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jsiralj}tni Christian
MACON. GA., JANUARY sth., 1866.
ONE MORE YEAR.
Anew year is just before us. Not only
is it opening before us but also for us, that
it may further the good purposes of God in
our behalf and thus advance us into near
er communion with Himself. Providence
has no better servant than Time. Always
watchful orer its schemes, faithful to its
aims, and- reverent toward its spirit, Time
is ever busy in giving some new demonstra
tion of its infinite wisdom, some fresh to
kens of its tenderness. In fulfilling this
gracious office, Time has brought us another
year, and hence, we may feel assured that
it designs to offer us instances of God’s love
and proofs of his mercy never before pre
sented to our hearts. If it is certain that
Time is God's servant, we may rest satisfied
that it will do God’s work. Whatever else
may fail, it will not fail to enlarge our views
of truth and broaden the foundations of
humble, grateful, obedient trust, if we
listen to its teachings and walk meekly un
der its guidance.
The year renews itself. It comple'es its
benificent course and starts again on tue
game ministry. It never wearies in well
doing, never lags or loiters in its prescribed
path, never forgets whereunto it is called.
January and July are just what they have
always been. So are alt the months. They
perform their tasks and return to them
again at their appointed season. Thus
should it be with Christian men. The mute
religion in thiß orderly procedure of nature
Should not be as an idle pageant, or even a
sacramental show to the senses, but a liv
ing power to engage our earnest sympathies,
that, entering into its spirit, we may do
likewise. At this auspicious period, we
should renew ourselves. Faith should re
assure itself by looking deeper into the
promises*of God and finding ground for
fuller joy. Hope should picture a blight
er future because of the past. Prayer
Bhould quicken its breathings. Hungering
more, thirsting more, panting more, for the
fulness of God, we shdhld enter upon the
year as men renewed in the inner life. Oar
views of duty thus enlarging, our plans of
usefulness extending, our whole capacity to
do and suffer becoming greater, we fulfill
the purpose of our redeemed being, which
is constant, thorough, progressive growth
in the image of Christ our Lord.
The new year opens anxiously to all hearts.
Circumstances are such as to puzz’e our sa
gacity and try our ccurage. Difficulties
that we have never encountered before, are
sternly confronting us, and the stoutest
souls feel misgivings, as they calculate the
accumulated contingencies of the future.
Never in previous history, have we had so
many uncertainties. Old experiences are
obsolete, for we are in anew world, with
cares and duties and trials hitherto un
known. Like pioneers, we are called to
find anew path, to build anew system of
civilization, to construct an original plan of
life and enterprise. But if the task is diffi
cult, it is not impossible. Providence has
given it to our hearls and hands, and in so
doing, he has signified his confidence in our
ability to execute the trust. God intends
to help us. The means of help are strange
ly multiplying; the spirit to work and suff
er is awaking in our people; and the best
sign of the times is, that amid so many dis
couragements, we are struggling heroically
to shape our affairs into conformity with
the declared will of Providence.
We have done much and we can do more.
We have wrestled long and hard; we can
Wrestle longer and harder. Our shoulders
are being fitted to their burdens and our
feet, once torn and bleeding, are pressing
firmly the flinty road, they have been or
dained to tread. The spectacle now pre
sented by the Sou*h, —a whol6 people crush
ed in all save their manhood and that man
hood more illustrious than ever, —this
spectacle is too sublime for envy to detract
from its grandeur, or malignity to darken
its lustre. There it stands, —from the Po
‘tomac to the Gulf and from the Atlantic to
the Rio Grande, —there it stands, a silent
testimony to the grace of God in the stead
fast will and uncomplaining meekness of a
vast community, dtelying upon Providence
and using the means left in our grasp,—be
lieving more in Christ and less in ourselves,
—we may rest in the assurance that
hindrances will turn to helpers, and all ob
stacles further our progress.
Let us enter, then, upon anew epoch.
The old is dead. Let it die in our hearts
If we seek God’s strength, we can make a
new year. But to do this, we must make
ourselves new men. If we have new pur
poses and aims, the year will indeed be new
and all things new with its blessed advent.
Advertising.
For the present, we must depend very
considerably, upon advertising patronage.
We call upon all business men, in every
city and town, to which we go, to help us
In this matter.
We want advertisements from the North
Bind South, the East and West. The adver
tisers will receive benefit; but, we frankly
confess, the subscribers will receive as
much; for the prosperous merchant and man
of business will be aiding us, in giving a pa
per to the public at a price that places it
within reach of almost every poor family in
the country. This we hold to be one of the
most laudable undertakings we have ever
engaged in ; and we feel no hesitancy in
calling for help.
