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Some Ruter Documents
- The Conference by-laws, 1832
- The First Report on “The Conference Seminary”, 1832
- Endorsement of the Proposed “Western Christian Advocate,” 1833
- Memorial to the Legislature on the State College, 1834
- On Fasting and Prayer, specifically for Missions, and in general, 1841
- Supply of Books for Sabbath Schools, 1841
- Ministers to Pray for Each Other, 1842
- Prayer with Fasting, for the 1844 General Conference
Some Ruter Documents
These are specimens of documents drawn up by Ruter, or by groups led by him, for the Indiana Conference. The texts are from the Journal of the Indiana Conference, as transcribed and printed by William Warren Sweet in Circuit Rider Days in Indiana.
The committee appointed to draft By-laws presented their report, which was read, and adopted, and ordered to be journalized; the following is the said report:
1 st. The President to take the chair precisely at the hour to which conference adjourned, and cause the same to be opened by reading (a portion of Sacred Scriptures) singing, and prayer. The list shall be called and approved and the Journals of the preceding session read and approved. When the conference shall proceed with the ordinary routine of business.
2 nd The President shall decide all questions of orders, subject to an appeal to the conference, but in case of appeal, the question shall be taken without debate.
3 rd. The President shall appoint all committees not especially otherwise ordered by the conference, but any member may decline serving on more than one committee at the same time.
4 th. All motions, or resolutions introduced by any member shall be reduced to writing, if the President, Secretary, or any two members request it.
5 th. When a motion, or resolution, is made and seconded, or any report presented, and is read by the Secretary, or stated by the President, it shall be deemed in the possession of the Conference, but any motion, or resolution may be withdrawn by the mover any time before decision, or amendment.
6 th. No New motion, or resolution, shall be made until the one under consideration is disposed of, which may be done by adoption, or rejection, unless one of the following motions should intervene, which motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are placed, viz: Indefinite postponement; lying on the table*; reference to a committee; postponement to a given time, or amendment.
7 th. No member shall be interrupted when speaking, except by the president to call him to order, when he departs from the question, uses personalities, or disrespectful language; but any member may call the attention of the president to the subject when he deems a speaker out of order; and any member may explain if he thinks himself misrepresented.
8 th. When any member is about to speak in debate, or deliver any matter to the Conference he shall arise from his seat and respectfully address himself to the President.
9 th. No person shall speak more than twice on the same subject, or question, and then only fifteen minutes at any time without leave from the Conference. Nor shall any person speak more than once till every member choosing to speak, shall have spoken.
10 th. When any motion or resolution shall have passed, it shall be in order for any member who voted in the majority to move a reconsideration.
11th. No member shall absent himself from the service of the Conference without leave, or unless he be sick or unable to attend.
12 th. A substitute shall never be received for the original resolution unless with the consent of the mover, nor with his consent after the resolution shall have been amended.
13 th. No member shall be allowed to vote on any question who is not within the bar at the time when such question is taken by the President, except by leave of the Conference when such member has been necessarily absent.
14 th. Every member who shall be within the bar at the time the question is put, shall give his vote, unless the Conference for special reasons shall excuse him.
15 th. No person shall present a charge or a complaint against any member of the Conference unless he shall have conversed previously with that member on the subject, and apprised him of his intention to lay it before the Conference.
16 th. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, and shall be decided without debate.
All of which is respectfully submitted by your committee.
C. W. Ruter, Chairman.
[pp. 94-97 Sweet]
*This expression, derived from the usage of the British House of Commons, has been variously applied. Originally, when a measure was ordered by the House to be “laid upon the table,” it was literally left upon the Speaker’s table, and, if not questioned in debate, was deemed at the close of the session to have been approved. This procedure is especially helpful if the measure is long and detailed, and not easily debated in full session. The term has sometimes be used in the sense of “the previous question,” that is, that the vote be not put on the particular motion. “Lying on the table” probably has the latter sense in Ruter’s draft rules of procedure.
