The present state;...of the Methodist Episcopal church...

Preface

From the time of the outpouring of the Spirit upon the day of Pentecost, until the exaltation of Constantine the Great, in the beginning of the fourth century, to the imperial government, Christianity had been rapidly winning its way in the midst of violent oppositions, and sometimes of cruel persecutions, until it finally established itself in the heart of the Eoman Empire. Erom that inauspicious period it gradually lost much of its vital principles, by accommodating itself to the maxims of the world, and paying obeisance to civil rulers, and seeking to shape itself according to the political views of men invested with temporal power. It continued its retrograde motion until finally it degenerated into a " strange plant," nourished in a corrupted soil. Twelve centuries of midnight darkness brooded over the Church, and so beclouded the Sun of Righteousness that his rays were scarcely perceptible, and even the stars of the firmament gave but a twinkling light, to direct the weary pilgrim in the path to life and immortality.

We may presume, it is true, that during this long night of darkness, here and there were found pious souls, breathing out their desires to God, while they mourned over the general desolations which overspread the Church,

PREFACE.

for pure and undefiled religion among men. But they were so few and far between, that their names scarcely appear upon the page of ecclesiastical history. Monkish superstition, bodily austerities, and a vain attempt to discipline the mind to the rules of piety, by fasting, prayers, pilgrimages, the collection and worship of relics, founding monasteries and nunneries, were substituted for that heartfelt piety consisting in pure love to God and man, by which the primitive Christians were distinguished.

God, however, had not wholly forsaken the world ; for had he done so, it would have perished in the tomb of its own corruptions. In addition to the few sighing ones to whom we have already alluded, arose, in the fifteenth century, in Bohemia, John Hass, an eloquent and learned man, who preached vehemently against the vices of the clergy. But his light was soon extinguished by the fury of his enemies. Nor did John Wiclif, who arose in England a little before Huss, and strove to revive the flame of pure religion, share a better fate ; for though he died a natural death, yet his enemies persecuted him while living, and, after his death, displayed their malice at this bold reprover, by causing his bones to be dug up and publicly burned. To complete their malignant projects, they finally inflicted the sentence of death upon Jerome of Prague, the companion of Huss, who was committed to the flames on the 14th of May, 1416.

But these acts of cruelty could not wholly extinguish the flame of pure love which began to be enkindled in

PREFACE.

the hearts of a few; for soon after, namely, in 1517, God raised up Luther in Germany, to stem the torrent of iniquity, and to open the pure fountain of divine truth and love. The events of the Keformation, brought about through the instrumentality of Luther, Melancthon, and others, in Germany; of Arminius and his compeers in Holland ; of Cranmer and his associates in England; of Knox and his coadjutors in Scotland; of Zwingle and his followers in Switzerland, are all well known, and therefore need not be rehearsed here. But, alas for the glory of the Church ! These lights were extinguished by death, and their followers soon sunk away into a dead formalism ; so that the whole Protestant world, with but few exceptions, became wedded to the State, and thus imitated the conduct of the Church in the days of Constantine. The peculiar glories of Christianity were obscured by the smoke and dust of political strife, and by the pride and ostentation of the dignitaries of the Church.

In this state lay the religious world when Wesley arose, and preached anew the doctrine of justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and holiness of heart and life. What he did — the success of his labours, and the holy influence which he was instrumental in producing — I have endeavoured to show in the following chapters. If the positions I have attempted to establish be founded in truth, as I cannot but believe they are, then may we hope and steadfastly believe that God is about to visit the earth with a more copious shower of divine grace than it has ever heretofore witnessed. I

PREFACE.

would not indeed deceive myself, nor mislead my readers ; but if it be a fact, as I have endeavoured to demonstrate, that almost all denominations of Protestant Christians are waking up to the vast importance of vital godliness, of the absolute necessity of holiness of heart and life, then have we not reason to believe that Jesus Christ is about to take to Himself his great power, and reign universal King upon the earth?

That this grand consummation may be fully realized, those members of the Christian Churches, who can behold the " signs of the times," and who see and feel the necessity of persevering exertions in the cause of evangelical truth, light, and holiness, must unite their energies, and use with conscientious diligence all the appliances within their grasp, for the promotion of the vital cause of Christianity. They must not stop to dispute about non-essentials or minor points of doctrine, modes of church government, or the mere ceremonies of religion, but must unite all their energies, and combine all their influence, to oppose sin and sinful errors, and to establish the kingdom of God, which consists in " righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 1 '

That this may be the case, is the sincere prayer of the author.

