K- mote stoe aACKo UFFIC THE LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION ITS PLACE IN METHODISM ft be ftlniversit? Xoobout ftbc ftlmversibg of Chattanooga Cbattanooga=Btbcns, TTcnncsscc Series 7 SEPTEMBER, 1908 No. Published Bi-Monthly by the University at Chattanooga, Tenn. Annual Subscription, M Cents 1 Entered at the Post Office in Chattanooga as second-class matter, unr der tlie Act of July 10. 1M»4 THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY Presented in 1916 by President Edmund J. Jame in memory of Amanda K. Casad 287.6 M 5690a THE LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ORGANIZED AT BALTIMORE MAY, 1908 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, 1908-1912 PRESIDENT J. A. PATTEN . . Chattanooga, Tenn. VICE PRESIDENT ROLLA V. WATT . San Francisco, Cal. SECRETARY JAS. G. SHEPHERD . . Scranton, Pa. TREASURER O. P. MILLER . . . Rock Rapids, Ia. AT LARGE W. L. WOODCOCK Altoona, Pa. t(mi/o m .6 IN EXPLANATION. The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in session at Baltimore, Md., June 1, 1908, on recommendation of its committee on Temporal Economy, unanimously adopted the follow- ing report: Your Committee, to which were referred memorials from the Laymen’s Association of the Holston Conference and other laymen’s associations, recommends that the following paragraph be added to the Book of Dis- cipline as Section 5, Paragraph 87 : “There may be assembled at the seat of the Annual Conference a Lay- men’s Asssociation organized within the bounds of the Conference, com- posed of delegates elected from the charges in such manner as the Laymen’s Association may determine. “The purpose of such association shall be to advance the local and con- ference interests of the Church and to enlist all laymen in the general activities of the denomination.” A meeting attended by lay delegates to the General Conference, also, decided upon the organization of a general Laymen’s Asso- ciation, and adopted the constitution printed in this booklet. The object of this association is declared to be: To promote the organization of laymen’s associations in the annual con- ferences, and to co-operate with these associations in interesting all our laymen in the general affairs of the church. The following conferences have reported laymen’s organizations : Alabama, Baltimore, California, Central Illinois, Central Pennsyl- vania, Central Tennessee, Cincinnati, Columbia Biver, Detroit, Erie, Holston, Illinois, Lexington, Minnesota, Montana, Newark, New England, New York, North Ohio, Northwest Indiana, North- west Iowa, Oregon, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Puget Sound, Rock River, South Kansas, Southern California, Southwest Kansas, Troy, Upper Iowa, West Virginia, West Wisconsin, and Wyoming. THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 4 In many instances, these associations have been of large practi- cal value to important interests in the conferences where organ- ized. In some conferences, the results have been far-reaching. Under the authority above quoted, we therefore respectfully sug- gest that steps be taken for the organization of laymen’s associa- tions in the conferences where such organizations have not yet been formed. To help to that end, we present herewith some re- ports of the work of existing associations. Information about the Holston Conference association is given in considerable detail for the reason that complete reports of the meetings of this associa- tion have been printed annually thus making the material availa- ble. The work of this organization has also been of a somewhat unusual character as the necessity which called it into existence was unusual and extreme. The material printed illustrates the fact that no set plan can be followed in determining the exact line of activity for the con- ference laymen’s association. That must be indicated by the spe- cific needs of the conference to be served. The details given are presented from the desire to be concrete and suggestive, rather than as an outline to specifically guide others. The appeal to laymen by laymen has generally been effective, whether in the inter- est of improved ministerial support, better care of retired minis- ters, adequate support of denominational colleges or for other worthy causes not quite reached by the existing organizations. No other plan has seemed to be so well adapted to secure the active co-operation of all the laymen of a conference for an important conference interest. The fellowship at annual meetings; the fraternal visits to the conference sessions; the educational value of earnest consideration of questions of conference and denominational interest have been found to be helpful. A decided revival of the connectional spirit of Methodism has been seen in many places. Laymen from city and country have come to know and to appreciate each other and to be interested in the work and problems each of the other. If no specific association activities were attempted beyond the provision for and attendance upon the annual meetings, the spirit of unity and fellowship that comes from such a gathering would ITS PLAGE IN METHODISM D make the association a desirable supplement to the work of the laymen in each of our conferences. While any laymen in conferences without an association should feel at liberty to bring the matter forward, it is suggested that the delegates to the last general conference or the officers of the lay electoral conference of 1907-8 would be especially qualified to issue a call and plan for a meeting. If the undersigned can be of service, they will be glad to hear from their brethren desiring further information. In His Name, John A. Patten, Eolla V. Watt, James G. Shepherd, Oscar P. Miller, William L. Woodcock, August 1, 1908. Executive Committee GENERAL LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. At a largely attended meeting of the lay delegates to the General Conference held in Mount Vernon Place Methodist Episcopal Church on May 25, 1908, an organization of a general Laymen’s Association was affected, with the following Constitution: 1. Name. This Association shiall be called the Laymen’s Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 2. Place of Meeting. It shall meet quadrennially at the seat of the General Conference at such times as may be arranged by the Executive Committee. 3. Objects. Its objects shall be to interest all our laymen in the gen- eral affairs of the Church, and especially to promote the organization of lay .associations in all the annual conferences, to the end that the Church may be aroused to greater usefulness in God’s service. 4. Membership. The membership of this Association shall consist of its officers and all lay delegates to the General Conference. 5. Officers. The officers shall be a president, a vice president, a secre- tary and a treasurer. Said officers serve during the session at which they are elected and the next succeeding quadrennial session until their success- ors are elected, and shall perform such duties as are usual to their respec- tive offices. 6. Executive Committee. There shall be an Execptive Committee con- sisting of the officers named in section 5 and one additional member at large. The duties of said committee shall be to make all the necessary arrangements as to time and place of meeting of the Association ; prepare a program of exercises for each session ; secure the presence of desirable speakers and perform all other needed work as a Committee of Arrange- ments and report the same at commencement of each meeting. 7. Amendments. This Constitution may be amended at any session of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting. At an adjourned meeting of the Laymen’s Association, held in the Eest Room at Lyric Hall, May 29, 1908, the following officers were elected : President — John A. Patten, Chattanooga. Tenn. Vice President — Holla V. Watt, San Francisco, California. Secretary — J. G. Shepherd, Scranton, Penna. Treasurer — O. P. Miller, Rock Rapids, Iowa. At Large — W. L. Woodcock. Altoona, Penna. Wm. L. Woodcock, Chairman. 0. P. C allah an. Secretary Pro Tem. THE LAYMEN’S APPEAL TO LAYMEN. On May 13, 1908, the General Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Chnrch adopted a resolntion, presented by H. B. Williams, of the Rock River Conference, requesting the bishops to appoint a committee of three laymen to arrange for a meeting of the lay dele- gates at such convenient place as may be selected by the committee, and at 8 o’clock on the earliest evening practicable. The bishops appointed the following committee: H. B. Wil- liams, Rock River Conference; John A. Patten, Holston Confer- ence; James G. Shepherd, Wyoming Conference, and the meeting provided for was held at the Mount Vernon Place Methodist Epis- copal Church, on May 20th. J. A. Patten was elected chairman, and C. W. Neitz was chosen secretary. After approving memorials to be presented to the General Conference, the meeting unanimously adopted the following: ADDRESS TO LAYMEN - OF THE CHURCH ON THE SUBJECT OF PASTORAL SUPPORT. Ever since the Christian Conference in 1784, held in the city of Balti- more, when sixty preachers organized the Methodist Episcopal Church, our ministers have faithfully obeyed the Master’s command to “preach the gos- pel to every creature,” and under the power of God have carried good tid- ings to the most remote corners of the world. Without this tireless, consecrated, courageous ministry, our Methodism of today would have been an impossibility. Always compelled by some- thing of the great apostle’s “woe is me if I preach not the gospel.’’ this same ministry has often known the deprivations of the Master who had not where to lay his head. The Methodist minister does not follow civilization — civilization follows him ; material values increase because of him ; churches and homes are built up around him ; and through his work desert places come to “bloom and blossom as the rose.” But the spiritual victories of our ministry are beyond all that can be measured by money or houses or lands. Not only our own Church, but Churches of all creeds have gathered a rich harvest of souls from seed planted by the Methodist preacher. /While our ministers do not expect the financial rewards of a secular calling, our bishops, in their Episcopal address, have well said, “It is of the highest wisdom to offer such support as secures freedom from anxiety, as well as modest provision for intelligence, culture, and education of chil- dren.” And does not common honesty demand fair recompense for the men who serve us? The church today demands more of its' ministry than ever before, and if 8 THE LAYMEN S ASSOCIATION it is to have in its pulpit men of commanding ability, who must give their earliest years to preparation, and then give themselves completely to the work of the ministry, the Church must be willing to meet their sacrifices with fair provision for their comfort. Although the wealth of the country has enormously increased, the remu- eration has not kept pace with it. While many pastors are receiving satis- factory support, there are many more earnest, educated, effective men, whose support is so meager that they cannot have common comforts, even by the strictest economy, and whose usefulness is seriously impaired because of their anxiety for the support of their families and the education of their children. No institution, religious or secular, can reach its highest useful- ness with such conditions existing. Pathetic tales of se’f-denial, verging on suffering, could be gathered at every Annual Conference session, if the somber truths could be reached beneath the smiles of those who are brave enough to hide their needs from men, and to make them known only to the God whom they serve w r ith such fidelity. The laity, which owes so much spiritually and materially to this great Church, cannot afford to do less than to see to i't that our faithful pastors shall receive not only an adequate, but a generous support. Therefore, we, the lay delegates to the General Conference of 1908, in session in Baltimore, the birthplace of our denomination, and in a special mass-meeting called for the purpose, mosr earnestly call upon our brethren throughout the Church to give increased attention to the vital question of pastoral support, and to so relieve our ministers from anxiety concerning their temporal affairs that they may be able to give their entire time and energy to the work of the Master. The growth that would follow such a course would be a revelation to all our people. And to give definiteness to our appeal, we further call upon you, individ- ually. during this quadrennium, to make careful inquiry in your Quarterly Conferences as to the sufficiency of the amount apportioned to your own pastor, and to make a substantial and adequate advance in payments for ministerial support in every Conference in Methodism. J. A. Patten, Chairman. C. W. Neitz, Secretary. Temporal Economy Report No. 24, adopted by the General Con- ference June 1, 1908. Your committee, after having carefully examined the memorial of H. B. Williams and the laymen's mass meeting relating to pas- toral support, adopt their resolution as our report: “Resolved, That the Bishops be requested to appoint a commission, con- sisting of nine laymen, to compile statistics and gather information regard- ing the inadequacy of the support of our ministers. This commission shall publish and distribute literature and place before our Methodism the needs of a better pastoral support and report to the General Conference of 1912. “The commission shall do its work without expense to the Church.” William H. Wilder, Chairman. Leslie J. Naftzer, Secretary. (The bishops have not at this date announced the members of this commission.) HOLSTON CONFERENCE ASSOCIATION. THE FIRST MEETING, CHATTANOOGA, OCTOBER 5-6, 1900 THE CALL. To the Laymen of the Holston Conference: Our Conference meets at Chattanooga in October, Bishop Goodsell pre- siding. The members of the lay electoral conference in session at Cleveland last fall, were invited to attend this year’s conference, and were assured of a glad welcome and hospitable entertainment at Chattanooga. The undersigned, believing that it would be of very great benefit to the work of our church for laymen from all our charges 'to visit the conference and spend a day in consultation together, join in a, call for a laymen’s con- vention to be held in the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Chattanooga, beginning at 10 a. m., on Friday of Conference week. Our educational work, our publication interests, the 20th Century move- ment, the question of pastoral support — indeed many questions of vital in- terest to our church in the conference can, we think, receive helpful at- tention, and we hope there will be ia generous response to this call. An attractive program will be prepared and published later. It is expected that a great 20th Century meeting, addressed by a distinguished Fader of our Methodism, will be held at night. It is our hope that the con- vention may decide to form a permanent laymen’s association, such as many other conferences now have. We ask the Fourth Quarterly Conference for each station and circuit to elect one regular lay delegate and one reserve lay delegate to this con- vention. Presiding officers are requested to call attention to this at the Quarterly Conference. When the elections have taken place the names of delegates with their postoffice addresses, should be sent to J. A. Pattep, Chattanooga. The undersigned will gladly answer any questions from ministers or lay- men regarding the meeting, and solicit the co-operation of all our people to make this laymen’s meeting a great successs. Fraternally yours. W. A. Wright, Athens District. J. A. Patten, Chattanooga District. J. A. Fowler, Clinton District. C. P. Cass, Greeneville District. J. O. LrOTSPEiCH, Knoxville District. 