The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-17
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Dr. Marine,s "Bishop."

a
England or Europe" He had never been or
dained bishop Even Dr. Marine does not
claim that. He was not a bishop, then, in fact
but deliberately concluded that he was bishop
ard then declared himself to be bishop. Any
amount of success in Methodism doesn't make this
a square foundation. 1t would not have worked
well if the Leutenat- governor, during the war, had
concluded that he was Governor, and proceeded
to commission colonies for the army, without
Morton's authority. 1t was private conclusion
of a certain archangel, who proceeded to act
without authority, that began the trouble in
heaven, and continued to work all the confusion
and ruin on earth. The false basis has worked
badly for the unity of Methodism. 1t is split
into dozen divisions, and the end is not yet,
2 DR. Marine says: The basis of Wesleys
conclusion to be bishop at all hazards is that
bishops and presbyters or elders were the same
order in the ministry" Then Presbyterians are
right; and it is farce to ordain man bishop
who is already presbyter, which is the same
thing The DR.. at once adds, ''the bishops, in
virtue of their functions are naturally above
their brethren" How are they above presbyters,
if bishops and presbyters are the same orderl In
the State in masonry and in the church, men
in the same order have the same functions. No
Methodist preacher is accepted unless he has
been ordained by ''bishop." The only question
is, who ordained the bishop DR.. Marines argu-
ment would require him to answer John Yves
Icy" but he says the extraordinary functions
of the bishops, ''such as ordaining, are devolved
upon them by their brethren, ard exercised by
them of right right not divine, but ecclesiastical
and human This is where Dr.. Marine differs
from the Bible. The first bishops were the
apostles and their functions were de-
volved upon them by Jesus Christ,
and they exercised them by divine right.
Those the apostles chose as their successors, to
ordair elders in every city and set in order the
affairs IF the church, exercised their functions
of divine right The ministry exercises its func-
lions Of divine right to-day or there are no EN-
bassadors for Christ. No man taketh this honor
to himself, unless he is called of God, like Aaron,
who was ordained by Moses, whom God had
consecrated There is nothing human about the
ministry of Christ except the human nature of
the men who hold the holy orders. The human
right theory is a late invention Something had
to be said. The idea was unknown to the church
for fifteen hundred years. and it is contradicted
by everything in the Bible about the ministry
By his first position Dr. Marine ought to be
, Presbyterian, and by his second he ought to be
an Independent Congregationalist
g. Having concluded that he was bishop,
DR.. Marine says that Wesley did ordain Dr.
Coke bishop" Here's where Dr. Marine differs
from Wesley as widely as he differed from the
Bible and that in three points at least:
TAI DR. Marine says Wesley had at this time de
liberately made up his mind that he was the first
bishop of the Methodist Church, and hence
could ordain DIR. Coke bishop of the Methodist
Church in America. Wesley calls himself in
the very letter to DR.. Coke DIR. Marine quotes,
''presbyter of the Church of England Logic
ally. then if as a presbyter he was bishop, and
could ordain a bishop, being presbyter Of the
Church of England, the man he ordained would
be bishop of the Church of England. Besides
DR., Coke, Wesley says, already an ordained
''Dresbyter of the Church of England. One
presbyter of the Church of England, by inspira-
ton of heart and prayer over another presbyter
of the Church of England hardly made DR.. Coke
'bishop of the Methodist Church" parable
shows the emptiness of the claim Let Canon
Liddon conclude that he is a bishop to-day, after
mature deliberation and proceed by prayer and
imposition of hands, in his study in London, to
ordan DR.. Farrar bishop of the Methodist
Church in America. Dr. Farrar would not then
be bishop nor of the Methodist Church
Neither was DR. Coke. Dr. Marine may think
he is bishop some day, and lay his hands on
DIR. Alabaster. Will that make him BISHOP
(bl DR.. Marine says, Wesley did ordain Dr. Coke
a bishop Wesley does not say anything of the
sort His letter reads: 81 think myself to be
provdentially called at this time to set apart
some persons for the work Of the ministry in
America; and, therefore, | have this day set
apart as superintendent Dr. Coke" etc. He
had no thoughts of an ordination of any kind.
DR., Coke was already presbyter, with as
much ministerial authority as Wesley had, OF
could give Wesley had organized q missionary
society in the Church of England to rouse the
ohurchhersef and to do evangelistie work. He had
been in the habit for over forty years of appoint
ing superintendent for the work of the society
there each circuit having q superintendent.
Members of the society had gone to America,
with several preachers. superintendent was
needed for them, and Wesley appointed DR..
Coke. No superintendent in England had ever
deliberately concluded that he was a bishop, and
cd m OrdQ an IN thta Ticfp.t
Wesley says in his Cork sermon, speaking of the
Methodist preachers, just before he died:
We received them wholly and solely to preach not
to administer the sacraments None of them dreamed
that being called to preach gave them any right to
administer the sacraments. One of first rules
was, You are to do that part of the work which
appoint" 1t several years after society
formed before any attempt of this kind made.
One of preachers yielded to the importantly of
few of the people, and baptized their children. But
rs soon twas known, he informed it must not
be, unless he designed to leave connection. Now
as long the Methodsts keep to this plan they
not separate from the English church. And this is
our peculiar gory-Methodsts do not separates they
still members of the church. And believe one
why God is pleased to continue my life long
is, to confirm them in their present purpose not to
separate from the church.
In his sermon in the City Road Chapel Wesley
shows how Methodism was the religion of the
Church of England, l. O., the primitive church,
and the church of the Bible. He appeals to her
records, her liturgy and her services. He ex-
plains that other revivals in England had not
done much good because those who started
them 'soOn separated from the established
church and formed a sect So did the Presby-
terians; afterward the Independents, the Ana
baptists and the Quakers. And after this was
done they did scarce any good. sAs they chose to
separate from the church, so the people sep
arated from them and contracted a prejudice
against them. 1t is not so in the present re-
yival. Their [the Methodstsl fixed purpose is
to continue in the church, maugre men or
devils"
less bishops, but only set apart preachers and
superintendents for the evangelistic work of the
Methodist society in the Church of Englanda and
America Charles Wesley was with his brother,
and he says; He never gave me the least hint
that he intended to assume the episcopal char
aeter.- He knew that ordination was separa-