Corrected from the last minutes by the Rev. Manning Force, a leading Member of that Society.--October, 1839.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES, History of.--The first
Methodist society in the United States of America, was formed in the City of
New-York, in the year 1766, by a few Methodist emigrants from Ireland. Among
these was a local preacher, by the name of Philip Embury. He preached the first
Methodist sermon in a private room, to those only who had accompanied him to
this country. The name of Methodist and his manner of preaching, being a
novelty in this country, soon attracted attention, and many came to hear the
stranger for themselves; and the number of hearers so increased that the house
in which they assembled very soon became too small to contain all who wished to
hear. They accordingly procured a larger place. About this time considerable
attention was excited by the preaching of Capt. Webb, who came from Albany,
where he was stationed, to the help of Mr. Embury. This gentleman had been
converted to God under the preaching of Mr. Wesley in Bristol, England, and
being moved with compassion towards his fellow men, although a soldier, he now
employed his talent in calling sinners to repentance. Through his and the
labours of Mr. Embury, the work of God prospered, and the society increased in
number and stability. From the place they now occupied, which soon became too
small to accommodate all who wished to attend their meetings, they removed to a
rigging-loft, in William-street, which they hired, and fitted up for a
preaching room.
Such was their continual increase that, after
contending with a variety of difficulties for want of a convenient place of
worship, they succeeded in erecting a meeting-house in John-street, in the year
1768.
About the same time that this society was establishing
in New-York, Mr. Strawbridge, a local preacher from Ireland, commenced
preaching, and formed a small class in Frederick County, Maryland.
In October, 1769, two preachers, Messrs. Richard
Boardman and Joseph Pilmore, being sent under the direction of Mr. Wesley,
landed in America: and in 1771, Messrs. Francis Asbury and Richard Wright came
over. The first regular conference was held in Philadelphia, in the year 1773,
under the superintendence of Mr. Thomas Rankin, who had been sent by Mr. Wesley
to take the general oversight of the societies in this country. These zealous
missionaries, spreading themselves in different directions through the country,
cities and villages, were instrumental in extending the influence of
evangelical principles and holiness among the people.
During the revolutionary war, all the preachers
from Europe, except Mr. Asbury, returned to their native land. But prior to
this event, the Head of the church had, under the energetic labours of Mr.
Asbury and his colleagues, called forth some zealous young men into the
ministry, whose labours were owned of God in the awakening and conversion of
souls. These men of God, under the superintendence of Mr. Asbury, who laboured
hard and suffered much during the sanquinary conflict, continued in the field
of Gospel labour; and, notwithstanding the evils inseparable from war, they
witnessed the spread of pure religion in many places.
At the conclusion of the revolution, in the year
1784, Dr. Thomas Coke came to America with powers to constitute the Methodist
societies in this country into an independent church. Hitherto the societies
had been dependent on other churches for the ordinances of baptism and the
Lord's supper, as the Methodist preachers were considered only lay-preachers,
and according to the uniform advice of Mr. Wesley, had declined administering
the ordinances. This had occasioned much uneasiness, among both preachers and
people, in this country. They therefore earnestly requested Mr. Wesley to
interpose his authority, and furnish them with the ordinances independently of
other denominations. After maturely weighing the subject in his own mind, he
finally resolved, as the United States had become independent of both the civil
and ecclesiastical polity of Great Britain, to send them the help they so much
needed. Accordingly, being assisted by other presbyters of the Church of
England, by prayer and imposition of hands, he set apart Thomas Coke, L. L. D.
and a presbyter of said church, as a superintendent of the Methodist societies
in America; and directed him to consecrate Mr. Francis Asbury for the same
office. In conformity to these instructions, after his arrival in the United
States, a conference of preachers was assembled in Baltimore, December 25,
1784, amounting in all to 61. Having communicated his instructions, and the
contemplated plans for the future government of the societies, which were
generally approved, Mr. Asbury, being first elected by the unanimous voice of
the preachers, was ordained by Dr. Coke first to the office of deacon, then
elder, and then superintendent or bishop. Twelve of the preachers were elected
and ordained elders at the same conference.
These proceedings gave very general satisfaction
to preachers and people. The number of members in society at this time was
14,988, and of preachers 83. And as an evidence of the benefits resulting from
the recent organization of the church, the work of God grew and multiplied more
than ever, and many were added to the church. Mr. Asbury being thus commended
to the grace of God and the affections of his people, took a more general
oversight of the whole church, travelling from one part of the continent to
another, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and assimbling the preachers at
different times and places, and appointing them to their several stations. In
consequence of extending over so large a territory, for they soon spread over
all the settlements in the United States, it became inconvenient for all the
preachers to convene at one time and place; they were therefore divided into
several annual conferences, at a suitable time and distance from each other,
for the superintending bishop to meet with them, direct their councils and
assign each man to his work. But these separate assemblies, unless they all
agreed in each others regulations, could ordain nothing that should be binding
upon the whole; and therefore, to supply this deficiency of the government, a
general conference, composed of al the travelling elders, was found expedient
and necessary. But from the continual increase of preachers and extension of
their work, it became quite burdensome for so many elders to convene together,
from so great a distance, and at such an expense of both time and money: hence,
to exonerate the church from this unnecessary burden, in the year 1808, notice
being previously given to the annual conferences of the intention, the general
conference resolved on a delegated general conference, whose powers and
privileges were defined and restricted in the following words:
"1. The general conference shall be composed
of one member for every five or seven* members of each annual conference, to be
apointed either by seniority or choice, at the discretion of such annual
conference: yet so that such representatives shall have travelled at least four
full calendar years from the time that they were received on trial by an annual
conference, and are in full connexion at the time of holding the conference.
2. The general conference shall meet on the first
day of May, in the year of our Lord 1812, in the city of New-York, and
thenceforward on the first day of May, once in four years perpetually, in such
place or places as shall be fixed on by the general conference from time to
time: but the general superintendents, with or by the advice of all the annual
conferences, or if there be no general superintendent, all the annual
conferences respectively, shall have power to call a general conference, if
they judge it necessary at any time.
3. At all times when the general conference is
met, it shall take two-thirds of the representatives of all the annual
conferences to make a quorum for transacting business.
4. One of the general superintendents shall
preside in the general conference; but in case no general superintendent be
present, the general conference shall choose a president pro tempore.
5. The general conference shall have full powers
to make rules and regulations for our church, under the following limitations
and restrictions, viz.
1. The general conference shall not revoke,
alter, or change our articles of religion, nor establish any new standards or
rules of doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of
doctrine.
2. They shall not allow of more than one
representative for every five members of the annual conference, nor allow of a
less number than one for every seven.
3. they shall not change or alter any part or
rule of our government, so as to do away episcopacy, or destroy the plan of our
itinerant general superintendency.
4. They shall not revoke or change the general
rules of the united societies.
5. They shall not do away the privileges of our
ministers or preachers of trial by a committee, and of an apeal: Neither shall
they do away the privileges of our members of trial before the society, or by a
committee, and of an appeal.
6. They shall not appropriate the produce of the
book concern, or of the charter fund, to any purpose, other than for the
benefit of the travelling, supernumerary, superannuated, and worn-out
preachers, their wives, widows and children. Provided nevertheless, that upon
the joint recommendation of all the annual conferences, then a majority of
two-thirds of the general conference succeeding, shall suffice to alter any of
the above restrictions."
This conference was composed of about 120 members
from the several annual conferences. At that time there were but seven annual
conferences; but in consequence of the great increase of preachers and people,
scattered all over the United States and their territories, including Upper
Canada, it became necessary to multiply these conferences, so that there are
now (1830,) nineteen. These include, according to the Minutes of their
conferences for 1830,
Travelling preachers-------------------- 1,900
White members---------------------------412,239
Coloured-------------------------------- 69,230
Indians--------------------------------- 4,209
________
Total
preachers and people 487,578
This number has been raised up, exclusive of
the thousands who have gone to rest, by the labours of Methodist preachers,
without funds,# without colleges, often n the midst of persecutions and
reproaches, in the short space of 56 years. Upon a moderate calculation, there
are not less than one million who are constant attendants upon the Methodist
ministry, which is about the tenth part of the population of the United States.
In 1819 the Missionary Society of the Methodist
Episcopal Church was formed; and it received the sanction of the general
conference in 1820, according to the following constitution:
"1. This association shall be denominated
'The Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the object of which
is, to enable the several annual conferences more effectually to extend their
missionary labours throughout the United States, and elsewhere.