10 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION Responding to this call, about 100 laymen attended the meet- ing. Addresses were heard on such subjects as “The Ecumenical Conference of 1901;” “Can a Small Church Pay Its Preacher?;” “How Far Is the Church a Business Institution?;” “Why Make Church Services Attractive and Why Beautify Church Buildings?;” “Our Obligations to the Epworth League;” “Hoi stones Obliga- tions to the Benevolences;” “The Proper Work of Women in the Church;” “The Correct Principle of Giving;” “The Laymen and the Revival;” “Why Support Our Church Schools;” “The Twen- tieth Century Movement and Our Educational Work,” and “Don’t Forget the Sunday School.” A fraternal visit was made to the annual conference. Speeches were made by Bishop Goodsell and Hon. James A. Fowler, who represented the lay convention. The laymen remained to hear Bishop Goodsell’s address to the class admitted to conference mem- bership. After the discussion of the question “Shall We have an Annual Laymen’s Convention,” it was decided to form a permanent organi- zation and this constitution was adopted : 1. Name. This association shall be called the Laymen’s Association of the Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 2. Place of Meeting. It shall meet annually at the place of meeting of the Holston Conference, on such day and ait such hour as may be ar- ranged by the Executive Committee. 3. Objects. Its objects shall be to mutually interest the laymen throughout the bounds of the Holston Methodist Episcopal Conference in all the general affairs of the Church, and especially in every local interest, whereby the church may be stirred up to a greater efficiency and usefulness in the hands of God in advancing His cause. 3. Membership. The melmersihip of this Association shall consist of its officers, standing committees, committees appointed by the Executive Committee between sessions, and one delegate from each pastoral charge, who may be either male or female, to be elected with one reserve delegate ac the Quarterly Conference preceding the Annual Convention, or in such manner as the laity of the charge may determine. The election to an office, or the appointment on a committee, of any lay member present at the ses- sion shall constitute him or her a member of the Association. This As- sociation may also elect a lay member not present at the session of the As- sociation to an office, if it be considered that the interest of the church be conserved thereby, and an election shall constitute him or her a member of the Asssoci'ation. 5. Officers. The officers shall be a President, Vied President from each District, a Secretary and a Treasurer, which may be combined at the discretion of the Association. Said officers shall serve during the session at which they are elected and the next succeeding annual session until their successors are elected, and shall perform such duties as are usual to their respective offices. 6. Executive Committee. There shall be an Executive Committee con- sisting of the officers named in Section 5. The duties of said committee shall be to make all the necessary arrangements as to place and time of ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 11 meeting of the Association ; prepare a program of exercises for each session : secure the presence of desirable speakers, and perform all other needed work as a Committee of Arrangements, and report the same at commencement of each meeting. 7. Amendment. This Constitution may be amended at any session of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting. Th following officers were elected: President — John A. Patten, Chattanooga. Vice Presidents. Athens District, Walter Franklin, Athens, Tenn. * Clinton District, Ar we'll Taylor, Clinton, Tenn. ; Chattanooga District, Quincy Dwight, Hill City, Tenn. ; Greeneville District, Joseph A. Grigsby, White Horn, Tenn. ; Knoxville District, Miss FAhel Manlove, Knoxville, Tenn. Secretary and Treasurer John W. Fisher, Newport, Tenn. A decision was reached to print the complete minutes of the meeting. Before adjournment, the President spoke in part as fol- lows : “I want to say before we separate that the success of this convention has been very gratifying to me personally. We felt it was something of an experiment when we made the call. You have responded beyond our expectations. That one hundred busy laymen from every part of the con- ference have, at much sacrifice of time and money, spent these two days togther means much for the future of our Miethodism. The convention, from every standpoint, has been a recognized success and we have greatly enjoyed having you with us at Chattanooga. “I believe we are entering upon the best year of our history. As lay- men, we are beginning to recognize our responsibility for the condition of our churches. The laymen of a charge should personally feel humiliated if their preacher is unpaid — if their benevolent apportionment is not met — if their Sunday School and Epworth League are not well supported. I call upon you brethren, as the leaders of our Zion to bring the work up to self- respe'cting conditions everywhere. “I am delighted to hear that for the year just closed one of our districts shows every benevolent opportionment paid for every charge in that district. And they will now enter upon a campaign for complete payments of pastors' salaries. I say “amen” to that movement. Let us extend it throughout the entire conference.” WORK OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The activities of the Executive Committee throughout the year centered around the question of pastoral support. On November first a letter of inquiry was addressed to every charge in the con- ference, asking for a frank statement of existing conditions. In part, this letter said : A careful review convinces us that the question of adequate pastoral- support is the first one that should have attention from us. It seriously reflects upon all our work that capable men should be faithfully administer- 12 THE LAYMEN S ASSOCIATION ing to well-to-do congregations in our Conference and receive less for their service than is actually necessary to support their families in comfort. We feel sure that you will agree with us that this is a matter meriting the prayerful consideration of our people. To suggest remedies for imperfect conditions we should have exact in- formation. We ask for an immediate reply to the questions shown on the back of this sheet, asked simply to give us a fair view of the situation and to enable us to serve smu. The following questions were asked : What salary was estimated for your pastor last year? How much was paid? Was that an advance over previous year? If salary was not all paid, please give reason. What system or plan do you follow in raising pastor’s salary? Do you ask the people to pay weekly, monthly or quarterly. How many members has our church in your charge? How many contribute regularly to the support of the pastor? How many others are able to make contributions? Give cause of their failure as you under- stand it. How do you think our system could be improved? What salary have you estimated for the new year? Do you think it will be paid in full? Secretary Fisher compiled the information contained in ninety replies received, with the following results: 15 stewards reported increase of salary; 7 said salary was paid in full; 21 said contribu- tions were made quarterly; 14, monthly; 9, weekly; and 10 in “disciplinary manner.” The causes of failure to meet salary esti- mates were given as follows : Negligence, 7 ; steward’s negligence, 10; too poor, 3; indifference, 13 ; not properly instructed, 16; pas- tor’s failure of duty, 8 ; dislike of pastor* 6 ; too stingy, 6. These letters were studied as carefully as possible and every effort made to improve the situation shown to exist in many places ; the presiding elder’s attention being called to the information re- ceived from their districts and the assistance of the committee ten- dered in every practical way. APPEAL TO DEFICIENT CHARGES BY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. We are nearing the end of one of the best years in the history of the Holston Conference. It is consrevatively estimated that more than 2,500 conversions will be reported to Conference. New churches and parsonages have been built, the burden of debt has been removed from nearly all our societies and a year of all-round victory is assured. In the face of these glad tidings, we are saddened at the reports received regarding pastoral support throughout the Conference. We find that fifty-one of our charges were deficient last year in meet- ITS PLACE IN METHODISM lo ing even the very small salaries estimated for their pastors, and the indications are that unless special efforts are put forth, little better will be done this year. We appeal to the loyal Hol- ston laymen to see to it that the first year of the Twentieth Cen- tury shows a better record. We find that your work appears in the minutes as one of the appointments showing a deficiency last year. As your brethren, interested in the success of the Lord’s cause, we frankly ask you to now take such action as will insure full payment of the pastor’s claim before Conference. We are not unmindful of the difficulties, but we affectionately urge upon you the sacred obligation that rests upon all of us to generously, promptly and in a business-like way provide for the support of the church. Reasonable gratitude for Divine favors received, and a reasonable recognition of our pledges at the altar of the church bring the obligation very close to us. Will you not quickly organize the forces with this end in view? Please do not wait for others. The year is fast going. This is the day for action. The urgency of the case should personally be presented to every member and friend of the church. United action will bring the desired result— the full payment of every pastor’s salary. We prefer that this be done in the regular way — by the board of stewards or a committee representing the same. Some- times devoted women can and will help. If you think wise, read this appeal to your congregation. Surely there are some in your charge who will take up this important work. We, as your breth- ren, desire to assist you in every consistent way, but the success of the movement locally depends mainly on you and your associates. With the cordial co-operation of all our laymen, with financial support and personal service, we believe the Holston Conference will number 50,000 members in ten years. Without adequate finan- cial support for our ministers, it is impossible for our Bishops and Presiding Elders to make satisfactory provision for our pulpits. Disintegration and loss must follow. BISHOP GOODS ELL’S APPEAL. Following this letter, Bishop G-oodsell, as resident bishop, fur- nished an address to the lay members of the Holston Conference, which was distributed by the Executive Committee throughout the Conference. In part, Bishop Goodsell said: The laymen have permitted me to see the reports from the churches as 14 THE LAYMEX S ASSOCIATION t:o the support of the pastors in the conference year ISSIMOOO. These re- ports show in a number of churches good and successful work in enabling pastors to provide things “honest in the sight of all men.” But many re- ports show a painful absence of effort, plan and result. It is amazing that with such abundant resources, so little is done in some circuits. I must believe this is not from the heart of our people. The stewards must be too busy in their own affairs to find time to do the work to which they are called. But this is no excuse in the sight of our Master. The things of the Kingdom of God must have attention. Imperfect, insufficient and irregular support makes anxious, indifferent and discouraged ministers. Our ministers are ready to suffer with the poor, but feel that they ought not to suffer among the prosperous and comfort- able. That they do in some cases is shown by the reports of your own lay brethren. May God help us. all to do His work as carefully as we do our own ! It has been very painful to me to be asked by worthy and successful ministers to be transferred elsewhere because they could not exist here on the support