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j?(m%rn Christian MA(ON GA., JANUARY 19 h, 1866 THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF METHODISM. Methodism has been successful wherever there was a demand for the exercise of the evangelical or aggressive functions of the ministry, or, more exactly, for preaching in Dew fields; its failures have grown out of its neglect to cultivate to its fullest capacity its pastoral or conservative functions, and, at the same time, to develope fully the evangelizing function of the church, or its outgrowth as an organism. When the Church of England ceased to be aggressive, Methodism under Wesley went to the neglected masses and grew into a vast system. In America it found a peo pie without a ministry, or moving forward perpetually into new regions without the minister, and on the Wesleyan aggressive plaD, it has sought these out and planted churches. On this policy it has been sue cesslul; and it retains its hold on every community until a church appears there whose strength lies in a regular pastorate. Then it holds its own only so long as it combines the pastoral with the evangelical system. W 7 esleyan Methodists in England has so strenuously resisted change as to itinerancy (though it has yielded to pres sure in many other respecls,) that there have been several divisions among them; and now, in London, the old society is fail ing behind and the new forms of Method ism are rapidly outgrowing it. In some districts in London it has died out. It has clung to the aggressive feature of its econo my, neglecting the conservative, and it loses ground. In our country, it is no better, we fear. W 7 e have not the figures at hand to settle the question, but we will venture to Fay, that if the growth of our church be compared both with that of other churches and of the population in the older seetionb of our country, it will be found that we have not grown, but rather have fallen back, while ether churches and the population are increasing. Onr system is grand for found ing churches, but fails where we coine into competition with churches where the pas toral function is exercised. We have imi tated the apostles—a pioneering and tempo rary order in the ministry —we have not developed ourselves in the pastoral work, and brought the church, as organized con-, gregations, up to their full efficiency, as the centres of an expanding Christianity. We could do well, when the gospel was a novel ty —where we could draw congregations— but we do not use those means which make them out of the neglected classes, as Wesley did. Our towns and cities are growing faster than our churches there. In such places, aggressions have almost ceased outside church walls, and our form of pastorate does not bring the aggressive power of the church into its fullest exer cise The church is an organism, the pastor, as it were, its heart. He gets into his proper relation to all his members, he infuses his spirit into them all, he begins his aggressive work, leading, directing them, and they aid ing him ; and when the work is well under Way, he is transferred to some new centre, and anew leader and guide is put into his place. The organism is disturbed, and the expansion ceases for a time, till' the new pastor has taken the same initial steps as the old. And then, change comes again, and again a suspension of activity. This system could succeed were the church a piece of machinery, and the pastors parts of it in duplicate and triplicate, so that one could displace another—both being of pre cisely the same pattern —without interrupt ing the work of the machine. But are our pastors such ? And if they were, is not every congregation an organism—and can its heart be taken out and replaced by an other, every little while, without damage Again, if this be best under some circum stances, is it best untler all? Every church must be developed according to conditions inherent in its individual members, which conditions give it a character of its own. This must be taken into account in settling the laws of its self-development. What suits one time, one section, one st.ige in the progress of society, one set of circua dances, will be injurious to another. Yet Ai thod ism has cut the same pattern for e’. "ry preacher and every congregation. It h. s given no option to the free life within; ana in theory it holds that, with a few varia tions, every preacher is suited to every con gregation, and that constant change works no danger. Great as lias been the success of Method ism, this want of elasticity has been detri mental to its prosperity It has been ag gressive, but wot conservative—it has gain* ed, but not held. Can it fall upon some plan, by which it may do both—gain and keep ? For gaining, the itinerant system has worked well—on the whole, better than any other. It ought to be clung to with tenacity; but it needs modifying, as to method. It is too