The First Report on “The Conference Seminary,” 1832
The committee appointed on the subject of the Conference Seminary presented their report, which was read and adopted.
The report: “Next to the religion of the Son of God your committee consider the light of science calculated to lessen the sum of human woe and to increase the sum of human happiness. Therefore we are of the opinion that the means of education ought to be placed within the reach of every community in general, so that all may have an opportunity of obtaining an ordinary and necessary education. From observation and information your committee are well convinced that where superior schools and colleges are neglected, ordinary schools are almost universally in a languished state. And many persons are reared, and live and die without any education. We therefore think that Seminaries and Colleges under good literary and moral regulations are of incalculable benefit to our country, and that a good Conference Seminary would be of great and growing utility to our people. We are aware that when a Conference Seminary is named, some of our preachers and many of our people suppose we are about to establish a manufactory in which preachers are to be made. But nothing is farther from our views, for we are fully of Mr. Bernge’s opinion who, when comparing ministers to pens, observes ‘that although the Seminaries have been trying to make pens for some hundreds of years, they will not write well till God nibs them.’ ”
When we examine the state of the literary institutions of our country we find a majority of them are in the hands of other denominations (whether rightfully or otherwise, we do not take it upon ourselves to determine) whose doctrine in many respects we consider incompatible with the doctrines of revelation, so that that our people are unwilling (and we think properly so) to send their sons to those institutions. Therefore we think it very desirable to have an institution under our own control from which we can exclude all doctrines which we deem dangerous; though at the same time we do not wish to make it so sectarian as to exclude or in the smallest degree repel the sons of our fellow citizens from the same.
To accomplish the foregoing desirable objects we most earnestly recommend the Conference the use of the means that will lead to the end. We would advise that the Presiding Elders of the several districts be required to collect all the information in their power in reference to an eligible site, and the means to build, and present the same to the next Conference. All of which is respectfully submitted.
- C. W. Ruter
- A. Wiley
- James Armstrong.
pp. 101-3 Sweet.
Endorsement of the Proposed “Western Christian Advocate,” 1833
The committee to whom was referred the communication from the Agents at New York relative to the establishment of a periodical in the West presented their report which was read and adopted unanimously. The report is as follows:
1 st. Resolved, That in the opinion of this Conference the establishment of a weekly paper in the city of Cincinnati under the control of the Methodist Episcopal Church as is the Christian Advocate and Journal, is highly expedient, and that the interest Western Conferences requires it.
2d. That the agents at New York and their proper advisers have the right and may authorize the agents and Book Committee at Cincinnati to establish such a paper in the interval of General Conference and appoint an editor for the same.
3d. That the establishment of such a paper would receive the united support of the Indiana Annual Conference as well as their entire approbation. All of which is respectfully submitted.
C. W. Ruter,
Chairman of the Committee.
p. 117 Sweet.
