The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-08
METHODIST IN NORTH CAROLINA


resents the largest aggregate of Protest
ant communicates and worshippers of
the same ecclesiastical name to be found
in any one nation in the world So vast
an army of Christians is greater power
for good than any armed army that could
be modified. When it is remembered
that American Methodism was born in
power about the period of the American
Revolution, it's growth is seen to have
been the religious marvel of the century.
The consecrated young men at Oxford
| University, under the leadership Of John
Wesley, who were inspired to preach q
more vital Godliness proceeding from ex-
employed by the Supreme Ruler of the
| Universe to found great church. Fresh
| from the college walls, these young men
went through England arousing the dor
| mant conscience of the people until a
| flame of revival influence swept over the
whole island. 1t reformed the lives of
men ana women. lHdL Was the PROOF that
it was of God. The Methodist church.
under the providence of God, grew of
necessity out of these revival influences
The same conditions in America made
straight the path of the circuit rider,
who shared the privations of the pioneer
as he cleared the forests AMI made his
home in the new country, and preached
to him "a more excellent way
North Carolina Methodsm grew rapid
ly from the first preaching by the timer
county where it does not have strong
and self sustaining churches, and hardly
a neighborhood in which it does not
claim communicates. 1t is deep-rooted
in this State 1t has built churches in
large numbers, many Of them costly and
elegant; colleges and schools well
equipped and well endowed; an orphanage
for the care of the fatherless aud the
motherless; church papers that arc wide
ly circulated; and a system of carrying
the gospel by which no minister is ever
without charge and no church without
a pastor. The itinerant plan, which has
been blessed and crowned with success,
still endures in its usefulness and power
in North Carolina, though being depart
ed from in other sections of American
Methodism
The two Conference.-The Western at
Gastonia last month and the Eastern now
in session at ayetteville-represent a
membership of about 10000 The reports
showed in many respects the best year
in the history of the church. In the face
of crop failures in many parts OF Eastern
North Carolina. the contributions &c all
the causes OF the church were larger than
heretofore This is due largely to the
better methods and systems employed,
| but chiefly to the better education of the
people In the old tines men gave as
| they felt inclined, literally or not q. all
as they were disposed. Today they give
Systematically and regard their contri-
buttons to the church as 4 part of the
| fixed charges of living. There is no
church machinery better adapted to de-
velop the grace of giving than that O.
| Methodism. Elsewhere we print express
| sions from a number of the leaders of the
! Methodist church in the conference now
| in session touching the spirit that ami
| mates the conference, the advance march
| of the closing year, and the outlook for
| 1902 There is faith and confidence
| and cheer in these expressions that ring
like the old time utterance of the first
circuit riders.
| THE workers die, but the work goes
| on" 1t has been a creed of Methodism
| from the first to put the cause above the
| man. Eggleston in his Circuit Rider
! beautifully and graphically tells of more
| than one circuit rider who gave his life
| because of the rigorous adherence to the
| itinerant system. Nothing short of sick
| ness or a like hindrance warranted fail
| ure to go wherever sent, and it has been
| the glory of Methodism that its ministers
| have accepted hard appointments, inyolv-
| ing sacrifice and suffering, counting il
| honor to do the will of the Master. AS
| long as that spirit anmates the circuit
riders-and as Rev. r. B. John in today S
| paper points out that such is the rule TO-
day as an hundred years ago
as long as they lpreach the gospel
IN its old time purity, as long as they
have mo abiding city," but go out with
out purse and scrip. having no depend
| ence upon the things that perish, and de-
| claring Thou art the man" to all sinners,
rich and poor alike-so long will the
| church grow and prosper, and be one or
| the mightest agencies for the spread OF
scrptural- holiness in this good Common
wealth.
The people in the country are sure OF
Better mail facilities than they have
heretofore enjoyed. In his report the
Second Assistant Postmaster General
q