Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-28

Methodist Episcopal church, South, took
place in May, 1S45. 1t had, of course, a
considerable membership at the start, 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 frdternity-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,112,2SS. and that the increase
in its membership during the last ecclesias-
| teal year was IS. l6S!
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 viii be quite conspicuous in that
distinguished body-making at least a tenth
part of it-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 a membership
of 50l, 592. Next to this comes the African
NJ. +. Zion church, with 425. 900 members,
and the next in numerical strength is the
COiored NJ. L. church, with 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 colored
membership would be better off in an Or
ganizatiOn of their own. The other great
branch of American Methodism-the NJ. +.
church-has not yet felt that way. 1t has
colored constituency large enough to form
a church almost equal 10 the largest Of the
flNr1t tEtEa htat !
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
proachlng conference.
In a 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 doctrnal mat
tiers, but have turned almost entirely upon
questions of government. In us interpre
tation of the cardinal truths of scripture
this great system seems to be 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 a split on
doctlinal grounds was in 1860, when the
Free Methodist church was organized.
This organization was effected at Pekin,
New York, 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
sanctitcation. Besides giving srecial
IntG
lists make speciality 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 member of this church. The same
authority puts the present strength of the
church at 30 conferences, 200 preachers and
22.S6l members.
\ very influential body OF Methodists, is
that known as the Methodist Protestant
church. This is another off-shoot of the
MethpdiSt 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 were explosions from
the parent body, and the expelled menSAers
in 1880 organized this new body, which, by
the way, has had successful and very
honorable career. The Methodist Protes-
taut church commenced with about eighty
ministers and 5000 members. 1t now has
26lS ministers and a membership of las, 40.
Another of the numerous branches of
American Methodism is the Wesleyan
Methodist connection, which was organized
at Utica. \. Y. in 1913. The chief issue in
this case was slavery, though the Wes-
leyans also opposed secret societies and
were intolerant of bishops and presiding
old mi oil rt-ac oh had
church enjoyed considerable prosperity,
but after the war about 100 of its ministers
and a large number OF its members went
back to the fold of the Methodist Episcopal
church. and since then the organization has
languished Its commandments at present
number 10000, and it reports GOO ministers.
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 Congregational
Methodist church, whose operations are
confined chiefly to few states i'll 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 d limited
area.
One church Will be represented IN this
conference which some may think does not
belong there-the United Brethren in
Christ. IhlS Is vigorous and prosperous
organization which originated more than 4
century ago in Pennsylvania and Maryland,
under the labors of Philip w. Otterbein, a
German Reformed preacher. stationed at
Baltimore. Up TO 1870 it was exclusively 4
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 ecumenicai 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 4
valid reason. though one cannot help feel
ing that. aside from any other hinderins-,
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 au awful twinge of disappoint-
ment in connection with the great Worlds
conference of representative Methodists. is
that it appears probable so far that no
woman will be allowed to take part in it
This is not certain absolutely. for the dele