STRICTURES ON CHURCH GO SUPPOSING that a resolution was passed into a rule, that a Methodist should not commune with the Baptists, assigning as a reason that the Baptists had no authority for the origin of their order but was self-created; hence founded on assumption only. But the authority of the Methodists was "by order and succession," agreeably to Episcopal principles. This being admitted, it would follow as a consequence of Episcopacy, that if the Church of England be right and agreeable according to the order of God, the Church of Rome cannot be wrong, if the succession be derived from Peter through that avenue. But to obviate that difficulty, it is argued that the order of Elders has been continued in succession from the Apostle's time, and that Elder and Bishop and Overseer all mean one and the same thing so admits Adam Clarke in his notes on the 20th of Acts. In the preface to the Methodist hymn book, "to purchase no hymn books" but what are signed with the names of the Bishops -appealing to the Methodists if they have any respect for "the authority of the Conference, or of us!" Who are us? Wm. M. Kendree, Enoch George, and Robert R. Roberts. How came they by this authority? By delegation, order and succession! Who is this General Conference? It is composed of delegates from the several District Conferences. Who compose the several District Conferences? The ministers and Preachers in the Methodist "Travelling Connection;" and these appointed delegates to attend the General Conference. *The following strictures are, perhaps, unnecessarily severe, and may give offence to many; but a careful perusal of the Journal will show that he was no doubt unjustly and ungenerously treated, His course, truly, was out of the common order; but he claimed Divine guidance; and when a man acts conscientiously, he should be free from crimination and persecution. Some allowance must therefore be made for that severity.PUBLISHER. Have the people any voice in the formation of those rules by which they are to be governed? No! not even a representation! though the rules be altered ever so many times, even after they have become members of society. Whom have Wm. McKendree, Enoch George and Robert R. Roberts succeeded "in order?" Richard Whatcoat, Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke. Whom did Richard Whatcoat, Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke succeed in order? John Wesley. Was John Wesley superior in power to Thomas Coke? Not according to the rules of Episcopacy. They were of one grade and order--Presbyters or Elders. How came John Wesley, Thomas Coke's superior and predecessor? John Wesley was the means under God, of the first origin of the Methodist Society, which name was given out of stigma-and said he, I use the power but don't seek it. How did Thomas Coke succeed John Wesley? By delegation and the imposition of hands in secret. Can a stream rise higher than its fountain? If not, why the imposition of hands clandestinely? For the sake of order and the name of the thing-secretly, to keep peace in England How did Francis Asbury succeed Thomas Coke in order? Francis Asbury was in America first, and had the control according to his will, before Thomas Coke came over. Hence he would accept no nominal authority from Coke, unless the Conference, which was called on that occasion, and partly for that purpose, should vote for it; and moreover, Thomas should agree not to meddle with the stationing of the preachers. After which he was ordained by the said Thomas, or ministers assisting, first, one day Deacon, second day Elder, and the third day a Bishop! But after a while Thomas would willingly dissent from, divide, and interfere with the stationing of the preachers, which did not please Francis, so the Doctor was voted to stay in Europe, unless recalled, which was never done. Hence by order and succession, the rotation will stand thus upon the list of Bishops in Methodist history: John Wesley, Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury, Richard Whatcoat, Wm. McKendree, Enoch George and Robert R. Roberts. Is there any way to break the power of a bishop? Yes. Two ways-if he ceases to travel without consent, and if he be guilty of immoral conduct. But suppose he backslides, and still his life is ter.ned mcral? This is another question. Did the people of Rome ever have a power and a voice to choose their own Bishop? Yes, and it continued until the year 1143, when the clergy domineered over the people, and taking the privilege from them, lodged it in the cardinals alone. Did the Pope ever have unlimited power, without the voice of any other person, to command six hundred men, and send them when and where he pleased, because it was his will and pleasure to have it so; "to say to one go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh, and to this man do this, and he doeth it?" I know not where it is recorded in history, that the Pope did command six hundred men, in their ecclesiastic and clerical capacity, to send them here and there, because it was his will and pleasure so to have it, and that over the country near 2000 miles one way, and 1500 the other. How much less is the power of the President of the United States! How much greater the privilege of the citizens, to have a voice by their representatives in the formation of those rules by which they are to be governed*-and the liberty of speech and of the press to remark on the rules, and conduct of those who form the rules, and their mode of governing. The mode of governing in the old world, contains those restrictions, as the result and dregs of the old feudal system—and wherever this mode exists, the principle must be the same- -of which the unlimited, and in many cases, the undefined power of the Bishopand P. Elders is a specimen, which some have seen and severely felt. But to return: Is there any other Methodist Bishop in America? What is his name? Richard Allen, a man of color. From whence came this man, and by what means and authority was he ever constituted a Bishop? Richard Allen was born