Important Movement Among The Methodists

A convenlion of the Methodist layman fren all parts of the free and bofder slave States has been in session in this city dnring two days of this week, to delibérate on the best rneans to obtain the object they aeek, an equal representation of laymen with preachers in the General Conference of the Churcli, whioh is held once in iouryears. In evory other Protestant denomination in this country, except the Mothodistjlaymonhave a shnre in the conncils. The last General Conference, which mot at Büffnlo in 1860, formally offered' to admit lay representation at the next meeting of "thi8 body, if a majority of the lavmen should express a desire for it. A voto was taken within the last three month?, v. liich resuhed in an adverse decisión ; thirty thousand votes were cast for lay representaron, and fifty thousand agart)ft, East oí the Alloghanies thero was, however, a majority of one thousand in favor of lay representution ; and this ia the región wherè tle ohurches are most seitled, and whore the membership is the most influential. The object of the convenlion which hos just adjourned was to provide means and measures for further discnssing the question among the laity. It is beliovcd that if the whole mcmbership can bo interestod in it, there will be a large majority for equal representation. The delégales to tho number oí about two hundred, met in St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, Pourth avenue and Tvventy-second etreet on Wednesday and Thursday. Governor Cannon of "Delaware, was chosen temporary chairman, and ex-Governor Wright, of Indiana, permanent chairman. Not only tho eastern and middle, büt also the western States, were well represented, e.-pecially Illiuois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. In the discussion which ensued, speeches were made by Governor non and Mr. Riddle, of Delaware, uy ex-Goveinor Wright, Dr. Alien, late President of Girard College, Messrs. Oliver, Hoyt, Nottingham, Judga Bonn oí Ballimore, and Cooke, of Chicago. ]}y invitation of the Convention, a number of clergymen also spoko, among them Bishop Sirrpson and Kev. Drs. Natal and Hatfield. Ee'solutions were passed asking lof equal representaron in the General Conference for laymen with preachers. Nearly ten thousand dollars were subscribed, to ba used ia printing and ciroulaÜDg documents amoog thb laity, in favor of the measure. The convention adjourned last evening, after holding a special meeting on the state of the country, heariDg a number of patriotio speeches, and passing a set of earnesty patriotic resolulions, The next General Conference meet at Philadelphia in May, 1S04. Tbnt body wilt probably. by a general of nearly unaniraoús vote, grant lay representation in the form now asked, on condition that the laity accept the offeh In that cp.se the General Conference of 1868 will be composed in cqual r.umbers of laymen and preachers. _ Ultimflt'ely, this movenaènt will pf'obiblv rei-uit in introdacing a lay element alsoin the animal conierence, but for the present 1t is only desired that laymen shall have a place In the laVmakïng body of the church, whioh is the qu'adrennial General Conföretid ;