Will the preachers be pleased to bring
this subject bes ore their members, who are
engaged in business, and get us what help
they can in advertisements.
THE METHODIST ECONOMY.
THE CHANGES PR P )SED —DI CUSSION OP PRIN
CIPLE3.
We purpose wiiting a series of articles,
respecting the changes proposed in the
economy o e Methodism. , “
Tnere are two methods of treating the
subject. One is, for the wiiter to draw on
his experience—or what he believes to be
his experience—and observation, and un
der a strong bias.to his own opinions, to
look here only for reasons for or against
changes. The experience of any one man
is of too narrow scope to make it reliable.
Experience, too, is contradictory. Oar di
verse experiences can find no comnym
platform, where opinion? will harmonize
Observation wears colored glasses—each
man’s perhaps, of ad fferent hue—and we
cannot always see the clear truth through
them. Nothing is more apt to lead to the
logical fallacy of non causa pro causa—at
tributing undeniable laet3 to the wrong
cause—than thus drawing upon limited in
dividual observation for the reasons for
general and widespread revolutions or
changes of opinion in Church or State.—
These are invariably—we may say, necessa
rily—the result of agencies, that no one
man in many places, nor even all men, in
brief periods of time, can have observed. We
therefore reject this method of treating the
subject m hand.
Another and better method is to recur to
first principles; for when men can be
brought to agree as to principles, if they
honestly seefc the same end, they will draw
together as to policy. We suppose, what
ever difference of opinion there may be
among Methodists, as to our future policy,
the end sought is the same—the growth of
the Church for the glory of God. It is some
times intimated that the advocates of
change are worldly m'uded, somewhat fal
len from grace, pandering to a degenerate
age and a corrupt world We hope no
controversialist in these columns will so
much as hint such a c lumny. It would be
unworthy any brother, who has sense
enough to write a respectable article. The
Church and its M aster are dear to us all,
and we are all seeking its good and His
glory—honestly too, we will venture to as
sert. If we can agree upon principles, we
may not differ much as to p olicies. There
fore we prefer to recur to first principles in
treating the subject in hand. We hope to
be heard patiently and to the end, through '
several articles, before sentence be passed
upon our opinions.
The controversy—if such it be—now
opening, has reference to the ministry and
the church; and one of its prominent
phases is, tfier lation the M.nistry sustains
to the Church, and more particularly, to a
church or congregation. To get at the bot
tom of this question, we must fi st learn
what are the functions of the ministry.
The minister’s work is : 1, aggressive; 2,
conservative.
It is aggressive in it3 nature. The min
ister’s first commission is, “go into all the
world and preach the gospel.” He is to
attack and extirpate sin, in every form.
He is to seek to do this every where, in
“every creature.” It is not enough that he
preach here and there, at widely separa
ted localities where all things are favorable.
He must cover the whole field—leave no
barren deserts stretching out between cul
tivated regions—no dark spots outsider the
illuminated circle. He must not wait till
hearers gather around him—but must seek
the wandering sheep and “bring them in”
from highways and hedges.
Methodism did not originata in an effort
to send the gospel where it was not preach
ed ; but, in the very midst of a church, it
grew out of the attempt of its awakened
ministry to do this very work of covering
the entire field. It sought the outcasts
under the very shadow of the temple, and
mvited them to its courts; and to this day,
Wesleyan Methodism in England does not
aspire to the full dignity of the Mother
Church, but counts itself rather an adjuvant
in its labors. But Methodism also went
“into the regions beyond.” Thus was it
transplanted to Arherica; and it has ever
existed here, notwithstanding its changed
relations, encumbered—3hall we not say ?
by much of that machinery with which
it began its movements, a society in the
Church of England—not as a Church itself.
On this continent Methodism found many
people, but few preachers. Its message
was new to multitudes. It raised up a min
istry from the people; and they have per
formed the aggressive work of the church,
more generally, we believe all men con
cede, it not more thoroughly than any oth
er church. It has preached over, if not
through, the land. It has trod every where
upon the heels of the pioneer. It has scat
tered the seed of the kingdom far and wide.
It has opened the way for other churches,
and perhaps for a half century or more no
preacher of another name has raised a con
gregation h\xl within the circuit or mission of some
Methodist preacher, who has been ahead
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
of him. Had Methodism held, as by right
of discovery or preemption, all the terri
tory it has been first to evangelise, there
would now be scarce another church in the
land. Had its work been as thorough as
it has been extensive, it would be disturb
ed by no such questions, as are now agi
tated in its communion.
