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THE POLITY OP METHODISM—
No. IV.
IN WHICH SOME OF THE EVILS CONNECTED
WITH THE ITINERANT SYSTEM ARE
CONSIDERED.
There are two causes connected directly
with the Itinerant System, remote in them
selves but radical, which have much to do
with the deficiencies of our church as a
pastoral system, and by consequence, with
the defections therefrom. The first is the
frequent change of pastors; the second,
the heavy work imposed upon our pastors, as
such, under the circuit system. I am no
new convert to these objections, having writ
ten for the Advocate, some twenty years ago,
a series of articles, tinder the caption ot
“ Facts and Figures/’ in which the same
ground was taken. ’Tis true, I have clear
er conceptions, both as to causes and reme
dies for the existing evils, but even at this
late day it is very difficult to tell how we
shall introduce a perfect pastoral system,
which will not mar the beauty and force of
the Itinerancy, as a preaching aggressive
system. Mr. Wesley easily saw the defi
ciency of his plan in this respect and im
posed upon his preachers the duty of “visit
ing from house to house, 5 ’ aud established
the class meeting system, as a sub-pastorate,
for the protection of the members in the
absence of the preachers. Both of these
schemes are perfect failures under our pres
ent system of operations as I expect to show
in the course of this argument.
As pre-requisites to a good and effective
pastor, I affirm that he must first have the
confidence of his people, and secondly their
affection. How much of either of these es
sential qualities can be obtained in the short
term of one or even two years, it is difficult to
say; but one thing is certain, in order for
these and other "high qualities of pastor
ship, time is necessary —a long time. The
pastor must become identified in feeling and
sympathy with the people of his charge.
Like the faithful and long tried family phy
sician, he must be as one of the household,
entrusted with their secrets, acquainted with
their history, their griefs and joys, and be
admitted as a counsellor and confidant. Can
this be effected in one or two short years ?
Why, the very fact that our people know
that the preacher is a bird of passage, soon
to be removed, prevents them from placing
that confidence in him, and loving him as
they'otherwise would. lie feels similarly in
reference to his charge, and is all the while
preparing for the change, not desiring to
have too many ties to be broken so soon, by
that “ mild word, farewell.’’
“ A member of the Georgia Conference ”
admits that our children do not love the
church cf their fathers like those of other
communions, but fails to tell us the true
reason. It has its foundation in our non
pastoral system. The church and the pas
tor are interchangeable if not identical. If
they love the one they will love the other.
But how can they have much affection for a
man whom they see but rarely, and then,
perhaps, only in the pulpit? No wonder that
our young people get some venerable pastor
of another church, whom they have known
and respected so long to marry them rather
than the uew circuit preacher. No wonder
that they frequently send for him when
sick, and even have funerals preached by
him. And no wonder that he wins tlie
hearts of our children, by their long associa
tion and kindly offices, and induces them to
leave the altars of their fathers. For under
the circuit system frequently whole churches
and congregations are seen by their preacher
only occasionally, and the interim is sup
plied by the resident pastors. This is par
ticularly the case where Itinerants locate
their families in oue county, and preach in
another, a system that is inaugurated through
out the length and breadth of the laud, from
the stress of circumstances, and is damag
ing us more seriously than ever in our pas
toral relations to the people. We must have
a church that our children can love if we
wish them to remain with us. In order to
do this we must have a pastoral system, that
will enable us to contend successfully with
Other churches.
There are very serious evils also connect
ed with the Itinerant system to the ministry
themselves, which t_cy all know by sad ex
perience. Among these may be mentioned
the frequent breaking up of house keeping,
tlie loss of furniture, expenses of travelling,
inability to keep a library, changes of
teachers, Sabbath schools, and associations
for children. And then no permanent
home for them to love, that wherever they
wander in after life their affections may clus
ter around the “sacred words to memory
dear” of home and mother! But to tlie
fond parent, who loves his children and
feels for their well being in time and eter
nity, no cross is so heavy as that which sep
arates him from them, when he knows that
his presence is essential to aid the mother in
rearing them in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord. It is well known that partic
ularly in reference to boys, a father’s exam
ple and counsels are essential to their being
brought up as they should be. Few mothers
can keep them in proper bounds after a
certain age, and it is painful to a fond fa
ther’s heart to have to leave them to tlie
cruel temptations of the world, to fulfi l
another, but certainly not a higher obliga
tion. No wonder that we frequently find
the children of Itinerants, irreligious, dis
solute and profligate. No wonder that many
good preachers have been driven to locate
because they felt their presence essential at
home, not only to provide for the temporal
but spiritual interests of their children.