2. The business of this society shall be
conducted by a president, thirteen vice-presidents, clerk, recording and
corresponding secretary, treasurer, and thirty-two managers, all of whom shall
be members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The president, first two
vice-presidents, clerk, secretaries, treasurer, and the thirty-two managers
shall be elected by the society annually and each annual conference shall have
the privileges of appointing one vice-president from its own body.
3. Thirteen members at all meetings of the board
of managers, and twenty-five at all meetings of the society, shall be a quorum.
4. The board shall have authority to make by-laws
for regulating its own proceedings, fill up vacancies that may occur during the
year, and shall present a statement of its transactions and funds to the
society at its annual meetng: and also lay before the general conference, a
report of its transactions, for the four preceding years, and state of its
funds.
5. Ordained ministers of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, whether travelling or locl, being members of the society, shall be ex
officio members of the board of managers, and be entitled to vote in all
meetings of the board.
6. The board of managers shall have authority,
whenever they may deem it expedient and requisite, to procure Bibles and
Testaments for distribution, on such terms as they may judge most advisable,
provided they shall not at any time aply to this object more than one-third of
the amount of the funds received for the current year.
7. Each subscriber paying two dollars annually,
shall be a member; and the payment of twenty dollars at one time, shall
constitute a member for life.
8. Auxilliary societies, embracing the same
objects with this, shall, if they request it, be supplied with Bibles and
Testaments at cost: provided the same shall not amount to more than one-third
of the moneys received from such Auxiliary societies, and that after supplying
their own districts with Bibles and Testaments they shall agree to place their
surplus funds at the disposal of this society.
9. The annual meeting of the society shall be
held on the third Monday in April.
10. The president, vice-presidents, clerk,
secretaries, and treasurer for the time being, shall be ex officio members of
the board of managers.
11. At all meetings of the society, and of the
board, the president, or in his absence, the vice-president first on the list
then present, and in the absence of all the vice-presidents, such member as
shall be apointed by the meeting for that purpose, shall preside.
12. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed
by the chairman.
13. The treasurer of this society, under the
direction of the board of managers, shall give information to the
superintendents annually, or oftener, if the managers judge it expedient, of
the state of the funds and of the amount for which drafts may be made thereon,
for the missionary purposes contemplated by this constitution; agreeably to
which information, the superintendents shall have authority to draw on the
treasurer for the same, and to pay over the amount to the missionary or
missionaries appointed by them, either wholly at once, or by instalments, at
the discretion of the superintendents; provided the drafts of all the
superintendents together shall not amount to more than the sum thus authorised
to be drawn for, and that the appropriation for the support of any missionary
or missionaries shall always be regulated by the rules which now are or
hereafter may be established for the support of other itinerant ministers and
preachers of the Methodist episcopal church; and provided also, that the
appropriations and payments which may be made by the superintendents under this
article, shall be communicated as soon as practicable thereafter to the board
of managers for insertion in their annual report.
14. This constitution shall not be altered but by
the general conference, on the recommendation of the board of managers."
A number of auxiliary and branch societies have
been formed, and their number is increasing. In 1819 a mission was established
among the Wyandott Indians at Upper Sandusky; and in 1821 another among the
Creeks. Several other missionaries are employed in destitute parts of the
country under the patronage of the society.
Doctrines of.--At the time of the organization of
the church, the following articles of religion were adopted as the doctrines of
the church:--
I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.--"There is
but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite
power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, visible and
invisible.--And in unity of this Godhead, there are three persons, of one
substance, power and eternity;--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
II. Of the Word, or Son of God, who was made very
Man.--The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one
substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed virgin;
so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood,
were joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ,
very God and very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to
reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt,
but also for actual sins of men.
III. Of the Resurrection of Christ.--Christ did
truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things
appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into
heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.
IV. Of the Holy Ghost.--The Holy Ghost,
proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory
with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
V. The sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for
Salvation.--The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation: so
that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be
required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be
thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture,
we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose
authority was never any doubt in the church.
The names of the canonical Books.--Genesis,
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, the First Book
of Samuel, the Second Book of Samuel, the First Book of Kings, the Second Book
of Kings, the First Bood of Chronicles, the Second Book of Chronicles, the Book
of Ezra, the Book of Nehemiah, the Book of Esther, the Book of Job, the Psalms,
the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher, Cantica, or Songs of Solomon, Four
Prhphets the greater, Twelve Prophets the less: all the books of the New
Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.
VI. Of the Old Testament.--The Old Testament is
not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament, everlasting
life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and
man, being both God and man. Wherefore, they are not to be heard, who feign
that the old Fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law
given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies, and rites, doth not bind
Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in
any commonwealth: yet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from
the obedience of the commandments, which are called moral.
VII. Of Original or Birth Sin.--Original sin
standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk) but it
is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of
the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original
righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.
VIII. Of Free-Will.--The condition of man after
the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own
natural strength, and works, to faith, and calling upon God; wherefore we have
no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of
God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us,
when we have that good will.
IX. Of the Justification of Man.--We are
accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings:--wherefore, that we
are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of
comfort.
X. Of Good Works.--Although good works which are
the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins,
and endure the severity of God's judgments: yet are they pleasing and
acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith,
insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree is
discerned by its fruits.
XI. Of Works of Supererogation.--Voluntary works,
besides, over and above God's commandments, which are called works of
supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men
do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to
do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required:
whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that is commanded you, say,
We are unprofitable servants.
XII. Of Sin after Justification.--Not every sin
willingly committed after justification, is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and
unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as
fall into sin after justification: after we have received the Holy Ghost, we
may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God, rise
again and amend our lives. And therefore, they are to be condemned, who say
they can no more sin as long as they live here; or deny the place of
forgiveness to such as truly repent.
XIII. Of the Church.--The visible church of
Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is
preached, and the sacraments duly administered according to Christ's ordinance,
in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.
XIV. Of Purgatory.--The Romish doctrine
concerning purgatory, pardon, worshipping, and adoration, as well of images as
of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and
grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but repugnant to the word of God.
XV. Of speaking in the congregation in such a
tongue as the people understand.--It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word
of God, and the custom of the primitive church, to have public prayer in the
church, or to minister the sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the
people.
XVI. Of the Sacraments.--Sacraments ordained of
Christ, are not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession: but rather
they are certain signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which
he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen
and confirm our faith in him.
There are two sacraments ordained of Christ our
Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.
Those five commonly called sacraments; that is to
say, confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to
be counted for sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have partly grown out of
the corrupt following of the apostles: and partly are states of life allowed in
the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism and the Lord's
Supper, because they have not any visible sign, or ceremony ordained of God.
The sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be
gazed upon, or to be carried about; but that we should duly use them. And in
such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or
operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves
condemnation, as St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. xi. 29.
XVII. Of Baptism.--Baptism is not only a sign of
profession, and mark of difference,whereby Christians are distinguished from
others that are not baptized: but it is also a sign of regeneration, or the new
birth. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the church.
XVIII. Of the Lord's Supper.--The supper of the
Lord is not only a sign that Christians ought to have among themselves one to
another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death:
insomuch, that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same,
the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the
cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.
Transubstantiation, or the change of the
substance of bread and wine in the supper of our Lord, cannot be proved by the
holy writ, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the
nature of a sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.
The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in
the supper, only after a heavenly and scriptural manner. And the means whereby
the body of christ is received and eaten in the supper, is faith.
The sacrament of the Lord's supper was not by
Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.
XIX. Of both kinds.--The cup of the Lord is not
to be denied to the lay-people: for both the parts of the Lord's supper by
Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians
alike.
XX. Of the one Oblation of Christ, finished upon
the cross.--The offering of Christ once made, is that perfect redemption,
propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both
original and actual: and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that
alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in the which it is commonly said,
that the priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission
of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable, and dangerous deceit.
XXI. Of the Marriage of Ministers.--The ministers
of Christ are not commanded by God's law either to vow the estate of single
life, or to abstain from marriage; therefore it is lawful for them, as for all
other Christians to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same
to serve best to godliness.
XXII. Of the Rites and Ceremonies of
churches.--It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places
be the same, or exactly alike: for they have been always different, and may be
changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so
that nothing be ordained against God's word.--Whosoever, through his private
judgment, willingly and purposely doth openly break the rites and ceremonies of
the church to which he belongs, which are not repugnant to the word of God, and
are ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that
others may fear to do the like, as one that offendeth against the common order
of the church, and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren.