inelastic as now worked. The imperative change every two years, in every charge, works damage, when it disturbs the vital action of an organized congregation, moving forward happily in the proper work of expansion. The momentum of growth and improvement, gained in the two years, is checked, and, too frequently, wholly lost. But this may not be true universally, or even generally, taking the entire field into account, yet it is true in so many places that modification of the itinerant system has become ipmera tive—or the frequent checks Methodism meets with, where it competes with an able and powerful pastorate, will end in its de cay. This modification may be easily effected by giving to the episcopacy a larger freedom as to the term of pastoral appointments, whether in the stations or on circuits. Change every year may be allowed, as now, but to change need not be obligatory. It may sometimes be necessary to change a preacher, for both his own sake and that of his congregation, and this may require the change of one whom all would agree, for the sake of both preacher and congregation, had better remain. Then, let him be moved; but, surely, to do this there needs no law compelling the bishop to move every other man in the conference who lias been two years in a place. Because twenty men ought to be moved, should he be compelled to change forty others, who are edifying the church and expanding its borders—the only reason for removing them being, “ their time is out V ’ The questiou admits but one answer. Such a modification of our system we be lieve imperatively necessary, not merely for the growth of Methodism, but to our per forming well all the functions of the church and ministry. There is an outcry against it, as leading to Congregationalism. It may make our congregations larger, and interest them more in the work of the church, and make them aggressive upon the surrounding masses of sinners; but this is the only “ Congregationalism ” we can see in it. The essence of that system is independency. The choice or rejection of pastors is deter mined by the pew-holders—not the church members merely. But we propose no change in the itinerant ryethod cf annual appointments, unless the bishops should feel unwilling, with so large a libeity, to bear all the responsibility of making the appoint ments. in that case, we would suggest the election of presiding elders, and thus crea ting an official body in each conference, to make the annual changes that may seem ne cessary. There is no Congregationalism here. And, we believe that, on this plan, there would be far less friction than at pre sent in the working of the itinerant system. The church would, therefore, have its evan gelical function unimpaired; while it would cultivate a pastorate of the highest order, and we would have solved the problem of gaining and keeping—of conquest and growth —of pioneering on the frontier, and doing more and better than other churches where society is stable More and better we say, not from vain glory, but because we believe that the doctrines of Methodism,.her fervor, her revival zeal, are as well adapted for the work of thorough evangelization even in old and crowded communities, as they are “on the borders,” where her success is acknowledged by all men. Only give her the pastorate of the primitive church, in which other denominations now excel her, and allow the self developing power of the church to be felt, and she will soon prove that the old glory has not departed from her. It will he seen, that we have no sympathy with those who cry out that the church has lost all its spirituality, and the ministry is backslidden. To say this of them certainly would do them great wrong, ( and be far more damaging in the eyes of the world (sometimes given the reason why the church is deserted by our young people,) than to say that the adaptation of her sys tem to the present wants of the country is not perfect. Some assert the former, but we only the latter fact. True, there may be some decay. There is periodicity in everything human. Mr. Wesley ’3 Journal abounds in complaints of backslidings. The amo thing is repeated in every decade. L t those of our. time are very largely pro duce! by our systeni—by imperfect pasto ratimj -by failure to “edify”—by constant ly distui ing the orgauism of each charge— removing 1 l, e centre of its activities every two years. At this point is the weakness of Methodism—:l:e sburce of its apparent failure. SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. Again ; we object to their theory that we are all backslidden, 1. Because by it the cure of the evils complained of is largely in their hands, and yet we are not healed; and therefore it is proved false by results. For, as we think too well of these brethren to believe that they set themselves up as better than others, they will, of course, acknow ledge themselves as backslidden with oth era. If thus