CONTENTS*

Chapter I

The state of the Methodist Episcopal Church— Erroneous views —Diminution of Members for three years past allowed— How accounted for — TheMillerite delusion — Great increase in 1843 and 1844 — Subsequent sifting — The present compared with former diminutions — All this no proof of backsliding — So far from it, that we now have a greater proportion of the population than formerly — All this, cause of gratitude Page 15

CHAPTER H.

Decrease but temporary— Its causes— Disputes between the North and South— The Mexican War— Compared with the War of 1813-1815— Like results produced — The abolition excitement — The fact, therefore, of a diminution in numbers no proof of a departure from vital piety— On the contrary, we have evidence of improvement r 20

CHAPTER ILL Evils allowed to exist — These are exceptions — The majority truly pious — Evidences of improvement — Temporally in wealth — In church building — Comparison between our present and former state in this respect 28

CHAPTER IT.

Education another evidence of improvement— Wesley's work in this cause— Efforts of Coke and Asbury in this cause failed— Effect of this failure disparaging — Recent efforts more successful — Some opposed to this cause — But God has sanctioned it — Truly Wesleyan — The Methodists have done much to their credit— Who will say that this is no evidence of improvement? 33

CHAPTER V.

The Missionary cause an evidence of improvement— Origin of the Missionary Society— Opposition encountered— Feebleness

Contents

of its beginning— Gradually advanced— Finally triumphs— What it has achieved— All this a practical demonstration of improvement Page 39

CHAPTER VI.

Home missions — Their blessed effects — Other benevolent movements — Increased number of books another evidence of improvement — Origin of the Book-Concern — Its feebleness — Labours under a heavy debt — No American writers — Its income small — Its present prosperous state — This institution has been sustained by Methodists 45

Appendix

No. I.

An examination of the definition, " Methodism without philosophy" — A reply to P. — Two errors do not constitute a truth— The author deviates from his general rule, for the purpose of testing- the solidity of the above maxim — He acknowledges an inadvertence in language — On this account excuses P. for some things he has said, but rebukes him for others — These things an evidence of human infirmity — The erroneousness of the definition — It excludes doctrines, usages, and ordinances —Makes Methodism without body and soul — The definition denied — It contemns God's inspired messengers — The reformers — Wesley himself— Theological schools not the nurseries of heresies — Proved n sundry insitances — Nor are colleges — An apology for these schools — May be useful — If Methodism be religion without philosophy, then no true religion till Methodism arose — This proved — What Methodism is Page 291

No. II.

No good perceived from the personal coming of Christ ; though, if this were plainly revealed, we ought to believe it nevertheless — No such fact revealed—Examination of those texts generally relied on — Do not prove the fact — If he were thus to come, it would be as a man ; of course his personal appearance must be restricted to a particular place — Hence he could profit comparatively but few at a time — These difficulties overcome by his spiritual manifestation — This answers all the ends of his intercession — In this way he can accomplish a great work in a short time — The character of the millennium — Not all righteous — Proved from Daniel xii, 10, and Rev. xx, 8-10 — Gog and Magog, what — During the period of Millennial glory some remain wicked — More important to have the heart right than our mere speculations 308

STATE AND PROSPECTS

OF THE

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

The state of the Methodist Episcopal Church— Erroneous views — Diminution of Members for three years past allowed — How accounted for — The Millerite delusion— Great increase in 1843 and 1844 — Subsequent sifting— The present compared with former diminutions— All this no proof of backsliding-— So far from it, that we now have a greater proportion of the population than formerly — All this, cause of gratitude.

Much has been written, of late, respecting the state and prospects of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Some, indeed, have lamented over the Church as though they believed it had achieved its mission, or was about to be laid aside for having abused its trust, or misapplied its energies, and was therefore no longer to be an agent in the hand of God in effecting good for the human family. These melancholy conclusions have been drawn from the fact that there has been a diminution in the number of its members for some years past ; though, latterly, there has been an encouraging increase, which appears to i be an indication that God is about to visit His heritage again in mercy. I have read these lamentations with a mixture of surprise and regret, believing that the writers have been led astray by their prejudices, or have drawn their conclusions from too superficial or contracted a view of the subject.

The fact, however, is allowed, that there has been a diminution in the number of church-members. In 1 845, there was a diminution of 3 1, 763 ; in 1846, 12,343; and in 1847, 12,741, making the entire loss, during those three years, 56,847.

Now, in order to see how this loss may affect the vital energies of the Church, we will compare it with the unusually large increase in the years 1843 and 1844.

