The morning call., 1892-09-03

THE 1FETHODIS rs.


The last census bulletin is on the Metho-
dists, the largest religious sect in the United
States except the Roman Catholics, and by
reason of its discipline and organization,
probably the most influential of the Protes-
tant sects in the South and West.
The census reporter does not quite agree
with the compiler of the Methodist Year
book. rs to the number of the members of
the Methodist Episcopal church. In the
census il is given as 2, 240, 354 commandments,
while in the yearbook it is stated TO be
1885, 9J6. This is exclusive Of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church South, with men,
beyshlp Of 1.21S.561, and of other church
organ cations in the Methodist fold. which
swell the total number Of American Mctho-
dists of ali races and cOlors to 6.505, CO.,
something over one-tenth Of the entire
population of the country. The, largest
number Of communicates in any one State
is found in New York, where they number
242,i 1872, but Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois and
Indiana follow closely. Before the war,
the MethOdists were the dominant sect at
the South; bat the church split on the sub;
iect Of slavery, the bulk of the Southern
AEethodists holding to their peculiar instltu-
ton, while all the Northern Methodlsts,
with minority of their cObelievers at the
South, stood by the aneientdoetrlne OF their
| faith that. slavery was a sin. and that no:
slave-Gwuer could be allowed to approach:
the communion table,, After the war inef-:
! feetuai attempts were made To- heal the
breach. The cause of strife having ceased.
il WAS hoped that the. effect would diSap-
pear. But the Southern Methodisrs were
too sore to accept the olive brauch, and
they maintain to this day their separate
/ organization. So =: -. -:
The church is not particularly stro ny In
this Stale, its membership being. only 23,-
527 OF these one-ffthiare in Los Angeles
County being presumably the. pragenH. eff
Southern Methodlsts3 another fifth is in
San Francisco and AtaHteds; there are o.
( couple Of thousand in Santa Clara and the
irest are scattered. IT has been observed
that Methedism tLrtIyes best. in Protestant
countries, AID that III localities where tie
Catholic church supplies openings for re-
ligiOqs enthusiasm il makes less grow Ii. : j.
TO tl.e student Of religious opinion. the
progress Of the Methodist Sect is one of the
notwithstanding phenomepa IN history. No
denominatiGn since. the L .fornlRtion has
eTfr made such prog ess IN so short a period
Of time. The Baptists. antedats the Metko-
: dists by couple Of centuries but tie latter
have eusiripped them. in: numbers. Just. a
! hunlted yeats have elapsed since Wesley
died, and at that time there were Dotln this
t country. over 1900 members of the. sect
| which now Includes .Dne-tenth Of the AmeTl
can people. EgTaR-in the teeth Of prejg-
| dice and bitter hostility: Even when it had
! established Us footing: ia England it VAS
/ viewed with slicA ds slse Stat Sydney Snjita.
a; fair man III other ulAtterss debated on his
/ deatk5sd tharile was. So weak that. he had
/. not streigta enpush :tQ:attek his knife into
! a Meli6dist. IL his death JOHN: " es3&y
|. claimed to be s'iajnf$seF :ef the Church Of
|! EGG and svas az s0te:tfiaa TO 3 i'm. when
| tie Q{alaTat .refnsal 81 Tile Bishap: :of Lon
! don cGHa led h;ii TO eEdsi1 Methodist miEf-
iister6 fer this: eQdntff .sgtthout episcopal
iayfgE6El 0f1anCis:: :. - ::
| ::Tifserea I'll: o1 Ae}eTtcan AIethdai&n was
moEe largely ::Sfu]s fo<t the: efforts. pf Bishop
] AsbuTY than to Wesley: 4 sbJlry was born
tfQrths post 5yliich Ee*was GIRO sen Eo-ffF!. He
had N ip sutitye X BIO " ledgeof men,. :He IA
! gaT2h pat The rtg MAG in the right lace.
t:dtfring, and Enie{augatde himself. he re-
I qdifea i oGa Lam d. itT rant preachers. bis
+; eXborlers and class leaders 10 be. equally
/ eHergetic: He kept. :s{efri in tho: saddle
F:HeeE III aid: week s4drI and never afmitta1
F that a;;AIetl.o1Ist -prg8ther- could be con.
sct6us If f&i fgsge. lie ce9Yefed tue country
with apesties, whip .hglE Gam -meatjlgs Ia
The ne settle nlefttss. agd sno Ike tQtEe rural
E-oapu!a.i 5nsi5 aIjg}lasss. lfiejs t7fey could
! liqdefscatd ANA :w.!eH appealed: tn: theGr
I hear'ts:< BE 'iliis for MetfOlisai whai EeyQla
did t5;E tii1}li ;fsln, ia: ii the Epseopatan
/ Bis h6ns lad :baeasa as WISE as the Pope Meth
I odfsnI4lfokabIy w4alf To-day have Ueep a
branc4fbf Epi sc6 alsanisjqt and thera would
/ have BEEN one :I2sdtessdr. sect tbe less