backslidden, there is oppor tunity and occasion for their doing better — for healing the church on their own theory, that revival influence and spirituality are all that is needed. If they, seeing what is needed, cannot bring even themselves back to the old standard of Methodism, will they tell us how is the entire church, not feeling and believing as they do, to be brought back ? They tell us we are sick, pronounce what the disease is, and what the remedy, but do not tell us when and how to obtain it—do not even get it for themselves. If not backslidden like the others, the results of their ministry declare their theory wrong, for we do not find that those opposed to change bear more fruit than those who favor it, or if borne, it is not more permanent, in their case, than in that of others. 2. We object, because the theory is inconsistent; for it declares, Ist, we are a backslidden church, loose in discipline, and a worldly minded and unsanctified ministry, and 2d, that because we are a holy people and insist on such a strict religious life, that our con gregations leave us, and go to other denom inations where they are allowed a large/ license Is the argument consistent ? No, the symptoms of the disease have been mistaken for its cause. The prescrip tion offered will only modify the symptoms —not extirpate the disease. We go back to its cause. If the church is backslidden it is for want no tof a pious ministry, but of a proper development of its pastoral function, and for repressing the free life of the church by trying to model all communities after one pattern, and checking its growth, by a periodical interference with its pastorate. THE PUBLISHING - HOUSE. We are frequently asked what the Gen eral Conferent e will do with its Publishing House. We cannot answer the question. We have published the resolutions of the South Carolina Conference, indicating its wish to see it disposed of, and anew sys tem inaugurated. The St. Louis Christian Advocate, commenting on the action of this Conference, Let us be Jin aright. Appoint a competent agent, o**," to superintend the publication antkdistv and sale of books, and let the books be published where it can be done best and cheapest. There are large publishing houses in different parts of the country, that would gladly undertake the work in whole, or in part, and perform it at a cost greatly below what it has been done, or is likely to be done for on the old plan. Besides, with a correct knowledge of the great Bock Concern of the Northern Methodist Church, who that desires the purity and real prosperity of the Church would desire such an engine of power among us? One of the most learned, most exemplary and far-seeing men of that Church, lately wrote to the Advocate as fol lows : ‘•The Northern Church, that is, the adminis tration of it. is exceedingly puffed up with what it, calls prosperity, but which is only power.— Through the concentration of all influence in a few hands, the pulpit and press being absolute ly controlled by a few score of men, the whole services of the Church, and particularly the po litico-moral fetJjhgs of the membership, are directed by this dominant few; and into them the lust, of power and the lave of sway have en tered.in the garb of angels of light. In the meantime, while you see the full evils of that ecclesiastical sy.-tem which gives the press and the pulpit, and the schools, all into the same hands, will you persist in doing the same ? Will you build up yous ruined Book Concern when you see witat a curse i> is at the North ” These are the views of one of large experi ence—of one who has been closely and intimate ly connected with the infernal affairs of that Church—knows how. those affairs have been man aged, and knows something of the effects of that management. But we might do better To be sure we might, *nd then we might do even worse Let us try another plan, and thus avoid the risk CHANGE OF ARRANGEMENT. For sundry reasons of convenience, for gaining roma, etc., etc., we consider it best to dispense with one of the heads to our double paper. This, however, does not in- J dicate a purpose to abandon our design of giving the best family paper we can get up, I one giving the news, the markets, and a | great variety of articles on subjects of gen -1 eral interest. ■* j Marriage k ees —A correspondent says : I know some places where a little paragraph to about this effect would benefit: Marriage ! fees to parsons should not become obsolete. I On the contrary, to give them would be a j most wholesome practice, though not neces- I sitated by law. Especially is this becoming I and desirable, and needeth ir»c ease upon the past, in order that the parson may drop the seedy homespun for the more becoming black suit. A word to the wise, we hope, J will prove sufficient. THE LOUISIANA CONFERENCE. We are indebted to Rev. R. J. Harp for the following information from the Louisi ana