The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1884-03-14
METHODIST CENTENNIAL.
This Year to Witness the Cen
tenary OF American NIethO-
dism.

This year, 1884, is a great and
noble one iu the annals of Amerl
ca MethOdism. Ii will witness the
celebration of the one huudredth
anniversary of the Methodist Epis.
cOpal church on this continent, and
is certain to prove year of un-
usual activity and profound inter.
est throughout the wide extended
borders OF that powerful dehomina-
tion OF Christians. The grand his.
tOric facts relating 10 the bene.
ticieut character and wonderful
achievements OF Christianity
through the organized plaus aud
the doctrines OF MethoIlsm during
It's pathway through this century
ot Its existence in America, are
truly phenomenal, as acknowledged
by the worlds leading minds, and
is Que of the grandest problems of
the age.
ln 1884, the year when the Meth
odlst church was organized in Bal.
timore, when Coke and Asbury
were acknowledged aud set apart
as Superiutendents, or Bishops,
there were only 14.9SS members, S3
preachers, 81 church. buildings, no
missionaries, and no institution OF
learning within the bounds OF the
denomination. But from that time
until the present the growth of
Methodism has been almost incal.
culable. This result was achieved
by men who eau we'll be denomina-
ted heroes in the lottiest sense OF
the word. Accepting tue motto OF
John Wesley-their church's toun.
der-"The world is my parish
these men OF God traversed every
State and Territory of our great
country, preaching the gospel 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, aud
to-day American Methodism mum.
bers within her various branches
3,093,72l members; 25,S30 travel.
ing preachers, and 3i,714 local
preachers; $4,000 church.ediflces
valued at SlOO, 100000; 25S institu
tions OF learning, embracing uni.
verslties, colleges, seminaries aud
high schools; in 1882 had 433 mis-.
sionaries in foreign fields sent from
| America, besides 1,906, native
helpers; and during that year con.
tributed for the cause of foreign
missions the sum of $5jl, ,447 A.
The NJ. Il. Church, South, has
prepared to join in tue celebration
of "the Centennial Anniversary of
the Organization of the Methodist
Episcopal church III America"
which will occur in Baltimore on
Dec. q, and proposes to commomo'
rate the great event throughout its
entire bounds with suitable services
and by raising funds for education
purposes, church extension, and
missions-three noble objects to
which the liberality OF the church
will certainly respond. Two mil.
lions of dollars is the amount pro.
posed to be raised for these objects,
aud that this purpose can be ac.
complished there should be no
doubt; it will certainly not exhaust
the treasury of this strong church
with its nearly nine hundred thous.
and members.
Able and competent committees
have this work In hlnd, and will
spare no effort to successfully col.
sumate it. The Central Centenary
committee, with headquarters at
Nashville, Tenn, is composed as
follows: Il. Il. Hendrix, ID. d., OF
Missouri, Chairman; w. p. Harri.
son, ID. d., Secretary; Wills. Viii.
liams, Assistant Secretary; Judge
James Whitworth, Treasurer
Bishop II. N. McTyeire, L. ID. Pal
mer. Esq, Of Nashville, aud James
G.. Carter, Esq, of Louisville, Ky
The following is the Centenary
committee of the Seashore district;
b. s. Rayner, 2. E., Hattiesburg,
Miss; Rev. II. j. Jones, Moss Point,
Miss; X. Babington, Fraukllnton,