Every particular church may ordain, change, or
abolish rites and ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification.
XXIII. Of the Rulers of the United States of
America.--The president, the congress, the general assemblies, the governors,
and the councils of state, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers of
the United States of America, according to the division of power made to them
by the constitution of the United States, and by the constitutions of their
respective states. And the said states are a sovereign and independent nation,
and ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction.+
XXIV. Of Christian Men's Goods.--The riches and
goods of Christians are not common as touching the right, title, and possession
of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of
such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to
his ability.
XXV. Of a Christian Man's Oath.--As we confess
that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ
and James his apostle; so we judge that the Christian religion doth not
prohibit but that a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of
faith and charity, so it be done according to the prophet's teaching, in
justice, judgment, and truth."
Government of.--The general rules for the
government of the societies, are the same as those in England, termed,
"The nature, design, and general rules of our United Societies." (See
Methodists, government and discipline of, P. 265.) As to the government, the
tide sufficiently ascertains its distinctive character, it being, in fact and
name, Episcopal. Three orders of ministers are recognized, and the duties
peculiar to each are clearly defined.
But to give a correct view of the ministry of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, it is necessary to show the manner in which it is
formed. A man thinking himself moved by the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel,
first makes known his views and exercises to the preacher having charge of the
circuit or station, who, if he judge the applicant a fit person, grants him
license to exhort. After improving his talent as an exhorter, a sufficient
length of time for his brethren to judge of his competency to so important a
work, he makes application to the quarterly meeting conference, which is
composed of all the preachers, travelling and local, stewards, leaders, and
exhorters of the circuit, and if considered fit for the work, he is recommended
by this body to the local preachers' conference, where he is examined on his
belief in the doctrines and discipline of the church; and they, if they think
proper, grant him license as a local preacher; and if such licentiate desire to
enter the travelling ministry, he must be recommended to an annual conference,
both by a quarterly meeting and district conference, except in those circuits
where no district conference is held. When presented to an annual conference,
his reception on trial, depends on a majority of votes. After travelling as a
preacher on probation two years, if no objection be made against him, he is
admitted as a member of conference, and ordained a deacon. The approved
exercise of the deacon's office for two years, entitles him to the office of an
elder.
The following quotations from the Methodist
Discipline, will show the duties peculiar to each order of ministers in their
church:--
Of the Election and Consecration of Bishops, and their duty.
"Quest. 1. How is a bishop to be
constituted?
Answ. By the election of the general conference,
and the laying on of the hands of three bishops, or at least of one bishop and
two elders.
Quest. 2. If by death, expulsion, or otherwise,
there be no bishop remaining in our church, what shall we do?
Answ. The general conference shall elect a
bishop; and the elders, or any three of them, who shall be appointed by the
general conference for that purpose, shall ordain him according to our form of
ordination.
Quest. 3. What are the duties of a bishop?
Answ. 1. To preside in our conferences.
2. To fix the appointments of the preachers for
the several circuits, provided he shall not allow any preacher to remain in the
same station more than two years successively; except the presiding elders, the
editor and general book steward, the assistant editor and general book steward,
the supernumerary, superannuated and worn-out preachers, missionaries among the
Indians, and the presidents, principals, or teachers of seminaries of learning,
which are or may be under our superintendence.
3. In the intervals of the conferences, to
change, receive, and suspend preachers, as necessity may require, and as the
discipline directs.
4. To travel through the connexion at large.
5. to oversee the spiritual and temporal business
of our church.
6. To ordain bishops, elders, and deacons."
Of the Election and Ordination of travelling Elders, and of their duty.
"Quest. 1. How is an elder constituted?
Answ. By the election of a majority of the yearly
conference, and by the laying on of the hands of a bishop, and some of the
elders that are present.
Quest. 2. What is the duty of a travelling elder?
Answ. 1. To administer baptism and the Lord's
supper, and to perform the office of matrimony, and all parts of divine
worship.
2. To do all the duties of a travelling preacher.
No elder that ceases to travel, without the
consent of the yearly conference, certified under the hand of the president of
the conference, except in case of sickness, debility, or other unavoidable
circumstance, shall, on any account, exercise the peculiar functions of his
office, or even be allowed to preach among us; nevertheless the final
determination in all such cases is with the yearly conference.
Of the Election and Ordination of travelling Deacons, and of their duty.
"Quest. 1. How is a travelling deacon
constituted?
Answ. By the election of the majority of the
yearly conference, and the laying on the hands of a bishop.
Quest. 2. What is the duty of a travelling
deacon?
Answ. 1. To baptize, and perform the office of
matrimony, in the absence of the elder.
2. To assist the elder in administering the
Lord's supper.
3. To do all the duties of a travelling preacher.
Quest. 3. What shall be the time of probation of
a travelling deacon for the office of an elder?
Answ. Every travelling deacon shall exercise that
office for two years, before he be eligible to the office of elder; except in
the case of missions, when the annual conference shall have authority to elect
for the elder's office sooner, if they judge it expedient.
No deacon who ceases to travel without the
consent of the annual conference, certified under the hand of the president of
the conference, except in case of sickness, debility, or other unavoidable
circumstances, shall on any account, exercise the peculiar functions of his
office, or even be allowed to preach among us: nevertheless, the final
determination in all such cases is with the annual conference."
In addition to the above, the Methodist church
recognizes an officer denominated a presiding elder, who is appointed to that
office by a bishop.
Of presiding Elders, and of their duty.
"Quest. 1. By whom are the presiding elders
to be chosen?
Answ. By the bishops.
Quest. 2. What are the duties of a presiding
elder?
Answ. 1. To travel through his appointed
district.
2. In the absence of the bishop, to take charge
of all the elders, and deacons, travelling and local preachers, and exhorters
in his district.
3. To change, receive, and suspend preachers in
his district during the intervals of the conferences, and in the absence of the
bishop, as the discipline directs.
4. In the absence of a bishop, to preside in the
conference: but in case there are two or more presiding elders belonging to one
conference, the bishop or bishops may by letter or otherwise appoint the
president; but if no appointment be made, or if the presiding elder appointed
do not attend, the conference shall in either of these cases elect the
president by ballot, without a debate, from among the presiding elders.
5. To be present, as far as practicable, at all
the quarterly meetings; and to call together at each quarterly meeting, a
quarterly meeting conference, consisting of all the travelling and local
preachers, exhorters, stewards, and leaders of the circuit, and none else, to
hear complaints, and to receive and try appeals. The quarterly meeting
conference shall appoint a secretary to take down the proceedings thereof, in a
book kept by one of the stewards of the circuit for that purpose.
6. To oversee the spiritual and temporal business
of the church in his district.
7. To take care that every part of our discipline
be enforced in his district.
8. To attend the bishops when present in his
district; and to give them, when absent, all necessary information, by letter,
of the state of his district."
For the particular duties of preachers, to God,
to themselves and each other as well as to the people of their charge, see
Discipline, sections, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17.
Besides the travelling ministry, the Methodists
have a large and useful body of ministers, whom they distinguish by the name of
local preachers. These attend to secular business for a livelihood; and preach
generally on Sabbath days, and occasionally, as time and opportunity will
permit, on other days. The following section from the discipline will clearly
show their duties, powers, and privileges:
Of the Local Preachers.
Quest. 1. What directions shall be given
concerning local preachers?
Answ. 1. There shall be held annually in each
presiding elder's district, a district conference, of which all the local
preachers in the district, who shall have been licensed two years, shall be
members; and of which the presiding elder of the district for the time being
shall be president; or in case of his absence, the conference shall have
authority to elect a president pro tem. It shall be the duty of the presiding
elder of each district to appoint the time and place of the first conference,
after which the presiding elder shall appoint the time, and the conference the
place of its own sitting.
2. The said district conference shall have
authority to license proper persons to preach, and renew their license; to
recommend suitable candidates to the annual conference for deacons or elders'
orders, in the local connexion, for admission on trial in the travelling
connexion, and to try, suspend, expel, or acquit any local preacher in the
district against whom charges may be brought. Provided, that no person shall be
licensed without being first recommended by the quarterly conference of the
circuit or station to which he belongs; nor shall any one be licensed to
preach, or recommended to the annual conference for ordination, without first
being examined in the district conference on the subjects of doctrine, and
discipline.