Memorial to the Legislature on the State College, 1834
The committee appointed to draft a memorial in behalf of this conference to the Legislature of this state relative to (the State College at Bloomington, presented their report, which was read, and on motion, was adopted); which report read as follows:
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana. Your memorialists represent to your honorable body, that they in common with their fellow citizens, recognize in the munificent gift of lands by the general government to our state (for the purpose of endowing a state institution of learning) a corresponding obligation on our part so to manage it as not to defeat the charitable bequest of our common country. We feel that cause of complaint exists in regard to this matter, yet we do not approach your honorable body as irritated and injured individuals asking for redress of private wrongs, but as patrons and advocates of general science, pleading her cause and imploring you in your paternal character to open her prison doors. We would impress it upon your honorable body that the Literature belongs to no one denomination of persons, and that no one exclusively should be allowed to possess the keys that unlock her treasures. We apprehend that the funds of our state college were designed by their munificent donors to patronize science and advocate the cause of general literature and not of religious sects, and should it be divested from its original design (directly or indirectly) the donors are despoiled of a rich inheritance, and the legacy itself betrayed to a very questionable purpose. We feel a deep and abiding interest in the success of the institution, we recognize in the provision of its constitution, (and particularly 10 th section) the generous confiding spirit in which its powers and functions were bestowed, as it were, in the absence of every uncharitable feeling or suspicion, that the hydra of sectarianism might erect its standard there, yet we in common with our fellow men of the state have to regret that our hopes in it have been disappointed. We look in its charter and read that the places of president, professors and tutors are open, soliciting capacity to occupy them without regard to religious professions or doctrines. We then turn our eyes on the faculty from the organization of the institution to this hour, and we see one common hue, one common religion characterize every member, as if capacity and fitness were confined to one church and one set of religious opinions. We have heretofore borne this without complaint and would now be silent, had we no higher object than to contend for the places and honors of the institution. But when we see the youth of our own and other churches voluntarily renouncing the institution because the religion of their fathers (is but tolerated) and not domiciled: then we feel impelled by every consideration that looks to the future, and speak out, and invoke you to reclaim for the state, the power bestowed upon the Board of Trustees of filling their own vacancies, and to give them a fixed and definite term of office in future. This wholesome restraint would, it is firmly believed, bring to the service of the institution a due proportion from other religious denominations, and breathe into it a new spirit, full of life and vigor. Your memorialists, therefore, earnestly solicit your interference in this matter, and that you may, in the premises do what is best for the good of science, is the earnest prayer of your memorialists.
pp. 132-3 Sweet
On Fasting and Prayer, specifically for Missions, and in general, 1841
“Resolved, that viewing the missionary cause as of paramount importance and having much confidence in the success of fervent-believing prayer, we deem it expedient that there should be holden a missionary prayer meeting, and that we will endeavor to have such meetings established throughout our work, and that at such meetings we consider it advisable to lift collections in aid of the missionary cause. Second, That the first Monday evening in each month be set apart for the missionary prayer meeting in all our societies if convenient, and if not, some evening as soon thereafter as circumstances will permit. C. W. Ruter, R. S. Robinson.”
“Resolved, that we recommend to the people of our respective charges to observe Friday, the 24 th of December next, as a day of fasting or abstinance, + and to commence in that day in each society, where practicable, a four days’ prayer meeting, and that such meetings be protracted to a greater length, where circumstances appear to justify such a course. C. W. Ruter, A. Eddy.”
p. 267 Sweet.
Supply of Books for Sabbath Schools, 1841
“Resolved, That we respectfully request the agents of our Western Book Concern to make arrangements to furnish as soon as practicable a more ample supply of books, adapted to the wants of our Sabbath schools.
C. W. Ruter,
F.C. Holliday.”
p. 268 Sweet.
Ministers to Pray for Each Other, 1842
“Resolved, that during this conference year we will endeavor at the close of each day in the twilight, especially to remember our brethern + of the Indiana conference at a throne of grace, praying each for the others, that we may be preserved from evil, and that we may greatly increase in knowledge, in holiness, and in usefulness, and be preserved blameless with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. C. W. Ruter, A. Eddy.”
p. 294 Sweet.
This resolution was repeated in 1843 (p. 326 Sweet), with these alterations: “our brethren of this Conference …, that all may be preserved from evil, that we may greatly increase ….and usefulness, and be made more than ever successful in spreading scriptural holiness over the lands.”
Prayer with Fasting, for the 1844 General Conference
“Resolved, That will endeavor to observe, and that we will recommend our people within the bounds of this conference to observe, Friday, the 26 th day of April next, as a day of fasting and prayer, with special reference to the meeting of our ensuing General Conference, fervently praying the Head of the Church so to direct that body, in all their deliberations, that their minds may be to such conclusions as shall most tend to promote the glory of God and advance the interests of the Redeemer’s Kingdom upon earth.”
p. 326 Sweet.