Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

HITCHCOCK & WALDEN, v^muma. VOL. 111. The Methodist Advocate ’ ' IS tCBMMIBi) WBBKtT ' H> *' FOR THB METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, In the Powell Block, Peachtree-Street, ATLANTA, OA. Two Dollsrs n year, liivarlftbly tu (ulvaace. All travollng preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Chnroh arc aothorliod agents. . All lsttaM.op hqstness, order* for Voqlfp,subscriptions for the paper, ordsrUtg.plianges iu the. ef subscribers, or advertising, sbonld bo addressed to the publishers, HiTOHCOO* & W*tj>ep.,. : . »„,i A ll articles for publication should be.adfrosswl to the editor, E. Q. Fou-t^. .Ramos of persons and places and dates should be -writton as plainly as possible. i -til. Remittances roust be made by Ppsfc-Office Money. Orders, Draft or Express. We take no riafc.in currency by mail orders for periedicala or kookK s,i»..uW>® oa par ate sheets, each having the address, date, Cojhferenoe, and signature of the writer. This arrangement saves delay and confusion. Subscriptions must close with the volume. TFRJIS OF AOVBRTtSINO ; Single Insertion: Ufcsento per line. Any number of lilies, S nio’s, east: fnfeertlOn, 10 oents per line. Any number of lines, 0 months or longer, each insertion 8 rents per Hbo, Immoral Carbon. tixUTT^e. Id looking over the list of topics for discussion at the Methodist Convention to be held at Athens, Term., in JunWhext, I ant forcibly struck with the 12th and last of the catalogue “ The development pf the Social Power of the Church.” That question involves greatly more than a little. In one sense, it holds the* key which, if used, will unlock the door of long and broad fields of success. fl I do hot propose to' discuss the ques tion-—it demands the ability of an abler and wiser head, bht I oanhot refrain from throwing put a tew suggestions, and push ing forward a few blunt points. If lam tight, possibly, tjiose who engage in the discussion may amplify my homely theory. The necessity for action always pre sumes that something ought to be done, which has not been done; or, that some thing has been done wrong; and, there fore, must be undone. Let us see “ what is the matter” in this ease. As many doctors do, I will guess Society, generally, and Christian, so* eiety particular*, has too i«u.h i,2*R* ; . (immoral) carbon in its composition therefore, it needs annealing. : In Qiher words, to use the language' % ■ men/’ society needs % hepuM* That’s the cdffiffiuwties need to be thoroughly puddled in judi ciously arranged furndces of brotherly kindness and charity. To make myself better understood, let me explain to those not posted on the iron question', what fiuddtiny means. Brittle cast iron, as it runs from the crude blasting furnace, has about eight parts of carbon to the hundred; steel has about four parts; and soft commercial iron has only from one-half to one part of carbon to the one hundred. The, three grades of metal range in value : Ist, steel; 2d, soft iron; Bd, cast iron. Cast iron will do' well enough for many purposes, but it is liable to break, and because of its stub born hardness, yields but little, anil is hard to change —is only converted by a powerful heat. The Bessimer process of making steel is, to fill the crucible with melted cast iron, and then by means of a powerful pump, drive a current of air up through the metal. The result is, that the oxy gen of the air unites with the carbon of the iron and consumes the latter, creating a flame a hundred times more brilliant than the sun. The process continued un til four parts of carbon are consumed, leaves the mass good commercial steel. But the process is somewhat expensive, rather too much so to produce soft iron qf general commerce. This is made by taking the hard brittle iron and placing a ton or two of it in what is called a pud dling furnace, where it is melted by a strong blast of fire pouring on, and over its surface; and while thus melted, the “iron man’' keeps stirring the mass up, and mixing it together with a long pud dling iron or poker; and by this means burns all, or nearly all, the carbon out, leaving the mass that peculiarly soft and valuable'iron, which now constitutes one of the greatest staples of the world. But let me note this fact: For the first few hours of puddling, the ffdtt looks like terribly red oil; then, as the carbon be comes exhausted, the mass grows white, and assumes the granular form of show,: and is heaped up in the shape of honey comb snow-balls, called iron blooms, and lifted Out and passed through the mill, coining forth in the form of sheets, bars, rods, and wires. Now, reader, let Us take a good long breath and proceed. Human society, and especially Chris tian society, has