The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-21

Dr. SMITH offered resolution in relation to discipline
The Convention adjourned over to Monday.
Methodist Episcopal Conference.
During Mondays session Bishop Heddng took
the chair. The usual routine business having
been disposed of, debate arose on Recommended
ton of one of the committees to adopta change IN
the rule of discipline relative to local preachers.
The change proposed described course OF study
to the exhorters, who should become applicants for
admission, local preachers, which course OF
study was TO be specified by Conference.
MIR. SIIcER was opposed to the change. He vim
dicated the zeal, usefulness, piety and ability oil that
class OF men, the exhorers, who after working hard
all the week discharge OF their temporal duties felt
moved by the divine spirit to exhort their fellow
men on The Lords day to repentance and the fear
OF the Lord. He repudaed any such test OF fitness
to be faithful servant of God, as what is called
learning and although by no means indifferent or
opposed 10 the acquisition of knowledge OF every
kind, he could not help remembering that John
Nelson, and such men whose names were venera-
ted, and whose works, by the divine blessing, We're
the most powerful 10 be pulling down the strong
holds of Satan, were produced under the present
system-a system which was well adopted TO Sc
cure the primary object TO be Kept IN vlew-the
progress of MethodIsm.
MIR. JESSE PECK arose to approve of the change.
He did not think there was any danger to be APP
pretended from making men more learned. he
cool the ardor of their plety He thought that the
church would be benefited by subjectng the ex-
horters to examination before their license to preach
order to test their ability Intelligence would not de-
stroy piey and when he heard any such doctrine, as
that ignorance the mother OF devotion, preached in
that Conference he felt that anything like that would
come better from another quarter than from the Methodist
Church. (lear hear) He would be glad to see the
young learn read and know and think before they
assumed the work OF the ministry and anything that
would induce their young men to study whatever would
increase their usefulness he could not but approve Of
Mr.. SLIcER amidst cries Of order, order, &c, and
said he wished to that which the brother who
spoke last asked him.
The PRESIDENT called to order
Mr.. SLIcERl wish to say, that never gave utterance
to any such words as that ignorance was the mother OF
devotion.
Mr.. PEcx-O, not at all, sir; did not mean thatl
Mr.. SLIcER.-Wesley seid, that reading books was
good thing, but saving souls was better.
Dr. Bangs renewed his motion for the matter to lie on
the table.-Put and lost
The Secretary again read the section ofhe report ofhe
committee under consideration.
although he feared it would keep back useful men VINO
had not time to read study. All men were under
moral obligation to acquire all the knowledge they could
not emily for their sakes but for that Of Others in
their day and generation.
Dr. WyNAN said question amounted exactly to this
that no exhorte should be licensed to preach unless he
gave satisfactory evidence that he had attended to the
Of study prescribed by the annual Conference to
claiming opreach lie opposed that proposition
anti opposed to the genius and spirit
OF Methodism from its very origin till now Many Of the
most useful belonging their body licensed to
solution and he was OF opinion that Of that
very conference would never have been licensed such
rule had prevailed that proposed several Doctors
of Divinity in the body would have never become
preachers They should keep their wooden shoes to look
at occasionally. Uaughter) II was the power OF God
of up to preach salvation to the
world He looked with horror to every proposal for
the ministry He had no objections to preparations but
long God called man and approved with his bless
ing his qualifications they had no right to be unsatsfed
with him and whether the rule as stood was right or
wrong he would remind them that some oil their best
preachers could neither read nor write
Mr. FINLEY moved the indefinite postponement fhe de-
bate.
Mr.. PswIn asked III motion for postponement
open to debate.
Mr.. COLLINS wished TO know what point they were
speaking TO- or what they wished to be at He
subject the table. (Laughter)
Mr.. PowER.-That is the very view ! take OF It,
his venerable brethren in the work. was suggest
ed that Conference would have some difficulty in carry
ing out the change but admitting the fact there were
advantages secured more numerous, and which they
would have trouble in carrying out. There not
duty prescribed by God or an instruction given by
diaiculty. An .iuson was made to a point which
was always sure to have weight in body OF
Methodist preachers. Some old fashioned Methodist
rule, John Nelson, and that name was never men
toned but with respect by Methodist preacher, and
the thought those illusions taking advantage Of the
subject These brethren long gone to their eternal
reward but worked in different em those
OF the present day Truth and error were 30 blended
that Only necessary to place the truth in plain
and unadorned way before the hearer to convince him
That not now the case error was so modified and
remodifed it assumed many coors-transformng it.
self into angel Of light, and assumed often counter
tet to the vital doctrines of Christ that the old
ashc way of John Nelson not applicable to those
circumstances. 1t nov requires man to preach the
Word, only with warm heart but clear head Ito
separate the counterfeit from the real and show the
nune truth of Jesus Christ. Mr. Power continued to
principally on the ground that no the
temperance had been proposed without cry out about
difficulty
| Mr.. OkrrrrHs next followed He thought that il they
were to establish theological test for the ministry that
they should set about in OPEN manly way mt ence.
and say hereafter should be admitted into the
Church. unless he knew much Latin and such guam
tity of Greek and studied theology etc. for such time
That would be revoutionzing from the foundation John
Wesley made other qualifications requisite than gifts,
grace and usefulnessno word about ignorance then
Let depart from the old ways of the Church I'm.
let say that God calls no man to preach unless he
possesses certain amount Of literary, theological oil
scientific attainmens Don't let us say that brethren
that is adopted whence will the supply Of teachers
to the cold population hope you will not depart IN hi'
respect from ancient institutions or the rock whence we
were hewn According to the church. the great mead Of
il can alone call preach and to his testimony and
credentials do alone give credit The only questions 10
be uttered were he Of faithf is he converted
by the holy spiritl is he familiar with the great
truths of Christianity II so then God has called that
called men into the Methodist Church who did not know
one letter in the English tongue After you have ascer
tanned that such man called you have no authority TO
and learn him as well you
Mr. PICK to address the chair at the same moment
aa
Mr. FINLEY, who remarked that he unfortunate in
not catching the eye of the President.
Mr. PECK proceeded He was Of opinion that the objec.
tons made against the proposed change could be easily
got over by allowing to each annual Conference the ber
of adopting modifying the rule to suit their various
circumstances
Mr. FINLEY again got up and said, Bishop look this way
IL you please, the next time 1aughter)
ParsIDrNr-If Mr. Finley gets up as soon as another
Al. sbolIt al
After few remarks from member,
Mr. FINLEY and said, he felt much'obiged Tor the
chance to speak He very glad to get his bag to the
hopper and as il not large one it would run
through Laughter) He did not know what his breth
rem meant who had spoken They got up one after
ther to make motions after another their resou-
tons but he thought they had better let exhorters alone
They rot as much knowledge they could In general
they time 10 read and did not know how 10
read at ALL and he did not know how they could study il
they could not read Yet he them get up after others
had preached long dry and thunder and tighten
ing and by few words make their way to the heart,