The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-01
Laymen Vote Favorably on Plan of Reorganization More Sweeping Than Any Action Taken Since Establishment of the Denomination
OPPOSE SYSTEM OF BISHOPS-AT-LA
Those Backing Movement Want Diocesan Rules Substituted Would Abolish District Super intendents and Save 1,000,- 900 a Year-Demand Lay Representation in Annual Conference

New York, April 1-Changes in the government and control of the Meth odist Church so radical that If adopt 1 ed they will cause almost an entire reorganization of the present system of administration were voted on ia vorabIy yesterday by the Laymen's Association of the Methodist Church in New York, in a meeting in Calvary Church, Seventh avenue and 129th street, where is being held the annual session of the New York Conference. Not since the establishment Of Meth odism has such important action been urged in the denomination, and it is asserted the movement has the sup port of the conferences in this and many other States.
 The present system of bishops-at- large is regarded as unsatisfactory. and the 1aymen ask that diocesan bishops be substituted. The abolition Of district superintendents, considered the most powerful agents in the sys- tenn, is asked. Personal supervision of the appointive power is requested. and lay representa- ton in the annual conference is demanded Those changes would put bishops in direct touch with the churches, it is held, ard abolition of the office of district superintendent would save the church $1, 100000 year in the United States. There Is a countrywide movement to have the conferences of every State
 vote favorably on the changes, it is
 said and petition will be introduced
 in all State conferences held from now
 until May 1, 1912. when the General
 Conference is to take place in Min
 neapolis. By that time supporters of
 the proposed new system say that
 practically every conference in the
 United States will have acted on the
 subject and the petitions of the States
 will be submitted to the General Con-
 ference. Until the General. Confer
 ence votes on the changes they can-
 not, of course become effective.
 When the New York Conference
 meets again today in Calvary Church
 the measure will be submitted to the
 preachers for approval, and it is be-
 lieye6l confidently it will pass. If the
 measure Is approved it is said other States will not hesitate to follow the lead of New York. The laymen in voting on the proposed changes were
 two to one in favor of it. Many mem bers did not vote because they arrived meeting was held in the assembly room of Calvary while the clergymen's
 meeting was going on in the church above.
 It was on the report of a commit tee on supervision that the question came up This committee was. appointed by the laymen in their last conference. Beverly. R. Smith of this city is chair man and John Beattie, also of New York; John R. Westlake of Newburg, L. L. Osterhaut Of Kingston and Dr. M Downing of Poughkeepsie, are neln- bers. The report adopted by two
 to one vote may be summarized as follows:z The committee believes that appoint ment responsibility and supervision Of the appointee should be placed on the same official. The present system seems to be based, the report said, on the idea of a man for a church and a
 church for man. Appointments are the results of impressions received through information "colored by the transmitting medium, which is sec ord hand knowledge. The appoint
 ments are made by @ person seldom in the field. one who remains a week and passes elsewhere"
 The office of district superintendent is regarded as unnecessary, expensive and economically a thing of the past" The office gives opportunity among laynlen, it was said, for a cer tain possibility of abuse. and it seem ed to the committee a doubtful piece of wisdom to select a superintendent
 who in time might himself be super
 vised, or might be ambitious for high
 CT church preferment.
 The report told how $1,000, 900 a year
 could be saved by getting rid of dis
 trict Superintendents, and went on to
 say if this expenditure were bringing
 results commensurate with its size
 there would be no objection to the
 system. Formerly the church dealt
 directly with the general superinten-
 dent, the committee reported, but, ap-
 parently by an assumption of power,
 the district superintendents came be-
 tween. The general superintendent
 can do the work of the district super
 intendents. 1t was said, and the gen
 eral superintendent should reside in a
 conference district
 He should be there at least four
 years. and preside over the work of
 the district, visiting each church per-
 sonaIly once year or more often. In
 this way he could determine whether
 the appointee in charge of each church
 was fit or a misfit. He would also
 come in touch with the men and wo-
 men of the church, and be able to pre-
 pare plans for the general and com
 prehensive development of the church.
 About 300 competent pastors are
 taken from churches where they are needed to become district superinten- dents, it was said Fewer than half that number, made general superin-
 tendents, could do the work more ef- ficiently and at less expense The present system was called an anti duated one. Modern business meth