THIIRD THIOUSA ND.
EPISCOPAL MVETIIODISIM,
AS IT WAS, AND IS;
O R,
AN ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN, PROGRESS, DOCTRINES, CHURCH
POLITY, USAGES, INSTITUTIONS, AND STATISTICS,
OF THE
MIETIIODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
EMBRACING ALSO
A SKETCH OF TIIE RISE OF METHODIS-M IN EUROPE, AND OF ITS
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS IN CANADA.
BY
REV. P: DOUGLASS GORRIE,
AUTHOR OF "CIIURCIHES AND SECTS) 7 4 EPISCOPACY," TaC.
AUBURN:
DERBY AND MILLER.
1852.




ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852 by
DERBY AND MILLER,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Northern District of New. York,.
ITEREOTYPED BY THOMAS B. SMITHB
216 WILLIAM STREET, N. Y.




RECOMMENDATION.
"' HAVING examined the manuscript of the work entitled: EPISCOPAL
METHODISM, AS IT WAS, AND Is, &c., by Rev. P. Douglass Gorrie, and
believing that the work contains much useful information in relation
to the History, Doctrines, and Institutions of the Methodist Episcopal
Church; and that the facts therein stated are correct, so far as we
have been able to judge: we hereby cheerfully recommend the work
to the attention of the public, and especially to the members and
friends of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
G. C. WOODRUFF,
Presiding Elder of Potsdam District, B. R. Conference.
HIRAM SHEPARD,
Presiding Elder of Ogdensburgh District, B. R. Conference."








PREFACE.
THE only apology which the Author has to offer to
nis ministerial brethren, or to the public, for the appearance of this work, is, that he thinks such a work
is needed; not that the Church is unsupplied with
many valuable books of a historical and doctrinal
character; nor yet, that there are no works on the
ecclesiastical polity of Episcopal Methodism; but as
the author believes, there is no one work now extant
which embraces all these points. Such a work, containing the most important parts of Methodist history,
with a brief statement and defence of its doctrines, a
statement of its church polity in its various branches,
and much information in regard to its statistics, all
brought down to the present time, is now presented
to the Church and the public. That the work has its
imperfections is not impossible,-to claim otherwise
would be the evidence of vanity, —but we trust that its
defects are as few as might reasonably be expected in
a work of this description, and if there are errors, it is
to be hoped they are not material ones.
To name aZl the authors, from whom facts and statements have been obtained, would be unnecessary.
Suffice it to say, that a free use has been made of facts
referred to in Wesley's Journal, and in Bangs' "His



Ti                  PREFACE.
tory of the Methodist Episcopal Church," down to the
year 1840. The history of the Church for the past
ten or eleven years, has not been written by any person; consequently, the author has had the entire field
of history during that important period to himself.
"Meacham's History,"-a Canadian work,-has also
afforded some facts in relation to Methodism in Canada. On the doctrinal part, "Comfort's Articles" have
been reviewed, and many important thoughts have
been gleaned from that valuable work. That part of
the work relating to church polity, it is scarcely necessary to say, has been chiefly borrowed from the
little book called the " Methodist Discipline." WTere
we disposed to deny this fact, it might be said to us
as to one of old,-" Thy speech betrayeth thee." The
reader, however, will find much original matter even
here, the arrangement of course being principally original. The statistical information has been obtained
from the General Minutes, and from other reliable
sources.
Hoping the work will please the public, and meet
with a ready sale for the benefit of the enterprising
publishers, as well as that of the reader, the book, such
as it is, is committed to the mechanical skill of the one,
and to the attention of the other,
BY THE AUTHOR.
CANTON, ST. LAWRENCE CO.,
Nesw York, September, 1851.




CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
HISTORY OF METHODISM.
CHAPTER I.
FROM THE BIRTH OP JOHN WESLEY, TO TIHE INTRODUCTION OF
METHODISM  INTO AMERICA.
SECTION I.
PAGE
Birth of the Wesleys-Wesley at College-The Name Methodist
applied to him and others-Wesley makes frequent Excursions to preach-John and Charles receive a Call to go to
Georgia-Emlbark-Life on Shipboard —Moravians-Arrive
in Georgia-John Wesley's Course-His Return to England.   1
SECTION II.
Result of his Visit to America-Meets Peter Bohler-Joins a
Religious Society in Fetter Lane-Is Converted-Visits Germany-Charles Wesley Converted-Result of their Conversion-State of Religion in England-In the Church-Among
the Dissenters-Wesley inspired for his Work-Qualifications of the two Brothers for Religious Reformers.........   6
SECTION III.
Wesley begins Field Preaching-Lays the Foundation of the Bristol Chapel-Occupies the Foundry in London-Institutes
Class Meetings-Watch Meetings-Organizes Societies-Prepares the Generay Rules —Employs Lay Preachers......... 13




Vini                      CONTENTS.
SECTION IV.
Persecution of the Wesleys and others-Riots-Arrests-Anecdotes...........1.......................  17
SECTION V.
Success of the Wesleys-First Methodist Conference-Wesley
builds a School at Kingswood-Methodism introduced into
Ireland-Persecutions —Meethodismn introduced into Scotland  83
CHAPTER II
FROM THE INTRODUCTION  OF METHODISM  INTO AMERICA, TO
THE PRESENT TIME.
SECTION I.
Arrival of Irish Emigrants-Another Arrival-Philip EmburyRebuked by an Aged Lady-Preaches-Captain WebbPreaches in New York-Visits other Places-The Rigging
Loft-John Street Chapel-Wesley sends Boardman and Pilmore-Robert Strawbridge-Anecdote-Francis AsburyRichard Wright-Early Life of Asbury..................  37
SECTION II.
Asbury's Labors —Forbidden to preach by a Clergyman-The
Work spreads-Thomas Rankin arrives-First ConferenceRevolutionary War-Revival in Virginia-Mr. Jarratt....   48
SECTION III.
Declaration of Independence-Asbury fined-Garretson-Maltreated-Imprisoned-Released by the Governor-Another
Arrest-Anecdote-Difficulties about Ordinances-Difficulties
settled-Close of the War.............................  52
SECTION IV.
Acknowledgment of Independence-Wesley's Scruples overcomeDr. Coke ordained for America-Arrives-Methodist Episcopal
Church organized-Asbury elected and ordained-Results of




CONTENTS.                           iX
PAGE
Organization-Necessity for it-Cokesbury  College-Burnt —
Coke returns to Europe-Hostile Feelings of Charles Wesley
-Coke explains-Title "Bishop" given —Wesley's LetterNew York City.......................................  63
SECTION V.
Introduction of Methodism into New England-Jesse Lee-Adventures in New England-Nolrwalk —Faiirfield-StlratfordBoston-Boston  Common-A  Society formed-Difficulties
about obtaining a Place of Worship-New Chapel-Present
State of Methodism in New Englamd.....................  71
SECTION VI.
Death of Wesley-Coke returns to England-Asbury's and Garretson's Labors-District Conferences-Council formed-Disorganized-First General Conference-" O'Kelly" ExcitemnentPresiding Elders-Erection of Churlches-Methodism in M3aine
-New HIampsbhire-Yearly Conferences-Geneiral Conference
of 1800-Camp Meetings-Midethodisml in Canada-General
Conferences of 1804-8-1AWhatcoat's Death-McKendreeDelegated General Conference-Asbury in Canada.........  q6
SECTION VIT.
First Delegated General Conference-War of 1812-American
Preachers in Canada-Secession of "Refornmers"-Death of
Coke-Death of Asbury-Colored Secession-Second General
Conference —George and Roberts elected Bishops-M-ethodist
Magazine —Missionary Society-Colored Secession in New
York.................................................  84
SECTION VIII.
Third Delegated General Conference-Canadian Matters-Western Book Concern-Stillwvell Secession-General Conference
of 1824-Soule and Hedding elected-Madison CollegeSunday School Union-Petitions-Local Preachers-'-"Protestant" Secession —Death  of George-Seamen's Mission —
Colleges-Fifth General Conference-Andrew  and Enmory
elected Bishops-Liberia-Death of Cox-Colleges-Oregon
Mission-South American Missions-Death of McKendree
and Emory.......................................  88




x                         CONTENTS.
SECTION IX.
Sixth General Conference-Waugh, Morris, and Fisk elected
Bishops-Slavery  Discussion-O. Scott-Winans-Weekly
Papers-Black  River  Conference-Missionaries-German
Mission-Nast-Centenary  of Methodism-General Conference, 1840-Visitors —Abolitionists-Slavery in Methodist
Episcopal  Church — Extract — Zion's Watchman —Scott,
Storrs, Sunderland-Wesleyan Secession-" Spiritual Knockings"-Results of the Secession......................... 96
SECTION X.
General Conference of 1844-Death of Roberts-Hamline and
Janes elected Bishops-Slavery —Harding-Bishop Andrew
-Resolution-Pirotest-Reply-Plan of Separation-Sixth
Restrictive Rule-Course of Southern Delegates-Louisville
Convention - Southern General Conference —Capers and
Paine elected Bishops-Soule adheres to the South-Commissioners appointed-Violence of Feeling-Action of Annual
Conferences.....1............................... 105
SECTION XI.
General Conference, 1848-Dr. Dixon-Dr. Pierce-Southern
Commissioners-Provision for a Settlement of Claims-Law
Suit —Policy of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Regard to
Slavery- Digression-Oregon-Gary-Lee-Roberts-Wilbur-China-Collins-White-German   Mission-JacobyNast-Indians-St.  Regis-Arnold-Jennings-MissionsSunday Schools-Kidder......................              112
SECTION XII
Methodism in Canada-Soldiers-Quebec-Emigration-McCarty
-Anecdote-Opposers —Imprisonment-Diabolical Cruelty
- Disappearance - Losee - Woolsey- Sawyer-MerwinRuter - Bangs- Conversation-Preaches-Coate-War  of
1812-" Ryanites"-Peace declared-Asbury-English Missionaries - Difficulties - Memorials - Settlement - Canada
Conference-Separation-Dissatisfaction-Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada-Rupture-Reunion with British Conference-Present State.......1...............    119




CONTENTS.                        Xl
BOOK II.
DOCTRINES OF METHODISM.
INTRODUCTION6
Articles of Religion-Their Origin —V)at they contain-What
they do not contain-Objections to Written Creeds examinedRefuted............................................ 135
ARTICLE I.
OF FAITH IN THE HIOLY TRINITY.
But one God-Without Body or Parts-Trinity in Unity-Plurality of Persons in Godhead.............................. 138
ARTICLE II.
OF TILE WORD OR SON OF GOD WHO WAS MADE MAN.
Titles of Christ-Attributes of Christ-Acts of Christ-Worship
paid to Christ-Christ forgave Sins-Manhood of ChristReconciles God to Man................................ 143
ARTICLE III.
RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
]tesurrection-Ascension-General Judgment in the Future-On
an appointed Day-Judgment of former Generations-Judgment after Death-Second Coming of Christ............. 146
ARTICLE IV.
OF TIIE HOLY GHOST.
Divine Titles-Attributes-Acts ascribed to Holy Ghost-Form of
Baptism, &c.......................................... 148
ARTICLE V.
THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION.
Names of Canonical Books-Preservation of Scriptures, &c...... 150




xii                           CONTENTS.
ARTICLE VI.
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
PAGE
What taught —Moral Law not repealed...................... 13
ARTICLE VII.
ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN.
i-t.a1bl:,s-Man's Nature corrhpt —Proofs.................... 155
ARTICLE VIII.
OF FREE WILL.
Free Ag,,j -SelfConversion........................... 156
ARTICLE IX.
OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN.
Justification by ~'~,tll-Luther —Extract —Proofs...........   158
ARTICLE X.
OF G-OOD WORKS.
Necessity of Good'v o;S —-Fruits of Faith-Evidence.......... 159
ARTICLE XI.
OF Wo)tes OF SUPEREEROGATION.
Romish Church-Doctrine of Devils, &c...................... 161
ARTICLE XII.
OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION.
Sin against Holy Ghost-Still possible —Sins of Christians —Forgiveness............................................. 161
ARTICLE XII.
OF THE CIIURCH.
(1) A Congregation, &c.-(2) Composed of faithful Men —(3) Pure
Word preached-(4) Sacraments administered............ 163




CONTENTS.                       xih
ARTICLE XIV.
OF PURGATORY.
Romish Church-Restorationists —Spirits in Prison —PardonImages, &c. &cd...................................... 165
ARTICLE XV.
OF SPEAKING IN AN UNKxNOWN TONGUE.
Scripture Prohibition-Modern Sects......................... 167
ARTICLE XVI.
OF THE SACRAMIIENTS.
What they are —How many-Seven Sacraments..............  167
ARTICLE XVII.
OF BAPTISM.
(1) Its Origin-Jewish-Hebrew Examples-(2) Its Nature-Figurative not to represent the Death of Christ-A Sign of Profession-Entrance to the Church-A  Covenant-(3) Subjects
of Baptism —Adult Believers-Penitents-Infants-Proved
Abrahamic Covenant-Eligibility to Church MembershipAnalogy between Circumcision and Baptism-General Terms
-Baptism  of Households-Christian Fathers-(4) Mode of
Baptism-Not designated-Immersion not the Mode employed in Christ's Day-Baptisms on the Day of Pentecost-Philippian Jailer-" Spirit, Water, and Blood"............... 169
ARTICLE XVIII.
OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
Transubstantiation-Names by which designated-Design...... 178
ARTICLE XIX.
OF THE SUPPER IN BOTH KINDS.
Practice of Roman Church-Unscriptural..................... 180




CONTENTS.                         XV
I. WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.
Wesley's Views-Extracts-Conclusion..................... 19
II. SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS.
Term defined-Wesley's Views-Doctrine stated-Defended-Objections-Conclusion................................. 202
III. POSSIBILITY OF FALLING FROM GRACE.
Question —Doctrine of Methodist Church-Old Testament ProofNew Testament Proof-Objections to the Doctrine of Necessary Final Perseverance............................... 206
IV. ETERNAL REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.
Doctrine of the Church-Arguments from Reason and Scripture —
Conclusion........................................... 213
BOOK III.
POLITY OF EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
CHAPTER I.
SECTION I.
INTRODUCTION.
Mr. Wesley Founder of Episcopal Polity of Methodism-Doubts
on this Point examined-Refuted-Sunday Service, 1184Discipline-In what sense Episcopal-(1) Not in the Roman
sense-(2) Not in the Church of England sense-Methodist
Bishops.......................................... 217
SECTION II.
APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION.
Question stated-What involved in the Doctrine-Peculiarities




Xvi                       CONTENTS.
PAGn
of the Apostolic Office-Are modern Bishops Apostles?Have not the exclusive Power of Ordination-Scripture Testimony-Bishops and Presbyters the same in Order-Testimony of the Fathers-Councils-Channel of Episcopal Succession-First Bishop of Rome-Links in the Chain........ 223
SECTION III.
SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.
Fountain of English and American Episcopacy-Romish Ordinations-Canterbury-Yorkc-Apostolic Comnmissions —Origin of
Episcopacy-Illustration-Methodist Episcopacy-Wesleyan
Succession-" Once a Bishop, always a Bishop' —JudasDilemma for " Churchmen"-Arrogance-Objections....... 239
SECTION IV.
ORIGIN OF METHODIST EPISCOPACY, &C.
Mr. Wesley the Originator of American Episcopal Methodism-His
Letter to Bishop Asbury-Explanation of the Circumstances
under which it was written-Dr. Coke appointed Superintendent in 1784 by John Wesley —Letter of Wesley to Dr. Coke
and others-Remarks upon the Letter-The Right of the
Methodists to choose their own Form of Church Government
-The Organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church canonical, by the Terms of the Articles of the Church of England. 255
SECTION V.
ADVANTAGES OF THE METHODIST.EPISCOPAL FORM OF C'HURCH GOVERNMENT, WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER FORMS.
Various Systems of Church Government considered-Romish
Episcopacy-English Episcopacy-Protestant Episcopacy —
Presbyterianism-Congregationalism-Methodist Episcopacy
-Methodism  aggressive in its Nature-Objections to a Lay
Delegation in the General Conference.................... 26'




CONTENTS.                      XV
CHAPTER II.
GENERAL RULES, AND RECEPTION, AND EXPULSION OF
MEMBERS.
SECTION I.
PAGE
GIENERAL RULES.........................    277
SECTION IL
OF RECEIVING MEMBERS........................... o  281
SECTION III.
ON THE TRIAL AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS... 281
CHAPTER III.
OF THE MINISTERS, PREACHERS, AND OTHER OFFICERS,
SECTION L
OF THE BISHOPS,  8...........................   285
SECTION IL
OF THE PRESIDING ELDERS..................              287
SECTION IIL
OF TRAVELLING ELDERS......2.......... l                ~a a 0 00 288
SECTION IV.
OF TRAVELLING DEAGONS....................              290
SECTION V.
OF SUPERANNUATED AND SUPERNUMERARY PREACHERS.... 291
SECTION VI.
OF TRAVELLING PREACHERS...................,            291
2




XViii                    CONTENTS.
SECTION VII.
PAGE
OF PREACHERS IN CHARGE.............................  292
SECTION VIII.
OF LOCAL ELDERS, DEACONS, AND PREACHERS................ 293
SECTION IX.
OF EXHORTERS, STEWARDS, CLASS LEADERS, AND TRUSTEES....... 295
CHAPTER IV.
OF THE GENERAL, ANNUAL, AND QUARTERLY CONFERENCES1
AND OTHER COLLECTIVE BODIES.
SECTION I.
OF THE GENERAL CONFERENoCE............................ 298
SECTION II.
OF THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES.............................. 300
SECTION III.
OF TIE QUARTERLY CONFERENCES.......................... 301
SECTION IV.
Or LEADERS' MEETINGS........3...................... 802
SECTION V.
OF SOCIETY AND CLASS IMEETINGS..........3.....          303
CHAPTER V.
OF THE PUBLIC AND SOCIAL MEANS OF GRACE.
SECTION I.
OF PUBLIo  WORSHIP.........................     304




CONTENTS.                           xix
SECTION II.
PAGE
OF CLASS MEETINGS........................                      305
SECTION III.
OF BAND MEETINGS............................. 306
SECTION IV.
OF PRAYER MEETIN GS.....................................   30
SECTION V.
OF Love FEASTS..................................... 308
SECTION VI.
OF CAMP MEETINGS..................................... 309
SECTION VII.
OF WATCH NIGHT MEETINGS...................3...... 310
SECTION VIII.
OF PROTRACTED AND OTHER MEETINGS......................  811
CIHAPTER VI.
OF THE SUPPORT OF TfE MINISTRY AND FINANCIAL INTERESTS
OF THE CHURCH.
SECTION I.
OF THE ANNUAL ALLOWANCE TO MINISTERS................... 314
SECTION II.
OF CHURCHES AND CHURCH PROPERTY.31.................   319




CONTENTS.
APPENDIX TO BOOK IIL.
PAGE
I)ECISIONS, AND RESOLUTIONS ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF DISCIPLINB
OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH................... 21
AUTHORITIES..................................... 328
BOOK IV.
BENEVOLENT AND LITERARY INSTITUTIONS, AND
STATISTICS OF METHODISM.
CHAPTER I.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
SECTION I.
BOOK CONCERN.
Its Design-Its History-Present State-Financial Exhibit....., 829
SECTION IL
CHARTERED FUND.
Its Institution and Design-Location-Amount and Disbursement
of Funds..                                            335.............................  838
SECTION III.
MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Its Organization-Objects-Life Members, &c.-Officers-Receipts
-Disbursements-Number of Missions, &c.-AuxiliariesMissionary Character of Methodism......................  885




CONTENTS.
SECTION IV.
SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION OF METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
PAGN
Originator of Sunday Schools-Raikes —Wesley-Establishment
in America —Present State of Methodist Episcopal Sunday
Schools-Receipts-Statistics........................... 338
SECTION V.
BIBLE SOCIETY.
American Bible Society —When formed —Its Object-Co-operation
of the Methodist Episcopal Church —Receipts-Expenditures
-Circulation of Copies-Receipts from Methodist Episcopal
Church..3.................................... 341
CHAPTER II.
LITERARY INSTITUTIONS OF METHODISM.
SECTION I.
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.
Cokesbury College-Dr. Fisk —List of Colleges, &c......     43
SECTION IL
BIBLICAL INSTITUTE.
Formation-Design-Endowment-Students, &c.............. 44
SECTION III.
ACADEMIES,.&................3....,    845
CHAPTER III.
STATISTICS OF EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
SECTION I.
THE NUMBER OF CONFERENCES, &C.............3........   847
SECTION II.
NUMBER OF BISHOPS, PRESIDING ELDERS, AND PREACHERS....... 348




X11X                       CONTENTS
SECTION IIL
PAGE
NU~MBER OF MEMBERS AND PROBATIONERS..................... 348
SECTION IV.
STATISTICS OF MIETIIODTST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH.
Bishops-Book Concern-Periodicals-Missions-Colleges-Ministers-AMlembers-Sunday Schools...................... 3 50
SECTION V.
SUMMARY OF EPISCOPAL METHODISM IN THE UNITED STATES..... 351
SECTION VI.
TABLE  OF MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF EACH METHODIST DENOMtINATION IN THE UNITED STATES..................... 352
SECTION VII.
ENGLISH AND CANADIAN METHODISM..........3............. 53
SECTION VIII.
RECAPITULATION OF STATISTICS-CONCLUSION................... 354




BOOKO I.
HISTORY OF METHODISM.,
CHAPTER I.
SECTION  L
JOHN  WESLETY, the father and founder of METIIonISM, was
born on the 17th  of June, A.D 1703.   I3e was the son of
Samuel Wesley, Rector of Epworth, Lincolnshire, England, and
was tle descendant of a long list of learned and pious ancestors, both on the paternal and maternaal side.  John Wesley
had two brothlers; the elder, Samuel, was born in 1692, educated in Wtesttminster school, and at the age of nineteen was
elected to Christ's Church, Oxford.  After a life of ministerial
and literary usefulness, he died in 1739.  Charles, the younger
br~other, was born in 1708.  Besides these three sons, Mr.
Wesley, senior, had several daughters, but as tleir biography
is not necessarily connected with the annals of Methodism, we
merely allude to the fact witlhout further  detail.
At the age of six years, John had a wonderLfuil escape from
death.  The rectory, or plarsonage house, in whllich the family
resided, having  been consumed by fire, while Jolhn, being
asleep in an upper apartmelnt, was with great difficulty saved
fiomn destruction.  In afllusion to this deliverance, he, in after
life, frequently represented himirself as being " a brand plucked
from the blrnilng."
After receiving the necessaryv instruction preparatory to his




2                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
admission to the University, he was, in the year 1720, entered
as a student in Christ's Church College, Oxford, where he pursued his studies with unwearied diligence and zeal, and where
he soon after took his degree of Bachelor of Arts. In 1725,
he was ordained a deacon of the established Church of England by the Bishop of Oxford, and the next year, 1726, he was
elected Fellow of Lincoln College. In 1727, he obtained his
degree of Master of Arts, and in 1728 was ordained Priest by
the same bishop who had previously conferred upon him deacon's orders. In the meantime, John had become curate of
Epworth, or assistant minister to his father. In the year 1729
he returned to Oxford and became a tutor in the college.
During his temporary absence from college, his brother Charles,
who had become a student of Christ's Church, and was of a
serious turn of mind, had associated with himself two or three
other young students, for the purpose of prosecuting with
greater diligence their respective studies, and also to assist each
other in the formation of a proper moral and religious character.  From  the strict method in which they spent their every
hour, and their methodical exactness in relation to all things
appertaining to morality and religion, they acquired from their
fellow-students the name of /Iethodists, an appellation which
was not unknown in England, as we find that the Nonconformists had long been known by that title, and even before the
times of nonconformity-as early as 1639-we find a minor
sect of Christians, who appear to have been a plain and pious
people called by the same name-Methodists.  But at whatever period the name was first applied to any sect of Christians, but little doubt can exist in relation to its application to
Charles Wesley and his associates; that it was used as a term
of reproach, and afterward adopted as a denominational title
by the force of circumstances, and although at first considered
disgraceful by those who applied it, yet, like the name Christian, which was first given to the disciples at Antioch, by way
of derision, it has long ceased to be considered reproachful by




THE WESLEYS AT OXFORD.                   3
those who bear it, but next to that of Christian, the Methodists glory in their name, and if any regret exists in relation to
its application, it is that those who bear it are not more worthy
of it.
On the return of Mr. John Wesley to Oxford, he at once
joined the little band, and by common consent became its
leader, and through his influence and energy, his piety and
depth of learning, he gave additional vigor to their exertions to
promote their own welfare and the welfare of others. Among
those composing the Godly Claub, as it was sometimes called,
were shortly afterwards found, Mr. Hervey, the author of
" Hervey's Meditations," and the justly celebrated George
Whitfield.
During the residence of John and Charles Wesley at Oxford, the former took frequent excursions to his native town,
and visited other places of note, such as London, and Manchester.  lie appears to have made it a point of duty, even
at this early day, to preach wherever he could find an opening, and such was his success as a preacher, that on the decline of his father's health, he was strongly urged by the
latter, as well as by his brother Samuel, and also by the
people of Epworth, to apply for the parish of Epworth, as
the next presentee. Such, however, was his attachment to
the little band at Oxford, that neither the wishes of a father,
nor the sterner commands of a brother, could induce him
to forsake the station where God in his providence had
placed him, while it is quite probable he had resolved, as a
mnatter of duty, not to confine his labors to the limits of a single parish, but if he removed at all from Oxford, to go anywhere where the finger of God should direct, that he might do
the greatest amount of good, to the greatest possible number.
While actuated by this spirit of self-denial, it is not wonderful
that we find him, during his stay at Oxford, visiting the prisoners in the gaol of that place; or spending several hours in
each week in visiting the poor and sick, affording relief to the




4                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
one, and comfort and instruction to the other.  Such ministerial devotedlness will not appear wonderful to us, but to those
who lived in that day, it was a novel sight to see any man,
aside fiom the minister of the parish, or the paid chaplain of
the prison, paying any fattention to either the pool', the sick, or
the criminal; and indeed, so strange did such conduct appear,'on the part of Mr. Wesley and his companionls, that they wereL
subjected thereby to much obloquy and reproach fromn the members of their own church, but being encouraged     in his labors
of love by his venerable father and elder brother, John and
Charles continued in their course of doing' good, accordlini' as
their time and means would allow.  After having' been thus
engaged for several years, the two brothers received a call to
go to Georgia as missionaries.  A  colony had been planted
here a few years previously, under the direction of Mr. James
Oglethorpe, who, on visitinrg England for the purpose of procuringl supplies, &c., invited the Wesleys to return wit  himn.
After due deliberation'John consented to go, and Chlarles,
agireing  to accompany himu, received ordination i'rior to their
departure.  In the year 1735, they accordingly bid adieu to
remonstratting   friends, and beloved country, and committed
their little all to the mercies of the deep and the inhospitalities of a savage shore.  In the same ship which carried them
to their field of labor, was a company of pious Germnans
belonging to the church of the AMoravians or United Brethren,
accompanied by their bishop.  For the purpose of conversi1ng
with them, Mr. John Wesley applied himself at once to the
study of the German language, while he also gave lessons in
English to the bishop and two other persons.  During' the
passage they encountered several severe storms, which relcdered
their situation dangerous in the extreme.  While momentarily
expecting to find a watery grave, the MAoravians-both men
and women-preserved the utmost composure, and even while
the storm was at its height, cheerfully sang hymns of praise to
God.  John Wesley, who, on examining the state of his own




MISSION TO GEORGIA.                       5
heart, felt unprepared to die, could but wonder at such composure on the part of his German fiiends.  On the abatement of
the storm, he made inquiries for the purpose of ascertaining the
ground of such composure and fearlessness of death, and learned
for the first time in his life, that there is a degree of religion
attainable by believers, which'-' casteth out fear."
On the arrival of the Wesleys in Georgia, John took charge
of the church in Savannah, while Charles went to Frederica.
The Colonists at the latter place were greatly depraxved, and
their conduct calling out strong rebuke from their faithful pastor, lie became at once the object of bitter persecution and
neglect, so much so, that he gladly exchanged places with his
older and more experienced  brother John, —Chblrles takiigo
charge of Savannah, and John of Frederica.  In 1736, Charles
was sent to England as the bearer of despatches firom  the
Goaeinor to the Trustees of the Colony, and thus his missionary
labors in America terminated.  John, howeveer, remained at his
post, having returned to Savannah —visiting  Frederica occasionally-and by the establishlment of schools, private religious
meetings, &c., he gave evidence of a desire to rnmake full proof
of his ministry.  ITe even attempted carryling out his oriinal
design of laborilng exclusively for the benefit of the Indian tribes,
but as there was no other minister to supply his place in Savannah, he was obligecd reluctantly to remain in that place.  While
officiating as the minister of Savannah and Frederica, his object
was to bring himself and congregation to comply with the 1ubriCs of the Church1 of England, and while enforcing the necessity
of attending the Comlmunion on the part of the lparishioners, at
tlhe salre time to repel unworthy persons from the table of tole
Lord.  In doing so, he at once subjected himiself to thle most
fierce opposition firom  the persons repelled, and firom  their
fiiends and neighbors.  So high did the storm rnate, that conmplaints were mande to the g'rand jury of Savannail, Iwhrich latter
body presented to the court, a bill of indictment against the
Rev. John Wesley for breaking the laws of the realm11, &c. &c,,




6                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
in sundry matters purely ecclesiastical. At length, having appeared seven times before the court to answer these charges,
and believing that the intention of his enemies being simply to
harass him and drive him from the Colony, he, after consulting
with his friends, resolved to return to England by the first opportunity; and having set up an advertisement in the great
square to that effect, and served personal notice on his chief
persecutor to the same effect, on the 2d of December, 1737,
he bid farewell to his friends in Georgia, and proceeded by land
to Carolina for the purpose of procuring a passage, and on the
22d of the same month he bid adieu to America, and on the
first of February following, he once more set foot on the shores
of England, having been absent nearly two years and a half
from his native land.
SECTION IT.
THE visit of Mr. Wesley to America, if not followed by all
the good results which he desired, was nevertheless followed by
consequences which to himself and the world may never be
fully known until eternity discloses more clearly to the knowledge of man the true relation of cause and effect. We have
hitherto been looking at Mr. John Wesley as a young man —a
scholar-a minister-having the fear of God before his eyes,
and using all his powers to bring himself into subjection to the
law of God, but we have not thus far been able to discover in
him the power of saving faith. HIis intercourse with the Moravians while on the passage to America and during his residence in Georgia, convinced him, that notwithstanding his
morality and uprightness of conduct, these poor Germans had
something which he did not possess, that the humility, patience,
long-suffering, and kindness, manifested by them  were the
fruits of a certain kind or degree of faith, to which he had not
as yet attained, and however desirous of possessing the same,




FORMATION OF THE FIRST SOCIETY. 
how to attain to it he knew not. In this state of spiritual
darkness and blindness, he remained until his return to England. A few days after his arrival, he proceeded to London,
where lie providentially met the Rev. Peter Bobler, a bishop
of the Moravian church.  To this man he opened his heart,
ald after several communications with him, he became more
clearly convinced that thus far himself had been a stranger to
the exercise of evangelical faith-a faith which consists of a
"sure trust and confidence, which a man has in God, that
through the merits of Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he
reconciled to the favor of God."  He also became convinced
of the possibility and necessity of instantaneous conversion, and
although yet a stranger to the converting grace of God in his
own heart, by the advice of Mr. Bohler he resolved to preach
the doctrines of faith and conversion, until he himself became
the subject of that grace. For the purpose of advancing the
cause of truth in his own heart, and the hearts of others, by
the further advice of Mr. Bohler, Mr. Wesley and a few others
formed themselves into a religious Society which met in Fetterlane, which Society was long after known as the "Fetter-lane
Society," and was composed at first of united brethren and
members of the church of England.  Mr. Wesley continued
to walk in darkness until the 24th of May, on the evening
of which day he attended a meeting in Aldersgate-street, and
while a person was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to
the Romans, and while describing the change which is wrought
in the heart through faith in Christ, "I," says Wesley, "felt
my heart strangely warmed, I felt I did trust in Christ alone
for salvation: and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of
sin and death."  In those few words, we have recorded Mr.
Wesley's account of his own conversion,-an event of greater
importance to the religious world and to mankind in general,
than the birth of a Napoleon or the victories of the greatest
warriors the world ever knew. The immediate fruit of his




8                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
conversion, and at the same time a strong evidence of its realitand genuineness, was a love for his enemies, and a desire for
their welfare.  "I began," he continues, "to pray with all my
might for those who had in a more especial manner despitefully
used me and persecuted me."
It is worthy of remark that the first time Mr. Wesley prayed
extempore, was with a prisoner under sentence of death, by the
name of Clifford; and that the Father of mercies was pleased
to sanction such mode of prayer, by giving the poor criminal
a knowledge of s.in forgiven which he retained to his last
earthly moments.  It is also worthy of attention, that this incident transpired but a few days previous to Mr. Wesley's
conversion.
After Mr. Wesley's conversion, he had a strong desire to
visit Germany and converse with those pious Moravians who
had obtained like precious faith with himself. He accordingly
sailed from London, and on the 15th of June reached Rotterdam.  WThile on his way to HIernhut-the Moravian settlement-he was hospitably entertained by Count Zinzendorf, the
leader and head of the Moravians, and with him  he spent
some pleasant hours in conversation in regard to the doctrines
of the new birth and justification by faith. On the first of
August he reached Hernhut, where he spent a fortnight,
visiting the brethren, listening to their preaching, and conversing frequently and freely with them on experimental subjects,
faith, &c. Here he learned many things of which he had
before been ignorant, and admired in many respects their
temporal economy, and after having bidden the brethren a reluctant farewell, he returned to London, more than ever determined to preach Christ and salvation through faith.
Shortly before the conversion of John W [esley, he, in company with Peter Bohler, visited Charles' Wesley, who was
then in Oxford, confined upon a bed of sickness. Bohler
proclaimed to him the way of life and salvation; but although
sincerely desirous of being all that God would have him be,




CONDITION OF THE ESTABLISHED CHURCII.           9
he was rather too much of a Pharisee to be willing to throw
away his own righteousness, and throw himself all naked and
helpless on the blood of Christ for salvation. After his recovery, he repaired to London, where Bohler again visited him,
and succeeded in convincing him that his "own righteousness
was but as filthy rags," and that while unjustified before God,
his state was eminently a dangerous one. From this moment
he became a sincere seeker of salvation by faith alone, and on
the 21st of May, 1738-three days previous to the conversion
of his brother John —he became the happy subject of converting grace.  Thus the two brothers who had suffered so much
together in, and for the cause of God, were brought nearly at
the same time to a state of justification before God, and to the
enjoyment of the blessings resulting from faith in Christ as
their personal Saviour; and thus in a marvellous manner and
by the most humble instrumentalities was the Lord raising up
from the bosom of the church of England, men who would in
future produce a greater, a mightier, a happier revolution, not
only in England, but throughout Christendom, than the world
had witnessed since the days of Luther-a revolution embracing
the best of all objects, and attended by the best of all results,
-a revival of pure religion.
At the period of the conversion of the Messrs. Wesley, vital
piety was but little known in England. Indeed, the religion
of the kingdom was a religion of mere forms and ceremonies, of prayers, fasts, and thanksgivings; while Sabbathbreaking, drunkenness, licentiousness, gambling, hunting, &c.
&c., were not only permitted, but openly practised by the
clergy of the Established Church.  So greatly, indeed, had
true religion declined after the Reformation, that Archbishop
Leighton in speaking of the church in his time represents it as
a "carcass without a spirit;" and Bishop Burnet represents
the clergy of his times as having " less authority, and more contempt than those of any other church in Europe," as " more remiss in their labors, and less severe in their lives;" and such




EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
was the fact at the beginning of the labors of the Wesleys and
their co-laborers.  Darkness, moral, spiritual, doctrinal, covered
the people. With an orthodox liturgy, there existed a semiinfidel clergy; with a formula of devotion, beautiful in its language, and sublime in its teachings, the bought or borrowed
sermons of its ministers, while they vied to correspond with the
beauty, were entire strangers to the sublimity, and indeed to
the theology found in their book of devotion. This state of
things, deplorable as it might be, was not after all among the
unaccountable events of history.  About the time of the Reformation under Luther, we find England with its church and
clergy a nation of Papists. Soon the church becomes Protestant, and the clergy, for the sake of retaining their livings, become Protestant also. Again the church relapses into Romanism, and the clergy, with the same object in view, become
Romanists. Again Protestant episcopacy becomes the religion
of the nation, and the clergy, ever mindful of their own interests, become again traitors to the Pope, and the staunch friends
of the Reformation. With such motives to influence the clergy
in their frequent conversions, we may naturally conclude that
while thefleece was an object of their tender regard, the flock
themselves were entirely neglected. If, in fact, the religious
teachers of the establishment were mere men of the world,
seeking after wealth, or pursuing the rounds of pleasure and
amusement, alike forgetful of their own souls and the souls of
their people, what, we ask, must have been the moral and religious condition of that people? To be baptized, confirmed,
and attend the communion of the Lord's Supper on Christma
day, Easter-Sunday, and perhaps once or twice more during
the year, constituted in their view the obedience which Christ
requires of his followers; while drunkenness, profanity, Sabbath-breaking, and their kindred vices prevailed to an alarming extent. In a word, the Church of England was principally
composed of a multitude of baptized heathens, who were but
little superior to the aborigines of America, either in point of




PROVIDENTIAL LEADING OF JOHN WESLEY.           11
religion, morals, or intelligence.  Nor was the state of religion
much better in the different dissenting bodies of the land.  It
is true that a higher tone of morality and intelligence existed
in the different dissenting churches. The ministers, as a general thing, were men of morality and integrity, but through the
influence of Pelagian sentiments and Antinomian errors, vital
godliness was but little known either among ministers or people. If the above facts were not matters of history, the charitable reader would no doubt feel disposed to think that we had
given altogether too dark a picture of the then existing state
of things; but the annals of the times convince us that while
infidelity prevailed among the higher classes, and even amlong
the clergy, the grossest and most beastly passions were exhibited
fiom time to time among the lower classes.  England was indeed a "carcass without a spirit," a carcass dead, rotten, and
fit only for burial in the depths of the sea.  Such was the existing state of things in England when John and Charles
Wesley were brought to the knowledge of the truth as it regards experimental piety; and from the knowledge of their
character previously to their conversion we may reasonably
suppose that after becoming Christians they would be in
labors still more abundant, and would evince a still greater desire to bless and save their fellow-men. But at this time the
brothers, especially John, had formed no plan of operation for
their future course of action.  Indeed John Wesley from the
beginning to the end of his ministerial life appears to have
been emphatically the child of Providence, goin'g  as far,
and no farther than Providence seemed to open his way.
Hence while we follow him  fiom step to step, from one thing
to another-fiom the formation of his first Society to the organization of his legal Conference, we can clearly trace the finger
of God pointing, directing, controlling this wonderful man in
all his varied movements. Not that we believe that John
Wesley was the subject of plenary inspiration, but that he did
act under the inspired influence of the Holy Ghost, we no
S




12                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
more doubt than we doubt the fact of his existence, or doubt
the propriety of the petition offered by the bishop who ordained him in these words"Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art
Who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart," &c.
Yes, John Wesley's "soul" was " inspired" to accomplish the
work which God had given him to do, and acting under the
influence of such inspiration he chose the " world for his
parish," and "souls as his hire."  Besides, John Wesley was
peculiarly fitted by nature, education, and grace to become a
religious reformer.  With  a sound physical constitution, a
commanding flow of eloquence, a prepossessing appearance, a
large stock of useful knowledge, and above all, a heart full of the
love of God and man, panting after the redemption of his
countrymen, and the salvation of the world, he was eminently
qualified for the work of an apostle. Nor was his brother
Charles wanting in those gifts and graces necessary to fit him
to become a faithful co-worker in the vineyard of the Lord.  A
man of solid information, of sanctified talents, of cautious zeal,
he was prepared to render great assistance to his brother in
promoting a revival of pure religion. But the great qualification possessed by Charles as a religious reformer was the wonderful, wesmight almost say, the inspired gift of poetry evinced
by him  in the composition of those sacred, sublime songs
which he wrote for the use of the people converted through
the instrumentality of himself and fellow-laborers.  These
songs, or hymns, are among the most perfect specimens of genuine poetry that can be found in Christendom.  Not only do
we find in them good taste, but good theology; not merely a
beautiful arrangement of words and lines, a body without a
soul, but a hidden power, a soul-stirring pathos, a something




LABORS AT BRISTOL.                  13
that takes hold of the heart while it pleases the ear-that subdues the fiercer passions awhile it raises the flame of love-that
brings down the pride of the human heart, makes' a man
loathe himself, and then raises his thoughts to heaven, to
Christ, to God, and leads lhimn by faith to realize a " heaven on
earth begun."  TIhe poetic works of Charles Wesley, and the
literary and theological productions of John Wesley, will ever
remlain a standing monument of their learning, their zeal, their
piety, their qualifications as ministers of God, raised up for an
extraordinary purpose, and endowed with extraordinary gifts,
to enable them to discharge the duties of an extraordinary
calling amongr men.
From the above remarks the reader will perceive that while
we do not claim for the Wesleys the possession of the same
degree of inspiration granted to the prophets and apostles of
old, we do claim for them such a degree of inspiration as is not
ordinarily given to the ministers of Christ, even to the most
faithful of thenm-a degree of inspiration necessary to prepare
them to produce one of the greatest moral and religious reformations known in modern times.
SECTION III.
AFTER the conversion of John Wesley he began immediately to'declare what the Lord had done for his soul, and
wherever he was permitted to use the pulpits of his brother
clergymen, he gladly availed himself of the privilege both in
and around London.  He also extended his labors to Bristol,
Oxford, and other parts of England, and such was the degree
of fervor and zeal with which he proclaimed the way of life
and salvation, that many of the lukewarm or unconverted
clergy took offence at his zeal and fidelity, and closed their
churches against him. The closing of the churches in London
and other places, impelled Mr. Wesley to adopt the practice of




14                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
field-preaching, or preaching in the open air.  His first attempt
at field-preaching was in Bristol on the 1st of April, 1739.
While in London he had been strongly solicited by Rev.
George Whitfield, who was then in Bristol, and who had commenced the practice of field-preaching, to repair to the latter
place for the purpose of holding forth the way of life and salvation.  He arrived at Bristol on Saturday evening, and on
the following day he, for the first time, witnessed what in his
journal he calls, " this strange way of preaching in the fields."
At first he could not reconcile such proceedings with his nice
sense of propriety and order, but on th.e following day, in the
afternoon, he so far overcame his scruples as to adopt the same
method of doing good by preaching to a congregation of three
thousand people with great effect. After spending some time
in Bristol, he returned to London, and finding most of the
churches closed against him, lie preached to large congregations in an open space called Moorfields.  On the 12th of May,
1739, Mr. Wesley laid, the foundation of the first Methodist
chapel.  Bristol has the honor of being the place where this
chapel was erected.  On November of the same year, Mr.
Wesley began to occupy as a preaching place an old building
which had been used as a cannon foundry in Moorfields, London. From the circumstance of its having been previously
used for the above purpose, it was ever after known by the
name of "Foundry Chapel," or simply the "Foundry."  In
this same year (1739), class meetings were instituted. They
originated in Bristol, and were merely a result of the erection
of the chapel above alluded to. In erecting the said chapel
Mr. Wesley had not designed, nor did he expect to take any
responsibility as to the trouble and expense of building.
Eleven persons had been selected as feoffees or trustees of the
building. But the wdrk had not progressed far before Mr.
Wesley became satisfied that if completed at all he must become responsible for the cost. He accordingly involved himself in debt to raise means to complete the edifice, and as he




CLA SS-LEADERS.-THE COLLIERS.              15
had not the means to defray the expense oru of his own pocket
he appointed certain persons to go round among the members
of the Society, and receive a penny a-week or whatever they
felt disposed to give. These collectors being men of piety,
when receiving the penny from  each one, in return gave a
word of Christian advice and exhortation.  Soon, however, it
was found more convenient for the members of the Society to
bring in their pennies at an appointed time and place, and pay
the same over to the collectors, the latter in every case giving
advice and exhortation.  From this circumstance arose the distinct formation of classes, and the appointment of class-leaders
to take charge of a limited number of the members in Society
in the absence of Mr. W\esley; and in pursuing the above plan,
not only \was the chapel debt in clue time cancelled, but the
memobers were individually strengthened and encouraged to
persevere in the waiy of holiness.
About this titne, or shortly after, watch-night meetings were
held among the poor colliers of Kingswood near Bristol.  Those
men while in a state of sin and ignorance, had been in the
habit of spending their Saturdlay evenings to a late hour at the
tavern or ale-house ill the most profane and boisterous manner;
but after havingr liVstened to the preaching of Wesley and Whitfield, they heartily renounced thek sins and became " new men
in Christ Jesus."  Their Saturday evenings, instead of being
spent as heretofore, were speilt in the more becoming manner
of praying to, and praising God; and such was the success attending these late mIeetings of the colliers that Mr. Wesley afterward, in 1742, introduced theml into thd Society in London,
lhaving held them  at first once a month, and then once a
quarter.
In the meanwhile Societies were being raised up in differents parts of England and Wales, and new doors were continually being opened for the Wesleys.  New  fields of-labor
were constantly presenting themselves before them, and cries of
a Macedonian nature were multiplying on every hand.  The




16                EPISCOPAL METItODISM.
WVesleys did not obey these calls without subjecting themselves
to reproach and persecution.  From the Archbishop of Canterbury down to the servile curate of an obscure parish, and fiom
the peer down to the scum of the people, their motives were
misjudged, their actions misrepresented, their seeming irregrularities condemned, and in some cases their persons -were imsulted; but in spite of ecclesiastical opposition, or the rude insults of the profane, the work of God continued to spread fir
and wide.  Congregations numbering from one to fifteen thousand were frequently collected to hear the gloriouts doctrine of
the cross; and many of them not only heard but believed, and
were saved.  As many of such as desired were permitted to
become members of the Society, that they migoht meet frolm
time to time for mutual edification and instruction.  As the
Societies continued to multiply it became necessary to adopt
some rule of conduct as a condition of memlberslhip), and in
1743, the general rules of the Societies were adlpt(ed and published by iMr. Wesley.  These rules in substance rermain tle
same at the present time, and we have no doubt will continue
in substance whlat they ever have been as long as Methodlismn
exists.  As Societies multiplied it became necessary to leave the
same under the spiritual guidance of some'one or more pious
and judicious men, wlho, in the absence of Mr. Wesl-ey, would exercise a kind of pastoral supervision over them.  Whelltre the clergyman of a parlish would consent to take such supervision, Mhr.
Wesley gladly availed himself of such aid, and it is gratifying
to know  that there were a few evangliccal clergymnien of the
Church of England who became faithful laborious co-wvorkers
with Mr.'Wesley in this and other respects; but when, as it.
most cases, the ministers of the Establishment not only witllheld their co-operation, but openly and rudely opposed the
work of God, it became necessary to select othler persons who
would act as far as they could in giving' assistance to iMr. WVesley in the spiritual supervision of his Societies.  Hence arose
the necessity for lay-preachers, or men who had not been episco



LAY-PREACHERS.                          17
pally ordained by the authority of the Church of England.  At
first Mr. Wesley appears to have been opposed to the preaching of laymen, but in this as in many other resplects his opposition was overcome by tile scenting indications of the Providence of God.  Whllile preparing to leave London for a time
he requested Mr. Thomas Maxfield, a young nman of respectabile
talents, to(  prayY  with and advise the Society in his absence.
After havingi  exercised his gifts several we(eks, according to the
request of XMr. YWesley, he at lengttlh thooul'ht it to be his duty
to expound a portion of Scripture, and did so much to the satisfactionl and edilication of tile Society; but when Mr. Wesley
heard at a distance of LMr. Maxftild's attelll)ts to preach he
hurried back to London withl all speed to )put a stop to what
he considered an outrage uipon order and  propriety.  Before,
however, lie approaclhed MA.-axfield for tlle ipurpose of silencing
him, Mr. Wesley's mother interfered by sailng', " John, take.
care what you do with respect to tlhat yunlle manin, for he is as
surlely called of God to prench as you ar."   lI Mr. Wesley hesitatred, wlited unttil lie had hilnself lheard Maxfield p[retch, witZiids,.d tile effcts p)roduecid 1,y suclh p'eaiclitn', and concluded,
indeed, tliat it no;t in tlme orderi of the Clhrclh of lEn'land that
ullnodained men shlould preach the g'os,:!, it  was certainly in
accorldance with tile will of heaven.  Froin  this period  laypreacliers belgan to multiply, and it is owing to the lhabors of
tlhose men that tlhe stone'  wlhiehl first was set in motion by thc
ANVesleys, has rolled witli increasing dimnensions and velocity
thr oughout Elliand, and other parts of the eartlh.
SECTION IV.
AWE   have stated in the p1'evious sections, that thle nMessrs.
TWesley were thle subjects of reproach and persecution, and the
same is true of nalny of thlose who adopted  thleir views and
becamle lmetubers of tleir Societies.  It miay not be uninterest



1s8               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
ing or unprofitable to the reader, to give a few instances of
bitter hostility on the part of clergymen and others, to the
early Methodists, which facts we glean principally from Wesley's
Journal.
While Mr. Wesley was on one occasion preaching in Bath,
the notorious Beau Nash, the prince of fashion and dissipation,
approached the preacher and inquired by what authority he
said those things?  Mr. Wesley at once replied: " By the
authority of Jesus Christ, conveyed to me by the (now) Archbishop of Canterbury when he laid his hands upon me and
said,'Take thou authority to preach the gospel."'" Nash said
to him, "This is contrary to act of Parliament, this is a conventicle."  Wesley replied, " Sir, the conventicles mentioned in
that act are seditious meetings; but this is not such, here is no
shadow of sedition; tlerefore it is not contrary to that act."
Nash replied, " I say it is; and beside, your preaching frightens
people out of their wits."  " Sir, did you ever hear me preach l"
"No."  "How then can you judge of what you never heard?"
"'Sir, by common report."  "Common lrepor:t, Sir, is not
enough.  Give me leave, Sir, to ask, is not your name Nash?"
"My name is Nash."   Sir, I dare not judge of you by common report, I think it is not enough to judge by3." After )ausing,
awhile, Nash  recovered himself, and said, "[ desire to know
what these people come here for:" on which an old lady replied, " Sir, leave him to me; let an old womnan answer hilm:
you, Mr. Nash, take care of your body; we take care of our
souls, and for the food of our souls we cotme here."  Nashl,
being thus confounded by the old lady, walked off without
adding another word.
At a certain time, Mr. Charles Wesley visited Gloucester in
company with Tholmas Maxfield, and repaired to a place called
Bengeworth for the purpose of seeing Mr. Benjamin Seward,
an old friend and fellow-Christian.  They however found that
Mr. S. had been for some time sick of a fever, and that during
his sickness, his relations, who were violent opposrs of the




OPPOSITION AT GLOUCESTER.                   19
truth, had intercepted all his letters and called his fever maclness, and had placed serv-ats over him to prevent any Methodist
fromn coring near hirm.  Instead   of being perinitted to see, and
converse with his friends, AMr. Henry Seward, a brother of the
sick man, gave Mr. Wesley plenty of abuse, by calling him a
scoundrel, rascal, pickpocket, &-c.  Mr.  Wesley made but little
reply, but gave notice that on the next day lie would preach
near AMlr. Seward's house —lie usual place of preaching.  Mr.
1. Seward forbale his preaching near his brother's premises,
a1nd tlhreatened his tarrest if he did so, and gave llim  notice,
that four const:tbles were engagoed to effect thle arrest.  At the
appointed time, _Mr.'Wesley proceeded toward the place of
appointment, but was met by the Mayor's officer, who requested
Mr. Wesley to accompany him  to the Mayor's office.  Mr.
Wesley told the functionary thalrt he reverenced the Mayor, on
account of his office, butlthat lie " nmust first wait on the Lord,
and then on the Mayor."  As lie proceeded toward the place
of nleeting, he was met by Mr. Seward, who threatened and
reviled him-t itn an outtrageous manner.  The only reply made
by Mr. Wesley, consisted in singinog the well-known lines,
"Slihall I for fear of feeble man,
The Spirit's course in me restrain?" &c.,
but this, instead of quieting  Mr. S. only served to make him
more' furious, and calling some vile fellows to his aid, they laid
hold on Mr. Wesley and. led hirn out of tlie corporation.  As
soon as his captors let go their hold, Mr. \Wesley again cornl1nenced singing, and to the hundreds who followed as spectatoms
of thle sce-ne  he preached Nwith great liberty annd power, froin
thle \ords:  "If God be for us, who can be against us?"  After
serlmon, lie went to the Mayor's offlc,, whlere he also met a
cleroymnan who was imcni incensed against him, and who found
fault wit,ll the writingrs and proceedings of the Wesleys and
Whitfield.   r..    esley told hiin thlat if he was a carnal,
worldly-minided clergyn an, he would leave with him  the sen



20                 EPISCOPAL MIETHODISM.
tence of Chrysostom, " Hell is paved with the skulls of Christian
priests."  After some apology by the Mayor for the violence
used, Mr. Wesley left the office, preferring not to enter any
complaint against those who had maltreated hlim.
Shortly after this transaction, Mr. Charles Wesley being in
Bristol, went to Temple church and listened to a sermon wherein
the preacher strongly recommended religion as the best way to
raise a. fortune.  Perceiving Mr. Wesley in the congregation,
he, after sermon, caused the clerk to make proclanlation that
none should remain to the sacrarnent, who did not belong to
that parish.  Mr. W. while wondering at the strange procedure which drove scores of worthy persons frorn the church,
did not suspect that the proclamation was made for his special
benefit; but he was quickly informed of the fact by the clerk,
who went to him and respectfully told him  that Mr. B. the
officiating clergyman, bade him go away, for he would not give
him  the sacramnent.  Mr. TW. thinking there must be some
mistake, went to thle vestry door and quietly asked admission.
"Are you of this lpariih?" inquired the minister.  " Sir, you
see that I amn a clergyman," replied Mr. Wesley; on which,
the former, d;opping his pretence of not knowing him, boldly
clharoed him withl rebellion in expounding the Scriptures without authority,   and in express language informed him that he
repelled him firon the sacralent.  Mr. WT. in reply, cited him
to answer for such conduct before Jesus Christ in the day of
judgment.  This enrlaged the -already angry minister, who
called to certain constables who were present, " IIere, take away
this man." Mr. W. however, saved them the trouble of taking
him  away, by quietly leaving the Good Shepherd and his
flock to themselves.
In this same city of Bristol, Mr. John Wesley was frequently
assailed  by mobs, who attempted  not only to disturb his
preaching, but injure. his person.  On one occasion, while expounding the former part of the twenty-third chapter of the
Acts of the Apostles, "not only the courts and the alleys, but




PROTECTED BY GEORGE III.                    21
all the street upward and downward, was filled  with people
shouting, cursing,  and swearing, and  ready  to swallow  the
ground with fierceness and rage."  After much effbrt on the
part of the Mayor, and chief constable, the ringleaders were
arrested and brought before the court of Quarter Sessions, and
receiving some slight punishment, were liberated.  T'ihe decision.
of the Mayor prevented the recurrence of any such disgraceful
proceedingls in that city.
In London also, thle Methodists were much exposed to persecution and the fury of an enraged and beastly population.
They were frequently pelted wNitll showers of stones, and an attempt was once made to unroof tlhe Foundry Chaplel while the
congrlegation were assembled for worship.  These things were
dlone openly, the irnorant nob supiposing that there was no
law aga.inst abusing, or even killin, the   leithodists.  These
London riots were, however, shortly after discontinued, by the
influence of the reignin' kino, Georeo It., w1ho, in conversation withl a Quaker gentleman,  wlho hlad pr:eviously resided in
Oxford, and who was  well acquainted with thle Messrs. Wesley,
in answer to a question of the king, whether he knew the Wesleys w\ilo were making such a noise in the nation, replied, "I
know tlem well, king George, and thou miayest be assured that
thou hlast riot two better lien in thy kin'doim, nort' men that
love thee better, than John and Charles Wesley."  After this
conversation, the Justices of the Peace in anld around London
received " orders from  above," to do the Methodists justice,
whenever the latter should apply for a rchdress of grievances.
Subsequently, a few arrests were made, and slight putislhments
inflicted, vwhicih served. to put ain end to violent pelrsecution in
London.
But wlhile the liberty of worshipping God was thus  being
secured to the Methodists in Bristol and Lond(on, in other parts
of Enlgland the storm  of persecution raged with unilnitig.ated
fury.  Im  his journal, under date of Mlarch  19, 1742, John
Wesley says: " I rode once more to Pensford, at the earnest




22                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
request of several serious people.  The place where they desired me to preach, was a little green spot near the town.  But
I had no sooner begun, than a great company of rabble, hired
— as we afterwards found-for that purpose, came furiously
upon us, bringing  a bull which they had been baiting, and
ncov strove to drive in among the people.  But tIe beast was
wiser than his drivers; and continually ran either on one, or
the other, while we quietly sancr praise to God, and prayed, for.about an hour.  The poor wretches, findincg themselves disappointed, at length seized upon the bull, now weak and tired,
after being so long torn and beaten both by dogs and men,
and by main strength partly dgragged and partly thrust himl in
among the people.  When they had found their way to the
little table on which I stood, they strove several times to throw
it down, by tllhrusting the helpless beast against it; who of
himself stirred no more than a log of wood.  I once or twice
put aside his head witll my hand, that the blood might not
drop upon my clothes, intending to go on as soon as the hurry
should be a little over. But the table falling  down, some of
my friends caught me in their arnms, and carried me right
away on their shoulders,  while the rabble 1wreaked their vengeance on the table, which they tore bit fiom bit.  We went
a little way off, where I finished my discourse without any
noise or interruption."
While visiting E)wortlh -his native town-at a certain time,
Mr. Wesley was informed that in a neighboring town, a whole
wagon load of Methodists had been carried before a justice of
tlle peace: Mr. Wesley accordingly rode over to see the justice, and if necessary, befriend those whob had been carried before him.  The justice inquired of the self-constituted guardians of religion and morals, what the Methodists had done.
"Why, they pretend to be better than other people; and besides, they pray fiom morning till night."  "But have they
done nothing  besides? " Yes, sir," said an old man, " an't
please your worship, they have convarted my wife.  Till she




VISIT TO EPWORTH.                 I23
went among them, she had such a tongue! and now she is as
quiet as a lamb."; Carry them back, carry them  back," said
the justice, " and let them convert all the scolds in the town."
At a time when Mr. Wesley, at a place called Great Gardens, went to preach, lie found a great multitude gathered together, and he remarks in his jourlnal, " Many of the worst of
the people labored to disturb those who were of a better mind.
They endeavored to drive in a llerd of cows among them, but
the brutes were wiser than their masters.  They then threw
whole showers of stones, onle of whllich struck me just between
the eyes, but I felt no pain at all, and when I had wiped away
the blood, went on testifying with a loud voice that' God had
given to them that believe, not the spirit of fear, but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind.'"
Early in the year 1743, Mr. John Wesley again visited Epworth, the place of his birth, and the scene of his own and his
father's pastoral labors in former years.  The curate, Mr. Romley, owed not only his curacy, but all he had in this world to
the kindness of Mr. Wesley, Sen., and yet this curate would
not allow the son to preach in the church where his deceased
father had administered the word of life for many years.  John,
however, when he could secure a congregation, was at no loss
for a pulpit or a church, as long as a table or rock could furnish the one, or the wide-spread field the other. On the present occasion, he preached at eight in the morning from his
father's tomb-stone, to a large assemblage, not only from Epworth, but from the neighboring towns.  As it was Sacrament
Sunday, these last inquired of Mr. Wesley if it would not be
well for them  to receive it.  Mr. Wesley replied, "By all
means; but it will be more respectful first to ask the curate's
leave." One accordingly went to the curate in the name of
the rest, to whom the curate said, " Pray tell Mr. Wesley I
shall not give him the Sacrament, for he is not fit."  This unpleasant incident, however, instead of begetting in Mr. Wesley
a warmth of temper, or a desire to reproach and find fault, only




24                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
led him to humble himself before the God of his father, and he
exclaims, " How great a God is our God! There could not
have been so fit a place under heaven, where this should befall
me first, as my father's house, the place of my nativity, and the
very place where, according to the strictest sect of our religion,
1 lived a Pharisee.  It was also fit in the highest degree, that
lie who repelled me from  that very table where I had myself
so often distributed the bread of life, should be one who owed
his all in this world to the tender love which my father had
shown his, as well as personally to himself."  Let the reader
remember that while the Wesleys were thus denied the privileges accorded to the humblest member of the established
church, they were ministers ordained by her authority, set
apart by her bishops, and the only thing which rendered them
unfit to be communicants at the altars of their own church, was
the fact that they were zealous for the salvation of souls: that
while they labored to save men from sin —firom drunkenness,
Sabbath-breaking, profanity, &c. —some of the very ministers
who were the loudest in their denunciations of the Wesleys and
their adherents were themselves drunkards and Sabbath-breakers. As an exemplification of this fact, we may state that on
one occasion, while John Wesley was preaching at a place
called Wednesbu'y, a gentleman rode up very drunk, and after
using many bitter and reviling.words to Mr. Wesley and the
congregation, endeavored to ride over the people! And yet
this gentleman was a zealous son of the church, a clergyman
who ministered at her altars, and who, in his own estimation,
and, no doubt, in the estimation of others of his clerical brethren, was too holy to commune at the table of the Lord with
such a man as Mr. Wesley!
At the place last mentioned-Wednesbury-Mr. Wesley
had frequently preached without molestation, and with such
success, that in a short time, over three hundred were joined
together as a Society; but the parish minister, supposing his
craft to be in danger, raised such a storm of persecution against




MOB AT WEDNESBURY.                  25
the unoffending members, as would have disgraced a community of pagans. Mr. Wesley has given in his Journal, vol. iii.
pages 295-9, a brief account of the riots which followed as the
result of the influence exerted by the infamous and unworthy
clergyman above alluded to. As his description is as brief and
correct as any that can be given, we will favor the reader byquoting his language. " 1743, Oct. 20.-After preaching to a
small, attentive congregation, I rode to Wednesbury.  At
twelve I preached in a ground near the middle of the town, to
a far larger congregation than was expected, on' Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.' I believe every one
present felt the power of God, and no creature offered to molest
us, either going or comling; but the Lord fought for us, and
we held our peace. I was writing at Francis Ward's, in the
afternoon, when the cry arose,'that the mob had beset the
house!' We prayed that God would disperse them; and it
was so: one went this way, and another that, so that in half
an hour not a man was left. I told our brethren,'Now is the
time for us to go;' but they pressed me exceedingly to stay.
So-that I might not offend them-I sat down, though I foresaw what would follow. Before five, the mob surrounded the
house again in greater numbers than ever. The cry of one and
all was,' Bring out the minister-we will have the minister.'
I desired one to take their captain by the hand, and bring him
into the house. After a few sentences exchanged between us,
the lion was become the lamb. I desired him to go and bring
one or two of the most angry of his companions. IIe brought
in two, who were ready to swallow the ground with rage; but
in two minutes they were as calm as he. I then bade them
make way, that I might go out among the people. As soon
as I was in the midst of them, I called for a chair, and standing up, asked,'What do any of you want with me.' Some
said,' We want you to go to the justice.' I replied,'That I
will, with all my heart.' I then spoke a few words, which God
applied; so that they cried out with might and main,' The




26               EPISCOPAL METHODIS'M.
gentleman is an honest gentleman, and we will spill our blood
in his defence.' I asked,' Shall we go to the justice to-night,
or in the morning?' Most of them cried,  To-night, to-night;'
on which I went before, and two or three hundred followed,
the rest returning whence they came.
"The night came on before we had walked a mile, together
with heavy rain. However, on we went to Bently Hall, two
miles from Wednesbury. One or two ran before to tell Mr.
Lane that they had brought Mr. Wesley before his worship.
Mr. Lane replied,'What have I to do with Mr. Wesley? go
and carly him back again.' By this time the main body camle
up, and began knocking at the door. A servant told them
Mr. Lane was in bed.  His son followed and asked what was
the matter.  One replied,'TWhr, an't please you, they sing
psalms all day, nay, and make folks rise at five in the morning,
and what would your worship advise us to do?'' To go home,'
said Mr. Lane,'and be quiet.'"
"Here they were at a full stop, till one advised to go to
Justice Persehouse, at Walsal. All agreed to this; so we
hastened on, and about seven, came to his house. But Mr. P.
likewise sent word that he was in bed. Now they were at a
stand again; but they all thought it the wisest course to make
the best of their way home. About fifty of them undertook
to convey me, but we had not gone a hundred yards when the
mob of Walsal came pouring in like a flood, and bore down
all before them. The Daralston mob made what defence they
could, but they were weary as well as outnumbered; so that in
a short time many being knocked down, the rest ran away and
left me in their hands."
"To attempt speaking was in vain; for the noise on every
side was like the roaring of the sea. So they dragged me
along till we came to town, when seeing the door of a large
house open-I attempted to go in; but a man catching me by
the hair pulled me back into the middle of the mob. They
made no more stop till they had carried me through the main




ESCAPE FROM THE MOB.                 27
street from  )ne end of the town to the other. I continued
speaking all the time to those within hearing, feeling no pain
or weariness. At the west end of the town, seeing a door halfopen, I made toward it and would have gone in; but a gentlethan in the shop would not suffer me, saying they would pull
the house down to the ground.  However, I stood at the door
and asked,'Are you willing to hear me speak.' Many cried
out,' No, no! knock his brains out; down with him; kill him
at once.' Others said,'Nay, but we will hear him first.' I
began asking,'What evil have I done? Which of you all
have I wronged in word or deed.' And continued speaking
for above a quarter of an hour till my voice suddenly failed;
then the floods began to lift up their voice again, many crying
out,' Bring hint away, bring him away!'"
"In the meantime, my voice and my strength returned, and
I broke out aloud into prayer. And now the man who just
before headed the mob, turned and said,'Sir, I will spend my
life for you; follow me, and not one soul shall touch a hair of
your head.' Two or thlree other fellows confirmed his words,
and got close to me immediately. At the same time, the gentleman in the shop cried out,' For shame, for shame! let him
go.' An honest butcher who was a little further off, said it
was a shame to do thus, and pulled back four or five, one after
another, who were running on the most fiercely. The people
then, as if by common consent, fell back to the right and left;
while those three or four men took me between them and
carried me through them  all. But on the bridge, the mob
rallied again; we therefore went on one side, over the milldam, and thence through the meadows; till a little before ten,
God brought me safe to Wednesbury, having lost only one flap
of my waistcoat and a little skin from one of my hands."
Such was one of the " fiery trials" through which Mr. Wesley
was called to pass; and a natural inquiry of the philosopher
and Christian will be, With what spirit did the apostle of
Methodism endure the rage of his enemies. In reading the
4




EPISCOPAL YIUTIHODISM.
extracts just given, the reader may have been struck with thb
evident intention of Mr. Wesley to give the account in the
mildest possible language, and to present every redeeming trait
of character and conduct that was manifested by his cruel enermies. But let us hear him further, in relation to this instance
of persecution,'I never saw such a chain of providences before; so many convincing proofs that the hand of God is on
every person and thing, overruling all as seemetll him good.
The poor woman of Darlaston, who had headed that mob, and
sworn that none should touch me, when she saw her followers
give way, run into the thickest of the throngr, and knocked
down three or four men, one after another. But many assaulting
her at once, she was soon overpowepowered, and had probably been
killed in a few minutes-three men keeping her down and
beating her with all their might-had not a man called to one
of them,   Hold, Ton, hold I' Who is there,' said Tom.'What! honest Munehin? Nay then,l'et her go.' So they,
held her hand and let her get up and crawl home as well as she
could. From the beginning to the end I found the same presence of mind as if I had been sitting in my own study. But
I took no thought for one moment before another; only once
it came into my mind that if they should throw me into the
river it would spoil the papers that were in my pocket. For
myself, I did not doubt but I should swim across, having but
a thin coat and a light pair of boots.'
Mr. Wesley next proceeds in his Journal to recount a few of
the more remarkable incidents of the riot in the following
words:"The circumstances that follow, I thought more particularly
remarkable: 1. That many endeavored to throw  me down
while we were going down hill, on a slippery path to the town;
as well judging that if I was once on the ground, I should
hardly rise any more. But I made no stumble at all, nor the
least slip, till I was entirely out of their hands. 2. That although many strove to lay hold on my collar or clothes, they




EXTRACT FROM WESLEY'S JOURNAL.            29
could not fasten at all; only one got fast hold of the flap of
my waistcoat, which was soon left in his hand: the other flap,
in the pocket of which was a banlk note, was torn but half off.
3. That a lusty man just behind, struck at me several times
with a large oaken stick; with which, if he had struck me
once on the back part of Tmy head, it would have saved him all
further trouble. But every time, the blow was turned aside, I
know not how; for I could not move to the right hand or left.
4. That another came rushing through the press, and raising
his armto  strike, on a sudden let it drop and only stroked my
head, saying,' VWhat soft hair lie has.' 5. That I stopped
exactly at the Mayor's door as if I had known it —which the
mob probably tliought I did-and found him standing in the
shop, which gave the first check to the madness of the people.
6. That the very first men whose hearts were turned, were the
heroes of the town-the captains of the rabble on all occasions,
one of them having been a prize fighlter at the bear garden.
7. That fromn first to last,'I heard none give a reviling word,
or call me by any opprobrious name whatever; but the cry bf
one and all was,'The Preacher! Tie Preacher! The Parson!
The Minister 1' 8. That no creature, at least within nmy hearing, laid anything to my charge either true or false; having
in the hurry, quite forgot to provide themselves with an accusation of any kind. And lastly, That they were as utterly at a
loss to know what to do with me; none proposing any determinate thing; only,' Away with him i Kill him at once.'"
When the mob just described, began to gather, there were
a few of the Society in the same house with Mr. Wesley. All
but four-three men and one woman-fled for their lives.
Those four persons accompanied their spiritual leader and
friend wherever he was led by the mob, resolved to die with
him if necessary; and it is somewhat remarkable that none of
them received a single blow, except one who was dragged away
from Mr. Wesley's person and knocked down. The heroic
female who made one of the number was asked by Mr. Wesley




30                EPISCOPAL METIODISM,
after the affray ended, if she was not afraid. She replied,
" No, I could trust God for you, as well as for myself. I knew
God would fight for his children."
The day after, Mr. Wesley left for Nottingham, and while
leaving the town, was greeted on every hand with smiles and
congratulations at his providential and almost miraculous escape.
A  few days after Mr. Wesley had left Wednesbury, the
two magistrates before whom the mob had brought him, and
who had refused to see him, saw fit to issue, what Mr. Wesley
calls, "as great a curiosity of its kind, as was ever seen in
England." It was directed to all constables, peace officers, &c.,
within the county, and read as follows:
" Whereas, we, his majesty's justices of the peace for the
said county of Stafford, have received information that several
disorderly persons styling themselves Methodist preachers, go
about raising routs and riots to the great damage of his
majesty's liege people, and against the peace of our sovereign
ford the king:
"These are in his majesty's name to command you and every
one of you within your respective districts to make diligent
search after the said Methodist preachers and- to bring him, or
them before some of us his said majesty's justices of the peace
to be examined concerning their unlawful doings.
" Given under our hands and seals, &c."
The reader can infer from the above warrant how ready to do
justice, those justices were, and how absolutely contemptibe,
their conduct appears in refusing to aid Mr. Wesley while in
the power of the mob, and after he had left their jurisdiction,
issue a warrant bearing falsehood on its face, accusing him of
raising'routs and riots;' but no surprise will be excited, when
we consider that these magistrates, like their brother clergymen
-who first occasioned the riot by a sermon pieached against
Mr. Wesley —were true sons of the church. Nor did the influence of those unworthy'men end in the personal abuse of




MOB AT FALMOUTH.                    31
Mr. Wesley, but persons of the baser sort were hired by them
and others to break open the doors of their praying neighbors,
extort money, destroy goods, beat the men, insult the women,
and threaten death to every Methodist.
About two years after the above disgraceful riot, Mr. Wesley
while in Falmouth was the subject of another equally disgraceful persecution.  While visiting at a house where he called to
see a sick person, he suddenly found the house surrounded on
all sides by a large multitude of people, who made a loud and
confused noise as though they were taking a city by storm.
The inmates of the house endeavored to still the mob, but in
vain; and fearing violence, were forced to seek shelter where
they could, leaving Mr. Wesley and one other person to defend
themselves as best they might.  The rabble roared, "Bring out
the Canorum!  Where is the Canorum?"-the latter word
being a common one in that part of the country to signify
Methodist.  "No answer being given," says Mr. Wesley,
"they quickly forced open the outer door and filled the passage.  Only a wainscot partition was between us, which was
not likely to stand long."  When they began their work with
abundance of imprecations, poor " Kitty" was utterly astonished, and cried out, " Oh! Sir, what must we do "V "Wefust
pray," replied Mr. Wesley.  "But is it not better to hide yourself?" asked his companion in trouble.  He replied, " No, it is
better for me to stand just where I am."  Among the rabble
were some sailors whose vessels had lately arrived in port.
"Some of these being impatient at the slowness of the rest,
thrust them away, and coming upaltogether, set their shoulders to the inner door and cried onlt, Avast, lads, avast! Away
went all the hinges at once, and tile door fell back into the
room."  Mr. Wesley stepped forward into the midst of them
and said, " Here I am.  Which of you has anything to say to
me? To which of you have I done any wrong? To you?,or
you? or you?"  After making his way into the street bareheaded, he placed himself in the midst of the mob, and after




32                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
addressing them for some time, the captains or leaders of the
mob swore that not a man should touch him, and he was suffered to depart with a few imprecations from the disappointed
ones who had no doubt expected to see John Wesley sacrificed
on the altar of religious hatred and bigotry.
These few  instances of popular fury, are given merely as
illustrations of the sufferings of these men of God who were instrumental in reviving the flame of pure religion in England
and other parts of the world.  A volume might be filled with
the detail of wrongs and outrages inflicted upon our fathers in
the gospel for conscience' sake; and however interesting to the
uninformed reader the recital of other instances of persecution
might be, the limits of this work will only admit of the insertion of the above.  Nor should the reader infer that the Wesleys were the only persons who suffered fromn popular violence.
Throughout England Mr. Wesley's preachers and followers
uwere subject to even worse treatment than that above described.
The preachers were not only assailed by mobs, stoned, pelted,
thrown into the water, &c. but were friequently imprisoned, and
were sometimes impressed into the army as tholugh they were
common vagrants.*  Nor should it be forgotten that these
scenes of riot were in most cases induced by the influence of
clergymen, magistrates, and other zealous sons of the Church of
England, and that such influence was allowed to exert itself
without rebuke from the bishops and other dignitaries of the
church; and that only through the authority and influence of
the King and the higher judicial officers were these disgraceful
proceedings in any measure stopped.
* The author has it in contemplation to prepare a work to be entitled " The Persecutions of the early Methodists in Europe and( Amnerica," in which the more prominent instances of persecution aind violence will be recorded for the benefit of the present and future generatrons.