too much Satanic carbon mixed with its composition. This happens, unfortunately, to be so for the following reason: Society first grew up and out in a wrong direction. Tnat is, it grew up* der the impulses and inspirations of the lower human passions, sordid -appetites 'r'f 7i 75;. . - J. Ui < J uJ . , [(and animal inatiqats.. The result was, and is, the world has been turned w4b the right side in the wrong direction, and is naturally gravitating in 'an .immoral un natural direction. That is, it is going from light and heaven, and toward dark ness and hell. i The devil being sharp and vigilant, and also well posted on the iron subject, takes, advantage of the moral (immoral) situa tion, and has thrown society (even Chris tian society) together in small bunches, ; where be carries them through his pecu liar puddling operation. That is, he puts the blast on in a Itft-handcd way; and instead of healthy oxygenated air, he employs .strong draughts of sulphuret carbonated gasses; and by the u,se of the puddling pokers of puvy, malice, and, especially selfishness, he stirs in a double measure of exceedingly vitiated carbon; and then, in passing these peculiar human blooms through Ips rulers,, the only tex tures drawn-out are. those of .supreme selfishness. He also manages to leave the largest possible number of rough, sharp, ragged, corners sticking out from every part of the bars- Thus formed, the pieces, are not only, repulsive to oth - era, but, even tp .themselves. . The bad influences thus generated impress their forma, not only on the general busi ,ness pf life, but qyen upon a kind of popular ,u,omir»al Qbriatiawty of the day ii and especially do such j influences push themselves out from the . enclosures that fence in peculiar religious denomina tions. Genuine Christianity—“pure re ligion”-'—pits itself against these influen ces of the devil. Its mission is to turn the world right side up —to wheel ,it ’found and give it a-right—a heavenly direction. To do this, it becomes nfees sary to re-organize, reform and. remold society. In other words, to melt its ele : ments together by th# powers of broth erly kindnepp fted charity, and through the force of godliness tp burn out and consume the immorah^lh^h, ; Satanic car bon of society, so as to leave its elements soft, pliable, and .kindly* So to, speak, the operation is to melt out and away the hardness, and instill “ brotherly love,” in obedience to the command: “Thou virgn, love thy neighbor as thyself." Hqw<vs [mu besoms w common as meetings for religious worship. And why not? The family circle is good; it may, and ought to be, a miniature heaven on earth. But let its influence, first, be good, and then send it out —mix it with another, and many others. Thus, by mingling a large number of little goods together, you make in the aggregate, a great benefit—a large blessing, I do not speak by guess; I have witnessed the happy influence ot those “Christian sociables.” A whole church, with outside visitors meeting to gether at the Church or at a private resi dence. The convocation opened by read ing the Scriptures, singing and prayer. an hour, or two hours,, spent in so cial conversation, and the discussion of social, moral, and religious questions and the exercises, interspersed with vocal and instrumental music, and ending with the benediction. In this way, a community gets well acquainted. The members each iearn the moral worth of the others and add thereto. The countenance of one friend sharpeneth that of another; and the words and feelings of one tongue and heart go Out as inspirations to another. Selfishness grows ashamed of itself, and skulks away, and brotherly kindness add charity lift themselves as the central an gelic iigures of the group. Religion, pure and undefiled, is not alone made up of the- Sabbath services from the sacred desk and around its altar. It consists much in visiting and minister ing. The Christian religion is a light that is carried out into the world. It is, also, conspicuous, as a city set upon a hill, and as salt, it exerts a saving influence. This social power of the Church is the great recruiting agency of Christianity, and its places of meeting are Christian ity’s recruiting camps and drilling schools. Such agencies are the most effective ways of bringing the world in. It is not a mixing with the world, but a reaching out and drawing the world into the fur naOe, if you please, where the immoral cterbon is burned and melted out and away. Those Christian sociables aro glorious traps supplied with,iheaveniy bail. The .cold, hard man of the.world looks in and sees the manifestations of brotherly kind ness. He looks, is delighted, then charmed, and finally enters and becomes the light and warmth within. It is not only