METHODISTS. 



493 



managed by mixed committees should pass con- 

 secutively in review. The report was referred 

 to a special committee of ministers, with in- 

 structions to consider it and submit their re- 

 port to the annual meetings of the district 

 committees when the lay members were pres- 

 ent, and to submit the returns of the action of 

 the district meetings to a meeting to be held in 

 July of themselves, together with the chairmen 

 of the districts and the gentlemen who should 

 have been chosen lay members of the Home 

 Mission and Contingent Fund Committee. The 

 special committee met early in the year, and, 

 after careful inquiry into the subject 



Resolved, That we are of the opinion that the time 

 is approaching when a comprehensive plan should 

 be devised for some direct and adequate representa- 

 tion of the laity in the transaction of the business of 

 the Conference, in consistency with the recognized 



grinciples of our economy and the provisions of the 

 oil Deed ; but the difficulties which present them- 

 selves, after much deliberation, are so serious that 

 we recommend the ensuing Conference to appoint a 

 large committee to further consider the whole sub- 

 ject, and that the committee should also be empow- 

 ered to take such counsel as it may judge expedient 

 on the legal aspects of the case, and report to another 

 Conference. 



The united committee, consisting of the spe- 

 cial committee, the chairmen of districts, and 

 lay members, met July 24th. The action of 

 the district meetings upon the propositions 

 submitted to them for the reorganization of 

 the Committees of Eeview was reported to 

 have been almost unanimously adverse. A 

 majority of the meetings had expressed them- 

 selves in favor of the admission of laymen to 

 the Conference as a preferable measure. The 

 committee, accordingly, " recognizing the fact 

 that a large number of districts had expressed 

 opinions in favor of a more direct and formal 

 association of representatives of the laity with 

 the Conference during such of its sessions as 

 do not relate to matters purely ministerial," 

 resolved to request the Conference to appoint 

 a mixed committee to consider the whole ques- 

 tion of lay representation, to whom also should 

 be referred the report on the constitution of 

 the Committees of Review, and the minutes 

 of the district meetings upon it. The Confer- 

 ence adopted the resolution of the special com- 

 mittee for the appointment of a large commit- 

 tee to consider the whole subject of lay dele- 

 gation, and decided, in order to carry out its 

 objects 



To appoint first a committee of ministers, who 

 shall carefully consider the whole subject, and lay 

 their report before the ministers when assembled in 

 their annual district meetings, and before the Con- 

 ference. Secondly, a mixed committee of themselves 

 and laymen, whose mode of selection shall be sub- 

 sequently determined, before whom shall be laid the 

 reports of the ministerial committee, and this mixed 

 committee shall prepare their report thereon ; and 

 that the whole of these reports be laid before the 

 next Conference. 



The committee was constituted of thirty- 

 four ministers and thirty-four laymen, appoint- 

 ed by the Conference on the nomination of 



the president ; one minister to be elected for 

 each district by the ministers attending the 

 district meetings in September ; and the thirty- 

 four laymen should be elected district rep- 

 resentatives at the district meetings in May, 

 1876 ; the ministers appointed on this commit- 

 tee to constitute the members of the first or 

 ministerial committee. The subject of lay rep- 

 resentation came up upon the application of 

 the Irish Conference to have itself so consti- 

 tuted that laymen should be admitted to it. 

 The committee to whom this subject was re- 

 ferred, reported to the effect 



That, the principle of associating laymen and 

 ministers having been recognized, the committee at 

 present sees no sufficient reason why such associa- 

 tion should not be permitted in the Irish Confer- 

 ence, provided that a scheme can be framed which 

 will be reasonably practicable, which will preserve 

 intact the ministerial functions, and will be in strict 

 harmony with the provisions of the Poll-Deed. 



This report was not adopted, but the Con- 

 ference 



Resolved, That having appointed committees to 

 consider the question of lay representation, which 

 committees cannot report until the Conference of 

 1876, it feels itself unable to enter into a full con- 

 sideration of the proposals of the Irish Conference 

 at present, and therefore regrets to be under the ne- 

 cessity of postponing this question for another year ; 

 and that this resolution be transmitted to the Irish 

 Conference, with an affectionate letter. 



A question was presented to the Conference 

 in the case of the Rev. John Bond, as to the 

 part which ministers should be permitted to 

 take in public affairs, particularly in the dis- 

 cussion of political topics. Mr. Bond had at- 

 tended a meeting of the Liberation Society in 

 May. His action was discussed in the district 

 meeting of the Second London District, to 

 which he was attached, and was regarded as 

 inconsistent with an ancient regulation of the 

 Connection. The meeting adopted the follow- 

 ing minute : " A conversation having arisen on 

 the subject of "Wesleyan ministers taking part 

 in political meetings, this meeting is of opinion 

 that the principle of non-interference in such 

 cases should be honorably observed on all sides 

 until the Conference shall otherwise deter- 

 mine." 



The following minute was accepted by al- 

 most unanimous agreement, and entered upon 

 the record : 



The Conference having considered a resolution 

 called forth by a minute of the Second London Dis- 

 trict meeting on the subject of non-interference in 

 political matters on the part of Wesleyan ministers : 

 Resolved, That the minute of the Second London 

 District meeting be canceled ; that the resolution be 

 withdrawn ; that the Conference recognizes on the 

 one hand the individual freedom of its ministers as 

 Christian citizens, and on the other hand their re- 

 sponsibility to each, other and to the Conference as 

 members of a non-political body, and confides in 

 their loyalty and honor so to regulate and control 

 their public actions as not to imperil the unity of the 

 ministerial brotherhood or disturb the peace of the 

 Connection at large. 



A petition was adopted for presentation to 

 Parliament, against the bill designated as the 



