The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-06-05
History of t1ethOtIlsm.

The Methodist Episcopal convention
now holding IN Cincinnati, naturally recalls
the history OF the sect, which John Wesley, in
con- unction with his brother Charles, founded
at Oxford, Eng 1jl years ago. The name was
originally gwen by a Christ Church student to
the Wcslcys and other young men of "a serious
turn accustomed to assemble on particular
nights Of the week for pious cOnversation-on
account of the exact and methodical manner
IN which they performed all their religious
and benevolent engagements Methodist Epis.
copalianism, rs 1t is always called in America,
| has existed in this county since 1866 when a
few immigrants from the Wesleyan connection
| in England--or IN Ireland, as some authorities
cam-formed II society at Philip Embury S
carpenter shop, IN what was then known here
az Barrack street, near the presen. site of the
city hall. The church, as a distinct organiza
ton, had no being until Dec. 25, 1884, when,
at the conference called for the purpose at Bal
timore the preachers presen. adopted the title.
In so doing they took higher ground than
John Wesley had conceived or designed The
societies he had formed in Britain had never
assumed, either individually or confederately,
to represent IA church. Wesley himself be
onged to the Church of England, and loyal
to the last, cnjolned the same eccleslastc 10y
atty on all his followers. No sacraments were
administered or received by them outside Of
the established churches. All the Methodist
preachers the Wesleys and a few Others eX-
ccpted were unordained. 1t was from this
class that Wesley sent hel pers hither, and over
these he exercised exclusive jurisdiction.
They, and their disciples in this country, com
posed the Baltimore conference. Initiating
Wesley, they recognized the Episcopal church
here and sought the ordinances within its pale.
Epscopol churches are still standing in this
city in which Embury, Pilmoor, Boardman,
Asbury and Rankin, the earliest Methodist
preachers received communion. Discomfort
and dlsaiieclOn arose before long among the
preachers, particularly IN the South, concern
ing the ordinances and many Englis hmcn
holding Wesley's views and unable to resist
public opinion, returned to Europe. Wesley
seeing the inevl,ableness of an independent
society, and that the Methodist preachers
would be satisfied with nothing less than ordi
nation, assumed himself tho office of bishop. ap
pointed other bishops, as well as deacons and
elders, and permitted the organization of dis
tnct church. There have been various divis
ions in the Methodist church, the most serious
being the secession In 1874 OF the societies IN
the then slaveholding states of the South.
Hence the Methodist Episcopal church South,
which numbered, in the 1874, 3,l34 travelling
preachers, 5,34i local preachers and 713, LOG
members, including negroes and Indians.
To these must be added 10000 members of
the African Methodist Episcopal and African
Methodist Episcopal Zion churches In the
same year the members of the Northern Metho-
dist Episcopal church had reached 13i5,OS9
A movement for the reunion OF the two bodies
began in 1869 and, as slavery is forever ex
tnct, it is thought that the reunion will yet be
completely enthusiastically, Y. Times.