The Robesonian., 1917-12-03
SPEAKING OUT IN MEETIN'.

Rev. G. F. Smith, a Methodist
preacher stationed at Rockingham
this year, wrote a piece time ago
that it was said had been recalled, but
we notice it was printed without COM
.ment in the Raleigh Christian Advo-
cate Of week before last. The Raj
eigh Advocate is the organ of the
Methodist conference which meets in
Ereenville this week, and whether
Brother Smith is to suffer for the
bold words he has written remains to
be seen.
In this piece Mr.. Smith advocates
the election of bishops for term Of
four years, instead of for life. Meth
Ddist preachers are given appoint
ments for one year at time, and they
may not serve one charge longer than
four years. The same thing applies to
presiding elders, and Mr.. Smith points
out that no conference would think of
allowing presiding elders to be ap-
pointed for life. He is not opposed
to the episcopacy. He thinks the epis-
copal form of government is the best
for Methodists. But he seriously
questions the wisdom of continuing
the practice of electing bishops for
life. Great power for life has it's in
fluence on the best of men. 1t has
a tendency to make some men arbi-
trary and unjust. And in the Method
list church electing a bishop for life
is out of harmony with the part of
the government of the church that re-
lates to the appointments of other
preachers.
Mr.Smith is right about it of course
and it may be that in time others may
rally to his support, but preachers
who may think the same way may de-
eide that the thing is too dangerously
loaded to monkey with it. The bishop
has the power to send Methodist
preacher wherever he wants to send
him, and a bishop may not be dispos-
ed to fall with joy and affection upon
the neck of the brother who suggests
that he should be elected for four
years instead of to life term Hence
the silence that can be felt that las
g.'22cted Brother Smiths bold sugges
ton.
Some of the lay brethren, too are
getting restless under the absolute
power that rests with the bishop anC
his cabinet. They want greater rep
resentation in the conferences, a NOR
democratic form of government VIII,
should it not be considered eminentl,
proper, for instance, for representa-
tives of a Methodist church to atten
conference and be consulted abou
who should be sent to them? The
are the ones who have to provide sup
port for, and sit under the ministr
OF, any ore the bishop and presidin
elder may decide to send to them, an
IL a mistake is going to be made j
making an appointment, as mistake
sometimes are made, we fail to Sc
why it is any worse for O. few layme
to make mistake than it is for
bishop and presiding elder to max
one.
1t is all we'll enough to he told I
ray fo' tie right man to lie sort |
you, but it is good Methodist rractic
to work while you pray. IF the bis
op and the presiding elder are wor1
ing while they pray, why should n
the laymen do little work while TIKI
are praying?
A Lunberton man who had a ca
IN court told his lawyer, when a cor
promise was offered that he h;
prayed and prayed over the case b
did not know what to do. And naiv
iy ne remarked to his lawyer, "Y,
pray over it," The novel suggesti
took the lawyers breath away. "Ne
ne said, when he recovered his breat
IF l prayed over cases like that
be praying all the time. You tell t
ether lawyer to pray over it,"
Far be it from US to intimate tn
the presiding elder who tells t
brethren of church on his distr
to pray for the right man to be Sc
to them and keep hands off and lea
1t to the bishop and the elder mea
that he has so many cases to wo
on that he has not time to pray oy
them. Of course the bishop and t
elder pray over all the appointmel
they make-and then have to do |
human part in answering their O,