We need not dwell here. Methodism is
aggressive. This is its peculiarity —this has
been jts glory. "As to its thoroughness—as
to its covering the whole field where ag
gression is drmanded, this is a question tor
the future. We pass o% to consider
2. The conservative function of the min
istry. The ground gained shouM be held.
Aggression attacks sin and takes rebr-1 sin
ners captive". They must now be turned
into willing su'j cts; and for this there
must be law, order, organization, discip
line. It brings together the timber and
the stones, and now these must be built in
to the temple of the Lord— '‘edified" is the
strikingly figurative word used by the scrip
tures, in describing the future work of the
ministry. Aggrcs ive work seeks the lost
sheep and brings them into the fold ; con
servative work ‘ feeds thefl ck”—or again,
translating more literally, ( and coining an
Ersgli-h word out of the Greek sense) shep
herdizes or pastorates the fl >ck ; —her.ee the
evangelist, who has brought the “goed
news,” and gathered the fl ck, becomes to
it, or must be followed by, the pastor.
It is sometimes fashionable to extol the
£
preacher’s labors and to decry those of the
pastor, as though they were diverse. Now,
we shall do neither. This contrast or com
parison of preaching with pastoral work,
grows out of the false notion that evangel
izing is the principal function of the minis
try, while edifying the church is a secon
dary function. But we must find the place
assigned to each function in the New Tes
tament ; for to this arbiter all must come at
last. Evangelism must go before edifying.
It is first in the order of time, but not of
importance. The “preacher”—in the sense
used by those whose views we now arraign
—the aggressive function—was represen
ted in the primitive church by the “apos
tles and evangelists,” who left no succes
sors under those designations. “E ders,
pasiors and teachers” or “bishops” repre
senied those who now perform pastoral
functions. In early days, there were none
to be “edified” or “f and,” till the work
of the apostles and evangelists was done.
They must find congregations. They did
it. Their novel and wonderful message,
“turning the world upside down,” did it.—
Just so it was among the outcasts to whom
Methodism first preached—just so, in the
wilds of America. But it is not every
preacher, now a days, who can do this. The
message is are familiar with it,
and gospel-hardened ; and in most places
but few, except “the flock” itself, wait on
the ministry. Dues any one believe that
half the people in our land hear two ser
mons a year? We do cot; and if not, it
is because they will not—for the preacher
is within reach of well-nigh all. He has
h's church—his pulpit, but they stay away.
Then the preacher must perform pastoral
work in the pu'pit es well as out of it—that
is, must ‘ feed the flock,” in his ministra
tions there, or else he overlooks the great
er part of his hearers, and wastes his
strength upon a little handful out of the
vast world of sinners, who do not come
within the sound of his voice. So the
preacher is a pastor—preaching is one form
of pastoral work. If he does not “edify”
the church, he is pronounced unfit for the
ministry. Why then should we laud
preaphing and deprecate pastoral labors,
when much preaching in this day is pasto
ral—not aggressive. A good preacher has
one of the best elements of a good pastor—
he can feed the fl ick from the pulpit. He,
too, can make aggression upon the world
from the pulpit, if it will come within his
reach.
But what if it does not ? Must he leave
feeding the flock, and go out evangelizing,
making aggression, or must he continue to
edify the church and leave the world to
itself ? The latter he cannot do. He is
sent to “every creature.” The former he
cannot do; for the flock must be fed—the
church be edified.
How can thex>ne minister perform suc
cessfully both functions of the ministry—
“evangelizV every where, go into all the
waste places—cover the entire field—find
hearers where there are no congregations
spontaneously assembling—fill every dark
corner with light? How shall he do all this
and, at the same time feed the flock—edify
the Church? Lot us turn to the apostoli
cal pattern, and answer this momentous
question in another number.
STATISTICS, M. E. CHURCH,
(NORTH.)
The General Minutes of this Church, ac
cording to the Advocate & Journal for the
past year, give the number of members
929,250 —being an increase daring the year
of 939 memoer3. The number of deaths
reported is 13,116; of baptisms, 39 150,
adults, and, 32 891 children t of travel
ing preachers, there are 6 014
294 supernumerary, and 867 superannuated,
making a total of 7 175, which is an in
crease of 354. The 100 vl chers number.
8,493, an increase of 288. Tne report of
Church property, we think, must be defec
tive somewhere. The Minutes for 1864 re-
ported an increase of 585 churches during
that year. For 1865, the number reported
is 10 041, an advance of only 26, which is
very far below the fact. The parsonages
number 3 143, an increase of 194. Tne to
tal value of this Church property is estima
ted at $31,147 233 which is $4 263 157 more
than last year. Os this increase $2,968 992
is set down to the additional value of the
churches, which would ind cate a much
greater addition to their number than is
reported. The benevolent contributions
show a large advance in every department,
in the aggregate cont-id:rably more than
one-fifth. For conference claimants was
ra'sed $93,149 ; for the Missionary Society,
$602,064; for Sunday School Union, $19,-
068 ; for Tract Society, $22 322 ; for A me*
riean B ble Society, slOl 743. In the San
day School department there is an increase
of 795 schools, 5.224 officers and teachers,
and 72 024 scholars, but a falling off in the
number of volumes in the libraries.
