A compendium of Methodism

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Preface

In offering this volume to his Wesleyan brethren, the author deems it appropriate to mention some of the considerations that have influenced him in its publication. One is, that many of the difficulties which have occurred in the church owe their existence to misapprehension. Most of the attempts at revolution are attributable to this cause. Had the reformers been better acquainted with the various church arrangements of different sects, and especially of their own, they would have remained quiet and useful members. But they imagined evils that never existed, and conceived beautiful schemes, that, in their opinion, would open a better era ; not knowing that similar experiments had repeatedly proved unsuccessful in abler hands. Besides, many fail to work our plan as effectually as they might, for the want of a proper understanding and appreciation of it. And to this we may add, that much of the prejudice of other sects against us is attributable to the same general cause. They have no just conception either of our system or their own, and know little of our operations or success.

The object of the writer has been to adapt himself to this state of things, and present a view of the whole subject, sufficiently full and comprehensive to supply the information necessary, in a single volume of moderate size and expense. If he has succeeded as he intended, the thousands of young people who annually join us on trial, will be able, by reading it, to get quite an idea of our history, doctrines, government, and prudential economy, — the points of difference among Methodists, — and the grounds of their dissent from older denominations. Thus they will be prepared, on

PREFACE.

graduating to full connection, to give a reason for their preference, and to maintain our peculiarities against the popular prejudices with which they may be assailed. Should other sects happen to read it, we trust it may rectify their misconceptions, and lead to that charitable consideration of our claims to which we are entitled.

The materials for the work have been gathered from the most authentic sources. We have derived particular assistance from the Life of Mr. Wesley, and his Works ; Grrinnod's Compendium ; Dr. Bangs' " History of the M. E. Church,' ' and " Original Church of Christ," and Stevens' " Church Polity." For the statistics we are considerably indebted to Rev. William Butler, author of " The Land of the Veda," recently issued. They have cost us great labor and perplexity, but we are quite sure that they form the most perfect exhibit of Methodism ever published. There is, however, a little disparity between the tabular views on page 194 and some of the numbers given in the preceding pages. This is attributable to the fact that the table was the last thing stereotyped, and gives the statistics for 1874 in the cases referred to, instead of those for 1873. The chapter of official decisions has been transcribed from books, periodicals, conference journals, and private manuscripts. Our aim has been to portray Methodism in its true character and relations — not to mend it. However successful the effort may prove, it cannot exceed the author's high sense of the intrinsic excellence of the system, or of the obligations of society to it for the civil and religious privileges it enjoys.

Finally, we commend the work to the kind examination of all Methodists. Please to read it carefully, and lend it to your prejudiced neighbors. It may correct some of their errors, and pr> mote better feelings. If any are thinking to leave us, and enter into other church relations, it may lead them to inquire where they are more needed, or can be more useful. May the divine presence accompany it, and make it the instrument of good to many souls.

THE AUTHOR.

Contents

PAGE

Introduction to Edition of 1897 7

PAET FIEST.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF METHODISM FROM ITS RISE TO THE PRESENT TIME.

CHAP.

I. — The Origin of Methodist Societies 13

II. — Early Progress of Methodism, giving the Origin of Several of

its Peculiarities ' 31

III. — The First Conference, with the Trials and Success that Followed. 61

IV. — The Calvinistic Controversy, the Deed of Settlement, and Mr.

Wesley's Standing in the Country 76

Y. — Difficulties about the Sacraments, " Plan of Pacification," and

Missionary Operations 88

VI. — Wesleyan Schools and Funds 100

VII. — Secessions from the Wesleyan Connection — Their Principles,

History, and Present Condition 113

VIII. — Origin of Methodism in America 126

IX. — The First General Conference, with Numerous Historical

Events which Occurred Previous to 1820 13Y

X. — New Movements, Legislation, &c. 152

XI. — Boards, Publication, Missionary, Sunday School, Education, &c. 165

XII. — Defections, Schisms, Fraternal Relations, &c 186

XIII. — The Remarkable Success of Methodism , 198

PAET SECOND.

DOCTRINAL VIEWS OF METHODISTS, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THOSE OF OTHER DENOMINATIONS.

I. — Points of Agreement 211

II. — The Character and History of Certain Sentiments with which

Methodists have been Most in Collision 224

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE

III. — Predestination 241

IV. — Free Grace and Free Will 252

V. — The New Birth, with its Means and Manifestations 261

VI. — Christian Perfection 212

VII. — "Perseverance of the Saints" 288

VIII.— The Sacraments 300

PAET THIRD.

