Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-11-27
METHODISM,


Rsr John Hannah, ID. illustrated from ORR
ginal Sketches by the author" We copy the
following portion OF the article:
Methodism, as 4 strange historical fact has
had sufficient biOgraphers and expounders.
Southey. in q life written only as SOuthey could
write, combining sweetness Of style with an or
thodOx illiberality of sentiment has presented
Us with the portrait of the founder-a man of
keen eye. flowing hair, quick and psrsmptory
speech, aud austere yet communicative piety.
The substance, the fUrm, and general express
saOn OF MethOdism has found an able if not a
complete, analyst in Mr.. Isaac Taylor; while
LsvingtOn has jeered at the pretensions and
traVestied the grOtesquenesS Of the system in a
manner which is witty and malicious, if it be
neither cOmmendable nor JUS. The human,
every day sspoot of Methodism, and that which
gives it force and popularity its inartistic garb
Its cOmmOnness of speech, it's uncomeliness of
gait and action. its loud outdoor importantly,
It's indoor uncdousness,-that which makes its
tones so intellible to the poor, though bat an
ignorant jargOn to the ich,-the soul of good
ness that peryades all its evil its long uncom-
planning search for what is biankest, ssdiest
and drearest in the life OF cities, it's intercom-
munion with crime, and disease and rank and
flashed obScenity,-its descent into mines, its
visils In prisons, its day and night royinss,-
tho eS!rHm Of humanity which goads it over
rivers or sHamps, across the Atlantic and into
~
dolineatOr nor a sufficient exponent
As under tho hOrse-hoUfOf Atilla, so the grass
never grew under the tread of John Wesley
If MethOdism. in the person of its founder roll
ins onward at the rate of 4 500 miles per an
mum, was not calculated in q land of turnpikes
ard excise, TO gather much pecuniary moss il
cid not, as more stable Institutions have done,
promote social damp or nestle eccIesiastica nj
drOnes. Matutinal discourse. at i've o clock a.
m--''the finest exercise in the world, - accord
ing to the preacher.-were a somewhat crucial
ex eriment Of the Methodist faith and ardor at
atsnperatGre Of 80 Fahrenheit; but in the cold
wi TRY dusk, groups Of dim lanterns. for the
M 81 part spinsterly, might be seen struggling
tn ough the lanes and thoroughfares Of London
In time for the early exposition. By foundries
and factories, by docks, by markets, and
wherever labOring men had their homes, gusts
of lusty and sedulOus disoOrd, mixed with every
variety OF howl, and grOan, aud shrik, and sob,
haze Of unsnufed candles and steam of un-
defined breath and perspirsted clothes, with
awful supplicatory mOnOlOgues at intervals
told the unrOnVsrted world when there was q
band meeting or a watch-night in conflict with
the powers Of evil. Bishops might inhabit
philosophers smile, and magistrates arrest but
Wssisylsm had too much stuff in it to be laughed
or trsmpled down. For porters servants and
men and women OF allwork it had special fasci-
nauons;-frOm pitmen and colliers, and men of
the Peter Bell stamp, it Wrung big honest tears
Ii did not fear TO soil it hands with taking
theirs, or to hob and Rob with them at the pit
mouth, or 70 gather them together on the bleak
hillside, where it had not TO beat the bush for
smiles Unconverted could scarcely disap-
prove Of system that efectually quieted
shreEish tongues; and neuralgia and lone Mrs
dumuldSes were partial to what made them
feel, even more than a dram, " pretty oomforta-
bic To an afflicted soul even q distant pros
peet OF the preacher was wonderfully medicinal.
M.
ton put Iealous old Methodist "Ho, but
seed bit Of his wig, and it did blessed deal
q good
Methodism grew and took shape, and without
and even Ggainst-the will Of power became
Itself power 1t was unlicensed; it had no I'll
tss-no eatOwments-scarcely Il Certain DWELL
Ing place, It's parOchial limits we're coGmensur-
ate with poverty, mischauce misery-and they
lay all the world over. 1t had no fixed preach
ers, whom congregations must hear through a
Iie-tlne OF mODOtOny,-eyery three weeks
Drought a release from a duliard; the services
too, were not prOlix, in Wesley's original
scheme limited 10 an hour; and the music and
the tunes, II not classical, certainly were social
enough. How far gregarious apathy exceeds
In merit sOeial bowling, subtle doctors of the
olosy may decide. For Mother Church in Eng
land MethOdism was too social An afiliation
claim was made, but the parent, without repu-
dating, was in no hurry to own her offspring.
Inc enid was premature, freakish, far from re-
putaole, and the mother debated and pondered
% long what TO do, that long before judgment
tns daughter grew up, and attained the age of
discretion. When MethOdism was in its prime
snod and girt and anointed, ready for the race
OF the Torld-rhsn il had its circuits its Law
Prsachers, its class-meeting, its leaders, its
conierencss-rhen its adherents numbered
tens OF th0usands-wheni its tribute-mOne paid
mostly IN weekly pence, equallsd, if not sur
passed, Episcopal reyenues-when il assumed
kpiscopal functions, and itself ordained and
commissioned Othcers TO represent and advocate
It's claims In Ireland, in Holland in the West
Indies, and lastof ali in America-then Mother
ChIroh, having done nothing az al. .immedia ately
grew lrate. The ring had been flung of from the
oro' put it loyalty gyrated in the parental path,
an1 loved TO turn upon an Episcopal pivot
In the wake Of Episcopacy Methodism sailed
for the New World. 1t first prospect ted
among the negroes Of Georgia. Down East
Penn AMI the Pilgrim Fathers had taken out a
license, and another religious store was not
needed just there and then. Wesley soon re-
turned home,-whether with his books is not
kno"n-he had certainly posted notice in the
square Of Savannah desiring the borrowers 10
return them WhitefeId, bound for America.
was waiting for 4 fair wind rs Wesley vessel
cant anchor IN the Thames SOrtilegiOus John
LOOK into his Bible for - lot" - Let him re-
turn, was the message which the Lord direct
ei " DC written Nhiteheld took lot too and
found Wesley to be a false prophet The Cal
Tinist was apparently more 10 the trans-At-
laniic taste than the Arlainan. The first was
ToGsaeF, reader: if his logic was not 50 exact,
his roar was fner: he Was the inventor of the
startling appeals with which Mr.. Spurgeon is
20 successful COmmOnsensical Franklin liked
hls wit. = l went to hear him, said the great
printer, determined TO give nothing. I had
copper, silver, and gold in my pocket: as he
proceeded, L determined to give the copper,
then the silver, then the gold; and at last, I
emPued my pocket into the plate"
Well did Methodism fsht its way in the
States. II had no rufIle5 or lawn that it cared
~ soil, no loye-locks that il feared TO disorder
NO buckles IL was 10th ~ taTnish II lodged
roughly, and il farsd scantily. 1t tramped up
muddy ridgss,-it swan or foTded rivers with
the water up 70 its waist,-it slept on leaves or
raw deer-skins, or pillOwed its head on saddle
bags,-it biYOuaeked among wolves or Indians;
now 1t suffered from ticks or mosquitos,-it was
attacked by dogs, it was hOOted, and it was