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Iwiitte omsm THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM. Vol. XXIX.—No. 3. Co.tfribfions. SB. GREEN’S MEMORIAL.-No. 3. Says the memorialist: “It is patent to all observant minds that for years there have been defects somewhere in our system of operation.” Yes, defects in our system of operation, and they result from a cause sad enough to make an angel weep. It is this : Methodism is much too spirit ual, too devout a system fir many connected with it. Such a fact has existed before in the history of Christ’s church. In this number I invite the reader to consider how this has become to be true of the M. E Church, South, and of Method ism generally. Methodism is the child of Providence, ushered into the world as a re sult of one of those gracious, extensive revi vals with which the church has frequently been blessed, and by means of which exist ing organizations have been reformed and new ones have come into being. The ten dency, after the occurrence of every such quickening and reformation, is to the same condition of things that existed before its occurrence. The state of facts which causes fome “to sigh and to cry,” and that brings forth the sanctified energies of such men as Luther and Wesley, passing away as the result of the labor bestowed and divine blessing given, a reaction occurs which ends in the prevalence of whatever forms of evil may have previously obtained. It was not the p evalence of doctrinal errors that im pelled John Wesley to confront his church and his age, cryirg aloud and sparing not, and to endure the Herculean labors of more than sixty years in the endeavor to reform the church of God. It is true, the all-im portant doctrine of justification by faith only was neglected, preached but by a faith ful few, though it. continued to be a part of the creed of the Church of England and the dissenting church generally; but it was the fashionable dissipation, the dissoluteness of the times, the formalism of professors of ..religion, the irreligion and immorality of the clergy, and the ignorance and lack ot religious instruction of the poor, which moved the heart and nerved the arm of this holy man and hia laborers. The results of God's blessing upon these labors are too well known to dwell upon at length. The Methodist church in England and America is not the least important of these results. Years ago the reaction referred to above, set in both in England and in this country, and although our creed is not shortened, our doctrines remain, they have fallen into neglect, especially such as were most instru mental in the great reformation of the past century, and in building up the mighty fabric of Methodism —namely, justification i by Juith , the witness of the Spirit, and holi ness of heart in this life. So that now swh doctiinal preaching would bn relished or even tolerated by few congregations in the connection ; whilst formality, frivolity, dis sipation of manners, and general irreligion are fearfully increased among us. But to be more specfic. This reaction has involved our ministry largely in its fearful influence, and has already resulted in Methodism becoming much too spiritual for many of them. Truth and the occasion compel me to say that there is not that so briety, prayerful ness, devoutness, zeal, ap parent in our ministry generally, which a hearty acceptance of the doctrines and sys tem of Methodism —its whole system of class meetings, love feasts, abstinence from « evils of every sort,” and performance of 44 good of every kiud, both to the bodies arid the souls of men,” under the blessing of God, always will develope. This involvement of the ministry in this disastrous reaction, became apparent years ago, when, under various pretexts, a purely spiritual meeting, “ the band meeting,’’ was tabooed by the General Conference, and most manifestly in the last twenty years, by their neglect to lead classes, and abandon ment of love feasts, (also purely spiritual meetings.) by their increasing unwilling ness to eudure hardships for the gospel's sake —by the fact that the ministry have led the movement for a prolongat on of the pastoral term, pewed churches, organs, choirs, etc. ; in the mere perfunctory per formance of duty by many of them ; in the self seeking, often painfully apparent; by the worldly, levitous spirit of many, and the too frequent shameful immoralities brought t> light; not failing to mention, also, the hasty, superficial “examination” of ministerial character with open doors, ■which now obtains at our annual confer ences. The time was when such toils, such reproaches, aye, such persecutions awaited the Methodist itinerant, that whosoever be oame one did so compelled by the conscious ness “ Wo is me if 1 preach not the gospel,” or under the influence of such consecration as counted all things but loss for the excel lency of the knowledge of the Lord Jems Christ. But not so" for the past twenty years especially. During that time a Meth odisl itinerant h s been a respectable char acter in the eyes of the world ; the church has grown rich and influential; his labor I- t%n generally light and pleasant; ami ces and warm hearts, have greeted mfortable homes have awaited his id a decent competency has been PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH secured to him. Besides this, there has not been the holiness there once was in the ministry to awe the youth who may have concluded that a useful, pleasant way to spend his life was to preach —consequently, many have run who were not sent', many have commended to others what they did not possess themselves; many have essayed to be teachers who have proven to be any thing but ‘ ensamples to the flock.’’ Thus Methodism has become too spiritual for many of its ministry, and good men, like the memorialist,seeing that the system works defectively somewhere , that its ministry and membership reject many of its usages and jegulations, cast about to know how the evil can be remedied. “Like priests, like people.” Consequent ly, the class meeting is growing obsolete, the love feast falling into disuse, and our “Gen eral Rules ” are “ more honored in the breach than in the observance.” Conse quently, also, there is an itching for things forbidden; a demand for larger liberty of action ; a denial of the right to administer discipline; a manifest disposition in our towns and cities to imitate other churches by a return to long abandoned modes of worship and systems of operation—a dispo sition to give up our strength for their weakness. Consequently, there is, also, extravagance in dress, equipage, living—the illicit con nection with “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life,” which sadly tells of the absence of “the love of the Father,” and verifies my proposition that Methodism is much too spiritual for many who compose its membership. This has resulted from the reaction already re ferred to; from the unfaithfulness of no inconsiderable nor uninfluential portion of our travelling ministers to the usages and rules of Methodism; to their failure to con stantly preach the more spiritual doctrines of the church, and to the reception of large numbers from probation to membership in an unconverted state. “I speak the truth and lie not;” these things are so. Can any objector to Methodism as it is in the M. E. Church, South, who closely observes the signs of the times, deny ? Alas! are not many of us compelled to confess that even of ourselves , as individuals, it is too true '{ We are not spiritual-minded enough to rel ish the means Methodism provides—not sufficiently consecrated to Christ to keep joyfully its rules and regulations ! in the next number, I will endeavor to show that the memorialist’s proposed changes in our polity are not remedial of this sad state of facts. A Member of the Ga. Conference. MINISTERIAL STUDY. A SbSM JN P&SACHiID BT RBCHJ33T BSPOEB THU GkOBOIA CON FKRfcNOB. BY THE REV. W. KNOX. “That the mnn of God msiy he perfect thoroughly, fur nishetl unto ail good works.”— Tim. Hi 17. No one could bet f er appreciate the mean ing and force of the text, and its immediate context, than Timothy. “ From a child he had known the Holy Scriptures,” and had by them “ been made wise unto salvation.” He had been well instructed in them by his mother Eunice, and his grandmother Lois; he knew that they were “ given by the inspi ration of God;” and he had realized in his own experience, that they “ are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect , thoroughly furnished unto all good works” The phrase “ the man of God ” is to be found in only one other place in the New Testament, and that is in this same epistle, where Timothy is addressed personally. It is of frequent occurrence in the Old Testa ment, and is most commonly applied to a prophet or teacher. Although it may have a wider application, yet, as used by our Apostle, it unquestionably means a minister oj Christ, a preacher of the Gospel. The term here translated perfect occurs no where else in the New Testament. There are several Greek words which our transla tors rendered “ perfect,” some of which are of frequent occurrence. The present one is found only in our text. It would perhaps, havo been better for different Greek words, to have had, when practicable, their proper English, or Anglicised equivalents, as it might have prevented a great deal of con fusion of thought in respect of some pas sages. The term may here be understood as referring to doctrine , and as meaning thor onah instruction in the doctrines of the Bi ble. The term rendered in our text, thoroughly furnished, is to be found in only one other place in the New Testament, where it is spoken of Paul’s voyage to Rome, and is there trans lated “ had accomplished” Thoroughly fur nished, or prepared , is, perhaps, as good a meaning an could be given. From its con nection with the term works , it may be un derstood as referring to duty ; and the mean ing seems to be, thoroughly