Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-09-17

0rulnal that CONNECTS with TINS opinion. we DC
lieve emphatically, that Methodisla has been rails
ed upby God--that is Bishops are such by the di-
vine will--called to their work by his grace and
proyidence-and hence, that they properly or
dained by the imposition Of hands and prayer, and
the divine spirit and grace properly invoked upon
them. Still, Episcopacy is an office, not an order
in Methodism. True, in the general prayer pre-
ceding ordination, the phrase ''divers orders of
ministers" is used--but it is used in a general
sense in reference to Eph. " II. "And he gave
some Apostles and some Prophets and some E.
vangelists and some Pastors and some Teachers
&c. just as Cranmer and other reformers usedi it,
with our sentiments But in the act of consecra-
ton, the proper term, coffee" is used, and what
ever others may think, it expresses just what we
wish it-as it did also for Cranmer, Redmayne,
Jewell and others-the trainers of the English
Prayer Book who held with us on this point-as
it did for Wesley, who frankly ayowed that he
was ashamed he had ever believed in three orders:
And he put it there with similar belief to Gran
mer, who put it in the English ordnal. And the
propriety of ordination in both cases, is exactly
similar. Methodists win feel under obligations to
ism is, and for trying to show them that Episcopos
and Presbueros are in conflict with ia thing
they certainly would never have learned from any
other source; but they will wonder that he did
not know his lesson better. Our opponent thinks
he has found in Dir. Dixon's letters, which have
been eagerly caught up and heralded through the
"Church" Observation-Disclosures evidence that
Methodism in England is dying fast. This may
be true, if so, it 'des hard" For it has just
finished an effort by which it raised some $780,
600, for educational purposes in addition to its
ordinary contributions and its annual collection Of
hdLf million for missions. And now it has COM
menced another move by which half million
more is to be raised for special purposes, more
than one half of which was subscribed in few
days Would not ssMe Church" like to die in
that way The following extract will give ella
ic' some light upon this subject, and will be taken
as authentic as it is from an address delivered by
W. II. Davis Esq. in the Episcopal convention Of
the Diocese of Maryland. ''The Episcopal Church
was founded in England three centuries ago, with
a kingdom to back her; she is less in number
and influence than when she started. Methodism
that noble Church of God the Methodist
Church, rib taken from the side of our Church,
arose in the heart Of one man, little more than
a century ago, without any worldly influence to
back her, from the bosom of that Episcopal
Church. and was cast out because it acaS not, and
would not be lukewarm. She now numbers up
wards Of six Millions and her territory is rapidly
filing up and measuring to the outer limits of the
Sayiours commission. 600 We into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature" And
for the benefit Of Bishop Cobb Il Co.. add the
following from the same source--speaking of pros
elyting persons from Methodism to ''the Church -
he says che (Dr Johns) would have been pros
titutng his high calling to paltry and anti chris
| tan purpose! If men are saved in the Methodist
Church it is waste of power to strive to tear
them from it, to drag them within the Episcopal
Church to be saved" Itwould be well for Bishop
Green, and several of his clergy, to bear that
sentiment in mind it might save them no little
amount of labor in certain quarters, and cores
ponding degree of modification.
But as I am approaching the limits assigned us
in this controversy, will close by informing our
friend Laic, that Methodism can loose annually as
many members as the whole Episcopal Church in
the United States contains and still go on her way,
doing the work of the Lord
PRESBUTEROS
i TO BE CONTINUED.