furnished. Others feed justified in living on their farms or attending to some secular business to save those dear to them from positive suffering. All this works against the Church. Good work cannot be done by any minister who must give his time to business needed for the visitation of his flock, the studying of God’s work and reading of necessary books. Every man of us has promised at God’s altar to be a man of one work. We cannot be without the cheerful aid of our people. I do not ask you to support indolent and careless men. The sooner such are out. of the pastorate the better. But I do plead with you to stand by the men who live among you ; who wish to give all their time to your service and who are prevented from doing so, not by the lack of ability among us, but from the fact that the work of the stewards is not systematically done. DE. COOKE’S STATEMENT. Near the end of the year, Dr. E. J. Cooke, then editor of the Methodist Advocate- Journal, also made this call to the laymen: Among the chief hindrances to the growth of the Church in the South- ern Conferences is the meagre support afforded the ministry. The evil ef- fects of this lack of sufficient and respectable support can scarcely be esti- mated. There is not a single item of Christian activity, not a single item of ministerial duty that is not affected by it, and that for the worse and the worse only. No man can be at his best in his work unless he puts his heart into it, and no man can put his heart, power, cheerful, uplifting, in- spiring power into his work when that heart is burdened with anxieties which discourage him and sap his strength. But how can any man, no matter how consecrated he may be, keep up magnetic courage in the teeth of selfish neglect on the part of the very people for whose eternal welfare he is exhausting soul and body, when he looks at his own family living ait the very lowest grade, and himself hampered in intellectual development for the lack of means to buy even the cheapest books? The wonder is that we have any ministry at all. If the men who minister to us in holy things were not truly men of God, if they were less heroic in the service of Christ than they were, we certainly would not have a ministry. It must be evident to every thinking layman that this condition cannot continue always. There must be a change, and a change for the better we believe there will be. If the laymen who see clearly the consequences of ITS PLACE m METHODISM 15 this crying evil would lift their voices in the congregation and point out the baneful effects of this serious wrong, the agitation would certainly be productive of good. The laymen have this responsibility upon them ; it is for them to begin the reformation. A more loyal and thoroughly Methodist membership is not found in the Church than the laity of the Methodist Epis- copal Church in the South, but it does seem that such a laity should see most clearly that to starve the ministry is to destroy the Church. ❖ ❖ ❖ SECOND MEETING, MORRISTOWN, OCTOBER 11, 1901. The second convention was largely attended. After detailing the work of the year in the interest of improved ministerial support arid referring to some of the existing conditions the president's re- port continued: It were pleasanter to your executive, brethren, to bring you only “hallelu- jahs” and shouts of victory, but I am mistaken in my judgment if our duty today is not with the plain truths to which our attention has been called. Wle rejoice with every victorious soul that enters the Kingdom, but when ihat soul is so dead to his responsibilities to the gospel that he refuses to entertain the thought of any obligation to help supply the bare necessities of life to the man of God who has shown him the way of salvation, we think at least the work of grace is only half complete. Is there any remedy, Is there any light ahead? Must we always be under the ban of utterly inadequate support for our ministry? Are we al- ways to see our strongest men leave us because we will not provide for their needs? Must our work, because of the indifference and selfishness of the people within our Zion, disintegrate and decay? Are we not to move forward with the spirit of our new Century to take advantage of the op- portunities God has spread before us? I will detain you with a few suggestions looking to a solution of this troublesome problem. The question, to my mind, is one of utilizing our own strength rather than of looking outside for assistance. There is much encouragement in the progress made under great diffi- culties and especially the achievements of the past few years. We need to develop a sturdy self-respect. We are not paupers. We are men — American citizen®, born to succeed. In our communion are those who have potent influence in every line of material activity in our favored East Ten- nessee. Let us settle in our minds once for all that a great future opens before our Zion — if we, as her representatives, will meet the responsi- bilities of the crisis that is upon her. The first duty is for you delegates here today — you picked men and women from every district who lead in the work that is done in the home church and direct the general activities of the conference. Until you have 1G THE LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION rendered the largest possible service you are not able to say “my part is done.” Until you have given all you can and have contributed your influence and example to bring all possible light and inspiration to your brethren, your work is not done. When your church carefully estimates its pastor’s salary and the quarterly conference fixes that. I cannot see it otherwise than as a sacred “severally and jointly” obligation, in equity at least, that rests upon you until it is paid, or you have gone to the last extreme to have it paid. To pay a reasonable sum yourself and then view the remainder with indifference is out of line with the spirit that brings large success in any line of work, secular or religious. This is the obligation that rests upon all stewards, members of finance committees, etc — all leaders who have been honored with positions of responsibility in every church— not to wait for another, but to see to it yourself that this work is done. Thei cases of negligence on the part of the officials that have been brought to our at- tention are in some instances appalling. And. realizing that the strong should help the( weak and that our whole work is a unit, it seems to me the obligation goes beyond the limit of a local church — to encourage other churches of the district and of the conference to advance with the tide. Another general impression I have is that delay in undertaking to raise the ministers salary during the first six months of the year is responsible for much of the deficiency we have seen. Many rural pastors receive noth- ing whatever during the first quarter and few of them receive more than 25 per cent, of their claims during the first half of the year. The gen- erally accepted purpose to “make it up at the end of the year” is a de- ceptive fiction that has outlived its day. Will we not all join in a clarion call today that our ministers should be paid in full each month of the year — the first month as well as the last. It is easier for the people to pay in small amounts. It educates them to regular habits of benevolence instead of occasional spasmodic outbursts and it is plain justice to the minister who must provide for his family. The Secretary, Treasurer and other officers also presented re- ports. The annual conference invited the association to a joint frater- nal session where Bishop Hamilton and President Patten spoke briefly, and the bishop’s address to the class for admission was heard. In the afternoon addresses were given on such topics as “Co- operation with the Pastor;” “Counsel with the Pastor;” “The Kind of Layman a Pastor Likes;” “Paying the Pastor;” “The Growth of Methodism in East Tennessee in Twenty Years;” “Always At- tend Church;” “Loyalty to the Church;” “Improvements We Can Make.” At the night session the Hon. James A. Fowler and Bishop Hamilton were the speakers. Among the resolutions adopted was the following: Resolved, That we appreciate the faithful and efficient work of our cabinet. They have planned wisely. Under their management, we feel that ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 17 our Laymen’s Association has already passed beyond the stage of experi- ment, and in the providence of God is to become an important factor in the advancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom. In publishing the 3,000 copies of the minutes to go into every charge, the Executive Committee made this special appeal to the churches in the conference: We urge the officers and committees in every church to make adequate financial provision for their pastor’s support at the beginning of the new year, which opens so hopefully. The information that comes to us shows that if a systematic financial plan was adopted early in the year and energy applied to its execution, every charge in the Conference could and would meet all claims in full. In the first week of the new year, we call at- tention to the perils of delay in this important matter. ❖ ❖ ❖ SECOND YEAR’S WORK. On August 1st, the Executive Committee addressed the following letter to laymen in every charge in the Conference: We are within two months of the close of our Conference year. Has complete provision been made for full payment of your pastor’s salary? Last yeiar forty charges in our Conference showed a total deficiency of $3,426. In the previous year fifty-one were short a total of $3,992. In 1895 the deficiency was $5,805 for sixty-four charges. We congratulate you on the advance. It shows a healthy determination to improve conditions. But with forty charges deficient there is still much work to do. The es- timates of the salaries are usually very conservative. Indeed, we are con- vinced there are not five charges in this Conference that could not with a united effort meet every claim in full. What an impetus that would give our whole work ! How much better work our ministers could do if they received the encouragement best expressed in full salary payments. Your work is to see that your preacher is paid in full before he goes to Conference. As your brethren we plead with you to see that this work is well done. Please enlist all that you can in this service, but do not wait for anyone else before beginning your own efforts. There is no time for delay. What is needed is a holy zeal and enthusiasm to pay the honest debt we owe the men who serve us. Is it not utterly repulsive to us to per- mit the man who ministers to us in the things of God — breaks to us the bread of life — to receive utterly inadequate support When we live in comfort ? On August 23, a meeting of the Executive Committee was held at Knox- ville. A full day was spent in considering the work of the year and in planning the convention program. At the close of the meeting the follow- ing announcement was sent to each charge in the Conference: Reports received at our Knoxville meeting show that the estimated pastors’ salaries for the year closing have been increased $2,374 beyond last year. And every district reports advances in the matter of meeting esti- mates. With zealous - effort during the remaining days of the year, every Holston Conference minister's salary can be paid in full. We do uot know of any 18 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION other achievement that would mean so much for the future of our Metho- dism. We beg you to give such healthy agitation, personal gifts and thorough co-operation to this effort as will make this splendid result possible. Oan we afford to let this opportunity pass to so greatly aid our Zion? On receipt of continued favorable reports from the presiding elders the last week before conference the committee sent out the following final appeal to the deficient charges : Our Laymen’s Association has just had reports from each presiding elder in the Holston Conference for the closing Conference year. They show a surprising advance. The increase in the approved estimates for salaries over 1901 is $2,374. Last year the payments were $3,426 below the estimate, forty charges showing a salary deficiency. To pay the 1902 salaries in full would mean a net advance of $5,800. The most conservative view of the situation would indicate that not ex- ceeding fifteen charges could be short this year. And the total deficits can not apparently be more than $1,000. With that situation facing us, we cannot do less than make a last appeal for the extra effort and sacrifice necessary to close out that last Sl‘,000. So near the goal it were a pity not to reach it ! Is it too much to ask that where deficiencies are threatened all the people join during the closing week of the conference year in diligent effort to pay in full the men of God who have ministered to them? Who will put so low an estimate upon the privileges and blessings of his religion as to hesitate to do that? Who can fairly estimate the electric influence upon all our work of the announcement that every salary claim was met in full? What an open door it would place before us? Every dollar of that last $1,000 will be worth ten dollars in its far-reaching results. This final brotherly call is to stewards, finance committee®, men and women throughout the work — not one waiting for another — for very love of our Zion and gratitude to God place these few needed dollars on the altar this week and send their ministers to conference with glad hearts. sj« ❖ ❖ THIRD CONVENTION, MARYVILLE, OCTOBER 3, 1902. The aggressive work of the year had attracted much attention, and the 1902 convention was the largest held up to that time. On Friday morning the laymen made their customary visit to the Annual Conference session, the address being delivered by Bishop Walden. The pastor set aside Friday night for a laymen’s mass meeting. The officers of the association all rendered encouraging reports. In part the president’s report stated : We