Conference. The session was held at Mansfield, by Bishop Andrew. The Con ference passed resolutions to memorialize the General Conference, “To abolish the sys tem of receiving members into our church, on probation. ” 11 To so change the man ner of voting in quarterly conferences as to provide that all voting in licensing preach ers, recommending them for admission into the travelling connection and for local Dea cons, *br elders orders shall be by ballot. “To establish some solemn and uniform method of receiving members into the Com munion of our Church.” “ To take into consideration the proprie ty of extending the term of the pastorate, to four years, at the discretion of the Bishop. ” “ To observe the Friday immediately pro ceeding the meeting of the General Confer ence as a day of public fasting and prayer, for the blessing of God, upon the delibera tions of that body. ” The Delegates to the General Conference are J. C. Keener, Linus Parker, Joseph B. Walker, Robert J. Harp, Wm. E. M. Linfield. Reserves—N. A. Cravens, J. A. Ivey. The missionary tneeting was held Satur day night. The audience was addressed by Drs. Marvin and Walker—collection (in cash) something over five hundred dollars. The following resolution also was passed: Resolved, that the thanks of the mem bers of this Conference are due to the own ers of the “Era Line” of Red River Steam ers, plying between Shreveport and New Orleans, for their generous liberality in trensporting free of charge the preachers travelling on their bqats, to attend the Con ference. To estimate the liberality to which the above refers, it must he known that the fare from New Orleans to Shreveport is &50 00, and nearly the same to the Mansfield landing. Messrs. Couns (consisting of five broth ers,) who own this line of boats have had eighteen years’ experience steamboating on Reds River, are sober, Sbliging, and at tentive to their business; take their own risks upon their vessels and of course will exercise the utmost caution. The following is a list of the appoint ments : New Orleans District —John C. Kee ner, Presiding Eider.—Carondelet Street Church, J. B. Walker; Felicity Street, L. Parker; Moreau Street, Robert J. Harp; First German Church, to be supplied; Sec ond German Church, do.; Lafayette Ger man Church, John A. Pauley; Jefferson City and Louisiana Avenue,/C. E. Evans; New Orleans Circuit, Mat. D. Thomasson; Baton Rouge, Wm. E. L. Linfield ; Plaque mine and Gross Tete, to be supplied ; Pro fessor in Centenary < ollege, A. G. Miller; Wesley, Soule and Winans Chapels, to be supplied. Opelousas District —Alex. E. Good wyn, Presiding Elder.—Opelousas Station, Jas E. Bradley; Washington and Bayou Boeuff, Fisher T. Rawson; Lafayette Cir cuit, J. H. Nimmo (supply); New Iberia, Jos. D. Adams; Franklin, A. E. Goodwyn; Pattersonville, Henry B. Frazee; Thibo daux and Houma, R. Hardie, Jr.; Plaque mine Brulee, John S. Davis; Opelousas Female College, Ben. F. White. Alexandria Dist—Philo M. Good wyn, Presidinh Elder. —Alexandria, Philo M. Goodwyn ; Rapides Circuit, William J. Atwood; Calcasieu, to be supplied; Grand Cheniere, S. J. Graves; Centreville, A. W. Moore; Harrisonburg and Trinity, to be sup plied; Columbia Circuit, E. W. Yancey; Evergreen and Big Cane, Henry 0. White; Marksvtlle, Robt. Parwin; Winfield, John H. Boult; Atlanta, J. F. Wynn; Chicot, Fred. White. Homer District. —Reynolds Trippett, Presiding Elder.—Homer Circuit, Nehe miah A. Cravens; Yernon, Whitmell P. Kintha'l; Louisville, Wm. Waldrip, Benj. F. Baker. Assistant, (supplied) ; Farmers ville, R. T. Parish ; Ouachita, C. W. Hodge; Donnsville, Wm. D. Staylon; Monroe, Rey nolds Trippett. Minden District —S. S. Scott, presid ing Elder. —Minden Circuit, J. A. Miller; Haynesville, Jno. F. Trustlcw; Mount Leb anon, R. A. New; Sparta, Thos. J. Upton ; Bienville, R. M. Crowson; South Bossier, Wm. D. Shea and S. B Suratt.. Shreveport District— B. F. Alexan der, Presiding Elder.—Shreveport, Thos B. White; North Bossier, Nathaniel M. Tal bott; Greenwood, Sam. J. Hawkins; Caddo, L. M. Lewis, (one to be supplied); Mans field Circuit, John Pipes, Jas. L. Chapman ; Pleasant Hill, Wm. H. Moss; Maney,to be supplied; Red River Circuit, J. C. Reid, R. R R. Alexander; Bayou La Chute, Bax . ter Clegg; Campte, Jesse Fulton. Bastrop District —J. A. Ivey, Presid ing Elder. —Bastrop and Wright’s Chapel, Chailes W. Carrer, Jos. H. Stone; Bayou Bartholomew, to be supplied ; Jefferson Cir cuit, do.; Bayou Disiered, W. C. Haislip. Tensas District —W. G. McGaughey, Presiding Elder.—Lake Providence, Ah thony Cannon; Wesley and Jordan Chap els, P. H. Dieffeinwirth ; Tensas and Wa | ter proof, J. Little (supply); Bayou Macon, i Henry L. Green; Winnsboro, Thomas H. McClendon; Delhi, Thos J. Lacey; Car roll, T. Reneau (supply); Deer Creek ahd Sicily Island, Lewis A. Reed; Concordia, I Fielding Bell; lon, Joshua F. Scurlock. Superannuated —Thomas Sanford, Da vid Kinnear, Henry C. Thweatt, Joel San ders, Samuel Armstrong and Chas. J. Hal berg. Transferred. — Hast Texas ( oufertn.ee, Wm. C. Young, appointed to Dallas circuit; Daniel S. Watkins, appointed to Jasper Circuit. . . Louisville Conference. —Philip L. Hen derson. Left without Appointments.