NeltREASE OF SOCIETIES.                33
SECTION V.
NOTWITHr'STANDING the efforts made on the part of ungodly
men, and more ungodly ministers, as recorded in the preceding
section, to stay the progress of the work of God, the latter continued to spread from one enc  of' the kingdom  to the other,
producing as might be expected, a redeeming, hallowed influence on the heart's andd lives of its subjects; and on none more
so than in the case of the poor miners of Cornwall, arno-g
whom the disgraceful scenes last mentioned took! place. While
the rich, the learned, the pious, were opposing  and calumniatin'g; the miserable, the ignorant, and wretched were embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ, and submitting themselves to
its easy yoke. The drunkard forsook his cup; the swearer
learned to prayni; thoe Sabbath-brealker, who for years had not
seen the inside of a church, now toolk delight in going to the
house of God; and with a revival of religion, came a reformation -of manners.  It was such results as these whlich eneouraged thle hearts of the Weslevs and their compeers amidst the
storms of persecution which assailed thema on every hand; and
who instead of quailing and retreating fiorm the field of moral
conflict, girded on their heavenly armor with greater courage
and bade defiance to the powers of darkness.
Societies were raised up in different parts of the kingdom,
and as before intimated, it was impossible for Mr. Wesley to
be present in every place where supervision was necessary.
Hence arose the necessity for assistants, and helpers, who being,
selected from among the lay preachers, were left in charge of
the Societies raised by Mr. Wesley.  As the Societies increased
in numb'er, the preachers appointed to take charge of them  in
MIr. Wesley's absence also increased; and as it was important
that these preachers should not only see Mr. Wesley, but each
other occasionally, for the purpose of conferring together in relation to the great work in which they were engaged, a neces



34                 EPISCOPAL MIST'i-lIODISM.
sity arose for an annual or yearly coufirence, the first of which
was held in London in June, 1744, composed of six c!ergymen, and a few lay-preachers.  The time at this conference
appears to have been mostly occupied with  "conversationsr,'
in relation to doctrine and practice, and to have closed with a
determination to purge tile Society of all ungodly, or unwortliJ
members; consequently during the ensuing week tlhe members
in London were reduced to about inineteen hundred.  The con
ferences of the Methodist preachers were ever after held anm:ually in London, Bristol, or Leeds; and although small and
feeble in their first beginning, like the Societies, the preachers
have increased so much, that if the whole number of preachers
who acknowledge themselves as the sons of John Wesley, were
gathered together in one body, they would form of themselves
a population sufficient for a respectable city, in point of size.
Mr. Wesley, in the early history of his Societies, saw the ilnportance of providing the means of etducation for the children
of the more ignorant and destitute lortion of the membership.
Hence shortly after the formation of a Society among-.the colliers at Kingswood, he built a small school-house for the benlefit of their children, where the rudiments of an English education, blended with religious and moral instruction, might be
taught; and in a few years afterward, he opened a much
larger school in IKingswood, where the better class of members
might send their childlen to acquire a classical education.  In
process of time this school became the nursery of education for
the sons of Mr. WYesley's preachers, and although the daughters were deprived the privilege of attending it for purposes of
education, yet the funds by which it lhas been supported, have
allowed of a slmall annuity to be granted to the latter, as an
aid towlardC sec'ring an educationi elsewhere.
In the year _7447, Methodism was introduced into Ireland
through the instrumentality of Mr. Willianms, one of Mr. Wesley's preachers, who crossed th6 channel and  commenced
preaching in Dablin.  Great huumbers flocked to hear, and a




METHODISM  IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND.               35
small Society was soon organized in that city.  Having written
an account of his success to Mr. Wesley, the latter resolved to
visit Ireland immediately, where he w*as kindly welcomed by
the members of the Society, and by a clergyman of the church.
After spending some time in " confirming the disciples," h'e
returned to England, leaving  Mr. Williams in charge of the
flock.  Soon after this, Mr. Charles W,.sley visited Dublin,
where he fortnd the members in much trouble on account of
the fiery persecutions of the Papists.  But amid the storm they
held on their way rejoicing.  About the same timle, other
preachers visited different parts of Ireland, and formed Societies
wherever it was practicable, until at length Mhethodismn wlas
found planted in every considerable town and city of the klingdom.  In different  places in Ireland, the persecutioin s which
arose against the Methodists, surpassed in wickedness and animosity, any that had disgraced the English namllle; but as the
authors and abettors of these persecutions were not ministers
and wardens of the Church of England, but mostly members
of the Rlhomish communion, they were endured with less pain,
and more patience, than those in Engliand, where 1Mr'. Wesley
had a right to expect toleration, at least, from the ministers of
his own church.
About this time also Miethodism was introduced into Scotland; tand in 17.57 the latter country was visited by AMr. Wesley, w:here he found several Societies which had been formed
by his preachers.  During his stfay in Scotland lie prefached in
Glhasg-ow, ain(d in other towns, and was well pleased with the
can(lor and good behavior of the Scotch; and to the honor
of the latter countrV, it should be recorded, that not.wllthstanding tlhe known attachment of the Scottish people generally to
thle Presbyterlian creed, and their acknowledgecd tenacity in
matters of opinion, yet no mobs or riots were ever raised to
prevent the introduction of the doctrines of free grace; but Mr.'W.esley and his preachers were generally treated with respect,
and heard with attention.  And if Methodism  in the latte?




36               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
country has not made the same progress it has in England in
proportion to the number of inhabitants, the true reason may
be found to exist not so much in the aversion of the Scotch to
the doctrines and peculiarities of Methodism, as in the fact that
their religious and moral character rendered Methodism less
necessary than in the sister kingdom.
We thus find Methodism established permanently in Enrgland, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. The attention of the
reader will, in the next chapter, be directed to the introduction
of Methodism into America thriough the instrumentality of
emigrants from Ireland, and of the unexpected prosperity of
this form of Christianity in the New World.




CtIAPTER II.
SECTION  I.
Is the year 1765, a seat-going vessel might be seen in the
distance approaching  the harbor of New York.  As the vessel
neared the wharf there might be seen leaning over the bulwarks a few Irish emigrants, observing with evident emotions
of interest and pleasure their future intended home.  Their
appearance indicated that they did not belong to the higher
circles of society in their native land, nor yet that they belonged to the poorest class of Irish laborers, but with an appearance of respectability combined with the possession of a
mere sufficiency of this wolld's gear to meet their daily returni'lg wants, the stranger would at once conclude that they belon~ged to the better class of the laboring Irish; and that they
had left the shores of their own green isle, not to avoid starvation at home, but to better their condition in the far off western nworld.  The vessel having reached the dock, the few emigrants hastily stepped on shore, and for the time being, are lost
sight of amidst the general din of business, without having
excited any extraordinary degree of interest or attention on the
part of the inhabitants of the city in which the former had
taken up their abode.  In the following year, 1766, another
vessel, under similar circumstances, might also have been seen
making for the same port; and while her passengers were
being landed, an elderly lady might be observed among them
slowly and thoughtfully wending her way from the ship towards the city.  "In all this there is nothing wonderful,"
says the " observer."  Certainly not; but in that old lady's pos



38                EPISCOPAL MErTIIODISM.
session is a precious seed, which being deposited in Americab
soii, will take deep root, germinate, grow to be a mighty tree,
and extend its branches in time firom  the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to that of Mexico i
Yea, its branches extending themselves over seas and oceans,
with ripe clusters hanging over continents, and inviting the
South American, the African, the Chinaman, to pluck and eat
the fruits of Paradise restored. To drop the figure, that elderly matron was a Christian-a Methodist. Christian-one
who felt the'ower of redeeming grace in her own heart, and
who was anxious to spread the knowledge of salvation by faith
in Christ to others who were yet under the power of sin. This
lady, soon after her arrival, learned that the comnpany who had
emigrated during the preceding year in the first-mentioned
ship, having been Methodists in Ireland, but who in consequence of emigrating among strangers had become in face
backsliders fiom God, had among them a man, who had nou
only been a member of one of Mr. Wesley's Societies, but who
had been a local preacher in his own country. So far indeed
had these persons wandered from the path of duty that they
frequently indulged in what many professed Christians would
call an " innocent game at cards"-a pastime thought by many
clergymen of the Establishment, to be not only innocent, but
highly useful in driving away serious thoughts, but a practice
which Mr. Wesley not only discouraged but forbade in his
members. On one occasion the lady referred to, happening to
enter the room where these persons were engaged in their favorite amusement, she seized the pack of cards and threw them
into the fire. She then turned with holy indignation manifested in her countenance to Mr. Philip Emabury, the local
preacher just alluded to, and with all the anguish of a grieved
spirit, reproved him for his unfaithfulness and said, "You must
pleach to us, or we shall all go to hell together; and God will
require our blood at your hands."  This sharp appeal to his
conscience, aroused the unfaithful Embury to a sense of duty;




FIRST M'FTIIODIST SERMON IN AMERICA.        39
but as if unwilling to yield at once to the power of truth and
the dictates of his better judgment, he replied, "I cannot
preach, for I have neither house nor congregation." The old
lady replied, " Preach in your own house, and to our own company;"  Not being able to resist tlie upbraidings of conscience
and the reproofs of this mother in Israel, he consented to cornply with her request, and soon after preached the first Methodist sermon ever delivered in America, to a congregation of five
persons, in his " own hired house."  Thus we see the " precious
seed" deposited already in America through the direct influence of woman! and in looking at the remote results of planting this seed, as they are now seen, and known, and felt,
could it have been possible for the most uninterested spectator
of the approach of those vessels, and the landing of those unpretending emigrants, to foresee the same, would they not have
acknowledged that such vessels were fieighllted with something
more precious than the gold that perisheth, and that the influence to be, in the future, exerted by the obscure, unpretending,
lukewarm Embury, and the lively zeal of that praying female,
would be greater, and more important, and enduring, than
would have been the emigration of a thousand Louis Philippes
or Joseph Bonapartes?
As Embury was now fully committed to a course of Christian fidelity, he continued statedly to preach to the few persons
who were willing to hear him; and though for some time the
small company of Methodists remained in obscurity, yet their
hearers gradually increased in numbers, until at length it became more generally known that there was Methodist preaching in the city, and Embury's " hired house" became too small
to accommodate the congregation.  They were accordingly
under the necessity of procuring a larger room, the rent of
which was defrayed by voluntary contributions.
On one occasion, while met for worship in their humble
temple, the few members were not a little disconcerted by the
entrance of an officer of the British army in full uniform. The




40                 EPISCOPAL METIIODISI.
not unreasonable conclusion at first was, that he had come in
to disturb them  in their worship, or, peradventure, to forbid
their assembling for such purpose, or for aught they knew to
arrest them, and throw them  into prison.  But quickly their
fears were dispelled when they saw the officer reverently kneel
in prayer, and participate with them with seeming delight in
their simple acts of worship.  On inquiry they found that he
whom  they feared as a persecutor, was a brother in the Lord,
and also one of Mr. Wesley's local preachers.  Captain Webb,
for such was the officer's name, had been converted under Mr.
Wesley's preaching in Bristol, England, and being remarkably
zealous, and possessing an ardent love for souls, he was soon
permitted to preach, which he did at first to the soldiers, and
then to all who wished to hear him.  Being sent by the government to America, he was stationed in Albany, where he
first learned that there was a small Society of Methodists in
New York.  Accordingly, at the first opportunity, he made his
way thither, and introduced himself as above stated.  Mle was
of course invited to preach, with which invitation he complied,
and as it was customary in those days for military men to wear
their regimental suit on all occasions, the appearance of this
officer in the pulpit with his scarlet coat, and other articles of
military apparel, created no little surprise, as well as much curiosity, with a general desire to see such a wonderful sight. As
might be expected, the congregation became increasingly large,
so much so, that their 1place of meeting had again become too
strait for them.  Nor was the increase in size of the congregation the only effect of Captain Webb's preaching.  His bold
and animated manner —lis burning zeal for the conversion of
souls —his fiequently repeated sentence, " You must repent or
be forever damned," resounding in the ears of his auditors, produced that solemnity of feeling and deep searchings of heart,
which resulted in many cases, in the sound conversion of a
portion of his hearers. Nor did the favorable result of his
preaching stop here. Officers of the British army have always




LABORS OF EMBURY AND CAPT. WEBB.               41
been considered as entitled to mingle with the higher classes
of English society, as being gentlemen and entitled to respect.
T'he few Irish emigrants were of course, what all emigrants are
liwho have neither wealth nor worldly honor to bring them into
notice, despised and neglected by the more respectable class in
s)ciety; but the appearance of a respectable man among them,
a, the leader of their devotions, as the expounder of their doct!ines, a gentle!nan, an officer in the ariny, gave the little Society a tone of respectability which otherwise it would not have
had, and brought in from  time to time.a portion of the more
respectable class to see and hear what was going on.  As just
stated, their place of worship became too small; they therefore
hired a rigging-loft in William-street, wh;ich they fitted up as
a chapel, and here under the labors of the now  faithful -and
pious Embury, who sustained the relation of pastor, assisted
occasionally by Captain Webb, the Society continued to meet
weekly, or oftener, for prayer and mutual edification. We
have said that Embury sustained the relation of pastor to the
Society. By this is meant only, that he had by common consent the chief direction in the spiritual affairs of its members,
for as Mr. Emabury was not ordained, he could not administer
the sacraments; ho had no salary, but was obliged to labor
through the week with his own hands to earn a subsistence,
while his services on Sabbath and at other times, were freely
given without money and without price.
While Mr. Embury attended at all times to the interests of
the Society in New York, Capt. Webb, who had more leisure
and fewer pecuniary wants, made frequent excursions to Long
Island and Philadelphia, not for the sake of amusement but
to preach "Jesus Christ and him crucified," to all who were
willing to hear him; and these labors were not in vain.  Many,
through his instrumentality, were brought to the knowledge
of the truth, and testified that Jesus Christ has power on earth
to forgive sin. In this way the good work continued to spread
from  place to place, and from  city to city, until at length




42               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Methodism became a subject of much inquiry and conversation
in different parts of the colonies.
During the period embraced in the above remarks the congregation in New York continued further to increase in size,
until the rigging-loft, in its turn, became too small to accoimmodate the listening throngs who from time to time assembled
to hear the word of God. To remedy this inconvenience the
small Society began seriously to think of building a chapel.
But there appeared insuperable difficulties in the way; the
Society small, the members poor, and without much influence
among the higher and more wealthy class in community, they
mnight well despair in accomplishing such a work.  Here again
the agency and influence of woman appears to advantage.
While well-nigh discouraged about making any attempt of the
kind, a Mrs. Hick, a member of the Society, and a woman full
of faith and the Holy Ghost, made the matter a subject of
fervent prayer to God, and while engaged in communion with
the Lord, she received the answer in her soul, " I, the Lord will
do it!"  In connection with this answer to prayer, the plan of
operation was clearly presented to her mind, which induced her
at once to lay the subject before the Society, accompanied by
her warm and earnest exhortations to go on with the work,
trusting in the Lord. She also presented her plan of operations, which was at once adopted by the Society. In accordance with this plan, a subscription-paper was prepared and
presented to the Mayor and other wealthy citizens, to whom
the object and design of the contemplated chapel was fully
stated, and from these persons liberal donations were at once
obtained, which encouraged the Society to go on with the enterprise. Among the more prominent and active members engaged in this undertaking, in addition to Mr. Embury, Capt.
Webb, and Mrs. Hicks, were Messrs. Lupton, Source, Newton,
White, and Jarvis, the first of whom being a respectable merchant, exerted himself to the utmost for the erection of the
chapel, his motto being, "The church first, and then my




t WESLEY CHAPEL."                 43
family." The above five persons acted as trustees, or building
committee, and after having purchased several lots, on what
was then called "Golden Hill," now John Street, they procured materials and contracted for the building of the house
on their individual responsibility.
Notwithstanding the opposition of many to the erection of a
Methodist Chapel, the building gradually went up, until at
length " the top-stone was put on," if not with " shoutings" at
least with gratitude and thankfulness on the part of the little
band of believers. Thie municipal regulations of the province
of New York at that time were such, that dissenters from the
established Church of England were not allowed to occupy a
place of worship exclusively for that purpose: hence it became
necessary to convert a part of this building into a dwellinghouse, in order to elude the regulations on the subject. The
house was sixty feet in length, and forty-two in breadth, and
when finished, is said to have been capable of seating seventeen
hundred persons. Mr. Embury, who was a carpenter by trade,
made the pulpit with his own hands, and at length, on the
30th day of October, ~68,b had the pleasure and honor of
preaching the first setfii in what the Society significantly
called "Wesley Chapel."
While Wesley Chapel was in process of erection, the Society
felt the need of more ministerial aid; for although Mr. Embury
was a good man, his preaching talents were but moderate;
besides, it was desirable to place themselves more directly under
the supervision of Mr. Wesley, and to be recognized by him as
one of his Societies. Accordingly one of their number, who
bad more recently emigrated from England, and, who was
personally acquainted with Mr. Wesley, was appointed to address him on the subject of obtaining a preacher from England.
After giving Mr. Wesley a brief account of the Society, and
their success in building a house for the Lord, he entreats the
former to send over " a man of wisdom, of sound faith, and a
good disciplinarian," and concludes with these words, "With
5




44                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
respect to money for the payment of the preachers' passage
over, if they could not procure it, we would sell our coats and
shirts to procure it for them."
On the reception of this letter by Mr. Wesley the subject
was laid by him before the next conference of preachers; and
two of the latter, Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore,
volunteered their services as missionaries to America, by whom
Mr. Wesley sent fifty pounds as a token of love to the Society
in New York, to assist in liquidating the debt which rested on
the chapel. After a passage of nine weeks the missionaries
arrived in America, in the latter part of October, and were received with open arms by the brethren, who now numbered
about a hundred.  We have thus far traced the establishment
of Methodism in the Western Continent under rather peculiar
circumstances. A society of one hundred members organized,
a respectable house of worship erected, a large congregation
secured, and all done without the aid of the brethren at home;
without missionaries; without even the knowledge of Mr. Wesley! but simply through the instrumentality of two local
preachers, and the counsels and prayers of two pious females.
When we consider these facts in the history of American
Methodism, may we not with propriety exclaim as an inspired
apostle exclaimed in reference to another subject, "Behold!
how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" In these facts the
Christian cannot but discern the workings of an unseen hand,
performing wonders in an incredibly short space of time.
The missionaries having arrived, Mr. Boardman took charge
of the Society in New York, while Mr. Pilmore, after having
preached a few times in the latter city, proceeded to Philadelphia, and succeeded in collecting large congregations and
organizing Societies. These brethren adopted the plan of frequently interchanging with each other between the places,
alternating at first every six months, then every four months,
and finally once in three months. Such was the effect of their
preaching, that large as was the chapel in John Street, scarcely




ANECDOTE OF MIR. STRAWBRIDGE.            45
two thirds of the congregation could find admittance, the others
being satisfied to stand outside of the door and open windows,
that they might catch a word from time to time as it fell from
the preacher's lips.
But while success was thus crowning the efforts of Christ's
laborers in New York and Philadelphia, other pioneers were
silently operating in another portion of the land. And here
too, the same humble instrumentalities were employed in the
planting of Methodism as in the first named city. About the
same time that Mr. Embury and Capt. Webb in New York,
were laboring to secure the erection of the chapel in John
Street, Mr. Robert Strawbridge, a local preacher, also from Ireland, emigrated to Maryland, and settled in Frederick county,
lie being a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost, no soonei
became settled than he began to preach to a few persons il,
his own house, and in other private houses. Soon a Society
was formed, and a place of worship, humble in its pretensions,
was erected. This chapel being built of logs, was long known
by the name of the "Log Meeting-House."  There is an
amusing anecdote related of Mr. Strawbridge by the late Rev.
Freeborn Garretson, and copied by Doctor Bangs in his History
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Garretson observes,
" He came to the house of a gentleman near where I lived to
stay all night. I had never heard him preach, but as I had a
great desire to be in company with a person who had caused
so much talk in the country, I went over, and sat, and heard
him converse until nearly midnight. * * * He spent most of
the time in explaining Scripture and in giving interesting anecdotes, and perhaps one of them will do to relate here: A congregation came together in a certain place, and a gentleman
who was hearing, thought that the preacher had directed his
whole sermon to him, and he retired home after the sermon in
disgust. However, he concluded to hear him once more, and
hide himself behind the people so that the preacher should not
see him. It was the old story-his character was delineated.




46               EPISCOPAL METHIODISM.
He retired dejected; but concluded that possibly the preacher
saw him, and said,' I will try him once more;' he did so, and
hid himself behind the door. The preacher took for his text:'And a man shall be as a hiding-place, &c.' In the midst of
the sermon the preacher cried out,'Sinner, come from your
scouting hole!' The poor fellow came forward, looked the
preacher in the face, and said,'You are a wizard; and the
devil is in you; I will hear you no more.' Although not
stated, the supposition is, that the preacher alluded to was Mr.
Strawbridge himself, and that his humility alone prevented him
from acknowledging the fact. Such was the searching power
of the gospel!"
About this time, also, two other local preachers arrived in
the country —Robert Williams and John King-both from
England. Although not sent by Mr. Wesley, they nevertheless proved a great acquisition to the few gospel laborers in
America, and were, soon after thbir arrival, engaged fully in
the work of preaching the gospel as travelling preachers. But
with the addition of these two, there was still a great demand
for more preachers. Accordingly, in 1771, Mr. Wesley resolved to send additional help to the brethren in America, and
Francis Asbury and Richard Wright having volunteered their
services as missionaries, were dismissed amidst the prayers of
their brethren at home. These also proved a great blessing to
the Societies in the New World; and as the former-Francis
Asbury-may emphatically be styled the apostle of American
Methodism, a brief notice of him may not be out of place in
this connection.
Mr. Francis Asbury was born near Birmingham, England, is.1745.  His parents were respectable, but not pious. At the
Age of thirteen, Francis was indented as an apprentice to a gentleman for the purpose of learning a trade, and while residing
with this man, he heard much said about the Methodists, and
he inquired of his mother who, whence, and what the Methodists
were. His mother, having imbibed a favorable opinion of the




SKFTCII OF FRANCIS ASBURY.               47
sect everywhere spoken against, gave him the necessary information, and in a short time he proceeded to Wednesbury for
the purpose of seeing and hearing for himself.  He entered the
place of worship, and soon found that it was not the church;
but to him  a better place; men and women kneeling down,
and in an audible voice saying, Amen! The preacher had no
prayer-book, and yet he prayed wonderfully; he read his text,
and preached a sermon; and more wonderful still, he had no
sermon-book!  lHe talked about assurance, confidence in God,
&c.; all this was strange to young Asbury, but it led him to
self-examination, and although never immoral, he felt he was a
sinner, shut up in unbelief.  This view of himself led him subsequently to look to Christ for salvation, and he received the
forgiveness of sin, and the witness of adoption.  He joined the
Society, met in class, and in a band, and in a rather private
way, exercised his gifts, and talents, and graces, in frequently
warning men to flee from the wrath to come. In this way, almost imperceptibly to himself, he became a local preacher,
until finally lie ventured to come out more publicly as such,
and proved a valuable assistant or helper to the preachers regularly appointed by Mr. Wesley, as he frequently preached
from three to five times every week, visiting distant places for
that purpose, and at length, after having acted in the above
capacity from the seventeenth to the twenty-second year of his
age, he gave himself wholly to the work, as a regular travelling
preacher. After travelling about four years under the direction
of Mr. Wesley, the latter, at the conference held in Bristol,
1771, proposed that volunteers should offer themselves for
America.  Mr. Asbury proposed himself, and was accepted,
and after having spent a few weeks in visiting his friends, he
came to Bristol, for the purpose of taking ship.  On his arrival
at Bristol, he had not a single penny in his pocket, but his
Christian friends in that place soon supplied him with clothes
and money, and accompanied by Mr. Wright, he bid a long
and last adieu to his native land, and in October of the same




48                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
year landed safely in Philadelphia, where they were received
with open arms by the brethren in that city.
SECTION IT.
THE number which had been gathered into the M:ethodist
Societies in America previous to the arrival of MIr. Asbury, was
about six hundred —three hundred in New York, two hundred
and fifty in Philadelphia, and fifty in New Jersey.  After
spending a short time in Philadelphia, Mr. Asbury proceeded
to New York, and preached with great acceptability.  But now
commenced a new era in the history of American Methodism.
The preachers who had preceded Mr. Asbury, had confined
their labors entirely to the cities, and seem to have thought
that it was their duty to do so; but Mr. Asbury, fortunately
for the cause of Methodism in America, entertained different
views, and in accordance with these views, lie spent his tilne
alternately in city and country, visiting neighboring towns and
villages, and being everywhere received as the messenger of
God, although sometimes meeting with opposition fiom  the
" baser sort."  As might be expected, good was accomplished
by these visits, Societies being formed by him  in dif:Lrent
places. -Another good result was, the examplle he set the other
preachers; which, being followed, they also extended theii labors to the country places.
In the latter part of the year 1772, Mr. Asbury visited Kent
county, Maryland, where Mir. Strawbridge had opened the way
for him. Before preaching, however, a clergyman of the Church
of England came to hin, desiring to know who he was; and
whether he was licensed to preach.  After Mr. Asbury had informed him who, and what he was, the minister replied, that
having authority over the people, &c., he-Mr. Asblury-could
not, and should not preach, and if he did, he should be pro
ceeded against according to law. Mr. Asbury, however, gave




SPREAD OF METHODISM AT TIlE SOUTH.                49
the gentleman to understand, that he had come to preach, and
preach he should; and asked him if  he had authority to bind
the consciences of people, or if he was a justice of the peace.
The parson replied by cllarging Asbury withl making a schism,
and with hindllering  people from their work, &c.  Mr. Asbury,
however, informed him, that he was not an enemy of the
church; that listenlilng to preacling would occupy no iulore
time than attending fairs and horse-races, and instead of designino to injure the parson or his business, lie had come to
assist him  in his work of savlinu souls.  "I did not hire you
for an assistant, and do not want your help," said the parson.
After more conversation of a similar character, Mr. Asbury,
tlothingl, daluted by the frowns or threats of his clerical opponent, proceeded to preach, and urge upon the people the duty
of repentance and reformation.  The palrson, who came into
the house in a rage, after hearing Mr. Asbury preach, went out
and cautioned thle l)eople against hearigno him any more.  In
this incident, unimportant in itself, we see the spirit with which
the established clergly welcomlned the labors of the self-denying
itinerant, and firom it we learn, that if the clergy in England
were mere ft)rmallists, " denying the power of godlitness," the
clerg'y in America were scarcely less furmal, or less opposed to
the revival of the work of God.
in spite of all opposition, however, the work of God spread
throughliout the land-fiom  Mlarland to Virg'inia, North and
South Ca-rolina, anZd Geoa rgia, all which places were visited first
by Mr. P'ilminore, and then tby other Metlhodist preachers, who
entered in at every open door, and successfully preachled the
gospel to the I)eople.  Among those who followed Mr. Pilmore
in his visits to Virginia., was Mr. Williams, whlo went to Norfulk, and without giving any public notice of his intention to
preach, lie stood on thle steps of thle court-house, and bel.gan to
silng, whlill soon brougt a conlregation around hiin, to whon
hle preached.  Solne of the people attenmpted t  raise a distarbance, thitrkinv, no doubt, thalit the preacher was'adcl  more




50                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
especially as he made a frequent use of the words hell and
devil, while appealing to the consciences of his impenitent hearers-words which their own ministers seldom if ever usedperhaps because they did not believe in any such thingswhich, sounding strange to the ear, as coming fromn the pulpit,
made them  think that Mr. Williams must be a very wicked,
swearing man, and although some parts of his discourse sounded like the gospel, yet they had so little charity for the preacher,
that when he had concluded, no one invited him to their house.
Not discouraged, however, Mr. Williams preached a second
time, and shortly afterward had the privilege, not only of being hospitably entertained, but of forming a Society in Norfolk,
which has remained in a flourishing condition to this day.
The year after Mlr. Asbury's arrival in America, le received
a letter fiom Mr. Wesley, in which the latter designated Mr.
Asbury as his General Assistant in America-an office which
involved the stationing of the preachers, and the general oversight of the entire work. In accordance with the requirements
of the letter of appointment and instructions, Mr. Asbury, without calling a conference of all the preachers, proceeded to the
work of assigning the preachers their respective fields of labor,
which was usually done at Quarterly meetings.
In the summer of 1773, Messrs. Thomas Rankin and George
Shadford arrived in Philadelphia, as missionaries sent over by
Mr. Wesley.  Mr. Rankin, having travelled several years longer
than Mr. AsbTry, was appointed to supersede the latter as General Assistant, and was invested with authority to call a conference, which was accordingly held in Philadelphia, July 4,
1773.  The number of preachers in the connection at this
time was ten, and the number of members had increased to
1,160.
As some of the preachers, especially Mr. Strawbridge, had
departed from the instructions of Mr. Wesley in regard to administering the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper,
it was at this conference resolved that each preacher should




RETURN OF PREACHERS TO ENGLAND.                51
avoid administering these ordinances.  The members, also, were
to be exhorted to attend the Episcopal church, and receive the
ordinances there at thle hands of the ministers thereof.  At this
conference, also, the preachers were all regularly stationed by
Mr. Rankin, and measures were adopted for a more systematic
prosecution of the work, and e.:pecially for a more rigorous enforcement of the discipline.  The carrying out of the latter,
met with some opposition, especiallly in New York, but Mr.
Rankin, who was himself stationed there, by a prudent, yet
steady course, overcame every obstacle, and succeeded in introducing system and method in the management of the Society
and congregation.  The same system  of vigorously carrying
out the requirements of the discipline being generally adopted
by the preachers, was not without its wholesome influence, as
at the next conference, we find the preachers increased to the
nunmber of seventeen, and the memberships reported to be
2,073.
From the session of the above conference in 1774, until the
beginning of the revolutionary war, which separated the American colonies from  the mother country, the work of God went
on with increased power and success, not0witlhstanding  the political storm raged with such violence over every ipart of the land.
As some of the preachers laboring in the colonies were natives
of Britain, it may be supposed that they would naturally espouse the royal cause.  Mr. Wesley, who was always on the
alert in reference to anything  which might injure the influence
of his preachers, or nmar their usefulness, wrote to them at this
juncture, advisin g them to addict themselves to no party, and
to say not a word against one side or the other.  This advice
was seasonable, and no doubt in most cases exerted a salutary
influence, but as the war proceeded, several of the English
preachers felt it to be their duty to leave the theatre of strife,
and return to their native land; and among them Mr. Rankin,
the general assistant, sailed for England in 1777.
In the year 1775, there was a remarkable revival of religion




52                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
in the southern portion of Virginia. It was principally effected through the instrumentality of Mr. George Shadford-one
of Mr. Wesley's missionaries.  Justice, however, to the memory
of a great and good man, Rev. Mr. Jarratt, of the Episcopal
church in that part of the country, requires us to say that no
one contributed more to the progress of this work than he, by
preaching, administering the ordinances among the Methodists,
meeting the classes, holding love-feasts, &c. &c.  As Doctor
Bangs well observes, "Had all the clergy of that day manifested a kindred spirit, how much more extensively would the
work of God have prevailed 1" and we may add, that if all the
clergymen of that day had manifested a proper Christian spirit,
the probability is, that in less than ten years afterward the
iMethodist Episcopal Church had not been organized, at least
on its present basis, but opposition on the part of clergymen
created a necessity for its organization.
SECTION III.
ON the 4th of July, 1776, the American colonies were declared by Congress to be free and independent States.  The
Declaration of Independence, however, while it asserted, did
not secure the political independence of the colonies.  A longr
and bloody war between the contending parties must exist, before such independence is acknowledged by the mother country, and such a war did exist for six long years after Congress issued the above document.
The continuance of the war, rendered it peculiarly trying
to most of the Methodist preachers in America.  Four of
the leading ones were known to be from England, and some
of them, contrary to the advice of Mr. Wesley, did not hesitate
to avow their attachment to the British cause.  Notwithstanding the prudent reserve of others in relation to these matters,
the whole body was suspected of being in the interest of the




ASSAULT ON MR. GARRETSON.               53
British monarch, and were consequently the subjects of political hatred and persecution; so much so, that it was with extreme difficulty the preachers could travel their circuits fiom
appointment to appointment.  Mr. Asbury, than whom there
never was a more prudent man in relation to political matters,
was nevertheless on one occasion fined five pounds, not for uttering anvthing against the cause of liberty, but for preaching'
the gospel in the vicinity of Baltimore without having taken
the oath of allegiance to the State of Maryland, which he could
not conscientiously do; and for the samne reason during the
next year he was forced to retire beyond the borders of Maryland, and seek an asylum  in the house of his fiiend Judge
White of I)elaware, where he remained secluded for nearly a
year.  In the place of his retreat, however, he was not inactive,
for although- it was considered imprudent for him to attempt
speaking in public, during the height of the political storm, he
would frequently go out in the evening and visit from house to
house, and enforce privately the truths of the Gospel.
Nor was Mr. Asbury the only sufferer; those of the preachers whose patriotism  could not be doubted, were frequently
maltreated by the magclistrates and others.  Mr. Freeborn Garretson, a native born American, and a man of some influence
and note in society previous to his conversion, and not less so
after he became a Methodist preacher, was on one occasion
while riding peaceably along in the State of'IMaryland, arrested
by an ex-judge of the county, who seized his horse's bridle, and
who although assured by Mr. Garretson that the latter was a
preacher of the Gospel peaceably engaged in his calling, began
to strike himn over the head and shoulders with a stick, all the
while calling for help.  As some were approaching witll a rope,
perhaps for the purpose of binding IMr. Garretson, the judge let
go his hold on the bridle, on which Mr. Garretson gave his
horse the whip and got beyond the reach of his foes.  Hle was
however pursued and overtaken by his persecutor, who again
struck him and threw him from his horse with great violence,




54                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
wounding him severely, and rendering him insensible.  Whilk
in this condition a lady passed by having a lancet in her possession, and Mr. Garretson being carried into a house near by,
was freely bled, which restored him to consciousness.  His
persecutor fearing that he had killed him, stood over him with
some degree of anxiety and sorrow, but as Mr. Garretson revived and began to exhort him to repent, his rage returned
with redoubled violence, and he immediately went out and
brought a magistrate more wicked than himself.  "With a
stern look," says Mr. Garretson, "the magistrate demanded my
name.  I told him; and he took out his pen and ink and began
to write a mittimus to commit me to jail.'Pray, sir,' says I,'are you a justice of the peace?' Iie replied that he was.'Why then do you suffer men to behave in this manner?'' You have,' said he,' broken the laws.'' How do you know
that?' said I,'but supposing I have, is this the way you put
the law in force against me?  I am an inhabitant of this State,
and have property in it; and if I mistake not, the law says for
the first offence, the fine is five pounds, and double for every
offence after. The grand crime was preaching the Gospel of
theLord Jesus Christ, in which I greatly rejoice. SMy enemy
conducted himself more like a highwayman than a person enforcing the law in a Christian country.  Be well assured that
this matter will be brought to light in awful eternity.'  He
dropped his pen, and made no farther attempt to send me to
prison."  Meanwhile the lady who bled Mr. Garretson coming
with her carriage, took him off where he was properly taken
care of till partially restored from the effects of the maltreatment, when he went on his way rejoicing, being instrumental in
bringing scores and hundreds of souls to the knowledge of the
truth.
In the year 1780, Mr. Garretson having had an invitation to
preach in a portion of the country in Maryland where political
feeling ran very high, and persecution against the Methodists prevailed to an alarming extent, made the matter a subject of earnest




MR. GARRETSON ARRESTED.               55
prayer, and also asked the advice of Mr. Asbury. The latter
advised him to accept the invitation, which he did; but while on
his way had fearful forebodings of trials and persecutions, so
much so, that he felt half inclined to turn back. However, putting
his trust in the Lord, he pursued his way towards the place of
his dest;nation.  Having arrived, Mr. Garretson preached in
the neighborhood to large and attentive congregations during
three successive days, and then went to the county-seat where
the court was in session, and preached also. Some of the leading men connected with the court, were offended with Mr. Garretson for daring to preach, and determined in some way to get
him out of the place. For a pretence they charged him with
toryism, and as Mr. Garretson was informed, procured the liberty of a very wicked man who was in prison, for the purpose
of taking his life. This he was to do by lying in wait for Mr.
Garretson the next day, but providentially Mr. Garretson heard
of it, and privately withdrew to a friend's house where he remained two days. Although convinced in his own mind that
something uncommon would transpire, he nevertheless left his
place of retreat and preached with freedom and power to a
weeping congregation, but while returning to his friend's house
in the evening, he was waylaid by a company of men who had
embodied themselves for the purpose of taking him to jail.
They accordingly surrounded him, and called him their prisoner. They beat his horse, cursed and swore, and took him
before a magistrate who was his avowed enemy, by whom he
was judged and condemned for preaching the gospel, and ordered to jail. His horse was brought, and twelve men appointed to guard him to prison. Being placed on his horse,
a man on each side held his horse's bridle. The night was
very dark, and when about a mile from the magistrate's, an uncommon flash of lightning dispersed his foes, so that he was
left alone. The night being still dark he called several times,
but no answer was given. Soon the friend at whose house he
had been entertained and secreted, and who accompanied him




56               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
throughout the whole affair, approached hlim, and they both
rode on cheerfully together.  At length they overtook two of
the guards, who had fled and sought shelter in a little cottaoe
by the road-side, and were frightened almost out of their wits.
Mr. Garretson told them that if he was to go to jail that night,
it was time they were on their way, as it was getting late.
" O! no,' said one of them, "let us stay until the morning."
Mr. Garretson and his friend however rode on, and the sky
havingl become clear they were soon surrounded again by his
guards. They appeared however to be somewhat fearful on
account of the flash of lightning, and one of them inquired,
"Sir, do you think the affair happened on our account?"  Mr.
Garretson replied he must be his own judge of the matter, but
reminded him of the day of judgment and the necessity of being
prepared for it. While proceeding toward the jail, one of the
company swore an oath, but he was immediately reproved by
another, who exclaimed, " fHow can you swear at such a time
as this." At length the company stopped and concluded they
had better give him up for the present, and turned their horses
and went back, but soon they rallied again saying, " We cannot
give him up," but after accompanying them for a few moments
longer, they finally left them.
The next day being Sunday, he went forth to preach, and to
give his own words, "Many came out to hear the word, and it
was expected my enemies would be upon me. I was informed
that not a few brought short clubs under their coats, to defend
me in case of an attack, for many had just about religion enough
to fight for it. As I was giving out my hymn, standing between the hall and room doors, about twenty of my persecutors
came up in a body. I was amazed to see one of them who
was an old man, and his head as white as a sheet. The ringleader rushed forward, presented a pistol, and laid hold of me.
Blessed be God! my confidence was so strong in him that I
feared none of these things. Some of the audience who stood
next to me, gave me a sudden jerk; I was presently in the




PRISONERS AT TIIE HOTEL.              f 7
room and the door shut. As soon as I could, I opened it, and
beckoning to my friends, desired that they should not injure
my enemies; that I did not want to keep from them, but was
willing to go to jail. If I had not spoken in this manner I
believe much blood would have been shed. I began to exhort, and almost the whole congregation were in tears.  The
women in particular were amazingly agitated. I desired my
horse to be got, and I was accompanied to Cambridge, where
I was kept in a tavern from twelve o'clock till near sunset,
surrounded by the wicked, and it was a great mercy of God
that my life was preserved.
" When we came to the hotel, my friend and I were permitted to occupy a room adjoining the large public room. The
inhabitants of the place seemed to be coming and going the
whole day, and kept the room filled the whole of the time,
drinking and rejoicing over their prey. My friend was a young
soldier, and the trial was too great for him. One of the company, a stout man, was about to break into the room to abuse
him, for their hatred against him was almost as great as it was
against me-and actually did strike at him with all his force
with a large, loaded whip, and in all probability would have
killed him, had not the whip struck the top of the door. My
friend was young and active, and he instantly sprung and as
quickly sent his fist into the fellow's temple, who, like a Goliah
under David's sling, fell flat to the floor, and there was a roar
of laughter through the house and a declaration,' The Methodists will fight.' At a convenient time I got my fiiend round
the neck and wept, and told him he had grieved my spirit.
He said he was sorry on account of grieving me; but that it
was almost as sudden as thought, that it appeared to him that
his arm was nerved for the purpose, and that he did not feel as
if he had done wrong. And I must say I think they behaved
rather better afterwards.
-' A little before night, I was thrust into prison, and my
enemies took away the key that none might minister to my




58               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
necessities. I had a dirty floor for my bed, my saddle-bags for
my pillow, and two large windows open, with a cold east.wind blowing upon me; but I had great consolation in the
Lord, and could say,'Thy will be done.' *  *  *  Many,
both acquaintances and strangers, came to visit me fiom  far
and near, and I really believe I never was the means of doing
more good for the time: for the country seemed to be much
alarmed, and the Methodists among whom I had labored, to
whom I had written many epistles, were much stirred up
to pray for me. I shall never forget the kindness I received
from dear brother and sister Arey. They suffered much for
the cause of God in Dorset county, for which, if faithful, they
will be amply compensated in a better world.
" Mr. and Mrs. A. were remarkably kind, and sent me everything which was necessary. My brother Thomas, who lived
about an hundred miles offi heard of my imprisonment and
came to see me, and brought a letter from Judge White to Mr.
Htarrison, a gentleman of note, who was the greatest enemy I
had in town. After reading the letter he not only invited my
brother to put up at his house, but went and got the prison
key, and my brother came in, and next morning he came to
the jail and invited him out to breakfast, and told me he would
do anything he could for me. Before this lie was as bitter as
gall. One day, when an old Quaker friend came to see me, he
came and abused him, and strove to drive him away. The
Quaker made him ashamed of his conduct. My enemies sent
a spy who feigned himself a penitent, and as I was coming
down stairs to converse with him through the window, it came
powerfully to my mind,'he is an enemy, sent if possible to
draw something out of you concerning the war.' He cried,
and said he was a miserable sinner; that he was afraid he
would go to hell, and wanted to know what he should do to be
saved. I told him to leave off swearing and drunkenness, and
return, and I would give him farther directions. I afterwards
found he was the very character I had supposed.




PERSECUTION OF MR. IIARTLEY.            59
b"My crime of preaching the gospel was so great, that no
common court could try my cause. There appeared to be a
probability of my staying in jail till a general court, which
would not convene in nearly twelve months.  My good friend,
Mr. Asbury, went to the governor of Maryland, and he befriended
me; had I been his brother he could not have done more for
me. The manner in which he proceeded to relieve me was
this-I was an inhabitant of Maryland by birth and property.
I could likewise claim  a right inll the Delaware state, which
state was imore favorable to such pestilent fellows. I was carried before the governor of Delaware. This gentleman was a
fiiend to our Society.  Hle met ine at the door,:nd welcomed
me in, assurling me that he would do anything he could to
help me. A recommendatory letter was immediately despatched
to the governor of Marylandd: and I was entirely at liberty.
O! how wonderfully did the people of Dorset rage; but the
word of the Lord spread all through that county, and hundreds,
both white and black, have experienced the love of Jesus.
Since that time, I have preached to more than three thousand
people in one congregation, not far fiom the place where I was
imprisoned, and many of my worst enemies have bowed to the
sceptre of our Sovereign Lord."
The reader can infer firom the above statements of Mr. Garretson, the state of public feeling in different parts of the country
in relation to the Methodists, and how the great Head of the
church overruled the persecutions, for the good of his own
cause, and made even "the wrath of man praise him," while
" the remainder of wrath he restrained." As a farther exhibition
of the opposition of the wicked to the preaching of the early
Methodists and the good effects resulting therefrom, an additional instance of persecution may be given.
In 1778, Mr. Joseph HIartley, a Methodist preacher, was
arrested in Queen Ann's county, Maryland, for no crime except
preaching the gospel. He gave bonds to appear at the next
court for trial, and in the meantime was forbidden to preach.
6




60                EPISCOPAL METHODI1M.
He, however, felt it his duty to attend his appointments, and
after singing and prayer, he would remain upon his knees and
exhort the people to repent, with so mech effect, that his enemies said that he might as well preach standing on his feet, as on
his knees. He went from  Queen Annsi to Talbot couluaj,
where he was again apprehended and committed to jail. His
being confined in prison, however, did not silence him. The
people, anxious to see the man who was imprisoned for conscience' sake, frequently gathered around the jail, and he,
desirous of promoting their spiritual good, preached to them
through the iron grates, and with such zeal and power, that
some were awakened to a sense of their sinful condition, and
began in earnest to seek the Lord.  This state of things alarmed
the ungodly, and inducedi some of them to say, that unless Mr.
Hartley was released from jail he would convert the whole
town.  He was at length set at liberty, but the seed sown by
him through the grates of his prison was nct lost, but took
deep root in the hearts of many, and resulted in the formation
of a flourishing Society.  Thus, notwitlstanding the opposition
of the wicked to the preaching of the Methodists, the word of
God continued to operate on the hearts and consciences of men'
bringing them  into "captivity to the law of Christ," so that
during the Revolution, the Methodist Societies continued to mul.
tiply, and the doctrines of the Methodists to become more
generally known and appreciated. The increase of the Societies, both north and south, demanded an increase of preachers,
so that notwithstanding the ravages of war, and the distracting
state of public affairs, yet on the cessation of hostilities, it was
found at the conference of 1783, that the preachers had
increased to eighty-two, and the members to 13,740, making a
net gain during the war of the Revolution-reckoning from
1775-of sixty-five preachers, -and 10,592 members!
We have stated on a previous page, that during the prevalence of hostilities, Mr. Rankin, the General Assistant-with
some other English preachers-felt it his duty to return to




WANT OF ORDAINED MINISTERS.               61
England, and as no one had been appointed by Mr. Wesley to
fill his place as superintendent of the Societies in America, Mr.'Asbury, at the conference of 1779, was, by a vote of the conference, chosen to act as the General Superintendent, which he
afterwards did to the great satisfaction of the preachers and
members.
Notwithstanding the general prosperity of the work during
the Revolution, various perplexing questions agitated the Societies and Conferences, especially in the southern portion of the
field. Among the most important and perplexing of these
questions, was one which related to the administration of the
ordinances by the preachers. For it will be borne in mind by
the reader, that the preachers were not ordained, and consequently had no right to administer the ordinances of baptism
and the Lord's Supper.  In fact, Mr. Wesley being himself a
minister of the Church of England, looked upon his preachers,
whether in England or America, not as ministers-fully set
apart to the work-but as lay-preachers simply. In England,
where there was one or more clergymen in every parish, no
necessity seemed to exist for the ordination of Mr. Wesley's
preachers, but in America, it was far otherwise. Many of the
Episcopal clergy, on the breaking out of hostilities, left their
churches and their flocks and went to England, so that for
hundreds of miles around no one could be found properly
qualified to administer the ordinance of baptism to the children,
or the sacrament of the Eucharist to the dying. In consequence of this scarcity of ministers, the Methodist preachers
were frequently importuned by the people to celebrate those
ordinances, and so loud became the demand in this respect at
the south, that at a conference of southern preachers, held in
Virginia in 1779, a committee was appointed to ordain ministers, who, having first ordained each other, proceeded to ordain
others by the imposition of hands and prayer. Mr. Asbury,
who was not ignorant of the feeling existing at the south on
the above subject, endeavored, with the concurrence of the




62                EPISCOPAL METHODTSMo
northern preachers, to dissuade the pret.chelrs and people of
the south fiom  carrying their designl alto execution, and a
delegate fri6m the northern preachers w::vs appointed to meet
the above conference in Virginia to prevewnt, if possible, by argument and entreaty, the carrying out of their proposed measures.
All efforts, however, were unavailing, and the preachers were
ordained as before stated.  This circumstance caused a temporary breach between the northern and southern preachers, and
at the next session of the conference held in Baltimore in 17807
at which the northern preachers were present, the southern
preachers, as a condition of union, were required to suspend
the administration of the ordinances for one year. On the
adjournment of the Baltimore Cotference, as the southern
preachers were not present but had called a separate conference
in Virginia-Mr. Asbury and other prominent members went
to meet the latter in their separate capacity, and after having
laid the matter before them, a reconciliation was happily effected,
the Vilginian brethren agreeing to desist fiom the admninistration of the ordinances for the present.
At length the war of the Revolution was at an end; peace
was declared between Britain and her rebellious subjects -in
America; the political and national independence of the latter
was secured; Church and State were divorced; and the Americans were in ecclesiastical, as well as in civil matters, left to
provide for themselves.  Under these circumstances the Methodists, who now numbered about 14,000 members, and probably had twice that number of adherents, thus constituting at
least one-sixth part of the population of the United States,
could not remain indifferent to their future condition as an ecclesiastical body.  The advice of Mr. Wesley was sough't, and
freely and frankly given; and such advice, and the provision
made by him for the separate, independent existence of the
American Societies resulted, as hereafter shown, in the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church.




STATE OF THE CHURCH AFTER THE REVOLUTION.   63
SECTION IV.
UNTIL the acknowledgment of American independence, the
Methodists in America, as well as in England, were considered by
Mr. Wesley, and the preachers who acted under his authority, as a
Society within a Chttrch, or to speak more properly, as a religious
Society, the members of which belonged to various Churches.
The preachers, as a general thing, professed to be nothing more
than lay, i. e., unordained preachers, with no authority to administer the ordinances.  In America the want of a ministry
properly qualified and authorized to administer baptism and the
Lord's Supperl, had been long and severely felt.  Mr. Wesley
had before the acknowledgmant of American independence
been importuned to provide for the exigencies of the case by
aI)pointing,ministers for America, but as a presbyter of thG
Churcl of En'gland, and such a step being foreign from his original design in forming Societies, he resisted such applications
for a separate ecclesiastical existence.'he colonies, however, having become civilly and ecclesiastically independent of Great Britain, Mr. Wesley began to think
seriously of the frequent requests made by his American children for a ministry of their own, and his scruples being at
length overcome by the seeming necessities of the case, and
the advice of judicious friends, he finally resolved to adopt
measures by which pastors m2ight be provided for his distant
flocks, measures by which a fold might be made for the security of those sheep who otherwise would be in danger of losing,
not only t'.:eir way in the wilderness, but their spiritual if not
eternal life.  Accordingly at the conference held in Leeds in
the spring' of 1781, he made arrangements to send the Rev.
Thomas Coke, LL.D., and some other preachers to America,
for the purpose of carrying out his parental designs.  Hie also,
previously to their departure, abridged the Common PrayerBook of the Church of England for the use of his Societies in




64                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
America; and also by the imposition of hands-being assisted
by other ordained clergymen of the Church of England-set
apart Dr. Coke, himself a presbyter of the English Church, to
the office of superintendent or bishop, that he might feed and
preside over the flock of Christ in North America, and appoint
such men to the ministry as he thouohlt fit to ordain for that
purpose. Mr. Wesley also set apart Mr. Richard Whatcoat
and Mr. Thomas Vasey to the office of elders in the church.
These ministers being furnished with proper credentials by
Mr. Wesley, left England for their distant field of labor, and
arrived in New York on the 3d of November, 1784. Notice
was immediately given of their arrival through all parts of the
connection, and a conference was called to meet at Baltimore
on the 25th of December following. The conference accordingly assembled at the time appointed. At this period there
were eighty-three preachers in the travelling connection, and
sixty of these appeared in answer to the call. The first act of
the conference was to appoint Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury joint
superintendents, for although the former had been appointed to
that office by Mr. Wesley, yet he declined officiating as such,
except he could obtain the consent of the conference. This
consent was cheerfully and unanimously given; and Dr. Coke,
by virtue of the authority vested in him, ordained Mr. Asbury,
first as a deacon, then as an elder, -and lastly as a superintendent of the Mithodist Episcopal Church; and by a unanimous
vote of the conference, they resolved themselves into a MethOdist Episcopal Church. The organization of the Church
gave great satisfaction to the Methodist people generally, for
~low instead of being dependent as they had heretofore been
on Lhe ministers of different churches for the ordinances of
Christianity, they could look to their own church and to their
own ministers for these appendages of a Christian Church.
Nor had it t)een, as before stated, at all times possible for the
Methodists to avail themselves of these things, even through
the ministers of other churches. On the breaking out of the




ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCG.              05
revolutionary war, as already shown, most of the English Episcopal clergy had left their flocks, and the greater part of them
who remained, were anything but fit, in point of moral character, to pre h the gospel, much less to administer the sacred
ordinances of the church.  The Presbyterian and Congregational ministers would not baptize a child unless at least one
of the parents professed faith in the doctrines of Calvin; nor
would they adniit the Methodists to the Supper of the Lord.
While the Baptists, as a matter of course, would neither baptize the children nor admit to the communion any but those
who had been immersed. And besides all these considerations,
by each and all of the denominations just mentioned, the Methodists were looked upon not as a Christian community, but
as a Society of heretics; a band of wild enthusiasts; a company of.dangerous fanatics. In addition to these considerations, the Methodists had been converted through the instrumentality of men who were above all others the most proper
persons to feed the flock of Christ, of whom the " Holy Ghost
had made them overseers."  It need not therefore create surprise that at the organization of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, with a ministry fully qualified to administer all the
ordinances of the gospel, a sensation of joy and gratitude
should be experienced throughout the entire connection, and
that the provision made by Mr. Wesley, the father, the founder,
the APOSTLE of Methodism, for the perpetuation of the privileges of Christianity should be hailed by all, both preachers
and people. Nor was the step taken in the organization of the
church hailed with greater pleasure than it was followed by
the most beneficial results. The great Head of the Church
sanctioned the doings of his ministers and servants, and by the
frequent outpourings of his Spirit upon the people gave evidence of his divine approbation, and applied his own seal to
the ministry of the church.
After a harmonious session of several days the ministers,
of whom twelve were ordAined at this confererne, and the




86.   EPISCOPAL METHLODISM.
preachers separated for their respective fields of labor. Mr.
Garretson and Mr. Crormwell having been appointed to Nova
Scotia, soon after left for that distant part of the north to labor
for the benefit of the loyal refugees who had fled fiom  the
United States, during the war, to that province, and who, notwithstanding their attachment to the British cause, were, many
of theml sincere Christians.  These and other Methodists from
England required pastoral care, and Mr. Garretson willingly
consented to leave his own land for their sakes and the gospel's, and in that province had the satisfaction of seeing the
work of God revived, and men's souls converted.
Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury as joint superintendents of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, soon commenced a course of
arduous labors for the advancement of the cause of Christ in
different parts of the land.  Instead of being confined to a
small State, or territory, as their diocese, they considered the
continent as their parish.  Hence they' were almost constantly
engaged in travelling fiom State to State, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and making fail proof of their ministyv.
One important work which the superintendents had in view
even before the church was organized, was the establishment
of a Methodist collegre for the benefit of the children and youth
of the melnbership.  After soliciting donations, &c., a sufficient
sum was secured to warrant the erection of a proper building,
and the week after the adjournment of the conference just alluded to, a site was selected about twenty-five miles from Baltimore, and orders given to commence the buildinrg   and in a
short time a beautiful, yet modest structure arose to grace the
banks of the Cllesapeake Bay, alnd to throw its coinmanding
outlines along the course of the Susquehalnnah iiver.  In due
timne the college was opened under the most flattering auspices,
and in honor of the two superintendents who were it;,.ctual
founders, it was naned Cokesbury College.  After flourishing
for about ten years from the time of its commenceernet, it was
consumed by fire in the year 1775, and the Connection thus




DR. COKE S RETURN TO ENGLAND,                67
lost the entire sum  expended upon its erection, amounting to
ten thousand pounds, or fortv thousand dollars.
After this calamity, Mr. Asbury became discouraged about
the educational interests of the church, and thought it useless
to make any farther attempts at rebuilding; but Dr. Coke,
whose love of sound learning, and zeal in its behalf, surpassed
that of his pious colleague, at once determined to maklle another effort; and being encouraged by the liberality of a few
wealthy fiiends in Baltimore and other places, a large building in that city was purchased for the sum  of twenty-five
thousand dollars, and the college was again opened under even
more favorable circumstances than the folrmer one; but, alas!
a fate similar to that which befell the flormer one awaited it,
and in a short time the college and the church connected with
it were burned to the ground.  This latter calamity more than
ever discouraged the friends of education amongr the Methodists, and for a number of years little or nothing was done to
revive an interest in this direction.
Shortly  after making provision for the erection of the first
college and after the adjournment of the IBaltimnore Conference
in June, Dr}. Coke, having fulfilled his mission for the prl.esenlt,
returned to Europe, where he Rwas exposed to much obloquy
and reproach from the High Church Episcopalians of England,
who thoughtt, or pretended to thinlk that his agiency in the
organijztion of the Methodist Episcopal Church was inconsistent with his relation as a Church of EIngland minister.
Historical fidelity also requires us to notice that Mr. Charles
Wesley, who hlad been opposed to the course purlsued bv h-is
iLrother John in the ordination of 1Dr. Coke to the superin-O
tendency of the American Societies-not only was dissltisfied
vwitih Dr. Coke on that account, but in an anovynmous publication
collmmlented severely on the doctor's procee,,:!i, s in e Amnerica as
it relates to the organization of te churchl, and especially the
reasons given by the doctor for such organ'izsti;on, in lis sermon
preached at the consecration of lMrl Asbury.  in this sernmce




68               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
he animadverted in severe terms upon the conduct and morals
of the American Episcopal clergy, as well as reflected in plain
language upon their political and parasitical character, and
gave the above, with the altered political condition of the
country, as reasons for the separate existence of the Methodists
as a body. It was said by the anonymous writer referred to,
that the doctor had condemned the constitution of his own.
country; that he had vilified his clerical brethren in America;
that he had contradicted the uniform declarations of John and
Charles Wesley in relation to separating from the church, &c.
To these severe charges the doctor replied in substance: that
he believed the constitution and government of England to be
superior to any other for the British empire, but that both
were liable to abuse, and had been abused in the case of the
American Colonies; that the churches in America were, in
general, filled with the parasites and bottle companions of the
rich and great; and that the drunkard, fornicator, and extortioner triumphed over bleeding Zion, because they were faithful
abettors of the ruling powers; and he indignantly denied that
the Episcopal clergy in America were his brethren, that while
he would esteem it an honor to sit at the feet of several of them,
generally, they were the most wretched set of men that ever
disgraced the Church of God; that he had done nothing in
relation to the organization of the Methodist Cllhurch but by
delegated power received from Mr. Wesley. These *charges
against Dr. Coke by such a man as Charles Wesley not only
show the IHigh Church, and ultra-loyalist principles of the latter, but the difficult position which the former sustained as a
clergyman of the English establishment, and at the same time
as the joint head of an independent chulch in the American
Republic.  The reply also vindicates the doctor in the fullest
manner from the charges preferred against him by his anonynlous accuser.
While Dr. Coke was thus defending himself against the misrepresentations of mistaken brethren in England, Mr. Asbury




TIlE TITLE OF DISfIOP ADOPTED.           69
remained at his post in America, travelling from place to place
and overseeing the work as a faithful' superintendent.  The
great increase of preachers made it inconvenient for all to meet
together in one conference; accordingly, in 1786, three conferences were held, one in North Carolina, one in Virginia, and
another in Baltimore.  In the following year, 1787, three conferences were also held, being presided over by Dr. Coke and
Mr. Asbury, the former of whom had again visited America,
but as the doctor did not design to make his stay permanent,
and as some dissatisfaction arose from his having changed the
place and time for holding the conference, it was agreed that
the doctor should only exercise the Episcopal office when in
America.
This year also the title Bishop was inserted in the Discipline
instead of the title Superintendent as before used, probably for
the following reasons among others: It is a shorter word, and
consequently more convenient for address; it is more expressive
of the actual relation sustained by the persons to whom it was
applied than superintendents; it has precisely the same signification as overseer, which latter relation was sustained, and is
sustained by the Episcopacy of the Methodist Episcopal Church;
it was also more scriptural; and lastly, the title was better
understood by the people generally than superintendent or
overseer could be, when applied to an officer in the church.
Another reason may also have induced the preachers to
bestow, and the superintendents to accept the title of Bishop
-a disposition to claim for the newly organized church
an episcopacy as scriptural at least in its character as any
other episcopacy upon earth; and this claim  not only the
bishops, but the conference, and even Mr. Wesley himself were
willing to avow everywhere, openly and boldly; although it
must be admitted that the latter, while he viewed himself to
be a scriptural Episeopus or Bishop, as much so as any man
upon earth, was, nevertheless, prejudiced against the use of the
term; and while be orda'ned Dr. Coke, and gave him authority




o70                E]PISCOPAL METTIODIS'M.
to ordain Mr. Asbury, and provided a form of service for such
ordination to the office of a bishop in the Church of God, he
preferred the more modest title of superintendent.  Hence he
expresses his fears in a letter to Mr. Asbury, that the latter NWas
getting proud, and even reproves him for suffering himself to
be called a bishop; not that he doubted the fact of his being
such, but doubted the ipropriety of using such terns or having
them  applied to eich other as Methodist ministers..  This, however, was a imere mnatter of taste with Mr. W'Tesley, whose extraordinary humility would not allow him even to call a college
established in America by his preachers, by a more dignified
name than School.  Notwithstanding the objections of lMr.
Wesley to the assumption of the title, and his fears that the
Methodist Episcopacy would become lordly and overbearing
like the hierarchies of Europe in consequence of such title,
the preachers continued to employ the term; and although over
sixty years have passed since the use of the samle, and the
original bishops have long since been numbered with the dead,
and although important ch-anges have been effected in relation
to the persons filling the episcopal chair, and in regard to the
duties of their office; yet we have failed to see the lordly air,
the pompous pride, the gorgeous vestments, which, by the opposers of the title, wele no doubt held in reserve for the Methodist Episcopacy, but have reason to thank God that the purity
and sitnplicity of the episcopal character have thus fat been
preserved among us, and not merely preserved, but modified
and rendered still more simple and acceptable to the church
and the ministry.
])uring, the war, the Methodist Chapel in the city of New
York-while the British troops remained —had been forcibly
converted into a soldielrs  barracks, by which the Society was
deprived of a place of worship, and the interests of relioion suffered materially from this tlnd other causes.  Tndeed while the
war lasted, the Methodist Society in New York became almost
extinct..  For several years, such was the difficulty of holding




RELIGIOUS STATE OF NEW ENGLAND.'71
commnunication with the city, that no preachers were appointed
by the conference: hence the Society in New York, though not
forgotten or lost sight of, occupied no prominent place in the
history of the church during the above period, neither had
any conference been held north of Baltimore since the conmmencement of the war; but in the year 1787, Bishops Coke
and Asbury in company, visited the city, and by their preaching and other labors, awakened a new interest in behalf of the
cause of Methodism. "The Methodist preachers also began to
extend their labors to the north and east of New York city,
and in 1788, several new circuits were formed on the banks of
the Hudson river and Lake Chamuplain.  Mr. Garrettson, who
had returned from  Nova Scotia, was requested by Bishop
Asbury to penetrate the country north of New York and form
as many new circuits as possible.  To aid him in this work,
several young and zealous preachers were placed under his
direction, and these going forth in the name of the Lord, were
abundantly successful in their labors, as is proved from  the
fact, that a number of circuits were added to the list at the conference held the ensuing year in New York city.  Among
these new  circuits, were Newburgh, Columbia, Coeyman's
Patent, Schenectady, and Stamford, Conn.
SECTION V.
As the year 1789 was the one in wlich Methodisim  was
introduced into New England,  a brief account of the obstacles
to be overcome in its introduction may be interesting to the
reader. From the earliest settlement of New England by the
"pilgrim fathers," Congregationalism  had been the established
form of religion in all the New England Colonies, with the exception of Rhode Island.  Churches were built, an.d ministers
were supported by law. The people were taxed for such support; nor did the change of civil government during the revor"') ^"' "'" ~~~~ "^~Z




72               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
lutionary war effect any material change in the ecclesiastical
affairs of New England. For many years after the Independence of the United States, Congregationalism  remained the
established religion of several of the Northern members of the
Confederacy. Besides the above facts the churches were not
only Calvinistic, but were severely rigid and tenacious in their
religious tenets, and peculiarly hostile to the doctrines of general
redemption and free grace, as taught by the Methodists. In
addition to these opposing influences which the Methodists had
to encounter, was another, still more formidable than eitherthe low state of religion in the New Engoland churches, and
the prevalence of Unitarianism among their members.
In this state of things the Rev. Jesse Lee, who may well be
called the apostle of New England Methodism, was sent by
Bishop Asbury to proclaim the doctrines of free salvation to
the inhabitants of New England. He immediately repaired to
his new field of labor, and his reception by the people may be
learned more perfectly if we quote his own words. He says in
his journal: "I arrived in Norwalk, and went to one Mr.
Rogers, where one of our friends had asked the liberty for me
to preach. When I came Mrs. R. told me her husband was
from homne, and was not willing for me to preach in his house.
I told her we would hold meeting in the road rather than give
any uneasiness. We proposed speaking in an old house which
stood just by, but she was not willing. I then spoke to an old
lady about speaking in her orchard, but she would not consent,
but said we would tread the grass down. So the other friend
went and gave notice to some people, and they soon began to
collect and we went to the road where we had an apple-tree to
shade us. When the woman saw I was determined to preach
she said I might preach in the old house; but I told her I
thought it would be better to remain where we were. So I began on the side of the road, with about twenty hearers. After
singing and prayer, I preached on John iii. 7,' Ye must be born
again.' I felt happy that we were favored with so comfortable




THE " NEW LIGI-ITS."'73
a place. Most part of the congregation paid particular attention to what I said, and two or three women seemed to hang
down their heads as if they understood something of the new
birth. After preaching I told the people that I intended to be
with them Again in two weeks, and if any of them would open
their hodises to receive me I should be glad, and if they were
not willing, we would meet at the same place; some of them
camne and desired that I should meet at the town-house the
next time; so I gave consent.  Who knows but I shall yet
have a place in this town where I may lay my head?"
From Norwalk he went the next day to Fairfield, and put
up at a tavern. On declaring his errand the women of the
house asked him if he had a liberal education. He replied
he had just education enough to carry him through the country. After some difficulty he obtained permission to preach in
the court-house to between thirty and forty people, among.
whom was his hostess. On his return to his lodgings he prayed with the family, tarried all night, and left in the morning
without charge; and received a hearty invitation to call again.
After preaching in several places he went to Stratford, and put
up as usual at a tavern. He applied to the person who had
charge of the town-house for liberty to preach therein. The
man said he did not know much about the Methodists; they
might be like the New Lights. Mr. Lee told him he did not
know much about the New Lights, but some thought the Methodists preached like them. " Well," said the man, "if you are
like them, I would not wish to have anything to do with you.'
Mr. Lee inquired what objection he had to the New Lights,
"Why," said he, " they went on like madmen: there was one
Davenport that would preach, and holloa, and beat the pulpit
with both hands, and cry out,'Come away, come away to the
Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you come to the Lord' till
he would foam at the mouth, and sometimes continued it till
the congregation would be praying in companies about the
house."  "For my part," says Mr. Lee, "I wished the like




'74               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
work was among the people again."  He at last gained consent to use the town-house, where he preached to a large congregation, and at the close of the service was hospitably enteriained for the night.
Thus this pioneer of Methodism went from place to place,
and from State to State, generally meeting with a cold reception at first, and some opposition from the ministers of the
"standing order," but leaving a favorable impression behind
hiln on the minds of the people, and forming small Societies in
different places. The first Methodist Society formed in Connecticut was in Stratford, and consisted of only three females;
but this small number was the germ of a large and flourishing
Society which remains to the present day. On Stratford Circuit also was erected the first Methodist church ever built in
New England.  It was called Lee's Chapel, in honor of the
first Methodist preacher who visited those parts.
Before the session of the ensuing conference, Mr. Lee visited
the city of Boston, and immediately after his arrival there, endeavored to find some house in which he might preach. He
conversed with many on this subject, but every expedient to
find a place failed.  None would encourage him, none would
put themselves to the trouble of assisting him in finding a place
to preach.  He accordingly gave as extended a notice as possible, that on the day following,-Sabbath, —at 6 o'clock in the
afternoon, he would preach on Boston Common.  At the time
appointed, a large congregation attracted by the novelty of the
occasion assembled on the Common, and heard the word with
considerable attention and solemnity. On a second visit made
in a short time after the first, he had the privilege of preaching
in a private house, and in a vacant Baptist meeting-house.
He also preached on the Common to an assemblage of five
thousand people.
After visiting different cities and towns in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire, embracing a circuit
of hundreds of miles in extent, and requiring several thousand




SOCIETY ORGANIZED IN BOSTON.'s
miles' travel, Mr. Lee attended the conference held in the city
of New York in the year 1790, and at this conference was appointed by Bishop Asbury to the city of Boston. On his arrival at the latter city, he tried in vain to get a place in which
to preach. He applied to the high sheriff and clerk of the
court for, liberty to use the court-house, but was peremptorily
refused. One of his friends next tried to obtain a school-house
but a plain and positive refusal was the result of the application. Disheartened with the attempt to introduce Methodism
into Boston, he went to Lynn and organized a Society, and
after spending a few days in that place, returned to Boston
again for the purpose of renewing his efforts; but everything
remained as dark and forbidding as before, having no place to
preach in, no friendly voice to welcome the youthful preacher to
their home, and he having but two shillings in his pocket to
pay for his board and lodging. Mr. Lee under these circumstances, instead of confining himself to Boston, visited several
towns and villages in the State, and occasionally returning to
his appointed field of labor, and making an attempt to secure
a place wherein to preach. At last a room in a small private
house in the north end of the city was obtained, where he occasionally preached to a small number of hearers, but it was
not until July, 1792, that a Society was organized in Boston,
consisting of but a few poor members. The Society thus formed obtained at length liberty to worship in a school-house, and
after having used it a few times, it was taken from them. They
next rented a chamber in the skirts of the city, and finally
undertook to build a small meeting-house, but being poor
they could do but little toward paying for it. Aid, however,
was procured for them in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York,
and other places, and in 1795, the corner-stone of the first
Methodist Chapel in Boston was laid, since which period Methodism in that city and the surrounding country has increased
its numbers and influence so much, as to render the Methodist Episcopal Churchl one of the most respectable denomina7