recognized that the presiding elders hold, to a very large degree, the key to the financial situation. The church charges them with the general ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 19 supervision of the work. Accordingly, our efforts to improve the existing conditions have been put forth entirely in co-operation with them. In the beginning of the year we informed the elder in each district that we would place numbered and dated collection envelopes at his disposal for churches that had not used them. About 15,000 of the envelopes were thus supplied at the beginning of the year, envelopes going into every district. We have reason to believe that the use of these envelopes has been in- fluential in bringing about advance in payments in many charges. Since arriving ait the seat of the conference. I have tried to ascertain the exact situation. Your hearts will be made glad by the statement that every pastor on the Clinton and Chattanooga Districts has received his es- timated salary in full. On the three other districts only small deficiencies are reported at three places in each district. These shortages aggregate : Athens District $ 250.00 Greeneville District $ 114.00 Knoxville District $ 207.00 A total for all pastors in the conference of $ 571.00 This showing indicates that our pastors have received $4,500 this year more than last year, and I think that much more than any previous year; the number of deficiencies has been reduced from forty to nine, and the sum short of estimates from $2,666 to $571. One feature of the salary question the presiding elders have not permitted us to bring forward is the shortages on their salaries. This is for this year approximately as follows : Athens District $ 50.00 Chattanooga District $ 45.00 Greeneville District $ 10.00 Knoxvillei District $ 43.00 Total presiding elders $ 148.00 Total pastors $ 571.00 Grand Total ; $ 719.00 In their consuming desire to provide their pastors’ salaries and to raise the benevolent apportionments these servants of the church have had no thought for their own compensation. But I have felt it only fair that this statement should be made to you. We hoped every claim might be met in full, but the advance is very grati- fying and reveals a most encouraging outlook for the future. It shows what we can do by a little united effort. It shows that every Holston claim for ministerial support and benevolent causes can be met in full. It shows we can place our work on a self-respecting basis and have the respect of the great denomination to which we belong. Our correspondence has developed many excuses and explanations for the failures that have been recorded. The main reasons seem to be delays in commencing systematic financial work at the beginning of the year and the meager work possible in any class or neighborhood by a minister on a large circuit of eight to twenty appointments. It would not be fair not to recognize that some laymen of standing and apparent interest in the church affirm that neglect and deficiencies on the part of the ministers assigned to them is the cause of the most of the deficiencies on their work. Of this we can only say here that no charge is in so good condition to insist upon high- grade miniserial service as one that pays the minister well. Bishops and pre- siding elders will not send their efficient men to charges that do not pay their preachers. And the authorities of the church will certainly divide any large circuit if the support provided will be adequate for two men. 20 THE LAYMEN S ASSOCIATION But divide starvation support for one between two families and it requires no expert mathematician to figure the result. So we must recognize today that we have this question in our hands. That there can be no real advance of any character unless we men and women here today and those like us throughout the conference, for very love of the blessed Lord and His cause committed to us, place increased offerings upon the altars of our Zion. Our denomination faces an inviting open door to East Tennessee. We are on the eve of great material development. Our population will double in a limited number of years. That will prove a curse instead of a blessing if the coming thousands are not provided with adequate church facilities. Our traditions as pioneers, out splendid polity, our sympathy for the masses, or harmony with the progressive spirit of the new century, our touch with the great denomination, all logically call us for this undertaking. Also, does not our natural affection for our own children prompt us to lay foundations for an enduring work in which they will find a congenial place? Every con- sideration demands statesmanlike plans and consecrated endeavor for the church we love. After presenting his report, Treasurer Fisher spoke of the small salary deficit shown by the reports for the year now closing, and asked that the deficits of $561 on the salaries of the pastors, and $148 on the salaries of the presiding elders, respectively, be raised. President Patten joined in Mr. Fisher’s appeal, and in a few minutes the whole amount of each deficit was met. Then the dele- gates and visitors sang “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.” Among the resolutions adopted was the following : Resolved, That the Executive Committee of the Holston Conference Lay- men’s Association, be directed to send the following /appeal to every steward in the conference as the unanimous expression of the Association : For the first time in the history of the conference every pastor and pre- siding elder has received his salary in full. This shows us what can be accomplished by a united effort, and must be a great inspiration for the future. Though increased above any previous year, the average payments to our pastors is only about $400.00. We appeal to the churches of the conference to increase their estimated salaries for 1903 on an average of 20 per cent., and ask them to meet every benovolent apportionment in full. This can be done by commencing systematic financial work in securing the pledges of the people in the very first week of the conference year (without even waiting for the coming of the presiding elder.) Zealous stewards can arouse a determined effort among all the people to this year meet the de- mands of the church in a manly way. ❖ ❖ ❖ DUEHSTG THE THIED YEAE. Immediately following the 1902 conference session, the resolu- tions adopted were sent to laymen throughout the conference, and the following letter was addressed to the presiding elders: I am sending you a copy of the resolution adopted by the laymen. They pledge themselves to make an effort to increase ministerial support 20 ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 21 per cent, and to pay all benevolent apportionments in full. I do not measure the situation aright if that is not a thoroughly feasible undertaking. I hope it will commend itself to you as the reasonable and right thing to do. Witli fifty-five ministers receiving less than $400.00 ; and seventy-two less than $500.00, surely we must all recognize that our work it not done. 1 believe the results we have seen show that the people will make response when this situation is forcibly brought to their attention and they are given acceptable pulpit and pastoral service. Copies of these resolutions have been widely distributed. Won’t you please see that they are brought to the attention of quarterly conferences and estimating committees and urge the brethren to make the advance that is called for and that would be easily provided if systematic plans were made at the beginning of the year? It can certainly be pointed out to them that the 1902 results make it plain every church in the conference can without outside assistance meet its claims in full. We all wlant to be safely conservative, but to do less than the laymen have suggested would seem to be practically a step backward, under all the circumstances. Receiving information in Angnst that deficiencies were threat- ened in a few charges, the Executive Committee prepared some “Final Rally” envelopes and sent to those places with the following letter : Your presiding elder thinks you can use some “'Final Rally” envelopes to assist in securing the remaining sum needed for ministerial support and benevolence on your work. We have asked the printer to mail you some of the envelopes that are being used at other places on the district. We trust you can make good use of the envelopes. They are numbered and it may help to keep a record of the number and the person to whom it is given, insisting that the envelope be returned with a contribution of some amount. Some churches will set a special day for their return. The thing is to use them and every other means at hand in the way that local conditions approve, to secure full payments of all claims. You will be glad to know that very favorable reports come to us from every part of the conference. Please accept our gratitude for the contribu- tions you have made to the success of the year.” FINAL RALLY 1903 To Pay Salaries and Benevolences in Full Methodist Episcopal Church Name No. Amount On September 1st, the committee made this personal and final appeal to leading laymen: Last year every Holst on Conference minister received his salary in full. The laymen present at the annual meeting of this association decided 22 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION that full payments of both salaries and benevolent apportionments for 1903 must be secured, and directed us to make every effort to that end. Reports received from all the districts say the present condition is better than last year at this time. But in a few churches there is still danger of a shortage. It is only twenty days until our ministers must leave for their confer- ence session. It will require interest, devotion and heroic activity through- out the territory to make a clean record possible. We know that you will agree with us that for the advancement of His Kingdom and honor of our work rhese claims should every one be met. Our ministers and the great Christian benevolences need every penny that is apportioned. To pay it strengthens those who make the sacrifice, and gives the church a position of influence and power. , As your representatives, we bring this situation and opportunity to your attention with the positive assurance that if every person who receives this letter will give his best service to this cause, we will see complete victory on September 23. Will you do that? The claims are reasonable. The amounts can be paid. If necessary, please take a day to see the people, and explain the urgent need of immediate generous giving. Advise with your presiding elder and pastor and stewards freely. But in no case permit anything to interfere with full payments from your charge. If one plan does not succeed try another. If necessary have a final closing rally. One enthusi- astic man on each charge can make that result certain. Bishop Joyce, who presides at our conference and who gave eight years of service to our Southern field, is very anxious that this shall be the best year in our history. Quick action of devoted men and women is only necessary to bring vic- tory. Let us know if we can aid you. We hope to see you at conference in Knoxville. FOURTH ANNUAL CONVENTION, KNOXVILLE, TENN., SEPTEMBER 25-26, 1903. In closing his report, the president said : A careful study of the presiding elders’ reports and the published statis- tical tables will be necessary to secure a fair idea of the results of the year’s efforts. But it can now be stated that practically every pastor and presiding elder has received his estimated salary for the year 1902-1903 in full, in the aggregate nearly $4,000.00 more than was ever paid for min- isterial s’ervice in the conference before and that only a few charges in three districts have failed to meet their benevolent apportionments in full. In this record you have pleased God, honored yourselves and given your conference a place before your great church. The result must be to bring greater influence and greater spiritual victories to your Zion, as it must bring enlarged vision and soul development to the men and women who have done the work and paid the money necessary to make such an achieve- ment possible. ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 23 Some understanding of the progress of our work can be obtained from the following figures from the conference minutes showing the amounts raised for all purposes : 1897 $ 55,075 00 1898 63,608.00 1899 73,608.00 1900 82,643.00 1901 72,027.00 1902 87,255.00 1903 118,641.00 In 1900 our people paid for benevolences an average of thirty-three cents per member, in 1901, thirty-nine cents ; 1902, sixty-seven cents ; in 1903, $1.06. The part of our association in their remarkable advance — this almost financial regeneration — does not need emphasis here. We give all credit to presiding elders, pastors, and all other officials and individuals who have helped to make this achievement possible. There is indeed “honor enough to go round.” But this new organized force has been used of God for large results. The wisdom of the organization has been completely justified and our duty to maintain it and make it strong is made plain. In the old days we did not attempt more because we feared no more could be accomplished. We had little faith out men and women could all be induced to work to- gether for a desired end. Now we know that any reasonable carefully con- sidered undertaking laid on the hearts of Holston laymen will find quick accomplishment. But let us not deceive ourselves with the idea that our work is finished. Many of our ministers are still poorly paid. How few parsonages we have ! Charges in prosperous communities are receiving missionary appropriations that have received aid for years. Great sections of Bast Tennessee are almost unchurched. In too many places, the popular conception of the church is consuming zeal during a two weeks’ revival period and mere exist- ence during the remainder of the year. On some large circuits the sole ser- vice of the church is a monthly preaching service — little pastoral service, no Sunday school, no prayer meeting, no real church life. Our realization of our financial obligation to the great Kingdom is very faulty. Our super- annuates are hardly cared for at all. /Illiteracy is decreasing very slowly, even in many places where our church is numerically strong. Our educa- tional work does not have the support it merits. Too few qualified young men are coming into the ministry. The membership of our church has in- creased but little in years. What is our duty today? To lay plans to solidify and strengthen our work ! To put ourselves in thorough sympathy with every line of effort in which our church is engaged. Tb face our weak- nesses and difficulties frankly and plan for their correction. To emphasize with all our people that our work is a unit — that what affects it favorably or unfavorably in one part vitally affects it all. The morning was given to a meeting of the lay electoral confer- ence to choose delegates to the general conference. In the after- noon, reports of the officers were heard, as were valuable papers and addresses from members of the convention. Addresses were also heard from Dr. T. B. Neely, secretary of the Sunday School Union ; and Dr. W. F. McDowell, secretary of the Board of Educa- tion. 24 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION At night a mass meeting was held, with addresses by Mr. John W . Fisher and Bishop J oyee. At this meeting the salary deficit for the year of $552 was presented, and the amount was provided by the people present. In sending out the minutes, the Executive Committee made the following statement : The new year is full of promise. The resolutions printed herewith pledge the association to definite and important work during the year, viz : United Evangelistic Efforts. Full (Salary 'Payments. Full Benevolent Payments. Parsonage for Every 'Charge. School Attendance and Support. Large Conference Claimant Collection. Plans will be perfected for this work as rapidly as possible, and your co-operation is earnestly solicited. Our conviction of the needs of the work prompts us to say that it will not be our intention to again make pro- vision as an association for salary shortages at the end of the year. What has been done for two years shows that every estimated claim can be pro- vided for locally, by earnest united effort beginning early in the year and we offectionately urge upon you the obligation of each charge to, without outside aid, provide for all its obligations. This we are persuaded is the reasonable and the right way and the way that will bring the largest devel- opment to our whole work. Should any church depend on this organiza- tion instead of its own people, the organization from which we have hoped so much would be an injury instead of a real aid. We pray that a year of victory may be given every church. $ * FIFTH ANNUAL SESSION, NEWPORT, TENN., OCTOBER 7, 1904. During the conference year 1903-4, appeals were sent to the lay- men of the conference both directly from the Executive Committee, and also through the presiding elders in each district. The salary estimates were increased $6,940 over the previous year, and the same were paid in full. In several districts of the conference the laymen’s organization co-operated with the presiding elders to secure well-equipped evan- gelists for rural churches and as a result of this work, about 8,000 conversions were reported. ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 25 Bishop Warren presided at the conference, and during the fra- ternal visit of the laymen’s association, paid high tribute to the work that was done. An attractive program was rendered, the speakers at the mass meeting at night being Bev. Claudius B. Spencer, editor of the Central Christian Advocate, and Bev. A. B. Leonard, secretary of the Missionary Society. In his report as vice-president, Charles L. Parham said in part: A,t the beginning of the year I was assigned the work of seeing to the full payments of salaries of our pastors and presiding elders. Early in the yejar we sent out appeals about loyalty to this work and after the presiding elders had made the rounds of the first quarter we made up a comparative Statement and appeal, giving the amounts the minutes of the last conference session showed had been paid for the year 1903-4 for ministerial support, which was $51,697. The report also con- tained the apportionments for the year 1904-5 as $58,051, and this showed a net increase for this year’s w T ork of $6,954. We showed in this statement that the average amount received by the ministers of our conference last year was $474.30 while this year’s ap- portionments showed the averages as $558.08. We made an appeal for a larger increase in the salaries of the men who are looking after the work on the poorer circuits, for when we elimi- nated the churches who paid their ministers as much as $1,000, and over per year, we found the average received by the other ministers was only about $435. We feel this is entirely too small, and also find some charges where the pastor only receives from $150 to $200. We feel proud of the great strides that have been made during the past five years in bringing up the ministerial support in our conference, but we plead for better support for the least paid members of the conference. We believe the time has come when we should look after the smaller charges as well as the larger and make plans for their help. Just about two months ago we sent out another appeal to give encouragement to the lay- men in seeing that all claims are met promptly that the reports to con- ference might be full and complete and an honor to the membership. We are pleased to note from the presiding elder’s report of the year just closed that even better advances have been made than the first apportion- ments indicated. The total amount received for ministerial support in the conference this year was $58,572, and this makes a gain over last year of $6,875. In printing the minutes of the Fifth Session, the Executive Com- mittee said : The marked advance again shown in every department of our work is very gratifying to all of us. The increase in pastoral support, the better benevolent payments, the far-reaching evangelistic efforts, the improved con- nectional spirit, the larger participation of laymen in the real work of the church — all promise greater things for the future. Conditions have been created that make more pronounced success possible. The resolutions of the convention pledge us to special efforts to secure a larger circulation of our church paper, the Methodist Advocate Journal. To put this publication in all our homes would be the best guarantee of •success for all the interests of our Zion. We solicit the fullest co-operation 26 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION for the publishers in their commendable endeavors to supply our people with needed literature. If the stewards in every charge will begin at once to provide for the year’s expenses, we will have a year of victory. We appeal for prompt and sustained effort in that direction. The same suggestion applies with equal force to the benevolences and other claims. The same energy this year seen alt the closing of the year, if displayed earlier, would show a better record. Let us regard giving more and more as a real means of grace that eo Christian can safely neglect. May we bring one more burden to the leaders of our work? The unused power and strength in our church is appalling. Will we not make special effort this year to so organize our forces that every one who can be of any service may be utilized in some way? 'Ciareful planning to this end by pastors and people would bring large blessings to the individual and the church. THE YEAR 1905. During the year 1905, the association prepared some stereopticon slides relating to the Holston Conference. Pictures of early Meth- odist leaders, even back to Bishop Asbury’s time, were prepared, together with views of good churches and Methodist college and university buildings. Much statistical information was also put on the slides. President Patten personally visited each district con- ference and an evening was given to these historic studies. The Friday night during the conference session was used for the same purpose. Such information as the following was presented and a very deep impression made : 1866 1901 Members 13,915 Churches 157 Value $ 86,752.00 Benevolences 881.78 Ministerial Support 13,324.02 Paid all purposes 13.928.65 22,261 333 .$446,700.00 7,912.00 35.813.00 75.163.00 1904 23,458 351 $556,789.00 23,738.00 52 822,00 115,317.00 The average salaries paid pastors 1897 to 1905 : In 1897 In 1898 In 1899 In 1900 In 1901 In 1902 In 1903 In 1904 In 1905 $281.00 318.00 328.00 341.00 372.00 400.00 441.00 445.00 538.00 ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 27 A table sucli as the following was presented for each district to show how easily the amounts asked could be provided : CHATTANOOGA DISTRICT. 1904 1905 1905 Members Paid all Purposes Per Member Salaries Per Member Benevolences Per Member Alton Park 79 $ 605 $ 7.65 $ 891 $ 1.12 $ 42 $ .53 Avondale 75 507 6.90 552 7.37 58 .92 Big Lick 177 283 1.59 235 1.32 23 .13 Crossville . 69 894 12.81 542 7.86 23 .50 Cumberland 60 197 3.28 15 .25 Daisy 371 688 1.84 663 1.78 54 .14 Dayton and Vine Grove... 233 555 2.38 676 2.90 78 .34 Epworth 34 2,369 69.73 395 1.13 26 .76 First Church 740 21,231 28.77 4,160 5.62 1,025 1.37 Fairmount 20 70 3.50 242 12.10 12 .59 Graysville. 289 1,454 5.03 456 1.23 77 .26 Highland Park 140 2,013 14.40 880 6.28 236 1.68 Hill City 62 1,041 16.81 555 8.81 98 1.58 Jasper 95 759 7.93 292 3.07 27 .28 Morgan Springs 188 313 1.66 340 1.27 44 .25 Pikeville 152 406 2.67 316 2.07 50 .33 Ridgedale 70 692 9.82 553 7.90 33 .47 Rockwood 180 1,020 5.30 775 4.01 69 .35 St. James 96 2,418 24.78 965 10.05 53 .55 Sherman Heights 65 589 9.08 653 10.04 58 .89 Spring City 180 486 2.70 388 2.15 33 .18 South Pittsburg 108 958 8.87 613 5.J67 60 .55 Spivey Memorial 254 Tracy City 208 289 8.75 195 .93 15 .72 Whit well 314 973 2.09 625 1.99 59 .18 Waldensia 53 291 5.49 160 3.02 6 .12 Total.. \ '.. 4,071 $40,904 $16374 $2,295 SIXTH ANNUAL SESSION, HARRIMAN, TENN., OCTOBER 13, 1905. Bishop Fowler delivered a great address to the laymen when they came for a fraternal visit to the annual conference, Friday morning. The afternoon was given to the usual business of the association. 28 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION and at night the W. C. T. U. temple was crowded with people to hear the President's address on Holston History, presented with the aid of stereopticon slides. SEVENTH ANNUAL SESSION, GREENSVILLE, TENN., OCTOBER 12, 1906. During this year much attention had been given to education. The following appeal was made in August : Our colleges are about to open their doors for a new school term. The academies have, some of them, now begun their year’s work. I write this note to ask if you have fully considered the significance of these facts as related to your own and your neighbor’s children. Don’t you think the question of universal education is about the most serious one wie face in our state? Tennessee has 42,924 illiterate native-born whites between 10 and 20 years of age. In the territory of the Holston Conference we have at least 80,000 white people who can neither read nor write. The illiteracy among our white people is three times as great as in the United Stateis taken as a whole. In twenty-nine of our counties more than one-fifth of the people are illiterate. During the past year our university has received $200,000 permanent endowment. Additional buildings or equipment has been provided for nearly all of our schools. People of means have become interested in them, and with the strongest local co-operation they will be able to serve those need- ing them better than ever before. We have the schools. Are we using them? Are there not young people in our neighborhoods and in our families who should be in our schools who are not there? In their behalf — in the name of the unschooled thou- sands at our very doors — we make this appeal to you leaders of our Zion. The expenses are so meager and the opportunities for self-help so numer- ous that every boy and girl in East Tennessee could have and should have a liberal, practical education. But the young people themselves do not always know just how to bring it about. Nor do they realize; all that it means to be poorly equipped for life. This word is sent as a, personal request to you to put the young people of your acquaintance in touch with our schools. If they hesitate to send for catalogues or write for information, please do that for them or send their names to the schools to which they should go. If some little financial encouragement should be necessary for a worthy student, remember that no money is so well spent as for maintenance of education and religion. Our schools are all doing good work. They should all have a larger support. If the people who receive this appeal will give a little systematic consideration to the situation as presented they w 7 ill have a larger support this year than ever before. Our means of personal responsibility for ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 29 educational conditions extends just so far as we are able to make conditions better. To turn one boy to a useful career through a good school is a material contribution in the right direction. Can’t YOU today — this week — induce one promising young person to enter the University or some of the affiliated schools? There was an increase in ministerial support of $4,973 for the year. During the convention the interests of the Methodist Advo- cate-Journal, the church paper, were especially considered. The resolutions conclude as follows : That we especially pledge our influence and energies to the solution of our educational problems to the end that the alarmingly disparity between scholastic enrollment be greatly reduced and that speedily. With this broader