The evening times., 1900-06-02
CHANGES IN METHoDIsM.
4 New school Of the Religion Enter
ing Into Practice.

fFrom The Chicago Chro1icle-)
Those who have listened to the debates
at the sessions of the Methodist General
Conference or who have read the rep9rts
OF proceedings must have been impressed
with the spirit OF the various addresses
and with the general characteristics Of
the men who compose the gathering. The
Methodist General Conferences are among
the strongest and most important re-
Hgious bodies Of the country
The sermons delivered by the visiting
Methodist divines in the various city
churches of their communion have great
ly impressed the oongre egationus. Like the
debates in The Conference. the discourses
were evidence that the preachers posses
great powers Of mind. are trained dialeeti-
clans, and have singular faculty for
touching the right cord of public senti-
meat.
| Compared with the early Methodist
elders and preachers. they are a new
school They differ as much from primi-
| tive Methodist manners as the modern
Methodist houses Of worship differ from the
/ rude buildings where early Methodist wor-
Slippers gathered
City Methodist churches in the furniture
ard upholstery are highly ornate The
platforms where the clergymen oficiate
are works OF architectural art The affairs
are mahogany and velvet. The spires are
SOmGllLLSS LlppeO out Win cross.
The early Methodist worshlped in the
simplest edihces. Generally their churches
were without even steepIes. Tasteful o.
namentation was never seen. Rude sim
phcity marked each structure and all its
appointments where religious services
were held. A cross above a house OF
Christian worship they regarded as a
pa9el abdomination--a symbol of anti
Christ
The early Methodist preachers spoke ex-
temporaneously IN the pulpit No manu-
scripts, not even notes as the heads of a
sermon, were allowed II a preacher
should enter pulpit. open services with
prayer invoking divine aid to inspire his
sermon, and then should lay on the desk
a carefully prepared manuscript and read
it as his word from heaven to human souls
he would be regarded as guilty Of a bias
phemous farce.
That they were compelled to speak ex-
temoorar eously made them impressive
pulpit oritors. Each preacher spoke "as
dyi6G man to dying men, The ear
nestness. the magretic force. the FIRE of
their sermons was the result Having
the power" as IL was called. occurred
frequently in their congregations Men
and women tainted or went off in convul-
sions. Shouts Of amen" and glory" re-
sounded from all quarters.
II the preachers had read their sermons
no such result could have been witnessed
Their appeals would have been idle In
the most emotional case the ablest lawyer
would fail TO convince jury if he should
draw out of his pocket two or three quires
of manuscript and read a prosaicaI argu-
ment cn the facts and the law. Before
jury and in the pulpit effective oratory
must come red hot from the glowing cen
tire of thought and passion
All who have read William Eirt's de-
scription OF the blind preaeher-and all
who have not read it should read twill
appreciate the excitement, the interest.
the spectacular effects OF early preaching
in the log church buildings and in the
open groves.
Changes in the manners of Nethod:sm
are not changes for the worse Progress
and refinement are visible in all the
changes OF modern life. Destiny-or. can
IL Providence-leads all men and all things
forward.