The New York herald., 1871-06-27
METHODIST PoLlTY.


The Value OF Ministerial Ordinatious-Msdi
cations OF the Government Of the Methodist
Episcopal Cburch-Addrcss by Dr. Curry
Adjournment for she Summer of the
Preachers, Association.
The Methodist preachers were entertained in their
weekly meeting yesterday by Rev. Dr. Curry, who
traced the New Testament organization of tne
Church and the ministry and the rise and progress
OF different forms Of Church polity and government
He showed that there Is a radical difference between
ministers and laymen in their relations TO the
Church, and that the Presbytery o body is above
any one OF its members; that there are grades in
the ministry In the nature OF the case. II Christ
calls man to the ministry he does not require TO be
supplemented by the laying on OF hands, and II a
minister Is entitled TO any ONCE deacon elder
is entitled TO any o.her under this call. When,
therefore, we talk about two three grades In the
ministry
WE TALK NONSENSE,
except in 80 Tar as we mean the placing OF men in
certain positions to accomplish certain work.
Church ordination Is simply the recognition Of
Christs ordination; but we have not yet got rid OF
the old Popish rag OF holy nre going through the
bishops fingers A man Is no more after his ordi-
nation than he was before: and suppose q horse
thief or slave driver should be substituted tor
bishop the ordination would be just as good 1t il.
II ordination means the conveying Of anything
through the bishop to the deacon elder 1t is worse
than worthless out II otherwise 1t decent form
when not abused by superstition. In the Methodist
Church ordination Is not designed to make minis
Ter, but TO lind out whether the Master has made
Christian ministry is then on par, and the peers
may prescribe any form they please for their own
guidance anu goyernance me Brush ives Wes-
terrain body IN the world. rhe American Methodist
Eplscopal opal , Church II, Is and y WIN be until 1872
llon or the lay element INTO It's supreme councils;
but II w stili he substantially Presbyterian body.
In England and Prussia the state dictates 10 the
Churcn and appoints It's bishops and prescrlbes its
forms, but the Roman Church has always tried TO
Keep .seli III certain sense Independent OF the
state, tnat IL may dictate 10 the state. He tDr.
Curry was
AN OUT AND OUT PRESBYTERIAN,
but he beneved only in The scrlptural form, which
operates. wen wnen II operates properly, ana he
deemed Melhodsm as nearly ike scriptural PresDy-
teriansIn as anything can be. But the great de-
mand OF Methodism now is more effective obliga-
tons OF the ministry. Tney lack tue ESPRIT De corps,
rights In preaching.
Metnodism is a peculiar or1aDizaton and a good
one Ii looks TO aggression and in It's results stands
out in marked contrast with q settled ministry
bIilding up local churches. Methodism organized
without any local church, and In its operations is
very much like the military. IT says to one "Come
AID he cometh, and 80 another go and he goetn,
and 10 It's servants do this and they it and there
Is graaatlon or authority above every one until
tney arrive at the General Conference, which Is the
head over all. The annual conferences do not ap-
point min,sters-tney simply accept them--and they
have no night to depose man until they are con-
vnced that he IS not called Of God TO the Office OF
the ministry. 1t would be monstrous to say that
The law OF removal does not reach to the bishops
Wen as TO the presoyiers, and that they are IRE
sponsibe. They hold office Just as he Curry does,
but tney nold over term after term. He was
A MOST DECIDED EpIsCoPALIAN.
It Is the best form OF Church government which
could be adopted. He favored the Methodist Epis.
copal Church as 1t Is, with certain notifications
There is an increase OK the EpscOpacy to least
dozen Tor the effective general SUPERINTENDENT OF
the Church. The bishops are now placed in an aolna
lous position Any nine presoyters have the power
to arrest and suspend bishop until the meeting or
the next General Conference. This should not be
so. The bishops should be members OF Annual Con-
ferences, and ineir election should take them
OF me ranks OF the Presbytery II the Presbytery Is
not above the Episcopacy then the election OF u
ror with absolute power. We Invest MIN with that
which we cannot take back. This Is both anti |
Methodi5tlc, anii-Christian and antlrepublican.
Ine expiration oi our Term o! Office, said the doctor,
Is the real day ofudgment to all OF us, unless indeed,
man commits a iagrant offence. He would so |
distribute .he episcopal residences that the bishops
would be witnn easy call OF any part OF their work;
but their supervision should sill remain general SO
that the blsnOp OF California would be bishop OF
Maine also. He would keep upa
REAL ITINEaACY. AND NOT SHAM,
as they now maintain. lie would have them |
bishops and nothing else. He would not send them |
on foreign missions nor hamper them with Book |
Concern matters, nor with college trustee |
ships where they may, as they sometimes do,
mate work ID as much as they can attend to. He |
would draw their support from the Church AZ large
aad not from The Book Concern, and he would elect
them quadrenniay, ana when they TO be effect
I've he would retire them TO their annual conference
and thus keep them In sympathy with their brethren
IN the ministry. There Is nothing better than that
general should eat the same bread as MS men.
lie would dispense with the formal conservation of
bishops. The Doctor continued in detail his very
convincing address, after. which the meetlng ad.
J0urned until September.