Thi3 evil does not apply in as many cases as
it formerly did, (thanks to the modifications
which have been made,)but yet upon many
the same heavy and unnecessary burdens
still rest.
Another evil resulting to the ministry
and to the church from the Itinerant system,
is that it minifies the preaching capacity of
our ministers. Hence, not unfrequently
our stationed preachers desire a change af
ter the first year, because they have preach
ed out their quota of sermons. The second
year is one of harder study, and of course of
greater improvement. Would not the third
year act in the same way? We have fre
quently heard the remark from Bishops and
presiding elders, that there are but few
preachers who could sustain themselves well
the second year. Why ? Because the sys
tem has contracted their preaching capabili
ties. They have been sent to new fields of
labor where they could preach old sermons
without the study requisite to make new
ones. From the same principle a number of
preachers always prefer circuits, distrusting
their own ability to preach to the same com
gregation, from different texts during a
whole year, or rather being too indolent to
undertake the labor requisite for such a
work. A circuit is what they want, and the
larger the better, as they can preach the
same sermon over and over again to different
congregations. I once heard a wag tell of
an old preacher in the Georgia Conference,
who was appointed in charge of a four weeks
circuit, and a young man preparing for the
ministry, went around with him as an ex
horter. The old man had preached in al
most every iustance, from the passage re
ferring to “ Peter’s wife’s mother being sick
of a fever,” until the young exhorter had
tired out with text and preacher. Approach
ing the village whence they had gone forth,
they heard the solemn tolling of the church
bell. “Ah ! said the old man, “ someone
has died since we left. I wonder who it
ean be?’’ “ I cannot tell,’’ said the young
man, “unless it’s Peter’s wife’s mother,
who has been sick so long.’’ Whether the
story is true or not, the old preacher is a-n
apt repsentative of a large class of circuit
preachers. [Query—ls a sermon conned and
preached by rote until it becomes stale and
insipid to the preacher himself, more likely to
accomplish good, than a fresh one written
and read every Sabbath after hard study
and a prayerful preparation ? And yet we
condemn the one, and approve the other.]
But we have already stated that the heavy
work which a preacher has to do, under the
circuit system incapacitates him for effec
tive pastoral service. He has charge of so
many churches, scattered over such a scope
of country, and the members still morescat
tcred and distant that to carry out the in
junction of the Discipline of “ visiting from
house to house,” would, consume every day
in tlie year without having accomplished
much. The very magnitude of the work
dispirits him, from doing what he might do,
aud he satisfies himself with staying all
night occasionally with some of the leading
members, dm ing a two days’ meeting.—
Hence the ail important interests of Sab
bath Schools, class meetings, instructing
the children, visiting the sick, and those
who neglect their duties, are dispensed with
unless there happens to be a zealous lay
man who takes the matter in hand. But
we have found it universally the case, that
no interest of the church works well, un
less the pastor takes the lead in it. Hence
the class meeting has become obsolete more
from tliis than any other cause. The
preachers do net foster it; how can the lead
ers sustain it, without their presence and
countenance ?
A system then which looks purely to the
pulpit lor its success, and expects class lead
ers and laymen to do the pastoral work, will
always fail when it comes in contact with a
well organised educated ministry, which takes
the entire pastoral supervision of the church
in their own hands. Will you allow anoth
er anecdote by way of illustration. A lady
of wealth, brought under conviction by a
Providential cause, once applied to me, (as
our preacher was absent at his home some
forty miles distant) for spiritual advice, and
to become acquainted with the polity of our
church. I gave her a Discipline, and ad
vised her to attend our class meetings, which
she did, and at one of them came to the al
tar as a penitent. She was pleased, and
came several times, until an ignorant class
leader read as a lesson the Bth chapter of
Romans, skipping the 29th and 30th verses,
which begin : “ For whom £he did fore
know he also did predestinate,” for fear the
Calvinism in it might do harm. The lady
quit us immediately and joined another
communion, because, as she afterwards told
me, her religious taste was oifended (and
justly so.) by the representative of our
church. “ Yerbum sat sapienti.
