The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-28
Ill.

Some OF Asbury's colleagues were restless un-
der his strong hand, and doubtless sent COM
plants to England. Ashury explained to Wes-
ley the necessity OF discipline and OF more Ia
borers, imploring him to come himself. and
Wesley seems to have contemplated u visit In
order that he might understand tho true state
OF things. Asbury notes. however, In his Jour.
nal that he had received u letter from Wesley
informing him that the time of his coming
over to America us not yet" Instead OF I'M
dertakinR the voyage himself. Wesley, In 1878,
appointed Thomas Rankin superintendent Of
the entire work of Methodism In America.
Rankin chose for his companion George
Shadford, who had been a soldier. These
two missionaries landed in Philadelphia
early in June, and Rankin proceeded with
Asbury Immediately to Now York. 1t is to DO
noted that on the first Sunday after their arrival
In that city both Of them received the sacra-
ment In st. Paul's Church. A difference subse-
quently arose between the two missionaries
with regard TO a revival OF religion then In
progress. Rankin seems to have manifested an
opposition to the spirit OF revivals. asserting that
they tended to disgrace religion by the dcstruo-
tion OF order. Herein he was opposed by Asbury,
who. although he conceded that some cnthusi.
asm and extravaganza might be occasionally cx-
hibitcG in the course OF a revival. yet deemed It
injudicious to animadvcrt with severity on the
demonstrations OF passion II excited. which were
apt to accompany lasting religious movements.
In July, 1878, Asbury left Now York for
Philadelphia, Rankin having called together the
Methodist preachers for conference In the latter
city. All the preachers present were Europeans
by birth; there were ten OF them. the precise num-
Der In attendance upon Weslcy's first conference
in England, which had been held twenty nine
years before. The following queries proposed Mt
thia cOnferanpe m evary - nhor ,-cro ,a.ni-
mously answered in the affirmative: First
Ought not the authority OF Mr.. Wesley and Of
his English countrymen to extend to the
preachers and people In America, as we'll as
Great Britain and ireland Se~condly-Ought
not tho doctrine and discipline of the Methodists,
as contained in tho minutes OF the English
Conference. to be the sole rule of our
conduct, who labor in the connection
with Mr.. Wesley in Americai Thirdly
Does 1t not follow that, II any preachers deviste
from the minutes we can have no fellowship
with them until they change their conduct The
following rules, among others. were agreed to by
all the preachers present: First-"Every
preacher who acts In connection with Mr.. Yves.
ley and the brethren who labor in America arc
strictly to avoid administering the ordinances Of
baptism and the Lords Supper" Secondly-"Ar
the people among whom we labor are to be earn
estly exhOrted to attend the Church lof England
and receive the ordinances there; but in q par
ticular manner are the people In Maryland and
Virginia to be pressed to tho observance Of this
minute" From the evidence submitted to this
first Methodist Conference In the United States
we learn that the aggregate number OF mem
beers OF the society In New York, Philadel-
phia, New Jersey, Maryland, and vir-
ginia was l,l6O. 1t 10 evident from
what we have Just said that at this time tho
Methodists In the colonies regarded themselves
as under the direction OF Wesley to the same
extent as were their brethren in Great Britain
and Ireland. In other words, the Methodists up
to this date were only a religious society and not
a Church; any members OF any Church who
would conform to the rules and meet In a class
were at liberty to continue In their own church.
AS most members OF the Methodist Society, how
ever, had been brought up In the Church OF Eng
land this was especially true Of Maryland and
Virginial. they were particularly
to attend on the services of that Church
and to partakc OF the ordinances at the hands
Of the minister. for ut that time the Church OF
England was established by law in Maryland
and Virginia, and the ministers were supported
by a tax on the people. In many parts Of those
colonies, for a hundred miles together, there
was no one to baptize a child except q minis
ter OF the Established Church.