The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-29
CONFERENCE CHANGES

The question is current .Shall we
have shake-up this timer" The signs
OF the times apparently suggest an af-
1irmative answer At least, so to size
up the situation may serve as a work
ing hypothesis for the further ques-
ton, Who'll go here and who there?"
There are 81 preachers to move by
statute OF limitation; limitations of
other sort will likely account for some
more moves. OF the four-year men
eight are presiding elders. recent
letter from leading layman says: 81
am sure a number of those that are
now in will not object to STAYING in y
That little word Gin" has in modern
Methodist parlance assumed a sort Of
technical pride, and means literally
one in" the presiding eldership. and
so by the laws of good usage. it comes
TO stand for the presiding elder him
sen And. II 1t be true, as averred by
anls good layman, why should the
ms" care to Join the "outs?" Ger.
tainly they have read the words of
st. Paul, Let the elders that rule well
De counted worthy of double honor. b"
And as certainly may it be conceded
that they have ruled well. Therefore
the law of double honor" may mean
Tour full years extended to eight.
just a few years back this matter
or presiding elder tenure created CON
siderable stir In Methodist circles. Ap-
peal was made that the general con.
ference enact statutes providing that
after one had been for four wears in
the eldership there must be turn
taken to pastoral service But the
stir in that direction did not mate
rlalize into law. One may continue in
the eldership indefinitely, according to
episcopal option. However. the aver
age Methodist preacher does not fail
TO note that the scriptural notion of
an elder does not necessarily mean a
presiding elder; and IS disposed to
count as pertinent to himself thai
scripture touching double honor TO
MIN who rules we'll. This same aver
age Methodist preacher also consideIs
that II the presiding eldership carry
double honor then the element of good
administration in the pastorate might
call Tor passing the honors around
-Four years lin and four wears ont
That seems fair-fair in that it shifts
the burden of responsibility to other
capable shoulders, and gives other
good men opportunity for a character
of service deemed by some exceeding
ly delightful.
The presiding elders who are now at
the end of their tenure are S. r. Les
ter. Albertville; j. +. Sturdiyant. Bes-
semer; l.. C. Branscomb, Birmingham
f. Hawkins, Decatur; Z. B. Nor
Ton, Il florence, j. i. Williams. Gadsden
j. S. Glasgow. Jasper; S. L. Dobbs, Tall
ladega. These distinguished gentlemen
have ruled Well in their respective
spheres-as reports indicate-and stand
ready to stay "in," provided Bishop
Denny be sufficiently urgent and in
sistent. and provided further that 9TH
er properly equipped men may be
found and prevailed upon to accept the
hard service.
will mn
the keen question at a conference ses-
sion; and an interesting one ALWAYS.
Certain writer's in the Birmingham pa
pers already have assayed answer. at
least after a partial fashion, but
whether these answers are based llpon
straight tips" or whether they are
mere guesses, therefore wild, that re-
mains to be seen. Right here one meas
ureably safe guess might be made as
to one OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES one But it
does not seem wise to put into print
guesSes as to where this or that Meth
odist preacher may go In the first
place, it Is not good form; in the sec
ond place, guesses made public or put
into print may prove sources of dis
turbance. To nominate Methodist
minister for a given place. to make it
thus a matter of speculation and mum
erous small talk. may make of him a
target for all sorts of shot; adverse
criticism may be stirred, and even a
good man may be talked out of a
promising place. Furthermore, rumor
AYERS that certain news reporters In
some of their guesses in this connec-
ton perturbed the placid spirit of cler-
ical gentlemen concerned, for obJec-