History of the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal church

Preface

When a young Methodist preacher enters, in accord ance with the direction of his church, upon the study of its Discipline, he is curious to know when and by whom that Discipline was framed. He learns, indeed, from the book itself, that the General Conference has " full powers to make rules and regulations," under certain "limitations and restrictions." But who imposed those "limitations and restrictions," and to what extent has the General Conference used its powers? There is internal evidence that the present Discipline was not all composed at one time. At what periods then were its several parts introduced, and what modifications have they undergone ? These are points not only of curious inquiry, but essential often to right interpretation. But they are points on which students generally can obtain no satisfactory information. In our civil governments, the statutes are scattered through the several volumes of laws, which have been published from time to time, and therefore these are all preserved. But, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Discipline, as revised at each General Conference, being in itself complete, supplants all that had gone before it, and the previous editions are cast aside as of no further use. Thus it has continued, until now nearly sixty years have elapsed since the organization of the church, and the Discipline has undergone about twenty distinct revisions. Where then shall the student go to find these successive editions ? If he resort to the

PREFACE.

libraries of the oldest preachers, they are not there : — to the library of the Book Concern, they are not there: — to the archives of the General Conference, still they are not to be found. Despairing of success in this pursuit, he may perhaps examine the journals of the General Conference, (though, from the nature of the case, this is a privilege which few can enjoy.) But here he will find that all prior to 1800 are missing; and that those subsequent to that date convey no accurate information as to the changes in the Discipline ; because, in the alterations, references are made to chapter, section, question, page, &c., which cannot be understood without having a copy of the then Discipline in hand : and because, moreover, at each General Conference the subsequent publication of the Discipline is intrusted to a committee, invested with powers, (often largely discretionary,) as to the selection, arrangement, and wording of the several parts : and no report of their proceedings is entered upon the journal.

The embarrassment which is here supposed in the mind of a student of the Discipline, is precisely such as the author himself experienced. In such a dilemma, he endeavoured to collect for himself a set of the different Disciplines. Having his lot cast amid the earliest seats of Methodism in this country, he had the good fortune of rescuing one old Discipline after another from its obscure resting place, until at length, with one exception,* the series was completed, and the rich gratification was enjoyed of tracing in the original documents themselves the progress of the Discipline, from the first simple series of questions and answers, to its present more elaborate structure of parts, chapters, and

* See pages 81, 83.

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sections. The collection thus made could not be rendered universally accessible. The author has thought, therefore, that he would be doing a service to students of the Discipline generally, and especially to his brethren in the ministry, by publishing the results of his investigations in a condensed form. Such was the origin of the present work. In the preparation of it, the author has aimed at nothing more than the most perfect accuracy in the statement of facts, and the most lucid arrangement which the nature of the case admitted. To secure these he has bestowed a degree of labour and attention which few would suppose, that have not made a similar attempt. Having no model for such a work in all the range of civil and ecclesiastical law books, as much time was spent, perhaps, in trying various plans of presenting the subject, as was necessary to complete the undertaking, after the plan was decided on. That which has been adopted combines, it is believed, more than any other, brevity with accuracy. The changes m the form and arrangement of the Discipline are noticed in the first book ; and in the second, the changes in its contents. That these last might be stated as precisely as possible, the very words of the Discipline are quoted. This necessarily leads to some repetition, and deprives the work of a part of the interest which it might have possessed if the narrative style had been adopted. But it is believed that this mode will be preferred by the most of those who will wish to consult the work. There is added, in an Appendix, the greater part of the Notes on the Discipline, by Dr. Coke and Bishop Asbury, many of which are still intrinsically valuable ; and all of which are interesting, as presenting the views of the founders of the Methodist Episcopal

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Church. For convenience of reference, there is appended to the whole a copious index.

Some might expect, in such a work, a discussion of the reasons for certain rules, and the interpretation to be put upon them. There can be no doubt that a knowledge of both these will be promoted by the information which is here communicated, as to the time when, and the connection in which the rules were introduced, and the changes they have undergone. But to set forth his own opinion on points of discipline was no part of the author's plan ; nor would it have become either his age in the ministry, or his station in the Church. His object will be accomplished, if he shall promote, in any degree, an understanding of the Discipline of the Church, and an attachment to those great principles of its economy, which, amid all the changes of form, have remained the same from the beginning, and which have proved so signally successful in " spreading Scriptural holiness over these lands."

Robert Emory.

Frederick City, Md., November, 1843.

Preface To The Fifth Edition

The historical digest of Dr. Emory was published in 1843, and has passed through four editions. In 1845 the author added a Supplement, which contained the alterations in the Discipline of 1787 and 1844.

It may be necessary to remark in this connection, that the first edition of Dr. Emory's history was defective, from the fact that he had not in his possession a copy of the Discipline of 1787, and hence was unable to insert the changes which had been made. He subsequently received a copy of this edition from Eev. Dr. Lee, of Eichmond. By this he ascertained that some of the changes which he had assigned to 1789 were made in 1787, and hence the necessity of the Supplement. Changes having been made in 1844 by the General Conference, they were accordingly added to the Supplement at the same time.

Subsequently, in 1853, another Supplement, containing the alterations in the Discipline of 1848 and 1852, was added by the Eev. Dr. Floy. At the same time an Index was made to the Supplement.

Vm PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION.

Other changes were made in the Discipline at the General Conference of 1856, and when the question came before the Book Agents in regard to the propriety of adding another supplemental chapter to the book, in accordance with the original design of having a full and complete history of the changes as they occur from time to time, it was determined to revise the whole, and incorporate in the body of the work the changes which had been made since the first publication. This has been done at the expense of much labor on the part of the revisor; and the changes which have been made in the Discipline since 1840 have been inserted in the places to which they belong. An entirely new Index, as necessary to make it conform to the revision, has also been made out, and the reader will be able, by referring to it, to find any subject in the book.

"W. P. Strickland.

New-Yobk, March, 1857.

Book I. Page

History of the different Editions of the Discipline 9

Rules and Regulations prior to the Organization of the

Methodist Episcopal Church 9-25

First Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, compared with the Large Minutes 26-79

Subsequent Editions.. ,. ... 80-86

Section 18. Of the necessity of Union among ourselves 170

Section 19. Of the method by which immoral Travelling Ministers or Preachers shall be brought to Trial, &c 170

Section 20. How to Provide for the Circuits in time of Conference, and to preserve and increase the work of God 178

Section 21. Of Local Preachers 179

Section 22. Of Baptism 190

Section 23. Of the Lord's Supper 190

Section 24. Of Public Worship 191

Section 25. Of the Spirit and Truth of Singing 192

CONTENTS. XI

PART II. The Temporal Economy of the Methodist Episcopal Church

page Section I. Of the Boundaries of the Annual Conferences, &c. 227 Section 2. Of Building Churches, and the Order to be

observed therein 263

Section 3. Of the Qualifications, Appointment, and Duty of

the Stewards of Circuits 270