The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-12-10

Conference Wa tayrn~n'. Move
ms-nt--StronE sna Eloquent Al
dress hs o.eu. Jui,an = carr
and ar. ciias. = Ireland.
Editorial Correspondence
New Bern. =. g. Dee 5-perhAps
the caief feature % this session of
the Methods; Confer~nc~ Was the or
ganizatlon Of the I<Aymen's Movement
which has for it, object tho employ
ncnt OF a long unused valuable asst
~ the church. Except tho few Of
ncial members OF every church. tho
bulk of the male merttsc rnhlp feels
that II has no particular duts 90 per-
form and this movement looks go socss
utilization 81 thc ialty AS viii pot
some particular and inportAn, duty
upon every member. Tho heat ami
burden of finances and business at
fairs as well as preaching aud minis-
tration. has long been chiefly borne
by the ministers. They have ia many
instances carried a double response
bilify. not because IN" laymen ought
not 20 relieve them but beeauxs there
has seemed 20 be wanting an orRaniE-
cd laymen's force ready to bc encciu-
ally utilized Ia consequence many
preachers. who had splendid sifte
have been so pressed vith burtncse
matters in connection witt tho cburch
that they have not had rho time Tor
reading and study that nfe essential
for the highest usefulness ia the pull
pit 4 dray horse cannot rtt1 ia the
futufty races. II "A preacher rauuf al.
vote half is time 10 *crs luR tables. he
many Of them have been forced - 10
To keep everything III shape. he cannot
BE- as fresh and strong III the puipi'
as n tho details ~ buslners vore
taken from his shoulder a. cvery
church there are iaymcu who are
diligen; and laborioue. but tie mem
bership OF the church IL large j. noe
At work and most mem beers. unlca.
they have "A talent for SUNDAY school
teaching. seem t. bc without anR
regular. active church worker Thcp
pay their annual ntipcnds fnf the
salary OF the preacher and the VAR.
ous good causes. and frequently pAy
80 littl" "a not tn feel tt. but they do
little else. How to have something
for every member to- something
that ne IL fitted TO do--and 90 interest
him in the forward movement is a
problem that all the churches are
trying to solve In the EpIncopai
church. the st Andrew Brotherhood
seeks to meet this need Other
churches nave various inAtrumontan-
ties but the success has not been
commemorate with the recognized
need. Too often tho capable and will
ing layman Is imposed upon In tho
work to be done while other members
seem To be given no duty that develops
their capacity for pervIce and sacrifice.
what is known as 1.-THE Laymens
Movement" is being undertaken to
meet this need In the Methodist
church The idea Ia not 20 make ~
new society or brotherhood or 20 aI
set rules as To it's efforts and infiu-
ence, but 20 put every man In the
church al work along tho line 81 tho
service for which b. ~ best fitted. ami
10 make his work touch not only his
local church but have relation. flrat to
his district then his state and then
the connectional and mission work
To bc sure the purpose IS beginning
at Jerusalem" for no man who doea
not do hts best for his home ana locat
conditions viii not often b. devf iopest
FOR the larger and broader wor At
every Conference. there are trges
that report Pastor salary one urth
behind" and "Asss.a1sIu entB for u1ts-
sions one-third short. and Ike re-
ports indie ting failure - come 40
To the measure that chaFg. should
attain unto Sometimes the people
are not able 70 pay. but ia most cas"s
II r. because most of the Iaynen hn*9
been inactive and have waited for the
preach her To do most =! the Work
which shoulda b. dome by ~" iaym~n.
One of the 8blnct4 ~ this f44Truen+s
Moyerueut-but bE no means - II 10
be confined - that ~ other business
operaftunR--is - take the Initiative ~
the matter - meeting the DbliEauons.
not only of tho church 70 which 'he
Iayrnan is connected. but 4s we'll - tns
weaker churcheE IN tu~ Conference.
For example il there are one hun
dred churches III the Raleigh district.
one part .. the work wi3i - - get
together that .s the strong churches
Will aeeIl 10 help The weaker churches
In methods and plans and orgauiza-
ton 30 that every layman in escfy
charge viii feel the burden upon him
The coming together - intelligent and
succeeefuI Iaymcn. the eGcnangs ~
views the swapping ~ method. the
inspiring help OF succeSs-theee ard
the stimulus that comes from tcIcf-
ing elbow 70 eIbGR With men in
common purI tsE VIII. - Is believer.
make that Conr cctlnuai help and Coz
operation hich ls part of the rys-
TEN u NetnOdiSm Unlike snr1e oFh-
er churches. IL = IN organization
where there should be ~ indl@tdual
aloofncss between the ch1~ches ~ i
man cannot belong 20 Methodist
church in Raleigh he could not Join u
Methodist church in Atlanta They
are one in the bonds of organization as
well az in faith. There Is power in the
plan II Il Is invoked. but because
Of the fact that the bulk Of The maIs