Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-19
PULPIT CALLS
DENOUNCED BY
BISHOP BERRY
Methodist Episcopal PreIate
Warns Congregations and
Ministers Practice Is Wrong

Bishop Joseph f. Berry, of Phil
adelphia, wishes to discourage the
growing practice among Methodist
Episcopal churches of calling"
pastors to their pulpits. Calls" are
in order in Presbyterian and Baptist
churches, which adhere to the con-
gregational system, the bishop says,
but they are 'lawless" in the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, where
bishops appoint ministers to cOngre-
cations at the annual conference.
The bishop emphasizes these opin-
ions, and administers a rebuke to a
Philadelphia minister who wrote to
him announcing he had received a
'calP' from a certain church and
asking the bishop to appoint him to
that church next March. Bishop
Berry withholds the names of church
and minister.
In his letter to the bishop the
minister wrote.
MY dear Bishop Berry-Several
officials of the - Church were in
my congregation last Sunday and
to-day l am in receipt of a call from
that church to become its pastor next
year. That will be an advance of
$500 in my salary. | have replied,
pledging myself to go, and am now
writing to you to ask if you will
make this appointment"
Bishop Berry sent the following
reply TO the clergyman's communica-
ton
MY dear Brother have receiv-
ed your letter in which you tell me
- IL oh ~ 4
asking if l will make the appoint
ment. In response, | must say that
both the church and yourself have
done an unlawful and mischievous
thing. That church has a pastor at
present, thoroughly devoted and
efficient man, to send an invitation
to another minister before the con-
ference year is half gone is treating
the present pastor in a shabby and
unbrotherly way. 1t is unsetting
him in the midst of his work and
virtually serving notice on him to
quit. This is a thing no Methodist
Episcopal church can do.
when the conference comes it
will be proper for the brethren of
the chuhch to express their wish to
the appointing power. 1t will also
be perfectly in order for you TO
make your judgment and preferen-
ces known. But no appointments can
be made six months in advance
of the conference session-no ap-
pointments can be made until the
conference meets.
I'm the first place, l do not know
who will be assigned to preside at
YOUR next conference, and any as
surance that l might give would not
bind another bishop. In the sec
ond place, if l should preside, 1t
might not appear at the time to be
the best appointment either for the
church or yourself, and my hands
ought not to be tied.
I" Calls to pulpits are quite right
in the Presbyterian and Bappst
Churches. That is part of their con-
zregational system. But in Meth
odist Episcopal church it is wholly
lawless. And a minister who ac-
cepts such a call as you have done
is equally lawless."
In conclusion, the bishop inform
ed the minister that he is dealing:
with q principle and calling your
attention to an evil that has grad
ually grown up, and which is sure
To make more and more trouble
Bishop Berry says that if he pre-
sides at the next conference session
there will be open shop" and he
win gladly hear the preferences of
every church and every minister.