, 1875-11-08
THE ORIGIN OF METHODISM

THE ORIGIN OF mETHoDIsM
sELTcHEs or IT'S TnCSbEns.
| To Me Editor Of The Ch,rdJo rr,tuns:
| CHIcAuo, Nov. 5.-Wo fully ngroe with youl
! last correspondent that mon now Judge prac.
ticAIly They caro- little about discussions AZ tc
| tho words Of tho post-bapsismal service, or the
| particular belief Of how the recipient Is bono.
| flied at tho sacrament, or wlethor tho Calvin.
istEc or A1miniao, tho Baptist or the redo-Dap-
tat, has tue advantage III controversy. They
look not to tho theories Of things, their
orthodoxy, their harmony With other truths,
or their remote logical consequences. but
to their results. Aud that religious
| communion will in tho long run, most
commend itself to Americana wAtch dis
playa tho groatcsk efficiency In winning
souls to Christ aud to downright honesty,
which proVes, by : firm grasp Of its
spiritual conruests tho stability and force OF its
methods, which makos mcn "mon," and not
merely bigots or spiritual inyalids, Which HhowR
rnastcfly bo'tneas iu graphing with that spccial
characteristic Of oar time. an overwhelming and
eser-aooroning knuwlodso OF uatngo. and which
has vital power and o1asiclty enough to adapt
tlsolf To all sorts and conditions OF lneu, aud TO
the evor-yaryiug necessities OF modoru life. So
also practical men will face tho whole question
OF divisions, and Will insist that they shall be-
come much fower, il they do not disappear Gu
ti1ely. They will frown 90 all HeceasouB and all
multiplication OF divisions. Thoy nte beginning
t7 Dte tho morbid aud abnornnl character Of
these divisions III tho ultra-indiriduaism cul-
Initiating in tho lonatto asylum Of Blanchard
Jcrrold's Latetia, where each mat Ia ked 10 hlnl-
self. laughed to himself, aud, although sur.
rounded by companions, took no he,l sh1sevo1
Of one Of than; every man thoroughly atono.
Tho ucoplo are tired Of cunlrJiorsios ab tit
trs'ies and sote pcrp!exol that tho Church OF
Curist should romain distracted aud broken into
almost nulnDerless sects mud dvlsfous. rhes
aEc beginning to inHlst upon unity Of faith and
one visible Christian brotherhood. Until this
shSll be secured, Cnrlstiau,ty eau make but GLOW
prozre'B. Indifference, doubt and skopticism
will impede the growth Of our holy re!lgion In
the fut are 10 tbs past. Tint c7nacrvatism OF
thought. which is tao bslaucc- wheel botween all
OF remes, and which grovs out OF tho education
and IN diligence oE the people. IL unm,utaka5Iy
Ecltcal Alliances. Old Catholic movements,
Donn Conferences. al ulny fall but
thcy mark proIress, anl In the
tIe ora cautch, ono Co, lat All btotLern nod.
How this spirit fur Que body crops out anoug
tho WORKING classes aud tho poor For they
atomlnats these divisions a. tile cause OF vaet
trontlos and aunoyauco. 10 them and thor fsn-
A,to9s AAaa H's"+ DpA!s 1luJuH sH0 lhuuF0l6 III
Illustrated by c1sious lellc Of tue past, dlsooy-
Q, o. % "hen the d pulpit Of 81. AndIew's Church.
Philadelphia, MA removed. leslor mas found,
put thsro BY the workluemen, In which thay
spoke Of tue hard times, hoped 10. baster, and
reliGi ~ and woFshl2 Lord In Encerlsy aud
truth" The Evangelical Allisnce, at iks late Bes-
SION at pittsburg, exhibited basis for unity OF
talth and ritual In tho recitation Of tho ApostloB'
Greed aud the Lotd'h Prayer.
Ono OF yQtlF cQrFCHDondbtAa refarrei IN the
Metboditts Al originally OF in their early hstory
body without and not within tue Church. Who
,vaH John Wesleye Tho child or the father OF
tofve, .he cfodlt Of his srsas work Was /: not a
the Church founded 10 tho British lsIer. urder
tna Apostle Paul. Which has besn fulfilling tho
itisssoa ct its head, With more or less oticioncs,
- lhp present h.yf Who VA John Wca'ey7 Tho
RECTOR" Of Epwo tn, whose chnFchly wife taught
speak. Eepeating 1t eyory morning anl ayety
night, the, son Of father Whose threo sons
was 80 tho' oushly. imbfued with Tho
Cstholo s!atem Of the pass thrco centuries
that he admitted WedIey 10 tho Cosnmun.on
,': When ho was only yea1s Of age, and Wesley
ha lad not slnned aw4y that washing OF tho
idol? Ghost" which he Ecceiyed in baptism.
Whl!e a. Chartcrhou4e School. which ho loss
At 10, ho read the scriptures daily, said his
prayers morning hnd evening, attending scaular.
~. tle church and catephetical innttuutiou.
Who're did Wesley finish hIs educational course
AZ = Church University. Christ Church College,
Oxford, wnete bo continued till hia ordination,
ever faithful at prayers. ueEe he determined to
dssotc himself to tue saered ministry. It was
his own father who told him that ho mnss not
enter tho ministry, :" a. E1is aous, to cat piec0
OF bread" but for Gods glory and mans welfare,
and that hc must be thoroughly furnished in
Holy scrlptufes IN their original lAnguagen. 1t
Was hla churchlJ mother ~ho wrote him that sho
hoped q procee1od :. from the operations OF
Gods Holy Spirit" who AdYIaed him IN ire
solve to make .eligion tho bualnoss Of your {hs)
slfe," ITO enter upon sorloua examination OF
yourFetf" (h1mselt) Is 10 bis "stato OF faith and
who wrote. 4" sdylse nothing.
God Almighty dsrect aud blesa you"
1t was under Church instruction ut Oxford
that Wesley set apart ~ hour or two da.ay FOR
religious retirement communicating cyery
week, watching against all am, xbether iii
word or decd" aud ). prayipg for inward hoii.
ness"
Il wsa at IS yearn of ana nnder ohn,ch +.,,h.