Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-09
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The Great Methodist Council.

CHtCUgO ITtOu1te.
Following closely upon the heels of
the great Medical Congress in England
to devise further ways and means for the
cure of the human body comes the great
Ecumenical Council of Methodists from
all parts of the world, to be held in Eng
land next month, to devise further ways
and means for closer brotherhood, and
to see if there be not some common plane
upon which all sectarian divisions of
Methodism may come together on a COM
mon platform and hereafter act in con-
cert. The origin of this movement, as of
nearly all other movements for the
spiritual good of the human race, is to
found in Chicago, for it was here in the
General Conference of 1868 that Bishop
Jaynes first broached the idea, which still
further gained ground and found advo-
Gates after the meetings of the Evangeli-
cal Alliance and the Pan Presbyterian
Council.
The necessity for such Council is suf
ficiently apparent, for, though Metho-
dism is one of the strongest religious
forces in the world, it is rent into fac
tions by differences as to church polity
perhaps more widely than any other.
In Great Britain there are the Wesleyan
Methodists, three sects of Calvinistic
Methodists organized by Whiteield. the
Methodist New Connection, the Bible
Christian Methodists, the United Metho-
dists, Free Church MethOdists. the
Band-R Room MethOdists, and the Primi-
tive Methodists of Ireland; in Canada,
the Wesleyan Conference, the Evan
gelical Association, the United Brethren,
and the Free Methodists; and in
our own country the Wesleyan Connec-
ton, the Methodist Episcopal Churches,
North and South, and the African
Methodist Episcopal Church. which is
divided into two sects. Allthese numer-
GUS divisions are based upon differences
in pOlity, not in doctrine, except the
Calvinistic sects. They all have itinera.
cy, class-meetings, love-feasts, and other
features which distinguish them from
other sects. The Rev. DR.. George,
pastor of the Centenary Methodist
Church in this city, and one of the dee
gates to the Council, in his address last
Sunday evening, very tersely stated the
objects of this Council as follows:
1T was unfortunate that these multitudes of
Methodists could not march under the common
banner of the Church of Wesley, for they were
weakening their strength by petty differences,
which prevented united and harmonious at
tack on the Strongholds of sin. There was a
great waste in not concentrating the energies
Of the Church. The work of missions, educa-
ton. and religious activity generally was too
much cut mp by an attempt to carry them on by
each individual body. What was wanted was
to utilize the forces of the Church to the best
advantage. The Council would have no other
object than to consider in a brotherly manner
the work which the Methodist Church is en-
deavoring to do. 1t would attempt no litiga-
ton, would promulg gate no doctrine-it would
be powerless to do either-but it would en-
deavor to secure a thorough interchange of
fraternal feeling, and, by breaking down the
barriers which have too long kept the followers
of Wesley apart, wond give a powerful i'm
The meetings of the Council will be
held in the chapel where John Wesley
first announced the birth of Methodism.
1t is peculiarly fitting, therefore, that the
Council should meet there, and if the
various sects of Methodism can there
unite upon a common platform and
march forth under one common banner,
with anything like the courage and
energy that characterized their founder,
Methodism will be such power in the
world as it has never been before. Strong
as it is now, it will be thousand times |
stronger when united. Its numbers, its |
wealth, its energy, its aggressiveness, its
to the wants of the masses,
its enthusiasm, and its zeal, when once !
united and concentrated, will have.an |
immense influence upon the Christianiz-
ing of the world, both in its local lahors |
and in the missionary field.