Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-26
MINISTER'S RANKS
Continued from page !

Continued from page
The recommendation for safeguarding |
the church, which was made at the last |
General Conference, and sent back ap-S
parently by way of reperendum, was re-
newed today by the Wilmington Confer |
cnce laymen The form isthat of an amend !
ment to the constitution and Itwas brought
in by the committee on constitutional
amendment. 1t is as follows:
Amendment paragraph AZ section 3,
of article 6, which reads. The prcsld-
ing officer of the general conference shall
decide questions of order, subject 10 An
appeal TO the General Conference. but
questions of law shall be decided by the
General Conference so NJ shall read,
Wilmington Conference Proposition: The
presiding officer of the General Conference
shall decide questions of order subject 10
an appeal to the General Conference, but
questions of conStitutionalitv shall be
considered and decided bv the entire
episcopal board subject 10 an appeal 10
tho annual and lay electoral conferences
as provided in the process for amending
the constitution The decision shall bc
in writing and shall be signed by the
general Supcrintcndcnts who agree 70
| H.
Conflicting interpretations Of this
/ amendment caused discussion. Some
/ objection developed on the ground that
/ the bishop would have too much authority
SO some delegates thought Attention
was then directed "a the fact that the
amendment gives the right Of appeal
from the bishop tothe General Conference.
Secretary Short said il insures plenty
| Of mature dclbcration Of the laws Of the
f / -. h.f. hgx- hn ~ ba
the head Of the bishop
Some thought Il wiser to leave all such
matters with the board Of bishops A
rising vote was taken and the amendment
was carried by an overwhelmingly majority
For %, against -. was the vote
The question Of admission of laYNen to
the annual conference with the clergy
was again brought up by the same COM
mittee IN the form of an amendment This
amendment would separate the laymcn :
conference from that ot the ministers.
The secretary. commenting sald the Lay
mems Association had done much 70 back
up the ministerial body
These people seem 20 think the laSmcn
should run the ministers The question 81
lay attendance al the annual conference
would he good in some places. hut
doubt IL would suii the Wilmington Con
ference This proposition failed hy a
big majority, l02 to ;.
The resolution is as follows.
See / Annual Conference shall
hc organized hv the General Conference.
composed Of travelling preachers holding
membership therein, who arc required
to attend its sessions, together with one
lav delegate from each pastoral charge
within its hounds such lay delegate to
hr elected hv ne lav members uf the
charge over twcnty-one years OF age III
such manner rs the General oniercncc
NAV determine Zach chargc shall alsn
eject in like manner a reserve delegation
Soc , All matters relating 70 the
nassInC Of character, examinations, trlal
Of ministerial members courses OF study.
ordination and conference relation sha.
hc determined hv = vote Of the ministerial
members Of The annual tonierencc
SEC. ? IN the annual Conference
next preceding the meeting Of the General
Conference there shall be held one minis
terial session composed Of the ministerial
members only, and one lay session
composed of the lay members only.
, The ministerial session shall elect the
number of ministerial delegates and
reserves to which the conference is en-
titled, and the lay session stall elect 3
like number Of lay delegates. he lay
session shall also elect reserve delegates
not exceeding three in number
Rev. J. ". r. Sumwalt pastor was
introduced by Judge Conrad
The resources OF this church arc Al
your disposal said DR. Sumwalt
Payment of ministers was the subject
of a number OF the finance committee
"If there is to be a rebuilding we must
carefully consider our foundations, saIo
l.
faith in Jesus Christ and an intelligent
!, Interpretation Of human life. The teaching
profession is in danger Of almost extinc
ton. Men are being driven out because
I they cannot live in 1t. There Is con
[ tinual decrease In the number Of ministers
Each year adds its depletion to our ranks
A man said in prayer: we have no
ALWAYS obeyed but we have always oh
served the laws of graytation. 1t i
Fundamental economic law that INTO tn
poorest paid occupation pours the loves
order Of labor. We are suffering today. ant
will unspeakably more - years from nov
unless the teaching profession IN genera
is better paid II We now were 10 pay.
minister a salary Of s 900 we would b.
giving him the equivalent OF only $3.50 u
1914 | m not going to suggest iull ad
vance to meet the difference, but | Wi
out of our 1874 in the Wilmington Con
ference have not been moved up singh
peg. There are many who have not IN
creased 500 in FIVE years. Many NOR
who have not increased 5000 IN tina
period.
II would suggest that you pass a resolu
! ton showing your idea of what ever,
minister should receive, and it will be pu
into execution if you get back of this" "
Usual greetings from the minister's
2 body were delivered by DIR. z. W. Pretty
; man, speaking for a special committee
!. who said Eve have found the layTna
! is the biggest part of this show, and W
/ are hoping the time will come when yo
: will sit in with us downstairs instead 9
! ! meeting by yourselves up here" Other
in this delegation were DIR. L. l.. Hot
fecker and DR. Harvey W. Ewing.
Judge Conrad replied expressIin
pleasure in receiving the ministerial dele
cation.
Thomas n. Rawlins offered q resolution