The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-02
REV. DR.. KING
ON METHODISM
The Last of a Series of Denomi-
national Sermons at Trinity
Church Preached by the Pas
tor Last Night
DR.. KING POINTS OUT BAD
POINTS IN HIS OWN FAITH

III. IAtiuO Siis ~ ~ DFaH
POINTS IN HIS OWN FAITH
The Position Taken by the Clergy
man in His Address of a Week
Previous on the Catholic
Church Unexpected and Some
Criticisms Made
Rev DR.. George w. King of Trinity
Church gave the last of his denomina-
tional series of sermons last night on
/ ''The Methodist Church" He treated
his own church in much the same way
as he has treated the other denomina-
tions, giving a historical sketch and
brief outline of it's doctrines and
| polity.
He said he did not think the Method
! list church perfect, nor that it had all
the truth. The fact that it is divided
into II different bodies in America
| alone he called a reproach to the
church. The chief mission of the
Methodist church is the revival mis-
sion-to keep alive the enthusiasm Civ
en- by the Holy Ghost and to quicken
the spirit of holiness.
DIR. Kings address on the Catholic
church has evidently created some talk.
The position which he took was unex-
pected. Very few were out to hear
| that sermon, on account of the storm.
| Evidently a large number read the ac
count in The Spy.
DIR. King began his address last
night by referring to comments which
have been made to him on the reports
of his addresses published in The Spy.
He said that the reports were not YER
batim and were not intended for such.
They were necessarily incomplete. and
he said that he could not be responsible
for incomplete reports.
DR.. King was referring especially to
the report of his sermon the previous
Sunday night on the Catholic Church.
This sermon was reported in The Spy
to a less extent than some of his other
UNCONVENTIONAL addresses for reasons
which the reporter explained to DR..
King last week. At that time DR.. King
said that. while he regretted the mea-
| greness of the report, the statements
| published were substantially as he had
made them. DR., King said that he
had been asked to repeat that sermon,
but should not do so.
| He announced as his text for the adj
dress OF the evening, Others Mocking
said, These Men are Full of New
| Wine "Methodism," he said, "is
spirit and life, rather than a creed,
| form of worship or church organiza-
| ton We have the creed and the form
of worship but it is the spirit and life
which most characterizes u.s. The other
things have lost their original signif-
canoe Thomas Chalmers the famous
f1aJ
is Christianity in earnest His defini-
ton has always been acceptable to the
Methodist Church.
THE Methodist Church is not perfect.
1t never has been. Does it possess all
the truth? I doubt it. It's members
have not all been what they should
have been. One of the worst features
| of Methodism it shares in common with
nearly every denomination to some eX-
tent 1t is split up into II divisions in
America. All of these are in a way
significant but some are exceedingly
small. 1t is a matter of reprOach for
Methodism to be thus split up into
small bodies"
DR.. King then sketched the rise Of
the Methodist Church in the 18th CEN
fury. It's founders were John and
Charles Wesley, brothers, who were
students at oxford and became i'm
pressed with the need of a more per-
sonal religion. They gathered together
a band of students which was called
in ridicule the Holy Club. The name
"Methodists" was another term of riGi-
Guile which was applied to the Holy
Club on account of their methodical
way of studying. The church was early
subjected to persecution.
In America the Methodist Church
COMMENCED in New York city in 1866
among some German emigrants who
came from Ireland where they had be-
come converts to Methodism. When
they first came to America they almost
| let slip their religion but it was re-
vived.
Baltimore was another early centre
of the denomination and here the
church was organized in 1884 in Lovely.
| Lane Chapel.
! The Methodist Episcopal Church is
called Episcopal because it has bishops
| There are IS living bishops besides
| two or three missionary bishops. The
| bishops are not diocesan-that is they
are not set over a certain field, but
are general superintendent of the
whole Methodist Church. For example,
/ Bishop Mallalieu, who lives in Massa-
| chusetts, is not bishop of New Eng
land. He has just as much jurisdiction
| over Texas as he does over New Eng
| land.
! The Methodist Church IS not Con-
I gregational in its polity. It's churches
are bound together and are not separ-
ate The highest authority of the
church is the general conference which
meets every four years and which is
/ composed of equal numbers of clerical
and lay delegates. The annual confer
/ ences for each district are composed
of the preachers only. Each church has
| quarterly conferences composed Of the
/ official board, the lay preachers and
the pastor in charge, the presiding ell
der of the district being president of
! the quarterly conference. The whole
/ denomination has its head in its IS
bishops
| The Methodist church is a closely
/ correlated or correctional church. in
/ which the links bind closely together.
! The theology of the Methodist
church is largely Aminian-that is,
! emphasizing the freedom of mans will
! and opposed to Calvinism which lays
] stress on the arbitrary sovereignty Of
( God. There are some exceptions, how
/ ever, and George Whitfield, the great
4 Methodist preacher, was a Calvinistic
/ Methodist God has honored Method
( ism by making it the largest Protestant
/ denomination in this country.
! The present stand of the church is
/ Continued on Page 81