question is the more personal one of our relation to the youth about us who should attend our academies and universities. As Methodists we have a peculiar obligation to our Methodist schools. Our Methodist youth should increasingly be fitted by a proper educational equipment for the duties of citizenship in church and state ; and this can be done under the guidance of our ov/n schools, recognizing always the place of the public schools in elementary training. We commend most earnestly the plan proposed by President Patten in his annual report concerning a reorganization of the Advocate- Journal and publishing interests. The apportionment of this fund among the patron- izing conferences should make the task comparatively easy of accomplish- ment, especially when it is borne in mind how essential this organ is to the life of our Methodism in these southern conferences. The increase of our subscription list to 10,000 should be brought about at once. * ❖ ❖ EIGHTH ANNUAL CONVENTION, KNOXVILLE, OCTOBER 11, 1907. On Thursday at 5 :30, in the parlors of the First Methodist Epis- copal Church, a dinner was served complimentary to the presiding bishop and members of the conference, the officers of the laymen’s association being the hosts of the evening. Over 200 guests were present. After dinner responses were heard from Bishop Wilson, Dr. Edwin B. Olmstead, Dr. Luther Freeman, Dr. J. J. Robinette, Hon. Eugene M. Webb, Mr. Jno. W. Fisher and Dr. R. J. Cooke The lay electoral conference consumed Friday morning, the dele- gates visiting the conference at the close of the election of general conference delegates. THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 30 In the afternoon the business session of the laymen’s association was held. The President’s report said in part : The Holsiton Conference Laymen’s Association was organized by laymen from each district in the conference, meeting in the First Methodist Epis- copal Church of Chattanooga, in October, 1900. The report made to the Holst on Conference that year showed payments to pastors and presiding elders of $3*2,334; for benevolences, $7,366, and for all purposes, $82,643. That year, fifty-one churches were deficient in paying the salaries esti- mated by the quarterly conferences. The officers and executive committee chosen at the Chattanooga meeting made an earnest effort to improve that situation. At the end of the year, forty churches showed salary deficiencies, but there was a large gain in the aggregate salaries paid. During the year 1902 a very special, organized and united effort was made to have all salaries paid in full. Laymen ap- pealed to laymen to make a final effort for victory in this direction, and by providing $700 at conference for several churches still deficient in small sums, the report was made that for the first time in the history of the conference every pastor and presiding elder had received his salary in full. In 1903 this effort was repeated and the benevolent apportionments were also met in full. During the intervening years, advance has been shown regularly until the minutes of 1906 show in place of figures reported for 1900, pastors and presiding elders, $62,497; benevolences, $72,940; paid for all purposes. $177,410. It is confidently believed that practically all of the apportionments have been met and I estimate that over $240,000 has been provided for all purposes. It has now come to be the established principle with our churches that every estimate must be met in full. These facts are recorded for their historical value and as an inspiration for future undertakings. For their accomplishment the Laymen’s Association has been glad to be helpers to the faithful presiding elders and pastors who have so successfully led the work. Every other feature of the work has shown a corresponding advance, but financial details are of course best handled through statistics. EDUCATION. Our University and its affiliated schools have been steadily strengthened and are now doing the best work of their history. The church has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipping and operating these schools. Their aid in giving us a better qualified ministry alone would entitle them to our lasting gratitude. Through them it is now possible for the poorest boy in the bounds of this conference to have a practical education that will fit him for almost any station in life. But the matriculation is not what it should be. With these fine schools at our very doors, the mass of our young people are entering upon the serious business of life with but indif- ferent preparation. If I could make but one appeal to you today it would be to help create a passion for education in the Holston Conference— -in all Tennessee and Virginia. God has favored us with a beautiful, fruitful land and we are leaving its resources almost untouched because of the lack of competent men to unlock Nature’s secrets. Do you know that because of her wonderful educational system Massachusetts men, women and chil- dren earn in the aggregate almost double the sum earned by the average men, women and children in America? We cannot ignore the economic any more than the other important phases of this question. Only trained men are wanted today, anywhere. The ignorant, the incompetent, the mediocre find no place in this age of competition. Is it too much to ask that each man and woman here today will this year personally undertake to influence ITS PLACE m METHODISM 31 at least one young person to seek a thorough college training? Where can you be more practically helpful to every good interest in church or state? OTHER LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATIONS. One gratifying feature of our work is that the influence of our organiza- tion has not been entirely confined to the limits of our conference. Presiding bishops, official visitors, and editors of the church press have generously commended our plan of organization and efforts to be helpful and there has been quite extensive inquiry about our work from laymen of other confer- ences. Laymen from not less than tweny-five conferences have requested detailed information about our plans of operation. A number of laymen in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, have also written for similar infor- mation. Probably about one-half of our conferences now have laymen’s associa- tions and there is a growing recognition of the importance of these organiza- tions and a general disposition to foster their work in every practical way. But the lay associations have no official recognition in our discipline. I suggest the consideration by your association today of the propriety of adopting a memorial to the coming general conference making suitable recog- nition of lay associations in our church discipline. FRATERNITY. We labor side by side with a sister Methodism. The era of good feeling prevailing throughout our country makes the obligation to Christian frater- nity particularly binding. Let us be especially brotherly and considerate in our relations with our friends of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, laboring in the same field with us. This great denomination is doing a work that merits our sincere respect and highest commendation. Standing for the strengthening of our work, as your executive has tried to do with consistency, he appeals today for earnest, united efforts to avoid friction and competition where such might exist and for the cultivation of harmo- nious relations and unity of purpose in work for the Kingdom. Let the question of the relation of the Church South to any community where we are considering a building be carefully weighed and the finest, most un- selfish, spirit be revealed in our dealings with them. It is clear to us that our organization should stand in letter and spirit for all the principles of existing federation agreements, and that we should constantly favor closer fraternity and harmony of purpose. THE FUTURE. For the future our most serious danger is that we may be satisfied with the little measure of success that has come to our work. There is much yet to be done. Hardly has more than a beginning been made. We have people of means and we have increased numbers in our churches. Better still, w T e have people of intelligence and culture necessary for a wise use of their means and abilities. But we need an awakening among many laymen to a sense of their strength and to a feeling of personal responsibility. Because our laymen often do not realize their responsibility and therefore do not study the situation and become actually interested in the affairs of the church, conditions exist that no business organization would tolerate for a moment. From a less strenuous age has floated down to the present also a dimly conceived notion that religious organizations need none, or if at all, only semi-business-like systems in their operations. The effect of this is the indifference we see in churches everywhere. To look after the 32 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION church affairs is everybody’s business, and therefore no one attends to it properly. (Competent and willing workers are hard to find. With plenty of the best material at hand, our Sunday School superintendents have the greatest trouble in keeping their classes supplied with teachers and work in all departments drag when it should go along smoothly and effectively. Another effect of this indifference on the part of the laity is the totally inadequate support still given so many pastors. Probably no one thing so lowers the church in the estimation of the community as inadequate minis- terial support. Men cannot live on a self-respecting plane and support a family on the salary even now paid the majority of our preachers. “Until we have competent leaders, able and willing to bear the necessary and reasonable burdens of the local churches everywhere, there will be need for the most aggressive educational and inspirational work on the part of this association.” At night the laymen’s educational mass meeting was held, with addresses by the Hon. Sidney G-. Gilbreath, former State Superin- tendent of Public Instruction, and Dr. Wm. F. Anderson, secretary of the Board of Education. At this meeting Bishop Wilson and President Pace presented the opportunity for a $1,750 gift on the purchase of a lot for a new Methodist Episcopal Church at Athens, where The Athens School is located, and the entire amount was provided. The following resolutions were adopted : First : We recommend to the cabinet elected for the ensuing year the suggestion of developing in more effective form a laymen’s association in each district. Second : Inasmuch as the Laymen’s Associations have at present no offi- cial recognition by the general conference, we recommend that our officers prepare a memorial urging that steps be taken for such recognition in our discipline. Third : We note that the movement for the adequate endowment for the Advocate-Journal and our southern publishing interests has made good prog- ress but is still incompete, and we urge that steps be taken to bring about an early completion of this undertaking by the raising of the full quota from each conference and district. Fourth : We recognize the solemn obligation resting upon us to provide for our retired veterans an adequate maintenance and commend the plan to raise a sum of not less than $125,000 for this purpose. To this end we rec- ommend that a committee be appointed consisting of one layman and one minister from each district to formulate a definite plan that can have the immediate attention of the next annual meeting of both the Laymen’s As- sociation and the annual conference. Fifth : We commend the advance steps being taken by the officials of the state of Tennessee in their efforts to bring about improvement in popular education. Sixth : We again express our high regard for and unwavering devotion to our great central school for the south, the University of Chattanooga ; and to its president, the untiring worker, leader, Christian statesman, our friend and brother, John H. Race. The $200,000 endowment campaign of last year so successfully concluded under this man’s generalship excited our ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 33 admiration. That a victory of this magnitude should be only the founda- tion for still greater achievements — the incentive to undertake even the apparently impossible — would only be repeating the history of all men and institutions that have been worth while. We now learn that President Race has been planning to increase the university endowment to a half mil- lion dollars and in addition provde at least $100,000 for new buildings. That’s a big sum but it is no bigger than our need or our faith. To Presi- dent Race and the trustees our association bids a heartfelt God-speed. Seventh : We record our deep appreciation of the hospitality of our Knoxville hosts, of the helpful press, the speakers on our program and espe- cially to President Patten and the Wesley (Brotherhood for the delightful and profitable social evening. Eighth : Finally brethren, let us continue to exemplify and enforce the “Holston Idea” — the context of which is (1) “meeting every obligation; (2) helping the other fellow; (3) strict business methods.” A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE METHODIST LAY ASSOCIATION OF THE CALIFORNIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE. By Rolla V. Watt. ( Read at the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Association , held in 1900.) \ As a member of the Lay Ed ect ora/l Conference of 1887 I had my first ex- perience in such a gathering of representative Methodists and before the close of the first session I thought I saw an opportunity for profitable an- nual meetings of the laity in connection with the sessions of the annual conference. The Lay Electoral Conference afforded this opportunity but once in four years. I thereby suggested that an unofficial organization be formed which should meet each year. The proposal met with considerable opposition from several