Sparta, Ga. E. M. P.
TO THE DELEG A TES TO THE GEN
ERAL CONFERENCE OF THE M.
E. CHURCH SOUTH.
Beloved Brethren : —As you are cur rep
resentatives, elected without an avowal of
principles, and sent forth without any in
structions, it will be your pleasure to hear
any suggestions intended to promote the
peace and prosperity of our Zion. As wise
and good men you will discriminate between
the wholesome and worthless —receive the
one and reject the other. Such being the
ca'ic we avail ourself of the courtesy of these
columns, and proceed to address you.
lou have been addressed before—ad
dressed week after week by pros and cons.
That is right. I3ro. Myers never monopo
lizes, disputes the right of discussion, or
obstructs the channels to a clear conscience.
Fortunately, the brethren are good and true,
and are seeking to solve the same problem—
a problem susceptible of the same solution,
if their data—seeing and hearing —were
less dissimilar. Rut different premises do
not usually yield common conclusions.—
Hear them. Some will say “ nine-tenths of
the people are clamorous for the proposed
changes“other some’’ say, “not so.”
Some say, “ the storm is upon us—make
for the dry dock, let the old ship be reno-
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
vated from keel to upper-deck, engine, boil
er, and all;’’ but, to others, the sea is smooth,
the ship steady, aud the wind as gentle as a
babe resting on a mother’s bosom.
The issue is made. Conservatism and
radicalism are marshalling their forces.
Under which banner shall we march to the
world’s conquest? Shall we conclude that
polity is unimportant because it is uninspired?
Must we cast away our old “ camp-furni
ture’’ because we are striking tents for an
other station ? Will we revolutionize the
entire machinery because it may be done
without sacrilege? No, brethren, thousands
of Methodists exclaim, no. Woodman, spare
that tree. Remove the ax from the root.
Long has it furnished foliage and fruit for
the families of the Kingdom. Beware, lest
a temporizing policy, by succeeding it with
j a great green, magnificent nothing, shall
I present no “ first fruits” and thus offend the
1 Princely Proprietor.
Our language is not too strong. The
plan proposed, if adopted, will culminate in
a complete change of our church govern
ment. Beginning high up —with the Epis
copacy—coming on down through the cler
gy—it seeks to revolutionize the entire con
nection. Weigh the expressions, “ modifi
cations in our polity,’’ “ a Bishop for each
State,’’ “ extended Pastorate,” “ a New
Methodist Temple'' If the present Gener
al Conference does not suffice, another must
“convene in ’67.’’ One advocate of the
policy speaks of their “cautious movements,
and patient masterly refrain.’’ Cautious
movements! Tracks covered up ; small
! checks on the credulity of the people called
Methodists. Masterh/ refrain ! Very ;
simply to demolish, in one day, a large and
imposing structure —the embodiment of the
wisdom and activities of an age. Hear him
again: “The people have ripened into a
willigness and fitness for the changes.”—
Why, brother, the people have but recently
thought of them —certainly never sought
them. The'preachers are radical —the people
are conservative. Spare the people. So far
from “ ripening into a willingness’’ you
havn’t given them time to ripen into any
thing. Your hasty measures substitute the
laws of growth —inaugurate the inconsider
ateuess of “ opening buds with needles,”
aud “ bringing forward fruits by ovens.”
Another advocate, a thorough tactician,
knows that the talk about men not being
driven is tlie merest moonshine, and seeks
to throw us from the track by showing how
badly we are scared at “ measures for the
development and expansion of the church.”
Convenient phraseology. Quite opposite.
But who are the alarmists ? Answer—those
who can see no safety or success in the pres
ent system —those who disturb the repose of
passengers by constantly crying, “ the ship
is sinking.” Brethren, “ let your modera
tion be known unto all men.” If we are
alarmist at all, it is for your sake. The ves
sel has been long and successfully tried, and,
imperilled by innovations and vul-
Jierable in “dock yards, ’ it is immortal amid
he assaults pf sea /
So much by way of Explanation and coins
l pliment. With your permbsion I will now
proceed to advertise the errors of these good
but mistaken brethren.
