The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-08-12

church and peck all day. while methodist Preaen-
er Was at work inside. Besides learned ministry
was in no demand After the revolution, men were
too busy in adjusting their political and civil reli
tions, to attend to much else FOR whiie the great
moral revolution was going on across the witsr,a
political revolution was going on amongst ourselves
While Wesley was Teyivng Christianity there,
Washington was reviyng liberty here. IL was the
Am- rican Revolution developed the vast resources
ofthe country, and made it the gathering place of
all nations the Methodists were but just in time
TO be ready when the movement to toe west be.
gan. From tn influx Of the vast multitudss that
came pouring IL upon US, it was found that long
preparatory training for the ministry, would be in
consistent with the immediate wants Of the com
munity; and Methodism had to call into existence
ministry less trained, but equally efficient, which
she qualified rs we'll as she could, and formed to a
standard altogether unique in the annals of man
kind. This ministry was suited for the time, aud,
altogether, composed class which We shall never
see again. Mr. Wesley showed that learning, was
nowhere required in the New Testament, as
al essential qualification for the ministry.
And if We were now to silence all but
regularly educated men, large proportion
OF this vast continent would be unsupplied with
religious Institutions. AS the exigency for a
learned ministry arose, it was met and the supply
now is equal to the demand. The northern portion
Of this church alone, ma, three universities, SIX
colleges, thrty-eight academies and hign schoois,
an extensive theological institution DOCK eoncera
in New ork, with a capital OF nearly million OF
dollars and an other at CINCINNATI for the purpose
Of difusing knowledge at the cheapest possible
IL must be supposed that so extensive an organi-
zation reaching over every region and territory Of
the United STATES, must exert aa immense influence
on the condition Of the country, especially when
realize the conception OF It's intinerant ministry,
which met in the only way possible, the circum
stances OF the case. Who can estimate what would
have been the result Of our rapid advance OF popu-
lston, beyond the usual provisions, II what was
then our frontier, but has since become the
IN ost i'm portant part of the Union, had been suf.
fered TO pass through its forming period without
the humanizing influence OF Christianity! The
Methodist itineracy has been seen in the van Of
emigration, threading the trail of the savage,
cheering the loneliest cottage on the furhes from
tier, scaling the Rocky mountains, and gat herring
more Of the children Of the forest within the pale
Of its discipleshlp, than any other sect. The mis-
sionary spirit OF the aggressive principle the life
and soul of the system difusing potency through
its membership and sending out genial influence
for subdung the hardness 9th winch II comes IN
contact. IL is true the Methodists have been
charged with aiming to proseyte from other sects.
If so, they seldom succeed in it, The members
rarely come from other communions, but are stocks
taken from the wilderness. Whence then, they
ask, this cry about schsm; and tell that insteai
OF saying Altar against altar, we should say,
"Altar where no altar was; that whatever might
be said of the Church or her children, there were
wandering millions without her pale; that no other
shepherds voice had been heard amongst them;
that they had covenanted at no visible altar, nor
fellowshiped will any other communion; that the
multitudes neglected; that they themselves
opened the sluices, because the streams had been
stayed One great result of Methodsm has been
successful opposition to inhdeity, in its different
garbs Of philosophy, ? llitics, &c. They showed
that philosophi, al infielity reason run mad
that political infdelity was liberty without
straint-that vulgar infdelity was indulgence of
the grosser passions nation OF inideis could
not long exist, but would be numbered
amongst the things that were. Infdehty has
seized the press, flooded the country with books,
pamphlets, and periodicals-turned coIporteur,
missionary, preacher teacher, prophet. No power
h hoa go ska, ,0A-
ism. We argue with it; they meet it on the
old plan. They have done much 10 uproot that
American selfshness which, if carried out, would
threaten the very existence of the social system.
What does the Frenchman, DO Toqueville, say Of
US. "a native Of the United States clings TO this
worlds goods a If he were never TO die. He
clutches everything, he holds nothing fast, but
leo,ens his grasp TO pursue fresh Qualifications.
a man builds house to spend his latter years in,
and sells II before the roof is he plants gar
den, aid lets il just as the trees coming INTO
Bearing; he brings field into tillage, and leaves
other men to gather the crops; be embraces a,pro-
fesson and gives it up; he settles in place which
he soon afterwards leaves TO carry his longings
elsewhere" Is not this truel And how are we to
secure a different state Of things If the people
become corrupt and selfish, will not the elements of
the social compact be dissolved And how
20 prevent IL, without attention TO the moral cha
racter of our citzen' lfchrstianity is foled upon
American ground, now could our institutions live
single day The Church has battle TO fight, in
which the Methodists are destined to play dis
tinguishcd part. No men have been more success
ful in promoting morality and carrying out the
principles Of total abstinence and good order than
they; and, in general, if they DO nothing with
e man, We may set him down for a lost case.
Their political tendencies TO be sough: in the
general character Of their sectional Jurisprudence;
and Il IL very easy thing o. say what form of GO
yernment this favors. some liken Il to al aristo-
crazy; Others, % a limited monarchy; others, to a
House Of Peers, wi b the Chancellor on the WOOL
sack; whilst some make il kind Of holy alliance,
Itafc ~ llta1 fov air
cults they supervise. But, nlweyer unique or non
descript, the tendency is 70 absolution and wemay
prcsume their political opinions generally, and their
influence, are in that direction. IL is remarkable
that the O'Kelly scceders took the name of rcpub-
can Methodists, by way of dis ,tion from the ORR
ginsl body But the character of the system is
beet given by DR.. Bascom, (W.ehay Heruh May
80. alt il essential that the classes should re-
eeye the leaders that are appointed by the preach
err that the societies should receive the preac hers
that are stationed over them by the bishops, that
the annual conferences should receive the bishops
that are sent TO them by the general conference"
Again, "a bishop who decides all quest ons OF Law
In annual conferences Lord Char .rllor); who OF
bis mere motion aud will, controls The work aud
the destiny Of four thousand ministers t,atocrst);
who appoints AID changes at pleasure ne spiritual
guides offour millions Of souls (kDp.ipr Of all tae
Russ All that the depository Of these vast powers
stops moment, DO tor, IL this an absolute, or
limited monarchy, or what would you call 1T
The impulsive character Of such nu nerous
body, and the fanat icsm obser Vsbe in their camp
meetings and revivals, have impressed an influence
on the disposition Of people, and done much to
predispose them for those excitements that go
under the name Of movements Of the masses Both
Whitfield and Wesley we're impulsrvc, and TO
considerable extent, finatis al. When Whitfield
preached in Scotland, the excitement was 20 great
that the cool headed scotch dvines wrote book 10
prove il was from the Devil, aud appointed
a day Of fasting for his being in scotland.
Whitfield had gifts Of the tongue; not Of govern
ment Wesley had both But the impulsyo dis
position seems 10 have been 20 thorough made ma
tufe, ss 70 become hereditary. One thing VIC mast
not forget, in estimating the practical influence OF
the Method and that IL, their effect on other
bodies. Whenthoy came on the stage, both church
ami dissenters were dead; the rapid spread Of the
rev system obliged them either TO come 70 life, or
be buried They finally came 20 life and Il IL OBJ
ole that the numerous benevolent institutions
which the glory Of the age. did not begin, tall
they were made necessary by the operations Of the
methodist body; and but for these, they had never