OF GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY THAT OF THE METHOD- IST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

I.— A General Exhibit of Different Systems 309

II. — The Government of the Methodist Episcopal Church — Its

Officers and Judicatories 320

III. — Methodist Episcopacy, both Scriptural and Wesleyan. 339

IV. — Methodist Episcopacy, with its Powers and Appendages, Nec-

essary to Itinerancy 360

V. — The Government of the Methodist Episcopal Church Well Balanced — Its Dangers and Securities 379

VI. — The Government of the Methodist Episcopal Church Contrasted

with Other Systems 401

VII. — Disciplinary Questions Officially Decided 423

PAET FOUKTH.

PRUDENTIAL ARRANGEMENTS PECULIAR TO DIFFERENT SECTS

OF WESLEYANS.

I. — Manner of Receiving Members ... 442

II. — Lay Preachers and our Style of Preaching Defended 448

III. — Itinerancy both " Lawful and Expedient " 456

IV. — Distinctive Social Meetings Vindicated 473

V. — Camp Meetings — Objections to them Answered, and the

Grounds of their Defence Stated 483

VI. — Forms of Worship and Modes of Usefulness Not Generally

Maintained by Other Denominations 495

VII. — Miscellaneous Peculiarities, embracing our General Appear-

ance, Dress, Audible Responses, &c 512

Index o 517

Introduction To Edition Of 1897

A historical review of American Methodism in its practical methods shows its capabilities for continued and increased usefulness. In its essential doctrines it remains unchanged; but its methods have steadily improved, and it possesses the additional responsibility which comes from greatly increased financial resources and greatly augmented moral and social strength. Our people, from being originally the poorest in the land, have become the wealthiest in their aggregate resources. We have few millionaires, but we have a great mass of people of large average competence. The multitude of Methodists occupying high official positions in the States and in the nation is another element of influence which brings us under weighty responsibility to God for the moral welfare of the nation. The full consecration of our wealth and of our public and social influence is one of our present urgent obligations.

No intelligent Methodist can ignore the fact, whether he has hitherto recognized it or not, that he stands charged before God with high civic duties, which he is called upon to discharge during the present generation. It becomes us to study how to make the influence we shall exert adequate to the real necessities of the country. How we can meet the immensely enlarged moral wants of our fastincreasing population is a grave question for us to consider. The rapid growth of which we often boast is one of our perils ; it may be too rapid to be healthful, and thus become a severe test of both our liberties and our religion. Restrain this growth of population we cannot ; it has a

Introduction

momentum which is destined to continue and to bear down and overleap all ordinary obstructions. From the nature of the case the population of each decade must provide for that of the succeeding decades ; and the law of proportion will fail unless, under our rapid advances, the religious bodies of the land, to whom the moral and religious culture of the people is confided by Providence, make special and ample provision for it.

A mighty exodus of European ignorance and vice has been turned toward our shores — wave overtopping waverolling in upon us, so that the danger oft assumes a startling aspect. We are about to inaugurate a new century. What an exigency ! How full of sublimity as well as of urgency; vast in opportunities as well as in perils! How grand the arena upon which Providence thrusts us forth! What a continent is this on which we dwell, " bounded in its distant independence by the Atlantic, the Pacific, the great tropic Gulf, and the Arctic ! Here, away from the traditional governments and faiths, and other antiquated checks of the Old World, our nation is to play its great drama of destiny— a destiny which may make us in fifty years as potential as all Europe, and even more potential, if we are faithful to God, in all moral, religious, and political respects." What an idea would it be, that of all Europe consolidated into one mighty untrammeled commonwealth of the highest liberty, religious enlightenment, and industrial development — and this mighty revolution to be completed in less than fifty years ! Who would credit its conception? Yet our republic will in that time more than realize this stupendous idea, if its political and moral integrity be not sacrificed.

According to the plainest principles of human accountability, Methodism before God is charged with a greater responsibility toward the accomplishment of these beneficent ends than any other religious communion.

INTRODUCTION.

Her 5,830,504 communicants (all branches) and almost 18,000,000 adherents and members combined constitute two sevenths of the total population. And what a history has Methodism back of her present; how full of regenerating, transforming power, of revival life, of energy little short of miraculous, to inspire us to the highest and purest living and the most heroic endeavor ! Let there be a consecrated girding for the exigencies of the coming century, and then there will be " giants in those days."

If Methodism has dangers in its future the germs lie within itself; not in external foes or circumstances so much as in its organization, its spirit, and its administration. Her greatest perils lie in the sources of her greatest power.

Methodism is not a creation of modern times, but a resurrection. Antedating Romanism by centuries, it is original, apostolic, and divine, the furthest removed from Rome, standing in antagonism to formalism, legalism, and tyranny. Its sweetest and mightiest inspirations have been derived, not from councils or conferences or bishops or popes, but from Him who was in the beginning. It has an unbroken succession, with the currents in the heavens, which in all ages have sent their showers of blessing upon the true followers of Christ.

