History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

sent to these conferences from each of the circuits? We answer, It would utterly destroy our itinerant
plan." Every autocrat firmly persuades himself that without his headship there could be no union,
and without such a union there could be no effective administration. It was easy for the preachers
to believe it, so that it was almost universally entertained by them there was no counter-experience
to disprove it, and though the course of Methodist events has since clearly shown that the presence
of lay-delegates, so far from hampering the itinerancy, has strengthened it, and they have proved
themselves the most reliable upholders of the general superintendency and an itinerant ministry; so
the fallacy of assertion has been overborne by the logic of events.
The Notes upon this subject occupy nearly seven pages. Imaginary opponents of an itinerant plan,
like men of straw, are set up there was no whisper of opposition among the people of that day, and
the preachers were well-nigh a unit in favor — and the Bishops knock them down and then thresh
the straw! Why all this labor? The true objective was the absolute headship of the Bishop, and his
unlimited power in stationing the preachers. It is interesting to watch them examining every link in
the chain, and forging new ones where wanted, and then they connect the ends and make it a circle
of iron. Thousands of good men have gone down to their graves in the full persuasion that this
method and nothing else was the moving spring of Methodist success, and much may be and must
be conceded to it. It was a power for good, but as Snethen has so convincingly shown, it carried with
it a corresponding power to do evil, which its advocates refused to consider, but out of which have
come issues which have destroyed the unity of Methodism, an evil far overweighing the good of an
arbitrary system. It is the principal contention of this History to prove the allegation true. The
hortatory mood of the Bishops is something vehement for a final word, "Shall we not rather support
it, notwithstanding everything which may be subtlety urged by our enemies under the cry of tyranny,
which is the common cry of restless spirits even against the best governments in order that they may
throw everything into confusion, and then ride on the whirlwind and direct the storm." There are
catch phrases here that have come down through all the Reform movements. "We recommend a
careful perusal of the Causes, Evils, and Cures, of Heart and Church Divisions." It was published
as a pamphlet about these times, and widely distributed. Asbury referred to it frequently in his
Journal. He read it into himself until it was thoroughly assimilated. It was one of the O'Kelly
antidotes and contained very good advice, only the Bishop seemed never to suspect that his methods
might be among the Causes of Church Divisions.
Section VIII., under the question, "How shall a suspected member be brought to trial?" the old
method is given, and then is added as an "N.B.," the new law, "If a member of our society shall be
clearly convicted of endeavoring to sow dissensions in any of our societies, by inveighing against
either our doctrines or discipline, such person so offending shall be first reproved by the senior
minister or preacher on his circuit, and if he afterward persists in such pernicious practices, he shall
be expelled the society." It was enacted for a specific purpose a ready instrument for the precipitate
expulsion of all reformers within the Church without regard to their moral character. It was found
so effective that it has been retained in the Discipline to this day with the single amendment, "He
shall be brought to trial, and if found guilty." What! the reader exclaims, was not that the case as
originally framed? It was not. It gave the preacher power after reproof to expel without formality,
and it was exercised unsparingly. Its power of evil was tremendous. From 1796 down to 1812 and
farther, it was held as a menace over all who might dare to sympathize actively with any who
opposed the will of the preacher in any of his measures. If distractions or dissatisfactions occurred