a necessity that each Church—or thus its social Christian power, but different denominations should so mingle j together. How pleasant and beautiful j such would be 1 Presbyterians, Metkod- I ists, and Baptists, for -instance, filling a ! church or hall together, and spending an ATLANTA. GA„ WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1871. hour praying, singing, and in social con-, verse. Sectarian topics would not be ad missible, for other and more valuable and religious questions would crowd them out. Such is the surest mode of reforming the world. That is, first reform the Church, by bringing out its full social Christian powiifc i ■■ ■ The Christian army needs melting and cementing together; then will its soldiers so “put on the whole armor of G<?4 ” as to be fully able to “withstand in the evil ■ day, and having done all, to stand.” Service Recognized." Under this head, Rev. Myers, D. D., of the Southern Advocate says: A mighty effort has been madeand is making to alienate tliC colored people from tbs? whites of the South. The recently, aggM&sive Churches of the North, trying to sustain a political party have had much to do With this evil work. It is a marvel that they have not bred a war of races. But for great patience and Christian forbear ance on the part of the whites, it would proba bly have been done; Bishop Keener found in the colored Conference in Arkansas, at least one preacher, whose miurl was not poisoned against our ,Church— and wo hope that the new organization will bring many to light. This “mighty effort to alienate the colored people from the whites of the South,” is fbund in the fact these “ ag gressive Churches of the North,” have furnished schools where “ the colored peo ple” may be taught the duties of men, of citizens and of Christians.” This aliena tion consists in “educating” them, se-* ouring “ aid for and pro viding “Yankee” teachers. -And-all.this, the Rev.: Dr. says is trying to eosfAin a political party. That is, we are “doing good” that “evil” may come. Is it not logical and philosophical to make such a charge ? It is “political” work in which these aggressife Churches of the North are en gagpd, and not only political work, but “evil work” to educate,” “aid,” pro vide, teachers for the colored people! Not only ao, but we license them to preach and ortPpft them! The Church South now does the last, but fails to do the first. Dr. Myers may remember when he and McJjFerrin, protested on the floor ,of t \je Conference against ordaining i colored men to preach the Gospel, and jbaid people were . preach by courtesy.” TninW IBBBjL .Tr ; -mice the rebellion, so th£t South leave been compelled to ordain col ored mjn; and the “ Church South” has a “nelw organization” as “old as any Methodism in America,” with two Bish ops ordained; by white men, and set apart from white, men. We have now “ washed our hands in innocency,” says the Church South, in the establishment of this new organization. This is not done to sus tain a political party, —surely not; for there was rejoicing over this plank in the platform, “ and they (the churches) shall on no account be used for political assemblages or purposes.” The lost cause should find no defender among the Bishops or people of the “new organization;” however many they have found among the “Mother Church” of this new organiza tion. For had these Churches of the i “South,” “used for political assemblages and purposes” by bishops, editors, D.D.’s and pastors, as the history of the war shows, been successful in the “ lost cause” issue/there would to-day be no “new or ganization,” and ordaining of bishops by this Church so opposed to “sustaining a political party;” but slavery as the corner stone would be in the “ new organization,” of State and Church. You need not fear Dr., that the “ag gressive Churches of the North will breed a war of races.’’ They did not bring the “war between the States,” the sectional war, the war of secession and rebellion, the war between “brethren.” They do not cherish the spirit of war now 1 . They are not .on the side of sectionalism, secession, JKmKluxisin, and anarchy. They are for union, peace, fraternity and Christian aggression against the kingdom of Satan, and “but for the great patience and forbearance” on the part of Some leaders ip Church and State, more would be done bo secure these ends. Come, dear doctor, it is hardly consis tent for one who so faithfully 1 defended the lost cause, and labored so earnestly to teach secession and war to the people, as the editor of the Soutkei'n Advocate , contrary to the “twenty-third Article” of his faith '; and who so applauded the act of the Holston Conference (Church South) which at its inquisitorial session in 1862, “expelled honest and good