CENTENARY OF METHODIBM
The M. E. Church, North, is making ex
tensive arrangements lor celebrating the
Centennial of Methodism -of its introduc
tion on this continent. The General Cen
tenary Committee, recently held a special
meeting in New York, and adopted the tol
loving outline for contribu\ions to “C n
nectional ” objects.
Resolved, I. That if any contributors desire to
specify the precise objects of their Centenary
subscriptions in whole or in part, it shall be open
to them to name the so lowing objects, namely :
(1) The Centenary Educational Fund.
(2) The Garrett Biblical School at Evanston.
(3) The Methodist General Biblical Institute
at Concord, to be removed to the vicinity of Bos
ton.
(4) A Biblical Institute in the Eastern Middle
States.
(5) A Biblical Institute in Cincinnati or vicin
ity.
(6) A Biblical Institute on the Pacific coast.
But contributions to these three last objects
(4, 5, and 6) shall be retained and managed by
the Centenary Educational Board till assured
that enough has been actually raised from other
sources to make the aggregate amount, includ
ing the connectional contributions to those re
spective objects, not less than one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars in each case.
The erection ofCentenary Missionary build
ings for the Mission House at New York.
(8) The Irish Connectional Fund. ,
(9) The Biblical School at. Bremen, Germany.
(10) The Chartered Fund. (Such sums as
contributors may desire to appropriate in that
way to the support of worn out preachers, their
widows and orphans.)
2 That all the unspecified funds raised through
out the Church, and also all sums specifically
contributed for the “Centenary Educational
Fund, ” be placed in the hands of a Board, to be
appointed as provided in a subsequent resolu
tion, to be called the Centenary Connectional
Edacational Board of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
3. That the said Board shall securely invest
the entire principal funds, and shall appropriate
the interest only from time to time at their discre
tion, to the following purposes, and none other,
namely:
a. To aid young men preparing for the foreign
missionary work of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
b. To aid young men preparing for the minis
try of the Methodist' Episcopal Church. These
two objects to be reached through the Mission
ary Society, the bishops, and such educational
societies of the Church as may be approved by
the Board.
c. To the aid of the two Biblical ar Theologi
cal Schools now in existence, and of such others
as may, with the approval of the General Con
ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
hereafter be established.
and. To the aid of universities, colleges, or acad
emies now existing under the patronage of the
Church, or which may hereafter be established.
Provided , 1. That no appropriation shall be
made by the Board at any time for building
purposes, either for Biblical schools, or for uni
versities, colleges, or academies
2. That no university, college, or academy
not now in existence shall be aided by the Board,
unless the Board shall first have been consulted,
and shall have approved of the establishment
and organization of such institution.
The religious character of the proposed cele
bration was emphasized as its great and prim
ary feature. To provide for some degree of uni
formity in these services, the General Committee
made two designations, presuming that addition
al services and the details of these will be or
dered by the pastors and local committees.
Resolved , 1. That the first Sabbath of Jan
uary, 1866, be observed as a day of religious
service for the especial purpose of asking God’s
blessing upon the centenary year.
2. That the last Sunday of October be obser
ved as a day of religious services, and that the
Central Committee prepare and publish a pro
c'amation and programme in reference to the ob
servance of the day.
The Advocate and Journal says farther:
The action and expressions of the General
Committee, and of the members of the Central
Committee, are all indicative of the most en
couraging anticipations of the centenary move
ment. The work is designed to permeate the
whole of our Church organization. While our
Church officiaries and chief members will be ex
pected to direct the work, and do the most of it,
the arrangements contemplate the active co-op
eration of the children through the Sunday
ashools, and of the ladies by special associations
of their own. The prevailing conviction seemed
to be that the pecuniary contributions will be
of unprecedented liberality, so that instead of
the aggregate sum of two millions of dollars,
which has been named as the minimum to be
raised, twice that, amount should be expected,
and the least sum that the members of our Zion
will lay down, at once a thank-offering for past
mercies and an earnest act of consecration of
treasures for the promotion of Christ’s kingdom.