instructed in every Christian principle , so as to be fully prepared to instruct others in reference to poery Christian duty. The sense, therefore, in which I under stand the text, * is, that the ministers of Christ should be well instructed in the doctrines of our holy Religion , and thoroughly quali fed or prepared to instruct others in the prin ciples of righteousness. Macon, Ga., Friday, January 19, 1866. The proposition, as thus unfolded, seems to be too evident to require proof; for sure ly it will be admitted, without controversy, that the minister of Jesus Christ should be “ perfect,” well instructed in t.he doctrines of the Bible, and capable of teaching them to his congregations; that the 44 preacher of righteousness” ought to be “thoroughly furn/shed unto all good works,” —ought him self to be a pattern of good works, and qualified to instruct the people in the prin ciples of righteousness; and yet, as obvious as all this would seem to be, it has not always been received and acted upon. An idea has obtained to some extent, that learning, “much study,” is not of any great importance to the ministry, but rather a hin drance to its success. This monstrous ab surdity has been strengthened, or attempt ed to be strengthened, by an appeal to the often misappUed words of the Saviour: “Take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate; but what soever shall be given you in that hour, that speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.”—Mark xiii. ii. This idea has been farther strengthened by the practice of some ministers, and the encouragement afforded them. There are some preachers,—if it be not a misnomer to call them such—-who do not evince any great degree of learning, and who, more unfortu nately still, do not give themselves to study, and fail to make due preparations for the pulpit. Their sermons, —if entitled to so dignified an appellation,—are not expositions of the sacred text, are not presentations of the important doctrines of the Bible, and the practical duties of religion; but they are, for the most part, little more than incohe rent ravings, strings of pretty sayings, or tissues of anecdotes, —anecdotes not simply of an illustrative and instructive character, but such as are exciting only, and calculated to get up a sort of religious fervor. The excitement thus produced most commonly dies away with the occasion, and is to the soul what exciting stimulants and paraly zing opiates are to the body,—well enough when administered in properly regulated doses, and when needed, but ruinous when given in over-doses, or when not required. Now, such preaching requires little or no study, little or the .Bi ble, little or no preparation for the pulpit. The incumbent of the sacred desk may pay numerous social visits, may jest with almost every crowd, may laugh and talk, up to the very hour of service; and yet such preachers frequently meet with more encouragement, are more flattered and admired, obtain lar ger congregations, and are, perhaps, better supported, than those who give themselves to reading and study, and who are capable of instructing, and who do instruct their people, in the doctrines and principles of our blessed Christianity ; and who, conse quently have less time for social visiting, and for pleasantry and mirth. The last are often neglected, and their labor unappreciated. They preach too slow to suit this age of steam and electro-magne tism. They are too calm and unexcited, as though strength of lungs, or loudness of voice,, were indications of genuine religious feeling-indices of a proper religious zeal, or the only means of producing conviction in the mind. It is sometimes thought, it is sometimes said, that the people are already sufficiently enlightened with regard to the doctrines and duties of religion, and only need something to excite them to action. Hence, that preaching which is calculated to move upon the feelings is deemed the best for the masses. The effect of this, in many instances, would be to make their religion an ephemeral glory,—a mere periodic excitement, instead of the knowledge and love of Ood. If the pulpit fail to awaken an interest in the doctrines and principles of the Bible, such an interest will scarcely be felt; and our congregations, instead of being well en lightened in respect of these things, will be most wofully ignorant of them, and altogeth er unimpressed with their importance and value. Theqjeople are not so well indoc trinated, not so “ thoroughly furnished un to all good works,” a3 is sometimes imagined; and, if the above mistaken view be fully carried out, they never will be; and the preaching of the Gospel, as a means of en lightenment, will cease to be effectual. [To be Continued.] WEEKLY SCRAPS.