men from the ministry, solely because of their loyalty to the Government of the United States”—it is hardly consistent for one so contaminated politically to cry “ po litical preaching,” “political Church,” “trying to sustain a political pabty.”' Lnless, hiy dear doctor, you have sin cerely repented, and even then it would be well to keep humble, saying “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Let those with out sin cast the first stone. But sincerely, doctor, i#> you dread alienation from the colored people— which is all the same, I suppose, as the , dread that they be alienated from you—-I have this proposition:*., their cause.more heartily? labor for .their cation, 'their rights as citizens, 1 their pro tbtftion'frtom murderers, their enfranchise ment and equality before the law, and preach the same Gospel to them as to your own race; and aid them by your means to build schools, colleges, churches, and becojpe Christians, and then if any one should say you are doing this “to sustain a political party," and to “alienate them from the whites," and to bring on a H war of races," mark it as “another libel,” and let it be with Him who says: “Vengeance is mine, I will re pay saith the Lord.” I sincerely trust that you may not be alienated fropi the colored people. You owe them much. J. W. L. Atlanta; Oa., April nth, 18TI. ST. JOHN’S M. E. CHURCH, Tennessee Conference. . t! BTBSr W. B. CRIdJJLOW. Soon after the adjournment of our Con - ference, we organized our Sabbath-school with thirteen scholars and teachers. Up to’date our enrollment foots up one hun dred and fifteen,, with an average attend ance, for the last five months between sixty, and seventy-five. In this depart ment of our work we have been aided by several members of resident Churches. iWe are happy to be able to chronicle an improved state of feeling toward our cause from “those without." »* 1 In our regular charge, there has been no special revival. In our present room, —occupied during the week —it has been impossible for us to hold a series of meet ings, our whole work being forced into the hours, qf the Sabbath. Occasionally we can have prayer-meeting, tbit, some of our membership have manifested marked devotion and earnest labor, and have greatly encouraged our hearts. Many strangers have visited us j»am time to time, to whom, it hats been a joy formas to break the bread - life, and tbe druit thereof may be after a while. There Has been a steady increase and growth of ui%l we now, by nres'<-!)<>i s, who will j. i , ;ur Conference I ffcfcJNl. Un>-i: thetn, Rev. C. Tom line is a man of sfjnetbf'ng mere than or dinary success in the Master’s work, hav ing already over three thousand bouls as, “seals to his ministry,” and is now serving Carroll circuit. The other Rev. J. Peterson is a Swede by birth, but has resided in the United States, sixteen years. H 4 speaks ‘.‘En glish” very well, and tlje “Swedish lan guage” with grace and fluency, tie is very acceptable among his people, and bids well for the future of our . Church. Our Scandinavian Society, the. first I am aware of in the South, though recent in its organization,numbers thirty members,a flourishing Sabbath-school, and a large and increasing* congregation. We have now the field before us and enjoy the first fruits of the vintage. The responsibility of keeping it, and gathering a full harvest will rest upon the liberality and haste of the general Church. The Church must fie prepared to double its donations and furnish suitable aid in the erection of two churches instead of one. God is opening the way, and it behooves U3 to be ready to follow at His bidding. I wish to ask the Church can or will it allow its work in this city to be further prosecuted un der the embarrassing circumstances through which it has struggled, for the past years of its history? Or does the Church realize the difficulty of our situa- tion without an edifice. Under all the circumstances, the outcome has been about as mufch we could reasonablyhave ex pecteefi But it is sfnall compared to what it might have been if wo had possessed ourselves in the beginning of a church home for our people. During the past Bix months we have been forced to behold persons turn to other communions, be cause we had no horhe for them. Right or wrong, some of our members from the North have thus acted. It does not ap pear right in oUr eyes when ’we have had to endflre raoVe than this. Still this is a fact to which wo should give heed. May the Lord- open the eyes of our people to our situation apd cause.help to cqpe to burdened and oppressed hearts. All we have, we have cheerfully given, more we can not do. Friends, we are in urgent need of a church, nay two churches. The opportunity Ib with us. The opposition is giving