On this page
-
Text (2)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
questions . The esprit de corps prevails nowhere more strongly than among the Methodists . It extends its sway from religion to the ordinary pursuits of life . In almost all things they act , if at all , in a body , and , as a body , act rather in consequence of orders received from the higher powers than from individual convictions . They are truly a church militant . The president of the Conference is the Generalissimo ; he with his staff officers ,
few we understand in number , issues the word of command , and all the army begins to move ; he cries " halt , " and forthwith they stop ; he saith to this man Go , and he goeth , and to another Come , and he cometh . This union of action is observed in all matters of great concernment ; in relation to charitable institutions , human rights and human wrongs , the interests of the race and the interests of individuals , the election of a member of
Parliament , and the election of a parish apothecary . Nor do we hesitate to say , that to our apprehension it proceeds mostly in the wrong way . The influence of the Conference is , for the most part , anti-liberal . They are , as will appear in the sequel , tyrants themselves , and they seem generally to incline to the side of tyranny . It has , in fact , been put forth as a plea in their favour , that they have checked innovation , been pillars to the state in perilous times , and prevented thousands from becoming absolute Dissenters .
The number of Methodist itinerant preachers throughout the world , exclusive o ? those who minister to the several swarms that have left the original hive , is , we are told on authority , 2801 . Of these , 1017 are under the controul of the English Conference . More than thrice that number , we should think , are engaged as local preachers ; so that about 4000 persons are now employed in diffusing abroad the principles of Methodism , that is , in building up and extending the influence of the Conference .
Another source of influence is the disposition of money . But in this particular we are greatly at a loss . The Conference have taken care , and notwithstanding opposition on this point , do still take care , that very much shall not be known of their pecuniary concerns , rrorn inquiries which we have made , we have reason to think that the average amount of the salaries of Methodist preachers is about £ 200 a year . This will make the money paid to those who are in connexion with the English Conference £ 203 , 400 . In
addition to this , the Conference is the sole owner of all the chapels through the kingdom , of a school-house at Kingswood , near Bristol , and an academy at Wood house Grove , Yorkshire , worth together not less certainly than £ 10 , 000 , independently of the patronage arising from the appointment of teachers and other functionaries . Then the Conference has in its hands the publication of the books which the Methodist public purchases , and by itself or agents the distribution of all monies raised for charitable objects , the
aid of the poor , the support of Sunday-schools the maintenance of superannuated preachers . These things considered , it will be clear that the power of the Conference arising from the money under its directions must be very considerable . Another question remains—Who is the Conference ? In whose hands does all this power rest ? The Conference is thought to consist of all the Methodist travelling preachers , but in fact a small party rules
the connexion . The leg al Conference consisted at the time of Wesley ' s death of one hundred members , to whom he conveyed all his rights . The survivors and successors of these have all legal power in their own hands , and in fact they reserve to themselves the privilege of electing the President and Secretary of the Conference , whose power is all but supreme , and permit as many more of the remaining preachers as they think fit to be present
Untitled Article
Xtunbrr of MetJiodut PrraclirrR . 291
Untitled Article
Y 2
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1830, page 291, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2584/page/3/
-