—No. V. INCREASE OF BISHOPS. By some, it is proposed to have a Bishop for every Annual Conference in the M E. Church, South. This J call No. 2to “de* stroy the plan of our itinerant general su perintendency.” If I had to put a caption over the Discipline, with all the proposen changes in it, I wou’d write it thus—“ M ethodism made etsy.” If“I could then get a few more things incorporated into our economy on which I see some of our people are acting, I would add, “ with cushioned seats, music, etc.” I see from various places that the pews are “to rent” on set days. I see, in one case, “The official board in have resolved to rent every alternate pew in tbeis house of worship,” etc. Oh, fiel Half way work. Come, brethren, stand squarely up to it at once. A brother preacher told me that his people have a melodeon and a small choir, and although he is opposed to such things, he adv : S3d them, if they must have a choir and instru mental music in the church, to get a first rate organ and a large choir, as better than this half-way work. He is a man afier my own heart. If we must “ come up to the scratch," let us hold up our heads and walk rather than creep or crawl up to it. Piease let us take a look at Methodism improved (?) on the several place proposed. Here is our Georgia Bishop. He belongs to tu, and to us only. His diocese extends no farther. What the Bishop of Florida or Alabama is or may be, and what Method ism is there, we can read in the newspapers, and they, in the same way, may learn some thing about us and our Georgia Bishop. True, it is by some proposed to make “ the Bishops subject to change, by the General Conference, so as to maintain a general superintendency.” I simply remark on this, that those proposing this new feature give evidence that they see in this pro posed change danger of destroying 44 a gen eral Euperintendency.” Bat to return to the points wo set out out with. We shall then need no “fifth wheel to our carriage.” Instead of feeding ten or a dozen Presiding Elders as “ over seers” in one Conference, we can better afford to feed one man, the bishop, who is, of course, to be the pastor of the flock. Give us, then, some big, popular preacher in one of our pewed churches, with a big organ and a large choir, and well cushioned seats, and let the pastoral term be expend ed, so that the bishop can continue him at least “three years without change,” and then indefinitely, if “ the annual confer ence or a quarter’y conference ” shall “ by resolution request” him “ to be continued for a longer time.” Here is a fixture in this bed of down. Please take your stand then, and see men, women, children, boys, gills and their “iwiethearts” all seated in at least “everyalternate pew” together, only annoyed by the poor and stragglers wti»xus.y ehHuce V't o*oupy thMk*r “ «ltr > nate” free seats. Upon my word, if I Were to meet Meth odism in the road, dressed up in such a garb, I should not recognize it as the church I joined 47 years ago. But, really, I must be a Uttle more serious in my next. Adif-u for this week. P. Southern Methodist Publishing House. The history of this establishment, during the past four years, has been somewhat sin gular. Up to the 17th of February, 1862, the house was very prosperous, doing a large and profitable business. After the fall of Fort Donelson and the occupancy of Nash ville by the Federal troops, the property, including the buildings, machinery’ and printing materials, was attached for confis cation and taken in hand by the Marshal of Middle Tennessee. A replevin bond was given and the keys were returned to the act ing Agent. Subsequent to this, the house was impressed bjt the military and appro priated to the use of the Government, ex cepting a few rooms In the second story which were allowed to the Agent as a place of storage for the bound books and sheet stock. The machinery, presses, type and fixtures, were used by the military as a Government printing office, and the main stores as shops for manufacturing purposes, storage, etc. Things thus remained till October last, when the Attorney-General of the United States, by the direction of the President, ordered the dismissal of the 6uit on condi tion the house paid the costs. It was dis missed. Some weeks afterwards the prop erty was evacuated by the military, aud turned over to the commissioner of the Freedman’s Bureau. The Commissioner of the Bureau, about the middle of December last, transferred the property back to the Agent, who now holds it under the charter for the use and benefit of the Church. The amount of loss sustained we are not now prepared to state; but it is serious, and will require time and money to place the estab lishment in the condition in which it was prior to February, 1862. The Agent, however, will use every effort in his power to place the house in working trim, and re port the whole to the approaching General Conference. We deem it due to the Church to which the property belongs, to make this brief statement of facts. —Nashville Advocate. Progress of Missions in India.