Smyrna times., 1908-01-29
URGE HOME RULE FOR
ALL METHODIST CHURCHES
LAYMEN WANT EQUAL REPRESENTATION
WITH cLERGYMEN IN THE CONFERENCE
Peerage and MOI PeOnage is Desired, Is What
Prominent Members of the Church Say will
Come Before Wilmington Conference

Action which, it Is calculated, will
arouse all Methodism throughout the
Wilmington Conference, was taken
Wednesday at the fourth quarterly
conference of the Washington Heights
Methodist Episcopal Church in Will
mingtOn. This was in form of reso-
luton which is to be presented to the
ministerial aud lay conferences to be
held in Wilmington in March request
Ing that body to memorialize the next
general conference to be held in Balti-
more III May to grant to the individual
churches an equal number of lay dele
gates to the several annual conferences
enjoyed by the ministry, The laity
under present regulations in the Meth
odlst Church are not represented at
the annual conferences. This, accord.
ing to the members of Washington
Heights Church who attended the
quarterly meeting, is unjust to the peO-
pie. They claim they furnish all the
material for the work and all the ma
terlal to work upon, but are allowed
no voice in the several annual confer
ences whereas the ministers have all
the authority to direct the work. The
Methodists have come to believe that
the only feasible method by which the
temporal affairs of the church NAV re.
ceive proper consideration is through
the medium of a personal representa-
ton in the annual conference and it is
for this representation that they intend
to make a fight before the next general
conference. They claim they are after
home rule, and in their resolution
adopted by the unanimous vote at
Wednesday nights meeting they set
forth their requests in strong phrases.
This movement will, it is believe, cause
a considerable stir among the Metho-
dlsts throughout the conference. 1t
is something more thau an innovation
In MethOdism, and is a wide departure
from the old lines along which the
Methodists have worked for years.
The resolutions as adopted best ex-
plain the position taken by the mem
bers of the Washington Heights
Church, and set forth clearly what they
want. The resolutions are as follows:
Whereas, in the affairs of the Church
of God, the Spiritual and the Temporal
are colmpOrtant aud interdepe ndent;
And whereas, We believe that the
doctrine of the Methodist Episcopal
Church is easily assimilated by the
masses;
And whereas, We believe it's greatest
need in effectiveness is the support of
the business community;
And whereas, After years of careful
consideration, the highest legisIati We
branch of the Church, accorded the
LaIty, equality-absolute;
And whereas. In the annual confer
ence, the operative branch of the
church government, the Laity, who
furnish all the material to work with,
and all the material to work on have no
voice;
And whereas, We believe that in or
der to more perfectly accomplish the
true purpose of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church it is essential that the an
maui conferences shall as thoroughly
consider the temporal as they do the
spiritual affairs of the church;
And whereas, The only feasible meth
cd by which the temporal affairs may
receive proper consideration, is
through the medium of a personal
representation in the annual confer
ence;
Therefore Be It Resolved, By the
Quarterly Conference of Washington
Heights Methodist Episcopal Church.
in the city of Wilmington, Delaware.
at its fourth quarterly session., held in
the church, the twenty second day of
January, in the year of our Lord, one
thousand nine hundred and eight:
That our pastor and lay delegate, be
and they are hereby instructed to petit
ton the Ministerial and Lay Confer.
ences respectively, to be held in AS
bury Methodist Episcopal Church, of
this city, commencing March IS, next
to memOrialize the General Conference
of the Methodist Episc Jpal Chu rch, at
Its next session, to be held in the city
OF Baltimore in May next, to grant to
grant to the individual churches COM
prising the Methodist Episcopal
Church General, Local Self Govern.
ment. by granting representation in
the several annual conferences to the
Laity equal to that enjoyed by the
ministry.
In addition to these resolutions, the
following suggestions, which will also
be urged upon the general conference,
were adopted: That section So of the
constitution of the Methodist Episco-