'76              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
tions in New England, having hundreds of able ministers and
thousands of intelligent members.
SECTION VI.
ON the 2d day of March, 1791, the venerable and apostolic
John Wesley, the father and founder of Methodism, died in the
88th year of his age, in his own house, in the city of London,
after having preached the gospel for sixty-four years. The
death of this distinguished man produced much sorrow, not only
in England where he was best known, but in America. The
tidings were received with undissembled sorrow, especially by
the ministers and preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
A great man had fallen in Israel, and it was but proper that
his sons in the gospel should weep when their spiritual father
and head was taken away from them. None however received
the afflictive intelligence with greater sorrow than Bishops Coke
and Asbury.  The former, on first hearing of the sad event,
-began to make preparations for his departure for England,
that he might mingle his tears and sorrows with those of his
brethren in his native land. On his way be stopped at Baltimore and preached a sermon on the occasion, and shortly after
set sail for Europe where he arrived in safety after a short and
pleasant voyage. Having mentioned the death of Mr. Wesley,
whose dying words were, " The best of all is, God is with us,"
and the departure of Dr. Coke for England, we will resume the
thread of our narrative in relation to the extension of the work
in America.
While Mr. Lee was operating at the north and east, Bishop
Asbury, Mr. Garretson, and others were laboring in other parts
of the land, entering into new fields of labor, organizing many
new Societies, and forming new circuits. The work had spread
so much, that it became quite inconvenient for the preachers to
meet together in one general conference; hence district confer



FIRST GENERAL CONFERENCE.                77
ences, so called, were held in dififerent parts of the country to
the number of thirteen or fourteen in each year; but as no one.
of the conferences possessed legislative powers, it became necessary to adopt some plan by which the conferences might be
represented, when it became necessary to legislate on the af
fairs of the Connection.  Bishop Asbury recommended a coutn
cil to be composed of the bishops and presiding elders, and
after some debate among the preachers, the advice of the bishb
op was approved of, and the council was accordingly formed.
After two sessions, however, of the council, it was found that.
majority of the preachers who had voted for it had changed
their minds in reference to its utility and propriety, and it consequently was disorganized, and in its place a general conference
was called, which met in Baltimore, in November, 1792, and
was composed of all the travelling preachers then in full connection.  At this conference several important alterations in
the economy of Methodism  were proposed by some of th,
preachers, and among these, one which would limit the power'
of the bishops in stationing the preachers. The leading advocate of these alterations was the Rev. James O'Kelly, a popular
and highly gifted presiding elder from Virginia; but as a large
majority of the ministers present objected to such changes, the
mover of the same felt grieved, and withdrew from the church,
and having many friends in Virginia, he succeeded in inducing
many to follow his example, and with those seceders he organized during the next year a church with the title of Republican
Methodists, which however soon became merged in the Unitarian Baptist, or Christian denomination, and thus lost its identity, while the leader of the secession himself, at last lost his influence, and died in obscurity.
At the above conference the presiding elder's office was established, for although the bishops had previously appointed presiding elders, it had been done without the action of the conferences, and as some had objected to the usage of the bishops in this
respect, a majority now fully sanctioned their doings, and for



78               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
mally authorized their appointment in the future. Various other
important rules were passed, and after a session of some days,
the conference adjourned, having resolved to have another General Conference in four years from that time.
Between the sessions of the General Conferences of 1 792-6,
the Methodist preachers continued in their work of saving souls
and forming Societies, gradually extending the borders of the
church, and embracing within its fold entire states and the inhabited portions of the adjoining territories. A considerable
foothold was obtained in Rhode Island, where the first Methodist
sermon had been preached in Charlestown in 1789. In 1794,
a church was erected in Warren, and was opened for worship
on the 24th day of September of that year. A Society was
also formed in Provincetown in 1795, and soon after, an
attempt was made to build a church. The timber was procured at a distance and brought to the place by water. In the
meantime, persecution began to rage, and a collection of those
hostile to the Methodists met in the night, and taking the most
of the timber to the bottom of a large hill, they cut it to
pieces and made a pen of it. They then procured a sailor's old
hat, jacket and trowsers, and stuffing them so as to represent a
man, they fastened the effigy on the top of the pen, and then
tarred and feathered it. These persecutions, however, did not
discourage the members, but laying their plans anew, they procured more timber and soon built themselves a comfortable
house of worship.
The first Methodist church in Maine was erected in the town
of Readfield in 1794-5. The first Society formed in New
Hampshire was in the town of Chesterfield in 1795, and the
first circuit formed in Vermont was in 1796, and was called
Vershire circuit; and for the first time in the history of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, Societies were found to exist in all
the United States.
At the session of the General Conference of 1796, there
were one hundred and twenty ministers present. At this




CAMP-MEETINGS.                   19
conference it was agreed that the annual conferences, which
had previously been called district conferences, should be
reduced to six in number, and be called yearly conferences, as
follows: New England, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Virginia, South
Carolina, and the Western Yearly Conferences. The Chartered
Fund was also instituted, and after introducing a few changes
in the discipline, the conference adjourned to meet in the
year 1800.
At the General Conference of 1800, Bishops Coke and Asbury presided, as they had done at the two previous ones: but
Dr. Coke having received a very urgent call from the British
Conference to labor more especially for the benefit of the Wesleyan Missions in the West Indies, and in Ireland, the General
Conference with some regret consented to give up the doctor
for a short time, and in reply to the British Conference, state,
that in compliance with their request, "We have lent the
doctor to you for a season, to return to us as soon as he conveniently can, but at the farthest by the meeting of the next
General Conference." To supply the doctor's lack of service,
Richard Whatcoat-who accompanied Doctor Coke in his first
visit to America, and who had been ordained a deacon and an
elder by Mr. Wesley in 1784-was elected and ordained a
bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
It was about this period that camp-meetings first began to
be held. Although at present mostly confined to the Methodists, they originated among the Presbyterians and Methodists
under the labors of two brothers by the name of M'Gee, the
one being a Presbyterian and the other a Methodist minister.
In the year 1799, these two brothers set off on a tour from
Tennessee toward the state of Ohio. On their way they stopped
at a settlement on the Red River to attend a sacramental occasion in a Presbyterian congregation.' The Methodist brother
was invited to preach by the pastor of the church. He consented, and was followed by his Presbyterian brother, and thee
by another Presbyterian minister. During the preaching of




80               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
the latter, a woman in the congregation shouted aloud the
praises of God. This shouting offended the pastor and the
minister who was preaching when it took place, so that they and
another minister present left the house, but the two brothers remained, and such were the continued manifestations of the power
of God, that the entire congregation was moved by the mighty
invisible impulse.  William M'Gee, the Presbyterian, felt such
a shock of divine power, that not knowing what he did, he left
his seat and sat down on the floor, while John his brother sat
trembling under a consciousness of the divine presence. Although expected to preach again, he arose, and told the people
that his feelings would not allow him to do so, but exhorted
them  to surrender their hearts to the Lord.  Such was the
effect of this meeting, that the people came in crowds fiom the
surrounding country to see and hear for themselves, the wonderful works of GocT. But as no house could contain the multitude, and the people wished to remain for several days, and
accommodations for board, lodging, &c., could not be readily
obtained, they saw the propriety of bringing provisions and
bedding; and some built temporary huts or tents, as places of
shelter; and thus we see the beginning of camp-meetings-a
precious means of grace which has been blessed to the conversion of tens of thousands of sinners and the sanctification of
hundreds of believers.
The results of this first camp-meeting casually convened,
induced the ministers above named to appoint another, and still
another in different parts of the country; at each of which, the
power of God was displayed in the most wonderful manner, and
it has been stated by an eye and ear witness of the scenes
alluded to, that the people under the power of the Word, fell
like corn before a storm of wind; and what added greatly to
the interest of such meetings, was the spirit of union and
brotherly love exhibited by ministers and members of different
denominations, for each other. Here the Presbyterian, the
Methodist, the Baptist, all cooperated heartily in the work of




EFFECTS OF CAMP-MERETINGS.              81
God; and as they. thus cooperated, the revival flame rose
higher and higher, and spread wider and wider, and such was
the excitement produced by these meetings, that in Kentucky,
from three to twenty thousand were frequently in attendance,
and although no doubt many went merely from *ptives
of'curiosity, and others to mock and sneer, yet many attended with a sincere desire to be benefited, and frequently,
those who went to scoff, returned to pray.  An amusing, yet
instructive incident of this kind occurred at one of these
meetinrs, held we believe in Kentucky.  A gentleman and lady
of note in the fashionable world, attended the Caneridge campmeeting, and while they were on their way amusing themselves
at the expense of the deluded worshippers-as they thought
them to be-and while they saw, in their imagination, numbers
falling to the ground all around them, they, in a moment of
hilarity and glee, made a sportive agreement that if either of
them should fall under the power, the other should by no
means forsake the fallen one. They at length arrived on the
ground, but had not been present long, before the lady fell
under the word. The gentleman, frightened at the sight of
his fallen companion, and regardless of his agreement, and
afraid probably that a similar fate awaited hlim, fled with the
utmost precipitancy, but he had not proceeded far, before he
shared the fate he so much dreaded, was prostrated upon the
earth, and was soon surrounded by a praying circle of friends.
Such large meetings, composed as they were of all classes
in society, could not be expected to pass off without great irregularity of conduct on the part of some, and of violent
opposition on the part of others.  Many exaggerated statements
were made in reference to the spiritual exercises at such meetings, and many of the cold-hearted ministers, who were opposers
of the revival, were among the most prominent enemies of
camp-meetings, but in spite of the opposition of the professedly
good, and the hostility of the openly wicked, God sanctioned
these feasts of tabernacles; and such has been their acknowi



p82              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
edged utility among the Methodists, that while the Presbyterians have long since discarded them, as unsuited to their mode
of operation for the advancement of religion, the former have
continued them in most parts of the country from year to year,
and atl former time have camp-meetings been more frequent,
better attended, or followed by more beneficial results than at
the present time.
About this time also, Methodism began to take deep root
in the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, where it had
before been introduced by several zealous preachers of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and other Methodists from England; but as the author intends to speak of Canadian Methodism
in a separate section of this work, he will in this place only
state, that at the period of which we are now treating, regular
circuits were in existence in different parts of these provinces.
(See Section XII.)
In 1804, the fourth regular General Conference assembled
in the city of Baltimore. It was composed of the three bishops,
Coke, Asbury, and Whatcoat, as presidents, and one hundred
and twelve members. Among the most important acts of this
conference was one establishing the Book Concern in the city
of New York, there having previously been published a few
Methodist books in Philadelphia, at which place the Book
Concern was first located, but on a small scale. At this conference also, the bounds of the several yearly conferences were
fixed and printed in the Book of Discipline. The British
Conference having again requested the labors of Dr. Coke in
behalf of their missions, he was permitted to go under the
same restrictions as before imposed upon him-that he should
return by the next General Conference.
As nothing very extraordinary transpired in the interim between this and the succeeding General Conference of 1808, we
pass to notice the proceedings of the latter, so far as matters
of importance are concerned.
The fifth General Conference assembled in the city of Balti



THE GENESEE CONFERENCE FORMED.            83
more, Bishop Asbury being the only bishop present. Bishop
Whatcoat had died two years previously, in the 71st year of
his age, and Bishop Coke, for certain reasons, had not found it
convenient to leave his work in Europe for the purpose of attending this conference. Hie, however, wrote to the conference
expressing his willingness to come over and labor, and live and
die with them, but that unless his services were necessary to the
church in America, he preferred remaining where he thought
they were more needed, and where he could render himself
more useful. In accordance with these wishes, the conference
adopted resolutions commendatory of their absent bishop, and
consenting to his remaining in Europe until called to America
by the General Conference; or all the annual conferences. At
this conference also, the Rev. Wmin. M'Kendree was elected and
consecrated a bishop; and provision was made for a delegated
General Conference, to be composed of one delegate for every
five members of an annual conference. It was also resolved,
that the General Conference should meet on the first day of
May, 1812, and thenceforward on the first of May, once in four
years perpetually. Restrictive rules were also adopted, which
have remained the same as originally adopted till the present
time, excepting the one which relates to the ratio of representation. As the constitution and powers of the General Conference will be referred to in a proper place, it will be unnecessary
to enlarge upon the same in this section.
The bishops at this conference were authorized-if they
deemed it expedient to do so —to organize another annual conference, in addition to the seven already organized by the General Conference. Accordingly, in 1810, the Genesee Conference
was formed, embracing within its bounds the whole of Central
and Western New York, and the province of Upper Canada,
which province Bishop Asbury visited in the year 1811.
Crossing from the Indian village of St. Regis to Cornwall in
Canada, the bishop, after having been a citizen of the United
States since the independence of the same, and having lived




84                EPISCOPAL METHOD1SM.
and preached in the colonies for a few years prior thereto,
amounting in all to forty years, at length sets foot upon a soil
protected by the flag of his native country, and it is no wonder
that under such circumstances the old man should have
" strange feelings come over him."
-The bishop proceeded up the province along the banks of
the St. Lawrence, and preached in most of the towns between
Cornwall and Kingston. After preaching in the latter place,
he re-crossed the river, or lake, to Sackett's Harbor, and soon
after, in conjunction with Bishop M'Kendree, he attended the
session of the Genesee Conference, which was held in Paris,
Oneida County, New York, and on its adjournment, the bishops returned again to their travels through the Connection,
holding the conferences in Kentucky, and in Tennessee, and
also in South Carolina.
SECTION VII.
THE first delegated General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church assembled in the city of New York on the
first of May, 1812. Bishops Asbury and M'Kendree were
present, and presided alternately. There were ninety delegates
in attendance.  No bishop was elected at this conference, but
several important rules in relation to local preachers were
adopted, as also resolutions in regard to raising money for missions, the publication of a monthly periodical, &c. &c., and after
a session of three weeks, the conference closed its labors; and
soon after the adjournment, the United States declared war
against Great Britain. This unhappy event produced pernicious
effects upon the interests of true religion in the United States,
and brought the Methodists in the States and in the Canadas
into an unfriendly relation, and frequently into actual collisions
with each other. In consequence of this state of things, the
American preachers appointed this year to Canada, either ob



TIHE "'REFORMED METHODIST CHURCH."             85
tained permission to remain in the States, or having gone there,
returned home.  The Canadian preachers, who of course remained at their posts in Canada, were also prevented from attending the sessions of the Genesee Conference, to which they
belonged, and were thus left to take care of themselves and
their flock in the best way they could, during the war.
In the year 1813, a small secession from the Methodist Episcopal Church took place in Vermont, which resulted in the organization of the " Reformed Methodist Church."  The originator of this secession was the Rev. Pliny Brett, a nle-mber of
the New England Conference, who this year located, and succeeded in luring firom the church several local preachers, in the
vicinity of Cape Cod.  From thence he proc(eeded to Vermont,
and succeeded, through! the assistance of Elijah Bailey, a local
preacher in Readsboro', in drawing off a number of Societies in
that town and vicinity, and after htaving called a general convention of all the disafil;fcted ones, the Rev. Mr. Bailey was
chosen President, the IReformed Methodists became a distinct
body, and Mr. Bailey became the apostle of the new movement.
Many local preachers and exhorters having joined them, they
at one period in their history gave some promise of becoming
quite a respectable denomination, having formed circuits in different parts of Vermont, New York, and Canada, but like some
other secessionists, they finally became merged in other bodies
distinct from the above, so that at present the Reformed Methodists have scarcely an existence in any part of the United
States or Canada, although at the time of their greatest prosperity, they had five annual conferences, nearly a hundred
preachers, and several thousand members.
In the year 1814, the sad tidings reached the shores of Europe and Amlerica, that Bishop Coke had departed this life.
After having been more fully released from his engagements to
the American Connection, Dr. Coke gave his especial attention
to the cause of missions in the British Connection, of which
missions he had the superintendence. IIe at length resolved




86               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
to establish a mission in British India, and in company with
seven others, whom he had selected as assistants, he left England
on the first of January. After being absent about four months,
and as the vessel which conveyed him neared the port of destination, the doctor, while in his berth, was seized with a fit of
apoplexy, and on opening the door of his cabin in the morning,
was found dead upon the floor. His body was consigned to
the bosom of the great deep, with appropriate religious services
by his surviving colleagues. Thus ended the life and labors of
Bishop Coke, who, although having some enemies while he
lived, had many warm friends, and who was himself the true
friend of Methodism, in America, and in his native land, —a
man whose life was entirely spent in the service of the church
of God, and who, no doubt, exchanged the trials of this life for
the inheritance of the sanctified in heaven.
Before the session of the next General Conference, a still
greater calamity than the preceding one befell tihe Methodist
Episcopal Church. This was nothing less than the death of
the apostle of Methodism in America-Bishop Asbury —which
occurred on the 31st of March, 1816, near Fredericksburg, in
Virginia-aged seventy years. His health, for several years,
had been declining, in consequence of his constant exposure to
heat and cold, and all the hardships and vicissitudes of an itinerant life. His remains were finally deposited under the pulpit
in a vault, in the Eutaw-street church, Baltimore. Thus perished the mortal existence of a man, a Christian, a Christian
minister, and a truly apostolic bishop, who, during the forty-five
years of his ministry in America, preached, probably, not far
from twenty thousand sermons, and travelled not less than two
hundred and seventy thousand miles-a distance equal to more
than ten times the circumference of the earth i
In the year 1815, another secession from the Methodist Episcopal Church took place in Philadelphia, the subjects of it being colored people. At an early period in the history of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, its ministers had taken a lively




SECESSION OF COLORED MEMBERS.            87
interest in the spiritual welfare of the colored people, whether
bond or free. Under the preaching of these ministers, many
hundreds and thousands of the African race were converted to
God, and very generally gave good evidence of such conversion,
by an upright course of conduct. Of those thus converted,
a considerable number, possessing both gifts and grace, were
licensed to exhort and preach, and a few had been ordained to
the offices of deacon and elder. Among these last was Richard Allen, a local preacher of Philadelphia, who had once been
a slave, but had procured his freedom, and had acquired wealth
and influence among his colored friends. By the aid of the
whites, the colored Methodists succeeded in building a neat and
commodious church, and were regularly recognized as a Methodist Episcopal Church, and were placed under the pastoral
charge of a white minister, stationed by the presiding Bishop
of the Philadelphia Conference. For some years everything
went on prosperously and harmoniously between the white and
colored Methodists, but at length mutual distrust and dissatisfaction succeeded, which resulted in the distinct organization of
the " African Methodist Episcopal Church," which has continued to exist with more or less success till the present time.
There were about one thousand persons who seceded as above,
and since that period they have increased to some fifteen or
twenty thousand members, having congregations and churches
in nearly all the cities and large towns of the free States where
the colored people are numerous.
In the year 1816, the second Delegated General Conference
assembled in the city of Baltimore, Bishop M'Kendree, the only
surviving bishop of the church, presiding. After being in session a few days, the Episcopacy was strengthened by the election and consecration to the office of bishop of the Revs. Enoch
George, and Robert R. Roberts; and after a harmonious session of twenty-four days, the conference adjourned. Several
alterations of the Discipline were adopted at this conference, but
as such alterations, and the reasons assigned for their adoption,




88                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
would occupy too much space in the body of this work, we are
obliged to pass them over without further notice.
In the year 1818, the Methodist Magazine was resuscitated,
after having lain dormant for a number of years. Joshua Soule
and Thomas Mason, being the Book Agents, were the publishers and editors of the same. The year 1819 gave birth to the
Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev.
D)r. Bangs had the honor of having presided at the meeting in
the city of New York when such Society was first organized.
The bishops were subsequently elected as chief officers of the
Society, Dr. Bangs being one of the Vice Presidents.
During this latter year, also, there was a large secession of
colored members from the Methodist Episcopal Church in the
city of New York.  This secession embraced fourteen colored
local preachers, and nine hundred and twenty-nine members,
including many Class Leaders, Stewards, and Exhorters.  The
principal cause of such secession was the refusal on the part
of the whites to employ colored men as travelling preachers.
They have always retained, however, a degree of love and affection for the parent Church, which speaks well for their sincerity
and piety.
SECTION VIII.
IN 1820, the General Conference again met in Baltimore,
Bishops M'Kendree, George, and Roberts, being the presidents
thereof. As difficulties had existed for some time in relation to
the Societies in Upper and Lower Canada, there being English
and American preachers appointed to both provinces by their
respective conferences, and as these preachers sometimes came
into collision with each other in their work, this General Conference appointed Rev. John Emory a delegate to attend the
ensuing session of the British Conference and adjust all difficulties in relation to these matters.  Accordingly at the
proper time, Mr. Emory went to England, and happily suc



THE DISTRICT CONFERENCE.              89
ceeded in bringing matters to a successful issue. The result of
these negotiations was, that the lower province of Canada was
to be in future left to the care of the English Conference, while
the upper province was to be consigned to the exclusive care
of the American Church. These measures were cordially assented to by the preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and the ministers appointed to churches or circuits in Lower
Canada were shortly after withdrawn.
This General Conference also created a District Conference
for the benefit of the local preachers in each district. The object of creating such Conference was to place all matters relating to them as a body as much as possible under their own
jurisdiction and control. These meetings, however, did not
answer the purposes for which they were intended, and after a
few years a succeeding General Conference repealed the clause
by which they were created.
Provision was also made at the conference of 1820, for the
establishment of a separate branch of the Book Concern to be
located at Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Rev. Martin Ruter was
appointed to the agency of the same; while Rev. Nathan
Bangs and T. Mason were appointed agents of the parent establishment in New York.
The year 1820 gave birth to another secession in the city of
New York, of about three hundred members of the Church,
headed by Rev. Wm. M. Stilwell, a travelling preacher in the
New York Conference, at that time stationed in the city. The
difficulty originated in 1817, and grew out of the rebuilding of
John-street church, and involved various questions of administration and other matters, which ended in the formation of an
independent congregation. This new sect, however, did not
flourish, but soon began to dwindle away, many of the members who had seceded seeking an asylum  again in the old
church which they had too hastily left.
The necessity of providing the means of education for the
youth of our church began to be seriously felt throughout the




90               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Connection, and during the year 1820, and a few succeeding
years various academic institutions were opened in New York
and New England, for the education of the children of Methodist members. Institutions of a like character, and of a higher
grade, have since been very generally founded in every part of
the widely-extended field of Methodism.
At the General Conference of 1824, the Revs. Joshua Soule
and Elijah Hedding were duly elected and consecrated bishops
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Such had been the extension of the work and continued prosperity of the church,
that two bishops in addition to the former three were thought
to be necessary, and the above ministers were selected for this
important office. At this conference also the preachers laboring in Upper Canada were, at their own request, formed into
an annual conference by themselves. They had, indeed, asked
to be formed into an independent organization, with authority
to elect their own bishops: but the General Conference conceiving that it had not the power to sever the connection,
merely allowed them a separate Conference, which was afterwards presided over by the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, as long as the connection continued to exist.
During the interval between this and the succeeding General Conference, several important enterprises were commenced;
one, the founding of Madison College in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, under the presidency of Rev. Henry B. Bascom; another
the establishment of the Christian Advocate, a weekly paper, in
the city of New York. The first number of this well-known
and extensively circulated periodiocal was issued on the 9th of
September, 1826. In 1827 the Sunday School Union of the
Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in New York,
which from that period has been slowly and gradually gaining
influence and strength, especially under its recent organization.
The General Conference of 1828, met in the city of Pittsburgh,
the five bishops being present and presiding alternately.
Among the more important acts of this conference was one




THE QUESTION OF LAY DELEGATION..           91
which, yielding to the importunities of the brethren in Canada,
dissolved the compact existing between the Canada Conference
and the General Conference in the United States; and authorized
one of the bishops to attend the Canada Conference in its independent capacity, and ordain as bishop the person who might
be elected by the Canada Conference to that office.
A great part of the session of this conference was occupied
with the reception and reading of petitions, and in discussing
matters referred to in the same. These petitions. were sent up
to the conference from a convention of private members and
local preachers, who assembled in November, 1827, in Baltimore. The great object sought to be obtained by these and
other petitioners was a representation of the local preachers
and lay members in the councils of the church.  For a number of years, the question of lay delegation had been discussed
in conventions, in conferences, in periodicals, and in pamphlets,
by those who took an interest in the matter; but as the great
body of the preachers and people were decidedly opposed to
such innovations, the General Conference had' not thought it
proper to take the desired action.  This refusal of the General
Conference to grant the prayer of the members of the " Union
Societies," as the petitioners were generally called, produced
great dissatisfaction among them. From arguments and requests, they proceeded to harsher measures to accomplish their
ends; and it was at length found necessary by the authorities of
the church in Baltimore where the disaffected mostly belonged,
to call some of the leading ones among them to an account for
disturbing the peace of the Societies. The trial of these persons resulted in their expulsion from the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and their subsequent organization under the title of
"Associated Methodist Reformers."
As these matters all passed in review of this General Conference while listening to the petitions and remonstrances of
the expelled and disaffected preachers, and the discussion elicited thereby, a disposition on the part of the members of




92               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
the conference was manifested to forgive past offences by
authorizing preachers to receive those who had been expelled, and who desired to be restored again into the bosom
of the church, provided that a promise was given by the expelled persons to desist from undue agitation of the matter.
This disposition on the part of the General Conference to heal
dissensions, and restore to the privileges of the church those
who had been excluded, does not appear to have been received
with much favor by the reformers; on the contrary, a very
considerable secession took place not only in Baltimore, but in
New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and other
places, where congregations were organized and ministers appointed to the charge thereof.
The secession above referred to, finally resulted in the organization of the " Methodist Protestant Church."  In which the
main features of Episcopal Methodism are retained, excepting
the composition of the conferences, and the rejection of an
Episcopal form of church government. The feelings of animosity which so long existed between the two churches have,
it is to be hoped, given place to kindlier and more affectionate
ones; and it is by no means impossible, but that the ministers
and members of both of these branches of the church, may yet
see eye to eye, and again be embraced in the same fold.
At this conference was formed the Oneida Annual Conference, making in all nineteen annual conferences in the Connection, which were attended in rotation by the bishops of the
church, who were, shortly after the adjournment of the General Conference, reduced to four in number by the sudden death
of Bishop George, who departed this life in Staunton, Va., aged
sixty-one years. Bishop George was a good man, and a truly
apostolic bishop; and his death was severely felt throughout
the entire church.
The most important events connected with the history of the
church which occurred in the interval of the General Conferences
of 1828, and 1832, were the establishment of a Seaman's Mis



FOUNDING OF COLLEGES.                93
sion in the city of Boston, under the spiritual direction of Rev.
Edward T. Taylor, the world-renowned sailor-preacher, who had
himself been a seaman for a number of years; but who was
happily converted to God, and became a pious, zealous, and
successful minister of Jesus Christ, and who since his first appointment to that mission has been continued from year to
year down to the present time in the same important relation
of Bethel Chaplain. Before this period also, a Mariner's
Church had been established in the city of New York, which
also remains in a prosperous condition, and is regularly supplied with Methodist preaching. Another event of importance
was the founding of no less than three Methodist colleges in
the year 1831. These colleges were the Wesleyan University
in Middletown, Connecticut, under the presidency of Wilbur
Fisk, D.D., who had the honor of being the first graduate
of a collegiate institution among the American Methodist
preachers; the Randolph Macon College, in Boydston, Virginia,
under the presidency of Stephen Olin, a graduate of Middlebury College, Vermont, and at the present time, the highly
popular President of Wesleyan University;* and La Grange
College, in La Grange, Alabama, under the presidency of Rev.
Robert Paine. The establishment of these literary institutions,
all in the course of a single year, gave good evidence that
although the Methodist Episcopal Church had been for many
years in an apparently dormant state in reference to education,
she had now awakened in good earnest, and was about to atone
for past remissness by increased energy and zeal in this important department of her work.
The General Conference of 1832 met in the city of Philadelphia on the 1st of May. At this conference two additional
bishops were elected and consecrated, namely, James 0. Andrew and John Emory. Measures were taken at this confer* Since the above was written, Stephen Olin, D.D., LL.D., departed this life in Middletown, Conn., on the 16th August, 1851,greatly
and deservedly regretted.




94               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
ence for the establishment of a mission in Liberia, on the
western coast of Africa; and in October of this year Rev. Melville B. Cox sailed as a Missionary of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, to that distant and benighted shore. But alas! for all
human calculations, he had scarcely entered on his field of labor
before he became a victim to the malaria on the coast, and
after a long sickness with African fever, he fell in the arms of
death on the 21st July, 1833, in the 33d year of his age. His
dying words were-" Let thousands fall before Africa be given
up!" —memorable words, and worthy of the man!
During the year 1833, two other colleges were established
under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church:Dickenson College, in Carlisle, Penn., of which Rev. John P.
Durbin was appointed President, and Alleghany College, in
Meadville, Penn., of which Martin Ruter, D.D. was appointed
President. A large and flourishing Seminary, in Lima, Livingston Co., N. Y., was also established in 1833, Dr. Samuel Luckey
being its first Principal.
In addition to the establishment of the Liberia Mission, and
the sending out of five additional missionaries to fill the place
of the departed Cox, another important mission was commenced
in the distant territory of Oregon. The Flathead tribe of Indians inhabiting that territory had heard in their native wilds
of the white man's God, and had sent a deputation of four of
their principal men eastward, across the Rocky Mountains, to
make the necessary inquiries about the Being whom the white
men worshipped. The singular errand on which these Indians
came, awakened in the bosom of the Christian Church a strong
desire to send to these heathen the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A
call was made for volunteers, and in answer to that call, two
young ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, announced
their readiness to go. Accordingly, the Revs. Jason and Daniel Lee-uncle and nephew-were appointed missionaries to
that far off field, and on the 10th of April, 1834, they commenced their journey of over three thousand miles on horse



DEATHI OF BISHOPS M'KENDREE AND EMORY           95
back, and on the 28th of the following September, they had
the privilege of preaching the first gospel sermon ever delivered
in that part of the country. The prospects of this mission were
so flattering, that the Board of Missions, in 1836 and 1837,
sent out large reinforcements for the benefit of the same. This
mission still exists, and although all the good has not been effected which was desired, and hoped for among the Indians,
yet the mission has proved a great blessing to that part of the
land, especially since it began to be settled by a white population.
In 1835, a mission was established in Rio Janeiro, and Buenos Ayres, in South America, the Rev. Fountain E. Pitts, of
the Tennessee Conference, being appointed a missionary to that
field. Through his labors, and those of his successor, Rev. Dr.
Dempster, a small but flourishing Society has been formed, and
a handsome and commodious church has been erected in the
latter city.
During the year 1835, the church lost two of her bishops by
death, namely: William  M'Kendree, the senior, and John
Emory, the junior bishop, the former having filled the office
for twenty-seven years, and the latter only since the previous
General Conference. Bishop M'Kendree was seventy-eight years
of age at the time of his death-he had served the church faithfully, and was much beloved by both preachers and people.
His last dying words were, " All is well;"
"Not a cloud doth arise
To darken my skies,
Or hide for a moment
My Lord from my eyes."
Bishop Emory was copparatively a young man, being only
forty-seven years of age at the period of his sudden and untimely death. For twenty-five years of his life he had been a
Methodist preacher, and had filled some of the highest and
most responsible offices in the church previously to his being




96               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
elected bishop, and during the short time he filled the latter
office, he gave evidence of his fitness for " the work of a bishop,"
and promised great usefulness to the church in that important
capacity, but on the 16th of December, 1835, while on his way
to Baltimore, his horse ran away with him, and he was thrown
from his carriage, and received such a wound on the head, as
caused his death on the evening of the same day. Being deprived of his senses, the only word he was heard to say before
he died, was " Amen I"
SECTION IX.
THE General Conference of 1836, assembled in the city of
Cincinnati, Ohio. At this conference, three additional bishops
were elected, namely, Rev. Beverly Waugh, Rev. Thomas A.
Morris, and the Rev. Wilbur Fisk. The two former being
present, were consecrated, but the latter being absent in Europe, was simply advised of his election. He, however, after
his return to the United States, declined accepting the appointment, preferring to remain at the head of the Wesleyan University.
The great and exciting topic of discussion at this conference
was that of slavery. For a number of years the public mind
had been called up to the subject of slavery as existing in the
United States, and to the duty of immediate emancipation.
The advocates of the immediate abolition of slavery in the General Conference, had been elected delegates by their respective
annual conferences, with strict reference to their opinions on
this subject. Among the most able of these advocates was the
Rev. Orange Scott, of the New England Conference, who lost
no opportunity of introducing at suitable times during the session, this-to him-all-important subject. Eloquent and able
as he was acknowledged to be, he met a staunch opponent in
the Rev. W. Winans, of the Mississippi Conference. -At length




APPOINTMENT OF MISSIONARIES.              97
after a stormy and lengthy discussion of the subject, pro and
con, the conference passed resolutions condemnatory of modern
abolitionism, so called. These resolutions were carried by a
large majority of the delegates, while a small but respectable
minority not only voted against their passage, but opposed
them otherwise, as far as they could.
This General Conference made provision for the publication
of several additional weekly periodicals.  Several new conferences were also formed, and among the latter the Black River
Conference, so called, because the Black River-an important
stream in Northwestern New York, emptying into Lake Ontario near Sackett's Harbor-runs nearly through the centre of
it. Several important alterations were also made in the discipline, and the conference, having completed its work, adjourned
after a session of four weeks, to meet again in Baltimore, May
1st, 1840.
After the adjournment of the General Conference of 1836,
the anti-slavery excitement continued not only to exist, but to
increase in intensity, especially in the New England States, and
in the western part of the State of New York; but while the
church was thus convulsed from centre to circumference, she
did not forget her appropriate duty of sending the gospel to
distant lands. During the interval between this and the succeeding General Conference, several talented-and useful missionaries were sent out to different parts of the world, under the
direction of the missionary board of managers. Among those
thus sent out during the above period, were the Rev. Daniel P.
Kidder, as missionary to Rio de Janeiro, accompanied by a
male and a female teacher; Rev. John Dempster, of the Black
River Conference, to Buenos Ayres; Rev. John Seys, of the
Oneida Conference, to Liberia; Rev. J. B. Barton, of the Georgia Conference, to the same field; Rev. Squire Chase, of the
Black River Conference, to Liberia, to assist Br. Seys, who having returned to America for the benefit of his health, on his
return to Africa was accompanied by his friend and colleague




'98                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
last named; Rev. Geo. Brown, a colored local preacher, to the
same field; Doctor S. M. E. Goheen, as physician, Rev. J. Burton, as teacher, and Rev. W. Stocker, as missionary, were all
sent to the same field, to labor, and if need be, to die for the
benefit of the colored race. All the persons sent to the coast
of Africa, as above, after their arrival, were more or less prostrated by disease, while undergoing the process of acclimation,
and one of their number, shortly after his arrival, fell asleep in
the arms of death, with the hope in possession of a glorious resurrection from " Afric's burning plains."  In 1837, Dr. Ruter,
president of Alleghany College, and two other preachers, were
appointed missionaries to Texas-at that time an independent
State by itself.  These missionaries, being abundantly successful in that distant field of labor, were soon followed by others
who assisted them in planting the standard of the cross in different portions of Texas. The year 1836 witnessed the establishment of the first German Mission in America, for the benefit of the German  population.  It was commenced in Cincinnati, and was placed under the charge of Rev. William-now
Doctor —Nast, a young native German preacher, of sound education, and deep piety.  This was the beginning of a great and
glorious work among the Germans, thousands having since that
time been converted, and added to the church in different parts
of thle United States, and from  among these, scores of pious,
intelligent 1M ethodist preachers have been raised up, some of
whom have since gone to their fatherland, to preach a spiritual
gospel.  In 1838, a mission for the benefit of the French population was established in the city of New York, under the care
of Rev. Mr. Williamson, a native Frenchman.  This mission,
in consequetnce of the prejudices of the Roman Catholic French
and others, has not succeeded as it otherwise would have done,
but has, notwithstanding, don6 much good.
During  the latter part of the year 1839, the Centenary of
~aethodisim was celebrated with all due solemnity in all parts
of the TMethodist Connection in Europe and America.  The




CENTENARY OF METHODISM.                 99
first Methodist Society having been formed in London in November of 1739, a hundred years had thus transpired since the
"eight or ten persons came to Mr. Wesley," and with him
formed the reproached band of Methodists.  During the lapse
of a century, God had done great things for this people; the
small one had become a thousand; more than a million of
members, and three millions of adherents, had shared in the
blessings of a gospel which declares a free and FULL salvation
to the lost sons and daughters of men. The 25th day of November was accordingly set apart as a day of thanksgiving and
rejoicing before the Lord. Sermons were preached in all parts
of the land-collections were made, free-will thank-offerings
were presented to God for the benefit of his Church, and more
than half a million of dollars were raised for missions, education, and the worn-out preachers, and the widows and orphans
of deceased ministers.
The General Conference of 1840, met in Baltimore-the
bishops of the church all being present.  There were also several distinguished visitors from  England and the Canadas,
among whom may be named the Rev. brethren Newton, Stinson, Harvard, Richey, John and E. Ryerson.  Several important alterations were made in the Book of Discipline at this session; the subject of slavery was also introduced, and discussed
in all its various aspects, but without arriving at any point
whereby the growing agitation in the church could be quelled,
and after a session of five weeks, the conference adjourned, to
hold its ensuing session in the city of New York, on the first
of May, 1844.
After the adjournment of the General Conference of 1840,
the anti-slavery excitement in the church assumed a new
phase. Hitherto the abolitionists so called, had been satisfied
with complaints, petitions, &c., to the general and annual conferences, but many of them  now began to evince a desire to
leave the church and form independent organizations among
themselves, or join such other existing branches of the church




100              EPISCOPAL METHODISM
as favored their peculiar views in relation to slavery. That the
reader may more fully understand the state of feeling then
existing on this subject, and the partial results of the antislavery movement as it relates to the Methodist Episcopal
Church, the author will give a brief history of the same in the
form of extracts, from  a work entitled the 1"CHuacHEs  and
SECTS of the United States," written by the author.
" On the introduction of Methodism into the Southern portion of the American provinces, many of those who sought
admission to the fellowship of the Societies were slaveholders,
and as some of them at least, were so involuntarily, having
come into possession of slaves by inheritance or bequest, and
not having the legal power to manumit them even if they desired to do so, it was not thought proper to debar those who,
in all other respects, gave evidence of sincerity and piety, from
the privileges of the Societies; consequently, although there
existed a rule of discipline against slaveholding, many masters
were received, and in the course of time slaveholding ministers
were even allowed to preach. In the year 1784, through the
advice of Bishop Coke, stringent rules were adopted by the
conference which organized the church, against slavery and
slaveholding; and among these rules, one which required every
slaveholding member to emancipate his slaves within the period
of five years at most, or if the slave was under twenty years of
age, when he should arrive at the age of twenty-five; likewise
that all children born thereafter should be free from their birth.
In order to bring these rules into practical operation, the slaveholding members were required to execute deeds of manumission within twelve months or be expelled from the church.
Such, however, was the strong hold which slavery had already
obtained, that it was found impossible by the preachers to enforce the rules, and at the succeeding conference the rules were
suspended, and remained so until the year 1796. At the conference of this latter year, rules were adopted requiring official
members of the church who held slaves to emancipate them;




RULES RELATING TO SLAVERY,             101
and in the year 1800, it was enacted that when any travelling
preacher became the owner of slaves he should forfeit his
ministerial standing, unless he executed, if practicable, a deed
of manumission for such slaves, according to the laws of the
state in which he lived. It was, however, soon found that
some of the preachers who had become involved in slaveholding could not legally execute such deeds of emancipation without a special act of legislation authorizing them to do so; and
in the year 1812, in view of the above impediment, a rule was
passed by which the annual conferences respectively, were empowered to form such regulations in regard to slaveholding as
their wisdom might dictate and the laws of the states admit
of being put in execution. This rule remained in force until
1820, when it was repealed, it being found in the meantime
that the interference of the annual conferences in the matter
of slavery was attended with considerable difficulty and embarrassment. From the year 1820 to the year 1844, no new rules
on the subject of slavery were adopted by the General Conference. Meanwhile a large number of the travelling preachers
in the Southern States had become possessed of slaves, some
by purchase, some by bequest, and others by marrying slaveholding ladies. While slavery was thus being introduced more
and more into the body of the ministry, many, perhaps a
majority of the ministers and members in the non-slaveholding
states and conferences, were ignorant of the true state of things
in the South, and little imagined that there were actually
thousands of slaveholding members, and scores, if not hundreds
of slaveholding ministers in the Southern portion of the
church.
"About the year 1832, the great anti-slavery excitement
commenced in the North. Ministers of different religious denominations had their attention directed to the existence of this
evil in the nation and in the churches. Sermons were preached
and lectures delivered on the subject. Anti-slavery societies
were formed, and anti-slavery periodicals were established.




102             EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
The attention of the entire nation was solicited to a consideration of the subject. The ministers and members of the Method
ist Episcopal Church began to examine the true relation
which slavery held to the religious body of which they formed
a part. A few zealous ministers began lecturing and preaching
on the subject, and a paper was established in the city of New
York for the ostensible purpose of showing forth in all its vai;ed features the abominations of slavery. This paper, " Zion's
Watchman," established in 1835, being edited by a Methodist
minister, and being patronized by thousands of Methodist
members, created an intense abhorrence of the entire system
of slavery, and an active personal opposition to all its apologists
and abettors. The conservative portion of the church in the
North opposed the measures of the abolitionists, as the antislavery men were then generally called, but in spite of all
attempts to quell excitement on the subject, the agitation still
continued. Petitions and memorials were presented by hundreds to the annual and general conferences. These petitions,
in many cases, were received unwillingly, in some cases not at
all, but still the flame spread wider and rose higher, until the
very existence of the church was threatened. Secessions became frequent; thousands of (hitherto) worthy members had
left the church of their early choice on account of its connection
with slavery, and thousands of others were only retained by
the hope that action would be had upon the subject by the
General Conference" (of 1844.)
Among the most zealous and prominent of the Northern
abolitionists, were the Rev. Orange Scott, George Storrs, Le
Roy Sunderland, Jotham Horton, Cyrus Prindle, Luther Lee,
and Lyndon King, all being members of annual conferences.
Mr. Sunderland was the editor of the paper above alluded
to, but as it advocated the immediate and unconditional
emancipation of all the slaves, especially those held by members of the Methodist Church, or the expulsion of those slaveholders from the church, and the enactment of rules absolutely




SECESSION OF ABOLITIONISTS.           103.brbidding the holding of slaves by members of the same, it
was feared, and no doubt justly, that the measures of the abolitionists tended to anarchy and confusion, and to the disruption
of the church if not the disunion of the states. Under these
circumstances the bishops and leading men in the church
thought it to be their solemn duty, as far as they could, to
arrest the tide of evil by which the institutions of the church
were threatened.  Such a course of procedure awakened unkindly feelings towards them, and these feelings of hostility,
which at first had reference to their official acts only, soon extended to the men themselves, and then to their office; hence
in the course of the excitement, not only was a hatred of
slavery openly avowed, but of Episcopacy and various other
institutions of the church.
While some, as before stated in the extract made, were waiting with patience the acts of the General Conference of 1844, the
leading ones among the abolitionists were devising the organization of a new church, which would harmonize more perfectly
with their views in regard to the subjects alluded to. But before the org;anization of the new church, large numbers had
withdrawn in different parts of New York and New England,
and it was no doubt confidently expected by the leading secessionists that if a church based on anti-slavery and non-episcopal
principles could be formed, not only tile greater part of those
who had left the Methodist Episcopal Church would unite in
it, but that tens, if not hundreds of thousands of those who
had not as yet withdrawn, would eventually do so.  Accordingly, in 1843, a call was issued for a convention of abolitionists
favorable to the organization of a Methodist Church that
should be free from slavery and Episcopacy. This convention
met in the city of Utica, N. Y. on the 31st day of AMay, 1843,
and after some days' deliberation they succeeded in organizing
the Methodist Wesleyan Church in the United States.  The
members who composed this convention were not all ministers
or members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, nor had they




104               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
all been such. Large numbers were in attendance from the
Reformed Methodist, the Methodist Protestant, and Independent Methodist Churches; these all united together, and the result was the formation of six annual conferences, with about
three hundred preachers (mostly local) and a reported membership of about six thousand.
Candor requires us to state that however promising the
affairs of this church might have been at the time of its organization, it has not succeeded according to the hopes and expectations of its friends and adherents, in gaining a very large
membership; indeed so far as we can learn by information, and
our own observation, this branch of the Methodist Church,
especially in the east and north, is rapidly on the decline.
This is to be attributed mainly, perhaps, to the decease or defection of some of the most prominent ministers who headed
the secession movement. Orange Scott, of whose piety and
sincerity we cannot reasonably doubt, after having fought manfully for the Wesleyan Church, and who, in fact, was the leading spirit among them, has been called to the spirit world.
Mr. Sunderland has not only ceased to be a minister, but has
become a complete visionary and an abettor and agent of the
"Spiritual Knockings!"  Mr. Horton has recently returned to
the church he left, and so with some other choice spirits, who,
having taken a false step, have magnanimity enough to acknowledge and retrace -the same.  Mr. King and others
having tried the new ship awhile and found it not suitable for
their accommodation, have long since left it, and sought for
better accommodations somewhere else.
This secession, however, and the state of the public mind at
the North, was not without its influence on the composition and action of the next General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Northern preachers and members
had reason to fear that unless something was at least attempted
on the part of the supreme council of the church to free the
latter from the slave power and influence, the church at the




THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1844.          105
North would be rent into fragments. Such was the state of
things when the time for the next session of that body had
arrived.
SECTION X.
THE General Conference of 1844, assembled in the city of
New York. Tile bishops present were Soule, Hedding, Waugh,
Morris, and Andrew. Bishop Roberts —the senior bishop of
the church since the death of Bishop M'Kendree —had, since
the last session, been called to his reward. He died at his
residence in Lawrence County, Indiana, in the 06th year of his
age, and the forty-second of his ministry, on the 26th of March,
1843. The continued extension of the work and the decease
of Bishop Roberts, made it necessary to elect two additional
bishops, and the choice fell on Rev. Leonidas L. Hamline and
Rev. Edmund S. Janes.
This conference, in some respects, was the most important,
so far as the results of its acts are concerned, of any conference
which had ever been held since the one which organized the
church in 1784. The reader will bear in mind the state of
public feeling in the North in relation to the subject of slavery in
the church, and that under this state of feeling the conference
had assembled from all parts of the country to legislate on the
affairs of the church.
At an early period in the session, it became apparent that
there would be a conflict not only between the ultra-proslaveryism of the South, and the ultra-abolitionism of the
North, but between the former and the conservative portion of
the delegates from the northern, middle, and western portions
of the church.
After a few days of the session had passed away, an appeal
was presented by the Rev. Francis Harding, formerly a member
of the Baltimore Annual Conference, who had a short time
previously been located without his consent, in consequence of




106              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
his connection with slavery. Mr. Harding was a young man
who had been admitted to the travelling ministry but a few
years before, and after being thus admitted, contracted marriage with a slaveholding lady, by which he became the nominal,
if not the actual owner of slaves. The Baltimore Conference,
although situated in slaveholding territory, had never favored
the holding of slaves by travelling preachers, but had occupied a
conservative position in relation to the slaveholding principles
and practices in the more southern portion of the work, and
the ultraism  of the North.  They accordingly required Mr.
Harding, as a condition of retaining his membership among
them, to emancipate his slaves according to the laws of the
state of Maryland, which he refusing to do, was deprived of
his membership in the annual conference.  To this action of
the conference, he demurred; hence his appeal. When the case
came before the General Conference for a re-hearing, it was
evident that there existed much excitement on the subject, both
among the Northern and Southern preachers.  A storm began
to gather, the Northern delegates, almost to a man, were for
dismissing the appeal: the Southern delegates, just as unanimously and decidedly, were in favor of sustaining the appeal,
and reinstating the appellant. After a lengthy and warm debate
on the subject, the moment for decision arrived; a deathlike
stillness pervaded the assembly, as each delegate's name was
called, and he answered yea or nay. After counting the votes,
it was found that there was a large majority in favor of dismissing the appeal, and the action of the Baltimore Conference
was sustained. This, however, was but the " beginning of the
end;" for while this cause was pending, it came to the knowledge of some of the Northern delegates, that Bishop Andrew,
then present and presiding alternately with the other bishops
over the deliberations of the conference, had recently come
into the possession of slaves in a manner similarly to Mr. Harding-by marriage. Upon being interrogated on the subject,
the bishop candidly acknowledged all the facts in the case.




THE CASE OF BISHOP ANDREW.              107
Whereupon, the subject was brought formally before the body
for adjudication. After an exceedingly stormy and protracted
debate, the General Conference passed a resolution, the substance of which was, that it was the sense of the conference,
that Bishop Andrew should desist from exercising the functions
of the episcopacy, until such time as he had released himself
from the embarrassment arising from his connection with slavery. Against this action of the conference, the Southern
delegation entered a warm protest, which had been drawn up
by Dr. Bascom of Kentucky. It was signed by fifty-three
members from the Southern States, and by seven from the
Middle States, in behalf of thirteen annual conferences. In
this lengthy document they protested against the acts of the
majority in the case of Bishop Andrew: 1st. As being extra
judicial; as being both without law, and contrary to law, and
2d. As being subversive of the union and stability of the
church, because it involved a departure from the compromise
law of the church in relation to slavery, and asserting in the
plainest terms, that if the compromise law were repealed, or
allowed to remain a dead letter, the South could not submit,
and the division of the church was absolutely necessary.
To this protest, Doctors Durbin, Peck, and Elliott, presented
a lengthy reply, which was read to the conference, and ordered
to be spread on the Journal, by a vote of 116 yeas to 16 nays.
The reply, in forcible terms, reviews the action taken on Bishop
Andrew's case, and denies most emphatically that any law of
the church has been violated, or that any injustice has been
done to the bishop or to the Southern portion of the church.
In the reply, they quote the law on the subject, which reads as
follows: " When any travelling preacher becomes an owner of
a slave or slaves by any means, he shall forfeit his ministerial
character in our church, unless he execute, if it be practicable,
a legal emancipation of such slaves, conformably to the laws
of the state in which he lives." This law, it was alleged,
covered the case of Bishop Andrew, and aside from this law,
g




108               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
it was claimed as an admitted fact, that he was elected to the
episcopacy in preference to more gifted ministers, because of
his not being a slaveholder, and that being elected under such
circumstances and with the expectation of his remaining free
from all connection with that evil, he had no right to embarrass
his administration by voluntarily connecting himself with slavery as an owner by marriage, or in any other manner.
The reply failed to convince the minority of the propriety of
the proceedings in the above case. Indeed, before the reply
had been read, a division of the church had been determined
upon by the Southern delegation, and there appeared no disposition on their part to prevent the threatened disruption, unless
Bishop Andrew was unconditionally reinstated in his office.
The majority could not agree to this, and as division or separation was by both parties now deemed inevitable, it was thought
best, that if they must part, it should be done in peace. Accordingly, a plan of separation was agreed upon, the substance
of which was, that Conferences and Societies on, or near the
line separating the slaveholding from the non-slaveholding
states, might elect to which portion of the church they would
adhere, and that when such election was formally made, they
should be considered as an integral portion of that church to
which they adhered, and that the other church should not in
any manner interfere with such Conferences or Societies after
such election had been determined, neither should either portion
invade the territory of the other, by appointing preachers to
labor therein.
It was also stipulated and agreed, that the funds of the
church, consisting principally of the Book Concerns and Chartered Fund, should be divided between the two bodies, according
to the number of preachers in each; PROVIDED the several
annual conferences by a constitutional majority of three fourths
of all the members should concur in removing the sixth restrictive rule, which declares that the General Conference
"shall not appropriate the produce of the Book Concern nor




CONVENTION OF SOUTHERN MINISTERS.         109
of the Chartered Fund to any purpose, other than for the benefit of the travelling, supernumerary, superannuated, and wornout preachers; their wives, widows, and children."
Having adopted the above articles of agreement, and requested the bishops to lay the same before the annual conferences, after the completion of their business, and an arduous
session of six weeks, the General Conference adjourned to meet
again in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 1st,
1848.
After the adjournment of the General Conference of 1844,
a general anxiety existed in the North, East, and West, in relation to the course which would be pursued by the Southern
preachers generally, in regard to the separation. Hopes were
entertained by many, that after the delegates had gone home, and
had coolly reflected upon the matter, they and their constituents
would finally conclude to prevent, if possible, a final separation
of the two portions of the church. These hopes, however, were
doomed to disappointment. Soon after the return of the
Southern delegates, a mode of action was announced by them
to produce the disruption which they had so loudly threatened,
and confidently predicted. A convention of Southern ministers
was called by these delegates to meet in Louisville, Kentucky,
on the 1st of May of the next year. At this convention, the
proceedings of the Southern delegates in the General Conference
were sanctioned, and it was decided that a separation of the
church was not only desirable, but unavoidable, and arrangemerits were made for holding a General Conference of the
Southern church in May, 1846. Accordingly, during the course
of the year 1845, at the sessions of the several annual conferences which adhered to the Church South, delegates were
chosen to represent them in said General Conference. When
the time arrived for the session of the latter, and after the
opening proceedings by Bishop Andrew, Bishop Soule, the
senior bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, gave in his
adherence to the Church South, and two additional bishops




110              EPISCOPAL METHIODISM.
were subsequently elected, namely, Capers and Paine. The
separatists made no material alterations in the discipline, and
such as were made, were rendered necessary by their local
circumstances. Commissioners were appointed by this conference to treat with the Book Agents and others, in relation
to the division of the church funds, and Dr. Pierce of Georgia
was appointed a delegate to the General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, to be held in 1848. The name
of the new organization was declared to be " The Methodist
Episcopal Church South;" and after having completed their
business, they adjourned to meet in four years, namely, May
1st, 1850.
Thus we see the largest protestant body in the United States
rent asunder from east to west, because of the pro-slaveryism
of the one portion, and the anti-slaveryism of the other; for
although the action of the majority, in the cases of Mr. Harding
and Bishop Andrew, were the immediate and apparent cause
of separation, yet as every reader will see, the real cause lay
back of any such action. It existed in the fixed determination
of the South to have slaveholding ministers and bishops at all
hazards; and the equally fixed resolution of the North, to
keep the episcopacy and the travelling ministry, as far as possible, free from the accursed evil.
After the adjournment of the General Conference of the
Church South-as indeed since the General Conference of
1844-a violent controversy was carried on in all the religious
papers of the two churches in relation to the action of the respective portions of the church. The entire connection, both
north and south, was greatly agitated. This is especially true
in regard to the Conferences and Societies on, or near the line
of separation. As it was for the interests of the Church
South, to gain as large a membership as possible, the most unjustifiable means were resorted to by a portion of her ministry,
to draw off as many as possible from the Methodist Episcopal
Church. One of the leading separatists, Wm. A. Smith, of




THE VOTE ON SUSPENSION OF THE SIX.TH RULE.    111
Virginia, held public meetings from place to place along the
line, and in the grossest and most offensive manner impugned
the motives of the majority. As might be expected, he, and
other spirits of congenial nature, succeeded in drawing off some
from  their allegiance to the Methodist Episcopal Church,
-while the great mass of the members in the free, and many of
those in the border slave states, retained their attachment foi
the authority and ministry of the Northern church.
Meanwhile, the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
in accordance with the instruction of the General Conference
of 1844, submitted to the several annual conferences, the resolutions of the former body in relation to the proposed alteration
or suspension of the sixth restrictive rule before alluded to, so
as to allow a division of the funds of the church, according to
the plan of separation adopted by the conference of 1844.
But although the presiding bishops at these conferences generally advised a concurrence of the latter in the recommendation
of the General Conference, it was found when all the votes
were counted that the constitutional majority of three fourths
had not been obtained in favor of the measure. The whole
number of votes given on this subject was 3,185; the number
of votes in favor of the alteration was 2,135; against it, 1,070;
thus showing a deficiency of 253 votes to constitute the required
three fourth majority. While therefore a majority of the ministers
were in favor of dividing the funds, yet as the constitutional
majority had not been obtained, it became impossible for the
agents at the North, legally to divide the same. Various were
the causes which operated to prevent the obtaining of the
requisite number of votes. The most of the preachers at the
North, believed the South to have manifested a disposition to
perpetuate the institutions of slavery, and to incorporate the
same into the episcopacy and ministry, for the purpose of so
perpetuating the evil. They were also aware of the ungentlemanly course pursued by some of the leading Southern ministers in fomenting divisions and strife along the border; that




112              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
the South had, in fact, already violated the agreement made at
the General Conference of 1844 by the above course. But the
chief reason which induced so many to give an adverse vote on
the subject, was a belief that the General Conference had
transcended its authority in consenting to a separation of the
South from the North, and much more so, in making provision
for the same in the plan mutually agreed upon. Others, again,
indulged a hope that if the South were denied a share in the
funds of the church, the Southern preachers might be induced
to retrace their steps, and consent to remain under the jurisdiction of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It is proper also to remark, that many of the
ministers who voted for the alteration, did so, not because they
thought the South were entitled legally or morally to any
portion of the funds of the church, or that they acknowledged
the power of the General Conference to rend the church in
twain, but they were anxious that the slaveholding conferences
and ministers should form a separate connection, so as to free
the Northern Church as much as possible from the stain of
slavery, and if dividing the funds would induce them to do so,
they were more than willing they should have a pro-rata share;
they would prefer even to give them the whole rather than
remain in connection with them. To use the language of one
who thus voted, they "were willing the South should go;
and if need be, pay them for going."
SECTION XI.
THUS matters remained at the opening of the General Conference of 1848 in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At
this conference were present Bishops Hedding, Waugh, Morris,
Hamline, and Janes; Bishops Soule and Andrew having adhered to the Southern Church as before stated. Several distinguished visitors were present; and among the latter was the Rev.




SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1848.  113
Dr. Dixon, the representative of the British Wesleyan Conference
in England, and Drs. Richey and Green, and Rev. John Ryerson of the Canada Conference. Dr. Pierce, the delegate of the
Church South, was also present, but the conference refused to
recognize him in his official capacity as delegate, but cordially
invited him to a seat among them as a minister of the gospel.
Bishop Soule was also present a portion of the time, but was
not recognized in his Episcopal capacity.  On the eleventh day
of the session Bishop Soule sent a communication to the conference, requesting that if there were any charges against him for
his administration during the two years after the former General Conference, or until his connection with the Church South,
these charges might be investigated, he having an opportunity
of defending himself. The following day the conference voted
that Bishop Soule having withdrawn fromn the church, the
General Conference could exercise no ecclesiastical authority
over him. There were also present as commissioners of the
Church South, the Rev. Drs. Green, Early, Pierce, and Rev.
C. B. Parsons, who preferred a formal claim to a pro-rata division of the funds of the church. This claim, as based upon
the action of the previous General Conference, was taken into
consideration, and while the conference by a vote of 133 to 9
declared the plan of separation to be null and void, because
unconstitutional, at the same time evinced a strong desire to
divide the funds with the South, if it could be legally and constitutionally done; but as the requisite majority in the annual
conferences had not been obtained, it was evident to themselves
that they had not the power so to divide it. They, however,
passed resolutions to the following effect: That the Book Agents
in New York be authorized to ask the opinion of eminent legal
counsel, whether they could legally and constitutionally submit
the matter to a Board of Arbitration to be chosen by both
parties, and if the opinion of said counsel was, that such arbitration would be legal, the agents were further authorized to
submit such claims to such Board, and abide the decision of




114               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
the same; or if the Southern Commissioners should commence
a civil prosecution the agents were authorized to refer the
whole matter to arbiters under the direction of the court before
which the case might be brought.  Thus matters remained at
the close of the General Conference of 1848; and since that
period actions have been commenced before the United States
District Courts in New York and Pennsylvania, for a division
of the funds of the Book Concern and Chartered Fund, but as
yet neither claim has been decided by the Court.*
We have thus endeavored to give the reader an impartial
and connected account of the division of the church, and of the
causes which led to the same; and the intelligent and disinterested will be able to judge of the policy of both branches of
the church in relation to slavery.  They will perceive that
while the settled policy of the Northern branch is to discountenance that evil, especially among its members, the policy of
the South is to perpetuate both in State and Church what Mr.
Wesley, the founder of Methodism, pronounced to be " the sum
of all villanies."  It is true, there are still a few slaveholders
in the Methodist Episcopal Church who reside in slaveholding
territory, but the policy of the church in relation to such is,
not to justify them in sustaining such a relation irrespective of
circumstances, but to induce them, as soon as it can be done
with justice to the slave, and safety to themselves, to emancipate them accordingly as the laws will admit.
* Since the above was written, the Southern claim on the Book
Concern has been argued before the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York, Judge Nelson presiding. After
hearing the argument the court advised a settlement by arbitration,
or some other way. The Book Agents having the power, according to
their instructions, to make a proposal for an arbitration, did so; but
the Southern Commissioners would not consent to the same, unless the
Agents would previously admit their right to a division of the funds,
and would submit only the question-How much they were entitled
to?-to the decision of the Referees. To this of course the Agents
could not submit.




MISSIONS IN OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.         115
Having, for the sake of connection, passed over several important facts worthy of notice in the history of the church
during the interim of the General Conferences of 1844-1848,
we will now resume our narrative of events, as they transpired
from time to time. Late in the year 1843, the Rev. George
Gary of the Black River Conference, having been appointed
superintendent of the Oregon mission, took his leave of his
friends, and sailed for that distant shore for the purpose of
"setting things in order," as connected with that part of the
work. He arrived in Oregon in the early part of June, 1844,
and immediately began a course of operation with the concurrence of the resident missionaries for the purpose of retrenching,
as far as practicable, the expenses of that mission. Mr. Lee,
the former enterprising and faithful superintendent, had in the
meantime returned to the United States, and had received at
the New England Conference of 1844 the appointment of
Agent for the " Oregon Institute."  His health, however, soon
declined, and on the 12th of March following he departed this
life. Thus died the Missionary Pioneer of the Valley of the
Columbia, in the 42d year of his age. Mr. Gary remained in
Oregon about three years, and then returned to the United
States, having in the meanwhile accomplished the object of his
appointment to the entire satisfaction of the Missionary Board.
Such was the success attending the labors of the missionaries
of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Oregon that at the conference of 1848 an Oregon and Californian Mission Conference
was established on the Pacific coast, and the Rev. William
Roberts, of the New Jersey Conference, was appointed superintendent of the same. Mr. Roberts, and Rev. James H. Wilbur
of the Black River Conference, had two years previously been
appointed to that mission, and, with other self-denying men,
were laboring to build up Messiah's Kingdom in that part of
the world. The missions in Oregon and California have now
obtained a prominent position, there being not less than




116              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
eighteen missionaries employed by the Board in these fields at
the present time.
In the year 1847, a mission was established in the empire
of China by the appointment of the Rev. Judson D. Collins
and Rev. Moses C. White, as missionaries to that foreign field;
and since that period the missionaries have been increased in
number, so that there are at present five missionaries of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in the Celestial Empire.
In 1849 the Board of Managers resolved to establish a mission in Germany, and the Rev. L. S. Jacoby, of the Illinois
Conference, was appointed to the work. He was instructed to
make the city of Bremen the centre of operations. In nineteen
days after leaving New York he arrived in Bremen, and found
many who were willing to receive him as the messenger of
God. He immediately caused some Methodist tracts to be
printed in German for gratuitous distribution. He then rented
a large saloon capable of holding five hundred persons in
which to celebrate public worship. He published a German
hymn-book, and having suggested to the Board the importance
of publishing a Methodist periodical in Bremen, he was authorized so to do, the Messrs. Baker & Brother of Baltimore having
directed the Treasurer to draw on them for the whole expense
of press, &c., $500. Since then, other missionaries have been
appointed to Germany, and the success which has already attended the efforts of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this
department of her foreign work gives assurance of being able
to reap a plentiful harvest in that field; while the German
missions in the United States, commenced as before stated,
through the labors and instrumentality of Dr. Nast, have more
than met the most sanguine expectations of the warmest
friends of the enterprise, as may be judged from the fact that
in 1850 there were in the United States nine German mission
districts; ninety missions or circuits; one hundred and fifteen
churches, or meeting-houses; forty-five parsonages; one hundre4d I-d #tveuteen German ministers, or preachers engaged in




MISStON OF ST. REGIS.               117
the regular work; eighty-eight local preachers and exhorters;
over seven thousand members, and nearly four thousand Sunday-school scholars, under the care of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, besides those under the care of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
While the efforts of the church were thus being directed to
foreign fields, the poor and destitute in sparse settlements of
our own land, besides the German emigrants, were by no means
forgotten. Many domestic missions within the last eight or
ten years have been established within the bounds of the respective conferences, and in many instances have resulted in
the permanent organization of large and flourishing churches.
Neither has the "poor Indian" in his native wilds, or in the
midst of civilization, been forgotten by the church. In different parts of the land are large tribes of Indians residing on reserved portions of land secured to them in perpetuity by the general or State governments. Among these tribes, missions have
at different times been established and sustained by the liberality of the whites. Among these tribes of Indians located on
such reservations is the St. Regis tribe, whose lands lie in the extreme north-east corner of the State of New York, called the St.
Regis Reservation.  A village counting a thousand Indian inhabitants stands partly on this reservation, and partly on land
granted by the British government to those who reside on the
Canada side of the line. For nearly a century a Roman
Catholic mission has existed in St. Regis, and a large church
has long been erected for their use; but still, although converted nominally from paganism to Christianity, they were
sunk in ignorance, superstition, and vice. In the language of
their priest in answer to the inquiry of a Methodist minister if
the Indians were pious and sober-" They are very pious, but
not very sober," was the characteristic reply. And such indeed
was the truth; they were very pious in the Romanist sense of
the word, attending upon all the ordinances and sacraments of
the Roman Church, and living a life of debauchery, drunken



118               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
ness and crime. In the year 1847-8 Rev. Ebenezer Arnold of
the Black River Conference, who was laboring on a contiguous
charge, providentially was led among them, and after preaching to them for a few times the requirements and blessings of a
pure gospel, succeeded in arresting the attention of some, and
in prevailing upon them to come to Jesus Christ by repentance
and faith. The result was, that a small but flourishing Society
was formed among them, and the succeeding conference witnessed the appointment of a regular missionary among them
in the person of the Rev. J. P. Jennings.  Through the indefatigable exertions of this young minister and others, especially
through the kind concern of Bishop Janes who has had the
charge of the Indian missions for the time being, a large and
beautiful chapel was soon erected at an expense of over $1,500,
being furnished with a fine-toned bell, and having a neat and
commodious parsonage attached, with land for garden, pasture, &c., the whole costing not less than $2,000 or $2,500.
Althou(gh the success of the missionary in the upbuilding of
the spiritual part of the mission must necessarily be small at
first, and gained only by slow degrees, yet sufficient encouragement has been given by the sound conversion of numbers of
these Indians to warrant a continued effort for the special
benefit of this degraded people.
Missions have also, since the division of the church, been established in different cities and towns for the benefit of the
French, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian population, and the
signs of the times clearly indicate that the Methodist Episcopal
Church, always missionary in her character, and aggressive in
her movements, is destined to become more emphatically a
MISSIONARY CHURCH.
Great advancement has also been made in the cause of Sunday-school instruction, within the'few past years. The General
Conference, more than ever convinced of the importance of
Sunday-schools, has wisely made provision for the increased
wants of the young in this respect. The Sunday School Union




THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.            119
of the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized on the 2d
day of April, 1827, but we are not to infer that the Methodists
had no Sunday-schools in their church until the latter date.
At the time of the organization of the church in 1784, the
preachers were instructed especially to give their attention to
the children and youth, and in 1790 the preachers were furthqr required to establish Sunday-schools in, or near the place
of worship, but it was in the year 1827 that the cause received
a new impetus by the organization of the " Union," and in 1840
still greater efficiency was given to the exertions of the church
by the reorganization of the Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and since the appointment of the present able and talented corresponding secretary, Rev. D. P. Kidder, the prosperity and increase of schools, scholars, and Sundayschool books, is probably without a parallel in the history of
any branch of the Church of Christ, so that at present, there is
no doubt, that not less than five hundred thousand children
and youth are connected with the Sunday School Union of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
We have thus, kind reader, given you a brief historical account of the rise of Methodism in Europe, and of its introduction into America, and its progress from that time until the
present. Further information in regard to its present state will
be obtained in the account to be given of the institutions and
statistics of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the latter part
of the book. We now proceed to give an account of the introduction of Methodism into Canada; and of its rise and progress
in that province.
SECTION XII.
METHODISM appears to have been introduced into the province of Canada in the year 1780, during the Revolutionary war
between Great Britain and her North American colonies. A
number of the soldiers who were sent over to Quebec at that time,




120              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
were members of Mr. Wesley's Societies in England. Among
these pious soldiers was a commissariat officer belonging to the
forty-fourth regiment of foot, who had been a helper or local
preacher under Mr. Wesley, and who immediately upon his
arrival in Quebec began to preach, as occasion offered, to the
officers and soldiers of the garrison. Mr. Tuffey, for such was
this gentleman's name, remained in Quebec for about three
years, and at the close of the war was recalled to England with
a portion of the troops. The most of his Methodist associates
in Quebec, having with other soldiers the privilege of returning
to England, or of being disbanded in America, chose the latter,
and soon scattered themselves over different parts of the province. But as yet no Society of Methodists had been formed in
Canada, Mr. Tufiey thinking it best under all the existing circumstances not to attempt the formation of any Society.
After the declaration of peace between the two countries,
the tide of emigration began to flow from the eastern shore of
the St. Lawrence and the great lakes towards the British possessions, and in the winter of 1788-9, a young man by the
name of Lyon, an exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal Church
in the United States, engaged a school in the township of
Adolphustown, Upper Canada. He soon began to hold meetings for prayer, and exhortation, and in a short time a revival
of religion took place, in which some were converted, others
Were reclaimed, and lukewarm professors were aroused; but no
Societies were formed by Mr. Lyon.
Shortly after this, an Irishman by the name of M'Carty, who
had for some years lived in the United States, and who was a
Whitfieldian Methodist, repaired to Canada and settled in the
township of Earnestown. He soon began to preach written sermons according to the practice of the Church of England, but
with such deep feeling and earnestness, that many were converted through his instrumentality. In this great work he
was cheered and aided by numerous Methodists who had
either belonged to Mr. Wesley's Societies in England, or to




METHODISM INTRODUCED INTO CANADA.         121
the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States.  The
success of Mr. M'Carty and the Methodists who co-operated
with him, aroused as usual the ire of some of the established
clergy. A minister of the Church of England meeting one of
these revivalists one day, said to him abruptly, "You are going
to hell!" " How do you know that?"'  " Ah! I am sure of
it; for you run out against dancing, card-playing, horse-racing,
&c., and you'll go to hell for it." Such being the character of
the priests, it is not to be supposed that the morals of the people
were of any higher order, so that it was not without opposition
that Methodism gained a foothold in Canada.
The most active opposers of the work of God in the neighborhood where Mr. M'Carty preached, were the sheriff of the
county, a captain of militia, and an engineer, who employed
their power and authority in abusing and maltreating the
Mthodists. On a certain Sunday while Mr. M'Carty was
preaching in a private house, four men armed with muskets
came to arrest him. On the solemn promise of the gentleman
of the house that the prisoner would make his appearance the
next day before the sheriff in Kingston, the men left him and
returned. The next day he repaired to Kingston, and although
the sheriff at first refused to take charge of him, he was the
same day thrown into prison, but released for a certain time on
bail. When the time for which he had been bailed expired,
he again repaired to Kingston to receive his destiny, wheref
the orders of the chief engineer, he was put on board of a boat
manned by four French Canadians, who were directed to leave
him on an uninhabited island in the St. Lawrence. The boat's
crew attempted to comply with their directions, but through
the resistance of Mr. M'Carty, they were obliged to land him
on the main shore, from whence he returned to his family.
While thus persecuted by his enemies in Kingston, to the
honor of the late Sir John Johnson be it recorded, that the
latter furnished Mr. M'Carty with funds to carry on a prosecution against these vile wretches, and a kind-hearted attorney in




122              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Montreal offered to lend him all necessary assistance in that
respect.  But before legal redress could be obtained, Mr.
M'Carty was suddenly and strangely missing, and has never
been heard of from that time to the present. He might have
been murdered, or what we should prefer believing, he may bave
been accidentally drowned beneath the green waters of the St.
Lawrence. His chief persecutors in Kingston soon ended their
career also, the engineer and sheriff both having died in a few
weeks afterward, while the militia captain subsequently wrote a
confession. of his crime, in which he stated that he had wrongfully persecuted an innocent man, and presented it to the judge
of the court. He afterward became insane, and continued so
until his death.
Two years passed away after the arrival of Mr. Lyon before
any steps were taken to secure the services of a Methodist
preacher from the States. At length in 1790 a message Was
sent to the conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church assembled in New York, for a missionary to be appointed for
Canada, and the Rev. William Losee was accordingly despatched to the aid of those few sheep. He repaired to the scene of
the revival before alluded to, and succeeded almost immediately in forming Societies in different townships with a membership of about two hundred persons, who attached themselves to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He also formed a
quit extending from Kingston to the head of the Bay of
Quinte, embracing the townships of Earnestown, Fredericksburgh, and Adolphustown. The circuit was called Cataraqui
Circuit. In 1792 the Rev. Darius Dunham. was appointed to
this circuit, and Mr. Losee proceeding down the St. Lawrence
formed another circuit which was called the Oswegotchie,
which at the next conference reported a membership of ninety
persons. In 1794 the Rev. James Coleman and Rev. Elijah
Woolsey were appointed by the New York Conference to Canada. The next year 1795, Rev. Sylvanus Keeler was appointed to the same field, and in 1796 Revs. Coate and H. C.