Methodism means revival ; for it is a revival of apostolic Christianity — a revival of dead or dying churches. It is itself a quickening, and its function is to quicken. With this continuity of purpose there come special seasons of upheavals, from the profound depths of faith and love and zeal, renewing the Pentecostal glories. It has been well said, "When Methodism ceases to be a revival Church let a great grave be made ready, and let neither memorial nor monument mark the place."

But it is the true revival which Methodism exalts, not the products of shrewd devices and cunning eccentricities.

INTRODUCTION.

Its flames are not fanned from false fires, "the superficial and disastrous work of professional religious empirics."

Under date of March 16, 1748, John Wesley wrote in his Journal: "I inquired into the state of the society. Most pompous accounts had been sent me from time to time of great numbers that were added to it ; so that I confidently expected to find therein six or seven hundred members. And how is the real fact ? I left three hundred and ninetyfour members ; and I doubt if there are now three hundred and ninety-six. Let this be a warning to us all how we give in to that hateful custom of painting things beyond the life."

In a circle of cultivated and refined people, Methodism began its work ; but her credentials were divine, selfauthenticating, and effective. She carried conviction by her spirit, her moral transformations, and by her success. Her creed was vitalized by rich personal experience ; and woe to Methodism when this divine attestation ceases!

Methodism practically restored to the Church the primitive priesthood of believers and trained her laity to religious activity. We must not forget the important part which the lay service has rendered in Methodism— that it has the divine seal upon it to such a degree that to henceforth ignore it or minimize it would fatally paralyze our future.

Very high encomiums have been pronounced upon Methodism. Dr. Philip Schaff * said : " Methodism is the youngest and yet numerically the strongest of the larger Protestant bodies in America. * * * It has made the Arminian creed a converting agency, and given it practical power such as it never had before. It is a well-organized^ army of conquest against the flesh, the world, and the devil."

Rev. Robert Baird, D.D., said: "It is the most powerful element in the religious prosperity of the United States, as * Before the Evangelical Alliance in Basle in 1879.

INTRODUCTION.

well as one of the firmest pillars of our civil and religious institutions."

An unfriendly writer in the Christian Quarterly* said: " On the whole, the Methodist Church will be seen to be a great organization, moving on the world for definite and powerful results, striking where there is most to be done. * * * It converts for all the other Churches. * * * But notwithstanding it supplies all the other Churches, it still keeps itself larger than any of the rest and increases at a faster rate."

At the Centennial Methodist Conference in Baltimore in 1884 one of our leading ministers f said: "The late Archbishop Spalding, with whom I had a valued acquaintance, made to me personally this very remarkable statement, that the only sect that Roman Catholicism feared was organized Methodism ; and this fear, he said, was based upon its aggressive zeal and its hearty and simple presentation of truth to the common people, without making any pretentious claims to apostolic successorship or offensive assertion of being the Church. He greatly feared the influence of Methodism upon the second and third generations of imported Romanists, provided a free school system should become enforced; and the Methodists, being the most numerous and favoring the system, increased his solicitude. And he also confessed that the spirit and liberty of Methodism had aroused the Roman Catholic laity in this country to a desire for greater power in the temporalities of the Church."

Shall we remain worthy of such encomiums ?

The bishops J say: " The polity and administrative rules have from time to time been modified to meet changing conditions and opportunities, but it remains unchanged in

* Article on " Our Representative Religions." t Rev. James M. King, D.D. % Discipline, 1896, pp. 15, 16.

INTRODUCTION.

doctrine and in ministerial offices. Coeval with the republic, it has expanded with it and ministered to its moral and religious life. At this date (1896) its communicants, not including adherents, number more than two and three quarter millions. Other Methodist Churches, derived from the original root, flourish by its side. Obviously its founders were wise and godly men, fulfilling the purpose of the great Head of the Church.

" It has always believed that the only infallible proof of the legitimacy of any branch of the Christian Church is in its ability to seek and to save the lost, and to disseminate the Pentecostal spirit and life. Its chief stress has ever been laid, not upon forms, but upon the essentials of religion. * * *

" The sole object of the rules, regulations, and usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church is that it may fulfill to the end of time its original divine vocation, as a leader in evangelization, in all true reforms, and in the promotion of paternal relations among all branches of the one Church of Jesus Christ with whom it is a co-worker in the spiritual conquest of the world for the Son of God."

Note.— The revision effected in this edition pertains almost exclusively to disciplinary changes and recent historical facts. The original and able argument of the author, though sometimes made obsolete by the course of events, is retained unchanged.

Daniel Dorchester.

Melrose, Mass., October 1, 1897.