—Clay ton C. Gillespie, on account of ill health; J. F. DeWitt; Anderson B. Fly; Wade H. Frost; Arthur W. Smith, on account of their locality and circumstances being un known to the Conference; Jeptha Landrum, withdrawn from Conference and the minis try. . £orasj)oni)ctut. FROM WESTERN ALABAMA. New Year—The Dead— Edwin Cull—Dr Sassnett—RA Baker—The Church, etc., at Greens-boro’, Ala. Mr. Editor: A happy New Year to you, and a prosperous one (o the Advocate ! It looks like a biting irony to wiite of happy and prosperous Ntw Years; but let us, by the grace of God, make the year happy and prosperous. According to Faber, Gumming, and other prophets, this year—6o6 plus 1260 = 1866, Q E. t D—is the grand Millennial Year. But you and I know better, and it may not be amiss for sober and sensible men to explode and refute the mischievous and baseless fancies of those visionaries. It is demonstrab y false that Jcsu3 Christ w 11 make a bodily advent to our earth be fore the millennium. He will do no such thing. That is a negative which I w.ll en gage to prove when circumstances favor the undertaking. I have just been meditating on the mor tality among the great and good of the world since we of the S >uth were en rapport with the rest of mankind. I wish you would take the pains to maae out a necro logy for the past five years. What names will you have in the list! Is iac Taylor’s will be there. Wtat an exquisitely beauti ful tr.bute to the mernoiy cf that wonder ful man was that of your gifted corrtspon dent, Tullius! Since the war, I have received a letter informing me of the death of a young kins man of mine, El win Cull—the author of some admirable papers on the G.eek Tra gedy, which appeared in the Q mrterly Re view of the M. E Church, South, a little before the war. He was a graduate of Co lumbian College, Washington, D C , and a lutor of Languages after his graduation. To fit himself more fully for the Professor’s chair, he repaired to Berlin to pursue his utudies in that University. There he died of consumption, in November, J,862. „His brother and brother in-law (a Baptist min ister ) reached Berlin four days after his death and took his remains to Washington, where they now lie, with tfcoae of his kin dred in the Congress cemetery. My cor respondent says— ‘ E twin would shortly have received the degree of Doctor of Phi lology. Though our best scholars, such &s President Felton, cf H irvard,, had tried to get that honor, none of them had suc ceeded, and no American has ever been feble to obtain it from the University of B rlin. He was cor eiders and by the best scholars of Berlin the mest wonderful and best scholar in America. He was spoken ol in the highest t< rms and wih the great est enthusiasm, by all the scholais of Ger many who were acquainted with him. They were astonished to find one so young—not quite 21yeais of age—so profoundly learn* ed.” The death of such a yourg man is a great loss to the country. If the Q mrterly should be rent wed, I expected to get considerable assistance from him, if [ had anything to do with its editorial manage ment. ° Then there is the death of that great hearted, noble, intellectual Chri-tian min ister and philosopher, Dr. Sasneti 1 What a loss have we sustained in his removal to Paradise! What a loss have / sustained! But th s is no place for the expre s ion of personal griefs. I hope some competent hand will give us a werthy memoir of our departed friend. Then, too, there is the death of that great layman, Robert A. Baker, another of my most intimde, mucb-lovfd and devoted friends. The whole Sou! hern Methodist church should go into mourning lorß.bert A. Baker, and funeral sermons should be preached for him, at least all over the Ala bama Conference. When sych a standard bearer falls, we may well ask, « Who will be baptized for the dead V* In this connection, I may as well give you the proceedings of a meeting held last night at the parsonage, in rcfeience to this mournful event. “ At a meeting of the Trustees and Facul ty of the Southern Uoive> s ,y, held in Greensboro’, Ala., Jan. 1 1866, the R v. Dr. W'ghlman was called to the ch» ir and T. N. Lupton wt-s a; pointed Set retaty. 'I he chairman stated the ot ject of the meeting to be to give expression to our feelings iu regard to the death of Robert A Btker. 0 > mo'ion, a committee ot thtee consisting of '‘£ R v D . Simmers, J J Hu chirson and D . Wa«ts*o rth was aj pointed to draft suitable resolu ions. Toe committee re ported the foil wing, which were unani mously adopted : I “ Whereas, it lire pleased Almighty God , to remove from this world, by a euddei? | death, on D.c. 22,1865, our beloved broths,