Waj*, and the “gates stand ajar.” The elements of our strength are multi plying, and the tides of immigration ris ing at'tipes to flood height, are sweeping in upon us. These souls coming hither from the North of from across the “misty main,” need the water and bread of life. Besides, perishing multitudes are at our own doors, who look to us for spiritual relief, and the blessings of a pure Gos pel. Methodists of the free and generous North, help these struggling ones with your spare means to rear in this city two church edifices, which shall be ample for their wants, and an honorable and endur- ' ing monument to our common Methodism. Temperance Movement in Ohio. i nr aar, t. r. dbakb. b i- rH ,>! Never in the history of Ohio has there been such excitement upon the subject of temperance as in the past few months. We have one of the best laws against sell ing intoxicating liquors ever enacted in this .State. The beauty of it is; it is be ing vigorously enforced by those who “are seeking more light" in regard to their rights. The law gives the wife the right to prosecute the man who sells her hus band liquor;’Und to recover damages for any lass of time occasioned by her hus band’s drunkenness, and the Court gener-i, ally gives her what is called in law smart money. Should the vender, be unable to pay the damages assessed, the property in which the liquor was sold, is held liable for damages and all occurring costs, There is another good feature in the law; and that is, if A. employs B. to do a job of work, and B.js hindered from do k)g the work in a workman-like manner, and at the time agreed upou fJ 4. can recover full damages fropi tb# liquqr sellpj:,,‘ Jn several towns, saloon keepers are. closing up their establishments*' as they can not bear the pressure- In the town of Delaware, some ten qr twelve such houses have closed up their body and soul destroying business. From all that I can learn, the different tempereanee organizations were never more zealous and determined to drive the monster tyrant, intoxicating liquor, front (the land. i;,; In addition to all these movements, a Convention composed of some of the best men in the State was called a few months ago, and a regular State ticket nomin ated, called “The Prohibition Ticket," upon which were our first.cjass mea,.nf dit * * a j*La J "* 11 * 11 1 j. ; - * *j. st -£» . j one thing *# ftertam ? judgifgwtne tot&r $; by the past, newer go ward ‘‘So nmto inhyp.," in every uoii jfeat gives piUt'lflMiie hands oil tyrants, he" hoy ot What emtYaeterth^gJpriay. The different ChVistian denoninations seem to be doing more for the temperance movement than in other days. Sourneviiu, Ohio, April, 18T1. A Few Things I Like to See. I like to see the family of a presiding elder, living in any charge, attend all the means of grace, especially the children, when they are members of the Church. Example is needed. I like to hear the Church offer up prayer for its pastor, that God may strengthen him, pnd give him success; at least once a quarter I like to see him re membered in this way. Encouragement is given. I like to see professing Christians,when they are too sick to attend Church or Sabbath-school, remain in their room, and not receive the company of young gentle men, after Church services are over, in their parlors, and there chat away qntil Church time again, and then remember that they are sick and can not attend. “Consistency, thou art a jewel!” I like to see Christian parents take their children, to the Sabbath-school and re main with them. I like to see .members of a Chuvoh at tend services at least once a mopth. “Ye are my witnesses.” ■jMS Quadrennial Election of Bishops. No government can command the re speot of mankind that does not have in it, somewhere, executive force not subject to frequent changes. The cleotion ot the President of the United States every four years brings the Government to the verge of revolution.- The election of ten or twelve bishops every four years would test human nature iinnecessarily, and bring about a demoralization which would ! end ih anarchy. Some of our respected Contemporaries are in favor of this change, and deserve respectful hearing, but we have seen nothing in all their writings that would justify us in giving our adherence to a change so radical, i We oppose this change for the following i reasons, stated in brief: : l. Our episedpaev is now honored, and ; respected by the whole Church. Such ti j change would weaken and imperil the j office. 2. The General Conference lias full i power to correct any abuse in tho epis | copncy, and hence it is wholly unneces sary to subject it to this re-election. 