— About a century has elapsed since the mis sionary Schwartz recorded his hopes and fears tor the one doubtful convert in the fort of Palanicotti, South India; and now we fiad the Bishop of Calcutta stating that, there are no less than 49,000 native Chris tians in the single province of Tinnevelly ; and from this province the word of life has spread westward into the independent kingdoms of Travaucore, where there are now over 30,000 Christians. E H. MYERS, D.D., EDITOR. Whole Number, 1467. Betas front % Cjmrtjics. Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The late Convention of this Church recom mend to all their Church sessions and Pres byteries, ministers aud people, to adhere to their old standards, and stand where the founders of their Church stood, giving no heed to the new doctrines and measures of the belligerent loyalists of the day. The Synod of Columbia, connected with the same Church, call upon all their Presbyteries to ignore the political deliverances of their Assembly, and to be fully represented in their Assembly next May. Religious Interest in Charlotte, N. C.—We rejoice to learn that the con gregation of the “Village Church” at Charlotte C. H , under the pastoral care of the Rev. 11. C. Alexander, has been blessed with a season of religious interest during a protracted meeting, in which the pastor was assisted by the Rev Thomas Wharey and Rev. M. Lacy. Numbers were awakened, ten or twelve remaining every night for conversation with the Pastor and Elders, among whom there were several cases of conversion.— Christian Observer . I Greensboro, N. C.—A protracted meet ing has been held in the Presbyterian church, continuing three weeks. Upwards of twenty have attended the inquiry meet ings. , Revivals in the West. —A late num ber of the Western Presbyterian contains an account of a recent season of refreshing in the churches of Washington and Mur physville, in the bounds of Ebenezer Pres bytery. In the former, after a season of ten days’ special prayer and preaching of the Word, eighteen persons were received into the church ou profession of their faith in Christ, and two back sliders were brought back to the fold. In the latter church, twenty-seven additions were made to the church. Eighteen months ogo, this church numbered but twelve members, to which ten were added last year. It now numbers forty-nine members. Revival in Washington.—— ln the l-ourth Presbyterian Church, in SToshlng ton City, the Rev. j. C. Smith, D/jD., pas tor, there is a deep religious interest. Eighty •or ninety are believed to have been convert* ed already, and the revival is still spread ing. It is expect:d that, at the next com munion season, over one hundred will join thq. church. Twelve joined at the last communion. Baptists in the United States The Baptist Almanac for 1866, (giving the returns of the Southern churches for 1860, in the absense of later,) gives, as the sum total of the denomination in the country, 592 associations, 12,702 churches, 7,867 ordained ministers, and 1,140,303 commu nicants ; with 33 colleges and 12 theologi cal schools. Statistics of Catholicism. —ln the world there are over 200,000,000 Catholics. There are 5,000,000 in the United States. The government of the Church, in the United States, is divided into 43 Dioceses and B Vicariates-Apostolic, presided over by 45 bishops—the diocese of Baltimore being the Metropolitan See. There are 3,- 795 churches, 2,317 clergymen, 49 eccle* siastical institutions, 29 colleges, 134 schools for girls. (In 1808, there were 2 bishops, 80 churches, and 68 clergymen, and about 5 colleges.) There are over 66 asylums for orphans, 26 hospitals, with 3,- 000 beds, 4 insane asylums. (The latter part of the statistics are much below the real number.) There are in the Italian States 23,500,000 Catholics; Spain, 17,- 000,000 ; France, 36,000,000 ; Great Brit ain, 7,500,000; China, 1,000,000; Aus trian Empire, 30,000,000; Prussia, 7,000,- 000 ; Bavaria, 3,600,000. In the German States, 3,000,000 ; Poland, 4,00,000; Rus sia, 3,000,000; Turkey, 1,000,000; Mexi co, 8,000,000; Brazil, 8,500,000; Canada, 1,560,000. The Catholic population of Europe is 149,194,000; Asia, 9.666,000; Africa, 4,071,000; America, 47,970,000. There are over 2,000 missionaries, (490 of whom are Jesuits,) in foreign parts, from Italy alone, one-half of whom are occupied in China, Japan, Corea and India. They travel without money, and depend entirely, for their support, upon the natives. At least one-fifth of them meet with a violent death. In the district of Pekin alone there are 70,000 Catholics, notwithstanding con stant persecution.— The Catholic World. The Missouri Test Oath. —The Southern Methodists in Missouri, says the Methodist , are effectively debarred from preaching by the new constitutional oath. Their services, consequently, consist of praying and singing. At the conventio/' of loyal ministers of North Missouri^hrl at Mexico recently, resolutions wer * * declaring that men in prominent pi are not in sympathy with the govc should always be regarded as dam: izens, and that the oath of loyal r by the new constitution, does r*®* , with the law of God, as i.<| cla«- disloyal clergy. I