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passages of scripture, particularly Acts xiii. 1, 2, and 1 Tim. iv. 14, and the testimonies of the primitive fathers of the church, that presbyters and bishops were of the same order, and that they originally possessed and exercised the power of ordination.

4. The doctrine of an uninterrupted succession from the Apostles, in a third order, made such by a triple consecration, as distinct from and superior to elders, has been discarded by many of the most eminent ecclesiastical writers, as resting upon no solid foundation, not being susceptible of proof from any authentic source.

5. Mr. Wesley possessed rights over the Methodists which no other man did or could possess, because they were his spiritual children, raised up under his preaching superintendence, and hence they justly looked to him for a supply of the ordinances of Jesus Christ.

6. Therefore, in exercising the power of ordination, and providing for the organization of the Methodist societies in America into a church, he invaded no other man's right, nor yet assumed that which did not belong to him.

7. Hence he did not, as the objection which this argument is designed to refute supposes, ordain either presbyters or a bishop for the English Church, or for any other church then existing, but simply and solely for the Methodist societies in America; and, therefore, in doing this necessary work, he neither acted inconsistently with himself as a presbyter of the Church of England, nor incompatibly with his frequent avowals to remain in that church, and not to separate from it.

8. For, in fact, in organizing the Methodist Episcopal Church he did not separate either from the English or Protestant Episcopal Church; for the former had no existence in America, and the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized three years before the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States.

Hence he acted perfectly consistently with himself, with all his avowals of attachment to the Church of England, while he proceeded to organize a church here; for, while he did this, and thereby established a separate and independent church in America, where the English Church

had no jurisdiction, where both the politi cal and ecclesiastical power of England, was totally annihilated, and where the Protestant Episcopal Church had then no existence, he and his people in England still remained members of the Church of England. Nor did he invade the rights of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the least degree, seeing it had no existence at that time in the United States.

9. While the scriptures are silent in respect to the particular form of church government which should be established, they certainly allow of an episcopal form, because it is not incompatible with any known precept or usage of primitive Christianity.

10. This is farther manifest from the acknowledged fact that the apostles and evangelists did exercise a jurisdiction over the entire church-presbyters, deacons, and people; though at the same time there is no proof that as to ministerial order, they were higher than presbyters.

11. Distinguishing, therefore, between the power of ordination and the power of jurisdiction, we may see how an episcopal government may be created by a presbyterial ordination, and hence justify the act of Mr. Wesley and his associates in setting apart Dr. Coke to the office of a superintendent.

12. Another argument in favor of these measures arises out of the character of the men engaged in this business. As for John Wesley, it is almost superfluous to say anything in his commendation, as his qualifications for a minister of the Lord Jesus, his deep experience in the things of God, the evangelical character, and the astonishing success of his ministrations, place him beyond the reach of censure, and elevate him high in the estimation of all who know how to estimate true worth of character.

As to Dr. Coke, for about six years previous to his sailing to America, he had given evidence of an entire devotion to the cause of God, of a genuine experience of divine things, and of his ardent attachment to the cause of Methodism as promulgated by Mr. Wesley.

Mr. Creighton was a presbyter of the Church of England, a man of sound understanding and of deep piety.

These were the men, all regularly ordained presbyters of the Church of England, who consecrated Messrs. Whatcoat and Vasey, and then they assisted in the consecration of Dr. Coke to the office of a superintendent.

And as to Mr. Francis Asbury, he had furnished the most indubitable evidence of his qualifications to fill the office to which he was called both by the appointment of Mr. Wesley and the unanimous vote of his brethren, those very brethren who had borne witness to his conduct for about eleven years, during which time he had made "full proof of his ministry," and whose subsequent life fully justified the wisdom of their choice.

These are the facts, expressed in as few words as possible, on which we found the validity of our church organization, of our ministerial orders, and the scrip

tural character of our ordinances.

Having so particularly detailed the history of this church thus far, our subsequent narrative must necessarily be brief, as the space allotted to this article will not allow of a very minute presentation of facts.

Being thus regularly organized, and furnished with proper credentials as ministers of the Lord Jesus, they went forth to their work with greater confidence than ever, and the Lord abundantly blessed their labors to the awakening and conversion of souls. New circuits were formed, new societies were established, and believers were "built up upon their most holy faith." And as they thus spread abroad in every direction, over such a large surface of country: it became inconvenient for the preachers all to assemble annually in one conference for the transaction of business; hence several conferences were held the same year, at suitable distances from each other, at which the superintending bishop attended, presided over their deliberations, ordained such as were elected by the conferences to the order of deacons or elders, and appointed the preachers to their several stations and circuits.

