New-York tribune., 1905-04-11
CHARGES WELL FOUNDED.
N. E. CONFERENCE REPORT
Jf0re Fiery Speeches on Influence in
Bishops appointments.

Renewed charges that a clique or wealthy and
Bnauential laymen had dictated Bishops appoint
Inents of ministers 10 important churches 20 the
detriuent Of more deserving clergymen threw yes
terdays session OF the New York Methodist Confer
enoe into excitement, and caused impassionsd
speeches which made Bishop Hamilton, who pre-
sided. red and white alternately. The COM
rntee appointed 10 consider the resolution Of the
Rev. Arthur Thompson. OF Natteawan for the aD-
pointment of a standing committee TO be known as
the Committee the Rights Of the Minister. re-
ported sgainst such action. but stated that It be-
leyed his charges 10 be well founded.
The Rev. RIr. Thompson in asking for this com
yir-oe had charged that for the last sixteen years
a the 'fat Jobs in tho conference had been taken
~ tile New York district. and that the country
preachers had been left out in the cold.
The committee making the report consisted OF the
Re- Nv Thompson, representing the POughkeep-
fie district: the Rev Dr. J. r Day. Chancellor Of
syracuse University the New-York district; the
Rey "a T. Compton the Kingston district; the
Re- D. !. Dean. the Newburg district. and the Rev
: n King. one Of the corresponding secretaries
of the board % church extension, a member-at-
large
Tho -enort was unanimous that all the implica-
siors ir the Thompson resolution well found
es rs FAR as the country ministers were concerned
sn5 that the evil should he corrected the Kew
~ Thompson presented a minority report for the
= abortion Of his resolution
The report said the committee was convinced
4-at ministers in prominent churches eventually
Fs6 "a go down the ladder OF appointments. and
m the way down crowded out men who were going
N or else thrust them down. so preventing young
zner n The ministry from getting middle grade
appointments.
The committee regretted that the eyil seemed
% he growing. Eflcient work did not seem 10
count for much The allegations that the pre-
Ffang elders were too often Influenced in keeping
Soung and deserving ministers within particular
districts was believed
Nevertheless the committee was not able unan-
smously 10 recommend the adoption ~ the Thomp-
son resolution holding it, eKtra-constitutiona! and
Rs presenting phase Of dictatorship
= an opposed 10 my last breath 10 making mid
de grade appointments 'snuhbing posts for &c
cesiastical derelicts floating down stream" began
She Rev. AIr. Thompson. Groups Of laymen have
approached bishops. and these groups from the
New-York Conference. and have Influenced bishops
ln making appointments. We want some one 10
represent us not by 2 hack stairway. in
railroad train. telling the bishop what must be
done We want somebody 10 represent Us hon
sstly ana in the open II Is not right that the
1-eu York Conference should be in the power of
gour or fve rich layme3 and few rich churches
The bishop does what these men tell him 10 do
bishops have ignored resolutions adopted by the
1eW-Ycrk Conference because This same clique
a men has control II is time that the country
men of The New-Iork Conference found some
means Just IS effective as this cIioue
A ostrander. Of Cornwall " v offered a sub
F'tute resolution providing for one representative
frum each district 20 become members oF rbe ca,i
NJ particularly 10 consider appointments The
caonel az present consists The presiding bishops
Hrd presiding elders
Chancellor Day doubted II the conference had
hny legislative right 10 adopt the resolution. and
IS ~ expedenCy he said he believed II would be
u'seaieyous. as the committee would only become
committee Of grievances. He said the preachers
"ol-o oe no better or after the committee had
neen N existence two or three years than they now
we're, with the presiding elders recommending the
appointments Neither the bishops nor presiding
Aoers were such great factor in the distribution
o. preachers the bishop could neither keep a
rasn down or Up. The arbitrary power Of any one
bishop was nonsense. as there was new presiding
bishop even year. He thought that the ministers
could ger what they wanted without legislative
aston.
until TO-DAY when a vote will he taken on the
Thompson and Ostrander resolutions. Bishop Ham
aton will give ruling the legality Of the reso-
buttons before the vote is taken The report Of the
committee was adopted.
Bishop Hamilton who is presiding for the first
time st The New York Conference had turned white
end then red when references were made 10 the in-
auenoe of rich men and large churches in directing
appointments
Bishop Andrews cf Nev-York. and Bshop
&oCabe. ~ Philadelphia said the Thompson reso-
sU1ou was legal
7 have made total n 6.l7S appointments. and in
pn'F four instances were there implications that
appointments had been Improperly made" said
BISHOP AcCabe That any Tlch man or men ever
nHpenoed appointments is bosh; it is ridiculous"
THE COMMITTEES REPORT