The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-12-18

liberty ended, there were fifteen thou
sand members and eighty-four preach
ers. But the church in America
lacked ordained ministers, and Wesley
sent out two presbyters and Bishop
Thomas Coke, and then the scattered
organizations were united under the
name OF the Methodist Episcopal
church in the United States This
organization was made by the general
conference at Baltimore, at the meet
ing one hundred years ago. Asbury
was then made bishop. The centennial
now in session is in commemoration
OF that event. Fully established and
supported by organized system, the
church grew more rapidly than before.
Under the influence OF circuit riding,
the gospel, as expounded by John
Wesley, was spread to the II hottest
parts of the white settlements. The
preachers were then earnest in their
work. Their determination to sue
coed overcame all obstacles, and what
a splendid success they had! The
preachers Of to day know little, by
actual experience, of what the pioneer
preachers OF Methodism in this coun-
try suffered, and the sacrifices they
made for the cause they championed /;
but they know, from the results of
their work, that the world has never
seen class of grander, noEler
and greater men. There is
no word, however, to be said
derogatory to the men who are guild
ing the destinies of the Methodist
church to-day. They are well fitted
for the work they have to Go. That
work is as important as the work al
ready done. The foundations of the
Methodist church were laid so deeply
and firmly that they will support the
superstructure, however great it may
grow. When the original church
was only eight years old it became
necessary to supplement the yearly
conferences with quadrennial confer
ences, and these in 1912 became dele
gated bodies. Church movements and
church organizations are often attend
ed with bitter discussions, and the
Methodist church in America has
not been free from these. The
most notable one in the Methodist
church was that of 1874, resulting in
division of the church upon sectional
issues. Nearly half a million of mem.
bers then withdrew from the fedora
organization and organized what has
since been known as the Methodist
Episcopal church south, as contra dis
tinguished from the Methodist Epis
copal church north. The controver
sizes in the church have never beer
upon theological differences. Manner
ically the Methodist church is to-day
both in the north and in the south
more numerous than any other re
lgious organization. The separate
organizations in the United State,
have total membership of over foul
millions, representing constituency
it is said, of at least thirteen million'
of people. 1t is grand church. grow
ing grander with every year. 1t l.
urged in its behalf, that it is not over
laid with doctrine; that it is compare
lively free from dogmatic conditions
that it is a school of practical pietY
rather than of theology; that it
clergy are near the people
that it is a brotherhood working fol
one great end. The ministers Of to
day, who have succeeded the hare
worked and poorly paid pioneers
should be careful in leading it to con-
formation with the needs of the grad
ually and constantly changing condi
ton of society. The ancient SIMPLE
tiles of the church, however, SHOULD
be maintained as far as:possible. Thu
trouble between all churches to-day il
that fashion is getting away will
piety, while too often sordid motive
oil the tnn0upS of the Dreachers