Evening journal., 1912-03-14
METHODISTS FOR POPULAR
GOVERNMENT IN CHURCHES
Wilmington Conference Suggests Change in Law Pro-
Vidng for Conference Election of District Sup
erinfendenfs Instead of Appointment by
Bishops; Also Ask That Presiding Elder
Title be Restored.

Demand for popular government
cropped out in the Wilmington Metho-
dist Episcopal Conference this morn
ing, when the Rev. DR.. Vaughan $
Collins. of Middletown, presented a
memorial asking the General Confer
ence TO provide for the election of
district superintendents, or "presid-
ing elders as Dr. Collins prefers,
by the ministers of Conferences them
selves, the men elected to be appoint
cd by the presiding Bishop. After
debating the subject for nearly an
hour and halt, and getting into a
parliamentary maze, the Conference
finally decided TO take up the subject
again tomorrow morning, following
final action on which the election Of
delegates to the General Conference
will be held.
Conference, however. with but two
dissenting votes, adopted Dr. Collins
memorial to General Conference ask
ing that the time-honored term "pre-
siding elder" be restored in place OF
the later day designation district
Superintendent" Another memorial
adopted today is to strike out that
provision i'm the Discipline that sur
plus over the amount of pastors sal
airy raised by any charge shall go 10
make up the salary of the district
superintendent
DR.. Collins explained the intent of
his memorial asking the General Con-
ference 10 provide for election of pre-
siding elders by the Annual Confer
ences. the men elected to be appointed
by the presiding Bishop TO the dis
tricts, he being free to determine the
districts to which the men shall be
assigned
DR.. Collins said it would enable the
ministers, who know conditions. to
elect the district superintendents Il
know this Peninsula Methodism better
than any bishop ever could know it,
said Dr. Collins, as he explained he
meant no disrespect to the bishops.
who come to Conferences comparative
strangers. The district superinten-
dents, he said, stand IS the go-between
between the Conference and tho
bishop.
Power For Ministers.
DR. Collins told of the statement of
a bishop that he had received between
forty and fifty letters before he ar.
rived at Conferences recommending q
certain man for district superinten,
dent How can such a bishop do tho
right thing" asked Dr. Collins.
Bishop Wilson raped on the table
with his pencil. - doubt the wisdom
Of that line of observation" remarked
the bishop.
Il withdraw il" continued DIR. Col
Inns. But. bishop. some things have
4.
] would trust any bishop to make th
appointments if he only knew the
facts"
The Rev r. c. Budd. Of Dover, sail
that the plan proposed by Dr. Col
Inns would make the district supern
tendent amenable to the ministers. 81
he wasn't satisfactory they would pu
the recall on him at the next Confer
ence session." Mr.. Budd added ''
want TO ask If a man who can &c
forty-eight ministers to write letter
for him TO the Bishop before Confer
ence hasn't a machine around him q
start with" Mr. Budd moved tina
the memorial be laid on the table. bu
the motion was lost 40 ayes to z
nays.
Dr. Robert Watt moved that tn
memorial be made an order of tn
day for 10 o'clock Monday mOrning
to give an opportunity for full dehai,
The Rev r. T. C0ursey didn't thin
70 ought to be postponed to after th
election of General Conference dele
gates. He thought the subject ougl