New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-30
mower OF the season
EPISCOPAL METHoDIsM IN AMERICA.
M NV. pR. JOHN .HEY THOMPSON psscASTs OK
ITS PROVINCIAL CHARACTER

IN" NV. DIR. JOHN HEEY THOMPSON DsscASTs OK
ITS rRovIDESTTAL CHARACTER
Inc Rev. DR.. John Rhey Thompson preached on
"o rrovidential character OF American Methodism'
u'ore large congregation In tho Washington Square
."o'hooist Episcopal church last night. Taking his
oA' rom the first vefsc OF the CXyth Psalm, no said
~ part is God IN History and II so, how shall we
1'soo'es and trace His presence clearly to our own
ihas and convncingly the minds Of othersi There
arc TWO general styles Of writing history. Tho earliest
Ana simplest is the anralIst or narrative; tho othor,
"heh We propose 10 follow this evonlng, Is the phioso
Pncai, the higher method. To say that there is no
meaning In human life, and to say that wo cannot
uiseern the meaning, are two different things. The
"hoie OBJECT OF philosophical history Is TO show that
human society moves to a definite end There Is such
'hlns as trend OF events" drift Of sges' moro
aua more II Is seen that In evolution OF thngsS
moral purpose Is distinctly had In view.
MY purpose tonight is to use the philosophical
method to explain certain body Of facts Of oompar
fact recent occurrence In the worlds history, the
taIt D, American Methodlsm, a subject peculiarly APP
PIcaoe from the fact that tho Twenty fifth General
0V Th. meets IA NewYork this week.
on the onaon says truly that tho sun never ses
never sets on the territory Of the United stscs which
port Ms Oser to 10 Of Hns%do r 9 E
eI d psnson OF the population OF this country from
S snntpo In 1880 TO over 5ooooooo in 1850, Is
VAT, iacts When we consider tho leading character
,sucs OF this people, note first that they are we'll
uo-hot In the sense OF Burkes Pecrage, but In thai
they come Of stock hardy robust. tenacious vlrtur
Gus distinguished for reverence, obedience asd lawful
ness great deal of tho immigration Of recent years
mas been with the object OF getting better bread
am more comforts than could be had In the fatherand
DuS the original settlers came 10 get moro room In
men 10 do right and TO develop their moral manhood
>, inc American people wero necessarily migrsory IN
sner haDlis tho increase In population the Atlantic
scaDoard forcing them into the Interior mile by milo,
uouMan range by mountain range, until they reached
r no Tty OF the Golden Cato. Our forefathers, too,
the sky above them, and God with them and they
acquire sefrellancc and inventveness and that man
Inuependence always Characteristic of them. More
they were democratic by natural instinct Their
nc had not much room for fastldlous refinement.
iney Fought real foes, wild beasts and indians. In
ia65, In house In what is now Park place Philip
SSm,ppury preached TO an audience CT Ave the frst
netnoulst sermon delivered in America. In ton years
ivNaslhg TO 5000 tho Mcthodfsts Of America to-day
n nnmber over two millions. Include with thom the
Ihurcn. ana the total reaches 100000 From 1870
10 1857 the Increase Of population has been 30 per
cent nj me Increase OF Methodism 81 per cent.
IheSe iacts seem TO Indicate a peculiar adaptotion Of
sns reasons First We employ no rehped theological
hsuOlstes. They would not have touched tho hardy
Irontiersman. He would have becn shocked BIZ tho
ocins Oi election but free grace attracted him and
nc lOyluly accepted the teaching that Gods snrit
, enter his spirit and DO daily witness 10 his sal
harmonzcd with the itinerant and mgraory popula-
won among whom they rode their circnts And rho
!eVor OF tho inerant preachers touched the hearts of
INC western people All Joined in tho hymns and
what color or condition, could rise and speak Tho
ministry was constantly recruited too from tho rnn)s
OF the people And the downright earnes,ness Of the
prcachois htteu into the earnostness Of the people