Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-06-13
PASTORAL ADDRESS.
Manifesto from the Southern Meth0-
dist Bishops.
Suggestive Hints for the Ministers and
Members of the Church.

HAce 1SAoA4VPos
Suggestive Hints for the Ministers an
Members Of the Church.
Several Matters of Vital Intere.
Touched Upon.
To the Ministers and Members of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, South, Greeting
DEAR BRETHREN-We have bee
requested by the General Conferenc
to present to you, in their behalf,
pastoral address. In compliance witt
this request, and in discharge of thi
duty, We urge upon your consideration
several subjects of grave importance
especially at the present time. With
out, therefore, encumbering this ad
dress with our own suggestions, WI
proceed to occupy its remaining por.
tion with remarks upon those topics
which have been referred to us.
/. 1t can not be disguised that fam
lily religion has been sadly neglected
in many of the households of our peo-
pie. Our own observations confirm
the too general complaint on this sub
ject. The duty of offering the morn
ing and evening sacrifice of prayer and
praise upon the family altar, has not
only the sanction of Scripture author
ity, of the constitution of the domestic
relations, and of the practice of the
Christian Church in all ages, but it has
been uniformly recognized and enjoin-
ed by Methodist economy as an indis-
pensable exponent of influential means
of grace. 1t is hallowing in its effects
upon parents, children and servants
enduring in Its results, and it trans
mits to posterity, by the agency of the
family organization, the legacy of the
faith, and the habits and asso-
Citations of genuine piety. 1t
transforms the household into church
replete with blessing, and capable of
infinite succession. Such was Gods
original and unrepealed command in
all the generations of Israel Such is
His ordained method of giving stabil-
ity and currency to His cause in the
earth, and such Is the grand bequest
which heads of families are required
to leave their legitimate successors in
the spiritual Canaan.
2. In addition to the instituted
meane of grace, the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South, is amply supplied
with those which are denominated pru-
Dental; which, though they claim no
express Scriptural sanction, have been
adopted and authorized by our Church
as eminently calculated to promote
growth in grace. Among these are the
class meeting, the love feast, and the
Church Conference.
With respect to the ss-meeting,
we have been requested by the present
General Conference to define the action
of the General Conference of 1866,
which abolished that part of the then
existing rule which made attendance
test of membership in the Church. So
far as it falls within eur province to re-
spond to this request, we reply that
while the penalty for neglect of class
meeting was abrOgated, the institution
itself was left in full force, to stand
upon its merits and its history, and is
obligatory upon every member of the
Church. And we take occasion to add
that, apart from the divinely appointed |
means Of grace, no institution among
US is so conducive to the Christian life;
and we exhort our members not to
forsake the assembling themselves to-
gether in this capacity.
The love-feast is so precious pecu-
liarity of Methodism, so interviewer
with its happiest memories, SO full of |
gracious resources, and so generally |
recognized in these aspects, that we
deem it unnecessary to enforce its OBJ
servance, with very special formality;
except to say, that the Methodist Epis- |
copal Church, South, can not afford to |
dispense with SO valuable portion of
her Inheritance as the class meeting |
and the love-ieast.
The Church Conference was, in our
Judgment, wisely conceived. Judic-
lOusly managed, it subseryes a most /
useful purpose in our administration,
by distributing its duties amongst the
membership. perfecting its operations
by detail, eliciting their efforts and
their interest in church af-
fairs and benevolent enterprises. Prop
erly conducted and zealously enforced,
it can not fail to impart compactness
and completeness to our system, and
largely to develop the social power of
the Church for good. We, therefore,
eDjoin the regular and persevering OBJ
servance of it upon our pastors and
people.
3. An explicit utterance was given,
by order of the last General Confer
ence, i'll our pastoral address on the
subject of Worldly Amusements. We
now repeat that utterance. We abate
none Of its teachings, with respect Ell
tber to the manifest Inconsistency of
such induIgences with the spirit and
profession of the Gospel, or the peril
which they bring to the souls of men.
Their multiplied and insidious forms
are source OF perpetual temptation
and damage, and are denounced by the
Word of God, aud by that part of our
general rules which forbids the taking
1f such diversions as can not be ia ken
"a the pame of the Lord Jesus Christ"
Ehis denupciatiop is explicit and cobn-
1rehensiye. The name of the Lord
Jesus" in this connection, is decis-
va test, and We are content to leave the
ssue to its sovereign arbitrament-
amongst those ipdQlgences which cam
lot stand this solemn test is the mod
,rn dance. both 10 its private and pub
ic exhibitions. as utterly opposed to
he genius of Christianity. as taught by
Is. When persisted in, it is O iHstifa-
,le ground of judicial action by the
Ihurch authorities.
4. The mild but firm administfa-
ion of discipline Is an integral and es,
ential part Of our economy. The pu-
'ity and integrity of the body of Christ
must be preserved at all hazards, SO
hat neither heresy in doctrine nor cor
'uptness in life be tolerated for a mo-
nent, lest they increase unto more un
,odliness. There is a growing ten
lency. we fear in this direction, and
We take the liberty of speaking sea-
ionable word in this behalf Dur leg
slaticu is sufficient on this subject. Lit
July remains that its processes be
a Fhfnlly followed. according to the
PROVISIONS of our Discipline, by those
entrusted with its execution. A sol
.mp responsibility rests upon the res
,eetixe aGsagities of the Church to
zee that its sancGity be fully maintain
d. But We would remark that our
avs are not iGexorabIe, and that no
process should be served without tax
ng all the preliminary measures to Sc
.ure the amendment of offe".efs.-
Herein consists the safety and the
orce of their exception. The times