The first General Conference was held in the year 1792. The necessity for this arose out of the increase of their

work, the incompetency of the several annual conferences to form rules and regulations in harmony one with the other, which should be binding upon the whole, and the utter impracticability of their all coming together at the same time and place to do their business. To remedy the inconvenience arising out of this state of things, the annual conferences had agreed that there should be a General Conference held once in four years, to be composed of all the travelling elders in full connexion, to whom should be committed the entire authority of making rules for the regulation of the church. At this General Conference a secession was made, headed by James O'Kelly, a presiding elder in Virginia; because he was dissatisfied with the bishop's power of stationing the preachers, and pleaded for an appeal to the Conference. This

caused considerable disturbance for a sea

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son, in some parts of Virginia and North Carolina; but he very soon lost his influfinally came to naught; while the Methodence, and his party became scattered, and ist Episcopal Church went on its way increasing in numbers and influence. this time there were 266 travelling preachers, and 65,980 members of the church. Circuits had been formed and societies established throughout nearly every State and Territory in the Union, and also in Upper Canada, the whole of which was under the able and energetic superintending of Bishop Asbury, who travelled from six to seven thousand miles annually, preaching generally every day, and on the sabbath twice or thrice.

In 1800 Richard Whatcoat was elected and ordained a bishop, and immediately entered upon his work, and greatly assisted Bishop Asbury in his arduous labors.

Such was the increase of members and preachers, that it was found quite inconvenient for even all the elders to assemble in General Conference quadrennially; and hence in 1808, measures were adopted to form a delegated General Conference, to be composed of not less than one for every seven of the members of the annual conferences, nor more than one for every five, to be chosen either by ballot or by seniority; at the same time the power of this

delegated conference was limited by constitutional restrictions.

The first delegated conference assembled in the city of New York, in the year 1812, in which Bishops Asbury and McHendree, the latter of whom had been elected and consecrated a bishop in 1808, presided. In 1816 Bishop Asbury died, and in the same year, at the General Conference held in Baltimore, Enoch George, and Robert R. Roberts, were elected and consecrated bishops.

In 1819 the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed. Its object was "to assist the several annual conferences to extend their missionary labors throughout the United States and elsewhere." This society has contributed mightily to diffuse the work of God, in the poor and destitute portions of our own country, among the aboriginal tribes of the United States and territories, among the slaves of the South, and Southwest, and it has sent its missionaries to Africa, to South America, and even to Oregon, beyond the Rocky Mountains; and thousands will doubtless rise up at a future day and praise God for the blessings they have received through the instrumentality of this godlike institution.

In this way the good work has continued to spread until now, 1843, when there are 4,286 travelling, and 7,730 local preachers, and 1,068,525 private members of the church, including exhorters, stewards, class leaders, and trustees.

This great prosperity, however, has not been unattended with difficulties from without, as well as within the church. Various individuals have arisen at different times, who have become dissatisfied with the government and some of the usages of the church, and not being able to effect an alteration in conformity to their wishes, have finally seceded and attempted to establish separate communities. The most considerable of these, beside that of James O'Kelly, already mentioned, was that which took place in 1830, when the "Methodist Protestant Church" was formed by a convention of delegates, assembled by previous arrangement, in the city of Baltimore, in which they provided for a mixture of lay and clerical influence in the government, both in the legislative,

judicial, and executive departments; in the mean time abolishing Episcopacy, and substituting, in the place of bishops, presidents of their Annual and General Conferences, to be elected whenever those bodies may assemble for the transaction of business. They hold fast, however, all the fundamental doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and likewise retain the use of class and quarterly meetings, love-feasts, and the sacramental services, annual and general conferences, and an itinerant ministry.

Another secession has just commenced, ostensibly on the abolition principles and movements; but they manifest the like hostility to those features of our government growing out of the Episcopal form, and seem determined to establish one more in conformity with their views of equal rights and privileges.

How far these brethren may realize their wishes, remains to be seen. It is certainly an evidence of the strong convictions with which all the leading doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church have been received, that none of the seceding bodies have abjured any of these; and so far as they may succeed in propa. gating them, we wish them all success, while we cannot but think, that they would have given them a still wider circulation had they remained quietly and firmly attached to their brethren, and continued to work in the "old ways." Be this as it may, the Methodist Episcopal Church so far from being shaken by these thrusts at her peculiarities, or retarded in her career of usefulness, has seemed to assume greater stability, and much to increase in her prosperity; and this, doubtless, she will do, so long as she keeps "a single eye" to the glory of God, and aims simply and solely, as it is believed she has done heretofore, for the salvation of a lost and ruined world.

DOCTRINES.

The following articles of faith contain. all the cardinal doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are declared, by the restrictive regulations which limit the powers of the General Conference, to be unalterable.

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. By 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, Duteuronomy, 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 Book 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 Prophets the greater, Twelve Prophets the less: all the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.

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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 | badges or tokens of Christian men's pro

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 fruit.

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.

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fession; but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God's good will toward us, by 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 chil dren is to be retained in the Church.

XVIII. Of the Lord's Supper.-The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love 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 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

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