Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-07-24

ORIGIN OF The METHODIST lTINERASCY
SYsTgM.-The Philadelphia Record has !e-
c,ntly been publishing series oi ari,c es on
the early history of Method:m. F.om the las.
article We extract tho following, relative to the
itiueraucy system:
The origin cf the itiocrancy system il, with.
out doubt, do, to White6,d, albeit that grest
preacher was never conpeoted with Methodist
Conference. Ii was be, however who, although
but just ordsioed by thu established Church.
frs; went out iuto the Highways and the G5!dJ
10 preach Christ aad Hln cEucti Il ca!Iiug sin.
ners to repentance. Il was 10 1889 that clutch
log the banner OF The cross aoa DtaIiog i: alJft.
Mr.. Whit. fsd began his campaign 10 tha open
air, preaching at first 10 this c2l lierS God such
others as gathered at knssw1od. shortly alter
which, 10 the same year, he We his s,oond
visit to Anerlo, sod preached to vas c'oHd'
from the Hu ljon river to the Gull.
The fist apnetraoce OF Circuits IL c)nn"
.ion with .ta K ,gIlsh M,thodiSn WAS 10 TAG.
when there Were sevep. la ITO the number
was sky, America b,lug ooo .! them. fno
bunber of clrcuts uoW IN Gfeas Britain il
nearly seven hun lrod, aud even 10 the
cities this arrangement of tnc WJIk IS sill pre-
served, several OF tho priucipl churches hcIoc
embraced 10 a cltcult.
Too frst i.ineraut preacher iu Ireland was
Thomas Williams who ,S.n work therein l7S,,
beiug followed shortly (Tttain the same ye,r)
by Mr.. Wesley, who found go me n 5rri in con-
necLlor. Mr. Charlc3 We;lay followed in q
short limo after his brother and purth ,sed ths
which wss ~ plscs called "Dolphi4's Sarn,"
in the city Of Dublin. Charles Wesley ~oat
sitter this, to Cork, where hr had 70: whilen
rather rough experience, ani VS. a-.e:ttl ss !"
di.turber OF the pe'cs. a bill OF Indictment
was found against him. in which b. v"' charged
in the usual technical tsrma a3 % person of III!
fl me, a vsgabond and a CON non dl:tur5e: OF
His NJ ie::ys peace" In that city th- tsrm
'swsdders' WAS applied to tho Methcd::!s. ;.
nickname lhst graW oIt OF a tx! uset by ol1 o.
wrapped IN sws1dns-cloLnes lying IA " ma"'
gar"
The itineraucy was in>uguratsi in Lin marick
ty Robsr: Swindell in lIS3. and not long alter
u at date circuits were cst1oishedi 10 tne vGriou;
% ,slities in lrsland WHARF tho preaching had
bssu introduced, und q. ths des!h Of Mr.. Wes'
ley, in 1871, there ware scVsn:y'nvo preacneT5
travelling the Irish circuits, with Il nsmoershlp
Of about Nf.eel thousand.
In Am,rlc. the itne-ancy WAS OF couc;o c>e
val with the introduction or MeLhod'sm 1t w's
tho pern, tho root 81 il hes been shc3 TIE trea
itself snd whea i! shall 10 longer exist the great
fabric of Methodism, whose COLOSSAL p'op, ,nrLions
now towsr up tJH,I5 heaven, will ctumol9 ana
decay. We do not undertake. TO cay tia; the
modii cation or sbsndonm ant ol ths lt'nc:ahcy
would produce wnat is pstholozically Known as
SHOCK" which rssu!ts ln dsslh, but it would
put an end to its p o9rsss. u crcum:t,acc lhsI
would necessarily produce decay.
1t is not only the supply pipe Of Me:ho1!sn'
but the great G ganer.tlcg furnace. II is Inc pro.
uelling power W we'll ss ths shee. ancno' Q: lne
church. Through it ne,rly thres milo? souls
are TO- day recorded q, rangel under Us banner
in the United States alone.