The National tribune., 1907-08-08
BRITISH AND AMERICAN METHOD
ISM
R.w. Burkes. Member of Parliamen


R.W. Burkes. Member of Parliament.
and one of the most prominent laymen
in British Methodism. has been visiting
this country. and his impressions are
exceedingly interesting.
His first thought is the distance
which the American Mcthodists have
travelled from the primitive simplicity
still maintained by their English breth-
rem. In New York, Montreal. Philadel-
phia and Chicago he saw magnificent
edifices, vieing architecturally with the
finest in any land. and fitted up with
the richest and most tasteful appoint
ments. The worshipers were dressed
in the latest fashions. Worst of all
were the highly paid "quartets," which
rendered the music very artistically.
God preserve British Methodism from
the quartet" he exclaims. The only
place he heard true Congregational
singing to please his heart was in the
Colored Methodist Church in Washing
ton. He could find nowhere the great
mission halls holding from 1000 to
1000 people, which the British Meth
cities. The best that he could dis
cover were some mission centers in the
poorer parts of New York, where the
rich uptown churches are doing mis-
sion work on small scale.
Next he laments the disappearance
of the lay preacher who mas done so
much to keep Methodism in close touch
Wit ft,A IN 3 rift tnif ha-
tween $4,000 and $1,000 sermons are
preached every Sunday in the various
churches, chapels and mission rooms.
of which fully 10000 are by unordained
laymen. He could find little of this in
the United States. Yet it is these un-
ordained eXhorters that give British
Methodism such a hold on the working
best political speakers-the municipal
rulers and the Labor Members of Par
Lament. Thruout American Method
ism seems more aristocratic in member
ship and particularly in Government
than the British and to be trending
still farther away from democracy.
On the other hand the American
ish brethren in wealth and social in
fiuence, and their educational insti-
tutions, controlled directly by the
Church are far, very far, in advance of
those in our land"
Mr.. Burkes' observations seem to
have much justice. While in the coun-
try districts the Methodists seem to
show much of their old-time evangel-
ical fervor, they are certainly not
nearly so much in evidence in the
great cities as they were a generation
ago. There is little manifestation of
that old Methodist zeal to snatch brands
from the burning. AS far as an out
long the reserved, aloof denomination
are doing more earnest missionary
work than the Methodists in the cities
This is a singular revolution in eccle-
siastical history.
The Methodist Church was started
by John Wesley merely as missionary
branch of the Episcopal Church. He
rmained an Episcopalian all the
time. He merely wanted to infuse more
practical piety and more holy earnest
ness into the methods of the Church.
He wanted it to get much closer to the
people who were in terrible need of be-
ing saved. He adopted methods" very
much like those of the Salvation Army
of to-day. The British Methodists still
follow his methods rather closely,
while the American Methodists are de-
parting from them, and the Eniscopa-
lians are making an approach to them.