History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

and many others, and uniformly defeated from 1796 to 1820, in that year was carried by a two-thirds
majority. How its final overthrow was accomplished, though it had one of the Bishops as its friend
in George, with Roberts largely neutral, will furnish material for the opening chapter of a new
volume of this History, as it was the crux and crisis of the Church. Emory failed of an election to the
General Conference of 1824, Stevens evasively observing, "except that of 1824, when, being in a
minority in his Conference on a disputed question, he was not elected." It was kind to his memory
thus to gloss over the facts, but lacking in historical candor. The disputed question, it is well known
by all Reform Methodists then and now, was this very elective presiding eldership, and other
advances in the direction of a more liberal system which he countenanced. So pronounced were his
views that he was the author of an Address which, like the utterances of McKendree in 1792,
contained epigrammatical sentences which have never ceased to be slogans in the literature and
rallies of Reformers. His opinions were shared by an influential relationship in Maryland, two of
whom at least were eminent men, Dr. Sellers, his brother-in-law, and the late Judge Philemon B.
Hopper, who stood all his life like a rock for the principles of Methodist Reform. Emory's
participation in the controversy of 1827-30 will occupy a large space in its proper place, so that for
the time his church politics are relegated to that period. As a controvertist he was distinguished,
having answered Bishop White on a doctrinal question, and issued other polemical pamphlets, this
being the natural attitude of his splendidly equipped mind. In 1824 the General Conference elected
him Book Agent, as associate with Nathan Bangs. It marked a radical change in his ecclesiastical
views, so marked that by the General Conference of 1832 he was elected one of the Bishops of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. His administration was mild but masterful. Driving to Baltimore from
his country residence near Reisterstown, he was thrown, it is supposed, from his buggy and was
found bleeding and insensible on the roadside, in 1835. He died from concussion of the brain, having
never recovered consciousness, and was buried at Mt. Olivet cemetery, already referred to as the
resting-place of so many notable Methodists. With the brethren of his Church his name has been as
"ointment poured forth" churches were called after him, and he has numerous namesakes in the
citizenship of his native state. His eldest son, Robert, a classical teacher in Methodism, has written
a biography of his venerated father, which is largely an effort to vindicate his memory from the
dreadful aspersion of being a "Radical" in 1820-24. How far he succeeds will come under review
later.
Nathan Bangs was received in 1812, rose rapidly, became eminent in most of the leading Church
centers, developed a high intellect, unflagging industry, unflinching loyalty, piety, and zeal. He
served in the Eldership, was Book Agent with Emory and Soule, a member of most of the General
Conferences, in which he was known for his stanch adherence to old methods and Asburyan
principles. For a number of years he was in the mind of his friends for the bishopric, had a large
following, but finally missed it by a narrow vote. While Book Agent he took a prominent part in
opposition to all Reform measures, and in the controversy of 1820-24, wrote against it in his
"Vindication of Methodist Episcopacy," which took the three-order, High-Church view of the
episcopacy, and, strange to say, its publication was opposed by his associate Soule, at the expense
of the Book Concern. It was finally done, and he was compensated with one hundred dollars for the
pamphlet. It has not been quoted since 1844 by his contemporaries, for obvious reasons, and it made
no impression at the time of its issue upon such Reformers as Snethen, Shinn, and others, though
scathingly reviewed and riddled with counter arguments. He was made editor of the Christian
Advocate, and his last great work was his "History of the Church," in four volumes, able but partisan,