
ing the sending of q competent man to
the appointment that year
The bishop depends mainly on the
reports of the presiding elders in the
selection OF the appointments. Ee
looks over their lists and ascertairs
which, OF the pastors are to be rs arm.
ed TO charges they had been filing.
II Il is deemed best the pastor Is re-
turned to his former charge,
! When the list is competed Of those
who will be returned, the bishop then
commences 20 arrange the selection
of the doubtful ones. There are some
times dozen or more who ought to
6e and are changed One change nee
.essitates another The changes are
bens-se Of reasons sufficient to the
etbio h. a minister can be returned
to a place as often as the cabinet and
.s,i ip deem best There is no limit
to the period that a pastor may be re-
tanned IN the same charge,
> There is ol course some secrecy
maintained before the official an
nourcement Of appointments. Time
was when a pastor did not know un.
az his name was read before the con
ference. where he was to be sent
within later years the pastors who
will 6ll the more important places are
asHally known before the reading OF
the appointments
Committees quite frequently appear
before the bishop and his cabinet 10
make rNQuests regarding the selection
of Tie pasttTs for their charges These
requests 40 NOT always influence the
bishop in his selections OF the appoint
ments
/. When a minister is taken into the
conference he makes a promise that
ne will go where he is sent TO preach;
that he viii obey those who have au'
thorlty over HIM and viii preach
where where he is sent to preach
Il have known of men. declared the
Leaders informant who, after learn
ing who're they are 20 be sent, have
refused TO go These instances are,
however. very rare and the minister
who refuses 90 go to the place to
which hs has been selected, lays him
seH liable 70 charges being presented