Evening journal., 1914-02-05
DR.. WATT BALKS
AT MERGER OF
CONFERENCES
continued from rirst 20.


far discovered an adequate reason for
making public such proposal. Ac-
cording to the press reports a rea-
son has ct last been found. And
what Is Il? First. that the western
conferences that have merged" have
found that Il worked we'll. But the
real reasons as they appeared IN the
report Of the committee were OF a
decidedly humiliatlng nature. They
were these: The proposed merger"
would give to the men OF the smaller
/ conference wider opportunities" and
Larger salaries and a territory less
circumscribed."
Relative to the FIRST assertion that
] the Western mergers had worked
we'll" Who is wise enough TO furnish
that information? With the Quadrenni-
um not yet half gone, It is rather
q gratuitous assumption. and an as
cumption not borne out by such facts
as the partial quadrennial record
discloses. A glance at the wretched
and meagre showing Of those "merg-
! ed" conferences would indicate that
the general interests Of the denomina-
tion had been submerged. II must be
q rare mind that can derive either
aid OF comfort from such facts as are
at hand relative to this business Of
merging"
But what of the "wder opportunity 60
Would the average minister have a
"wider opportunityl" Asmredly not,
for the advantages would apply TO the
elect and favored few either by actual
ability or astute planning might come
I "a In4 -" " D.
and file who mOdestly accept what is
neted out 90 them would not b. adj
vantGged by he larger territory.
the ranks OF the elect would be slight
~ augmented. For would not the num-
ber Of ministers remain practic the
sainei Would there not be the same
number OF appointments? Would not
the average ability Dc the same g
Whence then would come the "widcr OPP
portunityt" Us 10 not TO be expected
that the prophets of the Lord Ia the
now larger region would unselhshly step
aside 60 make room "at the top for
the brilliant men who have not had n
fair chance. Ia II not rather TO bc ox-
pected that the men ia the "favorcd re-.
i gion' who have spent their life there
would expect no less in the way OF APP
; pointmenis than formerly And is it
not bit ogotistic TO intimate that
the ministers in the Favored region" are
/ q whit less able and brilliant aud am.
J hitious than their brethren in the
, "limited territory And il the main
: consideration be TO secure Tor the mimi
stefs q "wider oportunity,' why resort
to The swallowing process 90 scmro
) these 'wider opportuniiiesT S1ch re.
b suits have been attained without the
b aid OF "a merger" for some oi the lead
inc churches in the denomination are
: served 10y former members of the VIII
b mington Conference. and in some I'm
stances those who were "melged' have
returned TO their first love and gladly
testify to useful and contented
ministry. There is no compul.ion re-
quirine any minister TO remain IN thi.
"lhnitod territory The "celcstia
transfer circle" is stll open to thos,
, who feel the nksummess Of "lmitet
opportunity
. But what Of the advantage upon
which most emphasis was laid while
this contemplated merger was under
consideration. namely, increased op-
porWnities for larger salaries for the
ministers now in this territory IL Is
, q humiliatiDg spectacle and one that
has called forth sharp and just criti-
cism from the laity And who can
wonder at this? The chief considera-
tion. the one paramount consideration
in ell this discussion has been an OPP
} portunity 10 &c. who're the ministers
now in the Wilmington Conference
can secure a bigger salary Not
: whether it be wise and statesmanlike
, not whether il is FOR the good ol the
work: noi whether il "a In The interest
q OF che church at large. but purely. at
4 least primarily IN the interest Of the
, minister commercially. Now Jet n
: not be said that the material side OF
the minister's life Is being Disregard
ed. Not so. The "laborer Is worthy
of bis hire" There is room for in
creased attention 10 this matter. but
IS It OF chief considerations Is it oi
uoramount Importance? This Is what
some o. the good brethren in the
upper regions" have offered in sup
port OF the startling" proposition uu-
2 der consideration Surely they did
not "thiull twice before they spoke
Aside from the fact that ihe question
> of salary is relative, and important
I'm its place. certainly we viii not lifi
it into first place IN the life Of the
= minister. The brethren I'm the upper
regions" viii need TO furnish more
e worthy reasons for so radical and far.
= reaching q departure as the "contem-
4 plnted merger"
4 There has been developed within
. the bounds OF the Wilmington Confer
ence a peculiar type OF Methodism. q
spiritual and churchly solidarity
o wholly unique. To this bishops and
church officials have pointed out with
e just and pardonable pride. If any
u have lost either vision or the spirit
e -----