Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-09-17
For Tie Southern Standard.
LAC
On tie Discipline and Economy Of tie Methodist
Church, reviewed.

economy of our church, it is to be assumed also,
that the form Of government of the church was
specially and unalterably set forth-and that for
the church to adjust its economy in prudentals to
the exigencies Of the age, is to impeach divine
wisdom and to set up as its instructors This
puerile petifo pri1cipij has been sufficiently re-
futed, by the quotations from White and the Eng
fish Bishops, Bishop White submits whether
Episcopaleans who sickle SO much upon this point
deserve the name of christians Bangs SO.
But we prefer to go farther for the purpose of
showing our readers how little "Lac" knows up
on the subject about which he has volunteered to
write, and where he has placed himself with ref
erence to the great li2hts of the church Sitting
fleet lays down the following distinct propositions
upon this point. page 400 Sec 7. ''The next evil
dence that the church did not look upon itself as
by divine law, to observe any model Of govern
ment is the conforming the ecclesiastical govern
ment to the civil" Again 4O2 Sec s. ''The
next evidence that the church did not look upon
itself as bound by divine law to a certain form
of government, but did order things ITSELF, in
order 10 peace and entity, is, that after Episcopal
government was settled in the church, yet ordina-
tons by Presbyters were looked on as valid, and
he goes on to give the facts in proof of these po-
sitions from ancient authors And yet he claims
that the church adhered to the maxim of Cyprian,
that nothing can be granted to any by human
indulgence, when divine precept intervenes and
appoints law" 1t is Notifying that Bishop
Stillngheet should not have felt the force of Laics
''absurIty." But he was one of those old detards
who would stick to facts
Hooker, the fayorte of high church men after
they have corrupted his works by their forgeries
seems equally regardless of this modern logic
lie says, call things cannot be Of ancient continu
ance, which are expedient and needful for the or
derng of spiritual affairs; but the church being
body which dieth not, hath always power as occa-
sion requireth, no less TO ordan that which never
was than to ratify that which was before" Oh. Pol
Blk. V. Oh. 8 Sec. /. Again, by reason of new
occasions still arising which the church, having
care of souls must take order for as need requir-
eth hereby it cometh to pass that there is and
ever will be great use for human laws and ordi-
nances'-see as aboye-Bk 8. Oh 6. Sec 5
It will hardly be deemed necessary by intelli-
gent readers that l drag out and expose another
latent faIlacy embodied in Lac's ''absurdity," viz:
that the providence of God neither brings about,
nor presides over those notifications in the econo-
my of the church, made necessary from time to
time for the preservation of truth and piety in the
earth-by circumstances and changes, which that
very providence has provided Whereas in all
such changes Gods hand is to be seen, for they
are necessary to redeem the ancient promise, ''he
gates Of hell shall not prevail against it, But
for these interpretations the ''gates" would long
since have prevailed against truth and righteous
ness through the hierarchy--for it is the organ
lied form of Gods Judicial wrath against men for
departing from primitive truth. And it is strictly
true as "Episcopos'' says that "eyery revival o.
true religion that has taken place in the earth with
in the last twelve hundred years, has gone hand
in hand with rejection of (high church Episco
pacy" What were the facts in the history of the
Waldensian church ?--the reformation under Lu
Their and that under Cranmer, Jewell and 9th.
ers ? Such as made Froude, an excellent pusey.
lite authority, with all those gentlemen of continu
Ell coats who say Greatly hate the reformation
and reformers more and MORE" and that the writ
ings of that great protestant light-Jewell, eds
gusted me more than almost any work ever read.
They probably, would be equally as disgusting t.
"Church" and 'Laic,' for lie says ''the only sue
cesson worth having is the succession of nocrR1xl
see Powell PIP 144-156.
Before dismissing our friend to his meditation
and studies will notice his surprising distortions
of Methodism He asks with an air of triumph
which we will follow, Mr.. Wesley or Powell ant
Episcopos? We think, we shall go with them all
Wesley says that he was long since convinced
''that Bishops and Presbyters are of the same or
der''-works vol 7. p 311. So say Powell ant
Episcopos, and so say their endorsers. He say
again, "the uninterrupted succession know to b.
fable, which no man ever did or could prove"--
SO says Powell and Episcopos. He Furthermore
said, he ashamed of ever having believed
such sentiment. Powell and Episcopos, M
doubt sympathises with him, and deeply regre
that so pure, and so intelligent man, should eve
haze been, SO far wrong If "Laic'' will stick tt
Mr.. Wesley, he will get his eyes opened after
while: don't desert him now Methodists, like tn
early christians believe the Episcopal, to be tn
best form of government, and while they hold tina
: it well agrees with the spirit and principles O
scripture and of the best ages of the church, the
no more believe that Bishops constitute third or
der, j~re dtUino--'|that is SO determined by
positive law of God, that all churches are bounC
to observe that one form"-haying powers and pre-