delegates and I remember one in particular, a minister’s wife, declared that such annual meetings would be a menace to the ministers and that the laymen would use the opportunity for domineer- ing over the clergy. The minutes of that conference referred to the subject in these words : The matter of having an annual meeting of lay delegates was intro- duced by Rolla Y. Watt and was freely discussed. No decision was arrived at and there was no opportunity to discuss the subject again but just before adjournment I requested all those who were willing to consider the feasibility of a permanent organization of lay- men to remain. My recollection is that many went away, but that fifty or sixty tarried, some out of curiosity, other to oppose and a few to favor the plan. After considerable discussion, however, a committee consisting of the writer, Henry Tregoning, and Peter Bohl was appointed to con- sider the matter, with authority to prepare a plan and to call a meeting if organization seemed feasible. The call which was sent to the laymen of the conference is as follows : It is scarecly necessary to point out to you the advantages of such a meeting as this. It will give an opportunity for the laymen to become ac- quainted with each other, to meet and know the pastors of the various churches throughout the conference, to attend the sessions of the annual con- ference, which are always interesting and profitable. Besides all this it would afford us an opportunity to talk over the interests of our church, compare notes, plan for the future, to lay out new and important work, to learn more about our benevolent enterprises, and last, but not least, to have an outing amidst very pleasant surroundings which will be a benefit ITS PLACE IN' METHODISM of) to body, mind and spirit. Do all you can to make this a success ; see that the full quota of delegates is elected or appointed from your charge and that all come. Bishop Fowler authorizes us to say that he most heartily approves this movement and that he is very anxious that it shall re- ceive the active co-operation of ministers and laymen. The first convention was called to order by Peter Bohl, Esq., of Sacramento, a member of the committee on organization. The writer presented the report of the committee. Two committees wore then appointed, one upon credentials and another upon perma- nent organization. The former soon prepared a roll of delegates present, notices having been previously sent to each charge re- questing the election of representatives to this body. The commit- tee on permanent organization recommended the following officers, who were duly elected : President — J. W. Whiting. San Francisco. Vice-Presidents — J. M. Buffington, Oakland ; Peter Bolil, Sacramento ; Mrs. iS. E'. Coe, Napa. Secretary — iW. F. Gibson, San Francisco. Assistant Secretary — /F. iH. Gaines, Berkeley. Corresponding Secretary — C. A. Maydwell, Sacramento. Treasurer — W. H. Keeler, Stockton. During the presentation of these reports the members of the committee made brief remarks concerning the possibilities of the association and upon taking his chair President Whiting made a stirring speech upon the objects of the organization and the bene- fits which might be expected to accrue to the church from such a gathering. His remarks were received with great applause. The committee on permanent organization recommended the adoption of the plan of permanent organization suggested by the special committee and “that a vote of thanks be tendered to the committee for their arduous labors in bringing about this conven- tion.” These recommendations were unanimously adopted. An excellent programme, covering a number of topics was then pre- sented. Dr. W. A. Spencer, corresponding secretary of the Board of Church Extension was present and highly commended this move- ment of the laity and predicted that it wouid spread throughout the whole Church. It is obvious that in such a brief history as this we cannot even summarize the various papers and addresses which have been pre- sented to the association during the twelve years of its existence, although an examination of the subject has proved very interest- ing to me. I find that the minutes of our several sessions are suffi- ciently full to enable any one by a little investigation to learn the names of all of our officers, the names of those who have partici- THE LAYMEN S ASSOCIATION 36 paled in our programmes and the subjects upon which they have written or spoken. There have been many able papers; some of them have indeed been extraordinary productions. Without making invidious comparisons, I think it will be admitted that the most brilliant and comprehensive presentation of any subject at any session was the paper or address of Miss Sarah Severance of Gil- roy, upon “The Admission of Women to the General Conference.” The discussions in regard to the polity of our Church have been helpful and broadening in their influence and we have no doubt but that the discussion, first by our Lay Association and after- wards by similar organizations in other Conferences, of the subject of equal representation, has done much to bring about the change in sentiment in the Annual Conferences which has at last given us our rights in this respect. The practical character of these discussions will be indicated from a few of the topics picked out at random from the programmes which have been presented here: Permanent Organization for the care of Superannuates. Pastoral Support in Weak Charges. Lay Representation in the Annual Conferences. What We Ought Reasonably to Expect from the Pulpit. Duties of the* Quarterly Conference. Business Methods in Church Finance. The Literary and Social Work of the Church. Practical Church Work in Our Cities. Should the Time Limit be Removed? Should the Officiary of the Church be Chosen by the Congregation? Church Debts and flow to Avoid Them. Church Socials as a Means of Grace. The Church Member in Politics. The Church and Social Reforms. A Modified Form of Episcopal Itinerancy. The Individual Cup. The Place of Laymen in the Government of Our Church. Woman’s Mission in the Church. At the very first session steps were taken to form a permanent organization for the support of Conference claimants. At the same association the constitution under which we are at present working was adopted. At the second annual meeting held September 12, 1889, the writer was elected President and during the session the “distress flag” was raised over the Episcopal residence. A committee re- ported suggesting that the property be abandoned, but this report was received with ill-favor and since the taking of a collection was against the rules of the association, the association resolved itself into a committee of the whole and then proceeded to the task of providing for the indebtedness upon the property In a few min- ITS PLACE IX METHODISM 37 utes nearly $10,000 was subscribed and since this fully provided for the debt the doxology was sung. A telegram was sent Bishop Fowler as follows: Lay Association extends greeting. Episcopal debt ten thousand dollars fully provided for today. To this Bishop Fowler replied: Congratulations and many thanks for laymen’s liberality and success. The third annual meeting of the association was held September 11th, 1890. Peter Bohl, Esq., of Sacramento, was elected Presi- dent. At this session the trustees of the Belief Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church were elected and that organization was duly launched on its mission of usefulness. The fourth association was held September 10th, 1891. Chaun- cey Gaines, Esq., of Berkeley, was elected President. The Lay Electoral Conference of that year passed the following resolution: Resolved, That our delegates are hereby requested to explain to the General Conference the nature, objects and results of the Lay Association of the California Annual Conference and to seek to have thiat body recommend similar associations in all the Annual Conferences of our church. The fifth annual meeting was held September 8th, 1892. Myron T. Holcomb, Esq., of Oakland, was elected President. During this session Bishop John H. Vincent, D. D., delivered an admirable address in the course of which he highly commended the work of the association. The sixth annual session was held September 7th. 1893. Bobert Husband, Esq., then of Atlanta, now of San Francisco, was elected President. A feature of this meeting was an excellent concert ren- dered under the auspices of Mr. Husband. The seventh session was held September 14th, 1894, S. E. Holden, Esq., of Napa, being the President. The eighth annual meeting was held September 13th, 1895, C. B. Perkins, Esq., of San Francisco, President. The attendance this year was unusually large and it was at this session that the notable paper on “The Admission of Women” was read by Miss Severance. The ninth annual meeting was held September 11th, 1896, Henrv Tregoning, Esq., of College Park, was duly elected President. The tenth meeting was held September 17th, 1897, with Henry Morton, Esq., of San Jose as President. • The eleventh annual session of the association was held Septem- 38 THE LAYMEN S ASSOCIATION ber 15th, 1898, with L. J. Norton, Esq., of Napa, as chief executive. Our friend Bev. W. A. Spencer, of Philadelphia, who was present at the first session was again with us last year. He delivered an enthusiastic address at the afternoon session and was pleased to designate the Lay Association of the California Annual Confer- ence as “the most significant body of men in all Methodism.” At our several sessions we have been highly favored by the pres- ence of Presiding Bishops and visiting General Conference officers. All of the sessions of the Lay Association have been well at- tended. The debates which have followed the addresses have been quit as interesting and profitable as the addresses themselves and have been valuable in drawing out the opinions of the laity regard- ing the important matters under discussion. We have demonstrated the fact that we arc deeply interested in the great questions pend- ing before the Church. Moreover, we have originated some of the discussions ourselves. We have gradually become acquainted with each other. We have learned to sympathize one church with another and to appreciate the fact that the blessings and difficul- ties are not confined to one locality. Because of the mutual encour- agement here received we have returned to our several charges year after year with a fresh determination to do our very best for the Master. Tiie Presiding Elders freely admit the broadening influence upon the laymen who have attended these annual meetings. The fact that our sessions are thronged with ministers as well as laymen, is evidence of the interest taken in this movement. Although we have not hesitated to express our views upon the subjects under consideration by the Church such expressions have been temper- ately made and our brethren of the ministry have had no occasion, we believe, to regret our presence at their annual place of meeting. As we look over the names of those who have participated in our programmes or who have been officers of this association we note that many of them have gone to their long reward. We believe they have received an abundant entrance into the Kingdom. We recall of those who have passed to the other side the following who were actively engaged in the work of this association : Hon. J. M. Buffington. John R. Sims, G S. Keyes, “Father” C. A. Lehman. Hon. Chancellor Hartson, Samuel Hancock, Mrs. Charles Goodall, James A. Clayton, L. P. Kraffit. T. P. Williamson. E. W. Playiter, John Tregloan, Elisha Higgins, and this year, Capt. Charles Goodall, Harry E. Snook. In conclusion, I may mention that similar organizations to ours have been formed in different sections of the country, notably in ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 39 the Philadelphia, the Cincinnati and the Rock River and the Balti- more Conferences. There may be and doubtless are others, but of them I have no particulars. The three named are prosperous organizations. We have had considerable correspondence with them and unless we are diligent and enthusiastic in our work they will surpass us in their accomplishments. But credit has been given us as the founders of the association idea and I believe our constitution verbatim has been adopted by all of the associations above named. Without boasting we may say that the movement has proven its right to life and growth and that our beloved Church will profit by its extension throughout all of the Annual Confer- ences. FROM LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OFFICERS. From H. L. Cookingham, M. D., of Red Hook, N. Y., President New York Conference Association: I regard the work of the Lay Association as of the utmst importance, for the following reasons : 1. It brings the men of the various churches in contact ; gets them bet- ter acquainted with each other. 