THE MISSION OF DR. BANGS.              123
Wooster were also appointed preachers to the Canadian brethren, and thus the cause of Methodism  began gradually to extend itself over the Upper Province, so that in the year 1800
there were four large circuits with a membership of eleven
hundred and fifty embraced in a presiding elder's district, and
attached to the New York Conference.
In the year 1802, Montreal was visited by the Rev. Joseph
Sawyer.  lie found a few persons in that place, who had belonged to the Methodist Society in the city of New York before
the revolutionary war. By these. he was cordially received
and assisted in procuring a school-room for preaching. A Mr.
and Mrs. McGinnis were among the first who attached themselves to the Society in Montreal, and who remained faithful
in the cause of Christ and of Methodism during all its vicissitudes in that place, until they joined the church triumphant.
In 1803, Revs. Samuel isMerwin, Elijah Chichester, and Laban
Clark, were sent as missionaries to Lower Canada; and Montreal, St. Johns, and Sorel, are found included ameng the stations of the New York Conference.   lr.  Merwin went to
Quebec, where he stayed only about six weeks without being
successful in organizing a Society, and he returned to Montreal, where he remained during the rest of the year, and
was succeeded the next year, 1804, by the late Dr. Martin
Ruter.
This same year also, the Rev. Nathan (now Doctor) Bangs
was sent as a missionary to a new settlement on the river
Thames in Upper Canada, and that the reader may know
something about the hardships endured by these pioneers in
the early days of Canadian Methodism, we will take the liberty
of presenting the account Dr. Bangs gives of his introduction
to his new field of labor, as found in his History of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  Having requested the appointment
of missionary to that place, and having obtained the same
from-Bishop Asbury, he "left the city of New York in the
latter part of the month of June, went into Upper Canada by
10




124              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
way of Kingston, thence up the country along the north-western.
shore of Lake Ontario to the Long Point Circuit, and thence on
through Oxford to the town of Delaware on the river Thames,
Here he lodged for the night in the last log hut in the settlement, and the next morning as day began to dawn, he arose
and took his departure, and after travelling through a wilderness of forty-five miles, guided only by marked trees, he arrived
at a solitary log hut about sunset, weary, hungry, and thirsty,
where he was entertained with the best the house could afford,
which was some Indian-pudding and milk for supper, and a
bundle of straw for his bed.  The next day about twelve
o'clock he arrived at an Indian village, on the north bank of the
Thames, the inhabitants of which were under the instructions
of two Moravian missionaries. While there, the Indians were
called together for worship, which was performed in a very
simple manner by reading a short discourse, and singing a few
verses of a hymn. The missionaries and the Indians treated
him with great respect and affection, and seemed to rejoice in
the prospect of having the gospel preached to the white settlements on the banks of the river below.
"About three o'clock P.m., he arrived at the first house in
the settlement, where the following conversation took place
between the missionary and a man whom he saw in the yard
before the house. After the introductory salutation, the missionary inquired,'Do you want the gospel preached here'
After some deliberation it was answered,'Yes, that we do.
Do you preach the gospel'' That is my occupation.''Alight from your horse, then, and come in, will you?''I
have come a great distance to preach the gospel to the people
here, and it is now Saturday afternoon, to-morrow is the Sabbath, and I must have a house to preach in before I get off
from mv horse.' After a few moments of consideration he
replied,' I have a house for you to preach in, provender for
your horse, and food and lodging for yourself; and you shall
be welcome to them all if you will dismount and come in.'




PREACHIING IN A NEW SETTLEMENT.         125
Thanking him for his kind offer, the missionary dismounted
and entered the hospitable mansion in the name of the Lord,
saying, Peace be to this house. A young man mounted his
horse and rode ten miles down the river, inviting the people
to attend meeting at that house at ten o'clock A.M. of the
next morning.
"At the time appointed the house was filled. VWhen the
missionary rose up, he told the people that whenever a stranger
makes his appearance in a place the people are generally
anxious to know who he is, whence he came, where he is going,
and what his errand is among them.'In these things,' said
he,'I will satisfy you in a few words.' I-e then gave them a
short account of his birth and education, of his conversion and
call to the ministry, and the motives which induced him to
come among them, and concluded in the following manner:'I am a Methodist preacher, and my manner of worship is to
stand up and sing, and kneel in prayer; then I stand up and
take a text, and preach while the people sit on their seats.
As many of you as see fit to join me in this method you can
do so; but if not you can choose your own method.' When
he gave out his hymn they all arose, every man, woman, and
child. When he kneeled in prayer they all, without exception,
kneeled down. They then took their seats and he stood up
and gave out his text,'Repent ye therefore and be converted,
&c.,' and he preached, as he thinks, with the Holy Ghost sent
down from heaven. Having concluded his discourse, he explained to his audience his manner of preaching by itinerating
through the country, his doctrine, and how supported, &c. He
then said,' All you who wish to hear any more such preaching
rise up,' when every man, woman, and child stood up. Hie
then told them that they might expect preaching there again
in two weeks."
He then sent on appointments through the settlements along
down the river, and was everywhere received with great cordiality. He proceeded down the shore to Lake St. Clair, crossed




126              EPISCOPAL METHODISMT.
over to Detroit and down the shore to Lake Erie, and preache(d
to people who had never heard a gospel sermon, and to
Methodists who had not heard a sermon preached in seven
years. Thus we see Methodism introduced into that part of
Canada, where it has since taken deep root and prevailed extensively.
In the year 1806, this self-denying missionary volunteered
his services for Quebec. After spending a few weeks in Montreal to supply them  until their preacher, the Rev. Samruel
Coate, arrived, he sailed down the river St. Lawrence and
reached Quebec on Saturday morning. IIaving a few letters
of introduction he delivered them, and after great exertions,
succeeded in renting a room and in getting it provided with
temporary seats during the same day, and on the morrow he
preached to a "tolerable congregation."  The inhabitants of
the city were mostly French Catholics, English Episcopalians,
or Scotch Presbyterians, and all manifested a deadly hostility
to Methodism. A  few pious people however-and among
them a Scotch missionary by the name of Dick —received him
cordially and affectionately. After laboring amidst many discouragements for a length of time, with only about a dozen of
stated hearers, he succeeded in forming a small Society in the
capital of British North America, since which time the Methodists have not only had an organized Society in existence, but
have become respectable both as it regards numbers and influence, as the author of this work, in subsequent years, has had
an opportunity of knowing by a personal residence in the
place.
In the year 1812, the last war between Great Britain and
the United States commenced, and in consequence thereof the
cause of Methodism in these provinces suffered greatly. At
this time the work in the Canadas was divided into two districts, namely, the Upper and Lower Canada districts, the
former of which was attached to the Genesee Conference recently
formed, and the latter to the New York Conference.  From




PROCEEDINGS IN CANADA DURING THE WAR.    127
each of these conferences the annual supplies of preachers were
sent to the respective portions of the work.  At the session of
the General Conference in 1812, the preachers were appointed,
as usual, to the Upper Caada district.  Bef6re the formal
declaration of war, some of the preachers reached their appointments in safety, others, however, after the announcement
was made, abandoned the design of going to Canada, and some
of those who had already reached their circuits returned to the
United States.  The Rev. Henry Ryan, presiding elder of the
Upper Canada district, with a few other brethren, remained at
his post, and was, during the continuance of the war, the sole
director and superintendent of this part of the work.  He
attended regularly all his quarterly meetings, and called the
preaclers together each year and stationed them as he judged
best from time to time until 1815, when peace was declared to
the joy of every pious heart.  The authority and power invested in Mr. Ryan bv the necessities of the case, no doubt laid
the foundation of the many troubles and dissensions which existed for many years subsequently, in which Mr. Ryan was a
chief actor, and which finally led to his abandonment of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in 1827, and the organization of
an independent body of Methodists in Canada known by the
name of " Ryanites."
After the close of the war of 1812-15, intercourse between
the people on both sides of the line was resumed. Preachers
from the United States were again appointed to the Canadas,
and were permitted to mingle freely with the inhabitants and
preach wherever they could collect a congregation, and as the
work had suffered materially during the continuance of the
war, these preachers and the members saw the necessity of
laboring zealously to recover what had been lost, and their
labors were crowned with abundant success throughout different
parts of the provinces.
Previous to the commencement of hostilities, Bishop Asbury
in 1811, made a short visit to Canada.  I-e, after attending




128              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
the session of the New England Conference in Barnard, Vt.,
crossed the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, and from
Plattsburgh made his way through the wilderness known as the
"Chateaugay Woods," and passing through "French Mills"
(Fort Covington) reached the Indian village of St. Regis.  He,
from this place, crossed the St. Lawrence to Cornwall, and
passed along up the banks of the latter river, stopping and
preaching in different places as he went on his journey, until
at length he arrived in Kingston, where he tarried several days
and preached in the new chapel recently erected in that place,
with great acceptability to the people. From  Kingston he
crossed to Sackett's Harbor, having made a flying visit to a
colony then and since under the protection of the flag of his
native country. It was fortunate that this visit was made at
this time, as hostilities soon after commenced, and before the
cessation of the same the venerable bishop was called to his rest
in heaven.
While the war was raging, and the Societies in Canada were,
some of them, left without ministers, the Society in Quebec
sent a request to the Mission Committee in London to be supplied with English preachers; accordingly, in 1814, a missionary from England was sent to them, and Quebec, in future, was
left off firom the American Minutes. For the same or a similar
reason that an English preacher was sent to Quebec, it was
thought best by the Wesleyan Mission Committee to send
English preachers to other points in the provinces; accordingly,
Montreal, Kingston, and other prominent places were soon occupied in part by English missionaries, while at the same time
American preachers were duly stationed among them. This
state of things induced jealousy and bickerings, not only between the members in the Societies in these places who favored
the ministrations of the one or the other, but between the
preachers also, who, unfortunately for themselves, were required
to occupy common ground. Complaints and remonstrances to
the Wesleyan Committee on the one hand, and to the Ameri



BRITISH AND AMERICAN PREACHERS IN CANADA.   129
can Conferences on the other, were made for a redress of
grievances. But as in the large Societies, especially the one
in Montreal, there were two distinct classes of Methodists (the
English Wesleyan and the American Episcopal), it was not an
easy matter to effect an adjustment of existing difficulties under
these circumstances, as one party preferred their own countrymen to preach the gospel to them, and the other as tenaciously
insisted for the same reason, on having their old pastors remain
among them. At the General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in 1816, an affectionate letter written by the
Wesleyan Committee was received at the hands of the Rev.
Messrs. Black and Bennett, who were appointed delegates to
effect an adjustment of difficulties.  In this letter a request
was made that the Methodist Episcopal Church should withdraw her preachers from those places occupied in whole or in
part by the English missionaries. The General Conference,
however, could not see the way clear to relinquish ground
which had been so long occupied by them, and wrote an
answer to the committee, in which they respectfully state that
they could not consistently give up any part of the Societies or
chapels in the Canadas to the superintendence of the British
connection. The result of this refusal was that those Societies
circumstanced as above described were supplied with both
British and American preachers for a number of years. This
was particularly the case with Montreal. At the succeeding
General Conference of 1820, numerous memorials and petitions
were presented from several circuits in Upper Canada, protesting against the occupancy of the ground by the British missionaries, and praying for the supply of preachers from the United
States. The conference passed a resolution to the effect that
the bishops still continue to exercise their Episcopal charge
over the Societies in the Canadas, all except Quebec.
At this conference also, was received another address from
the General Secretaries of the Missionary Society in London,
in which they respectfully express their regret that any mis



130                 EPISCOPAL METHIODISM.
understanding had taken place between the two bodies in relation to the above matter, and also state that it never was the
design of the committee to have their missionaries interfere
with those preachers sent by the American Conferences.  The
committee, in connection with the above, sent a copy of the
instructions given to each of their mnissionaries in relation to
their acts when brought in contact with the Atnerican preachers.  This document was sufficiently explicit to convince the
General Conference that, however any of the missionaries or
preachers had erred in judgment, the designs of the committee
and of the British Conference were of the most fiiendly and
pacific character, and in order that all cause for future misunderstanding might be removed, the Rev. John Emory was appointed by the General Conference as a delegate to attend the
ensuing session of the English Conference, with full powers to
negotiate a settlement of all existing' difficulties.  In accordance
with his instructions, Mr. Emory sailed imniediately for England, and attended the session of the latter body, held in Liverpool in August, 1820.  lie was received with great respect and
cordiality by his English brethren, and'ifter due consultation,
and on the recommendation of Mr. Emory, it was resolved that
all the Societies and chapels in Upper Canad'a should be given
up to the exclllusive charge of the American preachers, and that
all the Societies and chapels in Lower Canada should be resigned to the care of thle British missionaries.  For the purpose
of carrying out the provisions of this plan, three ministers or
preachers from  each conference were appointed to meet when
and where convenient, zanld make the necessary transfers, &c.
The settlement of these difficulties in tle above marnner 8g'\ave
very general satisfiction to both preachers and people in thle
Canaclas, and has been prod uctive of great, and we tr'ust, permanent good, while it affordls an evidence of the Cliristian
desire of both connections to maintain peace and unity between
the two great bodies of Methodists.
The number of travelling and local preachers in the Upper




INDEPENDENCE OF CANADA CONFERENCE.           131
Province having become considerable, a strong desire began to
be expressed on the part of many, that a separate Canada Conference should be organized, with authority to elect a bishop
of their own, who should reside among them, and superintend
their affairs.  A petition to this effect was presented to the
General Conference of 1824, and the conference so far granted
the prayers of the petitioners, as to erect a separate conference
for Canada, but retaining the same under the supervision of
the bishops of the IMethodist Episcopal Church. This disposition of the case was not, however, satisfactory to all, and especially to Mr. Ryan, before alluded to, who speedily began
the work of fomenting divisions and discord among the preachers, and especially among the local preachers in the Canadian
department of the work.  Through his agency, a convention
of local preachers was called, a conference organized, and a
plan of future operations adopted. On the assembling of the
conference, however, in iHallowell, U. C., peace was measurably restored for the time being, through the instrumentality
of Bishops George and Iledding, who pledged themselves to
sanction ineasures in the future for the organization of an Independent Canada Conference.
Accordingly, in 1828, the matter having again come before
the General Conference at its Quadrennial Session in Pittsburgh, resolutions were adopted dissolving the compact existing between the Canada Annual Conference, and the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, and authorizing the
bishops to ordain a superintendent or bishop for the Canada
Conference, whenever elected by the latter. At the next session of the Canada Conference, held the same year in Earnestown, U. C., the piroceedings of the General Conference in re.
spect to the separation having been read and explained, it was
resolved that the Canada Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church " do now organize itself into an independent Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada."  The separation was thus
rendered complete; so much so, that as soon as the resolution




132               EPISCOPAL METIIODISM.
passed, the presiding bishop rose, and declared that he no longer
had anyjurisdiction over them, and that they must elect a president before they could proceed to farther business; accordingly, the
Rev. William Case was elected General Superintendent pro teen.
The Canada Conference, although claiming to be a Methodist Episcopal Church, did not succeed in electing a permanent
superintendent or bishop in the interim of the sessions of the
General Conference of 1828-1832, so that at the latter period
resolutions were passed, allowing the bishops of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the United States to ordain any such superintendent within the ensuing four years, should one be
elected, but for reasons which will hereafter be apparent, no
such officer was ever elected.
The province of Canada being subject to the British crown,
a jealousy had long existed on the part of its statesmen in relation to the institutions of the United States.  This jealousy
ripened into hatred during the war of 1812-15, and although
at the close of the same actual hostilities ceased, feelings of animosity still remained.  This rendered the situation of the
American preachers an unpleasant one, and led, as we have
just stated, to the final separation of the Canada Conference
from the parent body. A desire to be identified with whatever is British in its nature and origin, led the members of the
Canada Conference to seek a union with their brethren in the
English Conference. Such a union was formed in 1833, the
Canada Conference changing its title of Methodist Episcopal
Church, to that of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada.
In changing their title, they also changed their church polity
in several respects, and in forming the union with the British
Conference, they consented to receive their president annually
from the latter body.
Althouagh this union gave satisfaction to the majority of the
travelling preachers and members of the Methodist Church in
Canada, it produced much uneasiness and dissatisfaction in the
breasts of many who were ardently attached to the usages and




PROCEEDINGS OF THE EPISCOPAL METHODISTS.   133
ecclesiastical government of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
While proposals for a union were being made, several conventions were held, in which it was resolved, on the part of those
dissatisfied with the contemplated arrangements, not to consent
to the union, if it should be effected. The most prominent
opposer of the union was the Rev. Joseph Gatchel, a superannuated member of the Canada Conference, who, with nu
mnerous local preachers and members, resolved to adhere as far
as possible to the discipline and polity of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Accordingly, in June, 1834, or about eight
months after the union, Mr. Gatchel, who refused to consent
to it, and retained his name of Methodist -Episcopal minister
called an annual conference, to be held in Young Street. In
answer to the call, several located and local preachers met together, but no member of the Wesleyan Conference obeyed
3he summons to attend. Mr. Gatchel, claiming that the main
body had seceded from the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
that he only constituted the Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada, proceeded in due form to re-admit
several located preachers, and receive other preachers on trial.
The time and place of the next annual conference were fixed
upon, and a special General Conference was appointed to meet
in Belville, Feb. 12, 1835, for the purpose of electing a Geneial Superintendent, pro tempore.  At the General Conference
thus appointed, Rev. John Reynolds was elected to this office,
and at a subsequent General Conference, held in June of the
same year, he was elected a bishop, and ordained by the elders
present.  Since the above period, the Methodist Episcopal
Church in Canada has gained many adherents and members,
so that at the present time it may be said to be in a flourishing
state, having a large number of chapels and Societies embraced
in several presiding elders' districts, and two annual conferences.
In the meanwhile, the Wesleyan Methodist Conference in
Canada, while repudiating the action of the "Episcopals," proceeded, according to the plan of union, in holding her annual




134              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
conferences, and administering her discipline, for several years,
until at length dissatisfaction arose on the part of the British
Conference, in relation to some of the acts of the Canadian
brethren, and the action of the Canada Conference in relation
thereto, which led to a disruption between the two bodies. In
consequence of this disruption the British Conference included
the territory in the upper province within her field of missionary operations, and appointed preachers to the most important
places in Canada. This state of things could not long continue
without producing the most unpleasant and sometimes violent
altercations between the adherents of the one or the other conference, so that with the Canadian Wesleyans, the British
Wesleyans, the Methodist Episcopalians, and the remains of
the " Ryanite" secession, all in operation at one and the same
time, all presenting conflicting claims, all having fiiends and
supporters, and each branch having its bitter foes, a long-continued scene of turmoil, contention, and strife, characterized the
proceedings of our Methodist brethren in Canada, which state
of things they no doubt all deplored, but had no remedy to
heal the wounds thus made.  After enduring this state of
things for some time, overtures were made by the Canada
Wesleyan Conference to the British Wesleyan Conference, for
a cessation of ecclesiastical hostilities, and the re-union of the
two bodies, and in 1847 an amicable arrangement was effected
in London, through the instrumentality of Messrs. Ryerson and
Green, on the part of the Canadian, and a Committee of the
British Conference.  This arrangement re-united the two
branches, and since the period referred to, the Canadian Confereuce has been presided over by a president annually appointed by the English body. There are about two hundred
ministers at present employed in Canada West by the Canada
Conference and the MIissionary Committee of London, besides
twenty in the Eastern Canada district. The Episcopal Methodists have also about an hundred ministers and preachers employed in different sections of the province.




BOOK II.
DOCTRINES OF METHODISM.
ARTICLES OF RELIGION.
INTRODUCTION
THE doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church are principally embraced in the Twenty-five Articles of Religion,
found in the Book of Discipline. These Articles are nearly
the same with those of the Church of England, and the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. The principal
difference between the Articles of the two latter Churches, and
those of the Methodist Episcopal Church, consists partly in the
number; that of the Church of England being thirty-nine, and
of the latter, as above stated, twenty-five; and also in the
omnission of a few phrases attached to some of the English
Articles, with the addition of one in relation to the Rulers of
the United States of America.
The Articles of Religion of the Church of England were
originally drawn up in the reign of Edward the VI. in the year
1552.  They at first consisted of forty-two, but in the reign of
Queen Elizabeth, were reduced to the present number of thirtynine.
When the Rev. John Wesley set apart Dr. Coke to the
office of Superintendent of the Societies in America, and instructed him to organize said Societies into an independent
Church, he prepared a prayer-book, or Sunday Service, for the




136               EPISCOPAL METIIODISM.
use of the infant church, in which prayer-book the Articles of
Religion were contained as now found, excepting the one relating to rulers, which was framed at the organization of the
church in 1784, and shortly after was printed in the form of
Discipline; since which time no change of any importance
has been made in any of the articles referred to.
We have stated, in substance, that these articles embrace
the most of the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church;
we do not say that all the doctrines of Methodism  are clearly
set forth in the same; or if all are alluded to, it is only by
implication that certain tenets may be inferred; as, for instance-while the doctrine of entire sanctification may be inferred from some of the articles, it is in none of them clearly
stated, or plainly taught. Hence, the Articles, while they embody the great fundamental doctrines of the Church, are not,
in themselves, a complete body of divinity.  Still, what is not
clearly stated or taught in the same, is stated and taught in
the other standard writings of the Church, such as Wesley's
Sermons, and WVatson's Institutes.
Objections have been frequently raised against the adoption
of articles of faith, as though what is acknowledged to be
merely human, must necessarily be unscriptural; and the cry
of" man made creeds," has resounded from shore to shore, and
from continent to continent.  But why all this opposition to a
mere statement of the doctrines of the Church, as embraced in
articles of faith? Is a merely human opinion in relation to
the doctrines of the Bible, any the. less human because it is not
embodied in an Article of religion? Is an unwritten system
of belief any the more scriptural because it is taught by the
tongue, instead of being taught by the pen?  And are the
multifarious and contradictory statements of the "no creed"
men, in relation to their own doctrines, to be embraced in
preference to those which are candidly written, and published
for the information of all who choose to read and judge for
themselves?  When a body of Christians are willing to give a




REASONS FOR A WRITTEN CREED.             137
candid, written statement of their religious opinions to the
world, so that these opinions may be compared with the letter
of Scripture, and be judged of accordingly, if not an evidence
of the correctness of their faith, is at least a proof of their sincerity in maintaining these opinions; while on the other hand,
if a body of professed Christians are unwilling to submit their
opinions to the public scrutiny, and as an excuse for so refusing, pretend to hold in great abhorrence those who do, the
reader may rest assured that there is something wrong about
the faith of such professed Christians, which renders them unwilling to bring their opinions to the test of sound criticism.
While, therefore, some professed Christians choose to dwell in
darkness, and keep others in darkness, the design of the AMethodist Episcopal Church is to let her light shine, " that others,
seeing her" faith and "good works, may be led to glorify their
Father in heaven."  I-ence the design of embodying in a condensed form the more important doctrines of the Bible, is not
for the purpose of making a creed, but of stating a creed already made, by the great Head of the Church; not for the
purpose of leading men astray by giving them an opportunity
of knowing and judging of our opinions, but to prevent their
being led astray by those who dare not honestly state in writing what are their true sentiments. Besides, a creed may exist as really in an urnwritten as in a written form. The Constitution of England is unwritten, but it is none the less a Constitution; the Constitution of the United States is a written
instrument, and if it is preferable to the former, it is because it
is more definite, more easily understood, its positions more
clearly defined, and the rights of the people more fully secured.
In like manner, a creed may exist without being written, but
wants that definiteness, that clearness. that correctness, belonging to the creed which is plainly written, and is confided to
the safe keeping of each member of the Church, as a guarantee against false doctrine, and heterodox opinions.  Hence, the
only valid objection which can be raised against the existence




138                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
of written articles of religion in the Methodist Episcopal
Church, is not that there are such articles in existence, but
that they do not express all that the Church believes; not
that there are too many, but too few. While, therefore, we
claim  that the Articles alluded to embrace all that is fundamental to Christianity, we freely admit that there are points
of doctrine believed by the Methodist Church, which are not
as fully stated in these Articles, as they are in our standard
theological works. Our object, therefore, will be, to state the
doctrines taught in the Twenty-five Articles, and then speak
of the other prominent doctrines which are not embraced in
the same, but are believed in, and taught by the Church.
ARTICLE I.
OF FAITH IN TI-IE HOLY TRINITY.
"There is but only one living and true God, everlasting, without
body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness: the maker and
preserver of all things visible and invisible. And in unity of this
Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity:
-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."
The doctrine embraced in this Article is fundamental, and
lies at the foundation of the Christian religion, and teaches the
following cardinal truths: 1st. The existence of God. 2d. The
Unity of God. 3d. The eternity of God. 4th. The incorporiety of God.  5th. The infinite power of God.  6th. The
infinite wisdom of God.  7th. The infinite goodness of God.
8th. The creative and preservative acts of God: and lastly,
Tlhe Trinity in the Unity of the Godhead.  It will not be
necessary to enlarge on each of these points, we will allude to
but two,-the Incorporeity of God, and the Trinity in Unity.
1. The declaration that God exists "without body or parts"
has been objected to by some modern fanatics, who seize on




THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.             139
certain figurative passages of Scripture, wherein God is spoken
of as being possessed of hands, eyes, ears, &c., and argue from
the same that God possesses both body and parts.  This inconsistent and blasphemous doctrine was also taught by an ancient sect of heretics called Antithropomorphites, while it remained for the Mormonites of these " latter days," to assert in
the most positive terms, that God has both " body, parts, and
passions."  This idea, however, is opposed to the infinity of
God, who, if possessed of body and parts, must have them in
possession as finite parts, or as infinite parts of the great whole.
If these parts are finite, the aggregate cannot make an infinite
being any more than two and two can form an infinite number; hence God must necessarily be a finite being, which is
contrary to reason and Scripture; but if each of these parts is
infinite in itself, then every part must be equal to the whole,
for the whole cannot be more than infinite; hence, we arrive
at the contradictory and absurd conclusion of a plurality of infinites, or in other words, of a plurality of supreme gods! existing in the one living and true God! Besides, it is positively
declared that " God is a spirit," which declaration stands diametrically opposed to the doctrine under consideration, for if the
meaning of the Saviour in that declaration was merely that God
is partly spirit and partly matter, he would have clearly stated
the fact by saying " there is a spirit in God," and not as above
quoted, declare that " God is a spirit."
2. The doctrine of the Trinity in Unity has also been objected to by ancient as well as modern heretics, who, because
they cannot bring their unassisted reason to comprehend the
mode or manner of the divine existence, rashly reject the scriptural evidence of such existence as based upon the fact of there being " three persons in one God,-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
"We cannot," say the objectors, "comprehend how there can
exist three persons in the Godhead, each of these persons
being distinct and yet forming but one being." Now a mere
want of comprehension cannot disprove the existence of any
11




140               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
fact, however incomprehensible that fact may be to us. Let
us illustrate; the laws of nature and their mode of operation
are in many respects totally incomprehensible; but thefact of
their existence we dare not deny, or even doubt. If we introduce a single candle into a dark room there is a light, perfect
and complete in itself. If we add to the number of burning
tapers, there will be a greater intensity of light produced by
these several tapers, the light from each being perfect and complete in itself, and yet in the aggregate forming but one light.
Now an objector might inquire with an air of triumph, " How
can there be three distinct and separate lights and yet be but
one." Our answer would be, "The fact is so; although we may
not be able to explain the manner to your comprehension;"
and so in regard to the triune existence of God, the fact of
such existence is clearly established by Scripture, but the manner of such existence may not be explained.
We may illustrate farther by the laws governing the transmission of sound. A public speaker addresses an assemblage
of five hundred persons. On the utterance of each syllable by
the speaker a certain definite sound is produced, clear and distinct in itself. This sound reaches the ear of each of the auditory as a whole and perfect sound; so perfect and complete,
that were there but one person in the room to listen to it, it
could not be more complete than it now is, when heard distinctly by five hundred different persons. Now, although there
are seemingly whole and perfect sounds for each of these, yet
there is but one sound produced by the speaker; and can we
comprehend clearly how this one sound may divide and subdivide itself apparently into five hundred or even five thousand
distinct parts, and yet remain but a single sound? Again we
say, the fact is so; but the precise mode of its being so, may
be beyond the comprehension of many, if not of all. Other illustrations of a forcible character might be presented, but as the
fact is purely a scriptural one, we must seek light and direction
on this important subject from the word of God.




THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.            141
3. The existence of a plursality of persons in the Godhead
may be clearly inferred from the plural form in which the word
" God" is used in the Bible, and that too, in the very beginning
of the Sacred History.  "In the beginning Gods created the
heavens and the earth."  As far as we know, all Hebrew scholars admit the fact, that in the original, the term which is translated God in the singular number in our version, should be
rendered Gods in the plural, and so in many other passages
where the word occurs. The idea then is, that, according to the
Hebrew idiom, a plurality of persons existing as one being, is
clearly indicated by the language employed. " Let us make man
in our image, after our likeness," clearly indicates the same
thing. Nor will it be sufficient to say that God was herein
speaking to the angels, and inviting them to assist in the work
of creation, for, first, there is no evidence anywhere to be found
that angels or other spirits had anything to do with the work
of creation, as agents or otherwise. Second, the image in which
man was made, was not the image of angels, for we learn that
Christ became man like unto his brethren; but still, as the
apostle plainly declares, "he took not upon him the nature of
angels, but the seed of Abraham;" hence the nature of men and
of angels is totally different and distinct, and consequently the
image of God, and of man who was made in the image of God,
is different from the image of angels; and as God speaks of an
image in the singular form, it is evident that it is not the image
of an angel which is spoken of, or to, but the eternal God
holding conversation with himself as a Trinity in Unity; or to
be more explicit, God the Father sitting in council with the
Son and Holy Spirit in relation to the creation of man.
This doctrine is also clearly and beautifully expressed by the
prophet Isaiah vi. 8-10; as also in a parallel passage in John
xii. 40, compared with Acts xxviii. 25, in which passages the
existence of the Trinity is not only expressed, but expressed in
such a manner as to leave little room for doubt of there being
three persons, and but three in the Godhead. Our limits will




142               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
not allow us, however, to enlarge our comments on these passages, and we can only refer the reader to a few more passages
from the New Testament in support of the doctrine taught in
this Article.
In Matt. iii. 18, where the baptism of Christ is recorded, we
have first the person of the Son going up from the water;
second, the Spirit in the form of a dove descending and lighting
upon him; third, the voice of the Father saying, " This is my
beloved Son;" and in Matt. xxviii. 19, the disciples were commissioned to baptize " in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Ghost." The reader will observe that they
were not sent to baptize in the names of each of these persons,
but in the name of the Father, &c., an indication that the
"THREE ARE ONE." The apostolic benediction also may be
adduced as proof of the doctrine of the Trinity, for there would
be but little propriety in making a distinction between the persons of the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost,
if so be that a trinity cs persons does not exist. In 1 John v.
7, it is asserted, " There are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are
one." It is true, that the genuineness of this passage has been
disputed by some, but Mr. Wesley and other distinguished biblical critics have unhesitatingly avowed their belief in its authenticity, and if authentic, as we have no doubt it is, it but
adds another proof in favor of the doctrine advocated.  While
then the doctrine of a trinity in unity is set forth in the first
Article of religion, and is abundantly supported by Scripture,
that of the divinity of Jesus Christ is set forth in the succeeding
Article, and like the present, is also supported by the clearest
and most substantial proof.




THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST.                143
ARTICLE II.
OF THE WORD OR SON OF GOD, WHO WAS MADE VERY MAN.
"The Son, who is the word of the Father, the very and eternal God,
of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of
the blessed virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to
say, the Godhead and manhood, were joined together in one person,
never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very man,
who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his
Father to us, and to be a sacrifice not only for original guilt, but also
for actual sins of men."
In this Article the deity of Christ is asserted in strong language, as is also the object of his sufferings and death-" to
reconcile his Father to us," &c. In relation to the first point,
it may be sufficient to present the basis of the Scriptural argument in favor of the doctrine taught. That Christ is God in
the proper use of that term, is evident from the following facts:
1. Divine titles are given to Christ.  Isaiah xl. 3, " Prepare
7e the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway
for our God;" compared with Matt. iii. 3, " For this is he that
was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying,' The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord.'"
Matt. i. 23, "And they shall call his name Emmanuel-God
with us." John i. 1, "In the beginning was the word, and
the word was with God, and the word was God."  Isa. ix. 6,
Christ is called the "Mighty God."   1 Tim. iii. 16, "God
manifest in the flesh."  Tit. ii. 10, " God our Saviour."  1 John
v. 20, " The true God."  Acts xx. 28, " God who purchased the
Church with his own blood."  1 John iii. 16, " God who laid
down his life for us."  John xx. 28," My Lord and my God."
Rev. xix. 16, "King of kings, and Lord of Lords."  These various titles ascribed to Christ, prove beyond a doubt his divinity,
and if it is said that Christ is God, but not the supreme God,




144              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
it reduces the advocates of such belief to the necessity of admitting that there are two distinct Gods, a superior and inferior
one, which admission would contradict other passages of Holy
Writ which declare that there is but " ONE GOD."
2. Divine attributes are ascribed to Christ. (1) Eternity.
Isa. ix. 6, "The everlasting Father."  Rev. i. 11, " Alpha and
Omega, the first and the last." (2) Omnipotence. Rev. i. 8,
"Almighty."  Col. i. 17, "By him  all things consist."  (3)
Omnipresence. Matt. xxviii. 20, "Lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world."  Matt. xviii. 20, "For where
two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in
the midst."
3. Divine acts are ascribed to Christ. "All things were
made by him and without him was not anything made that
was made. For by him were all things created that are in
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible; whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all
things were created by him and for him." The latter clause
of this passage is fatal to the opinion that Christ acted as the
Creator in a delegated capacity, or that he made the things
that are made, as the agent of the Supreme Being. These
things were not only "created by him," but " FOR him," " and
he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
4. Divine worship was paid to Christ, not only voluntarily,
but by express command.  "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
God, and him only shalt thou serve," is the command of Jehovah; yet Christ teaches his disciples that, " All men should
honor the Son, EVEN AS they honor the Father." Hence
Stephen prayed, saying, " Lord Jesus receive my spirit," and
cn the ascension of Christ the disciples "worshipped him." Not
only did Christ on numerous occasions while on earth receive
divine worship, but in heaven the angels are represented as
worshipping the " first begotten" of the Father.
5. Jesus Christ forgave sins; an act which can only be
exercised by God himself, for, "Who can forgive sins but God




THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST.                145
only?" Yet Christ in many instances forgave sins, not as a
delegated agent, or proxy, but as God; and unless he was the
" very God," he must have usurped the power which belongs
to God alone, a supposition at once blasphemous and destructive of Christianity.
The Article under consideration refers to the manhood of
Christ; but as this is denied by few, if any, at the present day,
we pass to notice the nature and design of Christ's sufferings
and death, which are in the Article declared to be for the purpose of reconciling the Father to us, and to be a sacrifice not
only for original guilt, but for actual sins.  Two opinions have
been embraced by men in reference to the nature of Christ's
sufferings, &c. One opinion is, that Christ died merely a martyr's death; and the other, that his sufferings and death were
sacrificial in their nature and design.  In the former case,
Christ appears simply as a man of exalted virtue, suffering persecution and death from  his merciless foes, that he might
evince the sincerity of his professions, and leave an example for
his followers of patience and resignation. In the latter case we
see him " bearing our sins in his own body on the tree;" as
dying, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God:
as " laying down his life for the sheep"-as being " wounded
for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, &c." —as having
"died for our sins"-as being " made sin (a sin-offering) for us"
-as tasting " death for every man." Now, in what sense Christ
was a Saviour, we may safely leave to the unbiassed judgment
of the reader after he shall have examined the above quotations, and we may simply affirm  that if the sacrificial nature
of Cnlist's sufferings and death are not taught in the Scriptures, then is nothing taught, and  language is without a
meaning.
But the article asserts that the object of Christ's death was to
" reconcile the Father to us."  An objection has been raised to
the use of this expression on the ground that it is man, and
not God that is reconciled. Let it be understood., however,




l146              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
that the reconciliation is mutual between the parties, and the
objection vanishes. That there is reciprocal hostility between
offended Deity and offending man is clearly susceptible of proof.
Rom. v. 10, "For if when we were enerries, we were reconciled to God by the death of hbis Son; much more being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."  Here the reader will
observe that the act of reconciling is ascribed to God and not
to man; for the reconciliation is effected while men are "enemies" to God; that is, while man is in a state of enmity and
hostility to God, the latter is reconciled to man by the death
of his Son, and man is subsequently reconciled to his Maker
by the same means. But to show the propriety of the expression still farther, we may quote the language of the prophet,
"God is angry with the wicked every day," and also all those
Scriptures which speak of the " wrath of God resting on the
children of disobedience," which plainly show that God the
Father is reconciled to the sinner as a sinner, while he can be
"just and yet the justifier of them  that believe."  As the extent of the atonement is not clearly expressed in the Article,
we will leave this point for future reference in our remarks on
Article XX.
ARTICLE III.
OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
"Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body
with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitte-th until he return to
judge all men at the last day."
In regard to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ
there is no dilference of opinion among professed Christians;
but the doctrine of the latter part of the Article, which refers to
the day of general judgment is denied by some claiming the
title of Christians.  In support then of the latter doctrine we
offer a few scriptural arguments.




THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.           147
1. The Scriptures universally speak of the judgment as
being yet in the future.  "God shall bring every work into
judgment."  "For we must all stand before the judgmentseat of Christ." " For we must all appear before the judgmentseat of Christ."  Those Scriptures evidently show that the
judgment of men does not take place at present, or that men
are judged as they commit good or evil, but that their judgment is in the future.
2. The Scriptures fix the judgment on an appointed day.
" He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the
world." " In the day when God shall judge the secrets of
men."  "The judgment of the great day."  "The day of
judgment."  "The word that I speak shall judge him at the
last day."  If then the judgment is on an " appointed day"on the " great day"-on the " last day," it is evident that it
cannot be on every day or hour that the sinner may live on
earth.
3. The Scriptures represent the judgment of former generations of men as yet in the future. " It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city."  "And thou, Capernaum, it shall be
more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment
than for thee."  "The queen of the south shall rise in the
judgment with this generation and condemn it."  "The men
of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation,"
&c. In these passages we find that generations of men who had
died hundreds, yea, thousands of years previously, were still, in
our Saviour's time, reserved to the judgment of the great day.
4. The Scriptures speak of the judgment as being after
death. "Who shall judge tne quick and dead at his appearing."  "Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge
the quick and dead.'  "And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened, and the dead
were judged out of the things which were written in the books
according to their works."  "It is appointed unto men once to




148              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
die, and after this the judgment."  No sophistry or misinterpretation can do away the force of these passages as they relate
to that great event, the judgment of mankind.
5. The day of judgment is connected with the second
coming of Christ, see Matt. xxv. 31-46; and with the end of
the world.  "But the heavens and the earth that are now, are
kept in store, reserved unto fire, against the day of judgment,
and perdition of ungodly men." "And I saw a great white
throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and
the heavens fled away, and there was found no place for them,
and I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God," &c.
From these and other considerations we think the doctrine of
the Article is clearly established. Remarks in relation to the
eternal punishment of the wicked will be reserved for a future
Article.
ARTICLE IV.
OF THE HOLY GHOST.
"The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of
one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very
and eternal God,"
Remarks on the doctrine taught in this Article need not be
very extended,'as the doctrine of a Trinity in Unity, and of the
proper and essential divinity of Jesus Christ, have already, to
some extent, been treated of in a previous Article. The doctrine
of the personality and divinity of the Holy Ghost is intimately
connected with the deity of Christ, and the trinity of persons
in the Godhead. It has been claimed by Unitarians that the
Holy Ghost is but an attribute of God, and that it possesses no
distinct personality. The actions and words, however, which
are ascribed to the Spirit are evidence that he acts, moves, &c.
distinctly from the Father and the Son. "The Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters."  "The Spirit searcheth




THE HOLY GHOST.                  149
all things, even the deep things of God."  "My Spirit shall
not always strive with man." These passages indicate personality; and other passages ascribe divine titles, acts, attributes,
and worship to the Spirit of God, which prove that while he is
distinct as a person, he is equal in substance, power, and glory
with the Father and Son.
1. Divine titles are given to the Holy Ghost. Acts v. 3,
4, " Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the
JIoly Ghost'? Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God."
Here the Spirit is expressly called God, for in lying to the Holy
Ghost, Ananias had lied to God.
2. Divine attributes are ascribed  to the Holy Ghost.
"Eternal Spirit."  "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit," &c.
"The Spirit searcheth all things," &c. He is also called the
" Spirit of truth," " Spirit of grace," "Spirit of holiness," &c.
3. Divine acts are ascribed to the Holy Spirit in Job xxxiii.
4; it is said, " The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath
of the Almighty hath given me life." "It is the Spirit that
quickeneth." When Christ rose from the dead he is said to
have been " quickened," brought to life " by the Spirit."
4. The form of Christian baptism is an evidence of the.
personality and divinity of the Holy Ghost. "Go teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost."  If the Holy Ghost is merely an
attribute of deity, what propriety would there be in baptizing
first in the name of deity, and then in the name of an attribute
of deity? The same reasoning will hold good in regard to the
form of the apostolic benediction. When a distinction is drawn
between the "love of God" and the " communion of the Holy
Ghost," it is evident that the latter person is not to be confounded with the former, but that the Holy Ghost is a distinct
person in the Trinity.




150                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
ARTICLE V.
THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION.
"The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation: so
that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not
to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of
faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name
of the Holy Scriptures we do understand, those canonical books of the
Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in
the Church."
"THE NAMES OF THE CANONICAL BOOKS.
Genesis,                        The First Book of Chronicles,
Exodus,                         The Second Book of Chronicles,
Leviticus,                      The Book of Ezra,
Numbers,                        The Book of Nehemiah,
Deuteronomy,                    The Book of Esther,
Joshua,                         The Book of Job,
Judges,                         The Psalms,
Ruth,                           The Proverbs,
The First Book of Samuel,       Ecclesiastes or the Preacher,
The Second Book of Samuel,      Canticles or the Songs of Solomon,
The First Book of Kings,        Four Prophets the greater,
The Second Book of Kings,       Twelve Prophets the less.
" All the books of the New Testament as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account canonical."
The Article of religion now under consideration is of great
importance to the Christian Church, for as a curse is pronounced against those who add to, or take from the complete
canon of Holy Writ, it cannot be a matter of indifference
whether we receive more than what God has revealed, or
whether we receive less than he has revealed. On the one
hand, it is important to reject mere tradition as a rule of faith
and practice, and on the other hand, it is equally important that
we reject nothing which God has revealed to man through the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost.  It is well known that Romanists and Mormonites claim other writings as standards of equal




THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.               15 
authority with the books of Scripture embraced in the above
catalogue. The former not only claim the apocryphal books as
a portion of the Canonical Scriptures, but assert also that tradition is equally binding on mankind with the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments; while the Mormons claim for their
golden Bible the same, if not greater authority than they claim
for the Word of God, as contained in the books of Moses, the
Prophets, and the New Testament. The Methodist Church
disclaiming all these, asserts that the books of the Old and New
Testaments are the " only rule of faith and practice," and " that
whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby is
not to be required of any man, or be thought necessary to
salvation."  Thus while care is taken not to "add to" the
Word of God, equal care is taken not to take away from the
Word of God, as the manner of some is, for it is a well-known
fact, that semi-infidelity, under the guise of Christianity, has,
and does reject a portion of the Word of God. The books of
Job, Songs of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and Revelation, have all
been rejected by these "takers from" the Word of God, and
the object of the Article is not only to show to the world what
kind of a Bible the Methodists believe in, but to preserve, to
all generations, the pure unadulterated Word of God. It may
also be added, that while all the books of the Old and New
Testaments are received as genuine by the Methodist Church,
so the common rendering of the Scriptures into the English
language by King James's translators is acknowledged to be
sufficiently correct. No attempt has ever been made by the
Methodist Episcopal Church to form a new Bible, or to modify
the old, so as to suit her particular views.. Instead of bringing
the Bible down to the level of her opinions, her object has been
to bring the latter up to the Bible, and she denies the propriety
of altering or changing the reading of the sacred text by any
man or any body of men for the sake of propagating more
rapidly their sectarian views and sentiments.
A few remarks in relation to the uncorrupted preservation




152               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
of the books of the Old and New Testaments may not be out
of place. In proof of the preservation of the former, the following arguments have been presented by distinguished writers:
1. The Jews were divided into a number of sects, each one
being exceedingly jealous of the others, as much or more so
than Christian sects are in relation to each other, consequently
neither sect could adulterate or mutilate the Old Testament
Scriptures without detection and exposure.
2. The Jews, with all their faults, had a great veneration for
the Scriptures. Every word and letter in the different books
was counted and recorded, so that even the alteration of a single
letter could not well escape detection.
3. Our Saviour when upon earth was not slow in reproving
the different sects among the Jews for their various faults in
relation to faith and practice, but he nowhere accuses them of
altering or mutilating the Word of God-an evidence that they
had not done so.
4. Since the Christian era, both Jews and Christians have
had copies of the Old Testament Scriptures;- these, on being
now compared together, are found to agree with such exactness
as is truly wonderful, and which proves their uncorrupted
preservation until the present time.
In relation to the preservation of the New Testament Scriptures in an uncorrupted state we have the following proofs:
1. The number of Christian sects existing since the days of
the apostles, each having copies of the New Testament and
watching each other with unwearied vigilance, so that had an
attempt been made by any one or more sects, to change or
alter the commonly received version, the other sects would
have immediately sounded an alarm; as may be illustrated by
the case of the Baptists in modern times, some of whom, in
their zeal for immersion, have translated the Bible, so as to
correspond with their opinions in that respect; still it is evident
that such translation can never be adopted to any very great
extent, and that the alteration of the commonly received ver



THE OLD TESTAMENT.                 153
sion of the Bible cannot be made without the fact becoming a
matter of public notoriety and exposing the agents in the matter to the reproof of other Christian sects.
2. The earliest copies of the several books of the New Testament were written in the Greek language. Several translations
were made at an early period of these several books into other
languages. The latter have been compared with the former,
and are found to agree.
3. The manuscript copies of the New Testament are very
numerous; three hundred of them were compared together by
the celebrated Griesbach, and although there were found various readings, as might be expected, yet not a single doctrine
or fact is affected by such variety, the difference consisting
mostly in the use of different words or phrases to convey the
same meaning. From these, and other considerations, the
Methodist Episcopal Church, with Protestant denominations
generally, believing in the authenticity of the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments, and of their sufficiency as a rule of
faith and practice, practically adopt the motto, "The Bible, the
whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible."
ARTICLE VI.
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
"The Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the
Old and New Testaments everlasting life is offered to mankind by
Christ, who is the only mediator between God and man, being both God
and man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the old
fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given
from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind
Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in
any commonwealth; yet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is
free from the obedience of the commandments, commonly called moral."
This Article teaches: 1st. The agreement of the Old and
New Testaments in relation to the great plan of human re



154               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
demption by Jesus Christ. 2d. The possibility of salvation for
the inhabitants of the Old or Jewish dispensation.  3d. The
abrogation of the ceremonial and ritual law of the Jews.
4th. The perpetuity of obligation to the requirements of the
moral law. The last clause of the Article is designed to bear
a constant testimony against that system of faith called "Antinomianism," which prevailed largely about the middle of the
sixteenth, and during the seventeenth centuries in different
parts of Europe, and which has been partially revived within
the present century by a sect called "Perfectionists."  This
system of faith teaches in substance, that as Christians are not
under law, but under grace, it is not required of them to keep
the moral law; hence, the law given by God to Moses, as contained in the two tables, is not, in their opinion, a rule of practice,
for those living under the gospel dispensation.  The legcitimate
consequences of such a loose code of morals as this, may be
easily imagined, and it is perhaps owing to the latent existence
of this kind of belief, that there exists among Christians so
called, so little regard for the precepts of the Bible and the
pure and wholesome requirements of the moral law.
That the latter has not been abrogated, is evident from the
teachings of our Saviour, especially where he says, "Think not
that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not
come to destroy but to fulfil. For verily, I say unto you, till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass
from the law till all be fulfilled.  Whosoever therefore shall
break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men
so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven."
From this quotation it appears evident that any system of religious faith, whether among Catholics or Protestants, which
nullifies or abrogates any one of the comma:idments of the
moral law, is not of God, and is to be abhorred and discountenanced by every true Christian.




ORIGINAL SIN.                   155
ARTICLE VII.
ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN.
"Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the
Pelagians do vainly talk) but it is the corruption of the nature of every
man. that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby
man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature
inclined to evil, and that continually."
The " Pelagians,' referred to in this Article, were a sect who
arose about the fifth century, who took their name from Pelagius, a British monk, who lived in Rome, and who taught that
mankind are born into the world as pure and unspotted as was
Adam, when he first came out of the forming hand of his
Creator, and that they have, in themselves, the natural ability
independent of the internal workings of the Holy Spirit, to repent of their sins and attain to the highest degrees of piety and
virtue.  As the latter doctrine is, however, referred to more
particularly in the following Article, we will allude here only to
the sentiments taught in the one before us.
The doctrine of the Article is, that the nature of every man
is corrupt; that he is born unholy and unclean; that he is
totally and continually inclined to evil; that as like begets
like, and as Adam begat a son in his own image, so all the
descendants of Adam partake of the same unholy nature, as
naturally and necessarily as a stream partakes of the nature of
the fountain from which it flows. Such are the teachings of
this Article of the church, and the doctrines herein set forth are
abundantly supported by Scripture. In the Epistle to the
Romans, Paul asserts that by " one man's disobedience many
were made sinners." Reference is here made to Adam's sin,
and to the fact that such sin involves all his descendants in
guilt and condemnation. A few other passages will be given
in support of this doctrine.  "The heart is deceitful above all
12




56                AErPTSOOPAL METHODISI.
things and desperately wicked."  And God saw the wickednesa
of man that it was great in the earth; and that every imagination of the thonghts of his heart was only evil continually.?I
"Out of it," the heart, 6 proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."  "The
carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be."  " Behold I was shapen
in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."  1 "Sin
that dwelleth in me.   " I know that in me, that is, in my
flesh, dwelleth no good thing." These Scriptures abundantly
sustain the doctrine of the Article, and we may here remark
that the whole gospel economy proceeds on the ground of
man's natural depravity, and not merely on the fact that man
is a voluntary transgressor.
ARTICLE VIII.
rOF FlREE WILL.
"The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot
turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to
faith and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good
works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by
Christ preventing us, that we may have a good-will, and working with
us, when we have that good-will'
This Article of religion stands opposed to the doctrine advocated by the Pelagians and semi-Pelagians, who teach that
man has power in, and of himself, independently of the workings of the Spirit of God, to repent, believe, and obey the gospel; and that as a free moral agent, he has power to comply
with all the requirements of the law and gospel, without the
aid of the Holy Spirit. While, therefore, the doctrine of free
moral agency is by no means repudiated or denied by this Article, neither is denied by the commentators and ministers of the




FREE WILL.                    157
Methodist Church, yet it is not adopted as an Article of belief,
involving the natural ability of man to repent and turn to God,
unaided by the Holy Spirit. The light which lighteneth every
man which cometh into the world, is, however, vouchsafed to
every man, so that while destitute of the Spirit's influence,
man might well be considered as dispossessed of a free moral
power to do good, yet with such influence imparted, his free
moral agency remains unimpaired.
The doctrine that man may convert himself, or change his
own heart, is certainly not the doctrine of the Bible. The
work of regeneration is purely and solely the work of God by
his Spirit, and if men are ever " born again," it will not be the
result of their own purpose or determination to become pious,
uninfluenced by the Spirit of God, but the Spirit " working in
them to will and to do of his own good pleasure," will lead
them —if they obey its directions and yield to its influencesinto the paths of obedience and holy enjoyment. Thus the
"grace of God by Christ" must prevent, that is, go before us,
"that we may have a good-will," and when that good-will is
possessed, the same grace must work with, and in us, that we
may " do good works."
The views thus expressed are clearly taught in the word of
God. Our Saviour said to his disciples and others, " Without
me ye can do nothing."  And again: "No man can come
unto me, except the Father which sent me draw him." The
apostle also declares, " By grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." Man, also,
in many portions of Scripture, is represented as being " dead,"
" asleep," &c., which expressions convey an idea of utter helplessness and natural inability, while the exhortations, commands,
warnings, threatenings, and promises, all prove, that notwithstanding man's natural inability to repent, and obey, a gracious ability is imparted to all men for that purpose.




T 58                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
ARTICLE IX.
OF THE JUSTIFICATION  OF MAN.
"We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or
deservings: wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most
wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort."
The doctrine of justification by faith alone, was the great
point of contention between Martin Luther and his Romish
brethren.  It was in fact the great distinguishing doctrine of
the Reformation from Popery; and while popery still maintains
its position, and a portion of the protestant church are hasting
with rapid strides to " Rome," it is well for us that the doctrine
of justification by faith is not only taught in our Articles of
Faith, but sincerely believed and plainly advocated from our
pulpit and our press.
It is well known that the Roman Catholic Churchi discards
the above doctrine, and maintains in the most pointec manner
the merit of good works, and our justification by such works.*
* " I see," said Luther, on a certain occasion, " that the devil, by the
means of his teachers and doctors, is incessantly attacking this fundamental article, and that he cannot rest to cease from this object.
Well then, 1, Doctor Martin Luther, an unworthy evangelist of our
Lord Jesus Christ, do confess this article,'that faith alone, without
works, justifies in the sight of God,' and I declare that in spite of the
Emperor of the Romans, the Emperor of the Turks, the Emperor of
the Tartars, the Emperor of the Persians, the Pope, and all the cardinals, bishops, priests, monks, nuns, kings, princes, nobles, all the world,
and all the devils, this doctrine shall stand unshaken forever! that if
they will persist in opposing this truth, they will draw upon their
heads the flames of hell. This is the true and holy gospel, and the
declaration of me, Doctor Martin Luther, according to the light given
unto me by the Holy Spirit." "I repeat it once more: let all the
evil spirits of earth and hell foam and rage as they will, this is nevertheless true." —History of Reformation, page 172.




0GOOD WORKS,                     159
Hence, baptism, penance, indulgences, &c., are made, not only
requisite to salvation, but in their view, entitle a person to salvation, so much so, that the Council of Trent declares, that "if
any one shall say that a wicked man is justified by faith alone,
let him be accursed." Such is the Roman system of justification, which stands diametrically opposed to the plainest declarations of Scripture. "Being justified by faith, we have peace
with God."  "By grace are ye saved, through faith; and
that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." And our Saviour
taught his disciples, after they had done all that they could, to
say, " We are unprofitable servants."
ARTICLE X.
OF GOOD WORKS
"Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow
after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity
of God'-i.: judgments, yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in
Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them
a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree is discerned by its
fruit."
Lest any should suppose that the doctrine of justification by
faith alone precludes the necessity of good works, the above
Article very properly follows the preceding, for the purpose of
showing, that as before justification, good works are impossible,
so, after justificatioii, they are indispensable to the existence of
a lively faith. It may therefore be considered as a settled doctrine of the Methodist Church, that a man in a state of enmity
to God, and while under the condemnation of the law, cannot
perform works pleasing and acceptable to God; and why? because " whatsoever is not of faith," a lively, saving, operative
faith, "is sin," and because, that " without faith it is impossible
to please God," and because the " carnal" or unrenewed " mind




160               EPISCOPAL METHODISM,
is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;" and
because " they that are in the flesh cannot please God." These
plain and pointed texts of Scripture conclusively prove, that before justification, or reconciliation to God, the works of the sinner
are evil, and only evil, and that continually. But it may be
objected, " that a work may in itself be good, even while performed by a rebel against God; that a wicked man may sacrifice his life for the sake of saving from death a fellow-creature."
This may be so; but it should be remembered that the quality
of a moral action depends not so much on the act itself, as on
the motive which governs the act. Thus, " Two men went up
into the temple to pray, the one a pharisee, and the other a
publican"-both prayed, both worshipped God, but that there
was a great difference in the quality or character of their acts,
we need not state to the biblical reader.  Men may, in the
performance of the most praiseworthy acts, be governed and
influenced solely by motives of pride, vain-glory, self-interest,
regard to character, compliance with custom, &c., &c., without
being at all influenced by love to God and man, while the true
child of God, " whether he eat or drink, or whatsoever he does,
he does all to the glory of God."
"Good works," therefore, in the language of the Article,
" are the fruits of faith;" they are also the evidence of faith in
a collateral sense. Where these works are not performed, no
evidence is given of the existence or exercise of faith in the
heart.  "By their fruits ye shall know them."  He that cominitteth sin is of the devil."  " Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin," "and he'cannot sin because he is born of
God."  These passages show conclusively that holiness and
purity of life are the necessary results of faith in God, and an
evidence of being God's children.




WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION.                1et
ARTICLE XI.
OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION.
" Voluntary workl, besides, over and above God's commandments,
which are called works of supererogation, cannot be taught without
arrogancy and impiety. For by them mren do declare that they do
not only render unto God as nmuch as they are bound to do, but that
they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas
Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that is,commanded of you,
say, we are unprofitable servants."
The doctrine of this Article is at variance with the faith and
pretensions of the Romiish Church, in relation to works of
merit and of supererogation.  The idea that man can do more
than God requires, and that there is absolute merit in such
overwork, is at once preposterous and unreasonable.  How can
a man who owes all he has and all he is to God, whose time,
talents, influence,  obedience, all belong unreservedly to his
Maker —who is required to keep the whole law in every point,
and who, if he does so, is after all an unprofitable servwnmthow can such an one do more than God requires?  The thing
is absolutely impossible, and the doctrine of works of supererogation is clearly the " doctrine of devils," invented for the
sake of the "price of indulgences," the "thirty pieces of
silver," by which Christ is daily betrayed, and God is hourly
robbed of his glory.
ARTICLE XIL
OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION.
"Not every sin willingy committed after justification is the sin
against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of
repentance is not to be denied to such as'fall into sin after justification:
after we receive the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and
fall into sin, and by the grace of God rise again, and amend our lives.




162               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
And therefore they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin
as long as they live here: or deny the peace of forgiveness to such as
truly repent."
Our Saviour, when on earth, spoke of the " sin against the
Holy Ghost" as being unpardonable; as neither being entitled
to forgiveness "in this world or in the world to come." A
difference of opinion has obtained among commentators in relation to what constituted the sin against the Holy Ghost, and
whether such sin can now be committed by any man.  Without entering into a discussion of the subject, we may simply
state, that the strong probability is, that this sin consists in
attributing the miracles wrought by Jesus Christ to the agency
of the devil; as in the case of those who accused the Saviour
of "casting out devils through Beelzebub, the prince of the
devils." That the possibility of committing the unpardonable
sin was not confined to the life-time of our Saviour on earth,
appears evident from the assertion of John, 1 John v. 16,
"There is a sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray
for it," and we believe the same idea is intended to be conveyed by the apostle Paul, when, in speaking of those who had
been once enlightened, &c., says, "It is impossible to renew
them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves
the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."  But
in the language of the Article, it is not every sin willingly committed after justification which is the sin against the Holy
Ghost; a good man may fall into sin, lose his state of justification before God, as in the case of David, and like him may repent and be restored again to the "joys of salvation."
As the question, whether the child of God may so fully and
finally fall away as to be forever lost, is not settled by the
Article before us, we will reserve our remarks on this particular
point for another Article. But before we dismiss this Article,
the doctrine taught near the close of the same is worthy of
particular notice, "They are to be condemned who say they
can no more sin as long as they live here."




THE CHURCH.                      163
The object of this part of the Article is to guard men against
the foolish and dangerous doctrine, that after justification a
person may do what he pleases and still retain his justification;
that he may, as a child of God, commit adultery, fornication,
murder, &c., and yet these acts not be considered sinful in the
sight of God, because, forsooth, he is a child of God! That
such diabolical sentiments have been entertained by many, and
are yet entertained by some, there can be no doubt, and hence
the manifest propriety of guarding the Church against a doctrine that must prove destructive, wherever it is embraced, to
the interests of true religion, virtue, and morality. The text,
"he cannot sin because he is born of God," yields no support
whatever to this pernicious doctrine, for the design of the
apostle evidently is to show that he that is born of God, and
would have an abiding evidence of the fact, can have it only
by abstaining from the commission of every sin; that he "cannot sin" and retain such evidence, or remain a child of God.
The last clause of the Article is also instructive, as it teaches
not only the possibility of obtaining forgiveness at the hand
of God when sin is committed after justification, but the importance of extending our forgiveness to our erring brethren,
provided that in both cases there is true repentance exercised
by the offender.
ARTICLE  XJII.
OF THE CHURCH.
"The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in
which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered, according to Christ's ordinance in all things, that of necessity are requisite to the same."
This Article teaches, 1. That the visible Church of Christ is
a congregation or assemblage of faithful men; that it does not




164               EPISCOPAL METHODISM,
consist of the pope, or his councils, or the priesthood, nor of
any order or body of bishops or ministers exclusively, but of a
"congregation of faithful men," embracing the laity as well as
the priesthood or ministry of the church.
2. The Church is composed of "faitAful men," and although
the " wheat and tares" are necessarily found together, and will
continue so to be found until the "harvest," yet the true
Church consists only of those who are faithful; of all others,
be they popes, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, deacons,
or members, it may be said, as of Simon of old, " they have
neither part nor lot in the matter, for their hearts are not right
in the sight of God."
3. "The pure word of God is preached" in the Church;
not the decrees of popes, the decisions of councils, the traditions of the fathers; not some fine system of morality, independent of the gospel, or philosophical disquisitions on abstract
questions of science, literature, or art; but the pure word of
God,-" Jesus Christ and him. crucified,"-is preached and expounded with all due ministerial fidelity.
4. The Sacraments are duly administered.  The sacrament
of baptism and the sacrament of the Lord's Supper are duly
administered, not by any and every person choosing to administer the same, but by those who are called by God and his
Church to the sacred work of the ministry.
Where all these things are found-a congregation of faithful men, the preaching of the pure word of God, and the due
administration of the sacraiments-there is a true Church of
Jesus Christ, let it be called by what distinctive appellation it
may, and let it be organized on what ecclesiastical basis it may
-there is, we repeat, a true Church of Christ, against which
a the gates of hell cannot prevail."




PURGATORY,                     165
ARTICLE XIV.
OF PURGATORY.
"The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshipping,
and adoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of
saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant
of Scripture, but repugnant to the word of God."
The doctrine of purgatory, it is well known, is one of the
distinctive features of the Romish Church, and it is also true
that the doctrine is taught, if not in name, yet in fact by
modern Restorationists, and some other Protestant sects, and
yet such a doctrine is evidently without support from the word
of God. In no place in that word do we read of the purgatorial fires of a middle state. On the contrary, mankind are
divided by the sacred writers into two great classes-the
righteous and the wicked; and their future and eternal destination is heaven or hell. The most important text relied upon
by the advocates of purgatory in support of this dogma, is the
one in I Peter iii. 18- 20, where Christ is represented as
preaching " to the spirits in prison, who were disobedient in the
days of Noah." It is agreed upon by the best biblical critics,
however, that the meaning of the passage simply is, that
Christ went and preached, through Noah, to the antediluvians
who were disobedient, and who were in the prison of hell at
the time in which the apostle wrote the epistle. But, admitting, even, that Christ, after he "was put to death in the flesh,
and quickened in the spirit, went and preached to the spirits
in prison," what support does this give to the fabled doctrine
of purgatory?  The term "preach," as found in the original
Greek, it is well known, signifies simply " to proclaim, to announce as a herald," &c., and in itself nowhere signifies to
preach the gospel, or deliverance from punishment, unless the
connection requires such a meaning. John " preached" repent



166               EPISCOPAL METHODISMI.
ance; Christ " preached" deliverance to captives on earth; the
apostle says, "preach the word," and in all these cases the
matter of preaching is determined, not by the word preach, but
by the words used in connection with the same. So that
could it be proved that Christ went and preached after his
death to the spirits in the prison of hell, what, after all, could
be inferred therefrom?  Simply a declaration or announcement
of the fact of his death, which no doubt had been predicted to
the unbelieving antediluvians, and the fulfilment of which prediction would serve only to increase their misery, as the announcement of the same would their guilt and condemnation.
The Romish doctrine of pardon is also protested against in
the Article. It is a well-established fact that the pope, bishops,
and priests of Rome, claim the power to absolve the offender,
and pardon the transgressor, but it is also certain that none
can forgive sins but God only, so that the Romish doctrine on
this point is as false as it is dangerous.
Worshipping images, relics, and the invocation of saints, are
also condemned by this article of religion; and it is a gratifying fact that the Methodists have always been at the farthest
remove from  the introduction of images, pictures, embellishments, &c., into their churches, while it is to be deplored that
in some Protestant churches a disposition is manifested to return to the Romish practice of decorating the house of God
with pictures and images, crosses and candlesticks, which, if not
worshipped, are nevertheless the means of drawing the attention of the worshippers from the only proper object of adoration-God the creator.  "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
God, and him only shalt thou serve," is the positive command
of Jehovah himself.




THE SACRAMENTS.                   167
ARTICLE XV.
OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS
THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
"It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God, and the custom
of the primitive church, to have public prayers in the church, or to administer the sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people."
That the practice condemned by this Article is unscriptural
there can be but little doubt, if we but examine the language
of Paul in 1 Cor. xiv. 16, "Else when thou shalt bless with the
spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room  of the unlearned,
say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not
what thou sayest?" The practice of speaking in an unknown
tongue, or a tongue not understood by the people, is not confined to the Romish Church. Modern sectaries have, in their
infatuation, pretended to be endued with the gift of tongues,
but for what particular purpose does not appear. The apostles,
indeed, were endued with this gift, but it was for the purpose
of enabling the inhabitants of different portions of the earth to
hear, every man in his own " tongue, the wonderful works of
God;" but these modern pretended linguists speak in tongues
which no one-we doubt even themselves-can understand.
Such solemn mockery ought to be discountenanced by every
Christian, and while the church, through her ministers, preaches
to, or prays for the people, let it be done in such language as
the people may understand and say Amen! "So be it."
ARTICLE XVI.
OF THE SACRAMENTS.
"Sacraments, ordained of Christ, are not only badges, or tokens, of
Christian men's professions; but rather they are certain signs of grace
and of God's good-will toward us, by the which he doth work invisibly




168                EPISCOPAL METHODISM&I.
in us, and doth not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm their
faith in him.
"There are two sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the gospel; that is to say, baptism and the supper of the Lord.
"Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, confirma4
tion, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to be
accounted for sacraments of the gospel, being such as have partly
grown out of the corrupt following of the apostles, and partly are
states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature
of baptism and the Lord's Supper, because they have not any visible
sign or ceremony ordained of God.
"The sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or
carried about, but that we should daily use them. And in such only
as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves
condemnation, as St. Paul saith in 1 Cor. xi. 29."
The term sacrament is derived from  the Latin word sacramentum, and means a sacred ceremony, or oath of fidelity. It
is not a scriptural term, and is used only by way of accommodation, to signify the solemn engagement into which Christians
enter with their Lord whenever they observe the sacraments of
the church.  "A sacrament," says the learned Burnett, in his
Exposition  on the Articles, " is an institution of Christ, in which
some material thingf is sanctified by the use of some form of
words, in and by which federal acts of this religion do pass on
both sides; on ours, by stipulations, professions, or vows-and
on God's, by his secret assistances; by these we are also united
to the body of Christ, which is the church."
Mr. Watson  observes, in regard to the sacraments, tha'
"they are seals, as well as signs; that they afford pledges on
the part of God, of grace and salvation; that as a covenant
has two parties, our external acts in receiving the sacraments
are indications of certain states and dispositions of our mind
with regard to God's covenant, without which none can have
a personal participation in its benefits, and so the sacrament is
useless where these are not found; that these are words of in.