a slave; experienced religion from the preaching of Freeborn Garretson; bought his freedom of his master, and then learned to read, &c. Francis being jealous of his power, noticed Allen with a watchful eye, and finally embargoed him to locate and become stationary. He accordingly, after looking round, fixed upon the city of Philadelphia, where there were but five colored people in the society at that time. *According to the twenty-third article of the Methodist Faith, LL However, he turned in to hold meetings in season and out of season, here and there, and wherever he could find an opening and gain access, so that the society soon increased to forty-two. This mode of conduct raised a dust and gained him some opposition. There was a man, no matter who, accused of immoral or improper conduct, and being tried by a jury or committee, perhaps of twelve, and brought in guilty, the preacher expelled him from society. But the P. E. coming along, by an arbitrary power, restored him to his standing as before.. Then another charge being brought, he was tried as before and expelled again; and again did the P. E. restore him as at the first; and moreover, did suspend all the ministerial powers of that preacher, because the preacher did not obey his orders to quit the city forthwith, and take a circuit in the country, which was impossible at that time, seeing he had no horse, having sold his to take the city station, and had hired a house accordingly, so that this preacher was in trouble, and would have felt it worse, had it not have been for those who took pity, the Lord opening their hearts about that time, to assist his family from suffering; and he got access to private places, where he attended meetings." In consequence of this exercise of undefined despotic power in the P. E., there was a separation; and those who went off, were called Academites, but afterwards accepted a preacher from Francis, on certain conditions, which many condemned Francis for condescending to, saying, they should have no conditions showed them. Francis met with the preacher who was so tyrannically suspended, and the P. E. also, who had suspended him, and requested them to hush the matter, and so make it up, that it might not come before the Conference; for that would try the power and lead to a definition of its limits, as it related to Presiding Elders; and the matter being made up some how, to please Francis, the thing was hushed; so when the Conference came on, to examine preachers' characters, the Bishop or Conference would not suffer that subject to be brought up, seeing a settlement implies an oblivion of things past. At the General Conference, however, there was a move for the power of the P. Elders to be defined, which motion was seconded; but Francis rose up, and, after a few observations, put it all to si lence. Candidate, Deacon, Priest, Bishop and Archbishop, is the mode; differing only in the names, Preacher, Deacon, Elder, P. Elder and the Bishop; Ecclesiastical, Episcopal, Pontificate mode; deduced from the Imperial Roman Code or Pandects.* The colored people were considered by some persons as being in the way. They were resolved to have them removed, and placed around the walls, corners, &c.; which to execute, the above expelled and restored man, at prayer time, did attempt to pull Absolem Jones from his knees, which procedure, with its concomitants, gave rise to the building of an African meeting house, the first ever built in these middle or northern states. This raised a dust. The colored people were commanded to desist, and make an acknowledgement within a limited period, or some body would know the reason why. Upon this, they sent in their resignation, and so went on with the building. Bishop White then came forward, and offered to ordain them a pastor, if they would choose and select one to their choice. Richard Allen was spoken to first, but he replied, "I am a Methodist!" Then Absalom Jones was selected, and Bishop White ordained him accordingly. Thus the arbitrary conduct of some drove off those people of color from the Methodist, and placed that congregation under the church of England. After this Richard Allen built a meeting house with his own money upon his own ground, and called the name of it Bethel. (It has since been rebuilt, and settled on trustees. It will accommodate about 3000 people.) The preachers being changed, things were forgotten, and preaching went on in the house. At length John M'C. suggested that the congregation had better become incorporated in order to be known in law; otherwise, should a legacy be left them, they could not hold it. Hence to enjoy privileges in common with other religious societies, they concluded to employ a lawyer to draw up arti cles of association, for that purpose. But J. M'C. replied that he could do it and save expense; which was consented to, supposing him to be their friend. But in doing this, there were three of the articles, that, when read in the abstract, would read very well; but when taken in a relative conjunction, implied what the colored people never designed, viz: the white preacher's power over them was too much. And as they were not informed whereby they could ken it, it passed on for about seven years before they discovered the imposition; which discovery happened in the following manner.The colored people did their own church business, and a woman being expelled, she however obtained a ticket from the white elder, to go into love feast, but was not admitted in; which refusal affronted the preacher, as disregarding his power and authority; wherefore he threatened them, demanding at the same time, the key of the meeting house and the books of the church, &c., by virtue of those articles of association; which the colored people refused to comply with, and had recourse to the proper authority for redress, accordingly. Hence the articles of association were improved by a supplement, which supplement made a great noise in Philadelphia at times, and was misrepresented through prejudice by some. See the supplement at the close.] |