The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-12-16
OUR FRIENDS THE METHoDlsTs.
Rev. Mr.. Sheppard at St. Paurs Church
Yesterday.

1
agreements and differences among Chris
| tians. His subject was "Our Friends
| the Methodists. - The following is q
brief abstract:
One of tho historians of Methodism
| opens his first volume with these words !:
clad a studious heather sought to as
certain the nature of the Christian relig
ion Immediately after the completion of
the canonical records and solely from
these records, he would have been sur
prised by its contrast with nearly all
prior systems of religion in it's suggestive
rather than prescriptive of ecclesiastical
arrangements, it general abstinence from
ritual forms and it's totsl abstinence from
dogmatic definitions.
He would have discovered what modern
Professionalism emancipated from tradit
ional influence, has found that the puri-
fication of the individual is the character
istic design of Christianity. Rites and
oreeds as aides to faith being left discre-
tionary however necessary"
This is an astounding statement to
make and can only be accounted for by
the fact that 1T was written before Pro-
testantism began to show signs of a re-
turn to rites and creeds and while Metho-
dism was reaching its high water mark
OF zeal and enthusiasm.
There is nosbettsr statement extant of
doctrine than st. Paul's epistles and no
better compendium of ecclesiastical ar
rangements" than his epistles to st.
Timothy
One of the prime requisites OF civilized
life. is plenteous use Of pure water as
conducive to cleanliness. But what
would be thought of the man who should
say that in the attainemnt Of cleanliness
the use of water however necessary was
discretionary
Ritual and doctrine may be as simple
and elementary as the publican's prayer,
yet by the use of them the man was par
doned and swent down to his house JUS
tified''
The misuse of ritual or doctrine is not
an agreement against its use, but proof
that it has been turned aside from it's
proper use. Our historian in developing
the basis of Methodism says, amy new
practical measures which may be rendered
expedient are admissible, being in har-
mony with the original purpose and SIM
plicity of the gospel however much they
may contravene ecclesiastical presidents
or traditions" 'sSuch IS the standpoint
| which Methodism takes in the history Of
the world
Whatever opinions men may hold of
Methodism, they must acknowledge that
its methods were new and practical
The Wesleys attracted more attention in
their work than ever the Salvation Army
did. The English church said: 'Let
the people come to the parish church to
hear the gospel"
1.-THE people will not come to the
church, therefore it is our duty to take
the church to the people, said Wesley.
The Wesleys met with opposition from
| two sources. They were opposed to the
| spirit of intense conservatism and by the
spirit of worldliness in the English
church, where John Wesley used his faith
er's tombstone rs pulpit as he preached
to 5000 people in the open air. it gave re-
spectacle and drowsy conservatism a
great shock.
When the tears coursed down the
blaokened faces of the Cornish
miners as they listened to
the preaching of men men as
Whitfield and Wesley, all England won
dered, and the wonder increased when the
fact was recalled that these field preach
ers were clergymen in good standing in
the Church of England.
Some of the opinions that the work of
Wesley and bis associates was greatly
needed. Dissent and the establishment
peculiar features Of Methodism are many.
| To John Wesley must be given the credit
of making great use of laymen. 1t is
to be noticed, however, that he never
considered them asspriests, but prophets.
70 Methodism must be given the credit
of expressing in sacred song the great
doctrines of the gospel Many strongman
| who sat unmoved through the preaching
of powerful sermon was melted to tears
by the simple melodiesssung by humble
men and women whose hearts were
touched by Divine love.
To the WesleysN belongs the credit of
rousing the English church to a relax
alton of the need of making an effort to
reach the masses of the people. In this
age thousands men are doing what the
Wesleys did with the full approval of the
church
There are many question which nat
urally arise as one recalls the origin and
development of the Methodist movement
One concerns the separation from the
English church. Our Methodist friend
holds that the separation was not only
advisable, but inevitable.
AT the close of our Revolutionary war
the religious restitution of the people
was such as to make it necessary to pro-
vide the sacranents for them. So Coke
and Asbury were sent over by Wesley as
superintendent of the work. Church
men are of the opinion that this destitu-
ton was only temporary and that Wesley
formed an exaggerated opinion of it.