We hear of proposed subscriptions to the cente
nary funds which, when announced, will by
their magnitude, surprise and gladden the whole
Church. We confidently expect that the year
of our centenary will be more glorious to the
Church than any that has preceded it in all our
annals.
Collinsworth INSTITUTE.—This institu
tion offers to the publio admirable facili
ties for a good scholastic training. We
commend its advertisement to notice.
THE ADVOCATE IN ALABAMA.
We had hoped to get an offer before the
Montgomery and Mobile Conferences, that
would have induced them to adopt this pa
per as their organ. Both Conferences re
solved to sustain the Advocate; but they
both seek their organ in New Orleans.
When the Georgia Conference appoint
ed a committee to consider the condition
of the Advocate, it soon became ap arent,
that some strenuous effort must be made
in ils behalf. It was still going forward
with a very sm all subscription list and must
be publii-hed now at a dead loss, or wait
until the mails were re-established. But
the Conference thought it ought not to be
suspended. J. W. Burke & Cos., had made
proposals to the S. C. Conference to bear
the present loss and publish the paper con-,
tinuously, on certain conditions. The S.
C. Conference referred the question to its
Delegates to the General Conference. Bat
the Georgia'Conference committee felt that
the delay was haz lrdous. Before that body
niert the means of the paper weuld be ex
hausted. They therefore called up these
proposals, amended them, and asked J. W.
Burke & Cos., to accept them, and carry on
the paper. This was agreed to by that
film ; aud the Florida Conference—like
wise interested in the paper—readily con
sented to the terms made. Among the
conditions is one that other Conferences
may be invited to hold an interest in the
paper, similar to that held by. the Confer
ences originally owning it. The benefit to
be derived from this interest, was a share
in the prefits of the paper, after the sub
scription list had reached a certain definite
number,., at which it was believed the
publishers would be remunerated for their
outlay. Besides this, the preachers of all
the Conferences adopting this paper as
their organ, were to receive a copy without
charge for their services as its agents, as
those of the three patron’zing Conference
now do.
We made every possible effort, by mail,
express end telegraph, to get these propo
sitions to the Conferences in Alabama, and
to make this offer to them But we failed,
and thereby lost the official relation to these
Conferences; but, we trust, not their good
will and patronsg . We are persuaded,
that if the brethren in Alabama will speak
a good word for the Advocate and endeavor
to get us subscribers we shall get many a
ore in that State. The same may be said
of Mississippi. That Conference met be
fore the arrangement was made, or a simi
lar offer would have been made to that
body.
It may be set down to contracted views,
but we must assert our belief, that the
probability ip, there will be too many pa
pers in our Church to allow either one of
them to become what a newspaper should
be. We have had much experience in
newspaper publishing ; and we are unwill
ing to pledge such a paper, in form, style
and quality, a? those now issued from
Northern presses, with fewer than ten thou
sand subscribers. This number we strike
for, before tlYs year closes. We trust every
preacher, who wants to see a first class pa
per in our church, will exert himself to
help us get that number. That number
reached, we shall have a profit to divide
with the patronizing Conferences.
REJUVENATING.
This week the old Advocate renews its
youth. Its old friends will, beyond doubt,
be glad to see it. We hopefully anticipate
their approval, and, as a result, a wide
extension of patronage by additions to our
subscription list, and by a liberal share of
advertising.
Let us, too, congratulate our subscribers,
that now at last—after many broken pledges
in past life to that effect—the Advocate of
this week compels them to “turn over a
new leaf,”—or they will find it impossible
to profit by all its instructions. May the
profit grow with every added page !
That department of the Advocate devoted
most especially to secular matters The
Mirror of ihe Times— will be in competent
hands, and we hope, by indefatigable in
dustry and research and extensive corres
pondence, to give our readers the best ab
stract of news, reports of the markets, gen
eral intelligence and miscellany to be found
in any paper in this Southern land.
And yet we must again say, that patron
age is necessary, or we cannot do all we
have promised. Will a generous publio
give us this patronage ?
Mr C. Canning.,— lt is gratifying to us,
and wdl doubtless be so to his many friends
in the South Carolina Conference and else
where, to be able to state that this gentle
man, so long connected with the Advocate,
again Us charge of its typographical dea
partment. This assures our readers a hand
some sheet.
— -
Winnsboro’ Female Institute, (S. C.,)
is under the control of Riv. A. G. Stacy, A.
M., Principal, with several accomplished in
structors assisting. It is intended that th
institution shall rank with the best Female
Colleges. See advertisement.
Look out for a Cross mark. —Those who
find a mark (thu-i X) upon their paper are
notified thereby that their subscription for
three months is nearly expired. We hope
they will renew again, for we are unwilling
to lose a single subscriber. nov3o-4w