The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-08-01
SKETCHES
FROM THE LIFE OF A WEST vIR.
GINA METHODIST PREACHER
WORTHY OF PERUSAL.
Rev. DR.. Fullerton reviews Through
the columns of the Telegram His
Thirty Years Work in the West
Virginia Ministry.
sketch XVI.

Sketch XVI
Presiding elders are appointed by the
bishop presiding at the annual confer
ence. Appointment to this high office is
done usually with great care and after
much consideration. The different bish
ops generally have their own methods.
These are not always the same Some
bishops begin early in the sessions OF
the cabinet to make inquiries and ask
questions as to certain ment The mem
beers of the cabinet. MS it is called. are
the presiding elders acting with the bish-
op for the stationing of the preachers.
Sometimes each presiding elder will be
invited to hand in a slip of paper con
tanning two names for each district that
is to have a new presiding elder. Tins
is the usual form with several OF the
bishops. The men thus named are thor
oughly discussed and usually voted on
bv ballot, though not always is it the
case that the man having the most votes
ia appointed. This action is intended to
indicate the way and to show the Sener-
nj sentiment 4 score of reasons may
come up why some other minister should
be selected we have known bishop
ence because of some suggestive and i'm
pressive action or speech on the part OF
the man. We have known another bish-
Oh to put aside all the nominations made
in the. cabinet and appoint man whose
name was not even mentioned by any
presiding elder. Sometimes nominations
and petitions are sent by the laity to the
bishop on behalf of some man whom
the Iaymen desire to have appointed
These requests usually have much
weight with the bishops and occasionally
lead to the making of appointments that
very much surprise the cabinet and the
conference. We have heard also of a
bishop corresponding with prominent lay
men and ministers before coming to the
seat of conference as to suitable persons
TO be selected as presiding elders. we
know of one case where a bishop had no
consultation with his cabinet as to the
right men to appoint, but doing it wholly
on his own Judgment and responsibility
This. however, j. but seldom done. 1t
j. generally known when any man pre-
siding elder he has fairly passed care
full scrutiny and discussion
Sometimes there are men who do their
utmost in quiet way to secure their
own appointments their friends to
help them, ask the laymen to send let
tiers to the bishop, suggest the getting
up of petitions and, strange to say, some
times these men succeed in their wishes,
though as a general rule all such at
tempts should be taken as an evidence
If disqualification for the position. We
,nce knew of a case where candidate
for the Office of presiding elder wrote
mt his own application in his own way
md specified his own fitness for the work
md then sent the document among those
whom he cosnidered as his friends for
signatures. Those friends were OF the
ministry and knew the brother. They did
,,t regard him rs the best man for the
place at that time, if ever, and the doen-
ment was returned. This man would
probably have been made a presiding
elder ut that conference had he sup
pressed that petition, but knowledge. OF
it spread rapidly and developed much OPP
position. 4 presiding elder receives his
nppointmcnt, as do other ministers, from
wear to wear, but it is not often that one
Is changed or removed from his office or
district until the expiration of his term
of six wears, unless he himself, for per
sonal reasons. should ask to be relieved.
Sometimes this occurs, and once in
while for good and sufficient reason,
presiding elder is returned to the pas
torate without his own approval
we have known n few such instances
in the West Virginia conference.
The presiding elder is the bishops rep
in the district. He is for
the time being deputy or sub-bishop IN
that territory. This is necessarily the
case as the same bishop seldoms, if ever,
presides in the same conference two
years in succession, and, therefore, most
Of the ministers are strangers to them
and they can have, but little actual per-
sonaI knowledge of the conference work
and territory committed to their SUI
pervision. 1t is therefore mainly through
the presiding elders and regular CORE
spondcnce that they are able to make
appointments and advance
the interests of their high Office. 1t will
thus be seen Mt a glance that a mistake
IN the officeo + presiding elder may be
, very great mistake indeed and that
10 n very large extent the higher inter
,sts OF Episcopal Aiethodisn are IN the
,ands and Judgment of these men. y
ina been the case quite frequently that
PREACHERS have been found who have
nodestly declined the Office OF presiding
,lder, some for personal reasons, others