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

The MeshoS,sr Church.

sprung up al time when some new system or other
was strongly called for. But the literature of the
eighteenth century index to its moral character
The loose wit of Congreve was in the zenith OF its
popularity. Such men as Swift and Sterne were IN
the church. Dryden was companion for the par
lor The works of Hobbs, Chubb, Tindal, and
Shaftsbury in circulation, reinforced by the
three giants, Bolingbrook, Hume, and Gibbon'
The Encyclopedias were attempting to eradicate
every vesige Of moral truth from the circle OF the
sciences The Fren h works eff Rousseau, Voltaire,
and others Of the school, swept across the
cdaznel, like a deadening sirocco, whitening the
very instincts of humanity itself Natural religion
was the chief study of the clergy, many of whom
knew no more of what they should have known
than Mahomedans. AS SOuthey says, they had
lost all that authority which might command the
appearance of respect; and according to Burnet,
Sf,ev were under more contempt than those of any
other church in Europe. Leighton speaks of the
church ITSELF rs a fair without a spirit.
The rise of Methodism, at such crisis exhibits
Instance Of the deathless energy Of those principles
which set it in operation, and which, when their
radiance seemed almost extinguished, and their
ets0iency exhausted, prophecy, with unfaultering
emphasis, declared to be unconquerable. The sun,
when his rays are intercepted still wheels on his
6ery chariot above the clouds, and finally bursts
out and reveals himself with greater splendor and
the same great principles which struggled victo-
riously with the classic Poyheism of ancient Rome,
were equally adapted to combat and finally over
come, the learned heterodoxy, polished sceptcism,
and dssoluteness of later times.
Historians of the American revolution speak
with astonshment of the wonderful set Of men that
happened, just then, to come across the stage;
economists generals, heroes moralists, legislators,
and statesmen, far exceeding those Of the old
world, men of large ffmuess and benevoence, who
were evidently raised up by Providence, for the
crisis. The same may be said Of Methodism
There we see John Wesley, with his talent of eccle
esstical legislation, constructing the economy Of
system which, while it fixes itself to the smallest
localities with the utmost detail, is so general in
Its provisions to reach the ends of the earth,
with its unity of spirit and of discipline. While
John was adj listing the aggregate and integrauts,
Charles was embodying its tenets in verse. Whit
field was rousing the popular sympathy by his elo-
quence, Fletcher was bringing the power of his
logic 10 bear upon its theology Coke was deyising
plans Of foreign conquest Asbury was applying
zts energies the circumstances Of this newly dis
covered hemisphere, while Benson and Clarke were
showing, or trying to show, its scriptural founda-
fions. The press was employed, of which Wesley
was one Of the frs. to discover the Importance.
Poetry, history, philosophy, all were put into re-
QUESTION. Ten thousand cares" says Wesley,
care no more to me, than ten thousand hairs upon
my head"
the national church. but when he was elected from
the pulpits Of the establishment, nothing remain
ed but to do as be could. The system Of his 60
vernmeut was no. conceived a priori. MethO ism
- L., ubo., i'll hast brts
. hardy plant, nuItured in the tempest, and signi
6cantly called, d" the child Of Providence" Every
thing in it was incidental; and legislation provided
o. the occasions for it arose. not excepting he tine
raat ministry ITSELF which is the he Art Of the iys-
ten, sending it pa sations through every member
OF the body. For whatever John Wesley might be
n other respects, he certainly did possess the
power Of arranging and combining details, and
giving system TO complicated results, which is the
true acme of philosophical genius. In reviewing
The fabric he reared, we to consider his means
fDr building it, he had to DO with only small things;
a1d his financial system based on penny.a week
subscriptions. And yet the constitution, as We
have il COW before us, is a vast system OF whsels
within wheels, all in harmonious mo:ion-a
general conference, once in four years-an an
nual CONFERENCE quarterly conierenee-a lead
week, and something or other covering all the
successive ntervals-bishops traversing the CONT
aent; presiding elders moving over sectional dis
tnote circuit preachers riding round less extended
Acids missic naries carrying IL. proposals onward
70 the villages Of the red man, and pioneering the
advance Of population; with lo:al preachers, ex
horters, leaders, and teachers in abundance II is
the most perfect and efficient system of Continuance
We know of No other Protestant body, as we re-
member, in this. country. have yer been able to
sound pure eeclesiastic organization where the
clergy alone should govern. Even the Protestant
Eplsoopaans, dist Inclined as they must have BEEN
from the very genius Of their system, we're unable
10 form convention without admitting lsymen 10
sect in il, and a share in the legislation. But the
M.thcdists have done this. Their annual confer
ence consists Of elders and deacons; and the quad
renniai, Of elders doputed from the annual and
far, the highest courts known to them are bodies
purely ecclesiastical
The frst Methodist connection on this continent,
Like the rst Baptist one, appears TO have sprung up
spontaneously, without the knowledge Of Mr. Wes-
ley; for though the Wcsleys came over in l7Jj,
With a design Of preaching to the Indians IN
Georgis, and we're soon followed by Whitfield,
the PARTY returned without accomplishing any
very important object. The system, however
hsd spread In Ireland, aud was introduced into
America, BY party Of Irish em grants, who landed
In New York and formed a congregation under
Mr. Enbury, q local preacher. Captain webb.
belonging 70 the British army, then stationed in
Albany, came down to encourage them, and, il i
said preached in his uniform, with his sword lying
before him a table. a house Of worship was
bulk In John street. and called Wesley Chapel.
But this va q single congregation only, not
church organization. Missionaries were afterwards
seut over whe labored in different places till l15j,
whso The frst ministerial conference held in
Pniladslphia. And in 1854, after the acknowleig-
msnt Of American Inde pendence. Mr.. Wesley pro.
vided form Of discipline aud church service for his
American societies, appointed Dr. Coke, presby-
Ter Of toe church Of England a Bishop, With In
atruo Ions 10 set apart Mr. Ashbury JOINT super.
s.tn.a..x wbo uas anerUards made BshOu. and