Evening journal., 1913-09-30
DIR. M'KIM
LEADS MOVE
VIII Urge Episcopal Diocese
to Alter Plan Of ReIre-
SentatiOn
CITES VIRGINIA
AS AN EXAMPLE

NEW YORK, Sept. 30-The gem
sral convention Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church which will meet In
this city on October s. will be the
part of the larger dioceses in the
country to change the plan OF repre-
sentation in the House Of Deputies.
The change will be advocated on the
ground that the present plan Of repre-
sentauon is inequitable and undemo-
cratic.
One of the leaders in this movement
is the Rev. DR.. Randolph Il. McKim,
of Washington. now the president Of
the House of Deputies. AT the an
nual convention of the Diocense OF
washington, which was held in May.
OF this year. DR.. McKim introduced
resolutions which we're adopted and
which have served 10 start the agita-
tloh that may come before the con-
vention.
In the premable to this resolution,
DR.. McKim set forth that under the
system Of representation now exist
ing IN the church dioceses that have
less than 1900 communicates have as
many representatives and as many
votes in the House of Deputies as
those dioceses which contain $4,000
0r even 10000 communicates.
Legislation adopted under these
conditions" said Dr. McKim, may
utterly fail to reflect the mind of the
Church and may. therefore. fail TO
command the loyal support OF the
several dioceses. Moreover, should
any vital issue of Christian doctrine
or ritual, or ecclesiastical polity, upon
which the mind of the church was
sharply divided, be decided by a tech
meal majority of votes which really
REPRESENTED a small majority of com
municants, the peace and unity of the
church is seriously imperilled.
"There IS a widespread demand
that our present undemocratlc and
hn-American system, which is a trav-
esty upon representative govern
ment. Shall be changed. BY agreeing
upon a certain number of olergymen
In a diocese as the unit, in vote by
dioceses and orders and by adopting
the fractional system of voting In tn,
smaller dioceses, It is possible to ap
broximate equality of representation
without reducing or increasing th'
present number OF deputies from th'
diocese. The representation In th'
House OF Bishops, as II stands a
present, approximates sufficiently IN
principles OF the equality Of the dio
ceses. after the analogy of the Unite
States Senate. The case has bee
cited time and time again Of the Die
cese of Lexington, which has ?
clergy and 3.3S7 communicates an
has the same voting power as tn
Diocese Of New York, for example
with 4l2 clergy and S6,25O communi
cants.
"Under our present system Of rep
resentation. the two Dioceses OF var
ginia and Southern Virginia, with 10
clergy and 81. .2OS communicates, hav
in the general convention 16 votes
while the elk dioceses of Kansas City
indianapolis, Springfield, Dallas
Delaware and Duluth. with 1S6 clerg
and 24,29S communicates, have 4
votes. I do not think It is neoessar
for me to refer to any other example
to show the injustice and un-Amer'
canism of the present system of rer
resentaior.'
The Diocesan Convention at Wasf
ington by resolution authorized
committee OF three clergy and tw
laymen to prepare a memorial to tt
general convention asking that bod
to take immediate steps to remed
defeets. A few weeks later the Dt
cese Of Maryland passed similar res
lutions. and these were quickly 70
lowed by resolutions Of the Diocese
Goufharn virginia