BAPTISM.                      169
stitution, and a promise also by which the sign and the thing
signified are connected together."-( Ptatson's Institutes, vol.
ii. p. 611.)  With the views of these distinguished men before
us, we learn that a sacrament is a sign or pledge between God
and man; a covenant into which we solemnly enter with the
Almighty, whereby obedience and love are promised on the
one part, and the gracious offer of salvation on the other,
through the merits of Jesus Christ; that they are badges of a
Christian profession, and channels or means of grace.
The Romish Church has seven sacraments, as mentioned in
the Article; but of these, five do not partake of the nature of
a sacrament, inasmuch as they are wanting in the essential
qualities of a federal act, or mutual covenant between God and
man. Baptism and the Lord's Supper only are recognized as
sacraments in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ARTICLE XVII.
OF BAPTISM.
"'Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference,
whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not bap.
tized: but it is also a sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The
baptism of young children is to be retained in the church."
As the subject of baptism  has created no little controversy
among Christians, it may be proper to dwell somewhat at
length on the doctrine taught in this Article, and in doing so
we would invite the attention of the reader to the origin, nature, subjects, and mode of baptism.
1. Baptism, as an ordinance, was probably instituted by
God in the earliest period of the history of fallen man; it
probably originated at the time when sacrificial offerings were
first required by God, but there is no positive scriptural evidence that the rite of baptism was known until the time of




170              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Moses, at which time, and ever since, baptism has been recognized as an ordinance of the Jewish Church. That baptism is
of as ancient date as the institution of the Jewish economy, is
evident from the fact that reference is continually made in the
Levitical law and Mosaic history to the washings and purifications
required under that dispensation. It is true, the words baptize
or baptism are not found in the Mosaic scriptures; and why?
Because the Jewish scriptures were written in Hebrew, and the
words themselves are of Greek etymology; and the earliest
translations of the Scriptures from Hebrew into Greek was
made about twelve hundred years after they were written by
Moses, and only about three hundred years before the Christian
era. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at, that the words
themselves are not found in the five books of Moses, or indeed,
in any of the prophets. But is the thing to be found there?
That it is so is evident from the fact, that the translators of the
earliest Greek copies, made soon after the Greek language
came into common use among the Jews, render the Hebrew
of wash, purify, &c. by the term baptize, so that all the washings done under the law were so many acts of baptism performed by the subject, or administered by the priest. In proof
4f this we give a few examples. Heb.: "He that washeth
himself after the touching of a dead body, if he touch it again,
what availeth his washing?"  Greek: "He that is baptized
from a dead body," &c. " what availeth his washing?" Judith
"went out in the night and washed (Heb.) baptized (Greek)
herself at a fountain in the camp."  "And when they came
from the market they eat not except they wash (baptize) their
hands." These instances are sufficient to show that baptism
was not an ordinance unknown to the Hebrews, and that, too,
at a very early period in their history.
2. The nature of baptism. (1.) It is a figurative ordinance,
symbolical of our death unto sin and our being born again
from above; of being purified by the water of regeneration and
receiving of the Holy Ghost. This ordinance is not designed




BAPTISM.                     1'71
to represent the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, as some suppose. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper
"shows forth the death of Christ until his coming again;" and
it is not to be supposed that there would be two distinct ordinances signifying one and the same thing. The phrase 1" being
buried with Christ by baptism," has no reference whatever to
the external rite, but to the internal death to sin. So also the
phrase "risen with Christ," has no reference to an external
rite, but to the life of righteousness, or the life of God in the
soul.
(2.) Baptism is a sign of profession; a rite which was instituted under the law, and is retained under the gospel, as the
distinguishing mark or sign of a profession of faith. As the
generic term to baptize means to purify and cleanse, not only
is there in baptism a sign of inward moral cleansing, but a sign
of outward moral conformity to the law of God and the rules
of his church on earth.
(3.) Baptism is also considered as the door or entrance into
the visible church.  "He that believeth and is baptized shall
be saved."  "Repent and be baptized."  "Then were they
baptized, both men and women." " Then Philip baptized
him," are passages which clearly show that water-baptism is
designed to be an initiatory rite, and that in this way men are
generally to be received into the church. We say generally,
for we dare not say that no person can be a member of the
household of faith without water-baptism; for we know not
that the apostles even were ever baptized, except in the washing of feet; but as a general rule baptism is, and ought to be
the initiatory rite.
(4.) Baptism partakes of the nature of a covenant between
God and man, and in this appears its true sacramental character. Under the Abrahamic dispensation God made a covenant
with the " father of the faithful," to be a God to him and to
his seed after him in all their generations. This covenant was
an everlasting one, and the rite of circumcision was instituted
13




~172 08 AEPISCOPAL METHODISM.
as the visible sign or seal of this covenant, which embraced
spiritual blessings, designed not only for the future generations
of the Jews, as a people, but for all the nations of the earth:
"In thee, and in thy seed, shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed."  This covenant remained in force after the introduction of Christianity, as is fully proved by the apostle Paul:
" They which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham," and again, " That the blessings of Abraham might come
on the gentiles through Jesus Christ."
Under the gospel, however, the rite of circumcision gave
place to the more expressive and simple one of baptism, as the
sign or token of the Abrahamic covenant.  This is evident
from the words of the same apostle: "For as many of you as
have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ."  "There
is neither Jew nor Greek, for ye are all one in Christ."  "And
if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."  How positively clear, from  this language, is the perpetuity of the covenant, and the institution of
baptism as the sign and seal of the same? But, if circumcision
under the gospel was done away, and the rite of baptism does
not take the place thereof, we ask, what other sign or seal has
God instituted in place of circumcision? If none, then is there
no visible outward sign of the perpetual covenant made between
God and man.
3. The subjects of baptism may now be properly considered.
(1.) All admit that adult believers are proper subjects of
baptism; on this point there is, and can be, no dispute.
(2.) True penitents are also proper subjects of baptism.
This we learn from the answer of Peter to those who were
pricked in their hearts, and asked, " What shall we do?" The
reply was, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, for
the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost." Now, it is evident that these persons were not believers in the sense of being regenerate; unless regenerating
faith precedes repentance for sin, for they were first to repent,




BAPTISM.                      173
secondly, to be baptized, "for" —in order to-the remission of
sins, and, thirdly, as the result of such repentance and baptism
they were tauglht to expect the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Another prominent example of the baptism  of penitents is
given in the case of the apostle Paul.  After being arrested by
the light and voice fiom heaven, he fasted and prayed in blindness, natural and spiritual, for three days. In this condition
Ananias finds him; his natural sight returns, but spiritual
darkness remains, and then Ananias says to him, "Why
tarriest thou?  Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord."  From this example it
appears that baptism is both a means and seal of pardon, and
consequently that true penitents may, nay, ought to be baptized.
(3.) Infants are proper subjects of Christian baptism.  This
doctrine is fairly taught in the Article: "The baptism  of
young children is to be retained in the church," and it is
scarcely any the less clearly taught in the word of God, excepting that there is not a clear command to that effect in so many
words. But the absence of such an express command does
not, in our opinion, invalidate the doctrine of infant baptism.
That infants are scriptural subjects of baptism appears from
the following considerations: —
1. "The perpetuity of the Abrahamic covenant," which in
eluded children as well as adults. The perpetuity of this cove
nant has already been alluded to in a preceding page, and
need not be here repeated.
2. " The eligibility of children to church membership." That
infants were members of the Jewish church is evident f'om the
fact of their circumcision, which was the initiatory right or door
of admission into the church of God. Can we possibly conceive that the children of Christian parents are entitled to
lesser privileges than were the children of Jewish parents? Or
would it be any inducement to a pious Jew of the present day
to become a Christian to be told that although his children are




EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
members of the Jewish church, yet, on his embracing Christianity and becoming a member of the Christian church, his
children must be thrust out until they attain to adult years a
Does not our Saviour explicitly say, in regard to young children, "of such is the kingdom  of heaven."  The " kingdom
of heaven" must mean either the kingdom of glory, the work
of grace in the heart, or the church of Christ on earth. Now,
in whatever sense it is used in the text, it must include the
idea of infant church-membership. Is a young child fit for the
kingdom of glory? Then why not for the kingdom of grace?
If fit for the church triumphant, why not for the church on
earth? And was not the promise of God given to Christian
parents, and to their "children, and to all that are afar off?"
If so, and there can be no reasonable doubt of it, then are infants entitled to the initiatory rite which will formally admit
them into the visible church of Christ, and to debar them that
privilege is not only unwise but unjust to the "children whom
God has given us."
3. "The analogy between circumcision and baptism."  Circumcision was a token of the covenant made with Abraham:
"And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it
shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you." " So
baptism is the external sign of internal grace; the seal or token
of the covenant."
Again; "Circumcision was a symbol of moral cleansing,'And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the
heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."' So, "Baptism
is not the putting away the filth of the flesh"-not an external
washing or cleansing-but is " the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost;" that is, is symbolical of an internal work of grace in the heart.
Again, if children were fit subjects of circumcision, they are
equally fit subjects of baptism. And if it be inquired, as it
sometimes is, What good does it do a young child to baptize




BAPTISM.                     1'75
it? we might reply, What good it did a young child to circumcise it. In the latter case it admitted the child to churchmembership, and in the former case it does the same. What
more than this does it do in the case of an adult?
4. "The designation of the subjects of baptism by general
terms." "All Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the country
round about Jordan, went out to him-John-and were baptized by him." The term, all Jerusalem, &c., refers, of course,
to the people of Jerusalem and the other places named, and
must include infants as well as adults, for it is a well-established fact that infant proselyte baptism was in use among the
Jews fiomn the institution of proselyte baptism, and its propriety
never had been called in question. Then why should John
reject them? and if John could not reject them, why should
Christian ministers take upon themselves the fearful responsibility of rejecting infants from the privileges of Christian baptism? and that too in the absence of any express command to
that effect. For my right hand, I would not dare to do it.
The same general terms are employed in the apostolic commission, " Go disciple all nations, baptizing them," &c. Now,
if "nations" includes children, then are children to be baptized.
b. "Baptism  of households."  We find that under the
preaching of the apostles many believed and were baptized.
Among those were the heads of families, Lydia, the Philippian jailer, and Stephanus. Now, were these believers baptized
and admitted to the privileges of the Christian Church and their
families left behind, to grope their way through Jewish formality or pagan superstition?  Not so; they were baptized, with
their households, and thus parents and children were proselyted
e  the Christian Church.
6. "'Testimony of the early Christian fathers."  We allude
not to their testimony for the purpose of proving a point of
doctrine, but for the purpose of showing what was the practice
of the early Christians in regard to infant baptism; and we
consider this testimony valuable, so far only, as it proves that




176               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
infant baptism was the general practice of the Christian Church
from the time of the apostles, and if so, it is morally impossible
that it should not have been practised during the time of the
apostles. Tertullian, born A.D. 150-but a few years after the
death of the apostle John-speaks of infant baptism as being
the practice of the church. Justin Martyr, born near the close
of the first century, speaks of those who were members of the
church, sixty years old, who were made disciples to Christ in
their infancy. Ireneus, Origen, Cyprian, and others, in their
writings, all prove the practice of infant baptism in the earliest
ages of the church: and can it be supposed that a practice
should become so general in the course of a single century after
the death of the apostles? if so be, it was something entirely
new and unscriptural. The supposition is perfectly unreasonable. From these and other considerations, it appears that the
"baptism  of young children ought to be retained in the
church," according to the Article.
4th. The mode of baptism may now be considered; and on
this point our remarks must necessarily be brief.  In the Discipline of the Church it is ordered that " every adult person, and
the parents of every child to be baptized, have the choice either
of immersion, sprinkling, or pouring." So that the doctrine
of the Methodist Church in regard to the mode of baptism may
be summed up in these words: The application of water in
any becoming mode, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost.
Much that has been said in regard to the nature of baptism
in preceding pages, will throw light on the mode of baptism,
and if the Methodist Church admits the validity of immersion,
as a mode of baptism, it by no means endorses that mode as
the only one, for numerous reasons: and, 1st. The mode is not
designated in Scripture.  The command to be baptized is
therein found, and if the meaning of baptize, is to cleanse, purify, &c., the mode by which the cleansing shall be performed,
is left to the judgment of the administrator.




BAPTISM.                     177
2d. There is no clear proof of the ordinance having been administered by immersion in a single case during the ministry
of Christ and his apostles. Even the baptism of Christ by
John, does not appear to have been by immersion, because (1.)
It was not the customary mode of administering the rite among
the Jews. (2.) This mode did not comport with the design
of his baptism. He was baptized "'to fulfil all righteousness"
— the requirements of the Jewish law. In Lev. viii. 6, 12, 30,
we find what was the mode of consecrating priests to the sacred
office —" Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them
with water"-not in water. "He poured anointing oil upon
Aaron's head, to sanctify him;" " He sprind.led the anointing
oil and blood upon Aaron and his sons." Now, in compliance
with this well-known custom among the Jews, Christ was baptized-washed-consecrated-by John, and formally inducted
into the office of the Christian priesthood, and we maintain
that his being immersed would have been an unmeaning ceremony, so far as the mode is concerned, and that only by sprinkling, pouring, or both, could the Saviour "fulfil all righteousness."  (3.) The prepositions " into," "out of," and " fiom," in
the Greek Testament, do not convey the idea of immersion, as
every school-boy knows, who has studied the Greek language.
Christ went up " into a mountain"-was he immersed in the
mountain? "There came boats fr-om  Tiberias"-had they
been immersed in Tiberias? The strong probability is, that
Christ went down to Jordan to wash, in compliance with the
Jewish custom of consecration.  Having washed his hands, and
probably his feet, in the water, John took of the liquid element,
and poured and sprinkled it upon his person, and the Holy
Ghost then lighted upon him. All this is in keeping with the
design of his baptism: any other mode would have failed in
expressiveness.
(4.) The baptism of the thousands on the day of Pentecost
affords an evidence that immersion could not have been physi.
cally possible. Three thousand were )batized; the space of




l 8               ]EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
a few hours.  Now, if each of the twelve apostles baptized 
which is not at all certain-there would have been two huan
dred and fifty for each apostle to baptize, within these few
hours; and think you that these three thousand could have
been immersed in the small brook of Cedron, the receptacle of
all the filth and refuse stuff of a large city like Jerusalem?
(5.) The baptism of the Philippian jailer, with his household,
in the house, at midnight, is a proof that immersion could not
have been the mode, as is also the baptism  of Saul, "who
arose,"-stood up —" and was baptized."
(6.) The fact that the " Spirit, the water, and the blood, are
said to agree in one," is a proof that immersion cannot be the
mode of baptism prescribed by the Holy Scriptures. These
three " agree," partly in the design, and partly in the mode:
and if we can be assured of the mode in which blood was anciently applied to the person, as a symbol of moral cleansing
through the blood of Christ-which was invariably by sprinkling-then have we a criterion by which to judge of the proper
mode of applying water to the candidate for baptism; and if
we learn that the Spirit is said 1" to be shed on us," to " fall on
us," to be "given" to us, to " descend," &c., then may we infer, that pouring or sprinkling are the authorized and proper
modes of administering this important symbolical rite; while it
is at the same time cheerfully admitted, that immersion is also
valid-for those, who from conscientious motives prefer that
mode.
ARTICLE XVIII.
OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
"The supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves, one to another, but rather is a
sacrament of our redemption by ChrisU's death: insomuch that to such
as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which
we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of
blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.




THIE LORD'S SUPPER.                  179
"Transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and
wine in the supper of our Lord, cannot be proved by holy writ, but is
repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of
a sacrament, and hatll given occasion to many superstitions.
" The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the supper, only
after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the
body of Christ is received and eaten in the supper is faith.
" The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance
reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped."
The former part of this article is designed to show what the
Lord's Supper is, and the three latter clauses are designed to
guard this sacred institution from the false views of the Roman
Church, who believe that the body and blood of Christ are
really and literally presenPin the sacrament; that as soon as
the priest blesses the elements of bread and wine, a transubstantiation, or change of substance, takes place in these elements, and that they immediately become changed into flesh
and blood, soul and divinity, so that the whole Christ is really
and bodily present. The absurdity and blasphemy of this doctrine is so apparent, that we need not attempt to prove to the
intelligent reader the falsity of a doctrine as unreasonable as it
is monstrous.
The Lord's Supper is designated by different names in the
New Testament.  It is called the Eucharist-the Communion
-the Sacrament-the Paschal feast-the Passover-all of
which appellations are used to signify some particular property
or design in this solemn ordinance: as a Eucharist it partakes
of the nature of a solemn thanksgiving to God; as a communion, it shows the fellowship existing between Christ and his
disciples, and between the disciples themselves; as a sacrament, it partakes of the nature of a solemn covenant engagement, entered into between the Saviour and his worshippers;
as a Paschal feast, or Passover, it is designed to commemorate
the sufferings and death of Christ, and in connection therewith,
the deliverance wrought out for us by the same.' The phrase




180               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Lord's Suplper, it is thought by some, was not applied by the
Saviour or his apostles to this sacrament; as however it was
used in reference to the last supper which Christ ate with his
disciples, and the Eucharist was celebrated immediately after
supper, it has grown into common use, and is so designated in
the Article before us.
The design of this sacrament has perhaps been sufficiently
stated, as above.  We wish, however, further to say, that in
partaking of the same, in commemoration of the sufferings and
death of Christ, it is with strict reference to the vicarious nature of the atonement; not to commemorate his death as a
martyr, or as the founder of a new dispensation, but as " God
in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself," by his own
blood. Thus we recognize the proer and essential divinity
of our Lord, and for this reason we prefer not to join any, in
the act of communing, who deny the vicarious nature of the
atonement, or the Godhead of the " Man Christ Jesus."  Unitarians, Socinians, and others of every grade or name, who deny
these doctrines, or either of them, must excuse us if we refuse to partake with them, or neglect to invite them to partake
with us at the Lord's table.
ARTICLE XIX.
OF BOTH KINDS.
"The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for
both the parts of the Lord's Supper, by Christ's ordinance and corn
mnandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike."
This Article has reference to the unscriptural and unreasonable practice of the Church of Rome, in withholding the cup
from the laity in the administration of the Lord's Supper.
Notwithstanding it is expressly and fully admitted by that




THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST.               181
church, that communion in both kinds was the practice of
Christ and his apostles, as also of the primitive Christians, yet,
by the decrees of councils, and the bulls of popes, anathemas
are hurled against those who shall say that the laity of the
church ought not to be denied the cup.  Aside from  the unscriptural character of the prohibition, is it not evident that the
laity of that church are denied the sacrament of the Lord's
Supper?  If by the Lord's Supper is intended the eating of
bread and the drinking of wine, as instituted by Jesus Christ;
and if it can be celebrated with nothing less than bread and
wine; then is it evident that the sacrament of the Eucharist is
a thing unknown to the great body of the Roman Church,
while denied the use of the cup, and if the definition of the
"' Church," as given by a former Article, is correct, namely, " a
congregation of faithful men, where the pure word of God is
preached, and the sacraments duly administered," then it follows, as a matter of necessity, that the Roman Church is no
Church of Christ, because the sacraments are not duly administered, according to Christ's institution; or if a church, the
clergy only constitute the same, as they, only, receive the communion in both kinds.
ARTICLE XX.
OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST, FINISHED UPON THE CROSS.
"The offering of Christ, once made, is that perfect redemption, pro
pitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual: and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that
alone. Wherefore, the sacrifice of masses, in the which it is commonly
said, that the priest doth offer Christ, for the quick and the dead to have
remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable, and dangerous deceit."
The former part of this Article endorses an important truth
taught in God's holy word, namely, the General Redemption




182              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
of our race, through the death and sufferings of our blessed
Saviour.
The Christian world has long been divided in opinion in regard to the extent of the atonement; but as in our examination of this and other controverted points, our space is necessarily limited, we shall only be able to glance at the more prominent arguments which may be adduced in favor of the
doctrine above alluded to, and in opposition to the one,
taught in the system designated by the name of Calvinism.
The latter term is used to signify that system of theology
taught by John Calvin, in the sixteenth century, endorsed by
the Westminster Assembly of Divines, and adopted by the
Presbyterian churches of Scotland, the United States, and
some other countries, as the body of divinity on which is
founded the Articles of Faith, which distinguish the Calvinistic churches from those denominated Arminian.
The essence of the system called Calvinism, may be found
in Calvin's Institutes, Westminster Confession of Faith, Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church in the United
States, and in the Longer, and Shorter Catechisms. From
these various sources may be collected the distinguishing features of the Calvinistic system. From the Confession of Faith
of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, we will give
a few extracts, that the reader may see the bearing which the
Article has upon the doctrine of Particular Redemption.
1. "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy
counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass." In this extract we are taught that
whatsoever comes to pass, has been ordained by God from all
eternity. The term "w hatsoever," can be understood only in
its legitimate sense, to mean, everything which comes to pass,
whether good or evil, natural or moral, physical or mental;
and whether predicated of devils, angels, or men; whether
coming to pass in heaven, earth, or hell, all has been ordained
of God.




THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST.              183
2. " By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory,
some men and angels are predestinated to everlasting life; and
others foreordained to everlasting death."  This language is so
plain, that it seems impossible to misunderstand it, and by it
the extent of the atonement must necessarily be limited to the
number predestinated to eternal life.
3. "These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their
number is so certain, and definite, that it can neither be increased, nor diminished." In this Article, we are taught that
the number of those predestinated to life, or foreordained to
death, is unchangeably and unalterably fixed.
4. "Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God,
before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his
eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and
good pleasure of his own will, hath chosen, in Christ, unto
everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without
any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either
of them, or any other thing in the creature as conditions or
causes, moving him thereto, and all to the praise of his glorious
grace."
5. "Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually
called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect
only."
6. " The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the
unsearchable counsel of his own will, to pass by, and ordain
them to dishonor and wrath, for their sin, to the praise of his
glorious justice."
7. "All those whom  God has predestinated unto life, and
those only, he is pleased effectually to call, by his word and
Spirit, to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ. This effectual
call is of God's free and special grace alone; not from anything
at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein until
quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit."
8. "Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved




184               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
by Christ, through the Spirit; so also are all other elect persons. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the
ministry of the word, and may have some common operations
of the Spirit, yet they never truly come to Christ, and, therefore, cannot be saved."
In giving the above extracts to the reader we have selected
those portions of the Calvinistic creed which have a bearing on
the doctrine taught in the Article now under consideration;
and by a comparison of these with the Article itself, the reader
cannot fail to perceive a wide and essential difference between
the teachings of Calvinism, on the one hand, and those of
Methodism on the other.  The doctrines taught in the above
extracts appear to Methodists, and other Arminians, to be
both unscriptural and unreasonable.  Unscriptural, because we
think them to be in direct opposition to the plainest declarations of Scripture; and unreasonable, because that, aside from
Scripture, they stand opposed to a correct idea of the character
and attributes of the Almighty, as entertained by the enlightened mind. Is it, we ask, either scriptural or reasonable to
suppose that God from all eternity ordained whatsoever comes
to pass?  That every action of men, angels and devils was predetermined by God?
2. Is it scriptural or reasonable to suppose that by the decree of God some men and angels are predestinated to life and
others to everlasting death?
3. Is it scriptural or reasonable to suppose that the number
of the elect and reprobate are so fixed and definite that it cannot by any possible contingency be either increased or diminished?
4. Is it scriptural or reasonable that we should believe that
those predestinated or elected to everlasting life are thus
chosen without any foresight of faith or good works as conditions?
5. Is it a scriptural doctrine that none are redeemed by
Christ but the elect only, while the "reprobate" are left with



THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST.            185'
out any interest whatever in the great work of human redemption?
6. Is it either scriptural or reasonable to think that the reprobate are not only passed by without having any provision
made for their salvation by Jesus Christ; but are positively
ordained to hell and damnation, to dishonor and wrath, merely
because Christ not having died for them their salvation is rendered absolutely impossible, not by any act of their own, but
by a decree of God, made from all eternity, and then attribute
to them the guilt and "sin" of being thus passed by or ordained to eternal death?
7. Is it in accordance with Scripture and reason to believe
that while God in his word calls upon all the nations of the
earth to look unto him and be SAVED, and commands all men
everywhere to repent, believe, and obey, that none are designed
to be effectually called but the elect only?
8. Is there any Scripture for dividing the infantile portion
of mankind into " elect infants" and " reprobate infants;" and
for declaring, that if the one class dies in infancy they are regenerated and saved, and of the other, that they " cannot be
saved?"
We design not to answer these several questions argumentatively, but simply to state that the former part of the Article
before us discards, in toto, the doctrine of particular redemption, and of election and reprobation, with its necessary adjunct
infant damnation. And it is scarcely necessary to repeat the
innumerable passages of Scripture which prove, beyond a
doubt, that Christ died for the whole world of mankind, for
we can scarcely open the New Testament without having our
eyes rest on some passage of Scripture where the general redemption of our race is spoken of in the clearest and fullest
manner, and that in fact, " The offering of Christ once made is
a perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the
sins of the WHOLE WORLD, both original and actual."
The latter part of the Article is aimed at the doctrine em



186                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
oraced in the sacrifice of the mass, in which it is said that as
often as mass is celebrated Christ is offered or sacrificed anew
for the sins of the people, both living and dead. It is not, of
course, necessary to say that the pretensions of the Roman
clergy, in this respect, are not only unreasonable and absurd,
but are positively injurious to the interests of morals and true
religion; for no Protestant can look upon the doctrine of the
mass without pain and abhorrence.
ARTICLE XXI.
OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS.
"The ministers of Christ are not commanded by God's law, either
to vow the estate of a single life, or to abstain from marriage: therefore, it is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, to marry at their
own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve best to godliness."
The doctrine of clerical celibacy, as taught and required by
the Romish Church, is at war with the teachings of both the
Old and New Testaments, and destructive of morals and the
best interests of society. It was not until the fourth century
that the celibacy of the clergy was required by the church,
and since that time it has remained a law  of the Roman
Church that none of its ecclesiastically ordained priests, or other
officers, shall contract marriage. The design of tnis prohibition
is to render the clergy more completely subservient to the will
of the Roman See, by preventing, as far as possible, the exercise of the social feelings; and it is a well-established fact, that
this rule has been promotive of the worst effects, and proved
destructive to the morality of even the highest dignitaries of
the church, and hence Luther, well knowing the disastrous
effects of such prohibition upon the morals of the clergy, wisely
and boldly bid defiance to the pope, and the mandates of a
corrupt church, by contracting marriage with a nun.
It may be proper here to observe, that in the British Wes



RITES AND CEREMONIES.                 187
leyan Conference a rule has obtained, by which the preachers
of the connection are required to abstain from marriage during
the time of their novitiate, or probation as preachers.  This
rule is designed, partly, to keep the younger preachers free
from the cares of the world as much as possible during the
four years of trial, so that they may have better opportunities
for study, &c.; and partly to keep a sufficient number of single
men in connection with the conference to supply those portions
of the work with unmarried men where the societies are too
small or feeble to support a number of preachers with their
families. This rule, however, is not an absolute prohibition of
marriage, but merely a deferment of this relation until such
time as membership in the conference is secured.  In other
words, the candidate for the ministry may not contract marriage, but when he becomes a minister he is at perfect liberty
to do so.  In the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United
States, no rule exists on the subject, except the one contained
in this Article.
ARTICLE XXII.
OF THE RITES AND CEREMONIES OF CHURCHES.
" It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places
be the same, or exactly alike: for they have always been different, and
may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and
men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth
openly break the rites and ceremonies of the church to which he belongs, which are not repugnant to the word of God, and are ordained
and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that
others may fear to do the like, as one that offendeth against the common order of the church, and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren.
"Every particular church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and
ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification."
The doctrine embraced by, and taught in this Article, is of
great importance to the church of Christ in all its various.14




188'              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
branches, for were it necessary that the rites and ceremonies
of the church should be in all places and times alike, inasmuch
as a difference has obtained, and does obtain, it would be difficult to prove that Christ has a church on earth at all.
There are two things comprehended in the gospel of Christ
in relation to his church.  One is, that it must have what is
essential to its existence and perpetuity; the other, that it may
or may not have what is not thus essential. The essential appendages to a church are the Scriptures, a living ministry, and
the sacraments; the non-essentials are a liturgy, or prescribed
form of worship, with all other means of grace, not positively
required by God in his word.  We may illustrate this point
by saying that baptism and the Lord's Supper are essential to
the existence of the church; no church may therefore repudiate these ordinances; while love-feasts, class-meetings, confirmation, &c. &c., not being expressly required by the gospel,
may, or may not be repudiated, by any branch of the church.
So also in regard to the mode of administering the ordinances.
That the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper must be
administered, is rendered certain by the plain commands of
Christ and his apostles, but whether the former shall be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion; or the latter be
received while sitting, standing or kneeling, is nowhere stated,
and any branch of the church may lawfully adopt such rules,
in relation to such points, as may seem expedient and proper.
The same course of reasoning will apply also to the government of the church. That a church should exist, is the revealed will of God; and that his church should have some
kind of ecclesiastical government, is also rendered certain; but
when we come to inquire into the particular form of church
government, instituted by Christ and his apostles, we find ourselves without direct scriptural authority. Whether, therefore,
a church shall be governed by an episcopacy, by a presbytery,
or by itself, independently of all foreign ecclesiastical control,
is a question not fully settled by divine revelation, and may be




RITES AND CEREMONIES.               189
left to the enlightened judgment of individuals, or associated
bodies of Christians, to decide for themselves. But in deciding
for themselves, they have no right to decide peremptorily for
others; every man having a natural right to decide for himself, in regard to these matters, so that he decides on nothing
contrary to the word of God.
When an associated body of Christians, in the absence of an
express rule in relation to ecclesiastical government, rites and
ceremonies, adopt a form of church government for themselves,
and ordain certain rites and ceremonies, to be used in the
church, then it is not lawful for any one, through his own private judgment, wilfully and purposely to violate the rules and
regulations of the church to which he belongs, provided those
rules are not repugnant to the word of God, and provided, also,
that his connection with such church is voluntary, and not the
result of coercion. In either of the latter cases, we believe that
a man would have the right to violate any ecclesiastical requirement, which, in his judgment, contravened the laws of
God, or the right of voluntarily connecting himself where conscience and duty point out; but otherwise, it is the duty of
every Christian to yield a hearty obedience to the requirements
of the church of which he is voluntarily a member; and if, for
conscience' sake, he cannot yield such obedience, then is it
clearly his duty voluntarily to withdraw from the church-if
such withdrawal is possible —and seek a connection with some
other branch, whose requirements are more congenial with his
views of Christian duty. To remain in the church, and refuse
obedience to its wholesome requirements; or to withdraw from
the church when such requirements are not repugnant to the
word of God, is to involve ourselves in the guilt of schism, a
sin which is pointedly condemned by the word of God, and is
productive of great and lasting injury to the body of Christ;
so that nothing short of imperious necessity should ever induce
any person to be a promoter or abettor of division in the church of
God, or to become a separatist from thechurch of his former choice.




190                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
There is, consequently, much importance to be attached to
the due examination of doctrines and ceremonies of any church,
before a person voluntarily connects himself with the same.
The  examination  necessary, may require weeks, and even
months, before an enlightened judgment can be formed in relation to these matters, by the young and inexperienced Christian, and we consider it an important feature in the polity of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, that at least six months must
be given to every candidate for membership, to make such examination, before membership is secured, thus guarding the
candidate, on the one hand, against improper haste in forming
a judgment, and the church, on the other hand, against the introduction of improper persons, by giving it an opportunity of
judging of the correctness of their faith and practice.
ARTICLE XXIII.
OF THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
" The President, the Congress, the general assemblies, the governors,
and the councils of state, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers
of the United States of America, according to the division of power
made to them by the Constitution of the United States, and by the
constitutions of their respective States. And the said States are a
sovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any
foreign jurisdiction."*
The above Article, with the note appended to it, is designed
to show the views of the Methodist Episcopal Church in rela* "As far as it respects civil affairs, we believe it the duty of Christians, and especially all Christian ministers, to be subject to the supreme authority of the country where they may reside, and to use all
laudable means to enjoin obedience to the powers that be; and, therefore, it is expected that all our preachers and people who may be under the British, or any other government, will behave themselves as
peaceable and orderly subjects."




THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES.          191
tion to the civil government of the United States, and also the
duty of American Methodists, who may be residing under the
protection of the British, or other foreign governments, to be
obedient and peaceable subjects, while they remain under such
protection. The Article itself was adopted at the time of the
organization of the church in 1784, and the note was appended
in the year 1820, " to meet the peculiar case of the brethren in
Canada, against whom unfounded suspicions had been created,
because the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they were
then a part, was regarded as a foreign ecclesiastical authority."
The doctrine taught, both in the Article, and in the note, is,
that civil government is of divine origin, that the " powers that
be, are ordained of God," and that "whosoever resisteth the
power, resisteth the ordinance of God;" but the Article does
not say what particular form of civil government is ordained
of God, or whether any such form is prescribed by the Ruler
of the universe.  Hence, the divine right of kings, or emperors,
to reign and rule, is neither asserted, nor denied, while it is
asserted and maintained, that the delegates of the people of the
United States are the rulers of the same; and that said States
not only form a sovereign and independent nation, but ought
not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction.  It will be clearly
seen, then, that while the Methodist Church teaches subjection
to all who are in authority over us, whether at home or abroad,
it meddles not with questions of a purely civil and political
character, any further than to require obedience to the laws
and requirements of the commonwealth. The question' now
greatly agitated in the nation, whether obedience to all law is
required by the gospel, and whether we are bound to yield
such obedience to law, when judged to be unrighteous, is a
point, which, not having been discussed by the church in her
general councils, has, of course, not been formally decided, one
way or the other. On this, as on all other points connected
with human authority, there will be a variety of opinions entertained; and while a Christian may not aid personally in the




192               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
execution of any law which he honestly believes contravenes
the laws and mandates of Jehovah, he may not, on the other
hand, forcibly resist the execution of any law which the majority of his fellow-citizens have, by their delegates, thought to be
necessary for the well-being of the body politic; while it will
be incumbent upon him, as a part of the body politic, to labor,
in every proper manner, for the repeal of such laws as he believes are opposed to the "6' higher law," or rule of right, established by the Creator. Thus far, we presume, there will be a
unanimity of opinion among all the ministers and members of
the Methodist Church. In the language of one of her sons,
"The church, by its moral influence, should countenance and
sustain the State; and the State protect the church: both institutions being equally of divine appointment, and equally indispensable to the good of society."*
ARTICLE XXIV.
OF CHRISTIAN MEN'S GOODS.
"' The riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching
the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast.
Notwithstanding every man ought, of such things as he possesseth,
liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability."
This Article is designed to guard men against the false
notion that when a man becomes a Christian he loses his individual right to property, and that all that he has should be
merged in one common fund. Whatever might be right under
a perfect social system, it is very evident, as society is now constituted, a community of goods would do more harm than
good; the indolent and improvident would prey upon the
fruits of industry and economy, and the result would be the,ventrul prevalence of anarchy and confusion. It is maintained
* Comfort's Exposition, page 345.




CHRISTAIN MEN'S GOODS.              193
by the advocates of the community system, that the early
Christians, who " had all things in common," set an example
which we ought to follow; but it is not certain that their course
was designed as an example; the probability, nay, the moral
certainty is, that it was not; neither is it certain that they had
all things common in the sense of having no individual right
to control any part thereof. It is true, that when they sold
their possessions and goods, and made an offering thereof to
the common stock, they lost the individual right to control it,
while it is equally evident that by far the greatest portion of
the early Christians retained a part of their goods in their own
possession, from the fact that there existed among them a distinction between rich and poor, or those who gave and those
who received alms, as in the case of Dorcas, the Hebrew
widows, and those for whom collections in the churches were
taken. The probability therefore is, that " having all things in
common," is to be understood in a limited sense, and that the
sale of their goods was a voluntary act, not enjoined by Christ
or his apostles.
While, therefore, the principle of socialism is not enforced by
the word of God, there is a principle recognized, a duty enforced, of giving to the poor according to our abundance; and
this duty is of perpetual obligation, or as long as the distinction
between rich and poor may be properly said to exist; and the
fact that the State may, in some countries, make provision for
its resident poor, does not, in our opinion, relieve the Church
entirely, if at all, of the duty of giving alms to those who need.
There always will be a class in society -who are proper objects
of charity, who will not avail themselves of any provision made
for them by the civil government; and there are others-members of the church-whom  it would be disgraceful to the
Church of God to allow to become pensioners upon the
bounties of the state designed for the poor; these classes must
be cared for, their wants must be supplied, and the rich, out of
their abundance, must supply these wants, and woe be to the




194                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
man who, seeing his brother or sister in need, and who having
the means to relieve their necessities, "shuts up his bowels of
compassion against them."
ARTICLE XXV.
OF A CHRISTIAN MAN'S OATH.
"As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian
men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his apostle, so we judge that
the Christian religion doth not prohibit but that a man may swear
when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be
done according to the prophet's teaching, in justice, judgment, and
truth."
The design of this Article is very apparent,-to discountenance the sin of-profanity, and at the same timesanction judicial
oaths, or oaths required to be taken in a court of justice, or before a magistrate. These oaths, in some form, are required to
be taken by the subjects of all civilized countries, and indeed
they may be considered a necessary appendage to the proper
administration of justice under the present constitution of society. We say that oaths in some form are required to be
taken; for whether we "swear by the ever-living God," to tell
the truth, or simply "affirm" that we will tell the truth, the
solemnity and binding nature of the asseveration is the same in
the eye of human law, and we have no doubt is considered as
equally sacred and binding by the great Lawgiver of the
universe.
The Quakers and some other conscientious persons, refuse to
take judicial oaths, on the ground that all swearing is forbidden
by the Saviour. Now, while we honor the conscientious
scruples of all men, we cannot but think that an improper
view is taken of the meaning of the Saviour in the above prohibition. By reading the context carefully the reader will no




A CHRIISTAIN MAN'S OATH,             195
doubt perceive that the kind of swearing prohibited by Christ
is not that required by the civil magistrate, but that of which
the Jews were notoriously guilty, swearing falsely by the temple, by the throne of God, and that too when not required to
do it by the civil magistrate. That the latter was the meaning of the Saviour, to us is abundantly evident from the fact
that when placed upon his trial before the high-priest, he was
sworn by the latter to tell the truth.  The practice of swearing
criminals was common among the Jews, and the form of oath
to them administered was in these words, "I adjure thee by
the living God to answer, whether the thing be so or not."
Now, this very oath, in substance, was administered to Christ,
and had he considered it unlawful to take such an oath, he no
doubt would have refrained from answering, but instead of this,
he immediately replies to the adjuration of the high-priest, thus
showing that while he discountenanced profanity in all its
forms, he sanctioned the administration of judicial oaths. That
judicial oaths are proper is also evident from what the apostle
Paul says in relation to them, " An oath for confirmation is to
them an end of all strife." Now, had such oaths been unlawful and forbidden, the apostle, no doubt, would have considered
it his duty to have said so when speaking of the subject, but
instead of this he uses it as an illustration, and then proceeds
to show that " God confirmed his promise to Abraham  by an
oath." These considerations prove the doctrine in the Article
to be correct, and show conclusively that while it is forbidden
to swear profanely, it is right to swear when judicially required
to do so.




196               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
APPENDIX TO THE ARTICLES.
IN our Introduction to the Articles of Religion, we intimated
that there are certain doctrines of Methodism not clearly stated
in the same. The reason for this is not to be traced to an unwillingness on the part of the church to publish to the world
all that she believes, but to the simple fact, that with the exception of the one which refers to the " Rulers of the United
States," the Articles were all prepared for the church by Mr.
Wesley himself.  Mr. Wesley being a minister of the Church
of England, very naturally and properly selected such Articles
from the Common Prayer Book which he judged contained
sound and wholesome doctrine; while those which admitted
of dispute, as it regards their true meaning, were omitted.
But while omittin( some of the Articles, he did not feel himself at liberty to supply their place with others of his own
making; hence several important doctrines which are taught
by the Methodists in all parts of the world, are not even alluded
to in the Articles of Religion.  While a strong disposition to
venerate, just as it is, whatever came from the hand of the
founders of Methodism, has hitherto prevented the alteration
or the addition of any other Articles to the original twentyfive; and more especially as in the constitution of the church
it is expressly said that " the General Conference shall not revoke, alter, or change our Articles of Religion;" and as in the
provision made for the alteration of the constitution, whereby
every other Article of the same may be changed, the above
clause is carefully excepted.  While, therefore, it might have
been desirable, when the church was organized, that all the
important features of Methodist theology should have been




WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT,               197
embodied in the Articles, and is a matter of regret to some that
they were not; yet we have reason to be thankful to the great
Head of the Church that there has been no disposition manifested to modify or change the existing Articles.  While it is
also a matter of thankfulness that in Wesley's sermons, and in
other standard writings of the church, the important doctrines
which are omitted in the Articles, or are but incidentally
alluded to, are in the former clearly taught, and by the present
race of Methodist ministers are faithfully preached. Among
these important doctrines referred to, are the doctrine of the
Witness of the Spirit; the Sanctification of believers; the
possibility of Jalling from  Grace; and the doctrine of Eternal Rewards and Punishments.
ON THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.
The witness of the Spirit of God that we are the children of
God, is one of the glorious privileges of believers; but to understand this subject fully, as taught by Mr. Wesley, we will make
a few extracts from his Sermon on Rom. viii. 16, "The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God."
" I. The witness, or testimony of our own spirit."  " With
regard to the testimony of a Christian's own spirit, the foundation of this is laid in numerous texts of Scripture, which describe the marks of the children of God, and that very plainly."
" This may be still further aided by the ministry of the word,
meditation, and religious conversation. And every man, using
the understanding which God has given him, and which religion was designed to improve, by applying those Scripture
marks to himself, may know whether he is a child of God:
For instance, 1 John ii. 3, 5, 29:'And hereby we do know
that we know him, if we keep his commandments. —But whoso




198               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:
hereby know we that we are in him.-Ye know that every one
that doeth righteousness is born of him.'-iii. 4, 19, 24; iv.
13; v. 18. Probably, from the beginning of the world, none
of the children of God were ever farther advanced in the grace
of God, and the knowledge of Christ, than the apostle John,
and those to whom he wrote at that time. Yet they did not
despise these marks of being God's children, but applied them
to their own hearts, for the confirmation of their faith. Yet all
this testimony is no other than rational; the witness of our
own spirit, our reason, or understanding. It all resolves itself
into this: those who have these marks, these are God's children; but we have these marks, therefore we are his children.
But how does it appear that we have these marks-that we
love God and our neighbor, and that we keep God's commandments? The question does not mean, how does it appear to
others, but to ourselves.' As easily as you can know whether
you are alive, in pain, or in ease, may you know whether you
are saved from proud wrath, and have the ease of a meek and
quiet spirit; whether you love your neighbor as yourselves;
whether you are kindly-affectioned, gentle, and long-suffering;
whether you outwardly keep God's commandments, by living
godly, righteous, and sober lives. This is properly the testimony of our own spirit. It is a consciousness of our having
received in, and by the spirit of adoption, the tempers mentioned in the word of God, as belonging to his adopted children.
" But what is the testimony of God's Spirit, which is superadded to, and conjoined with this?  How does he bear witness
with our spirit, that we are the children of God? It is hard
to find words in the language of men, to explain the deep
things of God. But perhaps one might say, the testimony of
the Spirit is an inward impression on the soul, whereby the
Spirit of God directly witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child
of God; that Jesus hath loved me, and given himself for me;




WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.              199
that all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled
to God.
"This testimony of the Spirit of God must, in the very nature of things, go before the testimony of our own spirit. We
must be holy in heart and life, before we can be conscious that
we are so. But we must love God before we can be holy at
all; this being the root of all holiness. Now we cannot love
God till we know he loves us. And we cannot know his pardoning love to us, till his Spirit witness it to our spirit. Since,
therefore, this testimony of his Spirit must precede the love of
God, and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our inward consciousness thereof, or the testimony of our own spirit
concerning them.
"He that loves God, and delights and rejoices in him with
an humble joy, a holy delight, and an obedient love, is a child
of God; but I thus love, delight, and rejoice in God: therefore
I am a child of God: then a Christian cannot doubt of his being a child of God. Of the former proposition he has as full
assurance, as he has that the Scriptures are of God; and of
his thus loving God, he has an inward proof, which is nothing
short of self-evident.
"The manner how the divine testimony is manifested to the
heart, I do not take upon me to explain. See John iii. 8. But
we know the fact, namely, that the Spirit of God gives a believer such a testimony of his adoption, that while it is present
to the soul, he can no more doubt the reality of his sonship,
than he can doubt of the shining of the sun, while he stands in
the full blaze of heaven. But,
"II. How may this joint testimony of God's Spirit and of our
own spirit, be clearly distinguished from presumption of mind,
and the delusions of Satan? (1.) The Holy Scriptures abound
with marks, distinguishing the one from the other.  They describe repentance as constantly going before this witness of pardon. (2.) The Scriptures describe the being born of God,
which must precede the witness that we are his children, as a




200               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
change no less than from darkness to light, as well as from the
power of Satan unto God. And (3.) The Scriptures describe
the joy accompanying the witness of the Spirit, as tending to
promote humility. In the presumptuous, deceived man, it is
the contrary.  Instead of being humble, meek, gentle, teachaable, slow to hear, and slow to wrath, he is haughty, assuming,
quick to hear, and swift to speak, fiery, vehement, and eager in
his conversation: yea, sometimes there is a fierceness in his air
and manner of speaking, as well as of his whole deportment, as
if he were going to take the matter out of God's hands, and
himself to devour his adversaries.  (4.) The Scriptures teach,'This is the love of God-the sure mark thereof-that we
keep his commandments.' The genuine lover of God will do
his will. But with the presumptuous pretender to the love of
God, it is otherwise. He is not zealous, watchful over his
tongue, and heart, nor anxious to deny hiniself, and take up
his cross. It follows, from undeniable evidence, that he cannot
have the true testimony of his own spirit. He cannot be conscious of having those marks which he has not, nor can the
Spirit of God bear witness to a lie; or testify that he is a child
of God, when he is manifestly a child of the devil.
" III. What is the witness of the Spirit?  The original word
may be rendered either the witness, or (less ambiguously), the
testimony, or the record. 1 John v. 11. I do not mean to
say, that the Spirit of God testifies this by an outward voice;
no, nor always by an inward voice, although he may do this
sometimes. Neither do I suppose that he always applies some
Scripture to the heart, though he often may do this.  But he
so works upon the soul by his immediate influence, and by a
strong though inexplicable operation, that the stormy winds
and troubled waves subside, and there is a sweet calm: the
heart resting in the arms of Jesus, and the sinner being clearly
satisfied that God is reconciled, and that all his iniquities are
forgiven, and his sins covered. That there is a testimony of
the Spirit, is acknowledged by all parties. And it is not ques



WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.                201
tioned whether there is an indirect witness or testimony that
we are the children of God. This is nearly, if not exactly the
same with the testimony of a good conscience towards God.
Nor do we assert there can be any real testimony of the Spirit,
without the fruit of the Spirit.  We assert, on the contrary,
that the firuit of the Spirit immediately springs from this testimony.  But the point in question is, whether there be any direct testimony of the Spirit at all?  Whether there be any
other testimony of the Spirit than that which arises from a consciousness of the fruit-I believe there is.
"IV.'The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God.'  It is manifest that there are two
witnesses mentioned, who together testify the same thing-the
Spirit of God, and our own spirit. But what is the witness of
the Spirit? See verse 15-' Ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father,' and Gal. iv. 6,' And
because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son
into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.'   And  experience
agrees with the Scripture testimonies.  It has been confirmed
by a cloud of living and dying witnesses. It is confirmed by
the experience of many at the present day. And it is sanctioned by this additional consideration, that all those who are
awakened out of the sleep of sin, cannot be satisfied with anything short of the direct witness of God's Spirit that they are
pardoned."
We might enlarge our extracts from the valuable writings
of Mr. Wesley on this subject, but we have probably quoted
enough to show the views of the Methodist Church on this important branch of Christian doctrine. From these extracts we
learn that the order of operation is, (1.) Repentance.  (2.)
Faith. (3.) Pardon. (4.) The witness of God's Spirit. (5.)
The fruits of the Spirit.  (6.) rThe witness of our own spirits,
and that this is the scriptural arrangement, or order of opera&
tion, there can be no doubt, any more than that the direct witness of the Spirit is given to the children of God.  A few scrip



202               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
tural quotations bearing on the latter point, will close this Article.  "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."  "Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we
know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is." I John iii. 2, &c. " For God hath
revealed them to us, by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God."  1 Cor. ii. 12.  Many
other passages might be given, but the above must suffice.
II.
OF THE SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS.
The doctrine of entire sanctification is one of the important
and distinguishing doctrines of the Methodist Church. The
thing intended by the term entire sanctification, is frequently
called by other names equally expressive and comprehensive:
as, Christian pe;fection, perfect love, holiness of heart, supreme
love to God, &c. In the statement of this doctrine, we feel it
important to abide by the old landmarks, and will accordingly
give the views of the church, in Mr. Wesley's own language,
as found in his sermon on Christian Perfection. In this sermon he inquires, "(1.) In what sense Christians are not; (2.)
in what sense they are perfect."
"(1.) In what sense they are not.  They are not perfect in
knowledge. They are not free from ignorance-no, nor from
mistake. We are no more to expect any living man to be infallible, than to be omniscient. They are not free from infirmities, such as weakness, and slowness of understanding, irregular quickness or heaviness of imagination. Such, in another
kind, are impropriety of language, ungracefulness of pronunciation; to which one might add a thousand nameless defects
either in conversation or behavior. From such infirmitiea as




SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS.            203
these, none are perfectly freed, till their spirits return to God;
neither can we expect, till then, to be wholly freed from  temptation; for'the servant is not above his master.' But neither
in this sense is there any absolute perfection upon earth. There
is no perfection of degrees, none which does not admit of a continual increase.
" (2.) In what sense they are perfect.  Observe, we are not
now speaking of babes in Christ, but adult Christians.  But
even babes in Christ are so far perfect as not to commit sin.
This, St. John affirms expressly; and it cannot be disproved by
the examples of the Old Testament.  For what if the holiest
of the ancient Jews did commit sin?  We cannot infer from
hence, that' all Christians do, and must commit sin, as long as
they live.'
" But does not the Scripture say,' A just man sinneth seven
times a day?' It does not. Indeed, it says,'A just man
falleth seven times;' but this is quite another thing; for, First,
the words'a day' are not in the text. Secondly, here is no
mention of falling into sin at all. What is here mentioned, is,
falling into temporal affliction.
"But elsewhere Solomon says,'There is no man that sinneth not.' Doubtless thus it was in the days of Solomon; yea,
and from Solomon to Christ there was then no man that sinned
not. But whatever was the case with those under the law, we
may safely affirm, with St. John, that since the Gospel was
given,' he that is born of God, sinneth not.'
" The privileges of Christians are in no wise to be measured
by what the Old Testament records concerning those who were
under the Jewish dispensation; seeing the fulness of time is
now come, the Holy Ghost is now given, the great salvation of
God is now brought to men, by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The kingdom of heaven is now set up on earth, concerning
which the Spirit of God declared of old time (so far is David
from being the standard or pattern of Christian perfection)' He that is feeble among them at that day, shall be as Dazf,




204               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
and the house of David shall be as the angel of the Lord before them.'
"'But the apostles committed sin; Peter, by dissembling,
Paul, by his sharp contention with Barnabas.' Suppose they
did, will you argue thus-' If two of the apostles once committed sin, then all other Christians, in all ages, do, and must
commit sin, as long as they live?' Nay, God forbid we should
thus speak. No necessity for sin was laid upon them; the
grace of God was surely sufficient for them. And it is sufficient for us at this day.
" But St. James says,' In many things we offend all.' True,
but who are the persons here spoken of?  Why, those many
masters or teachers whom God had not sent; not the apostle
himself, nor any real Christian. That in the word we, used by
a figure of speech common in all other as well as the inspired
writings, the apostle could not possibly include himself, or any
other true believer, appears, first, from the ninth verse,'Therewith bless we God, and therewith curse we men.' Surely not
we apostles! not we believers! Secondly, from the words preceding the text:'My brethren, be not many masters-or
teachers-knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.  For in many things we offend all.'  We!  Who?
Not the apostles, nor true believers, but they who were to receive the'greater condemnation,' because of those many offences. Nay, thirdly, the verse itself proves that'we offend all,'
cannot bd spoken either of all men, or of all Christians; for in
it immediately follows the mention of a man who offends not
as the we first mentioned did; from whom, therefore, he is
professedly contradistinguished and  pronounced a'perfect
man.'
" But St. John himself says,' If we say that we have no sin
we deceive ourselves;' and' if we say we have not sinned, we
make him a liar, and his word is not in us.'
" I answer, (1.) The tenth verse fixes the sense of the eighth:'If we say we have no sin,' in the former, being explained by,




SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS.               205'If we say we have not sinned' in the latter verse.  (2.) The
point under consideration is not whether we have, or have not
sinned heretofore; and neither of these verses asserts that we
do sin or commit sin now. (3.) The ninth verse explains both
the eighth and tenth:'If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just,' not only to forgive us our sins, but also to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness, that we may'go and sin no more.'
In conformity, therefore, both to the doctrine of St. John and
the whole tenor of the New Testament, we fix this conclusion:
a Christian is so far perfect as not to commit sin.
" This is the glorious privilege of every Christian, yea,
though he be but a babe in Christ. But it is only of grown
Christians it can be affirmed they are in such a sense perfect,
as, secondly, to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers.
From  sinful or evil thoughts.  Indeed, whence should they
spring?'Out of the heart of man,' if at all,'proceed evil
thoughts.'  If, therefore, the heart be no longer evil, then evil
thoughts no longer proceed out of it; for,' a good tree cannot
bring forth evil fruit.'
"And as they are freed from evil thoughts, so likewise from
evil tempers. Every one of these can say, with St. Paul,'I
am crucified with Jesus; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me;' words that manifestly describe a deliverance from  inward, as well as from  outward sin.'For what
communion hath light with darkness, or Christ with Belial!'
" He, therefore, who liveth in these Christians, hath'purified their hearts by faith,' insomuch that every one who has' Christ in him the hope of glory,''purifieth himself even as he
is pure.' He is purified from pride, for Christ was lowly in
heart; he is pure from desire and self-will, for Christ desired
only to do the will of his Father; and he is pure from anger
in the common sense of the word, for Christ was meek and
gentle.
"Thus doth'Jesus save his people from  their sins;' not
only outward sins, but from the sins of their hearts.'True,'




206               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
says some,'but not till death, not in this world.' Nay, St.
John says,'Herein is our love made perfect that we may have
boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is so are we
in this world.''If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from ALL SIN 1' Now, it is evident
that the apostle speaks of a deliverance wrought in this world,
for he saith not the blood of Christ will cleanse at the hour of
death, or in the day of judgment, but it cleanseth at the time
present us living Christians fiom all sin."
Much more might be added from  the excellent sermon in
which the above extracts are found, but we have stated enough
to show what were the views of Mr. Wesley in regard to the
doctrine of sanctification, or Christian perfection. And we
may here remark that precisely the same views are entertained
by the Methodist ministry of the present day in regard to this
important branch of Christian theology, as are above taught
by the venerated founder of Methodism; and what is still more
pleasing, hundreds of them, as well as thousands of the laity,
have the abiding witness that they love God with all the heart,
and their lives and deportment evince the correctness of the
testimony.
III.
OF THE POSSIBILITY OF FALLING FROM GRACE.
The question " May a child of God totally and finally fall
from grace, so as to be eternally lost?" is purely a scriptural
question, or rather a question which Scripture only can answer;
and when thus answered, reason and common sense must unite
in pronouncing the decision of Scripture correct. It is well
known that the Methodist Church considers the answer of
Scripture to be in the affirmative, and only in the affirmative
of this question, and consequently that she repudiates the doc



POSSIBILITY OF FALLING FROM GRACE.          207
trine of the saints' necessary final perseverance. But to the law
and to the testimony on this point; and —
1. The Old Testament plainly teaches the possibility of total
and final apostasy. In Ezek. xviii. 24, it is said, " When the
righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth
iniquity; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his
sin that he bath sinned, shall he die." On this passage it may
be remarked, (1.) That turning away from righteousness is predicated of the righteous man, which can only refer to a child
of God. (2.) That the righteous man is supposed to turn away
from his righteousness.  (3.) That, having turned away from
his righteousness, he commits iniquity.  (4.) That having
turned away and committed iniquity, IN the iniquity that he
hath committed, and IN the sin he hath sinned, he shall die.
(5.) That the iniquity and sin here alluded to is that which involves final and total apostasy, as is evident fiom the fact, that
were it only a partial fall which is intended, then every act of
religious dereliction would involve the transgressor in death.
Hence, Moses, David, and Peter, all of whom  sinned after
having become the children of God, must necessarily have
perished.  (6.) The death alluded to in the passage is not the
death of the body, for whether the righteous sin or no, they
must die temporally; neither is it spiritual death which is
alluded to, because the latter is the consequence, and not the
concomitant of transgression; thus, " when lust hath conceived
it bringeth forth sin; and sin when it is finished bringeth forth
death;" and for yet another reason: in a succeeding verse it
is said, "When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them; FOR his
iniquity that he hath done shall he die;" giving us plainly to
understand, that if the backslider from God dies in his iniquity,
that is, dies temporally, then for his iniquity he shall also die,
that is, suffer the pains of eternal death.  Other passages of
the Old Testament might be adduced in support of the doctrine
under consideration, but the above are sufficient to prove what




208               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
was Jewish theology on that point, as taught by the prophet
of God.
2. Let us now inquire what the New Testament says in reference to the same thing.
Paul, in 1 Tim. i. 18, 19, says, " War a good warfare;
holding faith and a good conscience; which some having put
away, concerning faith have made shipwreck." From these
words it is evident, (1.) That Hymenius and Alexander-to
whom the apostle refers-had once been in possession of faith,
otherwise they could not have put it away. (2.) Their faith
was of the right kind; it was possessed in connection with a good
conscience, and both were of the kind which Paul exhorted
Timothy to hold, or retain.  (3.) These men, possessing faith
and a good conscience, had put them away. (4.) They had
made shipwreck of the same, implying that their faith and
good conscience were irretrievably lost.  (5.) Their final end
is predicted by the apostle in another verse, "The Lord shall
reward him-Alexander-according to his works;'? his evil
works, so that in the case of one, at least, of these backsliders
the loss of the soul is surely predicated of one who had once
saving faith.
In Rom. xi. 11, 17, and subsequent verses, Paul, in addressing his brethren, says, " Some of the branches are broken off,
and thou art grafted in among them, and with them partakest
of the root and fatness of the olive-tree. Be not high-minded,
but fear: if God spared not the natural branches, take heed
lest he spare not thee.  Behold the goodness and severity of
God: on them which fell severity, but toward thee goodness,
if thou continue in his goodness, otherwise thou shalt be cut
off."  On this passage we remark, (1.) That the Roman believers are said to be grafted into the olive-tree, and to partake
of the root and fatness thereof.  (2.) Paul asserts in the:16th
verse, that if the " root be holy so are the branches;" consequently these branches were holy.  (3.) If these branches continued not in the goodness of God, they were to be cut off as




POSSIBILITY OF FALLING FROM GRACE.          209
were the natural branches-the Jews.  (4.) When a branch
is broken off from the parent tree it must die, unless grafted ill
again.  (5.) No promise or intimation is given that when cut
off those branches should ever be restored.
A similar figure is employed by our Saviour when discoursing with his disciples, as recorded in John xv. 2, " Every
branch in me that beareth not fiuit he-the Father-taketh
away;" and again, in verse 5, "If a man abide not in me he
is cast forth as a branch, and is withered."  Here observe, (1.)
That Christ represents his disciples as branches of the true vine:
"I am  the true vine," verse 1.  (2.) That if any of the
branches abide not in Christ, the Father taketh them away.
(3.) That when cast forth as a branch they are withered-become dry, dead, and fit only for fuel.  (4.) That while in this
dry and withered state they are, as the figure shows, "gathered and burned;" a fearful evidence that those who are in
Christ Jesus, if they abide not in him, they shall necessarily
perish.
Another evidence of the possibility of total and final apostasy
is found in John xvii. 17, and the following verses: "Holy
Father, keep through thy name those whom  thou hast given
me, that they may be one, as we are;" " those that thou gavest
me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition."  We here observe, (1.) That the persons spoken of
were given to Christ by the Father.  (2.) Thaet the object of
thus giving them to Christ was, that they might be one with
him as he was one with the Father.  (3.) That this unity or
oneness implied a sameness of spirit, of interests, and of enjoyments; in other words, those given to Christ were really and
truly his, as adopted sons.  (4.) That, notwithllstandin, this
unity and adoption, one of them was lost-the son of perdition.
(5.) That this loss was total and final, is abundantly proved by
the Scriptures which record his fall, his violent death, and the
forfeiture of his privileges as a Christian and Christian minister.
From  these privileges " Judas, by transgression, fell." Acts i.




210               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
25.  Now, how could he fall if he never had stood?  How
could Christ have lost him if he never had him?
In Matt. xxv. 1-12, is recorded the parable of the Ten Virgins, five of whom had evidently grace in their hearts, but who,
through carelessness and improvidence, neglected to keep in
store a good supply against the evil day, and who in consequence of such neglect were shut out in outer darkness.  But
not to detain the reader with a critical examination of this passage, we pass to notice another of great importance in the
settlement of this controverted point.
Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6, "For it is impossible for those who were
once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and
were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the
good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if
they shall fall away, to renew them  again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and
put him to an open shame."  It is generally admitted that the
persons spoken of in this passage are true believers.  Should
any doubt this fact they will observe, (1.) That the persons
spoken of were once enlightened. (2.) They had tasted of the
heavenly gift.  (3.) They were made partakers of the H'oly
Ghost, in its regenerating and sanctifying influences.  (4.)
They had tasted of the good word of God; and, (5.) Of the
powers of the world to come.  An expression significant of a
very high degree of grace, similar to that enjoyed by the
apostle Paul, who in his state of rapture was borne aloft to the
third heavens, and saw things and heard words that it was
" not lawful for man to utter;" a state where the body becomes
the temple of the Holy Ghost, and heaven the scene of the soul's
rapturous delight. All these considerations prove that the persons spoken of in the text were true believers, and that too of
the most exalted character.  But these believers might fall
away.
"If they shall fall away," has been rendered by good biblical critics, "have fallen away;" but, not to insist on this ren




POSSIBILITY OF FALLING FROM  GRACE.             211
dering, the fearful possibility of apostasy is as plainly and
clearly taught in the text as it is possible for language to teach
it; for, were it impossible that these should fall, it would be
not only improper but dishonest in the apostle to predicate the
opposite of what is true in the matter.  Paul was not in the
habit, we opine, of trifling with the feelings of his Christian
brethren, nor of " handlin( the word of God deceitfully." Admitting, then, the possibility of their falling away, the question
occurs, "How far could they fall 1'  (1.) This falling away is
not a mere partial declension in religious feeling, or a mere
temporary alienation fronl God, but a total and final apostasy
from the faith of the gospel; a falling away so fal and so low,
that the wretched apostate "crucifies the Son of God afiesh
and puts hiln to an open shame" —not only sins against his
Saviour openly and w\ickedly, and of set purpose exposes hLis
Lord to the jeers and taunts of the ungodly; but actually
glories in his shame.  Would to God that we could believe
that the present age afforded no examples of this kind of
apostasy; but our own observation and knowledge in regard
to what some men have been, and what they are now, constrains us to believe, that in the middle of the nineteenth century, there are many living, fearful examples of this kind of
apostasy.
(2.) The impossibility of renewing such apostates to repentance is plainly asserted in the text.  It is impossible to renew
the grace of repentance in their hearts.  Such has been the
magnitude of their crimes against their Saviour, and the stubbornness and wickedness of their hearts, that it is not in the
power of divine grace to renew them to repentance.
(3.) If it is impossible to renew the grace of repentance in
the hearts of such apostates, then their doom  is unalterably
fixed, and their " damnation is sure."
In Ileb. x. 26-29, we have another proof of the possibility
of falling from  grace, and of being finally lost.  "If we sin
wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there




212              EPISCOPAL METHIODISM.
remaineth no more sacrifice for sin; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour
the adversaries.  He that despised Moses' law died without
mercy: of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought
worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and bath
counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified
an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace."
This passage is fearfully pregnant with meaning. It teaches,
(1.) That it is possible to sin wilfully after we have received the
knowledge of the truth. (2.) That this sin may consist in wilfully treading under foot the Son of God; and in countingesteeming-the blood of the covenant wherewith he was SANCTIFIED an unholy thing-a sin very similar in its nature and?esults to the sin against the Holy Ghost. (3.) That those
who commit the above sin are worthy of a much sorer punishment than those who died under Moses' law, and as no punishment in time can be greater or sorer than the death of the
body, so the sorer punishment reserved for these apostates from
sanctifying grace is the eternal death of the soul.
In closing this Article, it may be proper to state a few reasonable objections against the doctrine of the necessary final
perseverance of the saints.
1. We object to it because it is an essential link in the chain
of Calvinism; a system which teaches that God has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass; that God has elected some
men to eternal life, and doomed others to eternal death, without any foresight of the faith and good works of the one, or unbelief and evil works of the other; a system which teaches the
possibility of the damnation of infants, and enforces the doctrines of the " horrible decrees."
2. We object to it because it effectually destroys man's free
moral agency. Once converted, no will or power that man has
in himself, can prevent his entrance into heaven. If he is as
wicked as the devil, he must go to heaven, and he cannot help
it if he would.




ETERNAL REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.              213
3. We object to this doctrine, because it tends to beget indifference and coldness on the part of Christians, and gives
license to crime and immorality on the part of backsliders.  The
syren song of " once in grace, always in grace," has no doubt
lured many to destruction.
4. We object to it again, because it draws an unwarrantable
distinction between the sins of the believer, so called, and those
of the unbeliever; to the latter it says, "sin, and you shall be
lost;" to the former, "sin, and you must be saved," while God
says to all-saints or sinners-" The soul that sinneth, it shall
die."
5. We object to it, because it stands diametrically opposed
to all those warnings, threatenings, expostulations, and declarations, made in the word of God in reference to the unfaithful.
What do these warnings mean? does God trifle with the feelings and fears of his children?  If not, these children may fall
from grace, and be lost forever.
6. We object to the doctrine of necessary perseverance, finally,
because it is opposed to all the conditional promises of the gospel.  " Be thou faithful unto death," says Chrit, " and I will
give thee a crown of life." This doctrine, in substance, tells
Christ not to be alarmed about his children, that they cannot
possibly be otherwise than faithful; while to the latter it says,
"If you fall into the most beastly, and accursed sins, you will
have a' little spark of grace' remaining, and the crown of life
shall, and must be yours'"
IV.
OF ETERNAL REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS,
The Methodists believe, as all know, that the rewards of the
righteous, and the punishment of the wicked, in the future
state, will be endless in duration. In reference to the eternal




214                 EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
rewards of the righteous, it will not be necessary, in this Article,
to make any remarks, as no believer in the Bible disputes this
point of Christian theology.  In reference to the eternal punishment of the wicked, it may be proper to state our views as
briefly as possible, as we have already transcended our prescribed limits in this part of the work.
The doctrine, then, of the Methodist Church, is, that the
punishment of the impenitent and incorrigible sinner, extends
to a future state, and is endless in duration.
1. That sinners are punished after the death of the body, is
evident, because some sins cannot possibly be punished in this
life.  Witness the suicide, and the inebriate, who dies in a fit
of drunkenness; witness the highlway  robber and murderer,
who falls by the hand of his victim.  Now, either these receive
no punishment at all; or they receive their punishment before
the commission of their crimes, or they receive such punishment in a future state.  Which is the most reasonable conclusion, we leave our readers to infer.
2. That there is future punishment in reserve for the wicked
appears falther evident from  the fact that virtue and vice,
righteousness and wickedness, must affect men in the coming
state of being.  What! are all to share alike in the joys of
heaven?  The idea is absurd.  " If there be any virtue," it
will have its future reward, and if there be unrepented wickedness, it must have its punishment; Scripture and reason demand it.
3. The Scriptures abundantly teach the doctrine of futurc
punishment.   We read of the " lake of fire," of " outer dark
ness," of " hell," " torment," &c. &c., all of which are applie?
to the state or condition of sinners in the spirit world.
4. The fact of there being a day of general judgement, whict
we have elsewhere shown in our remarks on Article III., is
proof of the future punishment of the wicked.  If the day of
judgment is future, then, of course, the punishment of the'
wicked is future, for it is after the judgment that the wicked




ETERNAL REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.            215
are said to " go away into everlasting punishment;" and " as
it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment," so is it evident that the punishment of the wicked will
be after death.
5. The phrases which are used to denote the entire period
of man's earthly existence, and those which are employed to
denote his punishment as a sinner, are so dissimilar as to render it morally certain that his punishment shall extend to a future state.  On the one hand, his stay on earth is likened to a
shadow, to vapor, to grass, to a weaver's shuttle; as being
short, few, &c.; on the other hand, his punishment is represented as being of unlimited duration, as being forever and
ever.
These considerations abundantly prove that the punishment
of the wicked will extend beyond time. Another important
question is, Will the punishment of the wicked be eternal?
Universalism says no, the Bible and the Methodist Church say
yes! which will the reader believe? That the Bible teaches
the doctrine of endless punishment, must be evident to the candid and sincere inquirer after truth.
1. The terms employed to denote the duration of future punishment, prove its eternity. Everlasting, eternal, forever, forever and ever, unquenchable, dieth not, are all employed to
signify the duration of punishment.  These words literally
mean endless, and any person who will take the trouble to examine a Greek or Hebrew lexicon, will find that the original,
as well as the rendering, mean nothing more, and nothing less,
literally, than perpetual, immortal, unintermnitted, &c.
2. No stronger terms are used, nor can be used-for the
good reason that there are no stronger ones-to denote the duration of the rewards of the righteous, than those employed to
signify the duration of the punishment of the wicked. If this
then is so, is it not clear that such punishment will be unlimited, or else that the happiness of the righteous will come to an
end 8




216               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
3. The free moral agency of man, and the conditionality of
salvation, prove the eternity of punishment.  As a moral agent,
man is the subject of moral government; as a free moral agent,
we contend-Universalism and Calvinism to the contrary notwithstanding-that man cannot be saved without the consent
of his own will. Now, as salvation depends on his own choice,
it must, in the nature of things, be conditional, and if conditional, then salvation may be lost; and if there is one truth
more plainly revealed than another, in the word of God, it is
the conditionality of salvation. Obey and live; disobey and
die, is the substance of Scripture doctrine on this point.
4. Those Scriptures which contain warnings and threatenings
of future, eternal wrath, prove the possibility of coming short
of eternal salvation. These are so numerous, and so well
known, that it seems unnecessary to repeat them.  We will
quote a few, and leave the entire subject with the reader.  " He
that believeth not, shall be damned."  " These shall go away
into everlasting punishment."  " Let us therefore fear, lest a
promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should
seem to come short of it."  "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."  "Where their
worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
We have thus endeavored, as comprehensively as possible,
to state in our remarks on the Articles of.Religion, and in the
Appendix thereto, the leading doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our circumscribed limits have not allowed us
to enlarge upon these as much as we should have done, had
the work been entirely devoted to that subject. As it is, we
believe that sufficient has been said to show the scriptural character of our doctrines, and to prove the fact that in deducing
articles of religious faith fiom the Holy Scriptures, the church
has not followed " cunningly devised fables," nor adopted the
inventions of men as a standard of Christian theology in opposition to the express warrant of Scripture.




BOOK III.
POLITY OF EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
CHAPTE R I
SECTION I.
IN TROD U CTIO N.
As Mr. Wesley, under God, was the founder of the Mlvthodist Societies, and the expounder of Methodist theology, so was
he the originator of much that is peculiar to the ecclesiastical
polity of all the different branches of the great Methodist body
in all parts of the world.
While all these branches agree in regard to doctrines and
mode of worship, it is well known that they differ somewhat
from each other in relation to questions of church government.
This difference of opinion might reasonably be expected, and
while it is an admitted fact that Mr. Wesley and the Methodists generally, agree that there is no particular form of church
government prescribed in the New Testament, and that " it is
not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be
the same or exactly alike,"-Article of Religion XXII.-it remains but for each branch to adopt such a form of ecclesiastical
polity as they believe will be most conducive to the well-being
of the church, and which will better promote the glory of God.
By such views and feelings, Mr. Wesley was no doubt governed in the establishment of the prudential rules peculiar to the
Methodists, and with such design he instituted forms of government for his societies in Europe and America; and if these"




218               EPISCOPAL METHODISM,
forms differ, it is because the circumstances and condition of
the people in these different countries required a difference to be
made: hence, while in England we find one form  of government instituted for the Methodists by Mr. Wesley in his deed
of declaration; by the appointment of Dr. Coke to the superintendency of the Methodist Societies in America, and the plovision made for the ordination of ministers of different grades,
we find a different form for the latter.  In the one case we find
a purely Presbyterian form of church government, and in the
other, a form partaking partly of the Presbyterian and partly
of the Episcopalian.
That Mr. Wesley did design to establish a moderate Episcopacy for the Methodist Church in America we have no more
doubt than that such an Episcopacy was actually established.
The enemies of our church organization have, it is true, called
in question the correctness of this position, and a Methodist
Episcopal writer, in his work on " The Genius and Mission of
Methodism," —recently published,-has ventured the opinion,
that " the idea of ordaining a bishop for the infant church in
America never entered Wesley's mind," and that "he never
conceived the idea of orgahizing through him (Dr. Coke) an
Episcopal Church in America, in the strict and proper sense of
that term."* Yet, notwithstanding the above expressed doubts,
after a careful investigation of the whole subject, we are " more
than ever convinced" that Mr. Wesley did design the establishment of an Episcopal Church in the"" strict and proper sense
of that term." Among the reasons which incline us to this
opinion are the following:1. The preparation, by- Mr. Wesley, of the Liturgy, or
"Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America; with
other occasional Services. London: 1784." This liturgy contained, among other things, "the forn and manner of making
and ordaining, of superintendents, elders, and deacons."t Now,
* Strickland on Methodism, page 35.
f History of the Discipline, page 25.