3. The district conference shall take cognizance
of all the local preachers in the district, and shall inquire into the gifts,
labours, and usefulness of each preacher by name.
4. When charges are preferred against any local
preacher, it shall be the duty of the preacher in charge to call a committee
consisting of three or more local preachers within the station, circuit, or
district, before whom it shall be the duty of the accused to appear, and by
whom he shall be acquitted, or, if found guilty, he suspended until the meeting
of the next district conference. And the president of the said district
conference shall, at the commencement of the trial, appoint a secretary, who
shall take down regular minutes of the evidence, and proceedings of the trial;
which minutes, when read and approved, shall be signed by the said president,
and also by the members of the said district conference, or by a majority of
them.
And in case of condemnation, the local preacher,
deacon, or elder, condemned, shall be allowed an appeal to the next annual
conference, provided that he signify to the said district conference, his
determination to appeal; in whichcase the said president shall lay the minutes
of the trial above-mentioned before the said annual conference, at which the
local preacher, deacon, or elder, so appealing may appear: and the said annual
conference shall judge and finally determine from the minutes of the said
trial, so laid before them.
5. A licensed local preacher shall be eligible to
the office of a deacon, after he has preached for four years from the time he
received a regular license, and has obtained a testimonial from the district
conference to which he belongs, after proper examination, signed by the
president, and countersigned by the secretary, and his character has passed in
examination before, and he has obtained the approbation of the annual
conference.
6. A local deacon shall be eligible to the office
of an elder, after he has preached four years from the time he was ordained a
deacon, and has obtained a recommendation from the district conference of which
he is a member, certifying his qualifications in doctrine, discipline, talents,
and usefulness, and the necessity of his official services as an elder in the
circuit where he resides; signed by the president, and countersigned by the
secretary. He shall, if he cannot attend, send to the annual conference such
recommendation, and a note certifying his belief in the doctrine and discipline
of our church: the whole being examined by the annual conference, and if
approved he may be ordained; provided, nevertheless, no slave holder shall be
eligible to the office of an elder or deacon, where the laws will admit of
emancipation, and permit the liberated slave to enjoy freedom.
7. Every local elder, deacon, and preacher, shall
have his name recorded on the journal of the quarterly meeting conference of
which he is a member. And every local preacher shall have his name enrolled on
a class paper, and meet in class, if the distance of his place of residence
from any class be not too great; or, in neglect thereof, the district
conference, if they judge it proper, may deprive him of his ministerial office.
Whenever a local preacher shall remove from one
circuit to another, he shall procure from the presiding elder to the district,
or the preacher having the charge of the circuit, a certificate of his official
standing in the church at the time of his removal, without which he shall not
be received as a local preacher in other places.
No preacher among us shall distil or retail
spirituous liquors, without forfeiting his official standing."
The supreme legislative power of the church is
concentrated in a general conference, which is composed of delegates from each
annual conference, who meet together on the first day of May of every fourth
year. For its powers see under history of. In addition to the powers there
enumerated, the general conference possesses an appellate jurisdiction over all
ministers who may have appealed from the decisions of an annual conference, and
the final determination of all disputes that may arise on any question of
rights, which relate either to the people or preachers; elects and fixes the
salary of the book agents; elects the bishops, and may create any new, or
divide any of the old annual conferences.
To the annual conference is committed the
oversight, in subordination to the episcopal authority, of all the preachers
and people within their respective bounds, the standing of their own members,
the hearing of appeals of local preachers, and the original jurisdiction of the
members of their own bodies, and the adoption of such measures as they may
think expedient, for raising monies to carry on the work of God. The following
questions will show the powers and privileges, as well as the particular
business of an annual conference:--
Of the Annual Conferences.
"Quest. 3. Who shall attend the yearly conferences?
Answ. All the travelling preachers, who are in
full connexion, and those who are to be received into full connexion.
Quest. 4. Who shall appoint the times of holding
the yearly conference?
Answ. The bishops; but they shall allow the annual
conferences to sit a week at least.
Quest. 5. Who shall appoint the place of holding
the annual conferences?
Answ. Each annual conference shall appoint the
place of its own sitting.
Quest. 6. What is the method wherein we usually
proceed in the yearly conference?
Answ. We inquire,
1. What preachers are admitted on trial?
2. Who remain on trial?
3. Who are admitted into full connexion?
4. Who are the deacons?
5. Who have been elected and ordained elders this
year?
6. Who have been elected, by the suffrages of the
general conference, to exercise the episcopal office, and superintend the
Methodist Episcopal Church in America?
7. Who have located this year?
8. Who are the supernumeraries?
9. Who are the superannuated or worn-out
preachers?
10. Who have been expelled from the connexion
this year?
11. Who have withdrawn from the connexion this
year?
12. Are all the preachers blameless in life and
conversation?
13. Who have died this year?
14. What numbers are in society?
15. What has been collected for the contingent
expenses, for the making up the allowances of the preachers, &c.?
16. How has this been expended?
17. Where are the preachers stationed this year?
18. Where and when shall our next conferences be
held?
Quest. 7. Is there any other business to be done
in the yearly conferences?
Answ. The electing and ordaining of deacons and
elders.
Quest. 8. Are there any other directions to be
given concerning the yearly conferences?
Answ. There shall be twelve conferences in the
year. A record of the proceedings of each annual conference shall be kept by a
secretary, chosen for that purpose, and shall be signed by the president and
secretary: and let a copy of the said record be sent to the general conference.
Support of the ministry.--the ministry is
supported by the voluntary contributions of the people. For this purpose, a
collection is made in all the classes and large congregations in the country
circuits once a quarter; in the cities, in addition to the quarterly
collections, a monthly, and in some cities a weekly collection is made, which
is delivered into the hands of the stewards at each leaders' meeting, or at the
quarterly meeting of the circuit: the stewards keep a record of all monies
collected, and the manner in which they are appropriated.
Character of.--Each denomination of Christians
have some peculiarity of character, by which it is distinguished from others. And
the preceding outline of the Methodist Episcopal Church will, it is presumed,
enable the reader to form a tolerably correct idea of its characteristic
distinction. And those who have witnessed the rise and progress of the church,
in the midst of a variety of reproaches and oppositions, will be ready to admit
that a remarkable zeal for the salvation of souls, has distinguished the
Methodist ministery from the beginning; and that this zeal, tempered with love
to God and man, has evinced itself by an extended and persevering plan of
diffusing the Gospel, by an itinerating ministry; and also by a success in the
awakening and conversion of souls, scarcely to be paralleled in ecclesiastical
history, since the apostolic age. These are facts known and read of all men.
And no less evident has been their own personal devotion to the cause of God
and to the interest of Jesus Christ.
That particular doctrine, which has characterized
all their preaching is, salvation by grace through faith in the atoning merits
of Christ; and no less strenuously have they enforced the necessity of holiness
of heart and life, or the entire sanctification of the soul and body to God.
And bating somewhat for the enthusiasm of some, the ignorance and irregularity
of others, perhaps it is not too much to say, that no sect of Christians have
maintained a more unexceptionable character, for strict adherence to the
precepts of Christ.
To undertake to estimate the comparative merits
of the several sects of Christians might seem invidious; and it would be
equally so, to draw a general conclusion, either for or against any body of
people from the conduct of a few individuals. All, however bright they may have
shone, have had their spots; and it is granted without any disparagement to the
character of the main body, that there have been individuals among the
Methodists who have disgraced themselves and their brethren; while the great
majority of both preachers and people, have evinced deep devotion to God, and
an ardent attachment to truth and holiness, and have done much to advance the
kingdom of Christ among men.
* The last general conference fixed the number of delegates at one for every seven numbers of the annual conference.
# Perhaps the charter fund may be considered an exception to this remark. But when it is known that it yields only about 1200 dollars annually, and is divided among seventeen conferences containing 1272 preachers, besides a number of widows, it may be asked, What is that among so many?
From the Minutes of the conference held in
Sheffield, England, July 30, 1823; it appears there were
Members, in Great Britain--------------219,398
Members, in Ireland-------------------- 22,039
The number in Foreign Stations
Members, in Gibraltar and France------- 144
Members, in Ceylon and Continental India 490
Members, in New south Wales and Van
Dieman's land----------------------- 178
Members, in Africa-------------------- 352
Members, in the West Indies----------- 21,171
Members, in British North America
including Newfoundland-------------- 4,076
_________
Total under the care of the British
and Irish conferences------------------- 272,848
Travelling preachers in the British and
Irish conferences including those on
foreign stations. ------------------- 1,021
+ As far as it respects civil affairs, we believe it the duty of Christians,
and especially all Christian ministers, to be subject to the supreme authority
of the country where they may reside, and to use all laudable means to enjoin
obedience to the powers that be: and therefore it is expected that all our
preachers and people, who may be under the British or any other government,
will behave themselves so peaceable and orderly subjects.
