The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-09-17
VS.. CONGREGATION
ALISM


tor of the Trinity Methodist church of
Atlanta, has accepted a call from the
Piedmont Congregational Society Of
Worcester, Mass, and his doing so
has brought about some criticism.
DR.. Bradley says that some things
about the government of the Metho-
dist church has been somewhat irk-
some to him, one of which is the
breaking up of home every four years.
The unlimited pastorate Of the Con-
gregational church offers an induce
ment to a minister to plan for larger
things.
He says that the chief conspicuous
difference between the Methodist and
Congregational churches is the form
of government. The Methodist, be
contends, began under a monarchy
and continues to preserve the mon
archical form. 1t is highly centraliz-
ed. In the matter of assignment of
preachers the voice of the bishop is
supreme. The voice Of the congrega-
tons carry little or no weight as the
bishop pIeases. Having so much pow
er lodged in the hands of one man
there is always danger of the abuse
of that power-even bishops are hui
man.
The Congregational church, DR..
Bradley contends, is purely democrat
ic in its form of government. Each
congregation is supreme in itself. Its
independence makes possible dissocia-
ton, which is its weakness, but this
is being corrected by pronounced
movement for fuller associational
work in all the Congregational socie-
ties of the United States.
DR.. Bradley's successor of the Trim
ity Methodist church of Atlanta, DR..
Lee, in discussing DR.. BradIey's going
over to the Congregational church.
says:
my father was a planter down in
Gwinnett county, Georgia. He was ac-
customed to prepare sweet potato
beds every spring, not only sufficient
to plant his own ground, but also
enough to furnish the neighbors not
so thrifty around him with slips to set
out their patches. The Methodist
| Episcopal church is the ecclesiastical
sweet potato bed of all the denomina-
tional patches of the country. She
grows enough religious slips for her
own territory and besides a sufficient
number for those regions of the
Lords plantation not able to grow
them for themselves.
at is no reflection upon my father
as farmer that he produced enough
slips for his own patches and enough
over for the grounds of his neighbors.
Instead of its being an evidence of
Methodist weakness to furnish minis
tiers to other denominations, it is
striking illustration Of the church'S
remarkable vitality and fertility.
Il made study some years ago on
the contribution of Methodism to the
pulpits of other denominations. To
my amazement l learned that more
than so per cent. of the conspicuous
pulpits in America outside of her own
had been supplied with ministers of
the Methodist Episcopal church. New
York City has been run by Methodist
Episcopal preachers for so years.
Count them. Of the past generation,
DR.. Thomas Armitage, the great Bap-
fist; DR.. Robert Collier, the great Uni
tartan, and o. the present. Rev. DR.. S.
| P. Cadman, pastor o: the leading
Brooklyn Congregational church;
Rev. DR.. MCGEE Waters, pastor of the
Tompkins Avenue Congregational
church, with the largest membership
DR.. Charles Z. Jefferson, pastor of the
Broadway Tabernacle, New York;
Rev. DR.. Tiffany, archdeacon of the
Episcopal church at New York.
Where They All Come From
when / was in st. Louis several
years ago 7 found that the pastor of
the leading Presbyterian church was
an ex-Methcdist, Rev. DR.. George E.
Martin, the pastor of the leading Con
gregational church, was an ex-Meth-
odist, Rev. DR.. Joseph Henry George
pastor of the leading Christian church
was an ex-Methodist, Rev. DR.. Tyrell
lpastor of the leading Episcopal
lchurch, was an ex-Methodist, and once
a member OF the Georgia conference
Rev. DR.. Robert Alton Holland, now
professor of philosophy at the Univer
sity of the South, the bishop of the
Episcopal church in st. Louis, was ar
ex-Methodist, Rev. DR.. Daniel futile
/ the bishop that preceded him was ar
ex-Methodist, Rev. DR.. Roberts.
mot only the leaders, but the lesser
pulpits were largely supplied from
the Methodist Episcopal church. 1t is
all right John Wesley said: The
world was his parish and so the
Methodist Episcopal church is taking
the world, either through her own &c
, clesiastical organization or through
those with other names. The army is
the Lords. The Methodists ought Il
be satisfied to furnish the captain:
Snd the general to command them"
: FIVE PROGRESSIVE FLORIDA
TOWNS