Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-10-30
TO EXTEND METHODIST PASTOR.
ATES IN The SOUTH.

Reforms move slowly In the church
es as in the world of society and of
government. The naturally conseFv-
alive element in every church organ
ization is strong and slow to be con-
WINGED of the necessity for change.
That which has come down from the
fathers Is dear to their hearts and not
to be altered for any minor reasons.
There must be a great and pressing
need to force the abandonment of
time honored regulation or institution,
and even then 1t is only by the slow
process of education, of gentle agita-
ton, the process that gradually breaks
down opposition, that adequate sup
port can be enlisted to sweep the last
barriers away and secure the estab-
lishment of new conditions.
1t is this way in the great Methodist
church of the South. There is no more
radically progressive body in the
world than this grand body of Chris
tian workers. Its history is a con-
tinued story of the overthrow of OBJ
stacles, the surrounding of difficulties,
the masterful meeting of changing
conditions from one end of the South
to the other. No church more active
in educational work, no church more
jealous in missions, no church more
eager in its charities, no church more
generous in its philanthropies, no
church more abreast with the genuine
needs of the hour or more better
| equipped to face them. And yet no
church more conservative in its ad-
herence to old forms and old methods
| of administration.
That this is so is shown in it's ad-
herence to the old system of restric-
ton of pastorate to four years. At
tention is again directed to it by the
reports appearing in newspapers If
various cities that an agitation is
once more on for the revocation OF
| this rule and the establishment of an
open pastorate similar to that in vogue
in other churches, but with the SAM
control of its appointments resting il
the hands of the Bishops and their cabj
nets. It is felt and maintained b,
many that there are frequently time
when to arbitrarily sever a mans pas
torate at the close of four years wor
is detrimental to the interests of til
church. 1t has been claimed that mucl
of the growth of the Methodist churc
is due to the system of regular chane
'es in pastorates, to the keeping dow
of congregational friction in this wa
/ and more than anything else to IL
| constant infusion of new blood into til
churches by a system of compulsor
rotation. New enthusiasm is said
be thrown into the congregations +
the changes of pastors at frequent il
tervals, there is no dropping dow
into ruts and the establishment of a
easy, complacent, well-satisfied spir
that critics declare too frequent
grows out of pastorates extended owe
too long period. Even while this
acknowledged, though, those advocat
ing change insist that the other sid
of the picture is not to be overlooked
that especially in the larger cities il
takes time to become acquainted with
local conditions and equipped for eff
fectiye work. Especially is this true
Of churches in the poorer districts
| reaching out for the classes that are
not prone to church attendance, and
| in whom the spirit of trust, of friendly
confidence, must be educated before
any results can be hoped for This is
a work Of slow development and all
too frequently, just as the pastor has
secured thorough appreciation of
his work, and the people have begun
to look upon him as a true confdant
and wise counsellor, the change en-
forced by church rules comes and
his labors are practically thrown
away, the foundations built by him
torn down and the new man compelled
to go over the same field of fruitless
effort
At the last General Conference of
the church an effort was made to
extend the maximum term of pastor