Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-01

issue. The formal organiZatia of the
Methodist Episcopal church, 8 \, took
place in May, 1915. 1t had, OF 9, a
considerable membership at thu cart. and
yet, how wonderful has been its growth,
and how great the change which time has
wrought. when to-day it stretches out its
hand of fraternity-to be graSped by the
equally fraternal hand of the larger body
holding in it statistics which show that it
has now 1862 ministers. with communicates
numbering l,l12,2SS, and that the increase
in its membership during the last ecclesias-
teal year was IS, les!
The separate colOred churches having
representation in this conference number
five in all, and send an aggregate delegation
of forty-eight, and besides these there will
be considerable sprinkling of colored men
among the delegates from the Methodist
Episcopal church. Thus ''our brother in
black will be quite conspicuous in that
distinguished Bodybuilding at least tenth
part OF lt-and If one may Judge from what
occurred at the other ecumenical confer
ence, he is likely to run his white brother
pretty close tilt in debate, and may even, in
some OF his oratorical flights, carry every
thing before him. The largest of the col
ored churches is the African Methodist
Episcopal church. which has membership
of SOL 592. Next to this comes the African
NJ. E. Zion church, with $4,000 members,
and the next in numerical strength is the
Colored NJ. E. church, with a membership
of 1882. The church last named was
formed at Nashville, Tenn, December,
1874, under direction of the NJ. Z. church,
South. 1t was the outgrowth of feeling
in the Southern church that its coloreG
membership would be better off in an Or
ganizatiOn of their own. The other great
branch of American Methodism-the NJ. Z.
church-has not yet felt that way. 1t has
colored constituency large enough to form
a chIlrph almost anI,a1 IN no of no
colored sects already in existence. but it
prefers for the present to keep its African
brethren under the administration of its
owe bishops, and hence it is that, as we
have before limited, there will be a consid-
cradle proportion of colored men among the
delegates sent by this church to the APP
preaching conference.
In u study of the different branches of
MethOdism, and of how they originated. one
thing which impresses US very favorably is
that the divisions which have occurred have
had hardly any reference to doctrinal mat
tiers, but have turned almost entirely upon
questions of government. In its interpre-
tation of the cardinal truths of scripture
this great system seems to be 4 unit. Rev.
William Arthur, the most prominent figure
on the British side in the last ecumenical,
and who Is chosen to preach the opening
sermon at the body about to convene, says
very properly: This conference cannot be
for the discussion of doctrinal differences,
for Methodism has no doctrinal differ
enceS." The nearest approach to 4 split on
doctrinal grounds was in 1850, when the
Free Methodist church was organized.
This organization was effected at Pekin,
New DIRK, by number of ministers who
had been expelled from the Genesee confer
ence OF the Methodist Episcopal church be-
cause they had insisted more strenuously
than wisely upon the doctrine of entire
rri,- rnl
prominence to this tenet, the Free Method
lists make specially of plain dressing, ana
they are likewise very pronounced in their
opposition to secret societies. Their gen
eral superintendent has stated recently that
no person who belongs to a secret society,
or uses tobacco, or wears jewelry, or other
fashionable ornaments, is permitted to be-
come a member of this church The same
authority puts the present strength of the
church at 29 conferences, 700 preachers and
%, sol members
A very influential body of Methodists, is
that known as the Methodist Protestant
church. This is another otf-shoot of the
Methodist Episcopal tree, the dividing cause
in this case being desire to dispense with
presiding elders and to introduce laymen
into the conferences. Here again, whether
wisely or not. there We're explosions from
the parent body, and the expelled members
in 1880 organized this new body, which, by
the way, has had "a successful and very
honorable career. The Methodist Protes-
tant church commenced with about eighty
ministers and 5000 members. 1t now has
26lS ministers and membership of ~, 4l6.
Another of the numerous branches of
American Methodism is the Wesleyan
Methodist connection, which was organized
at Utica, n. Y, in 1913. The chief issue in
this case was slavery, though the IVES
leyans also opposed secret societies and
va int n Mt Of nd Il
elders. Until slavery was abolished this
church enjoyed considerable prosperity,
but after the war about 100 of its ministers
and large number of its members went
back to the fold of the Methodist Episcopal
and since then the organization has
Its COMMITMENTS at present
number %, O00 ana II reports 600 minister's
Besides these there are in this country
three other Methodist churches, one called |
the Primitive Methodist church, modelled
after the church of that name in Great |
Britain one known as the Conversational
Methodist church, whose operations are
confined chiefly to a few states in the |
South, and another which is called the In
dependent Methodist church. These bodies |
are all small; they make little progress and |
their efforts are confined within limited |
area.
One church will be represented IN this
conference which some may think does not |
belong there-the United Brethren in |
Christ. This is vigorous and prosperous |
which originated more than a |
century ago in Pennsylvania and Maryland, |
under the laDors of Philip w. Otterbein,
German Reformed preacher, stationed at
Baltimore. Up to 1880 it was exclusively |
German church, but now it is perhaps less |
German than English. The reason it is |
classed with the Methodists and chooses to |
affiliate with them in this worlds confer !
ence, is that Its doctrines and uSageS are |
similar to those of Methodlsm.
Another church which, for the same rea- !
son, took part in the first ecumenical is the |
Evangelical Association. but this body has !
asked to be excused from representation in |
the present conference, the reason assigned |
being that its own general conference will |
be in session At the same time. This is a |
valid reason, though one cannot help feel |
ing that, aside from any other hindering |
cause, this church which has been SO sadly |
unfortunate of late, would find reason |
enough for holding aloof at the present. in |
the many internal distractions and lawsuits |
it has on hand.
What has given some of the Methodist !
brethren an awful twinge of disappoint-
ment in connection with the great Worlds |
conference of representative MethodiSts, is
that 1t appears probable so far that no
woman will be allowed to take part in it
This is not certain absolutely. for the dele
cations, owing to possible vacancies at the
last moment, will not lie finally fixed until
the body shall been organized 1t is prob
able, however, and, to some, this discrimin-
alton against the fair sisterhood- just when
so fierce tight IS being made for their ad
mission to the general conference of the |
Methodist Episcopal church-is regarded as
at once an unfair allotment and a porten- \