Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-04-20
i" 4 SATURDAY SERMON.

To the Editor OF the New Mexican.
In the Nav MEXICAN OF April 10, in the
article upon the subject OF Holy Week"
you make the following statement: at
(lioly week was nevertheless always
rigidly kept by John Wesley, clergyman
in the church of England all his life, and
the originator Of Methodism; but who
never consented to the Methodsts leaving
the church TO which belonged-an event
which took place after his death" Some
things in this statement are true and
others are not That Mr.. Wesley WAS a
clergyman in the church OF England is
true, and it is also true, 80 lar as We are
able to see from q human view point, that
he was "the originator OF Methodism )"
but that he never consented 10 the Meth
odists leaving the church to which he
belonged" is only the fraction of truth.
So far as it has reference to the Methodists
OF America the statement is wholly false.
Wesley advised the organization of a
separate church in America, and more
than that, he superintendent its organiza-
ton. "At the close OF the revolutionary
war his mind was deeply exercised as to
the future OF the Methodist societies in
America. The colonies had become an
lnuepciIuU..~ ---t;on. tho n0var of tho
English church had ceased and he saw
no reason why in the United States an
Independent organization might not be
formed. At first he applied to the bishop
OF London for the ordination OF some Of
his ministers, but this was refused. {"
As Wesley had long repudiated the doc
trine OF prelatical succession, "rec-
ognizing the parity of bishops
and presbyters," and as at that time the
English church would not ordain minis
tiers for America, the colonial church of
England being almost extinct in America
during the revolutionary war, Mr.. Wesley
ordained the Rev. Thomas Coke as super
intendent or bishop for the church in
America. Mr.. Wesley also nominated
Francis Asbury for the same office, and
Asbury was ordained by Bishop Coke.
See Cyclopedia OF Metlodsm, p. GA;
Johnson's CyclOpedia, article John Wes-
ley; The American Cyclopepia, vol. XXI,
p. 55S.) All tins was done in 1884. The
Methodist Episcopal church was formally
organized during the closing days OF the
same year, at which time Bishop Coke
was received and he and Francis Asbury
were elected TO the Office OF superintendent
or bishop. At the close of the revolu-
tionary war Mr.. Wesley, speaking of the
American brethren, said: 1--WE Judge it
best that they should stand fast in that
liberty wherewith God has so strangely
made them free Does this sound as
though Mr.. Wesley discouraged the or
ganization OF the Methodist church
Wesley also abridged and modified the
litany Offices, ordlnal and articles OF the
church Of England for the Methodist
Episcopal church in America, as with
some changes they are used in that church
10 this day. (See Johnson's Cyclopedia,
article John Wesley In the ordination
Of Coke Mr.. Wesley used, with some al
terations, the ritual for the ordinations of
bishops in the church OF England
So much for the Methodist Episcopal
church in America. What OF Wesleyan
Methodists in England? The only orga1l-
cation of the Wesleyan Methodists in En-
gland which has ever been effected was
accomplished in 1884, under the direction
II John Wesley. "At the session OF the
conference of 1884 Wesley provided for
he perpetuity OF the work after his death
" naming in a deed OF declaration 100
PREACHERS who should constitute illegal
difference and who should hold in trust
he chapels and other property, and have
he general oversight of the affairs of the
ocieties. Both the Methodist Episcopal
hurch in America and the Wesleyan
lethodist church in England were or
anized under the supervision of John
Wesley, who died in March, 1871, nearly
eYen years after the organization of the
lethodist Episcopal church. 1t is there
IRE not true that 'the Methodists leaving
lie church to which John Wesley be-.
nged was an event which took place
ter his death" 1t should be remem-
cred that the Methodist Episcopal church
, properly speaking, the oldest Episcopal
lurch in America. Her first bishops
ere ordained in 1884, and DR.. William
'hite, OF Pennsylvania, and DR.. Samuel
fovost, OF New York, were consecrated
the Office OF bishop in the Protestant