The Journals & Notebook of
 Nathan Bangs 1805-1806, 1817

 

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Ryerson on Case and Ryan's opposition to elected presiding elders
Ryerson Methodism: Its Epochs and Characteristics 247-248

For several years previous to 1824, the question of what was called the election of "Presiding Elders" was much agitated in many part of the Methodist Episcopal Church. These Elders had always been, as they still are in the United States [1864], appointed by the Bishops. The so-called reform sought for was to take away this power from the Bishops, and place it in the Annual Conferences—making the office elective. As none but the General Conference could effect this change in the Discipline of the Church, great exertions were used at the Annual Conferences to elect delegates to the General Conference who sympathized with, and would vote for, the "reform."

This was the case in the Genesee Conference, of which Canada then formed a part. Messrs. Ryan and Case, the two Presiding Elders in Canada, were strongly opposed to the electing of Presiding Elders by each Conference, and were consequently left out of the delegation, and the Rev. Isaac B. Smith [son-in-law of Henry Ryan] and the Rev. Wyat Chamberlayne were elected to represent the Canada section of the Conference. At that time there was a large majority of the members of the Genesee Conference in favour of the contemplated reform. Mr. Case bore his defeat with apparent composure; not so Mr. Ryan, who was annoyed at the defeat itself, and more so at the prospective changes in the mode of appointing Presiding Elders. 

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Edited by Scott McLaren
Book History Practicum
University of Toronto