In 1843, the increase was 154,634. In 1844, the increase was 102,831, making the entire in* crease for those two years, 257,465. Now, subtract from this number the 56,847, which is the estimated amount of loss for the three years mentioned, and it will leave 200,618, the net increase during those five years. But for the year 1848, there was an increase of 7,508; and in 1849, of 23,249, making a net increase for these two years, of 30,757 ; so that the entire increase for the last seven years, after deducting all the losses, is 231,375.

ACCOUNTED FOR.

To enable us to account for the diminution during the years 1845, 1846, and 1847, we must take into consideration the circumstances which, it is highly probable, led to the large increase of the two years previous. During those years, and more especially in the year 1843, the minds of the people were greatly excited with the Millerite delusion, under the influence of which thousands of the people were induced to believe that the world was soon to come to an end. In full view of this awful catastrophe, they were led to call on God for mercy, and perhaps most of them were soundly converted to God ; while many others became apparently religious, under the influence of an artificial excitement. I say probably most of them were soundly converted to God ; for, taking into view the whole of the diminution, it still appears, from the facts above stated, that out of 257,445, the whole number received during the prevalence of that excitement, all but 56,847 have stood fast. The proportion which this loss bears to the gain, is nearly the same as the proportion between the loss of probationers received and the whole number of those probationers ; for I believe it is generally allowed, that no more than three-fourths of those who have been received on probation, have graduated to full membership ; 2 and this is about the proportion of those that have been lost during the years above mentioned.

But if this loss is to be taken as a proof of a low state of vital piety in the Church, and that God has forsaken her, what shall we say of other periods, in former days, when a greater proportionate diminution in numbers was witnessed ? Thus, in 1778, when there were only 6,095 members in the Church, there was a diminution of 872, which was a loss of about 1 in 7. In 1795, when the whole number of church-members was 60,604, there was a diminution of 6,317, which was a loss of about 1 in 9. In 1845, there was a diminution of 31,769, and the whole number of church-members was 1,139,587, which was a loss of about 1 in 35. So, then, notwithstanding the hue and cry about the want of zeal and skill in the ministry, and the lukewarmness and backsliding of the membership, the proportion of those that were lately lost to the Church was by no means equal to — nay, it was nearly three-fourths less than — that which happened in the years 1778 and 1795 ; and yet God has been so eminently present with his ministers and people, and has blessed the labour of their hands so abundantly, that the Church has increased in numbers so rapidly, that in 1843 the membership had accumulated

NOT PERMANENT.

to the amount of 1,068,525 ; and in 1844, 1, 11 1,356 ; and, notwithstanding the diminution since that time, the present number of church-members, including the North and the South, is 1, 1 14,509. So propitiously has the Lord smiled upon us !

There is another point of view in which this subject may be considered, which will afford us equal cause of gratitude to the great Head of the Church. In 1*795, our numbers were 60,604, and the number of inhabitants in our country was then estimated at about 4,000,000. This would give to our Church one member for every sixty of the population. Allowing the present population of our country to be 20,000,000, and allowing the number of church-members to be a little over 1,000,000, it will give at least one church-member to every twenty of the population; so that we have not only increased in the absolute number of our church-members, but the proportionate number has made a rapid advance upon the population, having become just three times as great now as it was fifty-three years ago. All this, be it remembered, notwithstanding the increase of evangelical preaching, zeal, and efficiency, in other denominations, in the midst of whom we have been labouring.

DIMINUTION OF NUMBERS.

Instead, therefore, of lamenting over our deficiency — although God knows we have faults enough to humble us in the dust — we have abundant cause of gratitude to the great Head of the Church for the merciful manner in which he has favoured our feeble, though, I trust, sincere endeavours to advance his cause upon the earth.

Chapter II

Decrease but temporary— Its causes— Disputes between the North and South — The Mexican War — Compared with the War of 1813-1815— Like results produced— The abolition excitement — The fact, therefore, of a diminution in numbers no proof of a departure from vital piety — On the contrary, we have evidence of improvement.

It may be said by some, that the great increase in the membership in 1843 and 1844, should have been followed by a proportionate increase for the following year, in order to prove that the Church has not deteriorated in her piety, or become lax in her appliances for the salvation of men. To this I answer, that allowing this should have been the case, such a conclusion by no means follows, as the diminution may have originated from other causes, and causes too beyond the reach of human control, at least so far as the Church, in her collective capacity, is

TEMPORARY CAUSES.

concerned ; and whatever the causes may have been, I humbly trust they were but temporary in their character, for it seems that already the Lord is visiting his heritage again with the reviving influences of his Spirit, as there was an increase, in 1848, of upwards of 7,000 ; and in 1849, of 23,240, making an increase for the two past years of upwards of 30,000. Though it might be expected, that after such an unusual ingathering of souls in the two years above mentioned, namely, upwards of 256,000, under the impulses produced by such causes as were then at work, all, to be sure, under the management of Him, who made them subservient to His purposes of love to the human family, yet there were other causes at work during the years 1845, 1846, and 1847, which may be assigned as a reason for the diminution, without supposing that any permanent departure from our ancient landmarks, either in doctrine, discipline, or practical piety, had taken place.

