Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-03
METH0DISM'S CENTENARY
ORGANIZATION AND GROWTH
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH.

.
OF THE METHODIST ChC FSOh'
Rev. DR.. Potter's Centennial sermon Al
| 7-fnftx Last Night-A Glimpse OF
| 1Tetbo5fsu 100 Years AgO-The Bal
| tTmore Conference and What II has
| Accomplished.
Trinity church was filed with large
| CONGREGATION last night. Alter the pre-
/ 1,,,inarv devotional exercises Rev. DR..
/ Po-rar. editor Of the Wesleyan Christian
/ s.5rorqts. announced the text for his cell
! +snnfaI sermon. selecting from the lesson
/ which he had read in the devotional ser
vice concerning the parable Of the talents,
a norton OF the 18th verse Of the 18th
/ chapter Of St. Matthew: "For unto every
/ one that hath shall be given and be shall
Z have abundance"
Meth0dlsm in the past, said
Z the preacher, has illustrated
this text. 1t remains for Met-od
I ism In the present and future
I 10 profit by it." One hundred years ago
I there was no organized Methodist church
/ in this country OF any country, but IN tne
/ latter part OF December, 11sA-ln Christ
/ mas week. when-sixty American preach
ers with Thomas Coke, Francis AsOury.
l and several others, met IN Lovely Lane
] wGT1I. NO me CIV VI D14AALAAD4E as klE ID -
] tim0re Conference. il was then that Meth
\ 0dism assumed an organized existence.
I John Wesley. the great founder OF the
/ church which to-day is gigantic IL its
I growth. had long labOred 70 place
/ the foundation stone. In September. 11S4,
/ Mr.. Wesley ordained Coke a superinten-
/ dent. OF Bishop. and by his hand letters
were sent To America. with the Sunday
! service. and a full plan for the OrganiZa-
I ton Of the church. Arrived in the city Of
! New York. Nov. 8. 1.S4. DR.. Coke met
/ Francis Asbury. who had been for ID
/ years in the foremost rank Of itInerant
l preachers on this continent. The plan
I Of the organization was given % MI
I Asbury. and Immediately measures were
/ taken 10 assemble the travelling preachers
] al Baltimore ir December following. -
/ rspid we're the movements Of this band Of
/ brothers in the gospel that. on Dec. -,
] I-S4. out Of 81 travelling preachers IN the
/ United states. Cd were present al TINS
I meeting Mr.. Wesley's plan was accepted
I bv unanimous vote. and Thomas Coke
| and Francis Asbury were elected super
/ intendents. OF Bishops, Of the Methodist
] Episcopal Church in America"
Perfect harmony prevailed in this
I christmas conference" All were ami
mated by the spirit Of love and devotion
10 the cause Of God. DR.. Coke. assisted
/ hy Bishop OtteTbein, ordained Francis
/ Asbury. and on Jan. 3, l-Sj, the little
/ company separated, each going 70 his
field OF labor.
From this foundation The church began
/ its growth. By this growth the preacher
7 proposed 70 illustrate the principle laid
down in the text. One hundred years
I ago. be went on to say, there
/ were not more than 300 MethO-
I dists and a few ministers in the
/ country. Now there are over A-c0,OuO.
The Church property then consisted OF
/ about 80 log houses and a few thousand
/ dollars, row IL has church buildings and
/ schools II every state in the Union. aud
. the value Of Its property |il exceed a
. billion Of dollars. With ire exception OF
. the great wilds Of Alaska, and some
. Of the remote parts OF the
/ Western Territories, there Is hardly a hao-
I liable spot that Is not within two or three
/ hours drive from a Methodist church. Il
has schools. colleges and seminaries In
/ almost every city. In TO spirit oil boast
ing. he could say with pride that the
youngest OF the Evangelical denOml-
nations possessed more education
al facilities than any other
denomination in the country. with Its
rapid growth the government which had
been given 70 the church at its OrganiZa-
ton has now been changed. It's three
features-the EpiscOpacy- the two orders
Of ministry. and the itlnerancy-are still
the principles OF its government as they
were at the first.
The preacher went on in his
discourse to show the advance Of Method
ism. and, in conclusion. laid down the
great lesson Of Christianity and the law
Of Christ.
Among the special demands Of the CEN
teuarv year was a concentration
of offerings for the accomplish
ment Of the great purposes OF
church work. The preacher illustrated
I why the church asked for the offerings OF
. its people TO be concentrated by happy
reference. Suppose, said he, an electric
light tower should fall in the street
and crush under il some passer by.
There may be ten or twelve or
. more men who witness the calamity
and rush 10 the rescue OF their fellOwmen.
One Of them tries to lift the mass Of iron
from his body. and then another and an
other until all have tiled their strength
aud have failed to stir II, but their leader
calls upon them altogether 70 take hold Of
the great framework, and they lift II
easily from their wounded companion.
( just so with the church. II wants the
. united help If its people and when this
is had great results can be accomplished.
I In concluding the service the pastor,
Rev. T. T.. Christian, called upon the con-
. gre-atiOn. and particularly upon the
members OF Trinity, 70 respond 20 the
. needs Of the church for its missions. its
E educational Institutions and other cnarl-
ties. and especially for tie completion Of
tie Marvin Chapel in R00ertsville, which
I il is the ambition Of it, founders 10 have
. completed by the meeting Of the confer
] Cuce on Dec. L.