History of the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church

Preface

When a young Methodist preacher enters, in accordance 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.

PREFACE. 5

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 in 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, 18£3.

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 Large Minutes 26-79

Subsequent editions 80-86

BOOK II. History of the several sections of the Discipline 87

The title 4 87

Part 1. Chap. 1. Sec. 1. Of the origin of the M. E. Church 92

Sec. 2. Articles ofReligion 95

Sec. 3. Of the General and Annual Conferences 110

Sec. 4. Of the election and consecration of bishops, and their duty 119

Sec. 5. Of the presiding elders, and their duty 124

Sec. 6. Of the election and ordination of travelling elders, and

their duty 129

Sec. 7. Of the election and ordination of travelling deacons, and

their duty 129

Sec. 8. Of the reception of preachers from the Wesleyan connection, and from other denominations 131

Sec. 9. Of the method of receiving travelling preachers, and thenduty 132

Sec. 10. Of the duties of those who have the charge of circuits.. 137 Sec. 11. Of the trial of those who think they are moved by the

Holy Ghost to preach 145

Sec. 12. Of the matter and manner of preaching, and other pub-

lie exercises 145

Sec. 13. Of the duty of preachers to God, themselves, and one

another 146

Sec. 14. Rules by which we should continue or desist from

preaching at any place 146

Sec. 15. Of visiting from house to house, guarding against those things which are so common to professors, and enforcing practical religion 146

Sec. 16. Of the instruction of children 147

Sec. 17. Of employing our time profitably when we are not travelling, &c 157

8 CONTENTS.

Sec. 18. Of the necessity of union among ourselves 158

Sec. 19. Of the method by which immoral travelling ministers or

preachers shall be brought to trial, &c 158

Sec. 20. How to provide for the circuits in time of conference,

and to preserve and increase the work of God 164

Sec. 22. Of baptism 174

Sec. 23. Of the Lord's supper 175

Sec. 24. Of public worship 175

Sec. 25. Of the spirit and truth of singing 176

Chap. II. Sec. 1. The nature, design, and general rules of our

united societies 177

Sec. 2. Of class meetings 181

Sec. 3. Of the band societies 183

Sec. 4. Of the privileges granted to serious persons who are not

of our church 187

Sec. 5. Of marriage 187

Sec. 6. Of dress 189

Sec. 7. Of bringing to trial, finding guilty, and reproving, suspending, or excluding disorderly persons from society, &c... 189

Chap. III. Sacramental Services, &c

Sec. 1. The order for the administration of the Lord's supper... 193

Sec. 2. The ministration of baptism to infants 200

The ministration of baptism to such as are of riper years. 202

Sec. 3. Form of solemnization of matrimony 205

Sec. 4. Order of the burial of the dead 207