In the first place, the disputes between the North and the South, during that ominous period, no doubt had a deleterious influence upon the interests of true religion. These disputes, in the manner in which they were conducted, certainly had a tendency to impair Christian confidence in one another, and thus to unfit the mind of believers for close communion with God, But as this unhappy state of things is now subsiding, and personal recriminations, so disgraceful to the parties concerned, are giving place to a return of brotherly love and mutual confidence, I would touch upon this subject lightly, and would not, indeed, have alluded to it at all, were it not necessary to account for this temporary depression of the Church. How far these things may have affected us, more particularly here in the northern department of the Church, it may be difficult to tell ; but it is a truth which cannot be disputed, that we have suffered a greater diminution in church-members than they have in the South, if indeed they have suffered any at all, for I believe they have had a steady, though, comparatively, a small increase. But leaving this part of the subject with this slight allusion to it — for I have no wish to revive those heart- burnings which, I trust, are now nearly extinguished — I would remark in the

Second place, that the war-spirit which pervaded our land during the years above mentioned, no doubt contributed its full share toward the result we here deprecate. This spirit has always been found exceedingly unfriendly to the diffusion of pure and undefiled religion ; for the spirit and practice of war, and the spirit and

TEMPORARY CAUSES.

practice of piety, are generally incompatible with each other, and cannot, therefore, long coexist in the same person. In 1814, during the war between this country and Great Britain, when the total number of our church-members was 211,129, (not as many as was our increase in 1843 and 1844,) our decrease was 3,178, which was one to about sixty -five, more than half the proportionate decrease of 1846 ; and had the like causes existed at that time as above mentioned in the latter case, the like result might have been witnessed ; and as, in the former instance, the injurious effects were but temporary, and ceased with the cause which produced them, so, I humbly trust, as the war with Mexico has now happily ended, the spirit of piety will resume its wonted tone, and revivals of religion will again pervade our land, as indeed they have already begun to do.

In 1836, there was a decrease of 2,283. This was during the abolition excitement, which produced agitations and disputes similar to those which arose at a later period, between the North and the South, and had a like injurious influence .upon the interests of pure religion, and finally ended in a small secession. These sad effects, however, disappeared with the cause which produced them, and God afterwards visited the

Church with one of the most remarkable revivals of religion ever witnessed in our country. And may we not hope that when the bickerings above alluded to shall have entirely ceased, and God's ministers and people shall give themselves wholly up to his work, and strive together for the promotion of his cause, a like heavenly influence will be felt throughout all our borders ?

Notwithstanding the disastrous results we have been considering in the diminution of church-members, though it may not be — and indeed is not, as I believe — an undeniable proof of a diminution of piety, the fact itself has been overruled for our good. It has tended to humble us, has led to heart-searchings, to a thorough examination of ourselves, and has induced us to investigate the causes of this seeming declension ; and as far as they have been ascertained, to remove them out of the way ; and likewise to excite a spirit of fervent prayer and renewed diligence, that God may be pleased to pour out his Spirit, and revive and spread his work among the people.

It will be perceived that while the fact is allowed — as indeed it cannot be controverted — ■ that there has been a diminution of church-members, and some of the supposed causes have been detected and pointed out, yet it is believed

NO GROUND OF ALARM.

that these causes are but temporary in their character, and might, indeed, have been avoided, had prudent measures been adopted ; and that, therefore, they do not prove that there has been, on the whole, any essential deterioration in the Church, any departure from her primitive doctrine or discipline, or in the general spirit and practice of piety, either among the preachers or people : on the contrary, I believe it is susceptible of substantial proof, that by a comparison of the last twenty or thirty years, with any former period of the Methodist Episcopal Church, it will be found that there has been most manifest improvement in almost every respect — improvements of a highly beneficial character — of a character highly beneficial to the best interests of mankind — temporal, intellectual, spiritual, and eternal interests !

This opinion involves topics too numerous to be discussed in this chapter, and will require a statement of facts too numerous to be spread out in a narrow space ; and they will, therefore, be taken up in subsequent chapters, together with such arguments as may be considered necessary to sustain the opinion above expressed.

SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS.