8. Our episcopacy has tho advantage ! of age and' Stability, it gives an idea of i peririiiuehtJy’ htid strength to tho Chinch, 1 and no government can claim respe6ta- E. Q. EULLER, D.D., Editor. bility that does not have some unchange able force. The French have effectually tried red-hot democracy, which respects nothing that can stand on its legs, but glories in perpetual revolutions. The re sult we see. Our episcopacy is admired far beyond the limits of our own Church, and it would lose the respect it has won by having it made the football of partisan ruxnf unfa Wlfwiyvot 4. We object to the change on account of the fatal electioneering it would inev itably bring in its train. 5. We stand bf the Church which sol emnly protests agaipst this disastrous change. By thb Church; we do not mean the few ministers who speak in this be half. We mean the million and a half of deeply interested people, who, if they had a vote, would vote..this thing down, by a majority of more than a million. We ••have come in contact with many laymen from different parts of the country, and we have neither seen nor heard of a man that favors this revolution. Os all the lay delegates who will be in the next Gen eral Conference'We shall be surprised if five of them favor this proposition. It is purely a ministerial proposition not called For by any demand of the times, nor any fault qf the episc.qpfpjy; thq Church does no,t desire,, jit and will not have it.—Cen tral Advocate. l .' , .j ; ’ . ■”" l *T r »'" "" ' j v Districting. Let us district the Church, but not the Episcopacy, and let us distribute the resi dences of the bishops. The Church has already been divided into seven districts for Missionary and Chui’ch Extension pur poseSp and into twelve districts for our Boolf Room interests.' Let us havfc, say twelve uniform districts for all purposes, with one lay and one clerical member of the Book, Mission, and Church Extension Committees respectively for cacti, and let these six persons together constitute a joint District Committee for all needed .purposes within the district. .This joint Committee may. for instance, sustain | about the same Delation ..to the bishop as less UllSAmmC , and time will suggest both fhefr powers and limitations'. ’ ' Let it then be our policy to have as many effective bishops as there are dis tricts, and let us simply provide by reso lution that no two bishops shall reside within the same district, leaving our Book in all other respects as it is, save only as it shall provide for a retired list and ah' annual episcopal collection in all our congregations, We submit this plan for examination, It combines in itself nearly all the advantages of those in volving more radical changes, and retains, a3 it seems to us; the important advan tages of our system as it now exists. If our plan prevail, how many districts shall we need? Or, in other words, what is the least numfier of ‘ bishops we can safely get along with? With a view to settle this question, let us designate the districts by representative cities, and place one bishop at or near each of the following points, namely, Boston, New York, Syracuse, Pittsburg, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, St. Paul, Omaha, Denver, San Francisco, and New Orleans. By dotting a map after this plan it will be seen that we barely cover the country, except at New York, where the spaces on either side of that point are very short; but we cannot spare a bishop from this greatest center of our connectional operations. A wise and far-seeing bishop at St. Paul, Denver, and Omaha, would more than pay his salary annually in Substantial ac cumulations for our future growth and power. Our Eastern friends have no adequate notion of the importance of this hour in these pioneer fields. We specify this number as needful and desirable, but wo will probably feel the influence of our past policy so as not to reach this num ber. It is wise, too, to elect somo bish ops each General Conference, and hence not to absolutely reverse our policy, and entirely fill up the ranks for eight or twelve years to come. Something less than this number will, therefore, in all likelihood, be determined upon, and we should not be surprised to find the old number of twelve districts maintained, and an effort made to put a bishop in each. It is clear that the bishop at New York can be counted as’ tit Syracuse, making one less. It may also be that an appoint ment at Denver would be premature. Detroit, St. Paul and New Orleans are so near our border line that there will be a disposition perhaps to omit them for the present. With all these reductions the Board will be ten in number, and at least six new bishops must be chosen. Os course the number to bo chosen will depend on the huraber pronounced ef fective ih 1872. To do less than this will be tfo continue the diminution of NO. 19.