Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-08

| executive officers In the Church but IN
addition to these are Local Elders, Local
Dencons, Local Preachers, Exhorton
Class leaders, Stewards and Trustees.
The different ecclesiaslical bodies are as
follows The highest is The General Con-
ference, Secondly the Annual Conference,
Thirdly, the Quarterly Conference, Fourth,
the Judicial Conference. But much in
structive reading in relation 10 the cleo
tive powers Of these bodies, must necessa-
rily he emitted here for want Of space.
GENERAL RULES.
The General Rules Of the NJ. f. Church
are so we'll known az scarcely to need ref
ersnce here; suffice it to say that they are
strict, and they are equally binding on
ministers and members from the highest to
the lowest, and for full explanation Of
these rules, we invite the reader TO pcruse
their beck Of discipline.
EDUCATION IL TIE NJ. Z. CHURCH.
In education this Church has done
much. For many years in the earlier part
Of her history her members and adherents
were drawn mostly iron the poorer classes
Of society, and her ministers did their
studying on horseback while travelling
large circuits. Under such circumstances
they had but little leisure to obtain CLASH
cal educations. Her first minister that
graduated, was tho renowned DR.. Fisk. In
later years, however, the number Of her
clergy whs have obtained a classical edu
cation is not small, rs her Colleges and
Seminaries can teslify, which are under
the patronage Of this Church.
MANNER OF WORSHIP.
Among the means of grace employee by
this people may be numbered
LIST. Public Worship, Which consists Of,
singing, prayer, reading the scriptures
aud preaching.
2i. Class Meetings. These are held week
ly, the meeting is opened by singing and
prayer by the class leader, after which he
usually relates his own religious expert
ence, and then calls on each member ol
the class to relate his.
3rd. Prayer Mestings. These are gener-
ally held twice week, or Oftener, and are
conducted by the minister or one OF the
official members of the Church.
4th. Lore Feasts. These are held quar-
terly or oftener, and are usually held in
connection with the quarterly meetings.
The exercises are opened by singing and
prayer; then bread and water are Circula.
ted among the members as token Of
Christian love and unity; after all have
partaken an opportunity is given for the
relation of Christian experience.
9th. Camp Meetings. These are held
annually in groves, in the summer season.
The exercises consist in singing, prayer,
exhoitatiens and preaching, and gencr-
ally continues for one week.
They also hold Watch Meetings, which
occur annually on Christmas or New
Years eve, and are kept open until mid
night. They also have district meetings
OF ministers which are seasons of great in
terest and profit to both preachers and
people.
| STATISTICS.
They have within the United States 35
Bishops; Ill Conferences 4G,167 travel
ing and local ministers, 3,0G6,75S mem
bers 1850 Sunday Schools; 245, ,72o Off
GERS and teachers; 1,640,172 scholars; "a
Colleges and Universities Theological
Institutes; 68 Seminarics and Academies
S94 instructors, with Hn average OF 10000
students.
They have an i'm nense book in
New York and Cincinnati, with branches
in all the leading cities from Boston to the
Pacific Coast.
Their Missionary department embraces
working force OF GOO and a membership Of
between forty and ffty Thousand souls.
In Wood county the NJ. E. Church has
nine Pastors; twenty Church Societies I;
fifteen Church Editices twenty-one Sab
bath School Organiz cations, with two hun
dred and twenty Office and teachers, and
between 300 and 800 scholars. The
Pastors in charge at the present time are
located as follows: Perrysburg, J. IL.
BETHARDs; Perrysburg Circuit, A. G..
THOMAS; Bowling Green, ISAAC N. SMITH;
Tontogany and Weston, john l.. BATES
Grand Rapids, JOSEPH d. SIMMs; Free
pert, IRA NJ. JAMESON; Millbury, e. W.
WOLF; Perrysburg German Methodist,
The first German NJ. E. Society organized
in Wood county was in 1914, which was
known ms the Woodyille Circuit. Since
that date they have had about twenty dif-
ferenl ministers stationed at Perrysburg whe
preached here and Travelled the circuit.
Rev. JOHN YEAGER was made 4 local min
lister OF this church in 1858, ordained in
Cleveland Deacon in the Church, in 1857,
and has labored faithfully in the cause ever
since, often filling the pulpit during the
absence of the Poster. We have been un-
able to get the total membership of the
Church in the county, but believe il ex-
ceeds that Of any other denomination, and
as far as we have been able to learn all
are in prosperous condition.
In less than one hundred years from the
date OF its organization Melhodism hal
covered the whole continent, showing by
the latest census returns u membership
0utstripping any other denomination il
our land. There is very much instructive
as we'll as interesting matter concerning
this prosperous Church that might be in
serted in this article, but space forbids.
In our next issue will appear n sketch o
the Presbyterian Church, providing ",
( can obtain the statistics Of Wood COZ nty
! similar to that given above, in time. WI
will be thankful 10 any minister or mem
Der oi the Church whS will furnish II
early next week with such requisite fact
. as may be in their possession.
!