Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-12-03
IrINERANr PREACHERS.

ITINERANT PRgACHERs.
The Methodist Episcopal church, especially
in the northern States, Is profoundly exer-
cised as 10 whether the pastoral system OF
itinerant preaching shall be abolished.
convention was recently held in Brooklyn
New York. and this question elected
stormy debate. A vote will be taken az an
Adjourned meeting which convenes TINS
week. The result wall be doubtful az 'he
BROOKLYN convention seemed to be about
equally divided. Many oppose any change
sirnlv because the ItiEer4nt system was
adopted by the founders Of the church. Oid-
fashioned Democrats are continually resur-
rsctino the bones Of Thomas Jefferson and
shaking them at the progressive Democrats
who would adopt party creeds to suit the e1-
igeuciss Of the times, and It u not surprising
that the Bourbon MethOdIsts are continually
shaking the skeleton of John Wesley at
every new departure that is proposed IN
the Methodist church. During the debate at
BROOKLYN the following letter was made 70
perform double duty:
LONDON. Angus; $, 1888.
To Lady Maxwell:
NJ Dr.R LApY-It IS certain many per-
sons both IN Scotland and England and
R-ookIvn" added brother Leel, would De
well pleased to have the same preachers al
,vavs INIT we cannot iorsake the plan OF act
inc which we have followed from the Oegln-
ming. For Fifty years God has been pleased
10 bless the itinerant plan-the last year most
of all. Il must not be altered tall am re-
moved, and l hope it will remain TIL our
Lord comes to reign on earth.
JOHN WESLEY.
This letter was considered as a clincher by
Mr.. Woodruff, who, in indorsing it, said;
1t would be very nice for the gentlemen
in the city and in the large churches TO nave
the discipline so amended as to give them
the cream of the preachers, and 10 give 70
the smaller churches their throw OF. don
want any amendments. | wait 10 stand TO
the system - our forefathers did, and be-
Ieye that in the end it will bring US safe to
heaven. We have amended enough we
have amended the disclplne; we nave
amended hymn-books. That Is all wei
enough for those who are rich enough to buy
the books, but some of us are not Amend
meut never does any good. me discipline
as it Is, now and forever.
Mr.. Woodruff belongs to that class VINO
prefer stage-coaches and ox-teams to rail-
roads. He proposes to cling to the old sys-
tenn of itenerant pastors because John Wesley
favored il, and it is the. old-iashioned plan'
forgetting and not seeming disposed to
learn that the condition of things has greatly
changed, and that what was the life OF the
Methodist church one hundred years ago may
now produce death. When John Wesley
wrote the above letter the members were few
and scattered over an immense scope OF
country. But there were progressive men
in the Brooklyn convention ready to abandon
the honored traditions of the church it such
policy would advance religion or the cause OF
Melhodlsm. Mr.. Frank Beard was one Of
these. He said:
The iiineracy was the outgrowth of neces-
sity. In the early days OF Methodism there
were not enough preachers to send over the
country, and one who was appointed had to
90 over great deal of ground. In this con-
ference we have all the preachers that are
needed. ! don't believe we should sit IN
cold seats with warmlng-pan at our feet
because our forefathers believed grace would
keep the body warm. It seems to me |
should argue the question on intelligent
ground, and not on the ground that our fore
fathers had something better. This Is the
ace of progression Are three years enough
for a Methodist minister to do his work?
He comes TO the church. 1t takes him one
year to get acquainted IN six months of the
next year he goes to Europe. Hes got to
plan and work out his ideas in eighteen
months. As soon as he gets church where
pastor and people are in harmony with each
other he has to go away.
The feeling on this subject in the Method
ist church is daily growing, and will produce
Hafo ho aA
The first advance from the old plan was the
lengthening of the time of stay at one place
Of q minister from. one to two and three years,
and it will doubtless be less difficult to make
the proposed innovation, fer old customs and
traditions once broken crumble fast, The
itinerant system has driven hundreds of
preachers from the Methodist church, or from
congregations of this denomination are dis
satisfied with this frequent changing of MIN
listers, and as apparent that hundreds of MN
listers are so disafected that they will seek
new fields of labor if a change is not
made. 1t has been shown that the Method
ist denomination has a greater number of
ministers laid on the shelf, who are depend
cut upOn Tue CuhKlty VI ZIG SAUISAs tL-tu any
other church, and this, it is claimed, is
chargeable to the system which 40 frequently
changes their location. Under it they have
but little, if any, opportunity of accumulat-
ing property. Beside this. the severance of
the three-year tie between a pastor
and his charge is attended with other
and almost irreparable Losses. 1t must be
admitted that there is some force in the argu-
ment of those who cling to the itinerant sys-
tenn Of preaching. They insist that most of
preachers preach themselves out In one year,
and certainly in three years; that he and his
hearers fall into ruts out of which a new mar
is needed to lift them and new circumstances
alone will raise HIM; that an infusion of fresh
blood or Z stimulant for the sluggish current
Of the old blood is wholesome. The impor-
lance of this question 10 the Methodist
church has elected considerable discussion on
the part of the secular press After 6 careful
consideration of the argument on both sides,
it strikes US as crime to take a preacher
from a community which he suits and which
suits him, and where he is making accessions
to his church.