Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-02-20
For the Herald and Tribune.
The American Methodist Church
Movement.
[Continued.] I

The American, Methodist-ou church
organ-has made its appearance. 1t is
a four page paper, edited by Revs. G.
W. jarvis and ]. L. Mckenzie, of Cleve-
land, Tennessee, and is published at
the same place. 1t is splendid paper
and gives no uncertain sound about
matters. The first issue contains the
proposed constitution for our new
church, which we hope to have pub.
lished in the Herald and Tribune later
on. Some of the people will be very
much surprised at the advent of the
American Methodist Church, while
others have been expecting it or some
thing like it for sometime. But let me
assure the good people Of this section
that those of us who are agitating this
new movement have nothing in view
but the glory of God and the good of
the people. We may say some plain
things in this discussion, but we do
hope to keep within the bounds of
propriety, truth and charity. II any
one doubts what we say the evidence
is at our command. So we hope that
the Methodists of every name in this
territory will give an attentive ear to
what we say and not allow yourselves
become prejudiced against this move
meut until you fully understand it.
Then If you find yourselves to be Amer
ican Methodists we shall be glad to
have you cooperate in establishing the
American Methodist Church, and if
not we shall bid you God speed in your
present relations. But allow me to
say just here, that we do not want any
one to join us unless you have perfect
faith in the movement and are fully
persuaded in your own minds to do so.
The doctrines will be unobjectionable
to any Methodist and tho government
American. Much has been said about
the organization of the two great Meth
odist families, but there is positively
no hope of the Methodist Episcopal
Church uniting with the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, nor is there
and hope of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South uniting with the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. In fact we do
not believe it would be wise for them
to do 80 with their present form of
government as 1t would only lay "a
foundation for the full development of
favoritism to be shown in making the
appointments to the fiat places" The
leaders of each side would want to ia.
vor their men. This would arouse the
old prejudices, Gauss debates. divisions
and finally result in separation again.
So there is no use in talking, hoping
or praying for the organic union of
these two churches for it will never
come. Hence II union is ever brought
about it must be in some other way or
we will continue to have the two or.
ganizations in the same community,
preaching the same gospel, adhering to
the same articles of faith and being
under the same form of the govern
ment. Democrats belonging to the one
and Republicans to the other. This
has been q source Of annoyance to the
good people of this country for many
years and we should all pray God how
soon 1t may die out from among us and
be no more. Then the old time fire of
early Msthodism would return, and the
people, both great and small, would be
led to Christ as never before in the his
tory Of the church. Someone might
say: "Do you hope for the American
Methodist Church movement to bring
this about" We answer yes and no.
There will be great many humble and
devout Christian men aud women of
both sides in maRy communities who