The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-03-06
METHODIST CENTENNIAL.
This Year to Witness the Centenary Of
American Iethodism.

This Year to Witness the Centenary o.
American NIethodism.
This year, 1884, is great and notable
one in the annals of American Meth.
odisn. 1t will witness the celebration
of the one hundredth anniversary of the
Methodist Episcopal Church on this con.
tinent, and is certain to prove year oil
unusual activity and profound interest
throughout the wide extended borders of
that powerful denomination of Chris
tians. The grand historic facts relating
to the benefcent character and wonder.
full achievements of Christianity through
the organized plans and the doctrines OF
Methodism during its pathway through
this century of its existence in America,
are truly phenominal, as acknowledged
by the worlds leading minds, and is one
of the grandest problems of the ages.
With more communicates than any other
religious body in America, it is matter
of interest to briefly review some of the
facts of general interest connected with
the history of the Methodist Church.
Beginning in obscurity and feebleness,
it has achieved for itself everywhere O
most wonderful success. This great re-
ligious movement has, Immediately or
remotely, so given an impulse to Chris.
tian feeling and profession, on all sides,
that it has come to present itself as the
starting point of our modern religious
history.
In 1884, the year when the Methodist
Church was organized in Baltimore,
when Coke and Ashbury were acknowl.
edged and set apart as Superintendent,
or Bishops, there were only 14,9SS mem.
bers, SO preachers, 81 church. buildings,
no missionaries, and no institution Of
learning within the bounds OF the demon.
ination. But from that time until the
present the growth of Methodism has
been almost incalculable. This result
was achieved by men who can we'll be
denominated heroes in the loftiest sense
of the word. Accepting the motto Of
John . 1sley-their Church's founder
"The World is my Parish" these men Of
Go traversed every State and Territory
of our great country, preaching the gos.
pei with power and in demonstration of
the Spirit-building up the Church.
Their entire singleness of purpose in
spreading the gospel has been their
prominent characteristic, and to-day
American Methodism numbers within
her various branches 1898, ,724 members;
1899 travelling preachers, and 34,7l4
local preachers, $4,000 church.edi6cea
valued at $l00,000,000; 25S institutions
of learning, embracing universities,
colleges, seminaries and high schools
in 1882 had 433 missionaries in foreign
fields sent from America, besides l 1906
native helpers; and during that year
contributed for the cause of foreign miss.
ions the sum Of 1851 AT "A.
The M. E. Church, South, has prepared
to join in the celebration of "the Cen.
tennial Anniversary of the Organization
of the Methodist Episcopal Church in
America" which will occur in Baltimore
on Dec. 27, and proposes to commemorate
the great event throughout its entire
bounds with suitable services and by rails
ing funds for Educational purposes,
Church Extension, and Missions-three
noble objects to which the liberality of
The Church will certainly respond. Two
millions of dollars is the amount propos.
ed to be raised for these objects, and that
this purpose can be accomplished there
should be no doubt; it will certainly not
exhaust the treasury of this strong
Church with its nearly nine hundred
thousand members.
1t may be interesting to our readers to
recount what American Alethodism has
hitherto accomplished on her Centenary
occasions. We first revert to the Centen-
nial of 1889. As the first Methodist
Society was formed in London in the
month of November, 1879, 80 1889 be-
come properly the one hundredth year
of Methodism. 1t vas according y cele-
braled in Europe and America. During
that Centenary year, with membership
of 1925 members, including colored
members and Indians, the Methodist
Church in America raised $60O,00 for
missions, educational purposes, and for
the support Of the worn.out preachers.
and the widows, children, and orphans of
preachers. The Wesleyan Methodists Of
Great Britain raised over one million
dollars for similar objects.
The next Methodist Centennial event
was in 1866. It was in commemoration
of the first Methodist preaching services
held in this country in 1866, and was
celebrated by the Methodist Episcopal
Church in 1866. Education and Church
Extension were the great objects of their
benevolence, and $2,000,OO0 vas suggest
ed as the amount to be raised. The re-
suit was magnificent one, the thank.
offerings amounting to $S,70s, ,498.39, or
more than four times the amount propos-
ed at the outset.
The successful celebration Of these two
former Centenary events should certainly
encourage our Southern Methodist friends
to the accomplishment of the noble deeds
they have essayed. Such past ought to
be an inspiration.
Able and competent committees have
this work in hand, and will spare no ef'
fort to successfully consummate it. The
Central Centenary Committee, with head.
quarters at Nashville, Tenn, is composed
as follows: T.. R. Hendrix, D. D., OF
Missouri, Chairman; w. P. Harrison,
D. B., Secretary; wills. Williams, Assist:
ant Secretary f; Judge James Whitworth,
Treasurer; Bishop H. N. McTyeire, l..
D. Palmer, Esq, Of Nashville, md James
G. Carter, Esq, of Louisville, KY.
The following is the Centenary Com.
mittee of the Greenville District: I. q.
Herbert, P. E., Greenville; Rev. S. Lam
der, Williamson; Miles Sitton, Seneca
City.
Confronted With His Villainy.