MORGAN'S HISTORY OF THE NEW JERSEY CONFERENCE Page 119
ference, objections were raised, that there were reasons why none but members of Conference be chosen. Bishop Payne being called upon to state the reason for strict objection, stated that these same brethren were here a few years ago and applied for admission in the itinerant work. They had large families and were over thirty-five years of age. He believed that God calling men to enter his service would do so when they were in their prime of youth, and not after they had been advanced in years. He therefore was not willing that they should be used.
Query. - How does it happen that men are brought from other places and given work, when our own men are left without work? Bishop replied, saying, that he had been desirous of sending a man to take charge of Madison, but because of the facilities of Drew Seminary he would send none but a man qualified to enter said institution. Before Conference closes I will read an exposition of the question discussed this morning, relating to leaving the brethren of this Conference without appointments and giving work to brothers of other Conferences.
An Elder reported and desired to wait until Monday before reporting further, as he expected to receive more money that was due him.
Bishop Payne stated that a better way was, in case of a church being in debt to the minister at the end of the year, to get a note from said church for indebtedness.
Query. What could be done if the church refused to pay it? I will give my understanding of the moral teachings of the Scripture. If I did work for a man and he could not pay me my money, I would ask him to give me a note, and after sufficient time if he did not pay I'd make him, and in this I think I would do right before God and man. And vice versa, if I owed you I should be compelled to pay. In my opinion you would have the moral as well as the civil right to compel the church to keep its obligations.
A christian's promise should be mightier than gold. A church has no more right to cheat a man than a man has to cheat a church. There is a case of the widow of a traveling preacher, who was refused payment by the church which he served. After waiting one or two years and the church not paying I said, you shall not have a minister until
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