ORIGIN OF METHODIST EPISCOPACY.           219
in view of the above facts, it may well be asked, what meant
Mr. Wesley by his threefold form of ordination, if he intended
simply the organization of a Presbyterian Church?  Why require the ordination of ministers, first, as deacons, then as
presbyters; and, in case of superintendency, a third and distinct ordination to that office?  That ordination to the latter
office was not merely an apipointment thereto, is evident from
the fact, that Coke and Asbury were both aplpointed joint
superintendents by Mr. Wesley, while the former, as an ordained superintendent, was directed to set apart the latterwho had been already appointed-to the same same sacred office.
2. In the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
chap. i. sec. 1, we read, that Mr. Wesley, " preferring the Episcopal mode of church government to any other, set apart
Thomas Coke-for the Episcopal office; and directed him to
set apart Francis Asbury for the same office."  These words
are found in the edition of the Discipline published in 1789, or
two years previously to the death of Mr. Wesley, and the question very naturally arises, whether it is probable that such a
barefaced falsehood would appear on the page of Discipline,
subject to the inspection of Mr. Wesley, if so be it was and is a
falsehood-and that Mr. Wesley did not conceive the idea of
organizing, through Dr. Coke, an Episcopal Church in America?
Common respect for the memory of the fathers and founders
of Episcopal Methodism forbids us even to harbor the thought
of deception on this point, and we regret that any Episcopal
Methodist minister should, even by implication, throw disrespect
and distrust upon the motives and character of the illustrious
dead, or virtually accuse the church of perpetuating on the
very first page of its Book of Discipline a falsehood as gross as
the above must be, if so be that no Episcopal form  of government was intended by Mr. Wesley.
Having felt it our duty to make these preliminary remarks
in relation to the origin of Methodist Episcopacy, we are now
more fully prepared to speak of the nature of such Episcopacy,
k6




220               EPISCOPAL METHODISMS
as well as of the different grades in the ministry and laity of
the church.
In what sense is the Methodist Episcopal Church in the
United States an Episcopal Church? In attempting a reply
to this question, such as shall be understood by the general
reader, it will be necessary to show in what sense it is not
Episcopal, as well as in what sense it is. And, first, the
Methodist Church is not Episcopal in the Roman Catholic
sense of that term.
In an early day Christianity was planted in the imperial city
of Rome, through the labors of the apostle Paul.  After a
lapse of time, the inhabitants became Christians, and during
the reign of Constantine, Christianity becarme the established
religion of the Roman Empire.  At this period the empire contained about one hundred and twenty provinces, each province
embracing many cities, towns and villages.  In the course of
time each village and town had its Christian minister, and the
cities had several of these.  It was soon found convenient to
exercise an oversight of the more obscure clergy, and, as might
naturally be supposed, thie more prominent of the city ministers
were selected for that purpose. It was necessary that some
one should preside as moderators in the assemblies of the clergy
appertaining to a city or province, the most distinguished were
selected to that office; and what at first was merely an office,
became in due time a separate order in the church; hence the
origin of diocesan bishops. Soon it was found convenient to
have an overseer of the bishops, hence arose archbishops. As
these multiplied, it was thought necessary to have some one
who should be superior to all others in ecclesiastical authority
and dignity, hence arose the papacy; and what with the increase of worldly wealth, and the prevalence of worldly splendor, the church in the course of a few centuries became awfully
corrupt; popes, bishops, and the inferior clergy became the
subjects of the vilest passions that ever disgraced fallen human
nature; the pope claimed to exercise prerogatives which can




EPISCOPACY OF THE CHURCIt OF ENGLAND.    221
only belong to God, even that of forgiving sins; and the
priests claimed the power, not only of creating from day to day
the real body and blood, soul and divinity, of Jesus Christ, but,
in consideration of a few paltry pence, claimed the power to
pardon, as the representatives of Christ, deeds of the most
atrocious character. As it is a doctrine of the Roman Church
that she never changes, we are obliged to infer that the same
powers are still claimed by her bishops and clergy, and it becomes scarcely necessary to repeat that the Methodist Church
is not Episcopal in the Roman Catholic sense of the word.
Secondly, The Methodist Episcopal Church is not Episcopal in
the Church of Enlgland, or Protestant Episcopal sense of the
term.
The Church of England claims to have derived a succession
of bishops from the apostles-that is, that there always have
been bishops who were ordained by other bishops, and that
each bishop had been previously ordained deacon, and then
priest, and that this triple consecration is absolutely necessary
to the perpetuation of the church of Christ, and that all churches
which have not such an Episcopacy, are without the ministry,
without the sacraments, and are, in fact, no church at all, but only
schismatics and pretenders. Now, while it is known that the
Church of England received her ordinations friom Rome, and that
in the Roman chain there are several important links wanting, it
is no great wonder that the Methodist Church, with its founder,
Mr. Wesley, and some of the highest dignitaries of the Church
of England, should pronounce the dogma of uninterrupted apostolical succession to be a cunningly devised fable, which no man
has )roved, or can prove. By virtue of this pretended regular
succession, the bishops of the Church of England, and the Protestant Episcopal Church, claim the sole right of ordination, and
of admitting persons to membership in the church by confirmation, and each parish minister claims and exercises the prerogative of governing his own flock, of deciding all questions in
controversy, of trying and expelling members, without the ad



222                EPISCOPAL MWE'T'HODISM.
vice or judgment of any ecclesiastical court but himself, and
from his decision there is no appeal, but to the bishop in person. Now, in neither of the above senses is the Methodist
Church episcopal, as will be more clearly shown hereafter.
Thirdly: The Methodist Church is episcopal only in the
sense of having a class of officers appointed to take a general
superintendence of the affairs of the church, including both its
ministry and membership, and in this sense, we maintain that
it is not only " strictly and properly" an episcopal church, but
what is more, a church which is based upon a scriptural foundation, as nearly as we can judge in relation to such matters.
The Episcopacy of Methodism  is of that moderate character,
which, while it imparts power and efficiency to the office, makes
the office itself, and the incumbent of the same, entirely dependent upon the will of the eldership, or presbytery of the church,
the one for its perpetuity, the other for his election to, and continuance in, the same.  And it is a matter of rejoicing, that the
Methodist Church has never, but in a single instance-and that
in relation to a disputed point arising from slavery-had cause
to mourn the defection of any of its Superintendents, or to
distrust their purity of character and singleness of heart.




APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION.                 223
SECTION II.
APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION.
TIIE Christian world has been divided for centuries on the
subject referred to in the title to this section. Much might be
said on the subject of such divisions and sub-divisions of sentiment, but we must at this time confine ourselves to the great
questions which now agitate the Christian Church: whether an
Episcopacy, or the existence of bishops, made such by a triple
consecration, is necessary to the perpetuation of the church of
Jesus Christ? And whether such bishops must be able to
trace their episcopal descent in an uninterrupted line of personal
succession fiom the apostles?  It is important to observe here,
what is involved in assuming to answer the above questions in
the affirmative.  The following results follow an admission of
the truth of the above: that bishops are, by divine right and
appointment, an order superior to presbyters; that they have
powers, privileges, and authority, by the same divine appointment, which the presbyters have not; that they only, as the
successors of the apostles, can ordain the bishops and other
clergy; that such succession from the apostles is personal, and
may be traced through a series of bishops, from the youngest
member of the prelacy, to Peter, the first pope or bishop of
Rome; that no ministerial act is valid, that all ordinations, and
administration of ordinances and sacraments, are void, unless
performed personally, or by the permission and sanction of episcopally ordained successors of the apostles; consequently, that
all other churches, admitting the validity of presbyterian ordination, and denying practically the necessity of such prelatical
succession, are not in fact churches, but mere voluntary associations, sects, schismatics, &c.; that their ministers are nothing
more than teachers, usurpers, interlopers, blasphemers, and impostors.
Now, before admitting such monstrous absurdities, and




224                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
adopting such uncharitable conclusions, as would unchurch and
anathematize the fairest and loveliest portion of God's heritage,
and would, by implication, consign tile holiest men that ever
lived, to the blackness and darkness of the bottomless pit, we
feel disposed to examine these high pretensions to apostolical
authority, as candidly and critically as our narrow limits will
allow.
And first, are bishops, by divine right and appointmnent, and
in the sense of being the successors of the apostles, an older
superior to presbyters?  In answering this question, we naturally inquire-What was there peculiar in the office aind functions of an apostle of Jesus Christ?
One peculiarity is, that they were directly and personally
called by Jesus Christ, without any other call; and without
having previously passed through the lower grades in the ministry.  Are modern bishops thus called?
Another thing peculiar to the apostolic office, was the manner in which they were taught and fitted for the work of the
ministry.  They received all their knowledge of the gospel
from  Christ himself, and by direct inspiration of the Holy
Ghost.  Are bishops of the present day taught in this manner?
Another thing true of the apostles is, that they were i'qfallible in their teachings.  Do their modern " successors" lay claim
to infallibility?
Another important fact that should be noticed in reference to
the apostles is, that their ministerial commissions gave them
universal authority to administer their functions in every part
of the world.  " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."  Have modern bishops this universal
authority?  Are they not, by virtue of their commissions, confined to their own diocese, however small in extent?
No bishop, claiming to be such by divine right, pretends to
lay claim to universal authority, excepting his holiness, the
bishop of Rome, who, as the only successor of Peter and Paul,
calls himself " universal bishop."




PECULIARITIES OF APOSTOLIC OFFICE.           225
Another apostolic peculiarity, was the power of working miracles.  This power was given in their commissions, "'heal the
sick; raise the dead."  Is this power included among the others given to our modern "successionists?"  The apostles had
also the authority to communicate to others the power of working miracles, and the gift of prophesying, and speaking in other
tongues, by laying on of their hands.  (See Acts xix. 6.)
Does the modern episcopate (rather apostolate) possess the
same power 8
Again, the apostles had the power to remit sins; "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted."  Have their successors been commissioned and authorized to remit sins in any
given case?  The only power they claim or can claim in this
respect, is, to declare a mere truism: that " God pardoneth and
absolveth all those who truly repent;" a declaration which any
Sunday-selool scholar can make, with as much authority as a
right reverend prelate.
These are some of the peculiarities pertaining to the apostolic
office, and if modern bishops can give evidence that they are
in the regular succession in these respects, we will be better
prepared to admit their claims on other points.  Besides, if
regularly descended bishops are successors of the apostles in
fact, and the name " apostle" is most significant of their high
office, why not make use of the name at once? Why so modest
and unassuming as to refuse what justly belongs to them?  If
the reason is not to be found in the exercise of a " voluntary
humility," perhaps it might be traced to the fact, that the common sense of mankind would repudiate the idea of appropriating such a title as apostle, to those who are so unlike the
real apostles of our Saviour, as the foregoing facts clearly demonstrate.
The real apostles were not backward in appropriating this
title to themselves, and what may appear a little remarkable is,
that when they selected any other title, they never called themsolves bishops, but simply presbyters or eldere




226                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
VWhile modern bishops do not claim to be successors of the
apostles in the particulars before mentioned, they nevertheless
maintain that they are sole successors, so far as it relates to
the power of ordaining ministers, confirming believers, and
governing the chulches.
In the examination of the validity of these high claims, it is
freely granted that modern bishops have a scriptural and conventional right to ordain, confirm, and rule over the church of
God, not as lords, but as ministers of Jesus Christ; but that
the sole power of government in the church, and sending forth
ministers, exclusively belongs to them, we most solemnly deny,
while we maintain that the apostles themselves did not lay
claim  to such exclusive powers; neither did their immediate
successors, in the first ages of the church.  That such powers
are to be exercised only by a third superior order in the ministry, is an assumption without warrant or proof, either scriptural
or historical.
To make this matter plain, it will be only necessary to show
that presbyters, as such, had a right to ordain ministers, and
govern the church of God; that they are spoken of in the
Scriptures as possessing the same qualifications with bishops;
as having precisely the same duties to perform; and while
there is at least a nominal distinction made between apostles
and bishops, there is no such distinction made between bishops
and presbyters.  This being the case, the exclusive claims of
the high church episcopacy must fall to the ground.
In regard to the power of ordination by the presbytery or
body of elders, while there is not the shadow of a proof in the
New Testament that bishops, as such, ever ordained, there is
clear demonstrative evidence that presbyters did ordain othlers,
hence-i Tim. iv. 14-" Neglect not the gift that is in thee,
which was given thee by the laying on of the hands of the
presbytery."  Here it is plain that the ministerial gift or power
which Timothy possessed, was given him by the laying on of
the hands of the body of the elders who ordained him.  And




NEW TESTAMENT BISHOPS.                227
in regard to the government of the church, it is equally plain
that bishops, in distinction from presbyters, were not charged
with the oversight thereof, for it is said-Acts xx. 17, 28, that
Paul "called the elders (not the bishops) of the Church of
Ephesus, and said unto them,'Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers,' feed the church of God."  On this passage we Iemark, 1st, that the original Greek term for the word
"overseer" is " episcopos," the very word from which our term
" bishop" is derived, and which is generally translated " bishop"
in the English version of the New Testament. Now this term
episcopos, overseer, or bishop, is applied to the identical persons called elders in the 17th verse, and to none other. Consequently, Paul must have considered elders and bishops as
one, not only in office, but in order also; and so the Ephesian
ministers undoubtedly understood him. But we remark, 2dly,
that these episcopal presbyters had the oversight of all the
flock; so that if there was a class in the church at Ephesus
who were called bishops, as distinct from elders, these presbyters had the oversight and government of them  also.  We remark, 3dly, that these bishops, overseers, or elders, in the Ephesian church, are found in the plural number, and that not only
in a single city, but in a single church, and that church probably a small one. Now, if by the term " episcopos," we are to
understand necessarily a diocesan bishop, or the " pastor of pastors," we are led to inquire why, in the name of wonder and
consistency, they needed so many lordly prelates in that small
church?  One would almost fancy that one bishop of modern
dimensions would be amply sufficient for a single congregation.
The truth is, there were several elders in the above church, and
every one of them was in fact a New Testament bishop.  This
leads us to remark, 4thly, that the government in said church
was exercised in common by all the elders, there is no intimation that they had a superior officer by divine warrant, to whom
any portion of the government haod been. delegated.  The Holy




2 2 8               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Ghost had imade them all overseers, and if they had a presiding
presbyter or bishop among them, it must have been a mere
human arrangement, perfectly propel, no doubt, and justifiable,
but a human arrangement after all.
Triat the terms " presbyter" and'" bishop" are, in the New
Testament, applied to the same persons, will further appear
from  Tit. i. 5, 7, where Paul says to Titus- " For ttlis cause
left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain elder?.s in every
city: if any be blameless, the husband of one wife; for a bishop
must be blameless as the steward of God."  For Paul to request Titus to ordain elders, if he could find any suitable persons of a blaimeless moral character, and as-izisu as a reason for
such selection, thlat a bishop lmst be blameless, would be complete inonsense on thle supposition, that bishlops were superior
to, or distinct firon the order of plresbyters.  It would b3 like
saying, " Appoint a brave man for a captain, fior a gCefecrul must
be brave!"  Or more apropos,  " Apoint no man for Jastice
of the Peace, who is not well acquainted    witll the law, foi a
J]ustice of the Supreme Courl must be well versed in legal
lore!"  Such are some of the absurdities thlat follow  the clairn
that bishops were superior to elders.
But if Scripture is opposed to modern high chlurch claims
and pretensions, so is history, on which successionists appear to
lay so mluch stress.
CLEMENS  ROMANUS, who flourished and wrote between the
years 70 and 92, speaks of bishops and presbyters as being the
same in order.
IGNATIUS, who wrote A. D. 101, says: " The presbyters preside in the place of the council of the apostles;" and again, " Be
ye subject to your presbyters as to the apostles of Jesus Christ."
And again: "Let all reverence the presbyters, as the Sanhedrim  of God, and the college of the apostles."  And again:
" See that ye follow the presbyters as the apostles."  Now such
advice to be subject to, and reverence the elders of the church,
ts supplying the place of the departed apoedtles; as being in




TESTIMONY OF THE FATI-ERS.               229
fact the " College -of the Apostles," is hardly compatible with
the idea, that bishops, as distinct from  presbyters, are the successors of the apostles.  To our own mind, the above quotations show  as clearly as a sunbeam, that presbyters are, and
were, the true apostolic successors.
POLYCARP, a disciple of John the apostle, and who wrote
during the beginning of the 2d century, has left an epistle
which is still extant, in which he speaks of "presbyters" and
" deacons;' but says not a word about a third order of bishops; which is at least an inferential proof that no such order
existed.
JUSTIN MARTYN, who wrote about the middle of the 2d
century, speaks in his works of "presiding presbyters," a proof
that elders did, even then, preside over and govern the church
of God.
IRENgEUS, who wrote about the year 184, uses the terms
"bishop" and "presbyter" as synonymous, and speaks of the
" succession of presbyters."  He speaks, also, of several of the
earlier pastors of the church at Rome, as " presbyters" simply;
and that he referred to the higher order of pastors, is evident
from the fact, that he calls them "the presiding presbyters of
the church." Now if these first pastors, or bishops of the
church of Rome, were superior in order to the eldership of the
church, would it have been proper for Justin  to have addressed them  merely as presiding presbyters?  Let a modern
priest or deacon of the Church of England, or of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, or of the Roman Catholic
Church, address the Right Reverend Father in God, his diocesan bishop, as a presiding presbyter merely, and the incongruity between the title and the claims of said bishop, would
at once be apparent.
TERTULLIAN, who flourished at the close of the 2d century,
and who is claimed by high church writers as the best authority in such matters, proves incidentally that during his time
the ruling, or presiding presbyters in the church, began to ap.




230               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
propriate the title " bishop" to themselves, and to claim  superior power and authority over the body of the clergy; he says,
"Bishops have a right to baptize; afterwards, the presbyters
and deacons." He gives, also, the reason why this distinction
was allowed: "Because of the honor of the church;" and declares, that " were it not for the honor and peace of the church,
the right of administering baptism, belongs even to laymen."
Here, then, we perceive the beginning of episcopal pretensions;
the embryo of modern prelacy; and the reason why this superiority was claimed and granted; not because of any divine
right, on the part of the bishop, but " because of the honor and
peace of the church."  Yet even Tertullian denominates the
"bishops," elders, and says: " Approved elders preside among
us, having received that honor by the suffirages of the brethren."
And in another passage he speaks of the " churches over which
the apostolical chairs preside."  Now if anything can be inferred frolm these statements, it is, that although in Tertullian's
day, a superiority of office was given to presiding presbyters,
and they began by way of distinction to be called bishops; yet,
they were in order presbyters only, and as presbyters filled the
" apostolic chairs."
CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS flourished and wrote a few years
after Tertullian.  Ile speaks of but two orders of ministers, superior and inferior.  The superior ministers, were presbyters;
and the inferior, deacons.  Hle speaks of these two orders, as
conducting the worship of God, and makes no allusion to bishops, as such, taking any part in the services.
ORIGEN, a presbyter about the year 230, writes as follows to
the church: " We of the clerical order, who p2reside over you."
And he further speaks of bishops, simply as occupying a " higher
chair," that is, they were presiding presbyters.
Twenty years after Origen's time, flourished the great and
good CYPRIAN, bishop of Carthage, who,afterwards became a
martyr to the truth.  As this holy man sustained the highest
office in the church, it becomes a matter of importance to




TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS.               231
know what his views were, on the matter of episcopacy by
divine right; and whether he considered a simple presbyter,
as having the authority and qualifications to perform all the
duties of a bishop.  During his absence from  his church, he
writes to the presbyters who remained, and says to them: "I
beseech you, that you perform your own duties, and also those
that belong to me; so that nothing may be wanting, either in
doctrine or diligence."  "I exhort; and commit the charge to
you, that you would discharge mny duty, act in my place, and
perform  all those things, which the administration of the
church requires."  We might multiply quotations fronm  Cyprian, to prove that in his day, bishops and presbyters were
equal in order and power, by divine right; that elders could
and did discharge all the functions of the bishop, or presiding
presbyter, without being specially set apart, or ordained thereto,
as a third, and higher order of ministers, but the above extracts must suffice.
FIRMILLIAN, who wvas contemporary with Cyprian, and who
was also a bishop, being the presiding minister of the church
of Cesarea, remarks, that "in the church, presbyters preside,
and have the power of baptizing, cofi'rmni:y, and ORODAINING."
This is very high authority for ministerial parity.  Firmillian
was held in deservedly high repute as a bishop.  HIle was chosen president of the council of Antioch; and the evidence he
thus leaves is more valuable, as it relates simply to the practice
of the church, (viz.) that elders baptized, confirmed, and OaDAINED.
We have thus glanced at the history of the church, and the
testimony of the "fathers" for the first three centuries; and we
find ourselves strongly fortified in the position, that primitive
bishops were merely elders at the first; that the name signified
the presiding presbyter; and that not until the church began
to be corrupt, did the bishops claim to be an order superior to,
and distinct from presbyters.
AMBRsnOSE, who wrote toward the close of the 4th century,




232  EPISCOPAL AIET-IODISMiSI.
and after the presiding officers of churches had succeeded in
laying claim to superior power and authority, rernarks: "The
apostles' writings are not altogether agreeable to the order of
things, as now practised in the church; because (he adds) the
first or chief presbyters were then called bishops."  "The
bishops were constituted such, by the judgment of a number
of the presbyters."  lie says further, that " the presbyters and
bishops had one and the sacme ordination."  Now if Ambrose
spoke the truth in relation to the identity of presbyterian and
episcopal ordination, how ridiculous for modern pretenders to
lay claim to a spiritual descent fiom  the apostles, through an
unbroken chain of episcopal links, constituted such by a triple
consecration, first, as deacons; then, as presbyters; and thirdly
as bishops!
In addition to these testimonies already adduced, it is a wellauthenticated fact, that in the church at Alexandria, firom the
time of Mark the evangelist to the time of Dionysius, about the
year 250, it was the invariable practice for the elders of that
church to elect one from among themselves, place him in the
episcopal chair, and give him the name of bishop. This being
placed in the chair, was all the episcopal ordination he had,
and this was performed exclusively by the elders. If, then,
there was anything equivalent to an ordination in the case, it
furnishes a proof that bishops, as superior ministers in the
church, derived their powers from the eldership alone.
CHRYSOSTrom, who wrote about the close of the 4th, and beginning of the 5th centuries, at which time the bishops claimed
undue authority over the elders of the church, rebukes them
sharply by saying: "The bishops being above the presbyters
solely by their suffrages, and by this alone, they seem to assume an unjust superiority over the presbyters."  Mark here,
that the bishops were such, not by divine riyht, not by triple
consecration, but solely by the suffrages of the elders.
SAINT AUGUSTINE, in writing to his brethren, tells them,
"By a presbyter you must understand a bishop; for what is a




CANONS OF COUNCILS.                     233
bishop  (L.nquires) but thle first presbyterl."  He also addresses the bishops as "fellow-presbyters," and asserts, that
"in Alexandria, and throughout the whole of Egypt, the presbyters consecrate, when the bishop is not present."
Ihaving' given these authorities, firom  the early Christian
fithlers, we will quote one or two from  the canons of councils.
rThle council of Ancyra met in the year 315. In the 13th
eanon of said council, it is said: "It is not allowed for village
bishops to ordain presbytelrs or deacons, nor is it allowed evenr
to city presbyters to do this, in another diocese, without the
license of the bishop."  From  this canon three things are evident, 1st, that city presbyters were considered superior to village bishops.  2d, that the mere fact of a man's being a bishop
gave him  no right to ordain.  3d, that a city presbyter could
ordain in his own diocese without a license firom  the bishop,
while a village bishop could not ordain, either in his own or
another diocese, without a license firom  the city bishop.  Now,
in view of such evidence, we may inquire what becomes of the
claim  that "bishdps, by divine right, have the sole power of
ordination;" when a simiple presbyter could do what a bishop
was forbidden to do?
Ten years after the council of Ancyra, sat the famous council
of Nice, which addressed an epistle to the church at Alexandria, in which epistle, express permission is given to presbyters to ordain; and which further sanctions the ancient usages of said church, in allowing their presbyters to ordain others.
Having thus proven that bishops and elders were, in the
earlier and purer days of the church, one in order, and that
elders, as such, had the power of ordaining, and presiding in
the church, we pass to notice the several links in the chain of
episcopal succession, which atre said to connect modern prelates,
of the 19th century, with Peter, Paul, and John, of the first.
And in the examination of this point, as far as Scripture or history throw light upon this subject, if we discover a want of
connection between the several links of this celebrated chain;




234               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
or a want of proof that such connection exists, or ever existed,
as claimed by the " apostolic successors," we will of course be
at liberty to form our own opinion of the modesty and propriety of the claims of such as bear the name and title of " Right
Reverend Bishops of the only true Church."
It is important here to remark, that however numerous the
streams through which the succession might have flowed, yet
the " successors" claim to trace with certainty their " succession"
through one channel only; and that channel at the beginning
is the Roman. It is true, they claim that before the Romish
Church became corrupt, and impure, the episcopal stream was
introduced into Britain; and that said stream has flowed on,
century after century, disconnected from, and uncontaminated
by, the rottenness and corruption of the Roiman Church.  We
will, however, show hereafter, that England received her bisiops and archbishops from Rome, during the darkest,foulest,
and bloodiest days of the latter. But let us now return to the
unbroken chain,
Who was the first bishop of Rome?  The " successionists"
say, that the apostle Peter was the first link in the chain.  But
hold! Peter, as we have shown already, was not a bishop (in
name at least), but an apostle, and presbyter.  How then could
he be bishop of Rome, or any other place, when he was notat least did not claim to be-bishop at all?  How does it happen that the New Testament, especially the Acts of the
Apostles, and the Epistles of Peter and Paul, are entirely
silent on such a vitally important point? HIow does it happen that early ecclesiastical writers differ on the question; and
that some even deny that Peter ever was in Rome a? Iow is
it, we repeat, that the most learned prelates and ministers of
the Church of England, and even of Rome, find it so difficult to
prove this fact, as to oblige them to acknowledge their doubts,
whether Peter ever was in Rome?  Indeed, the strong probability is-nay, it is almost certain-that Peter never saw Rome *
and that if either of the apostles was bishop of the church




SECOND BISHOP OF ROME.                235.
there, Paul must have been the person. Paul we know was
in Rome, but we have no evidence that he was there in any
other capacity, than as an apostle, and prisoner.  Neither is
there the smallest degree of evidence to show that he ever ordained a successor in Rome, even allowing that he was the first
bishop; and the same is true also of Peter. Admitting then,
for the sake of argument, that Peter, or Paul was the first pope,
who succeeded to the episcopal or papal chair? who, that being first ordained deacon, then elder, was, by a triple consecration, reularly installed second Bishop of Rome? It is indeed
an easy matter to suppose, and then to assert, that Linus was
the favored person, as is supposed and asserted by successionist
divines; but supposition and assertion are not proof; and
especially in a case like this, where proof is everything, supposition, and assertion nothing; and where, too, ecclesiastical history is opposed to such conjecture; for EUSEBIUS, one of the
earlier historians of the church, who wrote about the year 320,
and during the reign of Constantine, declares, in reference to
the point under consideration, " How many, and what sincere
followers of them (Peter and Paul) have been approved to take
the charge of those churches by them founded, it is not easy to
say, except such, and so many, as may be collected from the
words of St. Paul?"  Now where do we find from Paul's writings, that either he or Peter consecrated Linus as the second
bishop of Rome? If the subject of apostolic succession, at its
very source or commencement, was a matter of doubt and perplexity to an accredited historian like Eusebius, over 1500
years ago, what can we think of the barefaced assertions of the
writers of the present day, who pompously connect Linus with
Peter, and link with link, and then confidently exclaim, "here
i, our chain! here is the list! look at it, and judge for yourselves!"  Well; we feel disposed to look at this subject a little
further, before we dismiss it.
In examining the testimony of the ancient fathers, who ad-,
mit that Peter was bishop of Rome, we find them divided in
17




23 6              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
sentiment, as to who was the successor of Peter. Three of
them assert, that CLEMENT succeeded Peter. Four others suppose that LINUS succeeded Peter. But from the testimony of
others it is proved conclusively, that Linus died some years before the death of the apostle, so that he could not have succeeded the latter.  Others of the fathers give it as their opinion,
that neither Linus nor Clement succeeded Peter, but that CLETUS was the successor. In view of these conflicting testimonies,
how supremely ridiculous, nay, how wicked, for professed ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ to palm off upon ignorant
men and women a long list of episcopal successors, while not
only the second. link in this unbroken chain, but even the first,
fails them?
If we admit, however, that LINUS, or CLEMENT, or CLETUS,
was the second bishop, who, we inquire, was the tL A.?  Oh!
the list says " CLETUS!"  Well, who ordained Cletus deacon?
who an elder? who a bishop? And was he the successor of
Linus? or the successor of Clement? or the successor of himself?  A catalogue of bishops, carefully preserved in the Romish Church, which ought to be very high authority with high
churchmen, makes Cletus succeed Linus, as the third bishop
of Rome, Clement as the fourth, and Anacletus as the fifth;
but it is provable that Cletus and Anacletus were one and the
same person, " Cletus" being merely an abbreviation of " Anacletus."  How then could he be third and fifth bishop of Rome?
And what became of the unfortunate Clement, the fourth bishop,
compressed between the third and fifth bishops? Does the
compression crush him into nothing, if, indeed, he ever had a
being? From  the contradictory statements of the " fathers,"
and other ecclesiastical writers, one would almost suppose that
the existence of these first bishops was purely fabulous. For
instance, PLATINA, the great biographer of the popes, says
that Peter made Clement bishop of Rome; while it is certain;that the apostle had been dead for twenty years before Clement
was a bishop at all! Here, then, is darkness! Here is con



POPE JOHN VIT.                   237
fusion! Here we have the unbroken and unbreakable chain
of apostolic succession, which is not capable of supporting itself with five links, nor four, nor three, nor two, nor even one!
We might thus follow the length of this fabulous chain,
from link to link, till we arrive at the beginning of the fifth
century, and from this period to that of the glorious reformation under Luther, the bishops of Rome appear to have been
generally selected from among the most abandoned and profligate wretches that ever cursed the earth! Men guilty of
drunkenness, whoredom, incest, murder, and other unspeakable
crimes, were elevated to the so-called St. Peter's seat.  Not
only were the successors corrupt, but two, sometimes three,
occupied the papal throne at the same time. Pope anathematized pope, and hurled thunderbolts of wrath at the souls of
their predecessors, declarThg former ordinations null and void,
and requiring the re-ordination of those ministers already ordained.  What a beautiful list!
But we must pass over a portion of this history, that we
may examine particularly one link in the chain. We refer to
pope John VIII. If any credit is to be given to history, this
pope was nothing else than a disguised female, who, by concealing her sex, was admitted to the priesthood, and by her art
and address, subsequently became the successor of Leo IV., in
the year 854. She filled the chair, and performed the functions of the pope of Rome, for the space of one year, one
month, and four days; and indelicate as the allusion may
seem, truth requires us to add, that her death was caused by
giving birth to an illegitimate child, while walking in procession to the Lateran church, in Rome. After her death, she
was succeeded by pope Benedict III.
We have been thus careful in giving names and dates, because this link in the chain is not a very pleasing one, even to
protestant "successors" of the apostles, knowing as they do,
that a spurious link is no link at all: hence the sticklers for
an unbroken chain have pretended to have doubts as to the




238               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
truth of this historical fact. But we assure the reader, that if
the correctness of the fact were not fully established by unimpeachable testimony, we would not have noticed it at all.
PLATINA, a Romish historian, who wrote the history of the
church, affirms it to have been a "generally admitted fact."
PRIDEAUX, another ecclesiastical historian of celebrity, declares
that " there are fifty authorities belonging to the church in Jfcvor of it."  FLAVIUS ILLYRICUS, another historian, gives a
large number of authorities, and proves from the testimony of
authors who wrote soon after the events transpired, that they
were not even doubted, but spoken of by said authors as wellauthenticated historical facts. MOSHEIM, the celebrated and
popular historian, who is frequently referred to by high church
writers as evidence in proof of some of their claims, asserts that
" during the five succeeding centuriet, the facts were generally
believed; and that a vast number of writers bore testimony to
the truth of the same." He even asserts that " before the reformation, the fact referred to was not considered incredible in
itself, nor ignominious to the church." He further states: " It
is not at all credible from any principles of moral evidence, that
an event should be believed and related in the same manner,
by a multitude of historians, during five centuries immediately
succeeding its supposed date, had that event been destitute of
all foundation."
Now, when we remember that all the authorities referred to
by the above named historians, were members of the Romish
church, and that they could not possibly have been prompted
by sectarian prejudice to record these shameful, yet painful
facts; when we consider, too, that these authorities wrote soon
after the events took place, it would be the height of incredulity to disbelieve what they assert on the subject.  Indeed
some, if not all the authorities referred to, in proof of the unbroken succession, have this very link included in the list.
Now, we ask in the name of candor and of decency, could this
abandoned female transmit the true apostolic virtue to her suc



CHARACTER OF THE POPES.               239
cessors, or spiritual descendants?  WVe will not insult the
reader's understanding by attempting a reply.
Suffer us now for a moment, to take a glance at the moral
character and proceedings of a few of the succeeding popes.
Stephen VI. is called the most wicked of men.  Clement II.
was poisoned by pope Damasos II.  Sergius III. rescinded
the acts of his predecessor pope Farmosus, beheaded his dead
body, and threw it into the Tibet. Pope John IX., the illegitimate son of Sergius III., is said to have been the blackest
monster that ever lived. Pope John XIII. was killed in the
act of adultery. Sixtus IV. licensed brothels in Rome, for the
sake of the income. Pope Alexander VI. was guilty of incest
with his own daughter. But to end this horrible list of incarnate devils, let it be sufficient to say, that PRIDEAux-himself
an episcopalian divine of high standing-enumerates among
the popes, thirty-eight usurpers, forty sodomites, forty magicians or jugglers, forty-one devourers (as he calls them), and
twenty incurable babylonians. And, he might have added,
one prostitute!
Here, then, is a chain with no less than one hundred and
eighty links; a pretty long one, it is true, but whether such a
one as to excite admiration, and cause men to glory that they
are regularly connected with it, and that the "succession" may
be traced through it, is a matter which we must leave for the
"apostolic" descendants to decide.
SECTION III.
SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.
We are sometimes met by the assertion, " that the English and
American episcopacy are not indebted to, nor dependent upon,
this Romish chain for their succession; that long before the
Church of Rome had become corrupt, the Church of England




240               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
had obtained its episcopacy; and that the stream thus obtained
from a pure fountain, has retained its original purity, uncorrupted by, and independent of, the Church of Rome."
Now this is certainly a strange assertion. Strange! because
it is notoriously untrue; contradicted not only by ecclesiastical,
but also by profane history. The Romish succession of bishops was introduced into England in the person of Augustine,
a monk, who was ordained by the pope's authority. Augustine, on his arrival in England, accompanied by forty other
monks, found bishops in the church; but these English bishops had only presbyterian ordination. Augustine, anxious to
bring them into the succession, insisted on their re-ordination,
by the imposition of his hands, to which many submitted.
The above fact proves that till nearly the close of the 6th century, the English clergy had by some means got along without the popish succession, and that they appear to have been
satisfied till then, with the ancient order of things, namely,
presbyterian ordination; but the popish succession having
been now obtained, or imposed upon them, it was not long
before the clergy, as a general thing, became decidedly popish,
not only in doctrine, but in practice also.  Subsequent history
proves also that the clergy, instead of preserving themselves
and the church from contact with the "mother of abominations," had recourse, again and again, to the pope, for the ordination of their bishops, so that in the archepiscopal see of
Canterbury, from the time of Theodore, A. D. 668, till the
year 1414, no less than FOURTEEN BISHOPS and ARCHBISHOPS
obtained their appointment and ordination at the hands of the
pope, or the pope's legate.
In the Archbishopric of York, during a space of a little over
two hundred years-from  1119 to 1342-no less than TEN
BISHOPS were ordained by the pope or his orders. In the See
of Durham, FOUR of its bishops were ordained at Rome during
the same period. In the See of Winchester, during nearly
the same period, six of the bishops were ordained by the pope.




ENGLISH EPISOOT AL SUCCESSION.           241
Thus we might go on from one diocese to another, through the
whole of England, and we should find that all of them received more or less of their bishops from  Rome.  And why
not? Was not popery the established religion of the kingdom?
And where should the church look for its " bishops and other
clergy" but to the fountain-head, however corrupt that foun
tain might be?  It should also be remembered that the prelates above alluded to, were given by Rome to England, during
the darkest and bloodiest days of the popedomn.
We can thus trace the succession of the present race of
English bishops, and also of the American bishops, back to
bloody Rome; for Bishop White, the first bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, received his ordination from the archbishop of Canterbury, and he from his fellow-bishops, who
received theirs indirectly and remotely fiom the pope himself.
Having thus examined the claim of apostolic succession,
having followed the length of the chain from beginning to end,
we are prepared to ask in all sincerity, what think ye of this
claim?  Is it well founded?  Does it commend itself to our
sober judgment and enlightened reason? Are we prepared to
admit, that those who have this spurious and corrupt succession, constitute the only true church of Jesus Christ, and that
all other Christians are schismatics and heretics?
But it is maintained that even allowing the stream along
which the succession has flowed to have been impure, yet
" bishops as a third order, and as the successors of the apostles,
are the only persons who may lawfully ordain, because that
presbyters or elders have not this authority expressly given
them in their commission." In reply we remark, that in the
commission given to the apostles, there is no exZrJess authority
given them to ordain and send forth ministers.  Their commission directed themn to teach, preach and baptize, but said
not a word about ordaining; yet it is evident that in the absence of express authority, they did ordain ministers.  We
bag you also to remember a fact already referred to, namely,




242                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
that although exercising the functions of ordination, the ape3sties were never called bishops; that they never called themselves bishops; nor ever claimed to be such.  But while they
did not claim  to be bishops, they did claim to be elders, or
presbyters; hence Peter, in writing to his brethren, says:
"The elders who are among you I exhort, who am  also an
ELDER."  The apostle John, also, in two of his epistles, introduces himself not as a bishop, but as an elder, thus: "The
elder to the elect lady."  6"The elder to the well-beloved
Gaius."  From these passages we infer that the apostles were
in fact elders; that elders were the highest order of ministers
known in the church; and that the apostles exercised the right
of ordination, by virtue of their ministerial sthanding as elders
in the church of God. It may be proper here also to observe,
that in the description given of the glories of the church triumphant by the apostle John, in the book of Revel. ion, there
is nothing said about either apostles or bishop/s o4;r, recognized as such in the kingdom  of heaven, while elders are not
only named, but referred to as occupying the highest rank
among the blood-washed throng; an evidence  to our own
mind, that whatever may be the relative order of elders as
ministers in the church on earth, in heaven they hlave no superior order among the redeemed. If, then, the apostles were
in fact elders, and elders only so far as order is concerned, it
will of course follow that their successors can be nothing more,
and that the power of ordination should be retained and exercised by the eldership of the church, they being the only representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth; while bishops
are such, not because they are bishops, but because that being
bishops they are elders also; and, as elders, are the true successors of the apostles, in common with their brethren of the
presbytery.
But the question may arise in some minds, "H ow came this
third order to be recognized in the church as a distinct and
superior order?"  In reply, we need simply state that, like call




RIGHTS OF PRESBYTERS.                   243
other corruptions and abuses, this one fastened itself upon the
church almost imperceptibly, and by slowv degrees.  At an
early age after the apostles, it was thought best that the power
of ordination should not be used indiscriminately by the elders
of the church, but for the sake of greater unity, and to prevent
as far as possible the abuse of this power by individual presbyters, its exercise should be limited in most cases to the presidingc presbyter or elder, whose station as president-added
to his greater wisdom and experience-better qualified him to
judge of the expediency of exercising the power of ordination
in any given case.  This arrangement was no doubt called for,
and was perfectly  proper; indeed, we can discover marks of
wisdom  and Cl-ristian prudence in the same: but it was a
mere human arrangement after all, without divine warrant or
authority; Wi;ithout even apostolic example to recommend it;
and whenb lce introduced into, and entailed upon the church
as a fxl-X' usage, it is easy to comprehend how  new  powers
might be added to that of ordination, until at length the presiding presbyter or bishop claimed the exclusive privilege of
conferring orders as a divine right belonging only to the
bishop.*
From  these remarks, it can be seen that bishops have no
more Scriptural or divine right to ordain, than any simple
presbyter in the chulr n; yet for the sake of peace, harmony,
and greater unity, it may be proper for the presbyters to enter
* Occasion has been taken from a knowledge of the above facts to
oppose the episcopal office as unnecessary and even dangerous to the'
liberties of the church. We should, however, carefully distinguish
between the proper use and abuse of a thing. All good things may
be abused, and all blessings may be perverted; so with the episcopacy: good in its design and operations, when properly checked. No
genuine protestant doubts the fact of the Roman priesthood, or presbytery, as such, being a curse instead of a blessing to the world; but
surely it would be wrong to discard the entire body of Christian elders
on that account, or to seek the annihilation of either the order or
office.




244               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
into a human arrangement, by which the power or privilege
of granting orders may be delegated to some one or more of
their number. But this delegation of power for the time being, cannot alienate even for a moment the divine right of
presbyters to set apart proper persons to the ministry, when
circumstances seem imperiously to demand it. To make this
matter plain, we will suppose that the sovereign of Great Britain, being the fountain of all power and honor in her own
dominions, should authorize her cabinet ministers, or either of
them, to confer titles of nobility on whomsoever she should
previously select.  And suppose, further, that for the sake of
~greater convenience, the cabinet should select one of their
number as their agent or representative in this matter, who
alone should have a conventional right officially to confer
these titles.  And suppose, further, that this arrangement
should become fixed usage without any further instruction
from the Queen than those before stated, and that when
tain changes took place in the cabinet, the succeeding mill
for good reasons, refused to abide by the above arrangem.
would they not be competent to rescind the rule which had
hitherto governed the cabinet, and use the authority given
them by their sovereign in conferring these titles?  Nay! under certain circumstances, might it not be their imperative duty
to resume the exercise of their common powers, especially if
the minister previously appointed for the purpose had abused
his authority, either by refusing to confer titles upon the persons selected, or by conferring them upon persons not selected,
or by exacting exorbitant sums of money from those on whom
titles were conferred?  Might it not, I ask, be the solemn duty
of the members of the cabinet to resume their delegated powers? It certainly might. Just so in reference to presbyters.
Jesus Christ, who selects whom  he will as his ministers, has
conferred upon the elders of his church, or either of them, the
power of conferring orders upon those previously selected by
him. These elders may, for the sake of unity and convenience,




RGEIHTS OF PRESBYTERS.               245
waive the personal exercise of this power, and delegate the
same to one or more of their number, and may denominate
the persons thus delegated their bishops, presidents, superintendents, chairmen, moderators, presiding elders, or anything
else they choose; but the persons thus selected remain elders
still, the same in order with their brother elders, but superior
in oice.  And if, as has been the case with modern bishops,
improper and even ungodly persons have been ordained by
them to the office of the ministry; and if, as can also be clearly
shown, persons properly qualified and selected to that office by
the Head of the Church himself, have by these same prelates
been denied ordination, as in the case of the Rev. Joseph Benson and others: ought not the presbytery of the church over
which these unfaithful bishops preside, to resume the power of
ordination, and not only withhold it fiom improper persons,
but confer it where the God of heaven has clearly indicated
that it should be conferred?   Should they not confer the
power to ordain and send forth ministers, upon persons who
will faithfully discharge the duties they owe to God, to his
church, and to its divinely commissioned ministers 
Such is the episcopacy of the Methodist Episcopal Church in
these United States. Such, also, is the Presidency of the British Wesleyan Church, and other Methodist Churches in Europe
and America. Such, also, is the prevailing sentiment and practice of every protestant church in the world, excepting, of
course, that branch of the church which is governed not by its
immediate pastors, but by a hierarchy, a spiritual aristocracy,
an episcopal nobility, as far elevated above the eldership, as the
latter are above the laity; an order of ministers claiming the
exclusive possession and use of the " keys of the kingdom of
heaven," and exercising the sole right of admitting persons to
the ministry, and even to the bosom of the church. From such
an exclusive, monopolizing episcopacy as this, we earnestly pray
to be delivered; and we pity the minister, who, supposing
there is a divine warrant for such claims, suffers himself to be




246               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
so far blinded by error as to withhold from ministers and members of other churches, an acknowledgment of their true relation to the body of Christ.'We are however happy to know, that while many allow
themselves to indulge in uncharitable feelings toward other
churches, there are hundreds of other ministers, who although
in the "succession," so called, willingly acknowledge the validity of presbyterian ordination, and the propriety of its administration under certain circumstances.  It was with such views as
these, that the " apostle of Methodism," himself a " presbyter,"
and as high in order by divine right, as his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, set apart certain persons to the work of
the ministry;-persons who had given indubitable evidence of
their being previously called to the work by the Holy Ghost,
but who were refused ordination by the English hierarchy. On
the same principle, Mr. Wesley, while as yet there were no
Methodist presbyters in America, appointed a fellow-presbyter,
Dr. Coke, to go and confer ordination upon these men of God,
who (while other pastors fled, and left their flocks to perish in
the wilderness) maintained their ground in the midst of danger, and fed their people with the bread of life. It is true, as
before stated, that Mr. Wesley, as a member and minister of
the Church of England, preferred an episcopal form of church
government, and in accordance with his expressed wish, the
early preachers formed themselves and flock into an episcopal
church, and ordained men as deacons, elders, and superintendents; but in the view of Mr. Wesley, Dr. Coke, and the preachers ordained by him, there was a wide difference between a
high-toned, aristocratic, bombastic episcopacy, such as prevailed
in England and Rome, and a moderate episcopal superintendency, such as prevailed among the Moravians, Waldenses, and
German Lutherans. They knew how to distinguish between
an order and an office; between the abuses of a lordly, purseproud hierarchy, and the simplicity and utility of an apostolic
superintendency, and wisely and prudently-as the history of




METHODIST SUCCESSION.                247
the past sixty-seven years fully demonstrates-organized in accordance with the wishes of the father of Methodism, a system
of church government, which for simplicity, moderation, unity,
and efficient moral power, challenges the admiration of the
Christian world!
This system of church government might well be denominated a presbyterian episcopacy, as it embraces the advantages
of both the presbyterian and episcopal forms of government, and
rejects whatever is superfluous and unnecessary in either one or
the other. A system, in a word, which teaches the validity of
presbyterian ordination, with, at the same time, an episcopal
superintendency.
But it is said, that the " Methodist Episcopal succession is
spurious, because it cannot be traced back further than the time
of Wesley." In reply, we may remark that we have no desire
to trace it back any further; that even if we could succeed in
tracing the same back to the Romish line, the result would by
no means add to our honor as a church, or the validity of our
ministerial acts.  The " succession" is too rotten for us to desire any affinity with it, or dependence on it, or descent from it.
Such a succession as we have, thank God! is fiom  a pure
source, carried down through a pure stream, and destined, we
trust, to retain its purity, till time is no longer.
We may further reply, that on the ground of the ministerial
parity of bishops and presbyters, we have the succession as truly
and scripturally as any other episcopal church on earth. But
to let this view of the subject pass, it should be remembered by
the objectors, that the clergy of the English church and her
American daughter cannot trace their succession back further
than the time of the Reformation under Luther. We have
before prove4, that prior to the Reformation, the English church
received her ordinations from Rome; that in fact, as a church,
she was part and parcel of the Church of Rome. All her ecclesiastical authority was derived from the Pope. All her archbishops and bishops were appointed either directly or indirectly




248                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
by him, or at least with his consent and approbation, and every
one of said bishops took an oath of obedience to the Pope, as
an indispensable prerequisite to consecration.*
Now if the Pope, as universal bishop, and as the vicegerent
of Jesus Christ, had a scriptural right to appoint and ordain
these bishops, on the sworn promise of their obedience to him
as their head; he had also, when their consecration oath was
violated by disobedience and opposition, the scriptural right to
depose them fiom their office of bishop, so that in the latter
case, the powers of bishops being withdrawn, all their subsequent acts as bishops would be null and void. It is therefore
a matter of no little importance to know that such depositions
did take place. Bishops and archbishops were not only deposed by the Pope, but excommunicated from the church.
What then became of their previous official authority to ordain, and of what value were their acts, subsequent to the period of their deposition and expulsion? And yet these very
bishops continued, in spite of the Pope's anathema, to administer the functions of their office.  We may well admire their
courage and independence, but we must confess that the succession here came to a stand.  Here we meet with other assertions, namely' "that the ecclesiastical authorities at Rome,
* The following is the form of oath taken by such bishops: " I,
N-, from this hour, will be faithful and obedient to my lord NPope, and to his successors; the counsel that they shall deliver to me,
I will reveal to no one to their damage. I will be their helper in retaining the papacy and royalties of St. Peter, and I will defend them
against every man. I will be careful to preserve, defend, and promote
the rights, honor, privileges, and authority of the pope. I will not be
(a party) in any counsel, deed, or treaty, in which may be devised anything sinister against the pope, or prejudicial to his person, rights, or
power: and if I shall know any such thing to be undetidiscussion by
any parties soever, I will hinder it as far as I am able, and as soon as
I know it, I will signify it to my lord the Pope. The apostolic mandates I will observe with all my powers, and I will cause them to be
observed by others. HERETICS and REBELS against my lord the Pope,
I will persecute and attack."




ONCE A BISHOP ALWAYS A BISHOP.           249
who conferred ordination on the English bishops and clergy,
had no power to depose them;" " that the episcopal and ministerial power once given, can never be taken away;" " that
once a bishop, always a bishop; once a priest, always a priest."
This is strange logic! If this reasoning is correct, it will follow
that Judas Iscariot, after he betrayed his Lord, would, without
repentance or contrition, have always remained a true apostle
as long as he lived; notwithstanding the apostle Peter asserts,
that "from his ministry and apostleship, Judas, by transgression, fell."  Had Judas lived for many years after his transgression-had he been as wicked and persecuting as Nero himself-had he become an apostate from Christianity-yet would
he have been (if the above reasoning is correct) an apostle still.
Had all the apostles combined in deposing him, he might have
laughed them in the face, and exclaimed-" once a bishop, always a bishop; once an apostle, always an apostle."  Who
does not see the glaring absurdity of such a doctrine as this?
a doctrine so utterly destitute of reason that we wonder that
any man " pretending to holy orders," or to any degree of discernment, or common sense, should be found guilty of maintaining it. But let us examine this point a little further. On
the principles of high churchmen, the Roman Catholic Church,
before the Reformation, was either the true church of Christ, or
it was not. If it was, its acts of deposition and excommunication must have been equally valid with its acts of admission
and ordination, so that every deposed priest, or bishop, became
a mere layman; consequently the subsequent pretended official
acts of these persons could not be worth a straw. In proof of
this, see Matt. xvi. 18, 19-where Christ says to Peter, " Thou
art Peter; and upon this rock will I build my church," &c.
" And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven;
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in
heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be
loosed in heaven." On the supposition, then, that the Church
of Rome was, before the Reformation, the true church, the Pope




250               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
must have been a legitilnate and regular successor of the apostle Peter, to whom was committed the keys of the kingdom,
with the original power of binding, and loosing; and as the
authority to bind, and loose, was general in its application, it is
evident that " whatsoever" the Pope " bound" on earth by his
bulls, or "loosed" by his excommunications, was bound or
loosed in heaven-whether layman, deacon, priest, or bishop.
Where then is the English succession? But if the Roman
Catholic Church before the Reformation was not the true church
of Jesus Christ, of what virtue were her previous acts of ordination? If she was not the true church, she must have been
a spurious one, her official acts spurious, her ordinations spurious, and thus the succession be a spurious succession.
We are not particular which of these horns of a dilemma
the successionists may prefer; for our own part, we are thankful that we are not obliged to hang upon either, as we repudiate the whole system of apostolical succession as a humbug, a
cheat, a delusion of the devil, wherewith to beguile unstable
souls from the true fold of Christ. No! the true test of a gospel ministry and a gospel church is success, and not succession.
Christ says of his true ministers, by their fruits ye shall know
them; while prelatical usurpers exclaim, by the succession-list
ye shall know them; "Examine this list," say they, " and if
you find a regular series of names, from that of the person
whose claim you are inquiring into, back to that of the apostle
Peter, you may rest assured such a person is in the true succession; no matter what his moral character; no matter what
his natural or acquired fitness for the office; no matter what
his want of success in calling sinners to repentance; if his name
is only on the list, he is a true minister of Jesus Christ. But
if his name is not on the list, if he has the piety of John, the
eloquence of Apollos, the Christian boldness of Peter, and the
success of Paul, yet is he no minister, but an intruder into the
sacred office, a mere teacher pretending to holy orders. Yea!
if he can appeal, as Paul, to the thousands converted through




OBJECTIONS TO HIGH CHURCH CLAIMS.           251
his instrumentality, and say,' The seals of my apostleship are
ye in the Lord;' and'ye are our epistles written in our hearts
known and read of all men,' yet, if his name is not on the list,
he is no minister-the congregations which he serves are without the gospel, without sacraments, without church-membership, and without an interest in the kingdom of God."
Now what high-toned arrogance is this! Nay! what downright impudence to unchristianize nearly every protestant church
in the Christian world! Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians,
Lutherans, Protestants of France, Independents, Quakers, &c.,
must all be contented with the position of heathens, having an
interest only in the " uncovenanted mercies of God!"
We are now prepared, by way of recapitulation and inference, to state a few leading objections to the doctrine of apostolic succession, as held by the high church party. And 1st,
we object to the claims because they are without divine warrant.  We defy the most learned prelate to place his finger on
the passage of Scripture from which the justice of these claims
may be even inferred-Christ says to his true ministers, " Lo I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world;" but he
nowhere states that they must be ordained by those who have
passed through a triple consecration.
2d. We object to the claitms of uninterrupted succession because the history of the Christian church is in direct opposition
to them.  Even popish historians, and the most accredited
writers in the Church of England, prove the falsity of these
claims, and show beyond a doubt that this doctrine is a " cunningly devised fable."
3d. Wie object to these claims again, because the brightest
ornaments that ever graced the episcopal chair, in the English
and American Episcopal Churches, have denied the validity of
the same. We instance only the following Archbishops and
Bishops: Cranmer, Whitgift, Grindal, Leighton, Jewel, Whittaker, Reynolds, Tillottson, Burnet, Stillingfleet, Hoadley, Usher,
Dowman, Croft, Hall, Bancroft, Andrews, Forbes, Wake, Chil18




252               EPISCOPAL METHODISTI.
lingworth, and White, the latter being the first bishop of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in America.  These eminent
Episcopalian prelates, with hundreds of others, have borne ample testimony in favor of our position, and in opposition to
these claims.
4th. We object to these claims, because that to yield to
them, would be entailing upon the church a lordly hierarchy,
and that, too, under the pretence that it is by divine right;
while Jesus taught his disciples to 1" call no man Master upon
earth;" for, saith be, "' one is your Master, even Christ, and all
ye are brethren."  Besides: a pretended superiority of this
kind requires a corresponding amount of means to sustain it;
hence, the Archbishop of Canterbury and his brother prelates,
must have from twenty-five thousand to one hundred thousand
dollars each, per annum, and the other clergy in proportion to
their rank; while the bishops of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in America, although not receiving as much, have certainly much larger salaries than are necessary for their comfortable support.
5th. This system, and these claims, have a tendency to foster a spirit of pride and vain-glory. Who has not witnessed
with pain and mental distress, the lordly air and haughty
bearing of some who profess to be ministers of the meek and
lowly Jesus, who said to his disciples, "He that will be the
greatest among you, let him be your servant d'  And is it not
a proper inference, that whatever tends to exalt man in his
own eyes, by giving him a fancied superiority over others, cannot be of God?
A 6th objection to these claims is, that they nourish a spirit
of bigotry and sectarianism. "The temple of the Lord are
we!" and, "We thank thee, O God, that we are not as other
men are-without the church, without the ministry, without
the sacraments, or even as these poor deluded dissenters."
"We are the only true church; all other professed Christians
are entitled only to the uncovenanted mercies of God) the samo




OBJECTIONS TO HIGH CHURCH CLAIMS.         253
as heathens who have no church, no ministry, no sacraments."
In perfect keeping with the above pharisaic language, are the
official reports of some of the diocesan "successors."  When
describing their visits to certain places, they speak of the Episcopal " Church," the " Presbyterian meeting-house," the "Baptist house of worship," the "Methodist chapel," &c. Hence,
also, while they gladly avail themselves, in cases of necessity
of the proffered use of these "meeting-houses" and " places of
worship," they never are known to reciprocate the favor, by
inviting clergymen of other denominations to the use of their
" churches."
7th. A lordly hierarchy, in its legitimate consequences, endangers the stability and perpetuity of republican institutions.
James I. of England, with a greater knowledge of human nature than is generally ascribed to him, wittily said, " No Bishop,
no King."  That is, " Without bishops, monarchy cannot exist." The truth of this remark has been exemplified in every
age, proving that it requires the aid of an aristocratic order of
the clergy, to sustain the pillars of a monarch's throne; and
that without such aid and support, monarchies cannot exist.
But the above saying of the king might very well be reversed,
"No King, no Bishop," understanding the latter term  in the
same sense as it is used by "apostolic" pretenders. Who does
not see, that, under the pure and genial influences of republican institutions, the high claims before alluded to, never have
been, and never can be yielded to, by a free and sovereign
people B  And although diocesan prelates may ostentatiously
style themselves "Bishop of New York," "Bishop of New
Jersey," "Bishop of Maryland," and may renew their efforts to
have the few thousands of their Israel dignified with the name
of the " Church of the United States," yet it will be many long
years, we trust, before their ambition is gratified, by the consent of the mass of the population. When such consent is
given to these exclusive claims, then farewell to republicanism,
liberty, and happiness.




254              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
8th. We object, finally, to these claims, that they trifle with
the interests of the souls of men; basing, as they do, the salvation of the soul upon a connection with a church in which
the "succession" is found; while they deny emphatically the
scriptural doctrine of regeneration, and the necessity of" holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord;" and that
while they " tithe mint and cummin," and insist on the necessity of a "regular succession," they neglect the "weightier
matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."
These objections are urged, not against the Episcopal Church
as such, but simply against the unwarrantable pretensions of a
portion of said church, who stigmatize all others as heretics,
schismatics, and heathen.
Having thus examined the claims of those who "say they
are apostles," or the exclusive descendants and successors of
the apostles; having "tried" them, and proved that they "are
not" what they profess to be; having shown that these pretensions are not well founded, it will be unnecessary to remind the
reader, jhat we have brought no railing accusation against the
English or American Episcopal Churches. We have not attempted to deny their position as important branches of the
Church of Christ. We have not called in question the piety
or learning of their ministers; we say nothing against their
form of church government, however much we may differ from
them in opinion on this point; we have not assailed their doctrines and liturgy; we have not refused to acknowledge themn
as true successors of the apostles; we have said not a word
against their rites and ceremonies; we have not whispered a
syllable against their priestly robes or episcopal vestments; on
every one of these points, we probably differ from  them  in
opinion; but still, in regard to such secondary matters, our
motto is, "Live, and let live." Our only object has been to
show the folly of claiming an exclusive right to the kingdom
of God, by virtue of a mysterious episcopal unction, handed
down from generation to generation. What we have written




ORIGIN OF METHODIST EPISCOPACY.         255
has been merely on the defensive. If high church episcopalians will not unchurch us, we certainly shall not try to unchurch them; and even if they will persist in their wholesale
denunciations, we can but pity, and pray for them; knowing,
as we do, that it is not the imposition of a bishop's hands that
will prepare the soul of either minister or lay member for
heaven, but " that, in every nation, he that feareth God and
worketh righteousness, is accepted with him;" and that "not
every one that saith, Lord, Lord! shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven."
We will close this section by adopting the beautiful language
of the episcopal liturgy, which I would to God were written
on the tablets of the hearts of those who so frequently repeat it:"From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and
hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness:
"Good Lord deliver us."
Amen.
SECTION IV.
ORIGIN OF METHODIST EPISCOPACY, &C.
IN the two former sections we have attempted to show the
absurdity of the claims of the high churchmen in relation to an
uninterrupted succession from the apostles. The object of the
present section is to show the origin and scriptural character of
the superintendency of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
We have more than once asserted in this work, that John
Wesley was, under God, the father and founder of Methodism.
By referring to Book I. of this work, the reader will learn that
the rise of Methodism in America in 1766, was owing to the
indefatigable exertions of a few local preachers, who, having
emigrated from Europe, introduced the doctrines and cus



256              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
toms of Methodism into America; that when the Societies and
members became more numerous, Mr. Wesley sent over a
number of regular travelling preachers; that through the labors of the latter, the cause continued to spread and grow, even
amidst all the excitement of the war of the revolution; so that
at the close thereof, it was found that a large increase had
been made during the continuance of hostilities.  We have
also adverted to the fact, that in 1784, Mr. Wesley provided a
superintendency, or episcopacy, for his Societies in America.
As, however, the episcopacy of the Methodist Church has been
violently assailed, not only by the successionists before alluded
to, but by non-episcopal writers and divines, it seems necessary
to make a few additional remarks in the present section, in relation to its origin and true character.
As stated in the first section of this book, not only non-episcopal writers have denied the intention of Mr. Wesley to establish an Episcopal form of church government in America, but
by at least one Methodist Episcopal writer, the same denial has
been expressed. The proof furnished by such persons is usually the celebrated and often-quoted letter of Mr. Wesley to
Bishop Asbury, a copy of which we prefer to give the reader,
that he may judge of its contents, and of the validity of the
objections founded on the same.
" TO THE REV. FRANCIS ASBURY:
" London, Sept. 20, 1788.
"There is indeed a wide difference between the relation
wherein you stand to the Americans, and the relation wherein
I stand to all the Methodists: I am, under God, the father of
the whole family. Therefore I naturally care for you all, in a
manner no other person can do. Therefore I, in a measure,
provide for you all: for the supplies which Dr. Coke provides
for you, he would not provide, were it not for me —were it not
that I not only permit him to collect, but also support him in
so doing.




WESLEY'S LETTER TO BISHOP ASBURY.          257
"But in one point, my dear brother, I am a little afraid both
you and the doctor differ from me-I study to be little-you
study to be great: I creep-you strut along. I found a school
-you a college!-nay, and call it after your own names.  0,
beware I do not seek to be something.  Let me be nothing,
and' Christ be all in all.''One instance of this your greatness, has given me great
concern.  How can you-how dare you suffer yourself to be
called a bishop?  I shudder and start at the very thought!
Men mav call me a knave, and a fool, a racal, a soundrel, and
I am content: but they shall never, by my consent, call me a
bishop.  For my sake, for God's sake, for Christ's sake, put a
full end to this.  Let the Presbyterians do what they pleasebut let the Methodists know their calling better.
"Thus, my dear Fra nky, I have told you all that is in my
heart: and let this, when I am  no more seen, bear witness
how sincerely I am your affectionate friend and brother,',J. WESLEY."
To understand the full force and meaning of the above letter, it is necessary to take into consideration the occasion which
called for its being written.  It will be remembered by the
reader, that when Dr. Coke was ordained to the superintendency
of the Methodist Episcopal Church by Mr. Wesley himself, the
latter directed him  to set apart Francis Asbury to the same
office. Mr. Asbury was, in an emphatic sense, the apostle of
American Methodism, and had, many years before his ordinationtl as bishop, been appointed by Mr. Wesley as his General
Assistant in America.  He was, however, superseded by the
appointment of Mr. Rankin, an older and more experienced
preacher, who being sent to America by Mr. Wesley, was appointed General Assistant in the place of Mr. Asbury.  This appointment does not appear to have given very general satisfaction to the preachers or people in America, inasmuch as they
supposed that Mr. Asbury, from his long residence among




258                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
them, was the better qualified of the two for the office of superintendent.  This opinion of the people was well known to Mr.
Rankin, and may account, in part, for his rather short stay in
America.  Upon his return to England, Mr. Asbury was again
invested with the honors and responsibilities of the General
Superintendency.  It was quite natural that Mr. Rankin, under
these circumstances, should view Mr. Asbury somewhat in the
light of a rival, and that, being prejudiced against him, he
should, after his arrival in England, so far operate upon theo
mind of Mr. Wesley, as to induce the fear that Mr. Asbury was
an ambitious and aspiring man.  It is evident, however, from
the subsequent appointment of Mr. Asbury by Mr. Wesley,
that whatever feais the latter might have idlulged in, they
had greatly subsided; so much so, that Mr. Asbury was entitled to his fullest confidence, as a man, and Christian minister.
Hence, in accordance with the wishes of the American preachers and people, that under any system of ecclesiastical government which Mr. Wesley might provide for his Societies in
America, Mr. Asbury might be placed at theo head of affairs,
provision was made by the former to elevate the latter to the
joint superiintendency of the church that was soon to be organized by his agent Doctor Coke.  After the said oroganization
had taken place, and Mr. Asbury had become a joint superintendent, the American preachers, aware that Mr. Wesley had
intended the organization of an Episcopal Church, in the proper
sense of that word, and if so, that the title bishop was more
scriptural and expressive than that of superintendent, began to
employ the former term in their addresses to those who filled
that office, and the latter, in accordance with the expressed
wishes of the people, allowed themselves to be addressed by
that title.
The assumption of the title bishop, re-awakened the fears in
which Mr. Wesley had before indulged in reference to Mr. Asbury's ambition.  He, being accustomed from early life to associate with the title bishop all that is pompous and splendid —..




WESLEY'S CREDENTIALS TO DR. CORE.         259
all that is costly and aristocratic, and having been informed
that Mr. Asbury had become ambitious, and was thirsting for
dominion, and that he could not bear an equal, &c. &c., all of
which charges were the offspring of jealousy and disappointed
ambition on the part of a rival, led Mr. Wesley to believe that
reproof had in fact become necessary, and hence the letter
above quoted, from which the opponents of Methodist Episcopacy have drawn the following conclusions. (1.) That Mr.
Wesley did not design the establishment of a Methodist Episcopal Chulch'in America. (2.) That he did not intend that
Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury should be, in any sense whatever,
bishops of the church which he authorized the former to organize. An examination of these two points will therefore demand
attention.
On the second day of September, 1784, Mr. Wesley-having
bad the condition of his American Societies under consideration
for a length of time, and believing it to be his imperative duty
to provide the ministry and sacraments for these " sheep in the
wilderness,"-associated with himself Dr. Coke and the Rev.
Mr. Creighton, both of whom, like himself, were presbyters of
the Church of England, and proceeded to ordain Thomas
Vasey and Richard Whatcoat to the office of elders or presbyters in the church of God; and then, being assisted by Mr.
Creighton and the two newly ordained presbyters, proceeded to
ordain Dr. Coke to the office of Superintendent of the Methodist
Societies in America, and gave him the following credentials:" To all to whom these presents shall come, John Wesley, late
Fellow of Lincoln College in Oxford, Presbyter of the Church
of England, sendeth greeting:
" Whereas many of the, people in the southern provinces of
FNorth America, who desire to continue under my care, and still
adhere to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England,
are greatly distressed for want of ministers to administer the
sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, according to thE




260               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
usage of the same church; and whereas there does not appear
to be any other way of supplying them with ministers:"Know  all men, that I, John Wesley, think myself to be
providentially called, at this time, to set apart some persons
for the work of the ministry in America. And therefore, under the protection of Almighty God, and with a single eye to
his glory, I have this day set apart as a superintendent, by the
imposition of my hands and prayer (being assisted by other
ordained ministers), Thomas Coke, doctor of civil law, a presbyter of the Church of England, and a man whom I judge to
be well qualified for that great work.  And I do hereby recommend him  to all whom it may concern, as a fit person to
preside over the flock of Christ.
"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this second day of September, in the year of our Lord
one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.
" JOIN W,~ESLEY."
In examining the above testimonial of Dr. Coke's ordination,
the reader will observe, that one of Mir. Wesley's declared reasons for the same, is, that his people in North America "still
adhere to the doctrines and discipline of the Church of England." Now, tile inquiry naturally arises, whether, in view of
such adherence on the part of the Americans to the discipline
of the Church of England, and especially in view of the fact,
that Mr. Wesley gives such adherence as a reason for his acts
in the premises, he would have entailed upon his children a
form of church government as unlike the form of the Chturch
of England as it was possible to make it, if so be that he intended a Presbyterian, a Congregational, or any other nonepiscopal form? The only reasonable answer is, that such
being the desire of the Americans to adhere to the discipline
of the Church of England, Mr. Wesley was disposed to meet
that desire in the best way he possibly could, by giving them
a form of ecclesiastical government, as nearly like that of the
Church of England, as circumstances would admit of. For




WESLEY'S LETTER TO METHODISTS IN AMERICA.   261
the purpose of throwing still farther light on this subject, we
will also favor the reader with the letter which Mr. Wesley
gave to Dr. Coke for the brethren in America, and which he
wished the doctor to publish as extensively as possible on his
arrival:"Bristol, September 10, 1784.
"To Dr. Coke, Mr. Asbury, and our brethren in North
America.
"By a very uncommon train of providences, many of the
provinces of North America are totally disjoined from the
mother country, and erected into independent states.  The
English government has no authority over them, either civil or
ecclesiastical, any more than over the States of Holland. A
civil authority is exercised over them, partly by the Congress,
partly by the provincial assemblies. But no one either claims
or exercises any ecclesiastical authority at all.  In this peculiar
situation, thousands of the inhabitants of these States desire
my advice; and in compliance with their desire I have drawn
up a little sketch.  Lord King's Account of the Primitive
Church convinced me, many years ago, that bishops and presbyters are the same order, and consequently have the same
right to ordain.  For many years I have been importuned,
from time to time, to exercise this right, by ordaining part of
our travelling preachers. But I have still refused, not only for
peace' sake, but because I was determined as little as possible
to violate the established order of the national church, to which
I belonged.
"But the case is widely different between England and
North America. Here there are bishops who have a legal
jurisdiction.  In America there are none, neither any parish
ministers; so that, for some hundreds of miles together, there
is none either to baptize or to administer the Lord's Supper.
Here, therefore, my scruples were at an end; and I conceive
myself at full liberty, as I violate no order, and invade no
man's right, by appointing and sending laborers into the harvest.




262              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
"I have accordingly appointed Dr. Coke and Mr. Francms
Asbury to be joint superintendents over our brethren in North
America; as also Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, to
act as elders among them, by baptizing and administering the
Lord's supper. And I have prepared a liturgy little differing
from that of the Church of England (I think the best constituted national church in the world), which I advise all the
travelling preachers to use on the Lord's day, in all the congregations, reading the litany only on Wednesdays and Fridays, and praying extempore on all other days. I advise, also,
the elders to administer the supper of the Lord, on every
Lord's day.
"If any one will point out a more rational and scriptural
way of feeding and guiding these poor sheep in the wilderness,
I will gladly embrace it. At present, I cannot see any better
method than that I have taken.
"It has, indeed, been proposed to desire the English bishops
to ordain part of our preachers for America. But to this I
object: 1. I desired the bishop of London to ordain one, but
could not prevail. 2. If they consented, we know the slowness of their proceedings; but the matter admits of no delay.
3. If they were to ordain them now, they would expect to
govern them hereafter. And how grievously would this entangle us! 4. As our American brethren are totally disentangled both from  the state and the English hierarchy, we
dare not entangle them again, either with the one or the other.
They are now at full liberty, simply to follow the Scriptures
and the primitive church. And we judge it best that they
should stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has so strangely
made them free.                       JOHN WESLEY."
This letter proves: (1.) That the office to which Dr. Coke
had been ordained, and Mr. Asbury had been appointed by
Mr. Wesley, was superior to the office of a presbyter or elder 
else why ordain Dr. Coke, when he had been for years ia



THE TERM  4 BISHOP.'i              263
vested with full presbyterial powers by the Church of England?
On a contrary view of the case, the ordination of the doctor
by Mr. Wesley must have been a mere farce got up for the
occasion.  (2.) The letter proves that Mr. Wesley esteemed
the liturgy of the Church of England above any other form of
service; and that, in providing for the wants of an infant connection, he, in fact, prepared the same for the worship and
government of said connection.  (3.) The "Liturgy"-or Sunday Service, as it is sometimes called-thus prepared by Mr.
Wesley, contained three distinct services of ordination, namely,
for deacons, elders, and superintendents; and to suppose that
he would thus provide for the three-fold consecration of the
highest officers of the church; and yet not intend the existence of such an office as the episcopate, either in name or fact,
is a supposition at once so absurd as scarcely to demand notice.
If, however, it be objected, that Mr. Wesley did not use the
term bishop in said liturgy, but the term superintendent, and
therefore he could not mean bishop; we have only to reply,
that both the terms mean one and the same thing —an overseer;
and that if the fact of his dropping the use of the name bishop,
is evidence that he disapproved of the og!ce in the American
Church, so the erasure of the term presbyter, or its contraction priest, from his liturgy, and the substitution of the word
elder, is evidence that he disapproved of the office of a presbyter in the same church; and yet nothing is more certain than
that he provided for the latter office.
It is true that Mr. Wesley disliked the use of the term presbyter, when applied to his preachers, and for the same reason
he disapproved of the use of the term bishop, when applied to
the General Superintendents of the Methodist Church.  He
also disliked the use of the term College, as applied to a
Methodist literary institution, and preferred the less pretending
name of School; but can we frorn these facts infer that John
Wesley —himself a presbyter-did not believe in the office of
a presbyter? or that he did not believe in the utility or law



264              EPISCOPAL METHODISM~
fulness of colleges? The idea is perfectly preposterous. The
fact is, that Mr. Wesley was opposed to the application of tho
terms bishop and presbyter to his ministers in America, while
he was more than willing that they should fill the offices designated by such titles, under the more unassuming names of
superintendent and elder. This, however, was a mere matter
of scrupulous taste with Mr. Wesley, rather than anything else
-a fault, if fault it was, which certainly may well be forgiven
him, in view of the gross abuses of the titles and offices by
some of the dignitaries of the Romish Church, and her daughter, the Church of England.
Let it be remembered, too, as stated in Section I. of this
chapter, that the Methodist Church in the United States had
been organized as an Episcopal Church for more than six years
prior to the death of Mr. Wesley; that the minutes of the conference which organized the church as an Episcopal church, together with all the facts and circumstances, were well known to
him, and submitted to him for his approval by Dr. Coke; and
that not a single word of disapprobation, either in reference to
the Doctor's action in the premises, or to the name and title of
the church, was spoken or written by Mr. Wesley, and we have
proof of the most convincing character, that Mr. Wesley did
design our form of church government to be Episcopalian;
and that the fathers and founders of our church polity, did not
deceive, when they proclaimed upon the page of the Book of
Discipline, that Mr. Wesley, "preferring the Episcopal mode
of church government to any other, solemnly set apart Thomas
Coke for the Episcopal office, and directed him to set apart
Francis Asbury for the same office." These, then, being facts,
we are prepared to claim John Wesley as the originator of
American Episcopal Methodism.
But aside from these considerations, we claim that even if
Mr. Wesley had not provided an Episcopal form of government for the American Methodists, the latter, when constituted
an independent church, had a scriptural right to choose such a




RIGHT OF CHURCHES TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN FORMS. 265,
form of government as was best suited to their circumstances
and condition.  If it is a fact, according to the XXXIV. Article of the Church of England, and the Protestant Episcopal
Church in America, that " Every particular or national church,
hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish ceremonies or
rites of the church, ordained only by man's authority, so that
all thingrs be done to edifying."  If it is a fact, in the language
of the same Article, that " It is not necessary that traditions
and ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly alike; for at all
times they have been divers, and may be changed according to
the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that
nothing be ordained against God's word;" if, we repeat it,
these are facts, then had the Methodist Episcopal Church a
scriptural, and even canonical right to ordain such rites and
ceremonies as seemed good to her. We say she had a canonical right to do so; that is, allowing that before her independence she was considered an integral part of the Church of England, the 34th Article of that church gave her the right to ordain, change, and abolish such ceremonies and rites as had
been ordained by merely human authority.
That the terms "rites," " traditions," and "ceremonies," do
not mean merely the form of church service, which a church
at its pleasure may adopt, is evident from the fact that the
same Article asserts that he who doth purposely and openly
break the same, through private judgment, offends against the
common order of the church, and " hurteth the authority of the
magistrate." Now it cannot be supposed that a mere deviation on the part of an individual from the prescribed form of
church service, would be hurtful to the authority of the magistrate, for, 1st, the magistrate has no scriptural authority in the
matter whatsoever, and 2dly, it would be beneath the dignity
of the subject to suppose that the Article refers to the authority
of the magistrate to prescribe how many and what prayers a
man shall repeat in his attempts to worship God.  The oily
reasonable meaning which can be attached to this language is,




266              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
that when, by common authority, a certain form of ecclesiastical government is established in any church, no individual may,
of his own private judgment, purposely violate the rules and
requirements of such established order of things, while a body
of Christians living in a foreign land, and subject to no ecclesiastical jurisdiction whatsoever, may " ordain, change and abolish" such usages and forms as they please. To illustrate this
point clearly: had Mr. Wesley ordained ministers for the
Church of England, he would have been a transgressor of the
doctrine taught in the Article. Had he made the attempt to
ordain Dr. Coke as a bishop of the establishment, he would
have exposed himself to the open rebuke of his ecclesiastical
superiors.  But Mr. Wesley attempted no such thing.  He
simply made provision for the proper organization of an independent foreign church, and that church, availing itself of the
privilege given to establish itself on any basis it chose, adopted
such a mode of government as the exigencies of the case demanded, and the above Article allowed. It should be remembered, too, that the Methodist Episcopal Church was duly organized, while as yet there was no other independent Protestant Episcopal Church in America, the body of Christians now
bearing that name not having been duly organized, till several
years after the Methodist Church had been in being, and was
known and acknowledged by the civil authorities of the nation
as an independent ecclesiastical body, having its own bishops,
its own ministry, its own membership, and all other things
requisite to its proper organization. So far, then, as authority
could be given by the Articles of Religion of the Church of
England, the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church
was not only scriptural, but canonical.




FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT.            267
SECTION V.
ADVANTAGES OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL FORM OF CHURCH
GOVERNMENT WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER FORMS.
GOVERNMENT of some kind is as necessary for the church of
God, as it is essential for nations. There are different forms of
civil government-as an absolute, or limited monarchy; an
aristocracy, a democracy; a republic, &c. &c. The great object of a good government is, to unite, if possible, the three
qualities of strength, permanency, and protection. These will
require a good foundation, a proper structure, and an efficient
executive. An absolute monarchy is admitted to be the strongest kind of civil government, and a democracy to afford the
greatest amount of liberty to the governed. A system of government between these two extremes, is probably the form that
is best suited to the wants of man in these latter days. Such
a system of mixed government may be found to exist in the
limited monarchy of Great Britain, and still more perfectly in
the republicanism of the United States of America. In each
of these governments, the chief executive power is lodged in
the hands of one person, who moves and directs the large number of subordinate officers under him. Such a system is at a
proper distance from autocracy on the one hand, and anarchy
on the other.
In like manner, ecclesiastical government may be made to
exist under different forms, combining more or less strength,
and affording more or less protection to the governed. The
absolute monarchy of Romanism, with the Pope at its head, is
found at one extreme; and a state of complete ecclesiastical
independence, may be found at the other extreme. The former system combines more strength with its operations; the
latter gives greater latitude in matters of faith and practice.
The former is an ecclesiastical despotism-the latter borders on
19




268               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
a state of spiritual anarchy and confusion.  "There being,,o
king in Israel, every man does that which is right in his own
eyes."  Between these two extremes, there is, and ought to be,
a medium course-a mixed form of church government-which
will combine the strength of the one system, and secure the
)iberty of the other, as far as it is proper to secure it; in a
word, a system combining strength and efficiency with a proper
degree of security for the rights and privileges of those who
are disposed to become the subjects of such ecclesiastical government.  And such, we may be allowed to claim, is the government of the Methodist Episcopal Church in these United
States.
But in order that the reader may judge of the comparative
strength and efficiency of the different systems of church gov
ernment now prevailing, we may be allowed to refer to then,
somewhat in detail.
1. RoMIsu EPIscoPACY.-In this system, as already as
serted, we find a purely spiritual despotism. The strength
and power of the system  centres in one person-the popewho claims to be the " successor of St. Peter," the " vicegerent
of God," "supreme over all mortals," "over all emperors,
kings, princes, potentates, and people," "King of kings, and
Lord of lords." Such are a few of the titles claimed by his
" Holiness."  And it should be understood that these titles are
not by Romanists considered as mere empty sounds, but that
all Roman Catholics, from  the higher dignitaries of the
Church, down to the lowest private member, acknowledge the
validity of such titles, and pay the most obsequious obedience
to the pope as universal bishop. To strengthen the power of
the pope, all cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, deacons,
&c. &c., must swear eternal fealty to him and to his government.  Hence the pope, with or without his councils, is the
fountain of all law, and the source of all ecclesiastical honor.
His "bulls" are as authoritative as are the mandates of Jehovah, issued from amidst the thunderings and lightnings of




ENGLISI EPISCOPACY.                  269
Sinai's smoking summit.  In a word, his will is law, and with
his host of titled dignitaries in all parts of Christendom, he has
the power to enforce his will, if not by the sharpness of steel,
the force of powder, or the fires and tortures of the inquisition,
by other means no less effectual, and no less dangerous to the
rights and liberties of mankind.
2. ENGLISIi EPISCOPACY.-In this system of church governmient may be found less strength than in the iRomish system,
but a greater degree of freedom for the subjects of its power,
and yet not so much as they should be allowed to possess by
a professedly Protestant Church.   The episcopacy of the
Church of England exists in two archbishops and twenty-four
bishops, all of whom are ex o1icio lords of Parliament, or peers
of the realm.  The archbishop of Canterbury, who is " primate
of all England," is the first peer of the realm, and takes precedence, not only of all the bishops and clergy, but of all the
nobility, consisting of dukes, earls, marquises, &c. &c., the
royal family alone excepted. All the bishops of the Church
of England are, in fact, the creatures of the crown; that is, the
reigning sovereign virtually appoints the bishops to vacant
sees, and every subordinate clergyman, or inferior officer, is
also, directly or indirectly, the appointee of the civil government.  In this system, therefore, we cannot fail to perceive a
partial leaning toward the Romish system of government, especially as the lay members of the Church of England have no
voice whatever as members in the affairs of the church, but are
in all respects, subject to the civil and ecclesiastical " powers
that be." Such a system, to say the least, based upon secular
patronage, and courtly influence and authority, must be detrimental to the interests of that religion, in reference to which
our Saviour said, " My kingdom is not of this world"'
3. PROTESTANT ErIscOPACY.-This system  prevails in the
United States, as the form of government selected by the adherents of the Church of England, after the war of the Revolution, and the independence of the North American Colonies




270              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
The Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church was
adopted in October, 1789, nearly five years subsequent to the
organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the system of Protestant Episcopacy, there is more to admire than in
that of English Episcopacy. The bishops in the former are
not lords, or spiritual peers of the realm, in a civil sense. Indeed, whatever disposition might exist on their part, or on the
part of their adherents, to engraft the English system of governmental patronage into their church polity, it is well known
that the Constitution of the United States, and those of the
respective States, completely debars them from making any
such attempt.
The supreme legislative and judicial power of this church is
-lodged in the General Convention, which meets triennally, and
is composed of an upper and lower house, very similar, in fact,
to the Houses of Lords and Commons in England. The upper
house consists exclusively of the bishops, who may originate
acts, and concur in those of the lower house; and who possess
an absolute negative in relation thereto; so that no act can
become a law unless the upper house agrees thereto. The
lower house consists of clergymen and lay deputies, who may
or may not be members of the church, provided they are duly
elected by the bodies they represent.
The bishops of this church have their respective dioceses, or
episcopal parishes, beyond which they possess no episcopal authority whatever, unless invited in case of vacancy to exercise
the functions of their office. Their salaries amount to from
two to seven thousand dollars per annum, and they are amenable only to the house of bishops for immorality or gross official dereliction.  Such is the Episcopacy of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States —an episcopacy which
has embraced many worthy men, and yet which has been disgraced by one or more less worthy persons, of doubtful morals.
4. PRESBYTERIANISM.-In this system we find a total abandonment of episcopacy in all its forms; the supreme legislative




CONGREGATIONALISM.                  271
and judicial power being invested in the body of eldersteaching and ruling-who are delegated by their respective
presbyteries to meet in the General Assembly, which body
represents the church as a whole. The Presbyterian system
embodies much power and efficiency, because of the connectional principle which pervades the entire system. It has, in
fact, many excellencies, and but few defects, the latter being
owing to the want of a general superintendency of some
kind, which would have a tendency to consolidate the different
parts of the system more perfectly.  The most perfect system
of Presbyterianism is that found in the Scottish Churches, as
also in the Presbyterian Church of the United States.
5. CONGREGATIONALISM.-By this system of church government is understood the absolute independence of each local
church, in regard to matters of faith and ecclesiastical polity;
discarding at once, not only episcopacy in all its forms, but
even presbyterianism itself.  Under this system, each local
church is the supreme legislative and judicial body, in regard
to all matters which appertain to the doctrines or practices of
its individual members; and no other church council or presbytery has any right whatever to interfere with their independence in these respects, except to give advice when requested.
Congregationalism was the established form of church government in the days of Puritanism, in many of the colonies,
and under this system some very sanguinary laws were passed
for the hanging of Quakers, witches, &c. &c. The inhabitants
of the colonies where this system prevailed, as also in some of
the States after independence was secured, were taxed by law
for the support of the " standing order;" and it rendered itself
powerful only as it wielded the sword of the civil magistrate.
Since the latter has been taken from it, and it has been left to
stand upon its own merits, it has been found that there is a
great want of system and efficiency in this form of ecclesiastical
polity; so much so, that there has been for many years a gradaal advance towards the Presbyterian form.




272               EPISCOPAL MIETHODISIM.
6. METHODIST EPISCOPACY. —We now proceed to notice the
advantages of the polity adopted by the Methodist Episcopal
Church. And in doing so, it will be necessary to diverge more
or less from the main feature of the system, namely, the episcopacy itself. In the examination of these points, it will, no
doubt, be perceived by the reader, that while our church polity
secures strength and vitality on the one hand, it also secures
the rights and privileges of every member and minister in the
church, on the other; that it combines whatever is excellent
in other systems, and discards what are acknowledged to be
serious defects in those systems.
It should be remembered that Methodism is aggressive in its
character and operations.  Its great object is not to provide fat
parishes for its priests, or rich dioceses for its bishops; not to
decorate its ministers and altars with flowing drapery, or splendid vestments, not to minister to the vitiated taste of a cold
and heartless congregation; or to sit down in ease and enjoy
the good things of this life; but to " spread scriptural holiness"
over the world; to wage war with sin, and to carry the battle
even to the gates of hell. Its object is to go to the sinner and
invite him to Christ; if he accepts the invitation, then to lead
him  into the audience-chamber of the King of kings; if he
finds mercy —as we know he will, if sincere-then lead him
into " green pastures, and by the side of still waters," that he
may "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the truth;" to
place safeguards around him, that he may not fall a prey to
the adversary; to place before him  such incentives to piety,
and such inducements to holiness, as shall prompt him to make
his " calling and election sure." All this is the proper work
of the ministry, and instead of waiting until the invitation is
given to come and preach in some snug little parish church,
the Methodist itinerant receives his commission to " go into all
the world;" to " go into the highways and hedges, and compel men to come in." Such is the object of Methodism.
But to accomplish these desirable results, a mode of opera



METHODIST EPISCOPACY.                273
tion must be pursued, which will be likely to secure the end in
view, and such instruments must be employed as shall be willing not only to endure the necessary hardships, and make the
necessary sacrifices, but who are otherwise qualified for the
great work of saving souls. Such a mode of operation is found
in the itinerant system of Methodism, and such instruments are
found in the thousands of ministers who have many of them
literally " forsaken all for Christ's sake, and the gospel's," and
the thousands and millions who have been converted to God
through such instrumentalities, afford abundant evidence of the
efficiency of the system by which they have been brought into
the fold of Christ.
To preserve these sheep, to save these lambs, pastors must
be provided, and government must be instituted. How shall
these pastors be appointed; and what form  of government
shall be instituted?  Shall we allow each individual sheep to
select its own shepherd?  Then we might have as many shepherds as there are sheep.  Shall we institute a form of government similar to the Romish Episcopacy? This would be both
unscriptural and dangerous. Shall we select the English Episcopal form?  This certainly could not be tolerated in a land
of fieedom. Shall we choose the Protestant Episcopal mode
of government?  This would be to allow persons who are not
even communicants of our own, or any other church, to make
our laws, and frame our church polity for us-yea, even infidels and avowed skeptics might meet in " solemn conclave," to
enact laws for the government of the " body of Christ."  Shall
we submit to the Presbyterian form of church government?
This would destroy at once the aggressive character of the
church. Shall we then adopt the congregational mode? This
would not only destroy the connectional principle, but would
be fatal to the itinerant system.  No! we will combine together, if possible, the excellences of each, and discard that
which is unfit for the government of Christ's flock.  We will
have a general superintendency, without the usual pomp and




274              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
trappings of a lordly hierarchy. We will have a ministry who
will fulfil their commission without waiting for a " call" to the
more able parishes. We will have a system of government
that will preclude the despotism of Rome, and the anarchy of
pure independency.
Such is the system of government as adopted in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the reader who will peruse the
succeeding sections of this work, will not fail to be struck with
the admirable arrangement of the whole superstructure, and
the perfect adaptation of all the parts to each other, so that
from the bishop down to the most humble member, the rights
of all are fully and perfectly secured.
Objections have been urged against the system thus adopted,
because of the absence of lay delegates in the general and annual conferences. In reference, however, to the latter bodies,
scarcely any reply need be made to the objection, as it is a wellknown fact, that the business transacted by such bodies, is
purely ministerial in its character; and what good end could
be secured by a lay delegation, we have yet to learn. In relation to a delegation of lay members in the General Conference, it may be necessary to say that the greater part of the
business here transacted, relates almost exclusively to the
preachers; but besides, the plan of having a lay delegation in
the General Conference, would be utterly impracticable. In a
church as large as the Methodist Episcopal Church, the num.
ber of ministerial delegates must necessarily be large, in order
to have a fair representation of the different portions of the
church; and indeed the attendance now is so large as to make
it a serious tax on the time and hospitality of the inhabitants
of the place where the conference is held. Now, if we were to
double or treble the number in attendance, it would proportionably increase the burden. These delegates must also come
from all parts of the church, thousands of miles distant; to do
this, a vast amount of expense must be met, and who will meet
such additional outlays?  Will the delegates pay their own




OBJECTIONS TO LAY DELEGATES.             275
expenses? Then shall we make rich men necessary to us, while
the poor, because of his poverty, will have the privilege of staying at home. Besides, our lay members generally belong to
the humbler ranks in society; true, we have some judges, and
lawyers, and distinguished statesmen, and physicians, who are
worthy members of the church, and who have the pecuniary
ability to pay their own expenses, but their time is more properly, and perhaps more profitably spent in attending to the duties of their professions, than in spending weeks, perhaps
months, in hearing the appeals of preachers, and listening to
the arguments of divines.
There is still another consideration which outweighs all others in relation to lay representation, and that is its absolute impossibility. To have a fair and proportionate number of clerical and lay delegates, would require both classes to be represented in an equal ratio; that is, for instance: one clerical delegate for every twenty-one ministers; and one lay delegate for
every twenty-one members.  This would give us, according to
our present numbers in the church, about two hundred clerical
delegates, and over thirty-three thousand lay delegates!  But
suppose we make the ratio of representation one delegate for
every thousand ministers and members; then should we have
four ministerial delegates, to seven hundred lay delegates. As
we find the delegation to- be still rather large, supposing we
make the ratio one for every five thousand; then we have of
ministerial delegates, NONE! and of lay delegates one hundred
and forty!
There are still other considerations which might be presented
as reasons for rejecting the practice of a lay delegation in the
councils of the church; one or two only we will name, and
drop the subject.  A lay delegation would inevitably produce
the spirit and practice of electioneering in the primary bodies
of the church, thus keeping the body in a continual state of
agitation, producing discord and dissensions among brethren.
It would also beget a spirit of vain-glory, by raising one mem



276              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
ber above another. It would be attended with so much inconvenience, as to be totally impracticable in its operations, and it
would tend to secularize the church of God, by appointing men
for its legislators and governors, who are purely secular in their
calling and profession; and lastly, the practice has been faithfully tried in other Methodist bodies, and has not answered the
expectations of its warmest friends. Hence, we had better
leave the matter as it is, praying that God may always preserve
the councils of the church from adopting any measures that
shall not be promotive of his glory, and the good of mankind.
In the further examination of the polity of Episcopal Methodism, we propose to confine ourselves mostly to the matter
found in the Book of Discipline, and to select such portions of
the same, as will throw light on the subject, while we will purposely omit everything that is not needed for this purpose, and
add any explanatory remarks which we may think necessary to
a better understanding of the same.




CHAPTER II.
GENERAL RULES, AND RECEPTION AND EXPULSION
OF MEMBERS.
SECTION I.
THE NATURE, DESIGN, AND GENERAL RULES OF OUR
UNITED SOCIETIES.
"(1.) IN the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons came to Mr. Wesley in London, who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin, and earnestly groaning for redemption.
They desired, as did two or three more the next day, that he
would spend some time with them in prayer, and advise them
how to flee from the wrath to come, which they saw continually hanging over their heads. That he might have more time
for this great work, he appointed a day when they might all
come together, which from thenceforward they did every week,
namely, on Thursday, in the evening. To these, and as many
more as desired to join with them (for their number increased
daily), he gave those advices, from time to time, which he
judged most needful for them, and they always concluded
their meeting with prayer, suited to their several necessities.
(2.) This was the rise of the UNITED SOCIETY, first in E?rope, and then in Amnzerica. Such a Society is no other than a
" company of men having the form, and seeking the power of
godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the word
of exhortation, and to watch over each other in love, that they
mnay help each other to work out their salvation."
(3.) That it may the more easily be discerned whether they




2 78               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
are indeed working out their own salvation, each Society is
divided into smaller companies, called classes, according to their
respective places of abode. There are about twelve persons in
a class, one of whom is styled the Leader. It is his duty,
I. To see each person in his class once a week, at least, in
order,
1. To inquire how their souls prosper.
2. To advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may
require.
3. To receive what they are willing to give toward the relief
of the preachers, church, and poor.*
II. To meet the ministers and the stewards of the Society
once a week, in order,
1. To inform the minister of any that are sick, or of any that
walk disorderly, and will not be reproved.
2. To pay the stewards what they have received of their several classes during the week preceding.
(4.) There is only one condition previously required of those
who desire admission into these Societies-" a desire to flee
from the wrath to come, and be saved from their sins." But
wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will be shown by its
fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue therein,
that they should continue to evidence their desires for salvation,
First. By doing no harm; by avoiding evil of every kind,
especially that which is most generally practised; such as,
The takinog of the name of God in vain;
The profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary
work therein, or by buying or selling;
Drunkenness, buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity;
The buying and selling of m6n, women, and children, with
an intention to enslave them;
* This part refers to towns and cities; where the poor are generally
numerous, and church expenses considerable.




GENERAL RULES OF THE UNITED SOCIETIES.    279
Fighting, quarrelling, brawling, brother going to law with
brother, returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, the using
many words in buying or selling;
The buying or selling goods that have not paid the duty;
The giving or taking things on usury-i. e. unlawful interest;
Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation, particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers;
Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us;
Doing what we know is not for the glory of God; as:
The putting on of gold, and costly apparel;
The taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of
the Lord Jesus;
The singing those songs, or reading those books which do
not tend to the knowledge or love of God;
Softness, and needless self-indulgence;
Laying up treasure upon earth;
Borrowing, without a probability of paying, or taking up
goods, without a probability of paying for them.
(5.) It is expected of all who continue in these Societies,
that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,
Secondly. By doing good, by being in every kind merciful
after their power, as they have opportunity, doing good of
every possible sort, and as far as possible, to all men. To their
bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the
hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that
are sick or in prison;
To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting, all wo
have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, that " we are not to do good, unless our hearts
be free to it."
By doing good, especially to them who are of the household
of faith, or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to
others, buying one of another, helping each other in business;
and so much the more, as the world will love its own, and them
only;




280               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
By all possible diligence and frugality, that the gospel be
not blamed;
By running with patience the race which is set before them,
denying themselves, and taking up their crosses daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and offscouring of the world; and looking that men should say all
manner of evil of them, falsely, for the Lord's sake.
(6.) It is expected of all who desire to continue in these
Societies, that they should continue to evidence their desire of
salvation,
Thirdly. By attending upon all the ordinances of God: such
are,
The public worship of God;
The ministry of the word, either read or expounded;
The Supper of the Lord;
Family and private prayer;
Searching the Scriptures; and
Fasting, or abstinence.
(7.) These are the general rules of our Societies: all of
which we are taught of God to observe, even in his written
word, which is the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both of
our faith and practice. And all these we know his Spirit
writes on truly awakened hearts. If there be any alnong us
who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let
it be known unto them who watch over that soul as they who
must give an account. We will admonish him of the error of
his ways.  We will bear with him for a season. But then, if
he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have
delivered our own souls."
We have thus quoted at length the general rules, that the
uninformed reader may see at a glance the requirements which
the Discipline of the Methodist Church makes of all its ministers and members; and we think that every candid reader will
admit that a more scriptural code of morality and religious
practice could not well be drawn up by man. Such as they




RECEPTION OF MEMBERS-EXPULSION.           281
are, we commend them to the prayerful attention of all, and
especially of the members of the church.
SECTION II.
OF RECEIVING MEMBERS INTO THE CHURCH.
1. How shall we prevent improper persons from insinuating
themselves into the church?
ANs. 1. Let none be received into the church, until they are
recommended by a leader with whom they have met six
months on trial, and have been baptized; and shall on examination by the minister in charge, give satisfactory assurances,
both of the correctness of their faith, and their willingness to
observe and keep the rules of the church. Nevertheless, if a
member in good standing in any orthodox church shall desire
to unite with us, such applicant may, by giving satisfactory answers to the usual inquiries, be received at once into full fellowship.
2. Let none be admitted on trial except they are well recommended by one you know, or until they have met twice or
thrice in class.
3. Read the rules to them the first time they meet.
4. The official minister or preacher shall, at every quarterly
meeting, read the names of those that are received into the
church, and also those that are excluded therefrom.
SECTION III.
ON THE TRIAL AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS.
1. Probationers in the church may, for neglect of duty, or
disorderly conduct, be discontinued at any time, without the
usual forms of trial and expulsion. Six months' probation are
granted, that every candidate for membership may become




282               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
thoroughly acquainted with the doctrines, usages, and discipline
of the church; and that the church may have a reasonable
length of time to judge of the correctness of his faith and practice. When he fails to give evidence of a desire to abide by
the rules of the church, he may be silently dropped from his
probationary connection, by the preacher having charge.
2. An accused member is brought to trial before the Society
of which he is a member, or a select number of them, in the
presence of a bishop, elder, deacon, or preacher, in the following manner: Let the accused and accuser be brought face to
face; but if this cannot be done, let the next best evidence be
procured.  If the accused person be found guilty, by the decision of a majority of the members before whom he is brought
to trial, and the crime be such as is expressly forbidden in the
word of God, sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom
of grace and glory, let the minister, or preacher, who has the
charge of the circuit, expel him. If the accused person evade
a trial by absenting himself, after sufficient notice given him,
and the circumstances of the accusation afford strong presumption of guilt, let him be esteemed as guilty, and be accordingly
excluded. Witnesses from without shall not be rejected.
2. But in cases of neglect of duties of any kind, imprudent
conduct, indulging sinful tempers, or words, the buying, selling,
or using intoxicating liquors as a beverage, or disobedience to
the order and discipline of the church: First, let private reproof be given by a preacher or leader; and if there be an
acknowledgment of the fault, and proper humiliation, the person may be borne with. On a second offence, the preacher or
leader may take one or two faithful friends. On a third offence
let the case be brought before the Society, or a select number,
and if there be no sign of real humiliation, the offender shall be
cut off.
3. If a member shall be clearly convicted of endeavoring to
sow dissensions in the Societies, by inveighing against the doctrines and discipline of the church, such person shall be first




TRIAL AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS.           283
reproved by the senior minister, or preacher, and if ne persist,
he shall be expelled.
4. If a member wilfully and repeatedly neglect to meet in
class, the minister or preacher shall visit him whenever practicable, and explain to him the consequence of continued neglect,
namely exclusion, and if there be no amendment, the minister
or preacher shall bring the case before the Society, or a select
number, before whom he shall have been cited to appear, and
if found guilty, he shall be laid aside.
5. If, in any case of the trial of a member, the preacher differ in judgment from the Society, or the select number, concerning the guilt or innocence of the accused person, the
preacher may refer the whole matter to the next quarterly conference; and if the person excluded complain of injustice having been done in his case, he shall be allowed an appeal to the
next quarterly conference, unless he shall have absented himself from trial.
6. If a member who has been excluded complain to an annual conference, after having appealed to a quarterly conference,
that there has been incorrect administration of the discipline in
his case, and if it shall appear to the annual conference that
such complaint is well founded, and the annual conference shall
so decide, such decision shall restore the expelled person to
membership in the church.
7. On any dispute between two or more members of the
church, concerning the payment of debts, or otherwise, which
cannot be settled by the parties concerned, the preacher who
has the charge of the Society, shall recommend to the parties
a reference to one arbiter chosen by the plaintiff, and another
chosen by the defendant, and a third chosen by these two, all
being members of the church, which board of arbiters shall decide the question. If either party is dissatisfied with the decision given, such party may apply to the ensuing quarterly
conference for a second arbitration, and if the quarterly conference see sufficient reason, they shall grant the same, in which
20




284              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
case each party shall choose two arbiters, and the four thus
chosen shall select a fifth one, the decision of which board shall
be final.
8. When a complaint is made against any member of the
church for non-payment of debt, if the amount is ascertained,
the preacher having charge shall call the debtor before a committee of three or more, to show cause why he does not make
payment. The committee shall determine what further time
shall be granted him before making payment, and what security, if any, shall be given for the same.
9. In case of a refusal to comply with the decision of the
arbiters, or with the decision of the committee, whether on the
part of the plaintiff or defendant, the member so refusing shall
be liable to trial for disobedience to the order and discipline of
the church; and if they are found guilty of such refusal, and
persist in the same, they shall be expelled.
10. When any member fails in business, or contracts debts
which he is not able to pay, the preacher shall appoint two or
three judicious members of the church to inspect the accounts,
contracts, and circumstances of the supposed delinquent, and if
he shall have behaved dishonestly, or fraudulently, or borrowed
money without a probability of paying, he shall, after proper
trial before the Society, or select number, be expelled.-Dis.
pp. 54-56.
11. In relation to smuggling, bribery, &c. the following rules
are laid down: Extirpate buying or selling goods which have
not paid the duty laid on them by government, out of the
church. Let none remain with us who will not totally abstain
from this evil in every kind and degree. Extirpate bribery,
receiving anything directly or indirectly for voting at any election. Show no respect to persons herein, but expel all that
touch the accursed thing. And strongly advise our people to
discountenance all treats given by candidates before or at elections, and not to be partakers in any respect of such iniquitous
practices.-D)is. p. 64.




CHAPTER III.
OF THE MINISTERS, PREACHERS, AND OTHER OFFICERS
OF THE CHURCH.
SECTION I.
OF THE BISHOPS AND THEIR DUTY; AND TO WHOM RESPONSIBLE.
1. A BISHOP is constituted by the election of the General
Conference, and the laying on of the hands of three bishops;
or of one bishop and two elders; or, if there are no bishops, by
the laying on of the hands of three elders appointed for that
purpose by the General Conference.
2. The duties of the bishop are to preside in the General
and Annual Conferences; to fix the appointments of the presiding elders and preachers for the several districts, circuits and
stations; to appoint missionaries among the colored people and
Indians, and to destitute portions of our own land, and to
foreign lands; in the intervals of conference to change, receive
qnd suspend preachers, as necessity may require, and as the
Discipline directs; to travel through the connection at large;
to ordain bishops, elders, and deacons, when properly elected
by the General or Annual Conferences; to decide questions of
law, when presiding in an annual conference, subject to an
appeal to the General Conference; to prepare a course of reading and study for candidates for the ministry, and to oversee
the spiritual and temporal interests of the church.
3. The following limitations are placed upon the power of
the bishops: They shall not allow any preacher to remain in
the same station more than two years at a time; nor reappoint




286              EPISCOPAL METHIODISM.
them to the same station till after an absence of four years,
excepting agents, editors, chaplains, missionaries, and teachers
in colleges or seminaries of learning. They shall not allow a
preacher to remain in the same city more than four years in
succession, nor return him to it till he shall have been absent
four years. They shall not appoint a presiding elder to the
same district for more than four years in ten.
4. The power with which the bishops are invested was formerly much greater than it is now. In 1784, no person could
be ordained to any ministerial office without the consent of the
bishop. The preachers were prohibited from printing any
book without the approbation of one of the bishops. The
bishop was also-as is now the case in the Protestant Episcopal
Church-authorized to receive appeals from tile preachers and
people, and decide them. In these and some other respects,
their powers have become very much modified, and the authority originally vested in them has reverted to the General
Conference, or been given to the annual and quarterly conferences.
5. The bishops have no right to originate a motion in the
General or Annual Conferences. Neither have they a right to
vote on any question pending before these bodies.
6. They are held rigidly responsible to the body of elders
represented in the General Conference, for all their acts, both
official and private; and they may be expelled for any conduct
which may be improper in a bishop, even though not immoral,
and when so expelled they can have no appeal.
6. In the interval of the General Conference a bishop, if
accused of crime or immorality, shall be cited to appear before
two presiding elders and seven other elders; or before two
presiding elders, five travelling elders, and two travelling
deacons; these nine shall form a court of inquiry, and if two
thirds of the number believe him guilty they shall have authority to suspend him until the next General Conference.
From the above it will be readily perceived that the Epis



PRESIDING ELDERS.                   28)
copacy of the Methodist Episcopal Church is indeed a moderate
one; that the bishops are the creatures of the eldership, and
constantly amenable to it; and may at any time, for cause,
be deposed from their high office and authority; that, in fact,
with the exception of appointing the preachers to their respec
tive fields of labor, they possess but little more power —if indeed as much-than is possessed by the humblest and most
obscure travelling preacher.
SECTION II.
OF TIIE PRESIDING ELDERS AND THEIR DUTY
1. The presiding elders, as shown in the preceding section,
are chosen and stationed by the bishops, and like all other
travelling ministers, are amenable to the annual conference of
which they are members, for their private and official acts.
2. It is the duty of the presiding elder to take charge of all
the elders, deacons, travelling and local preachers and exhorters
in his district; to change, receive, and suspend preachers in his
district during the intervals of the conferences, and in the absence of the bishop; to preside also, in the absence of the
bishop-if appointed by the latter-in the annual conference;
to be present, as far as practicable, at all the quarterly conferences, and preside therein; to oversee the spiritual and temporal business of the church in his district; to promote the
cause of Missions, Sunday Schools, and the circulation of religious books; to decide all queetions of law in a quarterly conference, subject to an appeal to the president of the next annual
conference; to attend the bishops when present in his district,
and advise them of the state of his district when absent.
3. From the above it will be seen that the presiding elder
is properly the representative of the bishop, and that such office
is not only a responsible one, but is absolutely necessary to the
proper government of the church, more especially as, by virtue




288               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
of his office and by common consent, the presiding elder is
made the adviser of the bishop in fixing the appointments of
the preachers, and in arranging the boundaries of the districts,
circuits, and stations.
SECTION III.
OF THE ELECTION AND ORDINATION OF TRAVELLING ELDERS
AND THEIR DUTY, AND OF THE MODE OF TRYING THEM.
1. A travelling elder is constituted by the election of an
annual conference, and the laying on of the hands of a bishop
and some of the elders who are present.
2. The duty of a travelling elder is to administer baptism
and the Lord's Supper, and to perform the office of matrimony,
and all parts of divine worship, and to do all the duties of a
travelling preacher.
3. A travelling elder is eligible to an election as delegate to
the General Conference, and also to the Episcopacy even although
he never has been a presiding elder; he may assist in the ordination of other elders, and even of bishops, if through death,
resignation, or otherwise, there are no bishops.
4. A travelling elder is responsible to his conference for all
his private and official acts, and by his conference may be tried,
suspended, deposed, or expelled from the church. In the intervals of an annual conference, if reported guilty of some crime,
the presiding elder, in the absence of the bishop, shall call a
committee of at least three travelling ministers, and investigate
the truth of the report. If the elder be clearly convicted of
unchristian 6onduct, he shall be suspended from all ministerial
services and church privileges until the next session of the
annual conference. If the charge is not preferred until the
session of the conference, the case may be referred to a committee, who shall keep a faithful record of the proceedings and




TRAVELLING ELDERS,                 289
testimony, and lay the same before the conference, on which,
with such other evidence as may be admitted, the case shall be
decided.
5. In cases of improper words, tempers, and actions, the person offending shall be reprehended by his senior in office. On
a second transgression, two or three ministers or preachers are
to be taken as witnesses. If not then cured, he shall be tried
at the next annual conference, and if guilty and impenitent
shall be expelled from the connection.
6. When a travelling elder, or other member of an annual
conference, fails in business, or is unable to pay his debts, the
presiding elder shall appoint three judicious members of the
church to examine into the state of his affairs, and if, in the
opinion of such members, the minister has behaved dishonestly, or has contracted debts without the probability of paying,
the presiding elder shall then bring him before a committee of
at least three ministers, who may suspend him until the ensuing
conference.
7. When a travelling elder, or other member of an annual
conference, disseminates, publicly or privately, doctrines which
are contrary to our Articles of Religion, the same process is to
be observed as in cases of gross immorality, unless the offending minister shall engage not to disseminate such doctrines, in
which case the offender may be borne with until the next annual
conference.
8. When a travelling minister is accused of being so unacceptable, inefficient, or secular, as to be no longer useful as a
travelling preacher, the annual conference shall investigate the
case, and if the complaint is well founded, and the accused will
not voluntarily retire, the conference may locate him without
his consent.
9. Provided, that in all the above cases, the minister so suspended, deposed, located, or expelled, shall be allowed an appeal to the next General Conference, if he signify his intention
to appeal at the time of his condemnation, or as soon thereafter




290               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
as he is informed of the same, and when the General Conference shall have heard both sides of the question, they shall
finally decide the whole matter.
10. When any travelling elder, or other minister, shall be
deprived of his credentials, they shall be filed with the papers
of the annual conference of which he was a member; and
should he, at any future time, give satisfactory evidence of his
amendment, and procures a recommendation fiom a quarterly
or other annual conference, for the restoration of his credentials,
the same may be restored to him, by vote of the conference of
which he was a member.
SECTION IV.
OF THE ELECTION AND ORDINATION OF TRAVELLING DEACONS,
AND THEIR DUTY.
1. A travelling deacon is constituted by the election of an
annual conference, and by the laying on of the hands of the
bishop.
2. It is the duty of the travelling deacon to baptize, and
perform the office of matrimony, in the absence of the elder; to
assist the elder in the administration of the Lord's Supper, and
to do all the duties of a travelling preacher.
3. A travelling deacon is eligible to the office of an elder,
after having travelled two years as a deacon, and has qualified
himself in the course of study prescribed by the bishops.
4. An accused travelling deacon is brought to trial in the
same manner as an accused travelling elder; for information
in regard to which, we refer the reader to the preceding section.




TRAVELLING PREACHERS.                291
SECTION V.
OF SUPERNUMERARY AND SUPERANNUATED PREACHERS.
1. A supernumerary preacher is one so worn out in the itinerant service, as to be rendered incapable of preaching constantly, but at the same time is willing to do any work which
the conference may direct, and his strength enable him to perform.
2. A superannuated preacher is one so worn out in the itinerant service, as to be considered incapable of doing any efficient work as a minister, and consequently receives no appointment from the bishop, but is at liberty to go where he pleases,
and improve his time and remaining strength as best he may.
3. None but regular travelling preachers, or members of an
annual conference, or bishops, can be supernumerary or superannuated, and while sustaining either of the above relations,
they are entitled to a portion of the conference funds, and are
subject, like all other effective preachers, to the conference of
which they are members.
SECTION VI.
OF TRAVELLING PREACIHERS, AND THEIR DUTY.
1. The term travelling preacher is frequently used to designate all who belong to the conference, whether presiding elders,
elders, deacons, or licentiates, but in its proper and technical
sense, it includes only the latter class, and in this sense it is
used in this section —to denote those, who, not having been received into full connection in the conference, nor been ordained,
are on trial, and are candidates for the ministerial office.
2. A travelling preacher is received on trial by the annual




292               EPISCOPAL METHIODISM.
conference, after having been recommended as a proper person by the quarterly conference of which he is a member.
3. While on trial in an annual conference, a travelling
preacher may be discontinued by such conference, but if accused of crime, the presiding elder shall call a committee of
three local preachers, who may suspend him, and the quarterly
conference may expel him from the church, nevertheless, he
shall have an appeal to the ensuing annual conference.
4. The duty of a travelling preacher is to preach, visit from
house to house, meet the Societies, classes, and bands, visit the
sick, and in all respects show himself to be a laborer in the
vineyard of the Lord.
5. A travelling preacher is eligible to full connection in the
annual conference, and to deacon's orders, after he shall have
travelled two successive years on trial, and has qualified himself in the course of study prescribed by the bishops.
SECTION VII.
OF PREACHERS IN CHARGE, AND THEIR DUTY.
1. A preacher in charge is one who has the pastoral care
of a circuit or station.  He may be either an elder, deacon, or
preacher, in connection with the conference; or he may be a
local preacher or minister, employed by the presiding elder to
fill some vacancy.
2. Tile duties of a preacher in charge are, to oversee the
junior preachers on his circuit, should there be any; to renew
the tickets for the admission of members into love-feast, quarterly; to meet the stewards and leaders as often as possible;
to appoint all the leaders, and change them when he sees it
necessary; to receive, try, and expel members, according to
the form of discipline; to hold watch-nights and love-feasts;
to hold quarterly meetings in the absence of the presiding




LOCAL ELDERS, DEACONS, AND PREACHERS.    293
elder; to take care that every Society be duly supplied with
books; to take an exact account of the number of members in
each Society, and report the same to the conference; to give
an account of his circuit or station once a quarter, to his presiding elder; to meet the men and women apart, in the large
Societies, wherever it is practicable; to overlook the accounts
of the stewards; to appoint a person to receive the quarterly
collection in the classes; to see that public collections be made
quarterly, if need be; to encourage the support of missions
and Sunday-schools, and the circulation of bibles, tracts, and
Sunday-school books, form Societies, and make collections for
those objects. It is his duty, also, to give certificates of membership to those about to remove; to enforce all the rules of
the Society; to read those rules once a year in each congregation, and once a quarter in each Society; to recommend arbitrations in cases of dispute; to appoint committees for the trial
of members, and to preside at such trials; to appoint prayermeetings whenever he can, on his charge; to license proper
persons to exhort, provided he obtains the consent of the class,
of which the person is a member, or of the leaders' meeting.
3. A preacher in charge, if a member of an annual conference, is responsible to such conference for all his official acts,
and if a local preacher, to the quarterly conference of which he
is a member.
SECTION VIII.
OF LOCAL ELDERS, DEACONS, AND PREACHERS.
1. A local elder is one, who, having filled the office of a
local deacon for four successive years, has been ordained to the
eldership by the election of an annual conference, and the laying on of the hands of the bishop and other elders. Before
such election and ordination, it is necessary that he be recom



294               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
mended by the quarterly conference of which he is a member.
Provided, always, that no slaveholder shall be eligible to the
office of an elder, where the laws will allow him to emancipate
his slaves.
2. A local deacon is one, who, having filled the office of a
local preacher for four successive years, has been elected by an
annual conference —after proper recommendation-and been
ordained by the laying on of the hands of the bishop. No
slaveholder is eligible to this office who can manumit his slaves.
3. A local preacher is one who has received license to preach
from the quarterly conference. Said license must be renewed
once a year, at least, in order to be valid.
4. All local elders, deacons, or preachers, must have their
names recorded in a class-book, and must meet in class, and
when they remove from one circuit or station to another, they
must obtain certificates of their standing at the time of their removal, before they can be received as members or preachers in
other places.
5. When a travelling preacher is located or discontinued, he
becomes a member of the quarterly conference where he resides, or where he has had his last appointment.
6. It is the duty of local elders to preach, and administer the
sacraments, especially in those places not visited by the travelling elders; of the local deacons, to assist in the administration of the Lord's Supper, and to baptize, &c., and of the local
preachers, to preach wherever, and whenever practicable. It is
expected of all local ministers that they preach at least once
every Sabbath-day.
7. The difference between travelling and local preachers and
ministers, consists chiefly in the fact that the former give themselves wholly to the work of the ministry, while the latter pursue some secular calling in connection with the sacred officethe former might properly be called regular ministers, and the
latter secular ministers.
8. Local ministers and preachers are amenable to the quar



EXHORTERS, STEWARDS, ETC.               295
terly conference for their private and official conduct, and if
suspended or expelled they have an appeal to the annual conference, whose decision in their case is final.*
SECTION IX.
OF EXHORTERS, STEWARDS, CLASS-LEADERS, AND TRUSTEES.
1. Exhorters are licensed by the preachers in charge, after
havino been recommended by the class or leader's meeting.
They are subject, like local preachers, to an annual examination of character in the quarterly conference, and to have their
licenses renewed by the presiding elder, if approved by the
quarterly conference. It is the duty of exhorters to hold meetings in the absence of a preacher, and to call sinners to repentance whenever opportunity offers. If accused of crime, an exhorter is to be tried by the Society, or select number, and if
guilty may be expelled by the preacher in charge, he having
an appeal to the quarterly conference.
2. Stewards are nominated by the preacher in charge, and
appointed by the quarterly conference. On every circuit or
station there must not be less than three nor more than seven
stewards.  It is their duty to take an exact account of all the
money or other provision collected for the support of the
preachers on the circuit or station; to seek out the poor and
needy, and relieve them; to inform the preachers of any sick
or disorderly persons; to tell the preachers what they think
wrong in them; to attend the quarterly meetings, and give
advice when required in planning the circuit; to give counsel in
matters of arbitration; provide elements for the Lord's Supper;
" Ministers of the Methodist Church coming from Europe or America, may be received according to their credentials, by an annual conference, and ministers from other evangelical churches may be received
without reordination by taking upon them our ordination vows.




296                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
to write circular letters to the Societies to be more liberal, if
need be; to register baptisms and marriages; and be subject
to the bishops and other ministers of the circuit or station.
The stewards are amenable to the quarterly conference for their
official conduct, but they can only be tried by the Society, or a
select number, and if expelled have an appeal to the quarterly
conference.
3. Class-leaders are appointed by the preacher in charge,
and are responsible to him for the proper discharge of their
duties. It is their duty to meet their class once a week, in
order to inquire into the spiritual state of each member of the
same, and to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort them as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to give toward the relief of the preachers, church and poor, and to pay
the same over to the stewards; to meet the ministers and
stewards once a week, when practicable, and inform them of
any that are sick, or that walk disorderly and will not be reproved; to meet in quarterly conferences, and be the spiritual
assistants of the minister and preachers on the circuits and
stations. The usual number of members committed to the
special charge of a class-leader is about twelve, although there
are frequently found as many as twenty or thirty in one class.
Class-leaders are responsible to the Society for their moral and
Christian conduct.
4. Trustees.  These are appointed for the purpose of holding
in trust for the benefit of the Society in any given place, all real
and personal estate which may belong to such Society, such as
churches, burying-grounds, parsonages, parsonage furniture, &c.
According to the laws of most states and territories, they form a
body corporate, and are the legal representatives of the Society
whose property they hold in trust, and as such may sue and
be sued. Except where the statutes of the states and territories
otherwise provide, a new board of trustees is appointed by the
preacher in charge, or presiding elder of the district, and afterwards, in case of vacancy, the preacher in charge shall nominate




TRUSTEES.                      297
persons to supply such vacancy, and the remaining trustees
shall proceed to elect and confirm such nomination.
In most states and territories, however, statutes are made
by which the election of all trustees is to be governed.  They
are generally divided into three classes, each class holding office
for three years, and alternately going out of office every year.
It is also provided that the church, society, or congregation, by
a majority of votes of the male members thereof, of twenty-one
years of age, shall elect the necessary number of trustees.
The Discipline requires that all trustees shall have been
members of the church for the space of one year previous to
their election, and that they shall be at least twenty-one years
of age.  They are responsible to the quarterly conference for
their official acts, and are required to present a report annually
to said quarterly conference, of their acts as a board during the
preceding year.
It is the duty of trustees to hold sacredly in trust for the
purposes specified in the deed of conveyance, all property committed to their charge, and to allow it to be diverted to no
other use or purpose whatsoever. In case of official misconduct, a trustee may be removed and restrained by application
to the proper civil court.




CHAPTER IV.
OF THE GENERAL, ANNUAL, AND QUARTERLY CONFERENCES, AND  OTHER COLLECTIVE  BODIES IN  THE
CHURCH.
SECTION I.
OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.
1. THE General Conference is composed of one member for
every twenty-one members of an annual conference, and if
there should be a fraction of two thirds that number-fourteen
— such fraction shall entitle the conference to an additional
delegate. Provided always that no conference shall be denied
the privilege of two delegates.
2. The general conference is required to meet on the first
day of May, quadrennially, in such places as it shall at previous
conferences fix upon: but the bishops, with the advice of all
the annual conferences, may call a special session of the general
conference at any time; or if there be no bishop, the annual
conferences may call such a session.
3. The bishops shall preside in the general conference, but
if there is no bishop the conference shall choose a president,.pro tern. No person can be a member of the general conference who has not travelled four full calendar years, and is in
full connection in an annual conference at the time of his election. Two thirds of all the members elected shall form a
quorum for the transaction of business.
4. The general conference has full power to make rules and




THE GENERAL CONFERENCE,                 299
regulations for the church, under certain restrictions and limitations; (1.) They shall not revoke, alter, or change our Articles
of Religion, nor establish any new standards or rules of doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards
of doctrine. (2.) They shall not allow of more than one representative for every fourteen members of an annual conference,
nor less than one for every thirty. (3.) They shall not change
or alter any part or rule of our government so as to do away
Episcopacy, or destroy the plan of our itinerant general superintendency.  (4.) They shall not revoke or change the general
rules of the Society. (5.) They shall not do away the privileges
of our ministers and preachers, of trial by a committee and of
an appeal; nor the privileges of our members, of trial before the
Society or by a committee, and of an appeal. (6.) They shall
not appropriate the produce of the book concern and chartered
fund to any purpose other than for t ie benefit of the travelling,
supernumerary, superannuated, and worn-out preachers, their
wives, widows, and children.
Provided, nevertheless, that when three fourths of all the
members of the several annual conferences present and voting
shall concur in recommending any change in the above restrictions, then a majority of two thirds of the general conference
shall suffice to alter the same, excepting the first Article, relating to doctrine; or when a majority of two thirds of the general
conference shall by vote recommend such alteration, as soon as
three fourths of the members of all the annual conferences shall
have concurred therein, such alteration shall take effect.
5. The general conference, according to the piesent ratio of
representation, consists of about one hundred and sixty members. It appoints its own secretaries, elects the book agents,
editors, and missionary secretaries; tries appeals from travelling
ministers, and examines strictly the character and official acts
of the bishops; it examines the journals of the several annual
conferences, and either approves or disapproves of the same; it
creates new annual conferences, and fixes their bounds, and ap



300               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
points the place of its next meeting. After remaining in session
for from four to six weeks, it adjourns to the first day of May in
four years thereafter.
SECTION  II.
OF THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
1. The Annual Conference is composed of all the travelling
preachers in full connection, within its bounds, each of whom
has an equal voice in the transaction of business. A bishop,
by virtue of his office, is the president of the conference, but in
case of necessary absence, he may appoint a substitute from
among the presiding elders, or if he fails to do so, the conference may appoint its own president from among the same.
2. The bishops appoint the time of holding the conferences,
and must allow each conference to sit a week, at least; the
conference appoints the place of its session, which is usually
done by accepting some one of the numerous applications sent
up by Societies, and quarterly conferences.
3. The business of an annual conference is, to admit preach
ers on trial; receive preachers into full connection; elect travelling and local preachers to deacons' and elders' orders; grant
locations; and supernumerary and superannuated relations to
those who apply; examine the character of each preacher by
calling their names over before the conference, and inquiring if
there are any objections to them; to try and expel preachers,
if need be, and hear appeals from suspended or expelled local
preachers; to receive reports from  all the preachers, of the
amounts raised for their salaries, and of the amount of money
raised for the worn-out preachers, widows, and orphans; for
the cause of missions, tracts, the American Bible Society, the
Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church, or
any other purpose for which collections have been ordered by
the conference, or for which the Discipline provides.




TEIE QUAItTERLY CONFERENCE.              301
4. The session of an annual conference extends from five to
ten days, according to the number of members belonging to it,
and the amount of business to be transacted.  The largest
number in any one conference is two hundred and eighty-three,
and the smallest number is fifty-one.
SECTION III.
OF THE QUARTERLY CONFERENCE.
1. A Quarterly Conference is composed of all the travelling
and local preachers, exhorters, stewards, and leaders on any
circuit or station.  There are usually one or two travelling
preachers, from one to six or eight local preachers, one or more
exhorters, seven stewards, and from five to twenty or more classleaders, belonging to each quarterly conference.  The presiding
elder of the district is the president thereof, or, in case of absence, the preacher in charge is the responsible president.
2. The quarterly conference meets four times in each year,
and may adjourn from  day to day till its business is finished,
but cannot adjourn to a distant day for that purpose.  The
presiding elder appoints the time of holding the quarterly conference, but the conference appoints the place of its own sittingrs.  The business of the conference is ori.,arily despatched
in the course of a few hours.
3. It is the business of the quarterly conference to hear complaints against local preachers, and to receive and try appeals
from expelled members; to superintend the interests of Sunday
Schools within its bounds; to estimate by,.ommittee the
amount necessary to be raised for fuel and the table expenses
of the travelling preacher or preachers of the circuit or station;
to take cognizance of all the local preachers and exhorters; to
appoint stewards, the preacher in charge having the right to
iominate; to grant licenses to preach; to recommend the re



-302              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
newal of exhorters' licenses; to recommend to the annual conference suitable persons for admission on trial in the annual
conference; to recommend suitable persons to be ordained as
local deacons and elders; to recommend the re-admission of
located elders and deacons to an annual conference; to appoint
a recording steward to keep all the records of the quarterly
conference; to appoint a district steward to meet in convention
aand estimate the amount necessary to be raised for the fuel and
table expenses, house-rent, &c., of the presiding elder; to advise the action of trustees, and take all such steps for the wellbeing of the church or churches within its bounds, as shall be
deemed expedient and right.
4. In all questions of law, the presiding elder shall be the
judge, subject to an appeal to the president of the next annual
conference, but the application of law shall remain with the
quarterly conference.
SECTION IV.
OF LEADERS', OR OFFICIAL MEETINGS.
1. These meetings originally embraced only the leaders of
classes, but by common consent, and as a matter of utility, they
now embrace all the members of the quarterly conference, the
preacher in charge being the chairman thereof.
2. The official board, or leaders' meeting, usually meets once
in each month, when convenient, or oftener when necessary
and is subject at all times to the call of the preacher in charge.
3. It is the business of the leaders' meeting to recommend
suitable persons to the preacher in charge, for license to exhort; otherwise, the duties of the same are not very clearly
defined in the Discipline; common usage, however, makes it the
business of such meeting to advise and assist the preacher in
charge in the administration of discipline; to recommend suit



SOCIETY AND CLASS-MEETINGS.              303
able persons, whose term of probation has expired for membership in the church; to attend to the financial interests of the
church, and devise ways and means for raising the allowance
of the preachers, and to do all other business of an ecclesiastical nature, which may properly come before them.
SECTION V.
OF SOCIETY AND CLASS-MEETINGS.
1. These meetings are frequently held for the purpose of
spiritual improvement; to hear complaints against members,
and to judge of the guilt or innocence of the accused; to judge
of the qualifications of probationers as to faith and doctrine,
who apply for membership in the church, and to transact such
other business as may be referred to them, either by the pastor, or official board. The preacher in charge always presides
a such meetings.
2. In this section may be noticed also the fact that a single
class has power to recommend suitable persons to the preacher
in charge for license to exhort, and to do such other business
as properly belongs to it as a class. A preacher or leader may
preside over the class in its business deliberations; and either
the preacher or leader may call a meeting of the class at any
time, althoough the members of the class are not obliged to attend such a call more than once a week.




CHAPTER V.
OF THE PUBLIC AND SOCIAL MEANS OF GRACE.
SECTION I.
OF PUBLIC WORSHIP.
1. PUBLIC worship on the Lord's day consists of singing,
prayer-concluding with the Lord's prayer-reading the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, singing, preaching, singing, prayer, and the benediction.
2. On the evening of the Lord's day, and on other days of
the week, the same order is observed, excepting the reading of
the Scriptures.
3. In administering the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's
Supper, the forms prescribed in the Discipline, and prepared by
Mr. Wesley, are invariably used. These forms are short but
comprehensive, and are merely abbreviations of those found in
the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England.  It is
thought by many, that the form relating to baptism needs revision, as it seems to endorse the dogma of baptismal regene; ra
tion, which is certainly not the doctrine of the Metlhodist Episcopal Church. In the burial of the dead, and the solemnization of matrimony, the forms prescribed in the Discipline are
generally but not always used.
4. Public worship is usually held each Sabbath on, stations,
once in two weeks on circuits, and occasionally on week evenings. Preaching at four or five o'clock in the morning —sc




CLASS-MEETINGS.                    305
much the practice in Mr. Wesley's time, and in the earlier
days of Methodism —has, in the United States, very generally
fallen into disuse.
5. The rule of discipline requiring the men and women to
sit apart in all our churches, is fast becoming obsolete, especially
in such churches as are built with pews or slips, to sell or rent.
It is found most convenient, in large places, for families to be
seated together, and we may express the hope that a rule
which cannot be enforced, and which has no scriptural warrant nor precedent, will be expunged from  the page of disciSECTION  II.
OF CLASS-MEETINGS.
1. These, according to discipline, are required to be held
weekly, ill every place.  The object of class-meetings is to inquire into the spiritual state of each member of the class, and
to advise, reprove, comfort, and exhort, as occasion may require.
There are usually about twelve persons in a class, although
there are frequently found twenty, thirty, or more.
2. The exercises of class-meeting consist of singing, prayer,
and the relation of Christian experience.  These meetings are
of immense importance to the church, and cannot be neglected
without detriment to its spiritual interests, but whether Mr.
Wesley ever designed to establish class-meetings as a term or
condition of chr-ch.-menbeersAip, is a question which has not
been largely discu.ssed, nor finally settled.  One thing appears
to be certain, namely; that all Methodists who enjoy a sense
of the pardoning favor of God, love class-meetings, even though
they are but a prudential  means of grace, and on the other
hand, a wilful neglect of class-meetings is an almost certain indication of a low state of religious enjoyment.
3. Strangers-thlat is, persons not members of the church or




306              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Society-may be admitted to the privileges of class-meeting
twice or thrice, but not oftener, without violating the rules of
the Society.  This rule may be considered by many as savoring
too much of a spirit of sectarianism, but when the nature and
design of a class-meeting is duly considered, we feel persuaded
that none but the bigoted and uncharitable will object to them
on that account. Indeed, the design of class-meetings would
be completely frustrated if all of every class, whether pious or
ungodly, were admitted thereto. Even members of the Methodist Church have no ecclesiastical or conventional right to
meet in any class but their own, without the permission of the
leader.
4. Leaders are required frequently to meet each other's
classes. The object of this rule is to give the members of the
different classes the benefit of the advice and counsel of the
various leaders, and to prevent as far as possible a spirit of
formality.
SECTION III.
OF BAND MEETINGS.
1. Two, three, or four true believers, who have confidence in
each other, form a band; and in each band all must be men,
or all women; and all must be married, or all single. The
bands meet once a week to converse on purely spiritual matters,
and to help each other in the way to heaven, by complying
with that command of God, expressed by the apostle James,
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,
that ye may be healed." The members of the band pledge
themselves to abstain from all sin, and zealously to maintain
good works.
2. Belonging to a band is perfectly voluntary on the part of
all the members. Indeed, none but the decidedly pious and
devoted can have any desire to meet therein. The band meet.




PRAYE R-MEETIN G S.                3 0 7
ings differ much in the;r nature and design from the auricular
confessionals of the Church of Romee; the latter being composed of the priest and a single supposed penitent, the former
of a few believers.
3. These band meetings are frequent in large Societies, but
it is deeply to be regretted that they have fallen so much into
disuse in most places; as all who have belonged to them can
testify to their utility as a prudential means of grace.
SECTION IV.
OF PRAYER-MEETINGS.
1. These are held semi-weekly, or oftener, in nearly every
place where Societies are established.  Sunday and Thursday
evenings are usually selected for the above meetings in the
Methodist Church.  These meetings are nearly, if not quite as
important to the interests of true religion in the Methodist
Church as class-meetings, and should not be dispensed with for
trivial considerations.
2. The exercises of prayer-meetings consist principally of
singing, prayer, and exhortation, in which all the members,
male and female, are expected to take a part. The doctrine of
the Methodist Church in relation to female speaking and praying' is, that while it is manifestly improper for "a woman to
speak in the church," in relation to church business; and that,
while on all matters of a temporal character, or others where
dictation and governing are required, the women should " learn
to lkeep silence in the churches," yet in matters of a purely religious character, in the social meetings of the church, it is not
only their privilege but their duty to improve the talents
which God has given them, by singing, prayer, and exhortation. Indeed, in all revivals of religion it has been found that
the women are among the most efficient laborers, and the most




308               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
honored instruments in the conversion of souls; and we hope
the day is far distant when in the Methodist Church it will be
considered unfashionable or unusual for a pious female to pray
or exhort in a Methodist social meeting.  If such a day ever
does arrive "Ichabod" may be inscribed upon the title-page of
her history.
SECTION V.
OF LOVE-FEASTS.
1. Love-feasts were instituted by Mr. Wesley in an early
day in the history of Methodism.  He derived the idea from
the Moravians, or United Brethren, one of whose love-feasts he
had the privilege of attending; and since- their institution by
Mr. WVesley they have always been considered as an essential
part of Methodist usages, and have for many years been connected with each quarterly meeting as an interesting part of
the same. They are held quarterly, or oftener, as occasion
may require.
2. The exercises of a love-feast are singing, prayer, partaking
of bread and water as a token of Christian fellowship and love,
and the relation of Christian experience.  These meetings are
hailed with delight by every Methodist, and no marvel, for if
there is one place on earth more like heaven than another, it
is an old-fashioned Methodist love-feast, where the members,
worshipping God'under their own vine and fig-tee,," with all
intruders and spies shut out, have "none to molest or make
afraid," and where each member, in simplicity and honesty,
may declare what the Lord has done for his soul. The speeches,
on such occasions, are necessarily short, and are directly to the
point of present Christian experience and enjoyment. Frequently as many as eighty or a hundred persons, in few words,
express their gratitude to God in the course of a single hour,
>,sides occasional singing.




CAMP-MEETINGS.                    309
3. These meetings, as to time, are limited expressly by the
D)iscipline to an hour and a half.  A similar rule exists in relation to admitting strangers not more than twice or thrice to
love-feasts, as exists in relation to class-meetings, and for the
same or similar reasons.  The preacher in charge, by virtue of
his office, is required to hold love-feasts, but by common consent the presiding elder, when present, invariably presides
during such occasions.
SECTION  VI.
OF CAMP-MEETINGS.
1. These appendages to American Methodism originated, as
stated in the historical part of this work, in the year 1799,*
amrong the Methodists and Presbyterians in Kentucky. By the
latter church they have long since been abandoned, as unsuited
to their views of order and propriety; while by the Methodists
they have been retained as a highly useful and interesting
means of doing good.
2. Camp-meetings are usually held annually, in the summer
or autumn, in a grove or forest in some central or convenient
place, where water, pasturage, &c. may be obtained.  The
ministers and members friom  different parts of a presiding
elder's, district, and frequently of two adjoining districts, and
from  a distance of ten, twenty, thirty, and even fifty miles,
assemble together in one place to enjoy this "feast of taber
nacles."  They bring with them their canvass tents, provisions,
&c. &c.  The snow-white tents are arranged in a circulal form
around the camp ground.  At one end is the "stand," or pulpit, fitted up so as to accommodate twenty or thirty ministers
with seats.  In front of the stand is an enclosure called the
" ltar," fitted up with seats for any that may be seeking the
stome authors state 1l97. We have taken Bang's date.




310               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
pardon of sin.  Beyond the altar, and in fiont of the stand, are
arranged, in proper order, seats for the congregation, who,
when seated, are surrounded on all sides by the circle of tents.
The rear of the tents is devoted to culirnary purposes, while in
the interior of the circle, during religious services, nothing is
expected to take place unbecoming the sanctity of a place of
worship. The exercises consist of preaching four or five times
each day, interspersed with prayer, singing, exhortation, &c.
The meeting usually lasts five or six days, and on the morning
of the last day of the meeting a love-feast is held, and frequently the Lord's Supper is administered; and before dispersing it is customary for all the congregation present to march
round within the circle of tents, in solemn procession, singing
appropriate farewell hymns.  After marching round once or
twice, the ministers arrange themselves in front of the stand,
and receive the parting adieu of each person who passes before
them.  This "parting scene" is usually very solemn and affecting, and those who can refrain from weeping under these circurustances are favored with stronger nerves than usually fall
to the lot of humanity. Many, who having participated in the
previous exercises of the camp-meeting without much apparent
conviction, have during this closing scene been pricked to the
heart, and been forced to beg the prayers of God's people before leaving the ground.  After the benediction has been pronounced by the presiding elder or senior preacher, all retire to
their homes better qualified than before to labor for the conversion of souls.  Thousands, no doubt, are every year converted to God through the instrumentality of these means of grace.
SECTION  VII.
OF WATCH-NIGHT MEETINGS.
1. These meetings were instituted by Mr. Wesley.  Before
their conversion to Methodism the colliers of Cornwall, England.




PROTRACTED AND OTHER MEETINGS.            311
were accustomed to spend every Saturday night, to a late hour,
at the ale-house, or tavern, drinking, swearing, and carousing.
After having been converted, through the labors of Whitefield
and Wesley, the latter was providentially led to substitute the
chapel for the ale-house, and prayer and praise for oaths and
blasphemy. These meetings were held generally once a month,
at the time of the full moon, and subsequently were introduced
into all the Societies in England.  In Amnerica, watch-nights
have been confined to two evenings in the year-Christmas and
New Year's eve-and are usually seasons of great spiritual
profit.
2. The exercises at such meetings vary according to circum-.
stances. On New Year's eve it is customary to have one or two
sermons, interspersed with other appropriate exercises. As the
hour of twelve passes away all are kneeling in solemn silent
prayer before God, and as the old year becomes lost in eternity,
and time gives birth to a new one, each Christian heart is being
laid upon the altar in the act of self-consecration.  After silent
prayer, a New Year's hymn of praise is sung, salutations are exchanged, and the worshippers return to their homes, profited
and blest by the interview.
SECTION VIII.
OF PROTRACTED AND OTHER MEETINGS.
1. At an early day in the history of American Methodism,
two-days' meetings were quite common, and were seasons of
great power and spiritual refreshing. As time elapsed, these
meetings were continued to three, four, and five days. Still
later, days gave place to weeks and even to months of con
tinued effort for the salvation of souls, so that now it is by no
means a strange thing among the Methodists for a protracted
meeting to be continued during the greater part of fall or




1312              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
winter; during these meetings hundreds are frequently converted to God; and although it is to be regretted that the
church, as well as the unconverted in many places, scarcely expect a revival of religion except in connection with such meetings, yet it by no means follows that such extra efiforts should
be dispensed with, but rather continued from year to year, and
from place to place, " if by any means we may save some."
2. The meetings of the general and annual conferences are,
more or less, rendered a blessing to the places where they are
held, as in connection with them  there is much precious seed
sown, which must sooner or later produce abundant fruit. Still
it is a question, whether less preaching and more of the social
means would not be more profitable at such seasons. Our own
opinion is, that at every session of an annual conference not
only should the sacrament of the Lord's Supper be administered, but a ministerial love-'east, in accordance with the  rule of
Discipline, should be held, in which, of course, the laity should
be invited to participate. These, in connection with prayermeetings, or a conference general class-meeting, would, in our
humble opinion, do more good than a continued round of
preaching, even by the greatest and best of men.
3. The meetings of district ministerial associations are becoming quite fiequent, and are productive of great good, not
only to the ministers themselves, but to the people where the
sittings are' held. So far as the author has been able to obtain
authentic information in regard to the origin of these associations, Potsdam district, Black River Conference, has the honor
of being the first district in the connection to form a regularly
organized district ministerial association.  This occurred in the
fall of 1836.  Rev. John Loveys, being presiding elder, was the
first president, and Rev. Jesse T. Peck-now Dr. Peck-was
the first secretary, the author and others of his brethren, being
members of the said association.  Since that period, district
ministerial associations have been organized in different districts
and conferences, and we may hope, from  the experience we




PROTRACTED AND OTHER MEETINGS.         313
have had of their utility, directly and indirectly, that they will
be continued and multiplied throughout the connection. At
these meetings sermons are preached, essays read, examinations
held, discussions introduced, resolutions passed, and experience
related. On the whole, they are a source of intellectual and
spiritual profit, and we can but hope that they will become
a common thing among us, be universally adopted, and be
properly and prudently conducted.




CHAPTER VI.
OF THE SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY AND FINANCIAL
INTERESTS OF METHODISM.
SECTION I.
OF THE ANNUAL ALLOWANCE TO MINISTERS.
1. THE annual allowance of the bishops in the Methodist
Episcopal Church, is as follows: If unmarried, one hundred
dollars and his travelling expenses; if married, two hundred
dollars and his travelling expenses; if he have children, for
each child under seven years of age, sixteen dollars; and for
each child over seven, and under fourteen, twenty-four dollars
annually. Besides the above allowance, the bishops are allowed an amount annually for house-rent, fuel, and table expenses. The latter amount is estimated as follows: each annual conference within whose bounds a bishop may reside, appoints a committee, annually, of three or more, whose duty it
is to estimate the, amount necessary to furnish a house, fuel,
and provision, for the bishop. This amount will of course differ
according to the size of the bishop's family, and the place
where he may reside, as house-rent, fuel, &c., may be much
greater in some places than in others. The last amount, when
estimated, is drawn from the funds of the book concern in New
York and Cincinnati, while each annual conference is required
to bear its proportionate part of the former amount, including
salary and travelling expenses.
2. The annual allowance of the presiding elders is the same
as that of the bishops, and is raised as follows: There is an
annual meeting in each presiding elder's district, of one steward




ANNUAL ALL'JWANCE TO MINISTERS.           315
from each station and circuit, who is appointed by a previous
quarterly conference.  These district stewards estimate the
amount necessary to furnish a house, fuel, and table expenses,
and apportion his entire claim, including his salary and travelling expenses, among the different circuits and stations in his
district, according to their ability. When such an apportionment has been made, if there should be a deficiency in the receipts of any preacher in his district, he must share his proportionate loss of such deficiency; and if all receive their full claim,
the presiding elder receives his, thus sharing with each preacher
in proportion to what the latter receives.
3. The annual allowance of all the travelling ministers and
preachers is the same as that of the bishops and presiding
elders, and is raised in the following manner: The quarterly
conference appoints a committee to estimate the amount necessary to furnish a house, fuel, and table expenses of the preacher
or preachers who may be sent to them.  The sum estimated
by the committee, if approved by the quarterly conference, is
either raised by subscription, slip-rent, or voluntary contribution.  The penny-a-week system, which obtains so largely
among the Methodists in England, has not succeeded to any
great extent in the United States.
4. Local preachers have an allowance in certain cases.
Where they preach only on the Sabbath, and spend their
week-days in pursuing their secular business, they do not expect any remuneration, unless they are very poor; but where
they spend any considerable portion of their week-time in the
service of the church, and are employed by the presiding elder
to fill the vacancy of a travelling preacher, they are entitled to
the same allowance as a travelling preacher.
5. In making the estimates for travelling and table expenses,
the various committees-except it may be in the case of bishops-are scarcely ever governed by the rule —How much will
it take to supply the preacher and his family with provisions,
and his horse with provender.? hut-H-ow much can we raise?
o2




316              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
In the former case two hundred-perhaps three, or morewould be thought necessary; in the latter, sometimes but half
the necessary sum is estimated. We have known the estimate
for the table expenses of a preacher with a wife and three or
four children, to be as low as thirty dollars, with nothing for
travelling expenses! Such an estimate is a mere evasion of
the disciplinary requirement, and ought to be discountenanced
by every preacher, steward, and leader in the church. The
true policy appears to be, to estimate what is actually necessary for the above purposes, and if the circuit or station cannot,
or will not raise it, as all know, the members are not holden as
in case of debt. In making such estimates, committees should
always inquire how much of each article their preacher will
probably need. We will suppose he has a wife and four children, and is under the necessity of keeping a servant-girl.
Such a family will consume, in the course of the year, at least
40 bushels of Wheat, at$1 00.             $40 00
30   "   " Potatoes, at   25.7 50
200 lbs.  Butter, at 12.....   25 00
100   "      Cheese, at    6.....            6 25
200 "    Meat, at 10.20 00
Groceries, &c. &c.,..... 30 00
Fuel,.....                     20 00
Hlay, and provender for horse.    50 00
Incidentals..  1 25
$200 00
Add to the above his salary, out of which he must find
himself and his family in clothing, schooling, books,
periodicals, postage, medicine, medical attendance,
help, wear of carriage, horse, harness, crockery, furniture, &c.,..............   280 00
To this should be added the claim of the presiding
elder, say $400,0 00
Aggregate of the whole,........ $520 00




ANNUAL ALLOWANCE TO MINISTERS.            317
By adopting some such method of estimating a preacher's
claim, committees would arrive at a more correct conclusion
than they generally do, and instead of our preachers being
obliged-as is sometimes the case-literally to beg a living, they
would have enough, and nothing more; but as long as the
present wretched policy of making estimates is pursued, the
zhurch must expect to lose, from year to year, some of her best
ministers, for the good and sufficient reason, that they do not,
and cannot, as parents and husbands, consent to see their families in want, as long as it is written, " He that provideth not
for his own house, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel."
6. The annual allowance of the supernumerary, superannuated, or worn-out preachers is the same as that of the effective
travelling preachers and bishops. The superannuated preachers, however, receive nothing for table expenses, house-rent, and
fuel. Their allowance, paltry as it is, is scarcely ever paid
them in full; what is paid, is raised partly from the fifth collection, and partly from the proceeds of the book concern, and
chartered fund.
7. The widows and orphans of deceased preachers are also
allowed one hunddred dollars for the widow, and the same
amount for each child, as before mentioned, but nothing for
table, travelling expenses, house-rent, or fuel.
8. The fifth collection-so called because it usually comes
after the four quarterly collections —is required by discipline to
be taken up on each circuit or station in the conne(ction, once
in each year. This collection, in the year 1850, in all the conferences, amounted to $15,750, or an average of $543 to each
conference.
The proceeds of the Book Concern, for the same year,
amounted to $17,400, or, $600 to each conference.
The proceeds of the chartered fund, for the same year,
amounted to $1,885, or $65 to each conference.
The income from all other sources, such as ten-cent collec



318              EPISCOPAL METtIODISI.
tions, legacies, interest on conference funds, &c. &c., amounted
to about $6,200. The whole making an aggregate of $41,135.
This sum at first sight appears large, but if it is divided by the
number of superannuated preachers, and widows, and orphans,
in the connection, it will be found that but a portion of their
disciplinary allowance is given to these worthy claimants on
the funds of the church.
The number of superannuated preachers returned on the
minutes of conference for 1850 is 352.
The number of widows returned on the same minutes, as
nearly as we can ascertain, is 275.
The number of orphan children depending on the same
funds, more or less, cannot be less than 300.
In addition to the above claimants, the bishops must receive
their portion of the funds, which amounted in 1850 —with the
allowance to a bishop's widow-to 81,813, or $62.53 to each
conference.  If we add together the above number of claimants, and divide the gross receipts, we shall find that the average dividend to each claimant is $44, and a fraction.  But as
each one receives in proportion to the number in the family,
and the age of the child, or children, the actual receipts differ
greatly from the average to each.  Hence, in the minutes, we
find that the lowest amount given to any one orphan is one
dollar and twenty-eight cents! or about eight per cent. on their
claim of sixteen dollars! In the same conference, widows with
probably one or two children, received the sum of $10.70, as
an annual allowance, and the greatest amount to any one
superannuated preacher, in the same conference, was $26.53,
and this " worn-out" man probably had a wife, and six or seven
children.  On the other hand, the Genesee Conference had the
honor of paying up the claims of the superannuated preachers,
the widows and orphans, in 1850, each married man having
received $200, with the full allowance for children. -Both of
these cases, however, are extreme ones, and the probability is.