Error No. I.—Their reasoning would
land us, and all the world, at the conclusion
that Methodism is a failure. Judging from
the severity of their strictures and the char
acter of their comparisons, a stranger would
hesitate to say, that we had any ministry,
membership, doctrines, discipline, or sacra
ments. Methodism has been caricatured
until her own familiar friends are almost
ready to lift up the heel against her. Pres
byterianism, Catholicism, Episcopalianism,
all are paraded and pitted against our poor,
despicable, half-deveioped economy; and, if
our children have not learned an estrange
ment, it is because we are the parents of a
dull and inapt progeny, for they have had
“ line upon line, precept upon precept.’’
The policy of other denominations is quite
different. They cling together, conceal de
fects, parade excellencies, praise preichers,
formulas, everything that, appertains to the
sect; and, if a denied scriptural conversion
and an ignored Christian experience afford
no general encampment, they will rally to
the dogma of apostolical succession, lie down
amid the lines of a “Liturgy,’’ or shelter iu
the skirts of a surplice. My heart is sick of
the comparisons. So far from being a fail
ure, Methodism —as regards the true end of
a Gospel Church, and that alone should be
sought by good men —stands* like Saul
among the prophets, “ higher than ot
them from its shoulders and upwards.”
Her membership is numbered by thousands
in city and country. Many of them are our
most intelligent and influential citizens
ready and renowned enough to stand before
Senates and Kings. Many of them are the
bone and sinew of the country; and many
are “ the poor” to whom the Gospel is
preached by our economy. Remote from
railways, locked up iu mountain
secluded in quiet glens, it is the glory of
Methodism to outstrip commerce and civili
zation, plunge into the pathlesss wilderness,
and break to God’s poor the bread of life
—to pluck them as brands from the burning,
while other communions recline on sofas
and wait for calls and steam.
Her doctrines, like great battering rams,
are borrowed in every successful assault on
the Gibraltar of siu. Her ministry, sensi
ble and studious, compare favorably with
other pulpits, and from obscurity often rise
to the highest stations, are wise to win souls,
represent us in the General Conference,
criticise the mother of their manhood, con
tend against licensing’ un-Latined and un-
Greeked applicants, and clamor for Theolog
ical Schools.
Her converts, the advocates themselves
being judges, are far more numerous than
those of any other denomination. The loss
of some, by the world and flesh, argues no
failure—the Saviour lost some iu the same
direction. The loss of others, by other
churches entering into her labors, is not a
loss —they will shine as stars in our crown
of rejoicing. The loss of others is no more
attributable to an economy faulty as to a
limitation of the pastoral term, than the
loss of faulty fruit, or blasted wheat is at
tributable to the retirement of a faithful
overseer. So far is a limited term from be
ing the cause of these losses, nothing less
than a forty-horse-power would suffice to as
sociate them as cause and effect. The se
cret of our rotten fruit is largely (not whol
ly) couched in these few words: ice have
threshed it down before it was ripe. But a
slight imprudence in the laborers, should
not be construed into a general derange
ment, or call forth a sweeping proscription.
Be sober, brethren. Methodism is not
fallen. Her dividends are large, handsome,
frequent. The world is astonished at the
results. Methodism is not dead. Her mis
sion is still unfilled. Heaven and earth
ne,ed her. A bright future awaits her. Let
the Genera! Conference rebuke the de
mands of worldliness, bury dead enactments,
infuse, new life into the living, and adjourn
to their charges baptized with blood and
power; let the preachers imbibe the power
ful, unselfish, self-sacrificing spirit of Christ
and the framers of Methodism, return to
the practice and administration of Disci
pline, and D. D.’s, Professors, Circuit aud
City Pastors, one and all, prepare for
“ march’’ or “ halt,” for missions,
tions, districts or circuits; and let the
people take larger views of the mission of
Christianity, put away their starvation theo
ries, aud dedicate themselves, children and
substance to God —then will the brightness
of a still more glorious day break upon us,
“violence will no longer be heard, nor wast
ing or destruction seen in tlie borders of
Zion ; her sufi shall no more go down, nor
shall the moon withdraw her light, but the
Lord shall be our everlasting light and our
days of mourning shall be ended.”