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U. STATES, DOWN TO THE
PRESENT PERIOD, 1830.
(For the following valuable History of the
Presbyterian Church in the United States, the publisher is indebted to the Rev.
Ezra Stiles Ely, D. D.)
The intolerance of Church and State united in
the old world has been one principal means of peopling these United States.
The first settlers of New England were driven
away from Old England, in pursuit of religious liberty. They were required to
conform to the established Protestant Episcopal Church in all her articles of
belief and modes of worship and discipline; their consciences forbade such
conformity: their Ministers were displaced: their property was tithed for the
support of an ecclesiastical prelacy which they renounced; and the only relief
which they could find was in abandoning their country for the new world.
Most of the first settlers of New England were
Congregationalists, and established the government of individuals by the male
communicating members of the churches to which they belonged; and of
congregations by sister congregations, met by representation in Ecclesiastical
Councils. A part of the Ministers and people of Connecticut at a very early
period of her history were Presbyterians in their principles of Church
Government. Being intermixed however, with Congregational brethren, instead of
establishing Presbyteries in due form, they united with their fellow christians
in adopting in 1708 the Saybrook Platform, according to which the Churches and
Pastors are consociated, so as virtually to be under Presbyterian Government,
under another name.
The first Presbyterian Churches duly organized in
the United States, were the first Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and the
church at Snow Hill, in Maryland. Which of these is the oldest it is perhaps
now difficult to determine.
The first Presbytery in the United States was
formed probably in 1704, by the voluntary association of several Ministers who
had received Presbyterian ordination in Europe, and who agreed to govern
themselves agreeably to the Westminister Confession of Faith, Form of
Government, Book of discipline and Directory for worship. All of our
subsequently formed Presbyteries have been organized by the act of this
Presbytery or of some superior judicatory, such as a Synod or General Assembly.
We have in preservation records of the Presbytery
of Philadelphia, dated 1707, but the first leaf of the book is wanting. It
begins with the third page. Judging from the space occupied by the records of
three years, it is estimated that the leaf taken away by the hand of time must
have contained the records of three years; and therefore we write of 1704 as
the probable date of the voluntary formation of this mother Presbytery in the
Presbyterian Church.
The Presbyterians in Great Britain were not
ejected from their places, and made to experience persecution from the Church
of England, until the latter part of the 17th century; and this will account
for the circumstance, that many of the Congregational Churches of New England
are older by nearly a century, than any Presbyterian church in our country.
The reason why the Presbyterians first settled in
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey, was undoubtedly this, that in these
places they found toleration, and equal religious rights, while the Episcopacy
was established by law in Virginia, Congregationalism in New England, and the
Reformed Dutch Church with Episcopacy in New York.
All the first Ministers of the Presbyterian
Church had a plurality of charges, or devoted much of their time and labour to
missionary stations, in which congregations were soon formed.
the Rev. Jedediah Andrews was paster of the First
Presbyterian Church in this city, from 1701 to 1747. The persons who associated
with him in the formation of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, were the Rev.
Francis McKimmie, the Rev. John Wilson, the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, the Rev.
George McNish, and the Rev. Samuel Davis.
In 1716 the Preesbytery resolved to divide its
members into four subordinate bodies, to be called the Presbyteries of
Philadelphia, Snowhill, Newcastle, and Long Island; and to meet annually as the
Presbytery of the whole, under the appellation of the Synod of Philadelphia.
In 1741 this Synod was divided, by an unhappy
controversy, which originated in the ministry of the Rev. George Whitfield,
into two independent and rival Synods. The new body was called the Synod of New
York, and its members were stiled in derision New Lights, and the New Side:
while those who remained in the Synod of Philadelphia were, with no better
spirit, stigmatised as the Old Side and Old Lights.
The root of bitterness undoubtedly subsisted in
the Synod before Mr. Whitefield's arrival in this country; but the fruits of
discord did not appear, until the Old Lights contended that it was disorderly
to admit that eloquent man into the pulpits of Presbyterian Churches. They
regarded him as a zealous, but imprudent man; as a disorderly Episcopalian; as
a disturber of the peace of Ministers and congregations; whose revival measures
were of questionable propriety.
The New Lights thought the Presbyterian Churches
in great need of revivals, and that the preaching of Mr. Whitefield was well
calculated to produce them, by alarming formalists, stirring up the people of
God, and convincing the impenitent.
Although the doctrine and manner of Mr.
Whitefield was the principal subject of controversy, yet some other collateral
lines of demarcation were drawn.
If a candidate for licens was in the full
communion of the church, in good standing, the Old Side was unwilling that he
should be closely examined on the subject of his own personal piety: and they
insisted that none should be admitted to the Ministry in the Presbyterian
Church who were not well bread scholars, able to undergo a thorough examination
in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and the Arts and Sciences. The New Side regarded it as
the first importance in the introduction of preachers into the church, that
they should be closely and faithfully catechised on experimental religion, and
their views in seeking the sacred office. They desired and required respectable
literary attainments; but considering the exigencies of our new country they
thought it a duty to license men who gave evidence of ardent piety, good
talents, aptness to teach, and a thorough knowledge of the sacred scriptures,
even if they possessed but little knowledge of the dead languages. If they were
satisfied that God in his providence, by his word and Spirit, had called a man
to be a preacher of the gospel, and he was a Presbyterian in his views of
government, willing to answer affirmatively the Constitutional questions, they
were disposed to receive him.
The result was, that new Presbyteries were formed
by secessions and schism; and that an unhapy ecclesiastical warfare continued
until 1757.
The Old Side had the most learning, the New Side
the most piety; but acting under the same standards, and being more or less
under the influence of the Spirit of Christ, the two Synods gradually
assimilated: and tired of disputation, in the year just named, appointed severally,
Commissioners to form, if practicable, a plan or re-union.
In 1758, on the 29th of May, the Synods of New
York and Philadelphia, met in Philadelphia, and having exchanged their
ratifications of the treaty of amity and peace, terminated the feuds of more
than sixteen years, by becoming again one Synod, under the title of The Synod
of New York and Philadelphia. At the re-union, the Rev. Golbert Tennent was
choses Moderator, and the Rev. Alexander McDowell, Clerk.
The Ministers of the re-united Synod were
seventy-eight in number; and belonged to seven Presbyteries, known by the name
of Suffolk, New York, New Brunswick, Philadelphia, Newcastle 1st and 2d, and
Donnegall. In addition to these, which with some slight alterations were
continued the Synod formed the new Presbyteries of Lewiston and Hanover. In
1759 the two Presbyteries of Newcastle became one.
In 1788 the Synod of New York and Philadelphia
comprehended sixteen Presbyteries; and resolved to subdivide itself into four
Synods, whose Presbyteries should annually appoint Commissioners to meet in the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.
In May 1789 the first General Assembly met in
Philadelphia, and had under its care the Synod of New York, which embraced the
Presbyteries of Duchess County, Suffolk, New York, and New Brunswick; the Synod
of Philadelphia, embracing the Presbyteries of Philadelphia, Lewiston,
Newcastle, Baltimore, and Carlisle; the Synod of Cirginia, containing the
Presbyteries of Redatone, Hanover, Lexington, and Transylvania; and the Synod
of the Carolinas, including the Presbyteries of Abingdon, Orange, and South
Carolina. At this time the preachers in the Presbyterian Church were in number
188, and the congregations 419; of which 204 were then vacant.
In June 1830, the General Assembly comprehended
under its spiritual care, nineteen Synods, ninety-eight Presbyteries, two
thousand one hundred and fifty-eight churches, seventeen hundred and eleven
preachers of the gospel, two hundred and twenty-eight candidates for the
ministry, and one hundred and seventy-three thousand, three hundred and
twenty-nine communicants.
During the year ending in May, 1830, the increase
of Presbyteries in this connexion was six; of preachers, one hundred and
thirteen; of congregations, eighty-eight; of communicants, ten thousand five
hundred and thirteen. The baptisms reported within the same time, were, of
adults, three thousand two hundred and fifty-five, and of infants, twelve
thousand two hundred and two; making a total of fifteen thousand, four hundred
and fifty-seven. Nearly the same number of persons were baptized in each of the
two proceding years.