CHURCHES, ANi (rt.iultH  PROPERTY.         319
that not more than fifty per cent., on an average, is realized
from these funds, to support the various claimants.
It should be remembered, also, that if an effective travelling
preacher receives less on his circuit than would amount to the
dividend of the worn-out men-let it be more or less-he is
entitled to have the deficiency of per centage made up, so that
his gross receipts for the year shall equal theirs.  This should
be remembered, for two reasons.  (1.) Many think that if an
effective preacher fails to receive his allowance on his circuit,
the deficiency will all be made up fiom the conference funds;
this is a mistake.  (2.) If a circuit or station allow  their
preacher to remain unpaid, for the above reason, they are taking bread from the mouths of the aged and infirm preachers,
and from the widow and the orphan.
We have thus stated as fully as possible the polity of the
church, and the requirements of the Discipline, in relation to
the allowance of ministers.
SECTION Ii.
OF CHURCHES, AND CHURCH PROPERTY.
1. Churches, chapels, meeting-houses, and parsonages, built
for the use or occupancy of the members and preachers of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, are invariably deeded to the trustees of the local church or Society erecting or purchasing tho
same. Some have embraced the idea that all such property is
deeded either to the bishops, or preachers; or to the general
or annual conferences.  This, however, is a mistake, in regard
to which any one may satisfy himself, who will examine the
subject.
2. The trustees-as stated in a previous chapter-are required to hold the property for the purpose for which it was
erected, purchased, or donated, which purpose is, that the




320               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church may use the same
as a place of worship, according to the rules and discipline of
the church; and in further trust, that they shall always permit
the ministers and preachers of such church, who may be duly
appointed by the annual conference, to preach and expound
God's holy word therein.
3. For the manner of appointing trustees, the reader is referred to Book III. Chapter III. Section IX. Paragraph 4.
4. Parsonages, burying-grounds, &c., are held by a similar
tenure as churches, and the only control the conferences or
ministers have over them is, to use them and the churches according to the design of the donors or purchasers. The preachers, bishops, or conferences have no right to dispose of them nor
use them for any other purpose whatsoever than the one named
in the deed of conveyance.
5. As churches and parsonages increase in the church, there
is an increasing desire on the part of both preachers and people, to have the parsonages furnished with at least heavy furniture. Indeed, one of the greatest clogs to the itinerancy is
the necessity of removing furniture from place to place. What
with the wear and tear of furniture, and the enormous expense
annually incurred in such removal, besides the time occupied in
packing and unpacking, it begins to be seriously agitated as a
question, whether the preachers had not better sell all their own
furniture, and throw themselves at once on the generosity of
the people for such articles of furniture as they need for housekeeping. If such arrangements could be made, the saving in
expense for a few years, would, in a pecuniary point of view,
more than meet the necessary outlay. But to have the plan
operate well, it must be generally, even universally adopted.




APPENDIX TO BOOK III.
DECISIONS, AND RESOLUTIONS ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF
THE DISCIPLINE OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
THE Author begs leave to append the following decisions and
resolutions for the special benefit of junior preachers and others, who may not be acquainted with the same. The authorities may be found at the end of the appendix.
1. When does the conference-year commence and terminate I
ANS. When the appointments are announced in conference.
2. When a member of conference has been brought before
a committee, during the interim of an annual conference, and
has been by said committee acquitted, can the annual conference take up the case and decide the final issue, except in
case of appeal? It can, the action of the committee being
only to determine whether the accused shall be suspended, or
allowed to discharge his ministerial functions during the interim.
3. Can a local preacher be tried by a quarterly conference
before having been brought before a committee of local preachers 8 He can, but when it is practicable, he should be brought
before a committee of his peers in the first instance. The
quarterly conference, however, is the only body that can properly try, and finally acquit or suspend a local preacher. " It
has original jurisdiction."
4. When a bill of charges is presented against a iocal
preacher for imprudence, and the necessary disciplinary labor
has not been performed, may the quarterly conference reject
said bill of charges? " If any illegality is found, the conference
may reject any part of the bill."




322               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
5. Are the characters of local elders and deacons subject to
annual examination in the quarterly conference?  They are.
6. If a local preacher or minister is proved guilty of some
offence, who determines the degree or kind of punishment 
The quarterly conference.  The same rule applies to a travelling preacher on trial.
7. Can quarterly conferences, under any circumstances, try
a member of an annual conference?  They cannot.  They may,
however, state their grievances, as a quarterly conference, to
4,he presiding elder.
8. Can exhorters, stewards, and leaders be tried by a quarterly conference?  They cannot.  Exhorters and stewards are
responsible for only official misconduct to, and may be deprived
of their office by, the quarterly conference, but can only be tried
and expelled by the Society, or select number. Leaders, as
such, are responsible only to the preacher in charge.
9. When it is asked in quarterly conference, " Are there any
complaints?" what is intended.   Complaints against local
preachers for immorality or imprudence, or against them, and
exhorters, stewards, and trustees-in certain instances-for official misconduct.
10. In case of a decision by a quarterly conference adverse
to the membership of a local or travelling preacher on trial, and
no appeal is presented to the next session of the annual conference, is such decision final?  It is, in ordinary cases, especially
in cases of law questions.
11. In granting or renewing licenses in a quarterly conference, if there should be a tie vote, will the tie vote grant, or
renew the license?  It will not.  There must be a mzajority of
votes of all the Inembers present.
12. May a quarterly conference refuse to renew the license
of a local preacher, without showing cause?  It may, but cannot deprive him of it in less than a year, except for cause, formnally proved.
13. Can a quarterly conference adjourn to a distant day?




DECISIONS AND RESOLUTIONS.             323
They may adjourn from day to day, to finish pending business,
only.
14. Is a travelling preacher on trial amenable to the quarterly, or annual conference for his administration of discipline a
To the annual conference, only, in such case.
15. Who presides at the examination of a local elder, deacon, or preacher, who is accused of crime, and is brought before a committee of local preachers?  The preacher in charge.
16. If found guilty, who is to suspend him? The committee.
17. In the trial of a member before the " select number,"
should the preacher in charge remain with them while making
up their verdict? He should, but ought not to express an
opinion in reference to the guilt or innocence of the accused,
until the decision is made, nor even at any time during the progress of the trial.
18. If the member is found guilty, who is to determine and
award the punishment? The preacher.
19. If an accused person object to any one or more of the
select number, should  his objections be overruled?  They
should, unless they are reasonable; in that case, the person or
persons objected to, should be changed for others.
20.'If the preacher in charge is a party interested in the
issue of the case, when a member is to be tried, should he act
as chairman of the trial? He should not. The presiding
elder ssbould appoint a chairman for the occasion.
21. When a verdict of guilty is rendered against an accused
person, must the preacher expel the offender, or may pardon
be granted?  In cases of scandalous crimes, expulsion should
follow; but for crimes of a moderate degree, if there is humility, and a promise of amendment, the person may be borne
with, but then only by general consent of the committee or
Society.
22. If a member refuse to arbitrate a disputed matter, after
being recommended to do so, may the preacher in charge pro



324                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
ceed to expel him? Not before he is tried for the offence and
proved guilty, before the Society or select number.  In all
cases of expulsion whatsoever, the person must first be properly
and formally tried for the offence for which he is expelled, before expulsion can ensue.
23. When a preacher differs in judgment from  the Society
or select number in relation to the guilt or innocence of an accused person, and refers the case to the quarterly conference, is
that reference an appeal   It is not; it is a new trial.  The
power to refer should scarcely ever be used by a preachelr, because by many good judges the rule is considered unconstitutional, as it destroys the privilege of a',eal in the case, to the
quarterly conference.
24. Who shall decide whether a person absents himself'
from trial, in the sense of the discipline?  The select number,
or the Society.
25. Is a preacher in charge obliged to present all appeals
from  expelled members to the quarterly conference?  He is,
when noti['d to that effect.
26. May a preacher receive a person into the church, living
within the bounds of another charge, when it is known that
such person could not be received in the charge where he resides?  He may not, except in extreme cases.
27. When a member wishes to remove his residence, and
the preacher believes there are good reasons why a certificate
should be withheld, what shall be done?  If the member is
willing to be tried, the preacher must proceed to the trial of
the person; otherwise, he will be guilty of maladministration.
In case of a refusal to be tried, a certificate may, nay, ought to
be withheld.
28. When a member wishes to withdraw from  the church,
is the preacher under obligation to grant him a certificate of
membership? If the member wishes to unite with another
evangelical church, a certificate may, as a matter of courtesy,




DECISIONS AND RESOLUTIONS.              325
be given, otherwise, there is no obligation, nor even propriety,
in doing so.
29. How long may a person retain a certificate of membership, before it becomes null, and void? There is no prescribed
time. But a person presenting a certificate becomes responsible to the Society receiving him upon such certificate, for his
moral conduct while he held the same in his hands.
30. Can a preacher or Society refuse to receive a member
who presents a proper certificate of membership? They cannot, but if guilty of immorality, may proceed to try him, as
above stated. All such evidences of membership must be duly
honored.
31. When an expelled person confesses and gives proper
satisfaction, and applies for re-admission, may he be received in
full membership, or must he be received on trial? He may be
received in full connection.
32. Is a preacher at liberty to refuse to call an accused
member to trial, when charges have been preferred by respectable members of the church?  He is, if there are sufficient reasons existing why he should not do so.
33. Must a preacher call a member to trial who is credibly
reported to be guilty of crime, even if no charges are formally
preferred against him?  It is the duty of the preacher to do
SO.
34. Should a preacher proceed to try a member on a bill of
charges prepared, and preferred by a complainant out of the
church? He should not; all formal bills of charges should be
preferred by members; but if, in the absence of the latter, the
preacher believes the accused guilty, he should make out
charges against him himself.
35. How long a time should elapse between a citation to
trial, and the time of the trial? This will depend on circumstances; but generally at least a week's notice should be given.
36. If a different crime is proven against an accused person,
from the one specified in the bill of charges, what should be




326               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
done? If the accused plead that he is not prepared for trial
on that point, the trial should be adjourned to a futur 3 day.
37. In preparing a bill of charges, how should a preacher
proceed? He should give the charges, with all the specifications under those charges; and he should be as specific as possible, both in regard to time, and place, where the alleged offence was committed. In case of a charge of falsehood, or
slander, the exact words used should be given; a correct copy
should be furnished the accused, with the name of the accuser,
if any, and a proper notice of the time and place of trial.
38. At the time of the trial, how should he proceed?  He
should cause correct minutes of the charges, specifications, testimony, and decision, to be kept in writing, together with all
the proceedings in the case, so that in case of an appeal, the
same may be presented in due form, to the quarterly conference.
39. When a member is charged with crime, and wishes to
withdraw, for the purpose of evading  a trial, is the preacher
under the necessity of considering him  withdrawn?  Hle is
not; the accused member should not be allowed to withdraw
without permission from the Society.
40. If an expelled person is restored to membership by the
action of an annual conference, on account of incorrect administration, can such person be tried over again for the same offence?  He can; the action of the conference simply places
him where justice may be done by a new trial.
41. Can an expelled member avail himself of the action of
an annual conference in his case, unless he first uses his constitutional privilege of an appeal to the quarterly conference, as
aexn'ribed in the discipline?  IIe cannot; his first arid chief
redress is in his right of appeal to the quarterly conference.
42. Should an accuser be allowed to be a witness?  In cases
of personal dispute, in the issue of which the accuser has a
direct interest, he should not; but in cases where he has no
other interest than is common to all the members of the
church, he should be permittee2 to give evidence.




DECISIONS AND RESo'LUTIONS.              327
43. Has a preacher a right to give a love-feast ticket to any
person lot a member or probationer of the church?  lie has
no such right.  Tickets with the word "member" printed on
them, should be given only to members; tickets without the
word member, should be given only to probationers: "notes"
of admission should be given to those who are neither members
nor probationers.
44. Has an annual conference a right to require its members
to take up an annual collection for the purpose of sustaining
the literary institutions under its care?  It has such right.
45. Can an annual conference refuse a location to one of its
members in good standing, when such location is demanded?
It cannot, and is obliged to give him a certificate of such location.
46. Is the recommendation of a quarterly conference, in the
case of local preachers, candidates for the travelling connection,
&c., of any force after the ensuing annual conference? It is
not.
41. Has the presiding elder of a district a right to give leave
of absence to any of his preachers?  He has not.
48. Has the president of an annual or quarterly conference
a right to decline putting the question on a motion, when in
his judcl:rent such motion does not relate to the proper business of the conference l  He las.
49. Are questions relating to the admissibility of testimony,
questions of law?  They are.  (Consequently the president or
chairman of a trial must decide on the admissibility of testimony.)
50. To what quarterly conference or Society does a supera.nnuated preacher belong?  If he resides within the bounds
of Iris own conference, he belongs to such bodies where e he resides; if in the bounds of another conference, he belongs to no
Society, or quarterly conference, but has a right, as all preachers have, to meet in class.




328              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
AUTHORITIES.
Question.                  Question.
1  Bishop Waugh           26  Bishop Morris
2    "   Hamline         27  Gen. Con. 1848
3    "   Morris          28  Gen. Con. 1848
4    "   Janes           29  Bishop Morris
5    "   Morris          30  Various
6    "   Hedding         31  Bishop Hedding
7    "   Morris          32    "   iledding
8    "   Morris          33    "   Hedding
9  Various               34  Various
10  Bishop Hamline        35    "
11    "   Waugh           36  Bishop Hedding
12    "   Waugh           37  Various
13    "   Hedding          38    "
14    "   Hedding         39  All the Bishops
15    "   Hedding         40  Bishop Janes16    "   Hedding         41  B. R. Con. 1851
17    "   Hedding, Morris 42  Bishop Janes
18    "   iledding        43  Discipline
19    "   Hedding         44  Gen. Con. 1840
20    "   Morris          45  Gen. Con. 1840, & 1844
21    "   Hedding         46  Gen. Con. 1840
22    "   Hedding         47  Gen. Con. 1840
23    "   iedding         48  Gen. Con. 1840
24    "   iedding         49  Gen. Con. 1844
25  Various               50  Gen. Con. 1844
The above decisions and resolutions are given, not in the
exact words of the authorities referred to, but so as to embrace
the substance in the fewest words possible, and yet retain the
meaning.




BOOK IV.
BENEVOLENT AND LITERARY INSTITUTIONS
AND STATISTICS OF METHODISSM.
CHAPTER I.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
SECTION I.
30OOK CONCERN.
1. THE Book Concern may properly be called a benevolent
institution, as the design —in part, at least-is to furnish a fund
for the relief of the superannuated, or worn-out preachers, the
widows and orphans of those who have died in the regular
work of the ministry, and the profits of that establishment are,
in the main, sacredly devoted to that purpose. It is true that
this is by no means the only design of its institution; the circulation of bibles, Sunday-school books, tracts, and religious
works of various kinds, all prove that another prominent object
is the furnishing of wholesome reading to the thousands of our
Israel, who naturally look to their own church and ministry for
a supply of their wants in this respect.
At an early period in the history of English Methodism, Mr.
Wesley became an author, and indirectly a publisher on an extensive scale. The voluminous works which he found it necessary to print " for the use of the people called Methodists," de



330               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
manded a press of his own, which was, and is, located in the
city of London. Soon after the organization of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, the importance of having Methodist books
printed in America, was deeply felt. Hitherto, the minutes,
Sunday service, hymn-books, &c., had been published at Mr.
Wesley's press in London, and had to be imported at great
risk and expense, besides loss of time. In the year 1787, the
subject of printing and publishing books in America is first
alluded to in the discipline. At the conference which assembled in the above year, it was resolved to print such books as
the conference should recommend, and that the profits of sale
should be applied " toward Cokesbury College, the preachers'
fund, the deficiencies of the preachers, the distant missions, or
the debts on our churches." The first attempt at publishing
books was in Philadelphia, and in 1792, the Rev. John Dickins was appointed to manage the printing business.  His annual
allowance was, " two hundred dollars for a dwelling-house, and
for a book-room; eighty dollars for a boy; fifty-three and one
tbird dollars for fire-wood; and three hundred and thirty-three
dollars to clothe and feed himself, his wife, and his children.
In all, six hundred and sixty-six dollars, and one third. The
first book-committee appointed to regulate the concern, were
John Dickins, Henry Willis, and Thomas Haskins.  In 1796,
the publication of the Methodist Magazine was recommended
by tile conference, and in 1800, Ezekiel Cooper was appointed
superintendent of the Book Concern, and it was made the duty
of each presiding elder to see that his district was duly supplied
with books; to order such books as were wanted; to distribute
them among the different circuits, and to charge the same to
the preachers. The latter were required to sell as many as
possible, and account to the presiding elder for the same, and
when they left a circuit, they were to collect all the books remaining on their hands in one place, and leave an inventory of
the same with the presiding elder. No preacher was allowed




BOOK CONCERN.                    331
to print or circulate any book or pamphlet without the consent
of the conference, previously obtained.
In 1804, the Book Concern was removed to New York, and
Ezekiel Cooper was re-appointed general book steward, and
John Wilson, assistant editor and book steward. At this time
it was resolved that the profits be applied to the support of distressed travelling preachers and their families.
In 1820, a book agent was appointed to reside in Cincinnati,
and manage the Concern in the western country, under the
direction of the editor in New York. The system of issuing
books on commission still obtained, and it was only in 1828
that the General Conference resolved thereafter to issue no
more books on commission. In 1826 the publication of the
"Christian Advocate" was commenced in New York, and at
the conference of 1828, an editor was appointed to superintend
the same, and to edit the Child's Magazine. In 1832, a branch
concern, or general depository, was established in New Orleans,
and in 1836 the book concern at Cincinnati was made independent of the one in New York,* yet so " as to co-operate
with the agents at New York" in the publication of books, &c.
In the last named year, in addition to the Christian Advocate
and Journal, and Western Christian Advocate, provision was
made for issuing weekly papers from Charleston, S. C., Richmond, Va., and Nashville, Tenn.
In 1840, provision was made for the publication of the Methodist Quarterly Review, Youth's Magazine, the Christian Apologist, in German, Pittsburgh Christian Advocate, and the
Ladies' Repository.
In 1844, the Northern Christian Advocate, in Auburn, was
* On the 18th Feb. 1836, the entire book establishment in New
York, with its buildings, presses, books, papers, &c., was destroyed by
fire. Through the liberality of friends, in and out of the church, however, the loss was partly made up, and better buildings were erected
on the site of the old ones, so that the " glory of the latter house," far
surpases " that of the former.'        23




332               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
adopted as a General Conference paper, and given in charge to
Rev. N. Rounds, of the Oneida Conference, who was succeeded
in 1848 by the present talented editor, Rev. vWiliarm  H)osumer,
of the Genesee Conference.
2. The present state of the Book Concern is as follows: —n
New York, there is one agent, and one assistant agent; an
editor of the Quarterly Review, and books of tlhe General Catalogue; an editor of the Christian Advocate and Journal; an
editor of Sunday-school books and tracts, all of whom are under
the supervision of a book committee of seven, appointed by the
General Conference.  A large number of clerks, salesmen, porters, printers, binders, &c. &c., are employed at this concern,
which is located at 200 Mulberry-street.
At Cincinnati there are two agents, and three editors, with
the necessary number of employees, and an editor for each of
the General Conference papers.  Depositories of books are
found in Pittsburgh, and Boston, and Methodist book-stores are
found in Auburn, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other
places. The number of distinct works published at New York
and Cincinnati, from the ponderous imperial octavo of 5,528
pages, down to the lilliputian 48mo. of but a few pages, amounts
to about two thousand in round numbers.  These works may
be classified as follows:On Biblical Literature,.   21
On Doctrinal and Controversial Theology,....       56
On Experimental and Practical Religion,...    667
On Biography and History.......            85
On Ecclesiastical Polity and History,......    13
On Homiletics and Pastoral Duties,....           9
On Methodist Usages, Church Polity, &c.,...        23
On Missions, &c.,.                                 16
Sermons and Addresses by different Ministers,...   59
Poetical and Musical,...             9
On Miscellaneous Subjects,........            70
German Works...........    9




BOOK CONCERN.                   333
Juvenile Works,...........    71
Fires;ide Library,..e....                 121
Tracts, &c.,.                                   400
SUN'DAY-SCHIOOL DEPART.MENT.
Youth's Library, VOLS.                            400
Child's Library,   "...       300
Children's Tracts,..........         60
Gift Books, &c.,..                           163
1952
The publication of these books by thousands of copies annually, together with the printing of love-feast tickets, Sundayschool tickets, certificates of membership in the church, and
Missionary Societies, Sunday School Union, &c. &c., and the
printing of portraits, engravings, &c., will show to some extent
the amount of capital required, and the labor to be performed,
in that vast establishment in New York, and its sister establishment in the west.
The preparation of books, however, is but one part of the
business performed at these establishments.  About thirty
thousand copies of the Christian Advocate and Journal are
weekly printed in New York; about one hundred thousand
copies of the Sunday School Advocate-a paper as large as the
former-are published monthly at the same place; about fifty
thousand copies of the Missionary Advocate are also published
monthly, besides between two and three thousand copies of the
Quarterly Review. At Cincinnati, besides the publication of
books, the Western Christian Advocate, the Christian Apologist, and the Ladies' Monthly Repository, are published weekly
and monthly by thousands.
3. The followino table exhibits the present financial condition of the book concerns at INew York and Cincinnati, as reported to the annual conferences at their sessions in 1851.




334              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
BOOK-ROOM AT NEW YORK.
Real Estate in New York city, consisting of buildings, &c........ $115,573
Cash in hand, and in bank, with State Stocks.    66,605
Books on hand, bound and unbound, &c. &c..  191,681
Printing-office, including presses, type, stereotype
plates, &c........                  92,907
Foundry, &c. &c.........              618
Bindery.............                 8,868
Notes and accounts considered good....    164,971
Deduct $14,819, due by the concern, leaves. $626,225
Nett profits of the year 1850..            42,161
Paid conference dividends in 1850...      19,700
Amount of sales in 1850.......   200,215
BO0K CONCERN AT CINCINNATI.
Real Estate in Cincinnati, &c...        $65,000
Books and stationery on hand.....         44,061
Printing-office, presses, type, &c.....  29,912
Bindery......              4,915
Furniture, &c. &c........             1,900
Notes and accounts considered good 7. 79,782
Cash on hand, &c. &c.........          3,567
Deduct $26,502, due by the concern, leaves. $202,637
Profits of the year 1850-1.......    15,095
Present value of both concerns.            $828,862
Both concerns are incorporated by the Legislatures of the
States wherein they are located.




MISSIONARY SOCIETY.                335
SECTION II.
CHARTERED FUND.
1. TihIS fund was instituted in the year 1796. The design
of its institution was to relieve the distressed travelling preachers, the worn-out preachers, and the widows and orphans of
preachers.  It was raised by the voluntary contributions of the
friends of Methodism, and from the first, has been located in
Philadelphia, where the board of trustees are incorporated, and
the fund chartered by the State of Pennsylvania.  The trustees
are chosen by the General Conference, and hold the funds in
trust, for the purposes above specified.  The interest only of
the fund can be applied for such purposes, the principal remaining untouched.  The amount thus funded is about 836,000,
and yields an annual interest of about $2,500, which is equally
divided among call the conferences in the connection, for the
benefits of the claimants.  The discipline requires the interest
to be divided into thirty-nine equal parts, while there are but
twenty-nine conferences-exclusive of mission conferences-in
the connection. The reason for this apparent discrepancy, is
found in the fact that the number of conferences in 1844, and
before the separation of the Southern Church from the Methodist Episcopal Church, was thirty-nine, and as the South, since
the separation, claims a portion of the l said fund, it has been
thought best to allow the discipline to remain as it is, till after
the settlement of this question by competent authority.
SECTION III.
MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
1. TuE Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church
was organized in the city of New York, in the year 1819.




336                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
The Constitution of the Society has several times undergone
alteration and revision, the last revision being by the General
Conference of 1844.
2. The object of the Society is for the purpose of supporting
missions and schools in our own, and in foreign countries.
3. The payment of two dollars annually constitutes a member, and the payment of twenty dollars at one time, a member
for life.  The payment of one hundred and fifty dollars constitutes a manager for life, and the payment of five hundred dollars a patron for life.
4. The officers of the Society consist of a president, vice-presidents, corresponding secretary, recording secretary, treasurer,
assistant treasurer, and thirty-two managers.
5. The senior bishop of the church is president, and the
other bishops are vice-presidents, according to seniority.  These
with the other officers-excepting the corresponding secretary
-are all appointed by the Society at its annual meeting inl
April of each year.  The corresponding Secretary is appointed
by the General Conference, and is required to reside in New
York, and conduct the correspondence of the Society, at home
and abroad.
6. The receipts of the Society have gradually increased from
the time of its organization.  The receipts for 1.849-50 were
4107,835 73, ani the disbursements for the same period were
$100,989 63.  The receipts for the.year ending May 1st, 1851,
were $133,317 41, and the disbursements for the same year
amounted to $131,663 40. The appropriation for the present
year-1851-2-by the missionary board for the support of the
various Methodist Missions, is 8167,000.
7. There are eight patrons of the Society, h1aving  paid each
$500 or more at one time; thirteen life managers, having paid
each 8150 or more at one time, and about seven thousand litemembers, who have paid each twenty dollars or more at one
time.
8. The following table will exhibit at a singrle glance the




MISSIONARY SOCIETY.                    337
operations of the Society, which table we have compiled principally tiom the latest report of the Missionary Society of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
1. DOMESTIC AISSIONS:!       _   
English Domestic Missions,       366   3801i 2385  6,34 
German                           103  116   56  6,32  115   99
Swedisl, Danish and Norwveian
Dontestic Missionls,             4    6         338   2    2
Welsh Donmestic 1Missions                     ] 5  110        2
Fr1ench    "'2  21
Indian'      "                13   23       1,470   71   8
Oregon    "                        8   12  17    3931  5    3
California "   10    6   2ti   754   7    5
2. FOREIGN  IISSIONS:
Germany                            3    7         113
South America                      1    1          40    1    1
China                              5    5'
Africa                           14   18   18  1,074  110
Total          5341 5811 352! 36,9791 1171 120
There are connected with the above missionis, besides the
members, 8,370 probationers, making an aggregate of members
and probationers, of 45,349.
9. Besides the Parent Society at New York, t!lere are auxiliary Societies in each conference in the churchl, besides nutmerous
sulbordinate societies, such as Ladies', Youth's and Sunday-school
AMissionary Societies.  All these operate through the P;arent Society, except the Ladies' Holne Missionary Society in New Yolrk
city, which supports a1 mission in the vilest part of the city.
Each circuit and station in the chuirch is in fact a missionary
society, as it is made the duty of each quarterly conference to
ap~point a mission comrnittce of at least five persons, who shall,
with the preacher in charge, superintend the interests of the
missionary cause within their respective bounds, by organizing




338               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
missionary societies, taking up collections, having sermons Va
addresses delivered, and establishing missionary prayer-meetings.
10. Thus we see that Methodism is emphatically missionary
in its character, not only in its foreign operations, but in its
domestic, or home work. Indeed, in an important sense, every
minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church-and indeed of all
other branches of the Methodist family, where the itinerancy is
preserved-is, in an important sense, a missionary, for instead
of being called by a church or congregation, under a stipulated
salary, to preach to thein, they are annually sent forth without
purse or scrip, into the highways and hedges, the fields and
the forests, the city and the country, to invite men to Christ.
We may further remark, that in proportion as a church is missionary in its character, does it give evidence of being a true
church of Jesus Christ; evidence at once so clear, so convincing, that the chimera of apostolical succession sinks into utter
insignificancy when compared with it.  "Ye are the light of
the world;" "the salt of the earth," said Christ to his disciples; and when he said to his ministers, "Go ye into all the
world, and preach the Gospel to every creature," he stamped
his church on earth as a missionary church.
For a farther view of Methodist missions in different parts
of the world, the reader is referred to the statistical tables in.
this work, pages 348,. et seq.
SECTION  IV.
SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION OF THE MET.E-IODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
1. THIE honor of having originated Sunday-schools is generally-and we believe justly —ascribed to Robert Raikes, Esq.,
of Gloucester, Eng., who in the year 1781, at the place of his
residence, engaged four persons for a stipulated sum each Sabbath, to teach such children as he might send to them.




SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.                  339
2. The honor of having originated the system of gratuitous
instruction in Sunday-schools, belongs, we think, with equal justice, to Mr. John'Wesley, who, in 1785, urged his Societies to
follow the laudable example of Mr. Raikes.  The Societies took
Mr. Wesley's advice, and shortly after, Sunday-schools, on the
plan of grattHtous and religious instruction, were commnenced
in all parts of the Methodist connection in England.
3. As early as 1786, Sunday-schools were established in thle
Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. through the
agency of 13ishop Asbury, who, being in constant comnmunication with Mr. WTesley by corresl-pondence, learned from the latter the fact of their establislhment in England.  But prior to
this period (in 1784), thie Methodist ministers and preachers
were required by the discipline, wherever there were ten chilldren, whose parents were members, to meet them at least an
hlour every week, for purposes of religious instruction; and in
1790, they were required to establish Sunday-schools in or near
the places of worshi), for the benefit of white and black cllildren, and to appoint suitable persons to teach g'ratis all who
would attend, and had a capacity to learn.  As there is no
authentic account of Slunlay-s.chools in America prior to 1786,
we ma-y justlIy claim  for Bishop Asbury and his co-laborers in
the church, the honor of having established Sunday-schools on
the gratuitous plan, in America.
4. In 1828, the Methodist Sunday-school, Bible, and Tract
Union was organized, but the complexity of this organization
rendered it expedient, in 1836, to discontinue the Bible department of the Union; and in 1840, the Tr-act department was
also discontinued, and the Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church was established on a new, and we trust
a firm and pIermanlent founllltio n.
5. Since the organization of the Sunday School Union in its
present form, the cause of Sunclday-schools in our church has
received a fresh impulse, and has a.cquired a degree of importance secondary to no other cause in which the churclh is en.




340                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
gaged. Not only have its annual receipts increased, but its
books have continued to multiply almost beyond conception.
Its facilities for obtaining correct statistical reports have also
been increased, and it is perhaps not too much to say, that no
other Sunday-school Society in the land, is in a more flourishing and prosperous condition, at the present time, than the
Methodist Sunday School Union, under the management of its
very efficient corresponding secretary, the Rev. D. P. Kidder,
D. D.
6. The receipts of the Union for the supply of destitute
schools with books, fall very far short of what they ought to be.
While the members generally evince a becoming degree of zeal
in behalf of Sunday-schools in their own localities, they should
not forget that there are thousands of poor children in the new
and sparse settlements of our common country, who need to be
aided in their thirst for religious knowledge, by the contributions of the more highly favored portion of our memlbers and
youth.  Only about 85000 the past year was contributed for
this purpose.
7. The actual condition of our Sunday-schools in the United
States nmayv be inferred fiom the following table, taken from the
annual report of the Sunday School Union of the Methodist
Episcopal Church for 1851.  We give only the aggregate of
the numbers in the various conferences.'o E~   OJ2                                   C  ~
z  Z      Z      Z                   a     A      ___
8,021 84,840 429,589 1,117,08315,4-8632,826 $54,587 74,363  11,398
Increase past year.
687110,9661 37,3561 1494971 8911 4,9271 $6,5081 8,6481 2,384




BIBLE SOCIETY.                   341
SECTION V.
BIBLE SOCIETY.
1. THIE American Bible Society, although not a denominational nor Methodist institution, yet as it is largely supported
by the Methodist Church, and the preachers are required to
take up aol annual collection in aid of its funds, it seems proper
to give it a place among the benevolent institutions of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  This Society was formed in New
York, in the year 1816, and its declared object from the beginning has been to circulate copies of the IHoly Scriptures without
note or comment, which object it has faithfully carried out.
2. After the formation of the American Bible Society, up to
the year 1828, the Methodist Church co-operated more or less
with the same, but in the latter year a distinct Methodist Bible
Society was formed in connection with the Stnday School
and Tract Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  This
separate organization existed for about eight years, when in
1836 it was forimally discontinued; and since that time the
Methodist Episcopal Church has labored in this department of
her work, in connection with the American Bible Society, and
her various auxiliaries in different States, counties, and towns
of the Union. "
3. The gross receipts of the Society for 1850-51, amounted
to the sum  of $276,882, and the expenditures, to $276,899.
Over half a million of copies of the Scriptures were issued duringr the same period, and since its organization no less than
7,572,967 copies of the Old and New Testaments have been
circullated by the Societv.
4. The precise amount contributed to the Society by the
Methodist Church cannot be ascertained during the past year.
Some of the largest conferences in the church, who have co-operated very efficiently in this good work, have failed to make




342               EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
their report of the amount raised within their respective bounds
for the Bible Society, and in many places the Methodist congregattions co-operate in connection with other churches and
congregations, in making collections; so that no distinction can
be drawn between the contributions of the one, or the other.
From  the reports of the twenty-two conferences who have made
returns, we learn that there was raised, in the year 1850, within
their bounds, the sum of 819,330. If to this we add $5,000,
as the probable amount raised in the six conferences not reporting, the total receipts front the Metholdist Chulrch in the
North, will exceed $24,000.  To this should properly be added
the receipts fiom the Methodist Church South, which would
swell the aggregate to between forty and fifty thousand dollars
for thie past year.




CHAPTER II.
LITERARY INSTITUTIONS OF METHODISM.
SECTION I.
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.
1. AT an early period in the history of the Methodist Episcopal Church —as may be learned from the historical part of
this work-strenuous efforts were put forth by Bishops Coke
and Asbury, for the proper establishment of a Methodist college; and notwithstanding the promising aspect of things as
connected with Cokesbury College for awhile, yet the hopes of
these men of God, and the lovers of education in the church,
were doomed to disappointment by the repeated destruction by
fire of that institution. The failure in this early attempt in
favor of education, produced discouragement in the church, and
for a period of over thirty years, but little appears to have been
clone by the Methodisf Church toward the establishment of
colleges and seminaries of a higher grade.
2. The first Methodist minister irthe United States who had
enjoyed the benefits of a regular college education, was the late
Rev. Wilbur Fisk, D.D., who graduated at Brown University
in Rhode Island, in 1815. In 1818, Fisk joined the travelling
connection, and after a few years' itinerant labor, was under the
necessity of retiring from the field of active labor as a preacher.
In 1825, having regained his health, he was called by the
church to take charge of the Wilbraham Academy in Massa



344                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
chusetts.  From this period, the cause of education in the Methodist Episcopal Church was onwaird, and it is not too mlich to
say, in honor of the lmemtory of the dead, that to nIo  an, living
or dead, does the lMethodist Cghurch owe m1lore f&0,r his effirts iln
the cause of education, than to Wilbur Fislk, while prinoit)pll oi
the above namled academy, and especially while Pr esident of!
the \Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Conn.
The following is a list of the Universities and Colleges under
the patronag-e of the Methodist Church in the Northern and
Western States:
Wesleyan University,             Middletown, Conn.
Ohio Wesleyan University,        Delaware, Ohio.
Asbury University,               Green Castle, Ind.
Dickinson College,               Carlisle, Pa.
Genesee College,                 Lima,  N. Y.
Alleghany College,               Meadville, Pa.
M'Kendree College,               Lebanon, Ill.
Lawrence University,             Appleton, Wis.
Oregon Institute,                Salem, Oregon.
SECTION  II.
BIBLICAL INSTITUTE.
THIS institution was opened in April, 1847, in Concord, N. EH.
the design contemplated in its formation, is the education of
young men for the ministry in the Methodist Church. The
object is not to call young'men to the ministry, but to prepare
more fully for the work in which they are about to eingage,
those young men who have previously been called by God and
his church, to take upon themselves the sacred office. Hence,
none are received as students, unless they bring a certificate
from a quarterly or annual conference, of their being licentiates.
Candidates for admission are also required to possess a previous




LIST OF ACADEMIES.                 345
knowledge of the common and higher branches of an English
education, with the eleiments of the Grteek lanoguagoe.  The
course of studvy is full, and particular attention is paid to the
Scriptures in the original tongues.  Thee endowiment consists
of bonds, notes, &c., to the amount of $33 000, the interest of
whichb is applied annuaily for the support oLf the Itstitute.  No
tuition is required of any student, and although but in its infancy, a larger number of students are connected with it, than
wvith any other similar institution in New England, excepting
Andover. The number of professors is three, and of students,
in July, 1851, fifty-four.  John Dempster, D.D. of the Black
River Conference, is the senior Professor, or President.
SECTION III.
SEMINARIES, ACADEMIES, &C.
ABOUT the year 1821, an academy, partly under Methodist
patronage, was established in New  Market, N. H.; and in
1825 the Wilbraham Academy, before mentioned, was organized, and the New Market Academy was merged in the same.
Since that period, the number of Methodist seminaries, academies, and high schools, of a respectable literary character, have
been organized from time to time, in different parts of the
country.  The following is a list of the same, with their places
of location:
Amenia Seminary,              Amenia,      N. Y.
Falley           "            Fulton,        "
Genesee Wesleyan Seminary,  Lima,            "
Governeur   "         "       Governeur,     "
Hempstead   "         "       Hempstead,   "
New York Conference  "        Charlotteville, "
Oneida, "          6       Cazenovia,    "
Jonesville Academy,           Jonesville,




346              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
Asbury Seminary,                Chagrine Falls, Ohio.
Greenfield   "                 Greenfield,
Oakland Female Seminary,       Hillsboro',
Worthington Female Seminary,   Worthington,
Wesleyan Female College,        Cincinnati, "
Ohio Conference High School,    Springfield,    "
Baldwin Institute,              Berea,          "
Bakersfield Academy,            Bakersfield,    Vt.
Newbury Seminary,              Newbury,        "
Troy Conference Academy,        West Poultney,"
Wesleyan Seminary,              Springfield,   "
Dickenson College Academy,      Williamsport, Pa.
Wyoming Seminary,              Kingston, 
Flushing Female Institute,     Flushing, L. I.
Fort Wayne Female College,     Fort Wayne, Ind.
Illinois Conf. Female Academy,   Jacksonville, Ill.
Maine Wesleyan Seminary,        Kent's Hill, Me.
Newark Wesleyan Institute,     Newark,   N. J.
Pennington Malt Seminary,      Pennington,
Pennington Female Seminary,         " "
New Hampshire Conf. Seminary,  Northfield, N. H.
Virginia Academy,               Clarksburgh, Va.
Preparatory School,             Middletown, Ct.
Providence Conference Academy,  East Greenwich, R. I
Rock River Seminary,            Mount Morris, Ill.
Wesleyan Academy,               Wilbraham, Mass.
Wesleyan Fem. Collegiate Inst.,   Wilmington, Del.
Wesleyan Female Institute,      Staunton, Va.
Wesleyan Seminary,              Albion, Mich.
Charlotte Boarding Academy,    Charlotte, N. Y.
Portland Academy,               Portland, Oregon.
California Institute, (not fully
established),                 California.




CHAPTER III.
STATISTICS OF EPISCOPAL METTIODISM.
SECTION  I.
TIHE NUMBER OF CONFERENCES, &C.
I. THE Methodist Episcopal  Church is embraced in one
General Confhlrence, which extends from the Canada line on
the north and north-west, to the States of Maryland and Virginia on thle south —embracing the whlole of the former and
the western part of the latter; and from the Atlantic Ocean
on the east to the Pacific on the west.  Prior to the separation of the Soutllern portion of the Church, the General Conference embraced the whole of the United St;ates and Territories.  At preisent the above are its geographical limits,
exclusive of foreign missionary  ground.
2. The number of Annual Conferences represented in the
General Conference is twenty-nine, exclusive of the California
and Liberia Colnferences.  The following are the names of all
the Conferences in the Church:
New York,            Troy,               WVestern Virginia,
New York East,    Black River,          North Ohio,
Providence,          Oneida,!Mlichigan,
New England,        East Genesee,        Indiana,
Maine,               Genesee,            North Indiana,
East Maine,         Erie,               Rock River,
New Hampshire,    Pittsburgh,           Wisconsin,
Vermont,             Ohio,              Iowa,
Illinois,           Baltimore,          New Jersey,
Missouri,           Philadelphia,       Oregon & California,
Liberia Mission Conference.
24




348               EPISCOPAL METIHODISM.
3. The number of Quarterly Conferences in the (Church, i
3,174, exclusive of foreign work.  Each of these Quarterly
Conferences is under the supervision  and  p;'ksidency of a
presiding elder.  Abohit the same number of distinct charges,
including circuits, stations, and missions, is embraced in the
work.
SECTION II.
INUMBER OF DISHOPS, PRESIDING ELDERS, AND PREACIHERS,
1. Bishops, fiveResidence.   Time of Consecratiom
Elijah iedding,       Poughlkeepsie, N. Y.      1824
Beverly Waugh,        Baltimore, MI:l.          1833
Thomas A. Morris,    Cincinnati, Ohio,          1836
Leonidas L. lamnline,       "      "            1844
Edmund Storer Janes, New YorkI City,            1844
2. Presiding elders: of these there are 174 in the Ulitea
States, besides two in Oregon and California, three in Liberia,
and one in Germany.
3. Travelling  Preachers, including  elders, deacons, and
preachers: of these there are, in the United States and Liberia, 4,129, besides several in Oregon and Calior'nia.
4. Local Preachers: the number of this "hi'ghly useful class
of men in the Methodist Episcopal Church, exceeds that of the
travelling ministers, it being in 1850 not less. than 5,420making a total of travelling and local preachers in the church,
of 9,549.
SECTION III.
NUMBER OF MEMBERS AND PROBATIONERS.
Conference.              Members.    Probationers.
Baltimore,... 46,620         6,433
Philadelphia,.           36,668        8,406
Providence...          11,940        2,059




NUA3BE[R OF I'MEM3BERS AND PROB3ATIONEIRS.       349
Conference.              M1embers.    Probationers.
New Jersey,.             27,594        5,435
New E lad,...  1,859              1,782
New York,..             222,09        4,002
New Itampshire,             8,01          1,016
New York E-ast,...  19,0'22         2,346
ir  O.                       2610  2,996
Westtern AVi ini,3..  12, 202      1,597
Nermont,. e,               079          770
Pittsburgh,....,4'31       3,864
laick  1iverr,...    1,838            2,5;G
A~Wic:-ona. i n,.....     G,20      1,796
East Maine,..        8 4 t~   1, 78
Maine,.....   9,54            354
Erie,.....       18,852        2,553
Rock River,.           1.4,035       3,0,24
North Ohio,...                 24,325  3,108
Oneida,..... 23,639    3,i 37
Iowl-w,.....   9,183           1,897
East Gentsee,...                1,       439   ],4t
Northl Indiana,...  25,398         4,782
Missouri,.....          4,262          790
Miichigan,.              14.. 3.      1,912
Ollhio,......   8 11),474
Genesee,.                 9,860i         881
Illinoi s,.....           269, 84       5,058
In d ia...t,         31,47         5,) 874
Liberia..
()reg'on, A,...     75             76
In addition to the above, t]ere are re  8,139 colored mneml
bers and proAtionels, including 1,117 in Libseri i —making the
total number of membes and probationers in the Methodist
Episcopal Church, 703,571, which, being added to the 9,549
preachers as stated in the preceding section, will give the total
number of me',Mbers, probationers, and preachers, at 711,120.




EPISCOPAL MET'IODISM.
SECTION  IV.
STATISTICS OF THIE METHIODIST EPISCOPAL CIUIRCH SOUT;`!,IT seems proper that we should give, in this clhapter, a coLa,ensed statement of the statistics of this branIch of the Mect2holist Episcopal Chilurichl, ina;muchll as it occupies as its field of
opejrations so la'rge a portion of the United States.  It ilas one
Gele;ral Conference, (and twenty Annual Coinferences,  all being
in thie Southtern and South-western slaveholdli;' Stt: s.  It 1 s
four bishops:  Juosina Soule, jame. s 0. Andlll     N ew,1 Viilli-am  Capers, and Robelt Paine; the two forlner hlvig nLeen bislops
of the Methodist Episcopal Church prexious to tire separation,
and  the two latter having  been elected  siince thli;t period.
Tley have also a Book Concern at Clhuleston, S. C., with a
Branichl Concern at Loifisville, Ky.  They publish five weekly
papers, namely, the Southern Christian Advocite, at Charleston; the Richmond Christian Advocate,  at  ichnond,  Va;
the Nashville and Louisville Christian Advocate, at Louisville;
the Ilolston Christia;n Advocate, at Knoxville, Tlenn.;  and the
Texas Wesleyan B].annei', at Houston, Texals.'Besides tlhese,
they issue from  tlhe press at Richmond, the Soutlhern Methodist Quarte)rly  Review; firom  the press at Nashiville, the
Southern Ladies' Companion; and froln  the press at Charleston, the Sunday School Visitor.
The Church South has a very efficient Aissionary Society,
the heald-quarters of which is at Louisville.  The number of
missionaries among the destitute white I)opualltion, is 1117;
among the colored population, 104; among the Indians, 39;
among the Germans, 8; two in China, and three in California.  These missions embrace a total membersllip of 59,540
souls.  The receipts of the  past year, 1850, were  about
8s6,000.*
* The receipts for the year 1850-51, amounted to $93,470. Mit
sions, 271; missionaries, 244.




SUMMARY OF EPISCOPAL METIIODISM.          351
This Church has also a number of flourishing Colleges and
Universities: Emory College, Ga.; Emnory and Henry College,
Va.; La Grange College, Ala.; Centenary College, Miss.;
RIandolph Macon College, Va.; and Transylvania University, Ky.
The tnumber of ministers in the travelling connection at t}le
Soutlt, is 1,700; in the local ranks, 3,955; the metmbership
numlblers 514,601.  They lhave 1,262 Sunday Schools; 7,409
teachers; and 44,500 scholars.  In regalrd to the latter institution, they are far behind their Northern brethren, while in
some other respects their statistics show very favorably.
SECTION  V.
SUMMARY. OF EPISCOPAL METHODISM IN THE UNTITED STATES,
N:ORTH AND SOCT'I.
1. General Conferences, &c.,.....             2
Antlnual Conferences,.                      49
Bishops,............                         9
Travelling  Ministers,....5,899
Local   "........ 9,491
Total Preachers,........  15390
Memlbers and Probationers, with Preachers
added,..........  1,220,317
2. SUNDAY SCIOOLS,.                         9,429
Teaclhers,.........   94,)283
Scholars,.....           507,125
3. MISSIONS:
Missionaries,........       854
Mission Members,.......  70,697
Expended last yea,.$217,637
4. EDUCAT1IO:
Colleges and Universities,.            15
Seminaries, &c.,.                        40
(No report from the South.)
Biblical Institute,....               I




3 52              EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
5. RELIGIOUS PERIODICALS:
Weekly,...                           11
Monthly,.    6
Quarterly,...                 2
Individual and unofficial,....    6
SECTION VT.
TABLE OF' MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF EACTI METHODIST
DENOMINATION IN TIlE UNITED STATES.
Trav. Preachers. Local Preachers. Members.
1. M. E. Church,            4,129     5,420     703,571
2. M. E. Church South,      1,700     3,995   -514,601
3. Prot. Meth. Church,        740     1,141       64,313
4. Wes. Methi. Church,        400       300       30,000
5. African M. E. Church,      300                 20,000
6. African Methodist Zion,    200                  5,000
7,369    10,856   1,337,485
Local Preachers,......             10,856
Travelling  Preachers,.                7,369
Grand total,......  1,35,710
From the above it will be seen, that the number of Methodist ministers, travelling and local, in the United States, is over
18,000; and that the numnber of meimbers, including the
ministers belonging to all the Methodist Churches in thle
Union, approximates toward a million and a half of souls.




ENGLISH AND CANADIAN METHODISM.               353
SECTION  VII.
ENLCLISIH AND CANADIAN'  METHODISM,
1. Wesleavn MAethodist Church: England.
The followitng table will show the statistics of this branch
of the Meth-odist Cihurch:
Circuits. Trav. Pleachers.  Members.
England,              386       1,086       331,250
Wales,                 35          77         16,210
Scotland,              13          25          2,934
Ireland,               70         157         21,107
British Islands        10          29          7,883
Foreign Missions,    308          399        97,861
824        1,773      477,245
The Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society extends its
operations to inearly every part of the world.  The receipts of
the Society fxor the year 1850, were 8502,775, averaging more
than a dollar fur ecach mnerbeer, includiing  those on missions.
2. Primitive M eth;odlt Church: England —Circuits,  303;'ravelling Preachers,  551; Local Preachers, 9,077; Members,
108,781.
3. New Connection }Methodists: England-l130 Travelling
Preachers; 22,0062 Meumbers.
4. WVesleyan Association: England —97 Travelling Preachers; 22,178 Menmbers.
5. Wesleyan Alethodist Church: Canada-Circuits, 127;
Travelling Preachers, 204; Members, 26,213.
6. Methodist Episcopal Chlurch:'Canada —Bishops, 2; Circuits, 58; Travelling Preachers, 103; Local Preachers, 105;
Members, 8,500.




354                EPISCOPAL METHODISM.
SECTION  VIII.
RECAPITULATION OF STATISTICS.
Trav. Preachers. Local Preachers. Members.
In the United States,       7,369      10,836      1,337,48.5
In England, &c.,            2,551       9,077*      630,266
In Canada,                    S07         105         34,713
Total,         10,227      20,038    2,002,4 64
Add Preachers,......    30,265
2,032,129
In viewing the above result, and in comparing "ME1TIODIS.m
AS 1T IS" with " METHODISM  AS IT WAS" a century ago, we
are led to exclaimn, " What hath God wroug'ht!" anld while
the success of Methodism, and especially of Episcopal Methodism, demands our heartfelt gratitude, wve, as Methodists,
should be incited to humility, and to increased  activity in
the glorious work of spreading "Scripture holiness" throughout
these and all other lands.  "Be not high-minded, but fear."
* There are no returns of Local Preachers fiom the Weslevyans in
England or Canada.
TIlE END.




BOOKS RECENTLY  PUBLISHED  BY  DERBY  & MILLER.
The Life of Gen. Zachary Taylor, 12th President
of the  United  States, brought down  to  his inauguration
Steel portrait, 12mo., muslin; a new edition, by H. Montgomery.
*** 18,000 of the above work have been sold by us.
" THE LIFE OF GEN. Z. TAYLOR.1"-H. Montgomery, Esq., editor of the Aubura
Daily Advertiser, has found leisure, amid the multitude of his engagements, to get
up the most respectable looking and carefully prepared biography of the old General
we have yet seen. It makes a neat volume, and is printed on excellent paper and
new type, and bound in the very best style. It cannot fail to find a tremendous sale,
a result due alike to the book itself, and the enterprise of its busy publishers.Albany Evening Journal.
" LIFE OF GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR, by II. Montgomnery," is the latest anr
most complete of the numerous volumes purporting to be'Lives' of the Genera:,
The author of this work - likewise editor of the Auburn Journal - is already know J
as a forcible and pleasing writer, handling his subject with a masterly hand; the.a
characteristics are fully developed in the book before us. The stirring incidents 4f
General Taylor's life, and the recent battles on Mexican soil are well portrayed -
the very fair and impartial style of narration being a rare quality in depicting batle
scenes. The book will repay an attentive perusal.-N. Y. Tribune.
THE LIFE OF MAJOR GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR. By H. Montgomery. —
knother and still another " illustrated" Life of the great American, (would that he
had as many lives as the publishers give him,) the American whom Carlyle would
recognise as " a hero" worthy of his pen's most eloquent recognition; THE MAN OF'UTY in an age of Self. An American in everything; in valor, in strong musculal
ense; in simplicity and directness and cordiality of feeling; an American in every.qing, save ill devotion to our new political God of Expediency.
The volume before us is put forth in Auburn, by the editor of the Auburn Daily.Advertiser, whose vigorous, fluent style, and skill in compressing his materials,
otUSt make his elegant volume very generally acceptable. Many of the traits
ascribed to General Taylor have been assimilated by some of his admirers to the
leading military characteristics of Frederick the Great. But, unlike Frederick,
Taylor is anything but a martinet in discipline; and, though his movements of small
bodies of troops against vast odds, are characterized by the vigorous will and iron
determination of Frederick, the arbitrary disposition of the Prussian despot is wholly
alien to his tolerant and candid nature. Taylor's affectionate and almost parental
relation to his soldiers, perhaps, alone first suggested the parallel, as we'find it
hinted in the K Ilowing stanza of some verses upon one of his battles, quoted by AL'
Montgomer:
"' OLD ZACH!''OLD ZACH!' the war cry rattles
Among those men of iron tread,
As rung' OLD FRITZ' in Europe's battles
When thus his host Great Frederick led."
Literary WorM




BOOKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY DERBY & MILLER,
Golden Steps to Respectability, Usefulness and
Happiness;  being  a series of Lectures to the youth of
both  sexes on  Character, Principles, Associates, Amusements, Religion, and Marriage.   By JoHN  MATHER AUSTIN.
Derby, Miller &  Co., Auburn, 1850.   243 pp.
The author of this book is a writer of superior attraction, and has here selected a
subject of deep interest. Could the youth of the country be induced to exchange the
Buntline, Lippard, and Ingraham literature of the day, for such reading as this, the
benefits to themselves and society would be incalculable.-Lockport Courier.
We honor the heart of the writer of this volume as well as his head. Ile has here
addressed an earnest and manly appeal to the young, every page of which proves his
sincerity and his desire for their welfare. The subjects treated of in the different lectures are those indicated on the title page. hItegrity and virtue, usefulness, truth
and honor, are the' Golden Steps " by which the young may ascend to respectability,
usefulness, and happiness. We trust the seed thus sown will not be without its fruit,
and that his readers will imbibe the spirit of the motto he has chosen" Onward! onward! toils despising,
Upward! upward! turn thine eyes,
Only be content when rising,
Fix thy goal amid the skies."
-Aloany State Register.
The work of Mr. Austin, written in a pleasing style, and nervous and pointed in its
argumentation, will hold a prominent position among the fortunate endeavors by
which the rising generation are to be influenced. The volume before us is beautiful
in its exterior, and this, combined with the aim of the author, in which he has admi.
rably succeeded, will give it a wide range, and secure for it, we hope, an invaluable
influence.-Bquffalo Christian Advocate.
A plain, familiar, forcible exposition of the duties and responsibilities of Youth,
which can hardly be read without exerting a salutary and lasting influence. Judging
from the popularity of Mr. Austin's former works, we predict for it a wide circulation.-New  Yore Tribune.
If the precepts eloquently and forcibly urged in these pages could be brought home
and impressed upon the minds of the nlass of youth in our land, they would confeo
lasting and incalculable benefits upon the rising generation. We cordially commend
this work to the attention of the young and all who have charge of them.
The'publishers have executed their work admirable, and have brought out an ele
gant and beautiful book. Their work will compare favorably with any of the New
York houses.- Troy Post.
The following extract has reference to the " golden isteps" of the Presdaeut of th
Nited States, Millard Fillmore:-(See page 69.)




T'hle American Lady's System of Cookery, com
prising every variety of information for ordinary and Holiday
occasions. By Mrs. T. J. CROWEN.
The " American System of Cookery " is a capital oook of its class, and for which
we bespeak the good word of all thrifty housekeepers. It introduces us into a wil
derness of sweets, where no rude surfeit reigns! The almost innumerable variety of
good things, clearly and orderly set forth, is most apetizing for the hungry reader,
just before dinner.
IHere is an American housewife,-sensible and thrifty, who has laid down directions'or making all sorts of dishes, baking all kinds of cakes and pies, manufacturing every
variety of confectionery, preserving, pickling, &c., so plainly that a housekeeper of
a week's standing can easily act upon her directions, and yet taken so comprehensive
a scope, that the very best and most skilful will find something new. We take fof
gralted, that as the latest, it is the best book of its class.
The writer of this volume has previously published a similar work, on a smaller
scale-" Every Lady's Book"-of which more than two hundred thousand copies are
said to have been sold.  If this is not popularity, we know not what is.-Literary
World.
The "American System of Cookery," is the title of a goodly sized duodecimo, pubfished in New York. The authoress of this work has obtained considerable celebrity,
by a work which she entitled " Every Lady's Book," and we believe she will add to
her deserved credit by the present volume, which comes honie to the stomach of
every man. The receipts are abundant and practical.-North American.
Of all the reforms, none is more loudly called for than one in American Cookerythat being one in which everybody is interested. That the national health would be
better, if the national kitchen were more philosophically and phyorologically mana.
ged, there seems to be no doubt anywhere. Even morals suffer, beyond question,
through the influence of crude, ill-selected aliment. Who knows but the Mexic".-..
war may be traced to an ill-cooked, ill-assorted, contradictory, and irritating cabinw-c
dinner?
A Lady of New York tells us how to make a great many nice, wholesome thrng:.g
and we beg our readers not to imagine we speak rashly, or even theoretically, ulon
this all-inlportant subject-we have tasted, and we testify without a misgiving. "The
proof of the pudding," etc.- Union Magazine.
Thus our wife settles the question. The same author's " Every Lady's Book," she
said, might be useful for some folks, but the real simon pure, Yankee, American
Cook Book, was the thing exactly, just such a book as she should have made, if she
had cooked it up herself. She says it is made on common sense principles; the roles
are exactly such as sensible folks follow in this democratic land, who regard taste,
health, arid economy. Our wife says, that, with some Cook Books, one has to deduct
half the spice, shortning and sugar.  Our book, however, as our wife declares, is
practicable, and is to be followed to the letter.-Central VWashingtonian News.
This book is compiled by a person of practical knowledge of the subject, who, as
stated in the preface, has been for the last eight years employed in collecting infor.
mation on the subject of the work, and in reducing to practice the receipts obtained.
-Evening Post.
By the spiciness of the preface, and by the very funny epistle with which the au.
thoress of this book sends us a copy, we cannot doubt her to be a woman oIf talent;
and as Mrs. Child has applied her genins to the making of such a book, we can be
tieve even a Cooking Book may be better for genius in the writer.-Home Journal.
This appears to be the most complete and satisfactory collection of receipts In the
culinary art, which the skill arnd enterprise of American ladies, devoted to the subject,
have produced. It contains a large amount of matter in a volume of very good siz
as a manual, and we have confidence, from the decided testimony of those who ha
Wited its merits, in recommending it to house-keepers.-Protestant C/hurchtmsn.




BOOKS RECENTLY  PUBLISHED  BY  DERBY  & MILLER.
The American Fruit Culturist: By J. J. Thomas,
containing  directions  for the  propagation  and  culture of
Fruit Trees, in the Nursery, Orchard, and  Garden; with
descriptions of the principal American and Foreign varieties
cultivated  in the United States: with 300 accurate illustrations.   1 volume, of over 400 pages, 12mo.                   $1,00.
A cheaper, but equally valuable book with Downing's was wanted by the great
mass. Just such a work has Mr. Thomas given us. We consider it an invaluable
addition to our agricultural libraries. —Wool Grower.
We predict for it a very rapid sale; it should be in the hands of every fruit grower
and especially every nurseryman. It is a very cheap book for its price.- Ohio
Cultivator.
It is a most valuable work to all engaged in the culture of fruit trees. —Utica
Iterald.
It is a book of great value.- Genesee Farmer.
Among all the writers on fruits, we do not know of one who is Mr. Thomas'
superior, if his equal, in condensing important matter. He gets right at the pith of
the thing - he gives you that which you wish to know at once; stripped of all useless talk and twattle. No man has a keener eye for the best ways of doing things.
HIen.e we always look into his writings with the assurance that we shall find some.
thing -new, or some improvements on the old; and we are seldom disappointed.
This book is no exception. It is full. There is no vacant space in it. It is like a
fresh egg - all good, and packed to the shell full.- Prairie Farmer.
In the volume before us we have the result of the author's experience and obser~ations, continued with untiring perseverance for many years, in language at once
concise and perspicuous.- Albany Cultivator.
We can say with confidence to our readers, that if you need a book to instruct you
in the modes of growing trees, &c., from the first start, the systems of pruning, etc.,
etc., you will find the American Fruit Culturist an extremely valuable work. The
million who purchase it, will find matter adapted to their wants, superior to any
work as yet published.- Cleveland Herald.
For sale in New York by 1I[. H. NEWMAN & CO. and C. M. SAXTON.
Boston, B. B. MUSSEY & CO. Philadoelp,.i T'.DISAS, COWPERTHWAITE d&
CO.
NO  Copies in paper covers sent by mail, free of expense, on receipt of $1,0'
pest paid.   Direct to                             DERBY & MILLER,
Auburn, N. Y.




VWORKS PUBLISHED  BY DERBY & MILLER.
THE LIFE OF LOUIS ICOSSUTHI
GOVERNOR OF HI-UNGARY; INCLUDING NOTICES OF THE MEN AND
SCENES OF THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION: TO WHICH IS ADDED AN
APPENDIX, CONTAINING HIS PRINCIPAL SPEECHES, &C.  WITH AN
INTRODUCTION BY HORACE GREELEY. BY P. C. H-EADLEY. Auburn:
DERBY & MILLER.
"What an age! A great man steps upon our shores-the fact is
telegraphed in an instant to every city in the Union. He speaksimmediately a thousand newspapers carry his words to every house
in the land. While he is yet speaking, some rapid writer sketches
the history of his life, and the press-Iprone to miracles-scatters in
beautiful volulles, both Life and Speeches through all the country.
Mr. HIeadley has written an excellent memoir of Kossuth.  It details,
in easy,. perspicuous narrative, the principal events of his life, bringing
down the history almost to the present hour."-N. C. Advocate.
" This volume, containing a full biography of the noble Hungarian
from his birth to the present time. with copious notices of the revolutionary movement, is a seasonable and interesting publication. It
will be read by great niumbers, whose interest in Kossuth's career has
been awakened by his presence in this country; and it cannot be read
without proft.  The 1principal events in his life are related with suit
ficient nminuteness; numerous anecdotes are introduced. illustrative
of his character; and brief conmments made on the progress of his
history.  The course of the Hungarian Revolution is described with
clearness and accuracy, correcting many prevalent errors on the subject, and presenting a comprehensive view of the principles involved
in that patriotic struggle."-lNew 1Y/l TribuLne.
" In no part of this composition does the author betray an appeai.
ance of carelessness or imperfection. yet it is a lwondler among the
world of critics, howT Hleadley can \rlite so much, and write nothing
that is incomplete.' Fis power to give his writings a clearness and
vivacity of style. has already obtained for hirn a repnutation that will
ever secure for him  a passport with the illustrious ill tile morild of
letters. And in this instance he has a theme that is hiap)ily adapted
to his style of composition.  The life and character of the'political
Luther of Eulope,' fllrnishes ample material for hiis brilliant andl discriminating genius. and lie seems to have spared no pains to makte his
book worthy of both the tllete and the author." —G. G1l. Aegis.
"It is written in an eager, animated style, adapted for the special
purpose of the book. Itis reliable and exceedingly interesting.  A
brief introduction by Mr. Greeley pitches the key-note of the volume,
and will find a response, we doubt not, in the popular heart."-Nezo
York Organ.
"We consider the book worth its weight in gold."-P. Ryson Gaz.




WORKS PUBLISHED BY DERBY & MILLER.
SUMMIERFIELD;
Or, LIFE ON A FARM. By DAY KELLOGG LEE. Auburn.
DERBY & MILLER.
"We have read with lively and satisfied interest. It is the story of
a pioneer settlement in Western (now Central) New York, and its
gradual transformation from a mere opening in the grand old woods
into a populous and thrifty rural township. The scenes are natural,
the characters homely and life-like, and the narrative replete wit-h
passages of the profoundest pathos, and incidents of almost painful interest. This is evidently the work of no amateur in woodcraft, but
one' to the manor born,' and loving Nature and her children with a
son's, a brother's affection. Above all,'Summnerfield' is in the deepest
sense religious, and calculated to exert a strong and wholesome moral
influence on its readers, who we trust will be many."-Ilorace Grecley.
" It aims to teach the lesson of contentment, and the rural picture
which it draws, and the scenes of home happiness with which it makes
us acquainted, are well calculated to enforce it." —Atlas.
" There is a great deal of life and nature in the story, and in some
of the scenes there is a rich display of wit. It were well for the rising
generation if all the works of fiction, which almost deluge the world,
were equally dignified in their character and harmless in their tendency."-Argous.
"A story told with freshness, and in a neat pointed style. It has a
flavor of originality, and the descriptions are generally excellent; and,
what is something of a peculiarity at present in writing of this kind,
not over-burdened with words "-Literary WMorld.
"' The aim of the author of this little work is to instil into the minds
of his readers a lesson of' the utmost practical importance, intimately
connected with the experience of every-day life. This commendable
object he successfully accomplishes in the pages of this charnming
book.'Life on a Farm' is p)resented in all its most attractive features,
and yet with the strictest adherence to truth. We heartily commend
the work to our readers.'-Albany Register.
"This is a pleasing and well-written tale, founded on incidents connected with farm-life, and bearing a most instructive and salutary
moral. The print, paper, and binding are excellent, and highly creditable to the pubiishers whose enterprise and thrift have already given
them rank with some of the oldest and most prosperous houses of the
great cities."-J. G. Saxe.
"An interesting and well-told story, having a high moral aim.
Having read it through twice, I feel well qualified to recommend it to
every one, on the score of its merits."-Editor of Young Christian.




DO()RS RECENTLY  PUBLISHED  BY  DERBY  & MILLEIL
History of the War with 1Mexico, from the commencement of hostilities with the United States, to the
ratification  of Peace;  embracing  detailed  accounts of the
brilliant  achievements  of Generals  Taylor, Scott, Worth,
Wool, Twiggs, Kearney, and  others; by  John  S. Jenkins,,vo., 20 illustrations, morocco gilt.
A History of the late war prepared for popular circulation. The writer takes a
patriotic view of his subject. IIis narrative of the commencement of the war would,
we presume, not displease Mr. Polk. He follows the campaign throughout with
industry and spirit, drawing from public documents, diplomatic correspondence, and
the newspaper letter writers by the way. More facts, we believe, are brought
together than in any single publication of the kind. The narratives of adventure in
Ca!ifornia, Col. Ioniphan's marich, and other passages, are told with interest; the
writer evidently seeking to make a useful boolt. The portraits and illustrations of
scenes are numerous; the mechanical execution of the whole work being highly
creditable to the Auburn publishers.- Literary World.
This is a volume of over 500 pages. The publishers have brought it out in excel
tent style. The paper, type, printing and binding, are admirable. The book has
been written with due regard to accuracy, and in a popular style. It is the most
elaborate, and probably the best History of the War yet published.- Albany
Evening Journal.
We have been unable to notice, until now, this new work from the pen of the
author of " The Generals of the last War with Great Britain, etc."  In this volume
we have at last a complete and interesting history of the late collision between the
two Republics of the Continent. To a minute and detailed account of the position
and policy of Mexico, the origin and causes of War, are added soul-stirring descrip.
tions of the brilliant and successful engagements of our army with the enemy. This
narrative is written after a careful examination of the diplomatic correspondence
and the various publications, of a public or private character, that have appeared
from time to time, calculated to throw light on the subject. To render the work
still more interesting and desirable, it has been illustrated with portraits of the most
distinguished officers of our own and the Mexican army, with views of the ever
memorable battle-fields of Buena Vista and Cerro Gordo. The reputation of the
author will insure for this history a very general circulationm-Albany Atlas.




BOOKS RECCNrTXY  PTUBLISIHED  BY  DERBY  & MILLER.
The Odd Fellows' Amulet: or the principles of Odd
Fellowship defined;  the objections to the order answered;
and its advantages maintained; with an address to the public, the ladies, and the order.   By Rev. D. W. BRISTOL, Pastor of the M. E. Church, and P. G. of Osco Lodge, No. 304,
at Auburn, N. Y.
The Rev. Mr. Bristol, the author of the above work, is a popular clergyman of tlle
Methodist church. He appears to have written the work not merely for Odd Fellows,
but to disabuse the public mind, if possible, of prejudices formed against the Order.
A spirit and design of apparent sincerity appears to pervade the entire work, and the
writer discusses his themes and meets the objections urged against Odd Fellows, with
a great deal of candor and respect. No person, we think, can read it, whatever may
have been his prejudices hitherto, without having those prejudices at least, considerably softened, if not wholly taken away. The style of the writer is captivating,
while the arrangement and classification of his subjects adds interest to the volume.
We have no hesitancy in recornmending the Amulet as a book that may be read by
the public -Genesee Evangelist.
We have wiled away several hours pleasantly and profitably in its perusal, and can
recommend it as a work deserving of a large circulation. The principles of the Order are set forth by its author, the Rev. D. WV. Bristol, a distinguished Methodist
clergyman, in a masterly manner, objections instituted by many to the Order, are
fairly tested, and answered in a mild and satisfactory way. It is a cheap and useful
work, and we cheerfully recommend it to public favor. —lisrror of the Times.
Able and exceedingly interesting articles, that we would most cordially commend
to the attention of every reader, while we are gratified at being able to bring them
under the notice of members of the great Order. The work contains also Addresses
by Rev. D. W. Bristol, and is embellished with several fine Steel Engravings. Fully
and correctly defining the principles of O. F., it should fill a niche in the library of
every Odd Fellow, where it will furnish a mine of valuable matter whence he can
draw at all times for the facts illustrative of the great principles of the noble institution of Odd Fellowship.-Golden Rule.
It is an excellent work, and worthy of the patronage of the Order. The objections
often urged against our institution, are most thoroughly examined, and ably answered. The book is got up in good style, and is offered at a low price.-The Ark.
We should think that every lover of the Order which this book upholds would
adorn his library with it; an,' every person that is opposed to it should also have
one so that they could see their objections answered. We would say to every lover
of the poor and afflicted, buy one and peruse it for yourselves and see what the Odd
Irellows do for them. Its motto is "Do unto others as ye would have others do unto
you."-The Bee.
This is a clear, forcible, and well written exposition of the subjects above named;
and a book that every Odd Fellow in the country should be in possession of. The
work is well got up, and embellished with several fine engravings appropriate to the
subject of which it treats. It is sold at the low price of one dollar, and can be mailed
to any part of the United States.-Banner of the Union.