Brethren, if Methodism has failed, it has
not failed to the extent assumed in the rea
soning of the advocates for change. Their
diagnosis is at fault—therefore their reme
dies, though well meant, are badly timed.
A gentle astringent might be more saluta
tory than their powerful laxatives. Much
of this communication being necessarily dis
cursive, I propose, in my next, a more rigid
analysis. Should the vessel go down, in the
meantime, I will abandon a water passage
and strike through the woods.
Very respectfully, yours in the Gospel,
March Ith. J. B. McGeiiee.
CHANGES IN METHODISM.
13Y REV. JOSEPHUS ANDERSON.
There are two things essential to the
highest development of man— -fixed, princi
ples, and freedom as to outward forms. —
Without settled principles, progress is im
possible, because there is no firmness of pur
pose, no strength of character, no persever
ance. Tb*?so arise from settled principles.
The foundation must be deeply ~ laid, and
strong, or the superstructure cannot stand.
A man destitute of principle cannot be trust
ed, and society without a public sentiment
in favor of virtue cannot be happy and
prosperous. On the other hand, such are
the diversities of sentiment in minor affairs,
such the variety of circumstances surround
ing men, and such the differences in times
and places, that freedom in outward forms
is necessary. Thus no one government can
be devised as suitable for every people or
every age, and to attempt it would be mad
ness. Hence national councils and legisla
tures, and changes in law as the times in
dicate a demand for them.
The Christian religion recognizes these
philosophical principles. The conditions of
salvation, the existence of the Church, the
sacraments and tne ministry arc fixed and
unalterable. They stand by Divine appoint
ment. But so far as the outward forms, the
method of Church government, and such
things are concerned, we arc left free; and
this freedom has been used in every age, and
every branch of the Church, iu making
such changes as were deemed necessary.—
This freedom is an article of our religious
creed, aud certainly the practice of Method
ism has been consistent therewith. Mr.
Wesley made many changes before his death,
and they have been made from that day to
this by every body competent to legislate.
The question arises, do we need further
changes ? That we do, is the general im
pression, and I believe our future existence
depends upon meeting the demand. The
process of disintegration commenced at a
very early period of our history, and it has
continued, and is still going on. It is in
creasing; and the new and singular con
junction of circumstance now existing in our
country will accelerate it greatly. At the
same time I believe the period has arrived
when we may enter upon a career glorious
in usefulness, if we will seize upon the
golden opportunity and rise to the demands
of the hour.
What do we need? First of all, such a
system of lay representation as shall bring
the ministry and laity nearer together, and
enlist the energies of th’e whole church in
the work of Christ. It never was intended
by Christ that everything should bo in the
hands of the ministry. With us everything
starts with the minister, and he moves the
whole machinery. Success depends entire
ly upon him. It is the greatest marvel of
the age that we have gotten along so well.
Nothing accounts for it but the piety and
earnestness of our ministers. But for their
indefatigable efforts the period of decline
would have come long ago. It is no wonder
that they call lor lay agency and co opera
tion. AVe must have a system that puts the
whole church to work, for it takes the whole
church to preach the gospel. It' must not
be left to the preacher to move every wheel
in the machinery—some of them must go
on whether he will or not. The plan mus.
be changed so that each will have his allot
ted work, and each act upon the other. Now
the preacher act3 upon the whole. The term
of the pastorate is a matter of secondary
importance compared with this. Under the
present system, extend the pastorate, and
what have you gained ? Time for acquaint
ance with the people and for acquiring in
fluence, and that is all. The same evils in
here in the system. The preacher moves
everything, and the practical working will
be the same. It is not length op time which
our pastors need. A wide awake, Paul-like
minister will learn more of a community,
and be better known by the people, and se
cure more influence in one year, than .the
majority of our preachers would in twenty
or a hundred. The demand is not for time
in the pastorate so much, as for an earnest
ministry, and a system of lay representation
and monthly conferences.
