Smyrna times., 1866-10-10
I n = -ethOdism.

or i'll, this form of Professionalism has become
the predominant ecclesiastical fact of the ma
ton. The official Census places it, numerical
ly, far IN advance of any other American reli-
glOus body, and the general religious statistics
OF the country show that it comprises nearly
One-half Of all of our Protestant communicates.
Its progress and attitude cannot, therefore fail
to be, in this its hundredth year, matter Of
much interest, not merely to religionists, but
to statesmen and citizens generally.
1t celebrates It's epoch not only with religious
observances, but with gigantic financial pro-
jects. Its last General Conference, isenacting
the programme of the Jubilee, intimated that
two millions of dollars might be raised. Its
Journals announced, in July, that one million
was already subscribed, though the formal eff
forts OF the scheme had not yet been begun,
and would not be till October. 1t is now gen.
orally supposed that about five millions will be |
raised, Some Of its authorities are proposing |
ten millions. The one million actually pledged |
guarantees the success of the year. 1t is, we
suppose, the largest amount ever contributed |
by an American denomination, in one year, for |
special occasion. Nearly all these funds are
to be cOnsecrated to the educational interests
of the Church, very significant fact.
The success Of MethOdism is one of the most
interesting problems of ecclesiastical history.
But one hundred years old in this country, and
a hundred and twenty-seven years in Europe,
it is, more or less, planted to-day on all the out
lines of the globe, and its congregations include
about One-seventh of the Protestant population
of the world.
In this country it has been incomparably
more vigorous than in the Old World; and as
early as 1920 (Only 80 years after the death of
! Wesley it advanced to the front of the whole
| Wesleyan movement, with majority of II 900
over English Methodism with all its foreign
dependencies Its practical system, and per-
haps also its theology, were specially congenial
! to the new hemisphere. Its several bodies are
| singularly homogeneous-are indeed identical
in theology and internal discipline, and differ
only in some general features of ecclesiastical
polity, such as episcopacy and lay representa-
ton. About half of the Methodism of the
| United States is embodied in the Methodist
| Episcopal Church" The other half consists
of several bodies, all of which differ from the
parent body by admitting lay representation in
their supreme councils. Their combined pop
ulatiOn, including communicates and cOngrega-
tiOnal adherents, amounts to between one fifth
and one-f0urth Of the whole national popula-
tlOn. They comprise about 2,00O, 900 commu-
nicants, $4,000 local and l4000 travelling
preachers 200 colleges and academies with
81, 900 students; publishing institutions with
an aggregate capital of about 81 ,000 0O0-the
one in New York city having on its catalogue
more than 300 books and 900 tracts, besides
230O SundayschoOl volumes, and scattering
more than 100000 copies ofthe latter annual
ly, and 100000 copies of Sunday school peri
! odicals monthly. The Missionary Society Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, alone, has
more than 1000 circuits" and "stations,
foreign and domestic, nearly 1900 laborers
more than 100000 communicates, including
| 10000 Germans and Scandinavians, with 35(
preachers using their own languages. 1t is to
raise 81 900, 900 this year, besides the Cen
tenary contributions Of the Church. Thi
one church has also more than l, 100000 Sun
f day scholars, and an army of 100000 Sunda!
e school teachers. These are certainly surpriS
r ing facts for religious body which may stil
e be said to be historically in its infancy.
4 Theologically, Methodism claims to be near
+ ly if not quite identical with the Chu:ch Q
England Its only standard, or symbol of doc
# trines lin America, at least) is an abridgmen
y Church, made by Wesley, who, it is We
c known, was tenacious Churchman. 1t er
f tirely eliminates, however, all distinctivel
II Calvinistic tenets. 1t is peculiar in having n
# obligatory creed; its historians boasting that
t. was one of the practical maXims of Wesley
l. policy not to maintain its spiritual life by II
IF doctrinal orthodoxy, but to maintain its Orthc
e doxy by its spiritual life" They affirm tina
IN it has never had serious outbreak OF heresy
], Wesley threw out ofhis abridgmentall ''creeds
[e except the Apostles Greed, and this he rt
/. tanned only in the Formula of Baptism, whic
er has not been applicable to most OF his people
e. as most were baptized before they becam
ve Methodists, and most of their children 81
of baptized before they become members II
nd published some General Rules as the ''only
en- terms of membership; these are entirely pra
D. tical, and do not include a single dogmatic col
dtiOn. His Articles of Religion" are NJ
at apart in the Book of Discipline more as an 81
ak dicatory' than obligatory standard of do
,se trine-showing what an inquirer may expect
srs find taught in the preaching OF the Churc
mt but not what he shall be required to subscri
he in order to become a communicate COnse
he to the C Articles" however, is required as
lc- functional qualification for the ministry; al
CO. there is, we believe, singular uniformity
led teaching in Methodlsm.
of The denomination has good record for 10
ty. atty. Made up in an eminent sense of the pc
ar pie it has thoroughly identified itself with Il
nm nOnular cause. Wesley was at first oppos
to to the Colonial Revolution, having indiscret
cal ly republished an abridgment of his friend,
.Johnsons pamphlet against it. But INN
diately on receiving news of the battles ofCo
slv cord and Lexington he changed his positio
took sides with the Colonies, and so wrote
the the Earl of Dartmouth. The letter has be
II" published, and Mr. Bancroft has taken spec
see pains to vindicate Wesley by using this doc
3 a ment in his seventh volume. Most of
me. Methodist preachers in America at the o.
Fan- break of the war were Englishmen, and, Ii
kin the clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Churc
ing hastened back to England. This fact pre-
the diced much the public mind against the n
sec denomination, but it was as loyal as any otl
the religious body. Some of its preachers suffer
be- for not subscribing the loyal test-oaths of
ssly times in the middle Colonies; but these oa
eing were prescribed by the respective Colonies,
lin, required the preachers to be ready to take
He arms and enter the military service when g
rriv- ed upon to do so. This they could not do 9
sistentlyc with their ministerial character, {
their refusal brought no little trouble upon So
ness of them in Maryland and Virginia, T T
You Church, however, was the first to formallv
the cognize the new Government under WASH
q, or ton, who was on cordial terms with their
al u