The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-01
A Century of Methodism.

On the I'd of March the various Methodist
bodies. differing in polity. but in belief and
feryor a united church, will celebrate the one
hundredth anniversary of the death of their
founder. John Wesley. He has passed from
earth but still lives in the vast and constant
ly increasing sisterhood of churches. whose
foundations an exceptionally long life OF eigh,,
weight wears enabled him TO lay deep ana
strong. His whole career tended in one d.
rection. but il was not until 1139 that he I'M
derwent the religious experience which he be
heyed TO be birth into true spiritual life
Hence his specific work extended year or
more above half a century. As he labored on,
his views broadened and his vision was clari-
fed. vet from first 10 last his main purpose
was. not the founding n denomination, but
the implantation of living faith In the hearts
Of men He never desired TO separate himself
from the Church of England. and in his own
estimate he remained in its membershlptot the
last. Yet he was driven by persecution TO
many acts which were not consistent with his
fealty TO the lord bishops. and logically paved
the way for that total withdrawal on the part
Of bis followers which verbally he dlscour-
eyed. Southey has well said that IN dealing
with him and his associates the establishment
made one of its greatest mistakes. The
Church of Rome would have been wiser, fort
would have constituted Wesley and White
field heads of religious orders. and so kept
them in the traces while giving their energy
full play.
As il was. beginning with nothing, Wesley
died at the head Of an organization num-
bering more than one hundred and forty
thousand church members. who were minis
tered 10 bv about five hundred and fifty itine-
rant and many thousand local preachers. lie
had provided for the safe transmlsslon OF
church property; made special Episcopal
organization for our own country; prepared
liturgy and psalmody, and in word. had
left bis spiritual estate in state OF thorough
adjustment As years roll on. the success OF
the Church which he had founded has at
tested his thorough knowledge of men and
mastery of methods. He was not omniscient;
but we remember no man who has attempted
as much and made as few mistakes. To-day
the united communicates OF the different
branches Of Methodists in the United States
far exceed those of any other denomination.
and even the Methodist Episcopal Church
alone has no Protestant rival IN numbers,
though the Baptists and their ofshoots are
not very far behind II. All this has been ac-
compished in century and a half and the
greatest expansion has occurred during the
hundred years that have elapsed since the
founders death. We are not called upon To
critcise OF 10 endorse the peculiarities which
discriminate MethOdists from other Christian
bodies. Our sole purpose at this time Is TO men
ton facts that are undeniable IN whatever light
they may be regarded, and 10 use them as aids
in forming our conception of the man whose
genius and devotion rendered them possible.
Church historians generally estimate the
Methodist revival Of the last century as only
second in importance TO the Lutheran refor
nation, and men of the most discordant
views unite in this verdict. They see in it the
origin of that outbreak of consecrated enthu-
siasm which gave birth TO so many Bible
missionary, tract, and other societies during
the early years of the present century, and
even trace 10 it indirectly the zeal Of tracta
rians and ritualists, which assaied high and
dry Guardianship in true Methodistic spirit,
though with different weapons. These things
being the outcome of Wesley's work, serve rs
illustration of his character and ability. He
was born to command and organize, and WAS
often despotic, but he worked always for
others. not for self. When apparently most
arbitrary he was really most unseltsh.-Cin-
cinnati Commercial Gazette.