Chapter III

Evils allowedto exist — These are exceptions — The majority truly pious — Evidences of improvement — Temporally in wealth — In church building- — Comparison between our present and former state in this respect.

I have said that, comparing the present state of the Church, or its state for twenty or thirty years past, with any former period, there has been a manifest improvement in almost every respect. This assertion I shall now endeavour to demonstrate. Let no one suppose, however, that I am so blind to the existence of facts, as not to admit that there are, and have been, evils among us — that there are individuals, both preachers and people, who are not as they ought to be — who are proud, vain, and criminally selfish — that such seek their own glory instead of the glory of the Lord Jesus ; and that others have disgraced themselves and the cause they had espoused by gross apostasies ; but, I would ask, at what period of our history have not these evils existed ? Those who are acquainted with our early history, know full well that obstinate heretics sprang up at that time — that some, even among the early preachers, became gross apostates, and thus disgraced themselves and their brethren by their evil deeds. I have been

INCIDENTAL EVILS.

acquainted with Methodism for about forty-nine years, and I think I may say in truth, that I knew as many, if indeed not more, in the early days of my experience, in proportion to their number, that were not as they ought to have been, both among preachers and people, as may be seen now. We were always troubled, more or less, with uneasy spirits — with mercenary men and women — with disgusting egotists, whose vanity betrayed the emptiness of their brains, whose ignorance made them invincible to the impressions of truth, and whose selfishness obtruded itself into every society in which they appeared ; with backsliders, hypocrites, and apostates, whose vices were ultimately exhibited to the view of all with whom they became acquainted — and with covetous, mercenary beings, who gave evidence they loved their gold (if they were so fortunate as to have any, and, if not, by their repinings at those who had it) better than their God — I say these evil-minded persons always were found among us, are among us still, and I suppose always will be ; but I do not believe that they are more numerous now, in proportion to our numbers, than they were in any former period, if indeed they are as much so.

But these are exceptions — mortifying exceptions, it is true — to the general character of the

SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS.

Methodists. I firmly believe that the great majority of our church-members, including ministers and people, and I have had a pretty good opportunity of knowing them, hare been sincerely devoted to God, have been actuated by the purest motives, have felt the love of God and man to be the ruling principle of their hearts, the evidence of which has been furnished by the rectitude of their conduct ;— they have proved that they loved God hy keeping Ms commandments. This belief is founded upon an intimate acquaintance with them for about fifty years, during which time I have had an opportunity of familiarizing myself with ministers and people, from the highest order in the ministry to the lowest — bishops, elders, deacons, and preachers, and the various official members of the Church, trustees, stewards, and classleaders, as well as the more private members — having transacted business with them, mingled in their councils, in conferences, quarterly, annual, and general, attended class-meetings, and the various other means of grace ; and from this intimate knowledge of all the affairs of the Church, I certainly have had a favourable opportunity of judging of their motives, so far as motives may be ascertained from words and actions ; and from all these sources of informa-

IN TEMPORAL THINGS.

tion, I am led to the conclusion that, whatever may be said of certain individuals, whose character may be considered somewhat dubious, the great majority are as before described.

These things being premised, — and they have been mentioned to prevent any one from supposing that I am either so blind as not to see faults, or so obstinate as not to admit them, — I proceed to state some of the evidences of our improvement.

We have improved temporally. The most of those who embraced Methodism in its early days were among the poorer class of society. In consequence of their embracing the religion of the Lord Jesus= — and this is what I understand by their becoming Methodists — they have become sober, industrious, frugal in their manner of living, and thus many have become wealthy ; others are in comfortable and thriving circumstances ; while comparatively few are suffering from poverty, but most of them are reaping the fruits of honest industry. And let no one suppose that temporal good is not one of the blessings of the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ. Did not Jesus Christ present this among the motives to induce the people to enter His service ? " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto yon/' — that is, all those temporal blessings of which he had been speaking. And did not the Saviour say to Peter, in answer to his interrogatory, what he should receive who had left all for Christ's sake, — " No man that hath left houses, or lands, wife," &c, "but he shall receive an hundred fold in this time, and in the world to come life everlasting ?" Thus " godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." So far, therefore, from worldly prosperity being a mark of ungodliness, it is enumerated by the Lord Jesus himself, and included by his apostles, among the blessings of God's kingdom ; and many have experienced the fulfilment of the promise, by receiving even a hundred-fold in this life for the small sacrifice they were induced to make for the kingdom of heaven's sake. The danger is, of so setting their hearts upon riches as to make them their principal treasure, and neglecting to become rich toward God, by dispensing abroad, clothing the naked, feeding the poor, and making the hearts of the widow and fatherless to rejoice, and thus laying by a " good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."