2. It opens up before them the opportunities for work of which they knew nothing, and the reading of papers on appropriate and timely topics shows them the way. 3. They meet the officers of the Church : Bishops, secretaries, district superintendents, etc., and it inspires an enthusiasm to them before unknown. I cannot speak too strongly of its beneficial influence to the average layman. It gives him an opportunity of informing himself with what a great church he is connected. ❖ * * From C. W. Fleslier, of Gkissaway, W. Va,, President West Vir- ginia Conference Association: We have a great field in West Virginia, comprising eight districts, about 250 charges, and a good Church school in our borders at Buckhannon. We were short on pastor’s salary last year $8,682 with not a district paid up in full, one district falling behind in 22 charges with $2,130 deficit to the pastor’s support. This is a very sad state of affairs when we consider the small salary that is fixed any way. Our organization was formed last October and I was honored with the presidency. We have received a very hearty response. We will dwell upon this one thing till our pastor’s salaries are all paid in full. "We had one meeting of the Executive Committee, at which the elders were invited. The best way to organize is to have at least one active lawman from each charge selected by the fourth quarterly conference for the year, to attend a meeting at the same time the annual confrence is held and then meet on Friday of the week of the annual conference and organize. Have at least one active layman from each district prepare to address the meet- ing on the value of such an association. The way that the association can be of most help to the conference and local interest is to get the laymen interested in the general affairs of the church, and to create a pride in having the very besc results in each church. I ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 41 From 0. K. Morgan, of Farmington, 111., President Illinois Con- ference Association : In organizing it seems to be the first thing is to bring something needed before them that can be obtained by the organizations. One of the objects we are working for is to encourage the act of tithing by our people, which we believe will solve the financial troubles of our churches. Our association has been of practical value in many ways, one of which is a better understanding between ministers and laymen and many others that develop as the association comes in touch with the conference. From E. P. Soper, of Emmetsburg, la., President IN’. W. Iowa Conference Association : It is my view that Laymen's Associations must have some work to do. or else they have no excuse for an existence. I am of the opinion that the organization into Laymen’s Association is a work that is productive of good. The best time to reach the laymen and get up an organization is the time when they met in their lay-electoral conference, unless you take the matter up in each conference and get some one interested, who will secure from the presiding elders in the different districts a list of a live layman at each of the preaching points, and invite them to come out at the time of the holding of the conference and join in the organization of an associa- tion, and promise them some good speakers. From Edg. Bowman, Ida Grove, Iowa, Secretary Northwest Iowa Conference Association: The minutes of this Association record the programs of nine annual sessions, and disclose addresses of great value, with intimation of animated discussions of the same, covering such subjects as aggressive evangelism, Christian education, church polity. Sunday 'School interests, betterment of the condition of the Superannuates. This later subject became a vital issue two years ago. taking concrete form in the organization of a practical plan to raise an endowment of $150,000, within the limits of this conference. This plan was entrusted to one district superintendent in each con- ference district, under a general superintendent, having jurisdiction over the whole work ; a lay committee, at each charge , with the local pastor co-operat- ing. Divers methods obtained in the canvass ; an educational propoganda of printed circular lettei\s, personally written letters — of explanation and ap- peal ; suitably programmed celebrations of “Old Folks” or “Veterans” day — on which occasion funds were solicited for the Superannuated Endowment Fund. THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 42 This special effort by our association evinces the value of special work to keep alive and develop Lay Associations. Splendid success has crowned the endeavor, with promise of greater achievement in the future. The financial feature has not proven larger than the educational influence ; hardly as of as much moment as the heart- to-heart interest awakened. * From Ed. L. Young, Norwalk, Ohio, President North Ohio Con- ference Association: For twelve years we have had a Lay Association in our North Ohio conference. I think our association has been especially beneficial in im- pressing upon lay members generally the individual responsibility for the success of the church to which he belongs. 'Church finances have had a wide and beneficial discussion and this has done much good. One of the most promising developments of our association influence recently has been the impetus given to the organization of men’s Bible classes and church brotherhoods, and this is still growing. The programs for our association should be made more practical and the discussions more, exhaustive There has been a tendency to take up the many phases of work in a single program. My experience is that we should feature our programs. Make the dis- cussions exhaustive. Those who lead the discussions should be chosen for their especial fitness and tell us how things have been done rather than how things ought to be. From J. Luther Taylor, Pittsburg, Kansas, Secretary South Kan- sas Conference Association : I am in receipt of your favor of the 25th ult., and note what you say concerning the 'Lajunen’s Association of our church. I have taken a great deal of interest in this work and feel very well repaid thus far for the amount of work we have done in our conference. The spirit of the organ- ization is taking very firm root and I believe within three years’ time the fact of a preacher going to conference without being paid in full will be a thing of the past. The deficiency in salaries the year we organized our Laymen’s Association was a little over $2,220, the second year something like $1,400, and last year it came up to $1,500, but this is explained by the fact that two of the points in our district were in very bad shape and were not taken hold of soon enough to bring them up. For the first time in the South Kansas Conference we hope this year to see that every preacher is paid in full, and believe we can do this although the extreme wet weather we have been having this spring may have some effect on salaries, but Kansas usually comes out of the kinks all right and we hope to end the year in good shape. We hope to get the other three conferences in the state organized this coming year. ITS PLACE IX METHODISM 43 From J. H. Inch, of Missoula, Mont., President Montana Con- ference Association : The Montana Laymen’s Association was organized in August last. The letter head on which this is written will indicate our ideals, as follows. OUR IDEALS Every church member a tither. Every conference claimant in comfort. Every pastor receiving a living support. Every benevolent collection taken in full. A Christian Advocate in every home. Montana Wesleyan University adequately endowed. Every charge to have a gracious revival. I may say that this is a copy, wth local adaptatons, of the letter head of the Oregon Laymen’s Association, to whom we are indebted for valuable help. If you have ever been through Montana, you will know that our cities are comparatively small and our distances magnificently great. It is harder, therefore, to make such an organization as this active and helpful as it might be in more thickly populated communities. However, our or- ganization has already awakened new interest in some quarters, and to give it a practical side, we have assumed $600.00 per year for five years of the salary of the Chancellor of the Montana Wesleyan University, at Helena. This is a struggling institution, which we believe has a bright future, but it will take some years of self-sacrifice on the part of Montana Methodism. We are seeing to it that a separate collection is taken in each charge for conference claimants, instead of being omnibused in with the benevolences. During the coming year we propose to make an effort to make up the deficiencies in salaries of those pastors who get less than $1,000 per year, all told : this to be done by a committee conversant with all the facts in the case, so as to avoid injustice or imposition. It is our intention to meet an- nually at the time and place of the annual conference. From W. A. Sanford, Waverly, Pa., Secretary Wyoming Confer- ence Association : The great lack of Methodist lay members, I believe, is a thorough under- standing of our principles, both of government and creed, and I believe a properly organized association will bring laymen in touch with the work of the church, so that they will, as a whole, feel more responsibility, or, to turn the word about, to feel more their ability to respond. A lay association may be useful in many ways, and especially in affording laymen an opportunity to express their views on various subjects on the floor, and enlist in debates concerning the work of the church, and thus train themselves to be competent legislators, which has now become incumbent upon them in a larger degree than formerly. We have been organized four years and have already begun to provide Avays to enlarge the salaries and sustain the superannuates more generously., and hope to push the work until our poorly paid ministers are better paid and the superannuates are looked after more substantially. 44 THE LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION From H. B. Williams, Chicago, Illinois, Secretary Bock River Conference Association : The Laymen's Association of Rock River Conference was organized October 8. 1897. The minutes state the purposes of the association to be as follows : First — Efforts to secure equal lay representation in the General Con- ference. Second — To inaugurate a movement for lay representation in the Annual Conference. Third — The discussion of all prominent church topics from the lay- man’s standpoint. Fourth — To afford opportunities for laymen to become better acquainted and interested in each other. We immediately began the agitation for equal lay representation, which, as you know, was successful. We more recently took up the subject of better pastoral support and have sent out many thousands of circulars and pamphlets on the subject and this important matter is now being discussed throughout all Methodism. Too large a proportion of our church work has been loaded on the min- istry. 1 believe there should be a Layman’s Association in every confer- ence. for the more our laymen know and think and talk about the work of our churches the greater the interest they will take in it. From John T. Stone, of the Baltimore Conference Association : This association has been in existence a number of years, probably fifteen or more Up to the present time it has done nothing but hold an annual meeting, covering one day, usually the Friday of the Annual Conference. At the meeting papers are read, or addresses delivered upon subjects of in- terest and importance to the church, particularly to the laity : officers are elected for the ensuing year, and, as a rule, a most helpful and earnest de- votional service is held. The present president, Mr. Walter Ivirwan, Chamber of Commerce Bldg., this city, has certain plans for enlarging the scope of the association and for bringing it into touch with the laity of the church throughout the year, instead of allowing its usefulness to be limited to practically one day, as I have outlined. The annual convention is made up of delegates sent from each congregation. The attendance has been quite good, and the Laymen’s Association has a very definite place in the regard of the church — both ministers and laymen. As to our plans for taking care of the salaries of ministers where the amounts paid by the churches are too small, the Laymen’s Association lias nothing organically to do with that. We have in our conference what is known as the “Southern Committee,” composed of an equal number of ministers and laymen. That committee meets during the Annual Conference session and receives reports on printed forms from each church, in which is set forth the condition of the church, as to the minister’s salary and its -ability to meet the same. Under a rule of the conference, each congre- gation is assessed two and one-half per cent, of its minister’s salary, and each ministerial member of the conference is asked to contribute one-half of one ITS PLACE IN METHODISM 45 per cent, of his salary, exclusive of house rent. The fund obtained from these assessments is then allotted pro rata to the ministers whose salaries have fallen below the sum of $800 for a married man and $300 for a single man, the object being to appropriate to each such man an amount which will bring his total compensation up to those limits. I am sorry to say that we have only in a few instances been able to reach the limit, but we have approximated them fairly ciosely. From W. A. Sperry, Owatonna, Minn., Vice-President Minnesota Lay Conference: Our Association has been organized for three years and has had during each conference a good attendance and some very earnest discussion and had some very valuable papers presented on subjects of general importance to laymen and Christian workers in general. I have felt for a long time the importance of this kind of an organization, for the purpose of not only be- coming better acquainted with the conference of our own church and the extent of its work and operation, but also to get the laymen better ac- quainted with each other and to bring to them a larger and more important view of the work in which they are engaged. My observation in life has been that knowledge can be more rapidly acquired by absorption from asso- ciation than from either books or schools, and that for this purpose if no other could be accomplished, the lay associations are of great benefit to ouv church in educating and interesting its membership with what it is doing and the extent of the field it covered, and showing to them that the local church to which one belongs is a very small atom when compared with th * church at large. Then there is another reason which I think very important why lay asso- ciations should be organized, and that is to impress upon the laymen of the church the fact that the church is their church as well as the minister’s, and that they are just as responsible individually as the minister is, and that they cannot and ought not to wish to shift the responsibility which rests upon them on to the preacher and the women of the church. ■