The present state of the ministry will not
allow of an indefinite extension of the pas
toral term. It will not do to s6nd them, at
a general thing, to the same place more than
two years. Some might be stationed in the
same charge for many years; and it occurs
to me that all our large cities should be
made exceptions to the rule of limitation.—
This is about as far as we can safely go at
present. In the meantime, with the laity in
our councils, the standard of ministerial at
tainments will speedily rise, and we can con
tinue to extend the term as we are prepared
for it. Then put an enterprising bishop at
the head of each Annual Conference, to
stay there from one General Conference un
til another, when all the bishops shall re
ceive their appointments—leave the question
of the presiding eldership, or of chairmen
of districts to be determined by each Con
ference for itself—abolish the probationary
system, or adopt a regular form of reception
into full connection—change the name we
bear to that of Episcopal Methodist Church—
revise the plan of missionary operations—
and set forth a system of religious labor for
the colored population, and I believe the tide
would be taken at its flood and lead to a fu
ture cf glorious success.
The responsibility of the next General
Conference will be very great, and the whole
church should cease not to pray for the
guidance and enlightenment of the Holy
Spirit. May the great'Head of the Church
direct us. Amen.
-- * -• • » —.—
The Pastorate.
From a few stray copies of the Advocate
which have recently fallen under my peru
sal, I perceive that the changes to be made
in the Constitution ot our Church are being
extensively mooted. AVhat I have to say on
the subject is the result of a long course of*
personal observation, and not derived from
the suggestions of others; and if there shall
bo found to be any merit in the views now
presented, I shall esteem myself singularly
fortunate, to have been heretofore shut out,
by circumstances beyond my control, from
the arena of discussion.
Mr. \Y r esley, in retrospecting the great
work that he had accomplished through long
years of toil and suffering, emphatically de
clared that “Methodism was but the child
of Providence.” In the utterance of this
sentiment he exhibited at once the humility
of the Christian and the wisdom of the Phi
losopher. By a strict and uniform adherence
to the principle embraced in that sentiment,
Methodism, under the plastic hand of its
great founder, has, by gradual advances, be
come what it is—a separate, distinct and in
dependent organization—a church. Had
that truly humble Christian imagined for a
moment that he was io be recognized as the
founder of a sect, he, doubtless, would have
shrunk appalled by the responsibility cf the
position. But witli the single purpose of
spreading Scriptural holiness throughout the
land, he pursued his task with a zeal that
knew no flagging, looking neither to the
right nor to the left, but following with un
faltering step the path that Providence
should open to him; and now behold the
result.
Shall we of the present generation imitate
his example, or shall we, self satisfied, fold
our arms and console ourselves with the de
lusive idea that, as a church, we had already
attained to the prize of* our high calling.—
The same Providence that guided his steps
will still continue to enlighten our path, if
we are but as single in our purposes as he
was. May God help us so to be.
AYhen Methodism first crossed the great
water, it found here a wilderness to be sub
dued. T rue to its original mission, it sent
out its self-sacrificing “itinerants,” whose
footsteps*kept even pace with those of the
pioneer settler. This was then its mission ;
this is now its mission, and this, I trust*
will ever he its mission as long as there shall
remain on the earth one human being to be
hunted up and brought into the fold of
Christ. But is this its only mission ? Must
Methodism be content to clear the forest,
fallow the soil, sow the seed, harvest the
crop, and then leave the great garner house
to the conservation of other hands? It
seems to me, that if we will only lay aside
our prejudices in favor ©f “old customs,”
and remembering that “Methodism is the
child of Providence,” open our eyes to the
teachings of that Providence, wo will very
soon come to the realization of the fact, that
a new mission has been imposed upon us as
a church —that of preserving the precious
fruit which has been produced by so much
self-sacrificing labor. How shall this be ef
fected ? Not by destroying, or even impair
ing the efficiency of the itineracy. God
forbid ! But by so altering the Constitution
of the Church that the pastorate may be es
tablished wherever it may be found to be
needed. To assume thafthese two elements
may not be made to work in perfect harmo
ny is to pay a very poor compliment to the
intelligence and legislative capacity of our
General Conference.