Since the organization of the General Assembly, a
period of forty-one years, the increase of Synods has been fifteen; of
preachers, fifteen hundred and twenty-three; and of churches, seventeen hundred
and thirty-nine.
From these statements the reader will be able to
form some correct estimate of the past, and probable future increase of the
Presbyterian Church, provided the same causes of prosperity shall continue to
operate.
The fundamental principle of the Presbyterian
Church, by which it is distinguished from other Protestant Churches is this,
that God has authorised the government of his church by Presbyters or Elders,
who are chosen by the people, and ordained to office by prodecessors in office,
in virtue of the commission which Christ gave his apostles as ministers in the
kingdom of God; and that among all Presbyters there is an official parity,
whatever disparity may exist in their talents or official employments.
All the different congregations under the care of
the General Assembly, are considered as the one Presbyterian Church in the
United States, meeting for the sake of convenience and edification in their
several places of worship. Each particular congregation of baptized people,
associated for godly living and the worship of Almighty God, may become a
Presbyterian Church, by electing one or more elders agreeably to the form
prescribed in the book styled the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church, and
having them obtained and installed as their Session.
In the election of Elders, allbaptized persons of
lawful age, who submit to the discipline of the Presbyterian Church, who are
not under censure, and who contribute their proportion, agreeably to the
regulations of the particular church to which they belong, towards the support
of that church, are entitled to a voice in the choice of their spiritual guides
and rulers.
If the congregation of persons thus entitled to
vote, approve of electing their Elders, by the nomination of Elders before in
office, and the tacit consent of the people, or in any other manner, they are
authorized to make a choice in the manner most approved and in use among
themselves. In a lawful assembly they have a right to decide what mode of
making a choice of Elders is most approved among themselves. The ordination of
all Elders devolves on those who have received authority from Christ to
transmit official power in his church.
The first installation of a session over any
persons who have elected them, constitutes the Presbyterian organization of a
church: for in that installation service the Elders enter into a covenant
relation, and they and the people are mutually bound to each other agreeably to
the Constitution. The reception of such a particular congregation, under the
care of one of the Presbyteries of the General Assembly, makes that
congregation a constituent part of the Presbyterian Church.
A particular Presbyterian Church is usually
formed either by a Committee of Presbytery, appointed for the purpose, or by
some missionary preacher, or other minister of the gospel: and the persons to
be constituted a church, either present certificates of dismission and
recommendation, from the churches in which they have formerly communed; or, on
examination by the Committee or Minister officiating on the occasion, profess
faith in Christ, and then with their baptized children, are brought, by
answering constitutional questions, prescribed for the ordination and
installation of Elders, under the watch and care of those rulers who are
constituted the Session of that particular church.
The number of Elders in a particular church is
not fixed, but when suitable male communicants are found to enjoy the
confidence of the people, it is deemed desirable to have from three to seven.
One Elder acting in conjunction with a neighbouring minister of the
Presbyterian Church, invited by him to attend and preside at a meeting for
ecclesiastical business, may constitute a session of a particular congregation,
when there is no other Elder belonging to that congregation.
A presbytery is a plurality of Presbyters, or
Elders, (for the terms are synomymous in the Bible.) convened in the name of
Christ to transact presbyterial business. The Presbytery of a particular
congregation is distinguished from all larger Presbyteries, by the name of the
Session of that church. Thus, in the church at Antioch, Barnabas, Simeon,
Lucius, and Manaen, constituted such a meeting of Presbyters as we denominate
the Session, or Presbytery of the church at Antioch. Acts. xiii. 1. The Elders
of the church at Ephesus, for whom Paul sent to meet him at Miletus were the
Presbytery, or Session, of the church of Ephesus; and were made jointly the
overseers, that is bishops, of that Church; whose duty it was to feed the flock
as shepherds under Christ. Acts xx. 17, 18.
Among the Elders or Presbyters of a particular
church, there will always be a diversity of gifts, fitting them to the
performance of the varied duties of the eldership, who are, as the Session, to
superintend all the spiritual concerns of the flock; particularly public
worship and discipline.
All the Elders of a church are charged with
ruling in the same, under Christ, and in the execution of his laws. To all
collectively the people are bound to subject themselves, in the fear of the
Lord. But one Elder at least, when such an one can be found and procured, is to
be chosen by the people for the purpose, and is to devote himself, in addition
to the exercise of spiritual government, to the public ministry of the word and
to the instruction of the children and youth. This person is called, by way of
eminence, the Minister, or the Pastor, and our responds to the Chief Ruler of a
synagogue under the Hebrew dispensation.
This Minister, when there is one among the
Eldership of a particular church, is the Moderator of the Session, and performs
the duties usually assigned to a Chairman of a Committee, in all meetings of
the Elders.
It is the custom of the Presbyterian Churches, to
afford this Minister requisite pecuniary support, so long as he devotes himself
to the duties of his office among them, while the other Elders, who are not
specially called to devote themselves wholly to the ministry of the church,
follow some secular business for their livelihood. It is considered the duty of
a particular church, however, which but few perform, to defray the necessary expenses
of these Elders, when they attend on distant meetings of the Judicatories of
the Church.
It is this distinction in the actual official
employments of Elders, which is recognized by Paul in the first Epistle in
Timothy, (ch.V. v. 17.) where he says, "Let the Elders that rule well, be
counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in word and
doctrine: for the Scripture saith. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth
out the corn: and The labourer is worthy of his hire." The original is
correctly translated thus, "Let the elders who preside well be counted
worthy of a liberal maintenance; especially those who labour in preaching and
teaching," as a school master. From this passage it is evident that some
of the Elders of a particular church, from a variety of causes, may not labour
statedly in preaching and teaching, while they are still united with their
fellow Elders in the spiritual government of the church, and many even preside
in the Session.
Those Elders who are chosen with a special
reference to this distinction in the official services, to be performed in a
church, and who are not expected to devote themselves to public preaching, and
the instruction of the congregation, are designated in the Presbyterian Church
as Ruling Elders; while others are called Teaching Elders, Ministers of the
Gospel or Pastors. The ruling Elders are regarded as those "helps" to
the ministry, and "governments" in the church of which the Scriptures
treat, while they distinguish them from Pastors and Ministers, but not from
Presbyters and Bishops.
We judge that to Presbyteries the Lord Jesus has
committed the spiritual government of each particular congregation, and not to
the whole body of the communicants; and on this point we are distinguished from
Independents and Congregationalists. If all were governers, we should not be
able to distinguish the overseers or bishops from all the male and female
communicants; nor could we apply the command, "obey them that have the
rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account." Heb. xiii. 17. If all are rulers in the church,
who are communicants, we are at a loss for the meaning of the exhortation,
"We beseech you, brethren, to know them that labour among you and are over
you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for
their work's sake."
The injunction to tell to the church the trespass
of a refractory brother, we explain in consistency with the constitution of the
Church, and with the passages just quoted, to mean, that a complaint if
needful, should be brought to the proper officers of the church, who represent
the church, in such Presbyterial meetings for government as Christ has
authorized.
If an aggrieved brother should tell the story of
his wrongs to each individual communicant, he would not thereby tell it to the
Church judicially, so that cognizance could be taken of the affair. It is to
the Church acting by her proper organs, and to her overseers met as a judicatory
that he must bring his charge, if he would have discipline exercised in such a
way as God empowered his Church to exercise it.
If any one would judicially tell to the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the high crimes and misdemeanours, of any one of
his fellow citizens, so that due correction may be applied , he must bring his
allegation not to the people collected im mass, but to the proper legal
tribunal.
The whole Presbyterian Church in the United
States, extends from New Hampshire to New Orleans, and from the Atlantic to the
Arkansas: so that it would be utterly impossible for the whole Church to be
convened, and hear and try a complaint. The exercise of Church government and
discipline, in such a Church, would be an utter impossibility, if we must bring
the whole Church collectively, to adjudicate on any cause. It is only in a
Church confined to one place of worship, that the complainant can tell a fault
to the Church collectively; and even them, it rarely can happen, that no
communicating member will be absent from a trial. "Tell the fault,"
then, our Congregational brethren must say, "to so many of the Church as
after due notice shall attend to hear and judge," and you comply with the
spirit of the rule. On the same principle we say, bring your charge to so many
of the Church as shall meet to hear and act upon it; even to those who by the
choice of the people and Christ's authority have been appointed to rule over
you in the Lord.
