Daily Republican., 1880-03-15
The sEetnoaI., I,tneracy.


msst dnring the coming week. Tn
majority Of Methodist preachers il
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland
and Delaware have practically strucl
their tents, and are now on the NOV,
for new homes. Fortunately for then
now, they have not to go out amongst
the people and into the wilderness and
desert places, as in the days of the Di
vine Master, with staff in hand and
without scrip in their purses, though
many Of them are as poor as those
whom the Savior sent out two by two,
and notwithstanding that the blessed
gospel Of peace has been preached for
1880 years, there are yet waste places
where the itinerant is poorly cared for.
Though there is much objection
amongst both the clergy and the laity
against the itinerant system of Metho.
dism it is nevertheless one Of the main
distinctive characteristics of Msthodism
which has given that denomination a
world wide rtnown, and has brought it
10 the front as the very first in numer-
ical order in the United States. A
great temptation Of the times amongst
Methodists is to make innovations on
She old time honored usage5 of the
church. Ministers after all are but
men with all the frailties of other men,
and with them it is not strange that
selfshness should sometimes show
itself. The minister who gets a good
appointment at good salary is per-
fectly willing to allow the old land
marks to be swept away which only al
lowed minister to stay one year in
place, and he Offers 70 objection to his
term being heightened out to a three
years stay and longer if possible. The
humble, undemonstrative, but yet pious
minister, not possessing the talents and
eloquence of his more fortunate brother
In the ministry, who is sent out into
the forests and the marshes to fight the
devil and malaria at the same time, is
naturally in favor of return 10 the
primitive ways of Methodism, 80 his stay
in the beIighted regions to which he
has been sent may be made as
brief as possible. But the stronger
party is that which has heightened the
itineracy from one year into three, and
still again, a minister may return to
the same appointment for another three
years term after a years al sencs in
some other appointment. Notwith-
standing all these adjusting Of terms, to
suit preacher and psople, moving day
comes, and Notwithstanding the hal.
lowed. friendships that have been
formed Methodist ministers must sub
NIT to the stern decree OF q superior
power, and accept other homes not Of
their choice, probably, where they must
commence anew forming new acquaint-
anoes, and building up new friend
ships. Even the unfortunate ones who
have been banished to barren fields
where they have had to fight sin, dis
ease and poverty all at once, can now
rejoice in the prospect Of a change at
least, though it may not be for the
better, but happy thought to them, the
itineracy brings to them change, with
a chance in the future by perseverance
and cultivation of the talents with
which they are endowed, Of working
their way out Of the wilderness TO the
higher plains Of social life, and
much more rumunerative fields of
labor. This ever changing itineracy
How it mixes up and scatters the min
listers of the Methodist denomination.
1t Is one Of the strongest bulwarks Of -,
Aethodism. 1t keeps ministers on the
move. The congregation that gets a ,
talented, eloquent preacher, though 1t
might be selfish enough 10 hold on to
him until the lamp Of life grew dim,
cannot keep him more than three years.
There are other congregations who want
to be benefited by his talents and to
hang with breathless silence on his /
eloquence. Such a minister must, &C.
cording to Methodist rules, be kept
moving around. He belongs to no par
ticular place, but after all the lines F
will be very apt to fall to him In pleas 8
Ant places. Such ministers are very |
seldom sent to the waste quarters Of /
Cob ference. On the other hand Of the |
tin6rant life, the advantages Of the c
tineracy is illustrated in the fact that :
IN appointment that gets An unconge- {
,ial minister not suited to the place or o
he circumstances, need not be troubled q
with him more than one year, or at v
he fartheAt tive years. Thus works Il
he itinerary. 1t is life Of continual 4
'sorifces, anF yet, next 10 life Of faith q
n the gospel Pf Jesus Christ, it Is the o.
life and power Of Methodism. Al the a
waters of the Sd are kept pure by the b
newell ceasing sbbing and T
lowing Of the tidef, 80 the great Mstho- 81
lat oh rchaa of tn lend ~. La.,I,