In vindication of any larger Presbyteries than
the one called the Session of a particular Church, we resort to the unity of
the Presbyterian Church, to the origin of its first Presbytery of Philadelphia,
and to the example of a Presbytery called the Council of Jerusalem.
The ministers, ruling elders, and congregations,
that by their mutual agreement, united under the care of the Presbytery of
Philadelphia, were really one ecclesiastical body, having several different
places of worship, but all being subject to one system of doctrine and
discipline, and to one judicatory composed of rulers whom they had chosen.
The Sessions in their exercise of government,
agreed to retain certain powers, and to submit the final decision of other
matters to the Presbytery of the whole. In doing this, they followed the
scriptural example of those particular congregations and their sessions, which
submitted certain matters to the Council of Jerusalem.
When the Presbytery of Philadelphia subdivided
itself into four subordinate Presbyteries, and took upon itself when met as a
Grand Presbytery of the whole, the name of a Synod, it still retained all its
Presbyterial powers, but agreed to exercise them in conformity with the
arrangement made between itself, and those subordinate judicatories.
When the two Synods of New York and Philadelphia,
re-united in 1758, they brought together all their powers, which they had
exercised separately: and as evidence, that this was their own judgment, they
appointed a special Presbytery consisting of members of their own body, for the
purpose, and on the 31st of May, ordained Mr. John Griffith to the work of the
Gospel ministry. The Synod of New York and Philadelphia, which might be
designated as a Presbytery of the third grade, in the line of ascension,
finally resolved itself into the General Assembly in 1788, and first convened
in the year following, in that character, being still the Presbytery of the
whole Church; but agreeing in certain cases not to exercise its powers at all,
as in ordination for instance: and in other cases to act only on reference,
appeal, or complaint from some inferior judicatory.
Thus the whole government of the Presbyterian
Church is by Presbyterial Judicatories; from the lowest, a session, through
Presbyteries of a second and third gradation, to the fourth and last.
Having explained their origin, we shall hereafter
speak of these four judicatories of the church, under their distinguishing
names of Sessions, Presbyteries, Synods, and the General Assembly; wishing the
reader, however, to consider that the authority of each depends on its being a
scriptural Presbytery, which exercises, or prudentially refrains from
exercising, in part, its Presbyterial powers, agreeably to the Bible, the only
infallible rule of faith and practice.
A session judge of the qualifications of
applicants for admission, to the fellowship of the particular congregation over
which they preside, and receive or reject them by a vote of a majority present,
at any regularly called sessional meeting: they hear complaints, institute
trials, summon witnesses, inflict censure, or acquit the accused: they apoint
one Ruling Elder of their number to attend each meeting of the Presbytery: and
in general take charge of all the spiritual concerns of the people over whom
the Holy Ghost has made them bishops.
In most Presbyterian Churches, persons are
admitted to the full communion, before the session, by the profession of their
faith on examination, and their names are subsequently announced in public
before the celebrations of the Lord's Supper. In other Churches the session
authorize the Pastor to converse with applicants in private, and on his
favourable report at a sessional meeting, they are received by a vote, if
nothing is known by any of the Elders to invalidate their profession to the
Pastor.
In some Churches the congregational practice of
New England, in bringing candidates for the holy supper, to stand up in the
middle aisle of the Church, and enter into a covenant with God and the Church,
has been adopted, particularly for the gratification of those who were
accustomed in this practice before they came into the bounds of the
Presbyterian Church. This mode of admission has some advantages, but would be a
novelty in most of our oldest congregations.
The only other officers known in Presbyterian
Churches, are Deacons, chosen by the people, and ordained by the minister for
the special purpose of serving the tables on communion seasons, taking charge
of the poor, and attending to the temporalities of the congregation. In many of
our congregations, the Ruling Elders, appoint a committee of their number to
act as the almoners of the Church, and al of them officiate as deacons in
distributing the aliments at the Lord's table. The Trustees of Churches, are
not ecclesiastical officers, but according to civil law, hold the temporal
properly of the congregation in trust for their use.
It would be most desirable that the Trustees of a
Church, when exemplary communicants, should be the Deacons also; for then they
would have both civil and ecclesiastical authority, to manage the property of
the congregations to which they might belong.
A Presbytery consists of all the ministers, not
fewer than three, and one Ruling Elder from each congregation, within a certain
district. To this judicatory is entrusted the revision of the proceedings of
Sessions under them; the decision of appeals and complaints; the licensing of
candidates; the ordination, installation, and judging of ministers; the
reception, formation, division, and uniting of Churches; the condemnation of
erroneous opinions; the redressing of grievances; and in general, the ordering
of whatever pertains to the spiritual welfare of the Churches under their care.
Presbyteries appoint an equal number of Teaching and Ruling Elders, to be their
Commissioners to each General Assembly; and decide on all alterations and
revisions of the Constitution of the Church, which are recommended to them by
the General Assembly.
One of our Synods comprehends all the Ministers,
and one Ruling Elder from each congregation, belonging to at least three
Presbyteries. Synods review the proceedings of the Presbyteries under their
care; examine their records for approbation or censure; confirm or reverse
their decisions, on hearing an appeal or complaint, at protest against the
same; erect, divide, or unite Presbyteries; and generally, take such orders
with respect to Presbyteries, Sessions, and people under their care, as they
judge to be in conformity with the word of God, and for the edification of the
Church.
The General Assembly is the highest judicatory in
the Presbyterian Church, and is constituted by an equal number of Teaching and
Ruling Elders, elected by each Presbytery annually, and specially commissioned
to deliberate, vote, and determine in all matters which may come before that
body. Each Presbytery may send one Bishop and one Ruling Elder to the Assembly:
each Presbytery having more than twelve Ministers, may send two Ministers and
two Ruling Elders, and so in the same proportion for every twelve ministerial
members.
The Assembly reviews all the proceedings of the
Synods under its care; decides on all appeals, references, complaints and
protests which come from them; and on all which come directly from
Presbyteries, when no meeting of the proper Synod intervenes between the
meeting of the Presbytery and the Assembly; gives advice and instruction on
cases submitted to them, in conformity with the Constitution of the Church;
decides controversies respecting doctrine or discipline; bears testimony
against errors in doctrine and immorality of life; erects new Synods;
corresponds with foreign Churches; and is designed to be a bond of union,
peace, correspondence, mutual confidence, co-operation in benevolent efforts,
charity, truth, and holiness, among all our Churches.
Delegates are admitted to the Assembly from
Corresponding Ecclesiastical bodies, who have the right to deliberate, but not
to vote. The Assembly of May, 1830, was composed of one hundred and eighty-six
Commissioners from Presbyteries and Delegates from Corresponding Churches;
whose travel to and from Philadelphia exceeded eighty thousand miles.
Since many Presbyteries and parts of the Church
are feeble, and far distant from the place of meeting; and since the whole
Church ought, as far as possible, to equalize expenses which are incurred for
the welfare of the whole; it is considered the duty of each congregation,
annually to take up a collection for what is called "the Commissioners'
fund," out of which a payment is made to each Commissioner who attends the
Assembly, according to his mileage, provided his Presbytery has contributed any
thing to that general fund. Any Presbytery which chooses it, is at liberty to
retain its own funds, and support its own Commissioner. The amount paid to
Commissioners in any one year does not exceed two and a half cents for each
mile, necessarily travelled in going to and from Philadelphia. The amount of
the collections for the Commissioners' fund, reported last year was $3,504.13.
Some estimate of the influence and exertions of
the Presbyterian Church, may be formed from the other collections reported for
the year preceding the meeting of the last Assembly, which were, for Foreign
and Domestic Missions, $44,914.73; for Theological Seminaries, $9,643.21; and
for charitable education purposes, $126,130.77.
The Theological Seminaries under the care of the
General Assembly, are three, which are located at Princeton, New Jersey;
Alleghanytown, Pennsylvania; and Prince Edward county, Virginia. Besides these,
there are Synodical Seminaries for the education of theological students, at
Auburn, in New York; at Maryville, in Tennessee; and at Danville, in Kentucky.
Other Theological Seminaries have been instituted by the Synods of the Western
Reserve, of Ohio, and of South Carolina and Georgia.
The doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, are
usually styled the doctrines of grace, and of the Reformation. They are
expressed in the Confession and Catechisms of the Westminister Assembly of
divines, which have been slightly altered, by expunging in the Larger Catechism
the declaration, that the second commandment forbids the "tolerating a
false religion;" and by asserting civil and religious liberty to the
exclusion of a union of church and state. The Westminister Confession, Chapter
XXIII. Sec. 3, reads thus: "The civil magistrate may not assume to himself
the administration of the word and sacraments, or the power of the kingdom of
heaven: yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order that unity and
peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and
entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and
abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances
of God duly settled, administered and observed. For the better effecting
whereof, he hath power to call Synods, to be present at them, and to provide
that whatsoever is transacted in them, be according to the mind of God."
This was not merely uniting church and State, but making the civil government
paramount to the ecclesiastical, and every civil magistrate a Pope, superior to
all Synods; the judge for himself, and the Church of what is the mind of God.
Instead of this obnoxious paragraph, our patriotic fathers have erased the
words above printed in italics, and in their place, inserted the following:
"Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect
the Church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination
of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons
whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging
every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger. And, as Jesus
Chrust hath appointed a regular government and discipline in his Church, no law
of any Commonwealth, should interfere with, let, or hinder the due exercise
thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians,
according to their own profession and belief. It is the duty of civil
magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an
effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon pretence of
religion or infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse or injury to
any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and
ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance."
Every Bishop, Ruling Elder, Licentiate, and
Deacon in the Presbyterian Church, is required publicly to declare his belief,
that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, the only
infallible rule of faith and practice; and that he receives and adopts the
Confession of faith of this Church, as containing the system of doctrine taught
in the Holy Scriptures. Every officer of the Church, also declares that he
approves of the government and discipline of the Presbyterian Church in the
United States: but the private members of the Church, merely profess at an
installation of any one of their Teaching or Ruling Elders, to receive them,
submit to them, and encourage them in the discharge of their duty, agreeably to
the word of God and the Constitution. No form of questions is prescribed to be
proposed to the recipients of baptism and the Lord's supper, but each Bishop
baptizes all whom he thinks fit subjects; and each Session receives to the
communion table, all those whom they judge, on examination, to make a credible
profession of godliness; or to have knowledge to discern the Lord's body, and
faith to feed upon him.
It will be perceived, that this system admits of
great liberality in admitting and retaining private Christians in the communion
of the Church, so long as they submit to her discipline; while all her officers
are bound, as firmly as their word and a very comprehensive and minute creed
can bind them, to inculcate what we believe to be the truth, and to maintain
our form of discipline and government.
The declaration of each Bishop, Ruling Elder,
Licentiate, and Deacon, that he sincerely receives, and adopts the Confession
of Faith, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures,
does not bind him to remain always of the same opinion: nor does it imply, that
the confession of Faith is a perfect or an infallible rule of belief and
conduct, which could not be improved in many minor things; but he is bound by
his own engagement to study the peace, unity, and purity of the Church, while
he remains in it. Provision is made that any one in good standing may be
dismissed to other Christian Churches, or may orderly withdraw, and renounce
the jurisdiction of each and every part of the body.
Doubtless, without any violation of conscience,
and without deserving the charge of insincerity, many who receive and adopt the
same system of doctrine taught in our confession, and extracted from the Bible,
entertain different opinions on many points which they deem not materially to
affect that system. Hence it is, that some consider it requisite to the
dispensation of baptism to an infant, that one of its parents should be a
communicant, while others regard all the infants of baptized persons, who have
not been cut off from the Church, for damnable heresy, or open immorality as
being members of the visible Church, and as such entitled to baptism, even were
they to be left orphans on the day of their birth. Here also a diversity of
opinions exists about the extent of the merit of Christ's obedience in his
estate of humiliation; about the nature of Christ's sanctification for sinners;
about the natural abilities of fallen man, and many other subordinate topics.
The candid and dispassionate inquirers after
truth, among the Ministers of this Church, who differ on these subjects, will
undoubtedly, on the explanation of the terms which they use, and on a brotherly
discussion of each other's sentiments, gradually approximate each other; for
now, without a single exception, they hold one system of doctrine in opposition
to Deism, Socinianism, Arianism, Sabellianism, Antinominism, Arminianism, Popery,
Prelacy, Antipaedo-baptism, Fatalism, Universalism, and many other schemes
which need not be particularly named.
Greater unanimity, it is believed, does not exist
in any denomination of Christians on earth, in proportion to their numbers,
than in the Presbyterian Church in the United States; and it must be expected,
from the imperfect sanctification of God's people, that meny noxious seeds of
disunion and bitterness will continually start up, and need to be eradicated,
until the Lord's husbandmen cease to indulge in spiritual slumbers, and until
the devil is prevented from sowing tares.
Every Presbyterian Church elects its own Pastor;
but to secure the whole Church against insufficient, erroneous, or immoral men,
it is provided that no Church shall prosecute any call, without first obtaining
leave from the Presbytery, under whose care that Church may be; and that no
licentiate, or bishop, shall receive any call, but through the hands of his own
Presbytery.
In examining, and in voting to license or ordain
ministers, each Ruling Elder has the same power as bishops; but the latter only
preside in any Church court above a Session; and they only are accustomed to
impose hands in ordination.
Any member of the Presbyterian Church may be the
subject of its discipline, and every member, if he judges himself injured by
any portion of the Church, may, by appeal, or complaint, carry his cause up
from the Church Session to the Presbytery, from the Presbytery to the Synod,
and from the Synod to the General Assembly, so as to obtain the decision of the
whole Church, met by representation in this high judicatory. If he thinks
himself finally injured in this body, he can appeal to the Lord Jesus Christ,
and renounce our ecclesiastical connexion.
If any one commits a private personal offence,
this brother in the Church who is injured, or who knows of the offence, is
required to go and tell the offender of his fault, privately, and if he cannot
bring him to confession, and apparent repentance, a second brother must be
invited to participate in this brotherly discipline. The next step is to report
the unrelenting offender to the Church, properly met in its judicial capacity,
as a Session of the rulers, to whom each Ruling Elder and private Christian is
bound to submit.
If a Minister is the offender, after the private
steps have been taken with him, he must be reported to his Presbytery. Every
trial of a person who declares that he is not guilty, must be fair and open. No
witness in the case, however, is permitted to hear the testimony of any witness
who has preceded him; but the whole is recorded, and each subscribes the record
of his own declarations. The record in case of appeal or complaint is carried
up to the higher judicatories. In this system provision is made to guard
against prejudice and injustice from local circumstances and feelings. Every
cause is finally decided by dispassionate judges, who commonly know nothing of
the cause is finally decided by dispassionate judges, who commonly know nothing
of the cause under adjudication, but from the testimony.
A Church, as well as an individual, which feels
itself aggrieved by any decision of its session of Presbytery in any case, may
require to obtain the voice of the whole body to which it belongs.
To us is seems, that a collection of
communicants, who evince piety, may be gathered from a school for instance, in
a lately Pagan tribe, and many require the Christian government of a few
judicious Elders, while the mass of the new converts would be wholly unfit to
exercise discipline according to the congregational plan. Many eminent
missionaries have admitted and realized the truth of this remark.
On the other hand, were our Bishops not
associated in the government of the Church, with Ruling Elders, who consider
themselves, and are considered by the people, as belonging rather to the laity
then to the clergy, there would be great danger, not only of prelacy, but of
priestcraft and the papacy.
Foreign ministers, who wish to be admitted into
the ministry, in the Presbyterian Church, are examined, and put upon probation
for a year before they can be admitted in full to one of our Presbyteries.
During this probation, if their examination, and their foreign credentials have
proved satisfactory, they are allowed to preach as candidates for pastoral
charges.
Ministers and licentiates, coming from
Corresponding Churches in the United States are, if no objection is raised
against their clerical or christian character, admitted on their answering
affirmatively, the constitutional questions which are proposed to our own
clergy, on their being licensed or ordained.
Evangelical Ministers of the Gospel of all
denominations, are permitted, on the invitation of a pastor, or of the session
of a vacant Church, to preach in our pulpits; and any person known properly, or
made known, to a pastor or session, as a communicant in good and regular
standing, in any truly Christian denomination of people, is in most of our
Churches affectionately invited to occasional communion. We wish to have
Christian fellowship with all the redeemed of the Lord, who have been renewed
by His Spirit: but in ecclesiastical government and discipline, we ask and
expect the co-operation of none but Presbyterians.
THE
END